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Strike Charmer looks for quick turnaround in Sunday's G3 Athenia; English Channel Field Set

by Brian Bohl

Strike Charmer will look to capitalize on a cutback in distance on Sunday in the 39th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Athenia for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Belmont Park.

Trained by Mark Hennig, Strike Charmer will have a fast turnaround after a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl on October 8. After rallying from sixth at the top of the stretch over a career-long 1 ¼-mile start, the Courtlandt Farms' 6-year-old will be returning to the distance in which she won the Grade 2 Ballston Spa on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course in posting a personal-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She's been doing well, we haven't done a lot with her," Hennig said. "She came out of the race pretty sharp. We thought if she ran really well in the Flower Bowl, we'd go on to the Breeders' Cup, but ideally we figured we'd shorten her up and take a shot."

Hennig said if Strike Charmer performs well, she will be pointed towards the Grade 1, $300,000 Matriarch on December 4 at Del Mar.

"We'll try and get her some Grade 1 black type before the end of the year is out," Hennig said. "If we go to the Matriarch, we'll have a good six weeks, so I figure we can freshen her in between."

Strike Charmer has won her last two starts at the Athenia distance, including a 2 ¼-length score in the Grade 3 Beaugay on May 14. The daughter of Smart Strike drew the inside and will have Junior Alvarado in the irons for the first time since he piloted her to victory in the Ballston Spa.

"He's gotten along with her well. He was out of town the last time she ran, but the opportunity came up to get him again, so we did," Hennig said.

Christophe Clement will saddle a pair of entries, led by Stormy Victoria, who finished third last out in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel on September 24. The 4-year-old French-bred is 2-1-1 in five starts in North America, including 2-for-2 at Belmont Park. She drew the outside with Joel Rosario aboard.

Her stablemate, Sea Coast, recorded her first stakes win on September 3, taking the Steve Pini Memorial by two lengths at Suffolk Downs. Sea Coast, who made her North American debut with a runner-up finish in an optional claimer at Belmont in May 2015, will leave post 4. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the call.

"They are both training well and look well, it's the usual story," Clement said. "It's a very competitive race. I have two good jockeys, so I'll leave it up to them."

Chad Brown also has multiple entries, led by Mexican Gold won her first start in the United States on September 4 at Saratoga. After going 2-1-1 in six starts in France, she will now make her first Belmont start out of post 7. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will look to pilot her to a second straight win.

Roca Rojo, also for Brown, has won two of her first three starts in North America after going 2-for-2 in Ireland. She will make her graded stakes debut out of post 3 in tandem with Javier Castellano.

My Sweet Girl finished fourth in the Noble Damsel and is looking to return to the winner's circle for the first time since the Perfect String on July 2 at Belmont. Trained by Barclay Tagg, the 4-year-old bay Bernardini filly has finished first or second in three of her last four races. Manny Franco will ride out of post 5.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will saddle All in Fun, who will be seeking her first stakes win. The 4-year-old chestnut Tapit filly is coming off her graded stakes debut last out in the Grade 3 Violet, in which she was disqualified from second to fourth place.

All in Fun has finished in the money in four of her last six races, including two straight victories in optional claimers before posting a personal-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure in the Violet on September 10 at Monmouth Park. She drew post 9 with Javier Castellano set to ride.

After making her first four starts in France, Okana will make her North America debut out of post 2 for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. Luis Saez will be in the irons.

Rounding out the field is Sparkle Factor, a trainee of LeRoy Jolley, out of post 8; Means Well, trained by Alan Goldberg, won an optional claimer on September 28 and will depart post 6 with jockey Antonio Gallardo.

La Inesperada, for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, is a main track-only entry.

Joining the Athenia on Sunday, 12 talented 3-year-olds will compete in $100,000 English Channel going one mile on the Widener turf course.

Trainer Tom Albertrani will saddle a pair of formidable contenders in Giant Run, for owners William Mack and Robert C. Baker and Hickory Plains' Toughest 'Ombre.

A son of Giant's Causeway, Giant Run has collected four victories from eight starts, including three at the distance. Entering off a win in the Centaur at Indiana Grand on September 7, he'll look to capture his third stakes win this year, leaving from the rail with Joe Bravo aboard.

Toughest 'Ombre will look to earn his first stakes win from 10 career starts. Coming off an optional claiming win on September 28 at Belmont, he will be reunited with Rosario in the irons from post 12.

Looking to earn his third consecutive victory is Our Way for trainer Jimmy Bond. This summer, the son of Tizway earned back-to-back wins at Saratoga, including a 2 ¼-length win in the Better Talk Now on August 29. He drew post 11 Jose Ortiz aboard.

Second to Our Way in the Better Talk Now, Hammers Vision rebounded in his last start to finish second by a nose in an optional claiming race on the dirt on September 24. Moving back to the turf and drawing post 9, he will be ridden by Tony Gallardo.

Coming off an optional claiming on September 3 at Saratoga, Hockey School will try to earn his second win on the turf from post 10 with Saez aboard.

Rounding out the field are Abiding Star, Isotherm, Strike Midnight, Catapult, Whatawonderflworld, Scholar Athlete, Dragon Bay, Cave Johnson and main track-only entrant Voluntario.

Trainer Brian Lynch will also enter a pair for the English Channel in Amerman Racing's Hockey School and Hammers Vision, for Terry Hamilton.