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Giacosa Leads Field For Friday’s Ticonderoga Stakes

Bond Racing Stable's Giacosa will seek a second straight stakes triumph when facing eight other New York-bred fillies and mares in Friday's $200,000 Ticonderoga going 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Originally scheduled as part of Empire Showcase Day on October 30, the Ticonderoga, as well as its male counterpart race, the $200,000 Mohawk, were rescheduled due to significant rainfall from a coastal storm that impacted the Nassau County area.

Giacosa, trained by Jimmy Bond, enters the Ticonderoga off her first stakes victory in the Yaddo Handicap on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The dark bay Tizway filly was ninth at the second point of call and made a devastating late move to win by three-quarters of a length. Giacosa displayed different tactics in her previous effort in an allowance optional claimer in July at Saratoga, when stalking the pace from second down the backstretch to secure a one-length victory over next-out winner Light in the Sky.

“She's an improving filly and hopefully we have good enough turf to run over this time around,” said Bond. “She made plenty of steps forward at Saratoga this summer. She's a mentally and physically stronger horse this year. Her daddy Tizway didn't really get going until he was five, so maybe she's a late bloomer like he was.”

Bond said training in company with stablemate Rinaldi, who is expected to be entered in Saturday's rescheduled $200,000 Mohawk, has been beneficial.

“She works with Rinaldi and he's not an easy horse to work with,” Bond said. “It seems to be making her a far better horse.”

Kendrick Carmouche will ride Giacosa from post 8.

Trainer Christophe Clement sends out Classic Lady, who seeks her second stakes coup. Owned by Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso and bred by Seth Gregory and Robert Barney, the daughter of Jimmy Creed captured last year's Dayatthespa at Saratoga ahead of the Yaddo last September. She emerged off the bench when fourth against open company in an allowance optional claimer Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., in July ahead of a third in the Yaddo.

Breaking from post 1, Classic Lady will be ridden by Paco Lopez.

Also from the Clement barn is Merrylegs Farm homebred Timeless Journey, who seeks her first triumph since an allowance optional claiming score last December at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old daughter of Verrazano arrives of a third-place finish in a seven furlong state-bred allowance optional claimer on September 26 at Belmont.

Timeless Journey will be piloted by Eric Cancel from post 3.

Completing the field are Silky Blue [post 2, Manny Franco], Cara's Dreamer [post 5, Dylan Davis], Barkin [post 6, Jose Lezcano], Dancingwthdaffodls [post 7, Hector Diaz, Jr.], and Two Cent Tootsie [post 9, Ruben Silvera]. Ice Princess has been entered for the main track only.

The Ticonderoga is carded as Race 8 on Friday's 10-race card, which also features the $150,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies going a one-turn mile on the main track, the $100,000 Atlantic Beach for juveniles going six furlongs on the turf, and the $100,000 Awad for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles over the turf. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Gufo, Slipstream Breeze Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup Tries

Trainer Christophe Clement sent a number of his stable stars to breeze over the inner turf Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., led by Otter Bend Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Gufo [:48.66], who worked a half-mile in company with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles' graded-stakes placed New York-bred City Man [:49.26].

Clement said Gufo, a 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf on November 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., while City Man will target the $200,000 Mohawk at Belmont on Empire Showcase Day October 30.

“It was a good work. City Man in front; Gufo further back and finished very willing,” Clement said. “Gufo looked great. He will work back next week and then probably go to the Breeders' Cup. I'll speak to the owner today to make sure, but as long he's on board that's the plan.”

Gufo captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last October and added the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer to his ledger this summer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Last out, the handsome chestnut settled for third in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 9 over firm Belmont turf.

“He's one of the leading older horses on the grass in the country and I'm very happy with him,” Clement said.

Clement said the versatile City Man, a stakes-winner on dirt and turf, would prefer firmer footing in the 1 1/16-mile Mohawk.

Jump Sucker Stable's last-out Grade 3 Futurity-winner Slipstream [:51.14] breezed a half-mile in company with West Point Thoroughbreds', Chris Larsen, and Titletown Racing Stables' last-out Grade 3 Matron runner-up Gal in a Rush [:51.02].

“It was a good work. They both worked well and finished up very willingly,” Clement said.

Slipstream, by More Than Ready, captured the six-furlong Futurity on October 10 and is targeting the one-mile Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on November 5 at Del Mar, while Gal in a Rush, by Ghostzapper, will point to the six-furlong $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies here November 6.

Slipstream, who graduated at third asking sprinting seven furlongs over the Belmont turf in September, has seen his Beyer figures improve in each start, registering an 80 for his Futurity score.

“He's improving as he gets older and more mature. He's a nice horse,” Clement said.

Clement noted that last Sunday's Floral Park-winner Too Sexy, Slipstream's 4-year-old half-sister by Quality Road out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Cake Baby, will target the $150,000 Autumn Days at six furlongs on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., on November 28.

Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist worked a half-mile solo in :50.40 in preparation for either the seven-furlong $100,000 Oyster Bay against open company on Friday or the Mohawk versus fellow state-breds on Saturday.

The 6-year-old Freud gelding, bred by Clement with Oak Bluff Stables, boasts a record of 27-9-3-6 with purse earnings of $715,865.

“He tries very hard. He's a great horse to own because you know he will always try his best,” Clement said.

Therapist ran second to Somelikeithotbrown in last year's Mohawk.

Moyglare Stud Farm's Beautiful Lover [:51.06] went a half-mile in company with Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's New York-bred stakes-winner Classic Lady [:51.02].

The multiple graded-stakes placed Beautiful Lover is on target for the 12-furlong $150,000 Zagora on October 31, while Classic Lady will enter the Ticonderoga on Empire Showcase Day.

Last Sunday, Clement sent out the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, with Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina edging Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen's La Dragontea in the 10-furlong turf test.

“They both ran great. It was a big deal – the E.P. Taylor is a major race,” Clement said.

Mutamakina captured the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine in August and Clement said the 5-year-old Nathaniel mare, who provided jockey Dylan Davis his first Grade 1 win, would make her next start in the 12-furlong $400,000 Grade 3 Long Island on November 27 at the Big A.

La Dragontea, a 4-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega, won the nine-furlong Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine in September. She was recently supplemented to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski's Senbei sprinted to a four-length score in the six-furlong New York Breeders' Futurity on October 18 at Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, N.Y.

Bred in the Empire State by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, the Candy Ride chestnut graduated at first asking in July at Saratoga and followed with a front-running win in the 6 ½-furlong Funny Cide in August at the same track.

Clement said he's enjoying the ride with the 2-year-old who has won 3-of-4 career starts and will now target the $100,000 Notebook at six-furlongs for state-breds on November 21 at the Big A.

“He won well. He's fun. He just keeps winning,” said Clement with a laugh.

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Classic Lady Headlines Field For Friday’s John Hettinger At Belmont

Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's Classic Lady will lead a field of seven New York-bred fillies and mares in Friday's $125,000 John Hettinger, a nine-furlong inner turf test, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the 6-year-old Jimmy Creed mare will face three returning foes from her third-place effort last out in the $150,000 Yaddo at 1 1/16-miles on the Mellon turf August 27 as part of New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Classic Lady, bred by Seth Gregory and Robert Barney, enjoyed a productive 2020 campaign finishing second in the one-mile Mount Vernon at Belmont ahead of a win in the 1 1/16-mile Dayatthespa on the Saratoga inner turf that registered a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. She completed last year's brief three-race campaign with a third-place finish in the Yaddo.

The veteran mare boasts a record of 20-4-5-5 with purse earnings of $291,290 and has made just two starts this season, including a close fourth off a 10-month layoff in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming event at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., on July 31.

“I'm struggling a little bit to get her back as good as she was last year. I thought she ran a decent race last time,” Clement said of the Yaddo effort that garnered a seasonal-best 77 Beyer. “She's trained well but I don't have her quite at the same level as I had her at last year according to the numbers.”

Clement said Classic Lady, who boasts a perfect in-the-money record on the Belmont turf of 5-2-2-1, will need all of her stamina to secure the win.

“I think she will see the mile and an eighth, but she may be a little bit better going shorter,” Clement said.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Classic Lady from the outermost post 9.

Lawrence Goichman's homebred Myhartblongstodady put together a four-race win streak from November 2019 to October 2020 that included stakes scores in last year's Yaddo and the 1 1/16-mile Ticonderoga in October at Belmont.

The ultra-consistent 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy is stakes placed twice this season with a third in the one-mile Plenty of Grace in April at the Big A and a close second last out in the Yaddo.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, Myhartblongstodady will exit post 8 under Jose Lezcano.

Ice Princess, trained and co-owned by Danny Gargan with Flying P Stable and R. A. Hill Stable, is graded-stakes placed on dirt having finished second in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Comely in November at the Big A. She captured the one-mile Maddie May on the Aqueduct main track in February 2020.

The Palace Malice gray, bred by Mina Equivest, is out of the Awesome Again mare Happy Clapper, who posted a record of 1-3-1 in 13 turf starts.

Ice Princess made her turf debut in June, finishing fourth in an open 1 1/16-mile allowance event after a troubled start. She enters from a four-length score in an open nine-furlong allowance event contested on a sloppy and sealed main track on August 19 at Saratoga.

Luis Saez will have the call from post 4.

Rounding out the field are Pecatonica [post 1, Jose Ortiz], a close fourth last out in the Yaddo; Dancingwthdaffodls [post 3, Eric Cancel], who saw a two-race win streak – both against optional-claimers – come to an end last out when seventh in the Yaddo; and recent allowance winner Cara's Dreamer [post 5, Dylan Davis]. Make Mischief and Dancing Kiki [sixth last out in the Yaddo] are entered for the main-track only.

The Hettinger is slated as Race 8 on Friday's 9-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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Fifty Five Will Try For Mount Vernon Repeat Off An Eight-Month Layoff

Peter Brant's Fifty Five will look to repeat as the winner of the $100,000 Mount Vernon as part of a seven-horse field of New York-bred fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on Thursday at Belmont Park.

The millionaire mare won last year's Mount Vernon at one mile on the Widener turf course, building on a second-place effort in the race's 2018 edition for trainer Chad Brown. A 6-year-old daughter of Get Stormy, Fifty Five was slated to make her 2020 debut in the Grade 3 Beaugay on Opening Day, June 3, but will now make her first start off an eight-month layoff looking to pick up where her 5-year-old year ended, with wins in the John Hettinger and Ticonderoga over the Belmont turf.

A graded stakes winner – via a rallying victory the 2017 Grade 3 Florida Oaks – Fifty Five is 11-4-5 in 22 career starts and just as consistent at Belmont, going 7-2-1 in 11 races. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for her last five starts, including three wins, will have the return call from the inside post.

Her stablemate, Michael Dubb's War Canoe, ran second in the John Hettinger in September and third in the Ticonderoga before capping her 2019 with a win against optional claimers in November at Aqueduct Racetrack. Also off a layoff, War Canoe will have the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 3.

Trainer Christophe Clement will also saddle a pair of contenders, including Munchkin Money, who started her 7-year-old season with back-to-back graded stakes appearances, running second in the 1 1/16-mile Marshua's River in January at Gulfstream Park before running seventh on the same track in the Grade 3 Honey Fox at one mile on February 29.

Munchkin Money, a daughter of Freud, wintered at Payson Park in Florida before resuming training in June at Belmont. She will be making her first start in four months, drawing post 4 with Manny Franco in the irons.

“She seems to be training forwardly,” Clement said. “Do we have her back to her best form? I'm not sure yet. She's training well. We're taking a shot. I'm just hoping she's back to her best. I think she can handle anything [firm or softer turf].”

Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Classic Lady will be making her first start since Clement took over the training duties. The 5-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed will be making her first stakes appearance in her 16th career start, going 3-4-3, and will now look to shine for her new connections in her first start since November when she bested optional claimers by a nose at 1 1/16 miles at the Big A.

Classic Lady has posted six official workouts at Belmont since May, starting on the main track before switching her training to the inner turf in the mornings.

“Her work on turf has been much better than her work on dirt,” Clement said. “She's sound. She looks well and healthy, so we're ready to go.”

Joel Rosario will ride from post 5.

Rounding out the field is Niko's Dream, looking to capture her first stakes for Belmont Stakes-winning trainer Barclay Tagg, in her first stakes appearance of the year [post 7, Dylan Davis]; Kreesie, a winner of the 2018 New York Stallion Stakes Series Cupecoy's Joy for trainer David Donk [post 6, Eric Cancel]; and Fetching, returning to stakes company for the first time in five starts for trainer Mark Casse [post 2, Junior Alvarado].

The Mount Vernon, slated as Race 8 on the nine-race card at 5:04 p.m. Eastern, will feature on America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the broadcast and can be accessed at www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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