NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Undefeated Break Even and New York-bred Sue's Fortune highlight Sunday's Jersey Girl

by Brian Bohl

Klein Racing's unbeaten Break Even and Fortune Farm's reigning New York Champion 2-year-old filly Sue's Fortune will headline a five-horse field in the sixth running of the $150,000 Jersey Girl at six furlongs on Sunday over the Belmont Park main track. 

Break Even enters her debut on Big Sandy 4-for-4 in her career, including a 5 ½-length score last out in her graded stakes debut, wiring a nine-horse field to capture the Grade 2 Eight Belles on May 3 at Churchill Downs. The Brad Cox trainee shipped to Belmont on Wednesday from Louisville and galloped for the first time on the Belmont main track on Thursday morning.

"Everything went really well, so we expect her to run big," Cox said. "It looks like she's at her best. She's moving well and we're excited for Sunday."

The 3-year-old daughter of Country Day won her debut on New Year's Day over a sloppy track in a 5 ½-furlong sprint moved off the turf at Fair Grounds. Later in the month on the same track, Break Even bested a field of optional claimers by 4 ¼ lengths at six furlongs, marking the smallest margin of victory she has posted in her career.

Stepping up to stakes company, Break Even again wired the field, posting a 4 ½-length win in the Purple Martin on March 30 at Oaklawn Park in which she registered a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure. Under a similar pace scenario, Break Even won the seven-furlong Eight Belles in her first start at Churchill and will now cut back slightly to the Jersey Girl distance at which she has won twice.

"She's handled everything so professionally and she's won at three different tracks," Cox said. "She responded to the seven-eighths last time extremely well. She handled the ship really well and everything has been positive for her at Belmont. I think we're set for a big race."

Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, aboard for three of Break Even's wins, including the Eight Belles, will travel to Belmont for the call, breaking from post 3.

Sue's Fortune earned Champion 2-Year-Old Filly honors at the New York Thoroughbred Inc. awards dinner in April after a freshman campaign in which she won her first two starts, including a half-length victory in the Grade 2 Adirondack on August 11 at Saratoga Race Course.

After a sixth in the Grade 1 Frizette on October 7 at Belmont, trainer Jeremiah Englehart did not run Sue's Fortune again until May 18, where she defeated optional claimers by two lengths in a 6 ½-furlong sprint at Belmont.

Englehart said he would like to have the Jump Start filly square off against fellow New York-breds, but said the Jersey Girl's distance could be a good jumping-off point for the summer campaign.

"She came out of that race in pretty good shape and had a work back and was pretty good the other day," Englehart said. "It's a little quick back for me, but it seemed like the right spot for her. Right now, everything is going well.

"Our main objective was to get her in to stakes company. We'd like to try and get her into some New York-bred stakes, but at the same time, this one came up at the right distance for 3-year-old fillies. We'll see how she does.

Sue's Fortune has been at or near the lead for each of her three wins, and Englehart said he expects another honest effort as she returns to stakes company.

"She's a runner," Englehart said. "Even in the last race, she was pretty straightforward in her first race back. Hopefully, she gives another good account of herself."

Junior Alvarado will be in the irons from post 4.

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Moonlight Romance also is coming off a win in her first start off a layoff, defeating optional claimers by three-quarters of a length at six furlongs on April 26 at Keeneland in her 3-year-old bow.

The winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint in September will be returning to the track where she broke her maiden at second asking in May 2018, which spring-boarded a year in which she finished 13th at the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and 12th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November at Churchill.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Moonlight Romance drew post 5 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez tabbed to ride.

Her stablemate, Bingwa, will step up to stakes company for the first time after a pair of wins and runner-up efforts in four career starts. The Goldencents filly won her only previous start at Belmont, defeating allowance company on May 19. Along with Dylan Davis, she will exit post 2. 

Miss Imperial enters off three consecutive runner-up stakes efforts for trainer Jason Servis, including the Ruthless, Cicada and the Hystericalady on May 27 at Monmouth Park. 

Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, David Simon, Bethlehem Stables and Susan Montanye, Miss Imperial is 2-3-0 in six career starts and will make her first Belmont appearance from the inside post. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. drew the assignment. 

Carded as Race 3, the Jersey Girl has an approximate post time of 2:34 p.m. Eastern. First post time is set for 1:30 p.m. for the 10-race card.