Bye Bye Stretches Out In Friday’s Christiecat At Belmont Park

Bach Stables' Bye Bye leads a talented field of sophomore fillies in Friday's $100,000 Christiecat going six furlongs over the inner turf at Belmont Park.

Bye Bye, one of two entrants for trainer Christophe Clement, will see an increase in distance, arriving off a narrow third in the 5 ½-furlong Galway on August 15 at Saratoga Race Course. The daughter of leading sire Into Mischief received a ground-saving trip by jockey Joel Rosario last out, maintaining her inside position while gaining ground in the stretch but missed a neck to eventual winner Star Devine.

“She had a beautiful ride by Joel Rosario along the rail. It looked like she was going to get there but she just got caught in the last sixteenth of a mile,” said Clement assistant Christophe Lorieul. “She ran very game and I think she's back to herself.”

Bye Bye, the lone graded stakes winner in the field, tasted stakes success at Belmont Park in May in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly, breaking from the outside of ten other fillies and remained in the clear throughout the seven-furlong journey while holding off a late rally from Invincible Gal to produce a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

Clement will also saddle three-time stakes placed Honey Pants for owners Jim Bakke and Gerald Ibister, Honey Pants arrives off a runner-up effort in the Alywow on July 31 at Woodbine. She previously garnered black type when second in the Stewart Manor on November 7 at Aqueduct and followed with a runner-up effort in her seasonal bow in the Ginger Brew on January 2 at Gulfstream Park.

A gray or roan daughter of Cairo Prince, Honey Pants owns two career victories, both of which were at six furlongs on the Belmont turf. After breaking her maiden at second asking in wire-to-wire fashion by four lengths in October, she displayed different tactics when coming from off the pace in a June 20 allowance tilt, where she defeated next-out winners Too Sexy and Time Limit.

“She was second last time at Woodbine and now she is back on home court,” Lorieul said. “She's ran quite a bit. She broke her maiden last year with [jockey Manny] Franco aboard. She seems to be doing well at the moment.”

Rosario retains the mount aboard Bye Bye from post 10, while jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride Honey Pants from post 9.

Arnaud Delacour will saddle Michael Hernon's Sussex Garden for her third start in North America. The Irish-bred daughter of Acclamation, conditioned in Europe by Jessica Harrington, seeks her first victory since a debut win last June over good going at Naas in Ireland. She followed with a second-place finish to subsequent dual Group 1 winner Mother Earth in the Group 3 Coolmore Irish EBF Sprint on July 4 at Naas ahead of a distant tenth in the Group 2 Lowther last August at York.

Sussex Garden made her debut for Delacour when fourth in the one-mile Wild Applause on June 26 at Belmont Park. She enters off a third-place finish when cutting back considerably in distance in a 5 ½-furlong allowance tilt on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course.

Delacour said his filly should appreciate the added furlong in the Christiecat.

“I thought she ran well last time running third to some good horses. I was pretty happy with the race,” Delacour said. “I like the added distance. The added six furlongs will fit her. I think the mile was a touch too long for her. She's one of those fillies that's in between, six to seven is probably her best distance.”

Displaying tactical speed in both of her stateside efforts, Delacour said he would like to see Sussex Garden show some early speed for Friday's race.

“I would probably try to use her speed and send her in front or close to the pace. I think she'll be more efficient like that,” Delacour said.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will pilot Sussex Garden from post 2.

Shortleaf Stables' Caldee boasts a field-best $169,000 bankroll and seeks her first stakes victory for trainer Brad Cox.

Following a 6 ¾-length victory in her turf debut last August at Saratoga, the daughter of veteran champion-producing stallion More Than Ready garnered graded stakes black type when second to Plum Ali in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo in October at Belmont Park.

Caldee defeated winners, including subsequent stakes-placed Nevisian Sunrise, going one mile on May 28 over the Widener turf at Belmont. She followed her winning effort with a pair of runner-up finishes in the Christiana on July 3 over soft going at Delaware Park, and the Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks on August 7 at Ellis Park, where she finished behind next-out Virginia Oaks winner Flippant and ahead of next-out Dueling Grounds Oaks winner Adventuring.

Jockey Manny Franco will ride Caldee from post 5.

Completing the field are Bay Storm [post 1, John Velazquez], Orbs Baby Girl [post 4, Junior Alvarado], Can't Buy Love [post 7, Luis Saez], and Tuscan Queen [post 8, Jose Ortiz].

Union Gables [post 3, Luis Saez] and Patty H [post 6, Dylan Davis] have been entered for main track only.

The Christiecat honors Fox Ridge Farm's Grade 1-winning turf distaffer, who captured five graded stakes wins for trainer Patrick Kelly, including the 1992 Flower Bowl Invitational and the 1991 Diana. The daughter of Majestic Light retired with a 35-11-7-6 record and nearly $800,000 in lifetime earnings.

The Christiecat is slated as Race 8 on Friday's nine-race card, which also features the $100,000 Allied Forces in Race 7. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

Admission for the Belmont fall meet is available for just $5. Buy online at Ticketmaster.com or at the gate. Group hospitality seating in the West Wing and Top of the Stretch can be purchased by calling the NYRA box office at 844-NYRA-TIX. Box Seats can be purchased by emailing boxseats@nyrainc.com or calling 718-296-5172.

The Belmont Room will be open every Saturday and Sunday for dining reservations. Reserve your spot today at nyra.com/belmont/visit/dining.

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Star Devine Shines In Galway Stakes At Saratoga

Star Devine made a strong move from the outside and prevailed by a head in a blanket finish to capture Sunday's $120,000 Galway for 3-year-old fillies sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Lawrence Goichman's Star Devine notched her first stakes victory, edging Illegal Smile to win for the second time in four career starts.

After a brief delay when Dr B broke through the gate and was re-loaded, Star Devine was sent away from the outermost post under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, stalking the pace in fifth position as Wink led the 10-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in :22.13 over firm going.

Out of the turn, Star Devine was kept four-wide with Wink, Mischiefful, and Illegal Smile to her inside with the half in :45.20. After briefly running eye-to-eye with Mischiefful, Star Devine pulled away and then gained on the pacesetter under Velazquez's right-handed encouragement.

Bye Bye made a strong bid up the rail and Illegal Smile, under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., challenged to the wire, but Star Devine outkicked her rivals to complete the course in 1:02.37 for trainer Jorge Abreu.

“I had not much of a choice [but to go to the outside],” Velazquez said. “I tried to cover up behind Irad and he didn't go in there. Jorge said, 'I don't care where you are, I just don't want you on the lead.' We got a good post from the outside and I saved it for the end. That's the way it worked out.”

Star Devine was a debut winner in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., before running a competitive fourth in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly in May at Belmont Park. The Irish-bred ran third when stretched out to 1 1/16 miles on the Belmont turf on June 17 but was shortened up for the second running of the Galway while having Velazquez in the irons for the first time.

“I thought she was going to come from a little bit off the pace, but she broke so sharply and Johnny just took advantage of it,” Abreu said. “I knew she was going to run well. She was just looking for a little cut back. She's better going short than going long.

“I was a little concerned around the turn because I thought he was going to take her back and I thought, 'Don't do that', but then she kicked in again,” Abreu added. “He gave her a good ride.”

Off at 7-1, Star Devine paid $17 on a $2 win bet. The Fastnet Rock filly increased her career bankroll to $127,040 and will now target the 6 1/2-furlong $500,000 Music City on September 12 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky.

“We're going to go to Kentucky Downs,” Abreu said. “I've had some good luck there and I like going there. We'll see how she comes out of it and that's where we'll aim.”

Illegal Smile, one of two entrants for trainer Wesley Ward along with Wink, bested Bye Bye by a head. It was the fourth time in eight starts [1-4-1] Illegal Smile has finished the runner-up.

“That was so close,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “It was a good race. My filly ran hard and gave me everything she had.”

Mischiefful, Tuscan Queen, Alwayz Late, Wink, Goin' Good, Li'l Tootsie, and Dr B completed the order of finish. What a Trick and main-track-only entrant Summer Brew scratched.

Live racing resumes Wednesday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring two stakes, starting with steeplechase action via the $150,000 Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard in the opener at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The $120,000 Bolton Landing for 2-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf is carded as Race 9 at 5:39 p.m.

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Clement May Send Gufo In Sword Dancer

Trainer Christophe Clement said he has been delighted thus far with Otter Bend Stables' Gufo following two late-closing efforts against Grade 1 company to commence his 4-year-old season.

The consistent son of Declaration of War kept a never-off-the-board record intact when making up 17 lengths to finish a late-closing third to Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y. on June 5, registering a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure. He arrived at the 10-furlong engagement off a narrow runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes on May 8, where he made a five-wide move in the upper stretch with dead aim on pacesetter Channel Cat, coming up a nose shy of victory.

“He was a bit erratic in the Manhattan. We've got to work on that,” Clement said. “I may put blinkers on him, I'm not sure yet. We'll come back somewhere going a mile and a half or mile and three-eighths and get him going longer.”

Clement mentioned the $500,000 Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. as a likely target and said Gufo could run once before said start.

During his 3-year-old season, Gufo won the English Channel Stakes at Gulfstream Park and Grade 3 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park before coming up a head shy of victory to Domestic Spending in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes. He successfully sought redemption next out in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes.

Clement has twice won the Sword Dancer Invitational, with Winchester [2011] and Honor Glide [1999].

Also pursuing Grade 1 turf action from the Clement stable is Plum Ali, who displayed a strong turf of foot with a close second when chasing a leisurely pace in the Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont Park on June 3. Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael Caruso, Plum Ali will target the 10-furlong $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 10, the first leg of the Turf Triple series for fillies.

“She should get the distance,” Clement said. “She came out of the Wonder Again in good shape. We'll work her next week.”

Plum Ali, a daughter of First Samurai, began her racing career with wins in her first three starts, including the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes on October 4. In two starts as a 3-year-old, Plum Ali gathered more graded stakes black type when third in the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes before the last-out Wonder Again.

Clement has won the Belmont Oaks twice when raced as the Garden City Handicap with Miss World [2009] and Voodoo Dancer [2001].

R Unicorn Stable's Call Me Love earned her first North American triumph in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming event over the inner turf on May 23.

The daughter of Sea the Stars earned black-type twice last season with second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park and the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga.

Call Me Love registered her second work since her last out triumph when breezing a half-mile in 49.45 seconds over the inner turf on Sunday morning.

Clement mentioned the $100,000 Perfect Sting on July 3 at Belmont, going one mile for fillies and mares, as an option for Call Me Love.

“Call Me Love worked well today,” Clement said. “There's one stake this meet for fillies on the grass and it's a mile which is a little on the short side for her, but we're going to have a look at it. I think she wants to go further.”

Clement said he would send stakes winners Bye Bye and Bubbles On Ice to the one-mile $100,000 Wild Applause Stakes on June 26.

Owned by Bach Stables, Bye Bye is a winner of both her efforts on grass, most recently in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly Stales on May 15. Bubbles On Ice, owned by Glen Hill Farm, Madaket Stables, and Cheyenne Stables, was fifth in the Hilltop Stakes on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, M.D. last out after capturing her North American debut in the Memories of Silver Stakes on April 18 at Aqueduct.

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Bye Bye Makes Stakes Debut A Winning One In Soaring Softly

A class boost and increased distance did not faze Bach Stables' Bye Bye, who won by a neck in the fifth running of Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Soaring Softly for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs over the Widener turf course at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Bye Bye came into her stakes debut off a sharp debut on grass, where she broke her maiden at second asking by 2 ¾ lengths going five furlongs at Gulfstream Park. The talented bay handled a test in company and distance with class for trainer Christophe Clement.

Exiting the outermost post in the 11-horse field, Bye Bye broke on top, but took back slightly in the compact field as 64-1 longshot Lexinator commanded a swift opening quarter in 22.61 seconds over the firm turf with Star Devine to her outside in second.

As the field entered the far turn, a keen Bye Bye moved into third to the outside of the two frontrunners through a half-mile in 45.62. As Lexinator dropped out of contention, first-out maiden winner Star Devine found herself on the lead as jockey Eric Cancel was on an all-out drive aboard Bye Bye with Candace O launching her bid in between horses. At the eighth pole, Bye Bye took command and held off a late rally from multiple stakes-placed Invincible Gal to win by a neck in a final time of 1:21.19.

It was another neck back to third-place finisher Candace O, who garnered more black type after finishing third in the Bourbonette Oaks last out over the synthetic surface at Turfway Park.

Completing the order of finish were Star Devine, Tobys Heart, Can't Buy Love, Hit the Woah, La Libertee, Sleek Lynx, Lexinator and No Ordinary Time.

Clement, who earned his second stakes win of the meet after saddling She's My Type to victory in the April 30 License Fee, expressed some concern with the outside post.

“I'm a firm believer in saving ground, but there's only so much we can do,” Clement said. “She was wide all the way, but she was good enough to overcome it. Eric did the best he could. We knew she was nice and now we know she is very nice. She went from five to seven-eighths very well. This was a very good performance. It's exciting.

“We might try to make her a miler but not too much further than that,” Clement added. “I'll need to think about it a little bit. Let's enjoy the moment and go on from there.”

Cancel said he was impressed with the winning effort from Bye Bye.

“This filly is talented. I wasn't expecting this type of performance for her first time going seven furlongs,” Cancel said. “She kept on trying and never gave up on me, so as long as she was there for me, I was going to still be there for her and it just worked out well. I think she'll just keep on improving. Christophe knows what he's doing with her, and I just hope everything keeps on going the right way.”

Bye Bye rewarded her backers in $2 win payouts of $19 and racked up $55,000 in victory, which over tripled her bankroll to $82,400. Her record now stands at 3-2-0-0.

Bred in Kentucky by Malibu Farm, Bye Bye is out of the Smart Strike mare Garnet, whose third dam was Grade 1-winner Dream Supreme. She comes from the same family as recent turf stakes-placed World Tour.

The Soaring Softly is named in honor of the inaugural winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in 1999. Owned by Phillips Racing Partnership and trained by Jimmy Toner, Soaring Softly was a three-time graded stakes winner at Belmont Park, with all triumphs against graded stakes company. The Kris S. mare captured the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay, Grade 2 New York and Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational, all in 1999, en route to a Breeders' Cup win and, subsequently, Champion Grass Mare honors.

Live racing continues Sunday with a nine-race card beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. Sunday's Pick 6 will have a carryover of $36,011, starting in Race 4 at 2:32 p.m.

Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/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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