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​Well-bred Golden Ghost makes career bow in $150K Astoria

by Mary Eddy

D.J. Stable’s unraced maiden Golden Ghost brings both an eye-catching pedigree and strong string of works into her career debut in Sunday’s $150,000 Astoria, a 5 1/2-furlong main track sprint for juvenile fillies, at Belmont Park. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the regally-bred Golden Ghost, a bay daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, is the first foal out of 2019 Group 1 Prix de l’Opera victress Villa Marina, who herself is a half-sister to Huetor, a two-time winner of Australia’s prestigious Group 1 Doomben Cup. Golden Ghost was purchased for $500,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. 

Golden Ghost posted her first recorded workout in March at the Casse Training Center in Ocala, Florida before moving to Keeneland to work regularly throughout the spring. She shipped north to Belmont Park in mid-May and has posted two works here, most recently covering a half-mile in 48.50 seconds on June 1 over the main track. 

“She’s a filly we like a lot,” said Casse. “We entered her in a maiden race and it didn’t go. So, now we’ll try this. She’s looked really good in the workouts.”

Dylan Davis, who teamed up with Casse to win the NYSSS Times Square aboard D.J. Stable’s Lifetime of Chance in April, has the call from post 2. 

Trainer John Salzman, Jr. will give Bird Mobberley and Grady Griffin’s Low Mileage [post 4, Jevian Toledo] a try in stakes company after scoring a debut maiden win from off-the-pace on May 5 at Laurel Park. 

The Virginia-bred daughter of Mineshaft broke a step slow from the inside post in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint and saved ground along the rail down the backstretch before angling out three-wide under Jevian Toledo and running down her rivals in the stretch to post the 1 1/4-length victory in a final time of 53.46 seconds. 

“She learned a lot. She got off bad from the one hole and Jevian didn’t panic,” said Salzman, Jr. “He loved her and said she’ll rate, she’ll go to the lead – she’ll do whatever. She looks like she’s going to be a nice filly, I hope.” 

Out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Chabeso, Low Mileage was purchased for $25,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. Her third dam is Untouched Talent, who produced Grade 1 Arkansas Derby-winner and multiple graded stakes-producing sire Bodemeister. 

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Union Suit [post 1, Manny Franco] and Douglas Scharbauer’s Closing Act [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] share a field-high 49 Beyer Speed Figure for their debut wins. 

Union Suit, who was purchased privately and is now trained by Graham Motion after debuting for Rey Hernandez, led at each point of call in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on May 10 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and drew off down the stretch under Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. to post a 1 1/2-length victory in 53.02. The daughter of Union Rags sold for $9,000 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. 

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen sends out Closing Act off a rallying graduation on May 11 at Churchill Downs where she missed the break and improved her position throughout after racing 4 1/2 lengths off the pace. She got up just in time under Tyler Gaffalione to land a neck triumph and complete the 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.89. The Texas-bred daughter of Munnings is out of the stakes-placed Master Command mare Evening Show. 

Completing the field are the Phil Schoenthal-trained pair of HnR Nothhaft Horse Racing’s maiden-winning homebred Living Magic [post 5, Victor Carrasco] and the maiden Donate Life [post 3, Trevor McCarthy], who the same ownership co-owns with Schoenthal. 

The Astoria is slated as Race 2 on Sunday’s 11-race card, which co-features the Grade 2, $200,000 Wonder Again in Race 10 and $150,000 Jersey Girl in Race 5, which were rescheduled from Thursday, as well as the $150,000 Tremont in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. 

The Wonder Again, a nine-furlong inner turf test for sophomore fillies, attracted the same eight horses as originally drawn on Saturday with a handful of jockey changes. The field from the rail out will be comprised of Allamericanbeauty [post 1, Jose Lezcano], Revalita [post 2, Jose Ortiz], Venencia [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Juniper’s Moon [post 4, Javier Castellano], Prerequisite [post 5, Flavien Prat], Thirty Thou Kelvin [post 6, Dylan Davis], Be Your Best [post 7, Manny Franco] and Spansive [post 8, John Velazquez].

The Jersey Girl saw five of the original seven entrants return for the six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies. Girl Trouble, who ran fifth in Sunday’s Smart N Classy Handicap at Monmouth Park, and Red Carpet Ready did not re-enter. The re-drawn field will be Wildhawk [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche], Aunt Becca [post 2, John Velazquez], L Street Lady [post 3, Manny Franco], Chocolate Gelato [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Unified Alliance [post 5, Javier Castellano]. 

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/. 

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