Turf juveniles look for first stakes win in G3 Pilgrim

by Brian Bohl

A field of nine 2-year-olds will be looking for their first graded stakes victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Pilgrim, the eighth race on the first "super" Saturday card at Belmont, will be run on the inner turf. Post time is approximately 4:37 p.m. as part of an exciting day of racing that includes the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the Grade 1 Vosburgh, the Grade 1 Beldame and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap.

Amerman Racing's Oscar Performance, the Brian Lynch-trained bay colt, broke his maiden on August 20 at Saratoga Race Course with a 10 ¼-length score. The son of 2004 Eclipse Award-winning champion grass horse Kitten's Joy drew post 6 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

Oscar Performance, who has been training at Belmont for almost three weeks, will make his stakes debut after posting a career-high 80 Beyer Speed Figure last out.

"He seems like he's matured and it's always exciting when you have young talent in the barn taking you forward," Lynch said. 

Frostmourne, owned by Green Lantern Stables, will be looking to go 2-for-2 in his career after a 2 ¼-length victory in his debut on September 3 at the Spa. Trainer Christophe Clement said he is curious to see how Frostmourne would respond to the possibility of softer turf on Sunday after winning on firm turf earlier this month. 

"He's training nicely and I'm excited to see him run," Clement said. "The weather is a question mark for everyone. They [the field] all broke their maidens and they just have to step up and see where they fit."

Frostmourne will leave from the rail with Manny Franco, who has the mount for the first time but breezed him on Sunday when he went four furlongs in 50.44 seconds on the inner turf.

"He breezed well and finished well," Clement said. "He was willing. Manny rode him and he knows the horse, so I'm very happy."

My Bo Chop, trained by Arnaud Delacour, is one of two entries with graded stakes experience after coming in fifth in the Grade 2 With Anticipation on August 31 at Saratoga. After going 1-1-0 in his first three career starts in France, the Team Valor International and Earle I. Mack-owned colt made his North American debut last month and will make his first Belmont Park start in exiting post 5. Junior Alvarado will have the call.

Bird's Eye View posted a game third-place showing in the Grade 2 With Anticipation on August 31 behind Keep Quiet and Made You Look. Trained by Michael Dini, Bird's Eye View was moved to the turf after a seventh-place debut finish and broke his maiden on August 20 at Monmouth Park.

Owned by Ballybrit Stable's, Bird's Eye View registered a career-best 70 Beyer Speed Figure on an 11-day turnaround and drew post 3 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the irons.

J.S. Choice, for trainer Todd Pletcher, broke his maiden on September 5 at Saratoga with a 3 ¼-length victory at the Pilgrim distance. Irad Ortiz, Jr., who piloted him to that victory, will have the mount again out of post 2.  

Kitten's Kat will look to stretch out in distance after winning over a mile on September 15 at Kentucky Downs. Trainer Joe Sharp will see how the Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey-owned colt fares in his Belmont debut in departing from the outside with Joel Rosario. 

Rounding out the field are a pair of Chad Brown-trained colts, including Sir Douglas, out of post 4 and Oiseau de Guerre, who won his debut on August 28 at Saratoga. Bookew Bucks, a George Weaver-trained bay gelding, will leave from post 7. 

Thirst for Victory and Cohen's Kat are main-track only entries.