belmont oaks invitational | Horse Racing Free Tips

Justify’s Aspen Grove Upsets Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks

Glen Hill Farm and Mrs. John Magnier's Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) became the second Grade I winner in the space of a month for her Triple Crown-winning stallion, as she slalomed her way through her rivals in the three-sixteenths of a mile to spring a 15-1 upset in Saturday's GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Prerequisite (Upstart), all-the-way winner of the GIII Wonder Again S. last time, held for second after once again making the running, while the slow-starting Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) closed nicely for third.

Equipped with a stalls blanket and carrying the famed orange and black of Glen Hill, Aspen Grove broke outward beneath Oisin Murphy, but recovered and was able to secure a spot at the hedge as Prerequisite and 'TDN Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) eyeballed each other up front, with favored Mission of Joy (Kitten's Joy) a touch keen on their heels. The pace dropped away markedly down the backstretch, leaving Aspen Grove a tugging sixth, but within striking distance in a bunched field, and she traveled well enough as the six furlongs went up in a pedestrian 1:16.69. Prerequisite retained the call into the stretch, but Aspen Grove followed the move of Mission of Joy into the final quarter-mile, angled outside of that one at the eighth pole and kicked home strongly for the victory.

Aspen Grove turned in a shock even bigger than Saturday's to break her maiden as the 66-1 roughest chance in the G3 Irish EBF S. at the Curragh last August, then was seventh to recent G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane victress Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac to end the season. A late-on-the-scene and wide-trip third in the May 7 G3 Cornelscourt S. at Leopardstown, Aspen Grove was allowed to take her chance in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas three weeks later, finishing tailed off in 10th behind recent G1 Coronation S. heroine Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), but with a viable excuse.

“She was in season when she ran in the Guineas,” trainer Fozzy Stack told TDN Europe's Brian Sheerin earlier this week. “There's only one Guineas, she couldn't run in it next year, so that's why we took our chance.”

“Stumbling at the start probably helped her considering the wide post,” said Glen Hill's Craig Bernick of Saturday's performance. “He [jockey Oisin Murphy] was able to tuck right in and get good position. You could tell that she was handy the whole way. He's a world-class rider, a Champion rider in England which is probably the toughest racing circuit in the world. He's a great jockey.”

Murphy's most recent trip to America also proved fruitful, as he capitalized on his relationship with Japanese connections and duly piloted Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) to a massive boilover in the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. This past February, Murphy returned from a 14-month for breaking COVID rules, misleading the regulator and prejudicial conduct and two alcohol breaches.

“She broke a little slowly compared to American horses, but I used to work for [trainer] Fozzy Stack when I was a small boy, 14 and 15,” the Irishman said. “To team up and win a [Grade] 1 for him in the Belmont Oaks is brilliant, really brilliant.”

Pedigree Notes:

Aspen Grove's victory comes four weeks to the day since Arabian Lion became the first Grade I winner for Justify in the Woody Stephens S. on the Belmont S. undercard.

A $145,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase by Mike Ryan on behalf of Klaravich Stable, Data Dependent broke her maiden at her third career start for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stable and was subsequently runner-up in the GIII Jimmy Durante S. Aspen Grove is her first produce. A half-sister to Irish highweight 2-year-old filly and G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), SW and MGSP Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and to a Kingman (GB) colt that fetched €550,000 from Stauffenberg Bloodstock at last year's Goffs November Foal Sale, Data Dependent is also the dam of the 2-year-old Kentucky-bred colt Edwardian (No Nay Never)–a debut second at Tipperary for the Coolmore connections Apr. 20–a yearling full-brother to Aspen Grove and a filly by Charlatan foaled May 27.

Saturday, Belmont Park
FASIG-TIPTON BELMONT OAKS INVITATIONAL S.-GI,
$500,000, Belmont, 7-8, 3yo, f, 1 1/4mT, 2:04.09, fm.
1–ASPEN GROVE (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Justify
1st Dam: Data Dependent (GSP, $136,670), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire)
3rd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Glen Hill Farm and Mrs. John Magnier; B-Glen Hill Farm (IRE); T-James A. Stack; J-Oisin Murphy. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 7-2-0-1, $318,652. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Prerequisite, 121, f, 3, by Upstart
1st Dam: Etsu, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Forever Beautiful, by Giant's Causeway
3rd Dam: Fly North, by Pleasant Colony
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($47,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-First Row Partners and Team Hanley; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Papilio (Ire), 121, f, 3, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Glafyra (Fr), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Akhla, by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Beautiful River, by Irish River (Fr)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (€60,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-D. J. Stable LLC, Medallion Racing, Barry Fowler and Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-SCEA Marmion & Mr A. Jathiere (IRE); T-Mark E. Casse. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 1HF. Odds: 15.70, 3.90, 7.60.
Also Ran: Aspray, Freydis the Red (Fr), Speirling Beag (Ire),
Mission of Joy, Strikingly Spun, Be Your Best (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Sophomore Turfers Take Centerstage at Belmont Saturday

A pair of Grade I events for 3-year-olds on grass will co-anchor a loaded 12-race program at Belmont Park Saturday.

European invader The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), a narrow winner of the G2 Dante S. May 18 and fifth-place finisher after stumbling at the start in the G1 English Derby June 3, will make the trip across the pond for trainer Andrew Balding for the GI Belmont Derby Invitational. The 7-2 morning-line favorite, drawn widest of all in post 11, will square off against 10 rivals, including GII Pennine Ridge S. one-two-three Kalik (Collected), 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel) and narrow GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}); and GII American Turf S. winner Webslinger (Constitution).

“He's a high-class horse,” Balding said. “He won the (G2 Juddmonte) Royal Lodge last year and this year he won our main Derby trial at York. He ran a good race in the Derby, but we felt he didn't get the mile and a half. Obviously, the option to drop back to 10 furlongs was attractive. Hopefully, it's a good fit for him.”

A field of nine will line up in the female counterpart in the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational. Trainer Graham Motion will saddle 2-1 morning-line favorite and GIII Regret S. June 3 heroine Mission of Joy (Kitten's Joy) and Irish Group 3 winner Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who makes her U.S. debut following a fifth-place finish in the G3 Prix Penelope in France Apr. 1. Trainer Chad Brown will seek his seventh Belmont Oaks trophy via undefeated Hilltop S. May 19 winner Aspray (Quality Road) and GII Wonder Again S. June 11 heroine Prerequisite (Upstart).

'TDN Rising Star' and last year's runaway GIII Dwyer S. winner Charge It (Tapit), meanwhile, headlines a five-horse field in the GII Suburban S. Unbeaten sophomore fillies Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) and Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) and GII Eight Belles S. winner Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance) will do battle in a fantastic renewal of the GIII Victory Ride S.

Derby Day at the Shoe…

Verifying (Justify), second in both the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 8 and GIII Matt Winn S. June 11, will be favored to break through at the graded level in the GIII Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He dueled through a wicked early pace and paid the price, fading to finish 16th in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“He's doing really well,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I love how he came out of the Matt Winn. It will be back in 27 days, but he's a horse we felt we needed to get a race under his belt. He's run really well, just was narrowly defeated in the Matt Winn and the Blue Grass. His Derby was a throw out with the pace, going too quick too early. But he's a nice horse, he's doing well physically, looks amazing.”

The nine-horse field for the Indiana Derby also includes GIII Gotham S. winner Raise Cain (Violence), grassy Hawthorne Derby winner Act a Fool (Oscar Performance) and the highly regarded Cagliostro (Upstart), a strong second behind the talented Scotland (Good Magic) in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs June 3.

Taxed (Collected), an 11-1 upset winner of the GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico May 19, looks for her second straight win in the GIII Indiana Oaks. She'll face the Ken McPeek-trained GI Central Bank Ashland S. heroine Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic), purchased privately by Northern Farm since finishing seventh in the GI Kentucky Oaks.

Curlin Filly Headlines Delaware Handicap…

Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin), a well-beaten second in the GII Ruffian S. at Belmont May 6 and wire-to-wire winner of the GIII Shawnee S. at Churchill June 3, is the clear cut one to beat in the GII Delaware H. The field of six also includes: Morning Matcha (Central Banker), second in last term's GI Cotillion S. and the local prep Obeah S. last time May 27; and GIII Royal Delta S. heroine Classy Edition (Classic Empire).

Graded Duo Beneath the Lights at Prairie Meadows…

Imonra (Violence) will make her stakes debut in the GIII Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows Saturday evening. The card also includes the GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. for older horses and the $250,000 Iowa Derby.

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Background Check: Belmont Oaks

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is Belmont Park's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., now the first leg in New York's Turf Tiara series for 3-year-old fillies on the lawn.

Originally known as the Rare Perfume and then the Garden City, the Belmont Oaks under its current name has only been in existence since 2014, although the race itself dates to 1979. The history may not be long and some of the winners were better racemares than producers, but a trio of particularly illustrious future broodmares stands out.

Following are highlights of some of the most important Belmont Oaks winners by what impact they've had on the sport through their sons and daughters.

Sky Beauty (1990, Blushing Groom {Fr}–Maplejinsky, by Nijinsky II), bred by Sugar Maple Farm: Early in her broodmare career, she sold for $2.85 million at Keeneland and would produce just a handful of more foals, with the best on the track being England's GSW Hurricane Cat (Storm Cat). However, her great-grandson Violence is keeping her name relevant today. He's currently among the top 10 leading sires in the U.S. for 2023 by earnings.

November Snow (1989, Storm Cat–Princess Alydar, by Alydar), bred by D. J. Stable and Overbrook Farm: Although she didn't produce a stakes winner herself, November Snow's daughters have done her proud. Among her descendants are Irish champion and G1 Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); New Zealand champion Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}); GISWs Morning Line (Tiznow) and Express Train (Union Rags); and a number of other graded performers.

Personal Ensign (1984, Private Account–Grecian Banner, by Hoist the Flag), bred by Ogden Phipps: This grand mare has to be among the sport's best examples of what a top racemare remodeling into a top broodmare can look like. Considered one of the best fillies or mares of the 20th century as an undefeated champion and Breeders' Cup winner, Personal Ensign's foals included GISWs My Flag (Easy Goer), Miner's Mark (Mr. Prospector), and Traditionally (Mr. Prospector), as well as MGISP Our Emblem (Mr. Prospector). Her descendants through her daughters include champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat); Breeders' Cup winner Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}); GISWs Mr Speaker (Pulpit) and Arabian Lion (Justify); and a plethora of other graded winners, including recent MGSW Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro). Four 'TDN Rising Stars', including Arabian Lion and GSW & GISP Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense), have her as a granddam or great-granddam. Personal Ensign was honored as Broodmare of the Year in 1996.

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McKulick ‘Frankel’-y Impressive In Belmont Oaks

Sent off the 27-5 fourth choice and only the second best-fancied of the three fillies in the race for trainer Chad Brown, Klaravich Stables' McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) hit top gear with a furlong to race and ran out a facile winner of Saturday's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. to become the first American top-level winner for her all-conquering Banstead Manor-based stallion. With The Moonlight (Ire) completed a Frankel exacta, while the winner's commonly owned stablemate Consumer Spending (More Than Ready) finished with interest for third. It was a fourth Belmont Oaks for trainer Chad Brown since the event was lengthened to 10 furlongs in 2014 and his seventh dating back to the Garden City days.

McKulick is named in honor of Brown's first-ever employee, bookkeeper Mary McKulick. McKulick passed away in October 2020 at the age of 67 after losing a battle with cancer. Saturday was also meaningful for Brown for other reasons.

“It's an extra special win with it being [mentor] Bobby Frankel's birthday today. This horse is the first offspring of Frankel that I actually bought. Seth Klarman was nice enough to let me name this filly after my very first employee after I left Frankel, that's why I chose this horse being by Frankel. And wouldn't you know on his birthday she wins a Grade I. The irony and the importance of it today, on his birthday means everything to me personally.”

Drawn pole position on the stretchout to the mile and two furlongs, McKulick was away smoothly and secured a cozy midfield and ground-saving berth as 'TDN Rising Star' Cairo Memories (Cairo Prince) made the running in advance of Godolphin's Listed Pretty Polly S. heroine With The Moonlight. With all riders more or less content with their positions through the middle stages, McKulick was ridden quietly by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was slipped a bit of rein at the three-furlong pole, shifting out three deep around last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) and stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Haughty (Empire Maker) as they approached the entrance to the stretch. With The Moonlight wrested command from Cairo Memories at the quarter pole, but McKulick had dead aim on Frankie Dettori's mount, overtook that one a sixteenth from home and pulled clear.

Brown said, “She was really born to run a mile and a quarter. We were patiently waiting for a long time to get her to this distance, and my whole team did a super job with this horse in all divisions this filly has been in throughout this year.”

Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), favored on the strength of a fourth in this year's G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom, raced in close attendance to the eventual winner down the backstretch, but lacked the needed stretch kick and could finish only fourth.

“It might have been quick enough [ground] for her, she was just lugging in down the straight,” said her rider Ryan Moore. “They went hard and we had a nice run following the winner–just didn't keep up with them, but she ran respectably.”

McKulick and Consumer Spending were a coupled entry favored at 95 cents on the dollar on Saratoga debut Aug. 8, with McKulick getting home 1 1/2 lengths best before checking in a troubled third in the GII Miss Grillo S. Oct. 2. The 180,000gns Tattersalls October purchase resumed with a sound runner-up effort behind 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy) in the GII Edgewood S. at Churchill May 6 and was last seen running on to be second in the June 4 GIII Regret S. in Louisville.

“In both races, it didn't work out for her,” said Brown. “She needed more ground and she was out of position a bit. But she ran well. We had this as a major target of the whole summer and stayed focused on this race and it paid off.”

Pedigree Notes:

With her victory, McKulick becomes a 24th Group 1/Grade I winner for Frankel, who has now sired top-level winners in nine different jurisdictions (U.S., Canada, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Germany, UAE and Australia). She is his 98th SW and 66th GSW. McKulick is the first G1/GISW out of a mare by the excellent Makfi (GB). The cross of Frankel over mares by Makfi's sire Dubawi (Ire) has resulted in the likes of Group 1 winners Adayar (Ire) (Derby/King George), Dream Castle (GB) (Jebel Hatta) and Homeless Songs (Ire) (Irish 1000 Guineas), among other group-level scorers. With The Moonlight is also out of a Dubawi mare.

McKulick is the third full stakes winner from three to race for her Group 3-placed dam, a half-sister to Italian Group 2 winner Porsenna (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), Italian MSW/MGSP Basileus (Ire) (Dream Ahead) and Candidate (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Group 3-placed in Australia.

Astrelle is the dam of the 2-year-old colt Lieber Power (GB), by Frankel's successful first-season stallion son Cracksman (GB), and a yearling filly by Calyx (GB).

Saturday, Belmont
BELMONT OAKS INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $700,000, Belmont, 7-9, 3yo, f, 1 1/4mT, 1:59.62, fm.
1–MCKULICK (GB), 121, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
               1st Dam: Astrelle (Ire) (GSP-Eng), by Makfi (GB)
               2nd Dam: Miss Mariduff, by Hussonet
               3rd Dam: Sopran Mariduff (GB), by Persian Bold (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST
GRADE I WIN. (180,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Klaravich
Stables, Inc.; B-Essafinaat UK Ltd (GB); T-Chad C. Brown;
J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $375,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-1,
$583,650. *1/2 to Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}),
GSW-Ger; and Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}),
GSW-Eng, GSP-Fr, $127,209. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–With The Moonlight (Ire), 121, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
               1st Dam: Sand Vixen (GB) (GSW-Eng, $119,931), by Dubawi (Ire)
               2nd Dam: Fur Will Fly (GB), by Petong (GB)
               3rd Dam: Bumpkin (GB), by Free State (Ire)
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
O/B-Godolphin, LLC (IRE); T-Charles Appleby. $130,000.
3–Consumer Spending, 121, f, 3, by More Than Ready
               1st Dam: Siempre Mia, by Scat Daddy
               2nd Dam: Shaconage, by El Prado (Ire)
               3rd Dam: Carita Tostada (Chi), by Gallantsky
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Klaravich
Stables, Inc.; B-Forging Oaks Farm LLC (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown. $70,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HD, 1. Odds: 5.40, 7.40, 7.40.
Also Ran: Concert Hall (Ire), Cairo Memories, Hot Queen (Fr), Know Thyself (Ire), New Year's Eve, Haughty, Agartha (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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