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Joseph O’Brien-Trained Baron Samedi Headlines Friday’s Belmont Gold Cup

LECH Racing Limited's Baron Samedi will seek to parlay his winning form in Europe when traveling stateside as the lone international contestant in Friday's seventh running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles over the Widener turf.

European stamina has proven to be superior in the grueling two-mile endurance test as the last three victors of the Belmont Gold Cup invaded from across the pond with Red Cardinal [2017], Call to Mind [2018] and Amade [2019].

Trained by Joseph O'Brien, Baron Samedi began his career with five unplaced efforts, but once gelded and stretched out considerably in distance, the son of Harbour Watch displayed a notable turnaround in form. He conveyed his newfound winning ways in August at Cork Racecourse going ten furlongs over heavy ground while being given a 65 rating.

Such prosperity progressed into grouped stakes company when defeating subsequent Group 1-winner Mare Australis in the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris on October 25 at Longchamp Racecourse. Six months later, he handled his two-mile debut with flying colors when defeating Group 1 Irish Derby winner Santiago in the Group 3 Vintage Crop at The Curragh, where he earned a 112 rating.

Baron Samedi has shown adaptability in track conditions, forging a six-race win streak over turf labeled heavy, soft and good.

“He's been a nice, progressive horse into this season,” O'Brien said. “He's a horse that will stay well. Tactically and ground wise, he's shown that he is quite versatile. He was a relatively cheap purchase of a foal. They bought him for very little money. As he has matured physically, he's really matured. With more distance, he's gotten better.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who piloted inaugural Belmont Gold Cup winner Charming Kitten in 2014, has the call from post 8.

Wertheimer et Frere's Ziyad will be looking for his first North American victory for trainer Graham Motion.

Previously based in France for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parais, the 6-year-old son of Rock of Gibraltar was Group 1-placed behind accomplished runners Coronet and Way to Paris in Europe. Ziyad was a Group 2 winner in France before making his North American debut when a close third in the Grade 1 Canadian International in October 2019 at Woodbine.

In three starts for Motion, Ziyad has come close but is still in search of his first North American triumph. He made his debut for his current conditioner when third beaten two lengths in the Grade 3 Sycamore in October and rounded out the trifecta once more in the Grade 3 Red Smith in November at Aqueduct. Following a six-month layoff, he was last out sixth in the Grade 1 Man o' War on May 8 at Belmont Park.

Ziyad did not quite go the two-mile distance when raced in Europe but was second going 1 7/8 miles against Group 2 company at Longchamp in September 2018.

“He ran close to that distance in Europe and ran well. It's appealing. I worked him Saturday morning and he did very well,” Motion said.

Jockey Manny Franco will be aboard from post 3.

Trainer Brad Cox will send out Anstu Stables' Kinenos following a sharp optional claiming win going 1 ¼ miles over Belmont Park's inner turf.
The son of Empire Maker acquired black type once in four starts at stakes level when third to graded stakes winner Fancy Liquor in the Caesars in August at Indiana Grand Race Course.

Cox, who will saddle last year's Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Essential Quality in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, compared a two-mile endeavor with Kinenos to racing an unproven 3-year-old in the 'Test of the Champion'.

“It's kind of like the 3-year-olds going a mile and a half [with the two-mile distance] in that you don't know until you try,” Cox said. “But he's been a horse where it's been the longer, the better. This is about as long as it gets, so we'll see how he handles it.”

Kinenos will leave from post 7 under Jose Lezcano.

Never short on quality turf stock, trainer Mike Maker vies for a second Belmont Gold Cup score after saddling Da Big Hoss to victory in 2016.

On behalf of Paradise Farms Corporation and Douglas Staudacher, Maker sends out graded stakes placed Conviction Trade [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Ajourneytofreedom [post 9, Joel Rosario].

Conviction Trade, a 5-year-old son of Exchange Rate, was third after setting the pace in the Grade 3 John B. Connally on January 31 at Sam Houston. He tested the two-mile water in his previous effort when displaying the frontrunning fashion, falling just three-quarters of a length shy of victory in the H. Allen Jerkens on December 26 at Gulfstream Park. He was claimed for $50,000 in September.

Ajourneytofreedom, a 4-year-old son of Hard Spun, was claimed for $80,000 last August. Two starts back, he was second in the John B. Connally when a late-closing second. He arrives off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Louisville on May 15 at Churchill Downs.

Rounding out the Maker brigade is Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea who eyes a second graded stakes win. The 5-year-old son of English Channel won his seasonal bow when leading at every point of call in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight on January 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Tide of the Sea breaks from post 2 under Flavien Prat.

So High [post 1, Eric Cancel], Fantasioso [post 5, Javier Castellano] and Strong Tide [post 7, Luis Saez] complete the order of finish.

The Belmont Gold Cup will be carded as Race 10 on Friday's 11-race program. First post is 12:50 p.m.

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Victim Of Love, Pacific Gale Meet Again In Friday’s Bed O’ Roses

In two winning starts over the Belmont Park main track, Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love has displayed an affinity for the Nassau County oval and will vie to keep such ways intact in Friday's 64th running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Bed o' Roses for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs.

Trained by Todd Beattie, Victim of Love's pair of winning starts at Belmont Park took place when sweeping the last two editions of the Grade 3 Vagrancy. She arrived at last year's Vagrancy as the longest shot in a field which included graded stakes winners Come Dancing and Royal Charlotte, but handled the test with flying colors when capturing the 6 ½-furlong event by 1 ¾ lengths.

Following a next-out third in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga, Victim of Love was out of action for over six months and returned in February with a runner-up finish in a Laurel Park optional claiming test. She successfully redeemed herself next out as the second betting choice in this year's Vagrancy on May 8 with an outside stalking trip under Joel Rosario from second and fought gamely down the stretch to win by 2 ¼ lengths.

“She likes the going up there,” Beattie said. “She has tactical speed and Joel realized the pace was going slow. I thought he moved what might have been a little early for her, but it wasn't [too early] because of the slow pace. They got the jump on things and boy is she tough to run down. She lays it on the line. They're not going to creep by her, she'd dog 'em, that's for sure.”

Since her Vagrancy victory, Victim of Love has recorded only one serious work, travelling five furlongs in 1:00.60 at Penn National on May 28.

“I thought two works in 27 days would be a little bit of a squeeze,” Beattie said. “She gets a lot out of her daily training. She's going to work every day, she just isn't going for published workouts. If I try to squeeze two works in there, it would be a little hard for her. I think she gets more out of big, aggressive gallops and strong training.”

Victim of Love is out of the Awesome Again mare Spacy Tracy, who has produced all winners from five progeny of racing age, including graded stakes victress Benner Island and two-time stakes winner High North.

Rosario will pilot Victim of Love from post 5.

Trainer John Kimmel will seek to turn the tables on Victim of Love with Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale, who was third in the Vagrancy.

After two full calendar years without a trip to the winner's circle, the 6-year-old Flat Out mare ended a 17-race slump with an upset win in the Grade 2 Inside Information on January 23 at Gulfstream Park at 16-1 odds. She carried her newfound winning ways into another South Florida stakes conquest in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on March 20 en route to the Vagrancy.

Although winless throughout her 2019-20 seasons, Pacific Gale placed at graded stakes level five times prior to winning at such caliber.

Kimmel said changing some things up with her training pattern proved instrumental in Florida during the winter, including utilizing the jogging path at Palm Meadows Training Center.

“She really liked that a lot. We had to sort of improvise when we came back here. We do a lot of 'around the world',” Kimmel said. “They go on to the training track, jog to the pony shed, go on to the main track and sort of gallop all the way around the backstretch and come back past the starting gate and back on to the training track and finish up there.”

In the Vagrancy, Pacific Gale was a step slow coming out of the gate and hurried into contention while racing in between horses down the backstretch. She came with a late run in the final furlong, but just missed second a nose to Sadie Lady.

Kimmel said the slow start deterred her chances of winning.

“I thought she was a little compromised in her last start by some issues in the gate. That took her out of her running style,” Kimmel said. “I don't see any reason why she shouldn't fire another good one. She seems to be doing really well. Her color looks great and she's eating great.”

Kimmel said Pacific Gale has always run solid races from a figures standpoint, but a combination of development and changing training technique have resulted in higher prosperity with the gallant mare.

“She really came into herself this year. If you look back on her numbers, she's running similar numbers as she did in the past, but maybe the level of competition might have been a little bit tougher,” Kimmel said. “She's getting a little more confident in herself. It's been nice to see her come forward and win some graded stakes races because she hadn't accomplished that. She placed in more than and a handful of them and to see her actually win some is great.”
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, a two-time Bed o' Roses winner, retains the mount from post 7.

Bringing an unbeaten record in six starts is Daniel J. Lopez and George Chestnut's Chub Wagon, who will make her graded stakes debut for trainer Guadalupe Preciado.

The Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Hey Chub broke her maiden for a $20,000 tag in November at Parx before notching two more victories at the Philadelphia oval. Chub Wagon won an optional-claiming sprint at the Big A in April and after defeating her Keystone State counterparts in the Unique Bella, she took her talents to Maryland where she won the Skipat on May 15.

For the first time in her career, she raced off the lead in the Skipat, tracking the pace from third and handled the new tactics with aplomb when capturing the six-furlong event by two lengths.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. was aboard for her open company stakes triumph and retains the mount from post 6.

Estilo Talentoso has proven herself a force to be reckoned with this season, arriving at the Vagrancy off two Grade 1 placings for trainer Juan Arriagada.
Never off the board in a baker's dozen lifetime starts, the 4-year-old daughter of Maclean's Music came from humble beginnings making her debut for a $16,000 tag in January 2020 at Gulfstream Park, but broke her maiden on sixth attempt at Gulfstream Park five months later at the South Florida oval. Her final start of last season was also her first stakes victory when capturing Gulfstream Park's Escena on August 20 at a one-turn mile.

After finishing third in the Wayward Lass at Tampa Bay Downs in her year debut, Estilo Talentoso ventured outside the Sunshine State for the first time when second in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park. She solidified her graded stakes placing when finishing a late-closing second to Kimari in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland, followed by a third in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Estilo Talentoso is owned by Medallion Racing, Barry Fowler, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Little Red Feather Racing and BlackRidge Stables.
Breaking from post 8, Estilo Talentoso will be piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sends out Lake Avenue, who will try to make amends after an uncharacteristic distant fourth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Ruffian on May 2.

The Godolphin-homebred daughter of Tapit out of multiple Grade 1-winner Seventh Street won the Grade 2 Demoiselle in December 2019 during her freshman campaign in gate-to-wire fashion.

After going winless in four starts as a 3-year-old, she displayed different tactics in her 4-year-old debut when coming five lengths off the pace after a slow start to defeat an optional claiming field going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park. The same dimensions were on conveyed in the next out Heavenly Prize Invitational on March 5 at Aqueduct, which she won by 6 ¾ lengths.

Breaking from post 1, Lake Avenue will be ridden by Junior Alvarado.
Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey attempts his third Bed o' Roses victory with Helen K. Groves and Helen Alexander's Alandra, who is 2-for-2 over Big Sandy.

The homebred 4-year-old daughter of Blame arrives off a sharp optional claiming triumph going a one-turn mile on May 15 at Belmont, where she registered a career best 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Third in the Grade 1 Alcibiades in October 2019 at Keeneland in her second career start, Alandra is out of the graded stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Altesse and hails from the prominent broodmare line of Courtly Dee.

Jose Lezcano will be in the irons from post 3.

Completing the field are multiple graded stakes-placed Piedi Bianchi [post 2, Manny Franco] and last out allowance winner Baynerness [post 4, Luis Saez].

The Bed o' Roses is named in honor of Alfred G. Vanderbilt's dual champion, who earned title of Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in 1949 and was crowned Champion Older Mare two years later. Trained by Hall of Famer William Winfrey, Bed o' Roses defeated colts in the 1950 Lawrence Realization travelling 1 5/8 miles. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.

The Bed o' Roses is carded as Race 8 on Friday's 11-race program at Belmont Park, First post is 12:50 p.m.

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Cox: Belmont Stakes Triumph Can Add To Essential Quality’s Legacy

The last few years have brought trainer Brad Cox to new heights of the sport. Cox has saddled multiple high-quality graded stakes winners, with Essential Quality among his highlights. The Tapit colt will look to add to that legacy and give Cox his first win in a Triple Crown race when he competes in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday, June 3, through Saturday, June 5, and is headlined by the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

A potential favorite for the Belmont, Essential Quality started his career 5-for-5 before running a competitive fourth last out in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, finishing just one length back to winner Medina Spirit in the 1 1/4-mile first leg of the Triple Crown.

The Godolphin homebred earned the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old after winning the G1 Breeders' Futurity in October at Keeneland and followed with a victory in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile over fellow Belmont Stakes-contender Hot Rod Charlie.

Essential Quality was one of four Breeders' Cup winners for Cox in 2020, with Monomoy Girl [Distaff], Knicks Go [Dirt Mile] and Aunt Peal [Juvenile Fillies Turf] also getting their picture taken. That successful weekend at Keeneland helped earn Cox his first career Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer.

“This horse has put us in this position and we feel very fortunate to be a part of it,” Cox said. “He's accomplished so much already, being a champion 2-year-old. But at some point, he'll be retired to stud and it's our job now to continue to add to his legacy. A Grade 1 win at 3 is going to be huge for this horse and we're hopeful it can happen in the Belmont.”

Cox will be saddling his first contender in a Belmont Stakes, which this year returns to its famed 1 1/2-mile distance. He has come close to winning an American Classic twice, with Owendale running third in the 2019 Preakness and Mandaloun finishing second, just a half-length back to Medina Spirit, in the Kentucky Derby earlier this month. Mandaloun will not be part of the Belmont Stakes field, but Essential Quality, with earnings of more than $2.4 million through six starts, gives his conditioner a formidable contender.

“It's a great feeling to be in this position and have a realistic shot,” Cox said. “He gives us a fantastic opportunity on Saturday.”

Essential Quality is expected to arrive at Belmont on Tuesday morning. The Kentucky bred breezed five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Saturday over the Churchill Downs main track. That bullet work was in company with 4-year-old filly Bonny South, who will also be shipping to New York to run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps going 1 1/16 miles on Belmont Stakes Day as part of a “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup qualifier for the Distaff.

“He had a great work Saturday and looked great Sunday morning,” Cox said. “He'll ship Monday afternoon. But he breezed great and we're going in the right direction.”

Essential Quality has improved his Beyer Speed Figures in each of his six starts, culminating with his first triple-digit number when earning a 100 for his “Run for the Roses” performance.

Other expected contenders for Cox on a loaded 13-race Saturday card that will feature nine graded stakes and eight G1 contests will be Shedaresthedevil, who is also targeting the Ogden Phipps; Knicks Go for the G1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan that's a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; two-time G2 winner Travel Column for the G1, $500,000 Acorn for sophomore fillies going a one-turn mile; and Caddo River, fresh off the Triple Crown trail, shortening to seven furlongs for the G1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency.

Cox will also send out Kinenos for the two-mile G2, $500,000 Belmont Gold Cup for 4-year-olds and up on the Widener turf course on Friday.

For information and details on Belmont Stakes Racing Festival hospitality offerings, ticket packages and pricing, visit BelmontStakes.com. For full terms and conditions, visit https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

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No Belmont Stakes For Keepmeinmind: Turf May Be In Colt’s Future

Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm's Keepmeinmind, with exercise rider Walter Davila up, worked a half-mile in 46.92 seconds from the gate over a sloppy Belmont dirt training track Monday morning.

Initially under consideration for the Belmont Stakes, Diodoro said the Laoban colt will have his next work on turf with an eye towards a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational at 10 furlongs on turf for sophomores. The first leg of NYRA's lucrative Turf Triple series is slated for July 10.

“He worked great this morning, but thinking about it some more, I think he needs a little more time,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said. “We were always 50-50 for the race, but I think as soon as we arrived at Belmont people got the impression we were leaning towards that race and it really wasn't the case.”

NYRA clockers caught Keepmeinmind, who was a step slow out of the gate, through an opening quarter-mile in 23.40 and out five furlongs in 59.98.

“He went pretty well this morning. He always trains really well. The track was a little wet,” said Davila.

Diodoro said the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 26 at JACK Thistledown is still a possibility, but he would like to see Keepmeinmind work on the Belmont grass and continue to hone his gate skills.

“The gate crew has been really good with us up at Belmont on working with him breaking from the gate, but he still broke a step slow this morning,” said Diodoro. “I don't know if he's ever going to change that, but the gate crew will get to know him better and we're not rushing him into next Saturday. We'll work him on the grass and go from there.”

The Kentucky-bred graduated in style with a rallying effort to win the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at fourth asking in November at Churchill Downs to close out his juvenile campaign.

Winless in four sophomore starts, including a fifth in the Grade 2 Blue Grass in April at Keeneland, the late-running bay finished seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and closed to finish fourth last out in the Grade 1 Preakness after a troubled start.

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind's regular rider David Cohen suggested turf as a possibility for the colt.

“Cohen mentioned that this horse could be a grass horse and a couple of the gallop boys have said the same thing. I'm curious to see what happens,” Diodoro said. “He's a big 3-year-old and he's a big baby, still. I think with time he's only going to get better. We'll take a step back and let him develop.”

Diodoro will also be represented on the Belmont Stakes Day undercard by Flying P Stable's Lone Rock in the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational presented by Northwell Health, a 12-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up on Big Sandy.

The 10-time winner from 32 career starts posted a half-mile breeze in 48.11 on Saturday over the sloppy Belmont main track.

“He's doing great. He worked great up there the other day and he's ready to go,” said Diodoro.

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