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Juvenile Happy Soul Much The Best In Thursday’s Astoria

Gayla Rankin's Happy Soul was hustled out of the gate by Hall of Famer John Velazquez and never relinquished control en route to an 11 1/2-length score in Thursday's $150,000 Astoria, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies at Belmont Park on Day One of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Trained by Wesley Ward, the bay daughter of Runhappy entered from a similarly dominant score on May 13 at Belmont when 11 3/4-lengths the best in a five-furlong maiden special weight.

Velazquez urged the $50,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase from the gate and quickly established command as American Bound, under Luis Saez, applied pressure to her outside through an opening quarter-mile in 21.92 seconds on the fast main track.

Happy Soul extended her advantage into the turn through a half-mile in 45.74 as Constitution Gal moved up along the rail into third. In hand and in command at the top of the lane, Happy Soul enjoyed a 6 1/2-length lead at the stretch call and continued to fine more en route to a facile score in a final time of 1:05.69.

Constitution Gal completed the exacta by 1 1/4-lengths over She's So Shiny. Rounding out the order of finish was American Bound and Midsummer Nights. Mainstay was scratched.

Velazquez said he had to ask the speedy filly from the moment the latch sprung.

“She fell asleep in the gate. She wasn't paying attention,” said Velazquez. “I had to use her coming out of there, which normally I don't want to do with [Wesley Ward's] horses because they go so fast, but I had to do it.

“Once I got out of there, I got into the position she wants,” he continued. “I just let her take her speed wherever she wanted to go.”

Ward said the improving filly will step up to graded company next out in the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies on August 8 at Saratoga.

“She was 1-9, so obviously we were in the right spot,” said Ward. “We'll have to step up in class and company next. She'll get back to Keeneland and prepare for the Adirondack at Saratoga.”

Bred in Kentucky by Harris Training Center, Happy Soul banked $87,000 in victory. She paid $2.30 for a $2 win ticket.

Day Two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival continues Friday at Belmont with an 11-race card, featuring five stakes, including the Grade 2, $750,000 New York, a 10-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares; the Grade 2, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles on the Widener turf for older horses; the Grade 2, $300,000 True North, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for older horses; the Grade 3, $300,000 Bed O' Roses, a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares; and the $150,000 Tremont for juveniles. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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Con Lima Parlays Pocket Trip Into Wonder Again Victory

The ultra-consistent Texas-bred Con Lima added Thursday's Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes to her resume with a perfect ride from jockey Flavien Prat over Belmont Park's turf course. The 3-year-old daughter of Commissioner saved ground early behind a slow pace, then had plenty left in the stretch to post an 8-1 upset over the fast-finishing Plum Ali, winning by a half-length at the wire. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Con Lima ran nine furlongs over the turf course rated “good” in 1:50.84.

Con Lima is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nicklaus, and Troy Johnson.

“She didn't seem to mind the turf,” Pletcher said. “It's encouraging to see that she might stay a mile and a quarter. We knew Jouster was the quicker of the two, so I told Flavien to just stalk her and it worked out well. She kicked on. She's shown she can do it both ways now.”

Con Lima's stablemate Jouster was quickest out of the starting gate and established a two-length lead heading into the clubhouse turn, while Con Lima was able to secure second with a perfect spot along the rail. Jouster, the 3-1 co-favorite, set a slow pace of :25.42 and :51.49, but was unable to hold off the rally of Con Lima when Prat switched her out in the stretch.

Prat timed his rally perfectly with Con Lima, striking the lead at the eighth pole and holding off the late runs of Plum Ali and Gift List by about a half-length on the wire. Jouster held on to finish fourth, while Fluffy Socks was fifth.

“We had a good trip,” Prat said. “She broke well. It took me a little time to get her to relax, but she finally did down the backside. She responded really well when I asked her to come home.”

Bred in Texas by Lisa Kuhlmann, Con Lima is out of the stakes-winning Consolidator mare Second Street City. She sold for $15,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November sale, and didn't achieve her reserve in two subsequent sales appearances. Con Lima was second on debut and won at second asking, both for trainer Carlos David. Eclipse bought in after that and the filly was transferred to Pletcher's barn, where she proceeded to earn back-to-back stakes placings on the dirt.

Switched to the dirt in 2021, Con Lima won the Ginger Brew Stakes, ran second in the G3 Sweetest Chant, and won the G3 Herecomesthebride. After a fourth in the G3 Gulfstream Oaks, she came back to win the Honey Ryder Stakes in early May. Overall, Con Lima has a record of six wins and four seconds from 11 starts, with earnings of over $380,000.

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Change Of Control Splits Horses To Capture Intercontinental

Struggling to find racing room around the far turn, Colby Hernandez managed to guide 7-5 second choice Change of Control to a small seam between horses and was rewarded with a drawing away victory in Thursday's Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont Park. It was the first graded stakes win for the 5-year-old daughter of Fed Biz, trained by Michelle Lovell on behalf of owner Perry Harrison.

Change of Control ran seven furlongs over the “good” turf in 1:22.07, defeating Piedi Bianchi by 1 1/2 lengths on the wire.

“This mare has been incredibly special to us,” Lovell said. “She tries so hard every time she runs and has been in top form this year. Colby [Hernandez] got her into a great spot early and she was able to relax behind the pace. Into the stretch, it looked like Colby had a ton of horse and when she was able to get outside, she really showed her stride late. This is a great win for everyone involved.”

I'llhandalthecash was quickest out of the gate to lead by just over a length down the backstretch, with Piedi Bianchi hovering on the outside in second through fractions of :23.64 and :49.40. Change of Control stayed on the inside in third, while favored Publication broke a step slowly and was last early.

Change of Control was shuffled back a bit around the far turn, behind a three-way battle for the lead, but the eventual winner was loaded for bear and hunting room to run.

Hernandez finally saw the seam between rivals and swung Change of Control toward the outside. Change of Control responded gamely and dug in toward the wire, pulling away to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Piedi Bianchi. Madeline Must ran third over I'llhandalthecash, with 6-5 favorite Publication finishing fifth and last.

“When she broke, she broke sharply,” said Hernandez, who was celebrating his first graded stakes win. “She left there well, and I had to get on her a little bit. After that, I was just able to sit on her. All I needed was daylight and she kicked on.”

Bred in Kentucky by John O' Meara, Change of Control is out of the stakes-placed Quiet American mare America's Blossom. A $95,000 yearling at OBS, Change of Control has accumulated a record of 7-6-5 from 27 starts with earnings of over $550,000.

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Stakes Sextet Highlights Saturday’s Louisiana Legends Night At Evangeline

A pair of recent stakes winners highlight the entries for Louisiana Legends Night at Evangeline Downs Saturday night. The celebration of Louisiana-bred Thoroughbreds will feature six $70,000 stakes races on the nine-race card. A total of 52 runners were entered in the stakes races, and the card also features a Louisiana-bred 2-year-old race.

The $70,000 Soiree is the first stakes on the card and tests a field of five 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the turf. The 8/5 morning line favorite Winning Romance is a recent stakes runner-up from the barn of W. Bret Calhoun. Cilla, a graded-stakes placed filly from the barn of Brett Brinkman, is the second choice at 9/5.

The $70,000 Cheval, for 3-year-olds at a mile on the turf, brings together a competitive field of 10 runners. Beauregard is one of three entrants riding multiple-race winning streaks into the contest. After losing his dam shortly after birth, the gritty gelding was raised by a nurse mare named Hope. He reeled off three straight victories at Will Rogers Downs and will run for his breeders Southern Legacy Thoroughbreds and trainer Karl Broberg. The morning line favorite Unanimously, a Steve Asmussen trainee, enters after facing a tough stakes field at Oaklawn Park in his last start.

A solid field of ten will contest the $70,000 Spring over the 5-1/2 furlong distance. This field has combined to produce 28 wins over the Evangeline Downs surface, and looks to be a fantastic wagering event. Monte Man drew the attention of the morning line maker as the 9-5 favorite, but defending champ Laughingsaintsong, and Bertie's Galaxy among others, should have a say in the outcome. Born Again George brings a resume with eight local wins to the affair, and Wild Bert is an ultra-consistent runner.

The $70,000 Turf Distaff at one mile on the turf for 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, is another competitive bunch. One could make a case for a handful to have been the morning line favorite, with that nod going to Net a Bear, listed at 9-5. The Allen Landry trainee will have the services of Tim Thornton, and must overcome an outside post draw. Net a Bear was a fast closing second in her last turf effort and will look to turn the tables on Offspring, who bested her on that day. Listed as the second choice at 5-2, Offspring has been absent from the races since that March event. Distractor Factor, runner-up in the Evangeline Downs Distaff, is another that should draw attention at the mutuel windows.

The winner of the Evangeline Downs Distaff, Snowball, leads the entries for the $70,000 Mademoiselle. The race for fillies and mares over 5-1/2 furlongs will attempt to display the versatility of the defending champ. Sam Breaux trains and Tim Thornton will be in the saddle. Southern Beauty brings a two-race winning streak into the race, and Saints N Muskets will try reverse her fortunes after being defeated in the Distaff three weeks ago.

The $70,000 Turf closes out the stakes action on the card with recent Classic winner Treys Midnite Moon listed as the morning line favorite. Tim Thornton will handle the reigns for trainer Corale 'Bunky' Richards in the one-mile race. A pair of the rivals trying to turn the tables from the result in the Classic are Grand Luwegee and Mageez. Trained by Gerard Perron and piloted by Diego Saenz, Grand Luwegee led until deep stretch in the Classic and should have his speed on display once again. Mageez, trained by Delmar Caldwell, will have Ashley Broussard in the irons after finishing a hard-charging third at 40-1 in the Classic.

The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will be awarding two $1,000 scholarships during the evening. Students are encouraged to attend the races and enter the drawing, with the winners to be selected after the fifth race. First post time for the nine-race card Saturday will be 6:00pm Central Time. The Belmont Stakes card, and many other simulcast options, will provide plenty of action for wagering leading into Legends Night.

For more information on racing at Evangeline Downs, visit the track's website at www.evdracing.com and on Twitter @evdracing. Racing continues on a Wednesday thru Saturday schedule until the end of the meet on September 18.

Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Evangeline Downs is located in Opelousas, Louisiana, off I-49 on Cresswell Lane at Exit 18.

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