Tracking a quick early pace, Regal Glory unleashed a torrid closing rush in the stretch and won the $500,000 Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1) Saturday at Belmont Park.
The 6-year-old Animal Kingdom mare was one of a trio of runners, including In Italian and even-money favorite Speak of the Devil, trained by Chad Brown for owner Peter Brant, whose 1980 champion turf mare is the race's namesake.
Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Regal Glory was the star of the threesome Saturday, drawing away to win by 3 ½ lengths and finishing the one-mile race for older fillies and mares in a swift 1:32 on turf rated as firm.
Ortiz bided his time on Regal Glory, who relaxed several lengths back in third while Leggs Galore clocked quick fractions of 22:25 and :45.53 through a half mile with Regal Glory's stablemate In Italian in closest pursuit. Speak of the Devil was slow to start, trailed, and was never a factor.
Regal Glory edged closer around the turn and eagerly responded when Ortiz roused her nearing the quarter pole, where In Italian grabbed a short-lived advantage when Leggs Galore faded.
Uncoiling a ground-devouring stride, Regal Glory easily overtook In Italian with a furlong to run, shook clear, and had plenty of energy to get the win as Wakanaka, the longest shot in the field at 15-1, closed willingly to take second. Italian held for third, 1 ¼ lengths back in the field of five.
“She ran really well and was game to get the lead. Regal Glory is a very, very special mare,” Brant said after the race.
Regal Glory returned $4.80 as the 7-5 second choice.
In two previous attempts to win the Just a Game, Regal Glory was fourth both times, last year and in 2020. She is unbeaten in three starts this year, taking the Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland April 16 and the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G3) January 29 at Gulfstream Park, both at 1 1/16 miles.
“I was never concerned [about cutting back to one turn in the Just a Game],” Brown said. “I knew she likes Belmont and she's a versatile horse, especially when there's some pace in front of her.
“The first day I met him [owner Peter Brant] and I saw the trophy at his house and it was from Just a Game–it was the first thing I noticed. We had a conversation about it, and I said this is the one race I'm going to win for you one day. We got to talking about it this week. It's meant a lot to him, this race.
“My team working with her, her maturity; Mr. Brant making the call to race her this year was a brilliant move. It was really one of those situations where she's in her prime right now and some horses catch their peak window at different ages. For this horse, it's been at age 6.”
Overall, Regal Glory has a 12-4-0 record from 19 career starts, including her breakthrough Grade 1 win in the Matriarch Stakes (G1) last November at Del Mar, and $2,111,009 in earnings.
“She was headed to the breeding shed at the end of last year,” Brown said. “I told Mr. Brant, 'There's this Pegasus race, let's just send her down to Florida, run her, then breed her.' At first, it was my idea to run her there and then breed her. But then when she won, it was his idea to keep going.”
Ortiz said Regal Glory means a lot to him.
“It's very nice to ride a mare like this and she's getting better with age, but all the credit goes to Peter and Chad for keeping her in training. They could have bred her. She was supposed to go to Into Mischief and they waited one more year and it's paid off.
“I knew the [#1 horse, Leggs Galore] was going to go to the lead, but [Regal Glory] ran very good. I'm very happy.”
Joel Rosario aboard runner-up Wakanaka, said: “She ran well. She was coming and coming, but the winner was too tough. She ran her race and did everything I asked her to do. Too bad we couldn't get to the winner. She ran too good.”
Brant said that champion turf mare Just a Game was “special, very special. She was great mare. It's so nice having a race named after her and an honor to win this race.”
Regal Glory was bred in Kentucky by Paul Pompa. Her dam is the More Than Ready mare Mary's Follies.
The post Regal Glory Storms To Victory In Just A Game On Third Attempt appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
