Tag: Racing

Godolphin Quartet Arrives For Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

Four Godolphin runners trained by Charlie Appleby – Rebel's Romance, Desert Peace, Summer Romance and Althiqa – arrived at Belmont Park at 11 a.m. Sunday to prepare for starts during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that runs from Thursday, June 3, through Saturday, June 5, headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.

The geldings Rebel's Romance and Desert Peace started their journey from Dubai to Belgium, while the fillies Summer Romance and Althiqa, shipped from the U.K. to join the duo before their flight to New York. All four horses will remain in quarantine until Tuesday morning.

“They all shipped well and are very relaxed,” said traveling assistant Sophie Chretien, who will oversee training and saddling duties for the talented quartet. “We're here early so we'll have more time to get settled in and get used to Belmont.”

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.

Group 2 UAE Derby-winner Rebel's Romance is set to compete in the Belmont Stakes on June 5. The sophomore son of Dubawi, an Irish homebred out of the Street Cry mare Minidress, has won 4-of-5 starts.

Following a fourth in the Saudi Derby at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in February, Rebel's Romance made the grade last out with a 5 1/2-length score in the 1 3/16-mile Group 2 UAE Derby on March 27 at Meydan.

“It was a very good race and it showed he has matured a lot,” said Chretien of the UAE Derby effort. “He went to Saudi before the run at Meydan and it took him a while to mature, but he has matured a lot and he won the Derby with class. We just have to keep his mind relaxed because to do well in these big races you need a horse as cool as possible in his head.”

Chretien said the sizable gelding should appreciate the stretch out in distance.

“I think he's built that way and more distance will suit him,” said Chretien. “He's a big boy.”

Desert Peace, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, was a $1.3 million purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by Doug and Felicia Branham, the colt's stakes-winning dam Stoweshoe is a full-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire mare Taris.

Desert Peace was a nose winner last out traveling one-mile on May 11 over the Meydan main track.

While no specific target is confirmed yet for Desert Peace, the Grade 2, $300,000 True North, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up on June 4 is a possibility.

“We'll see how he trains, but he could aim for the True North. Time will tell,” said Chretien.

Summer Romance and Althiqa, who finished first and third last out in the nine-furlong Group 2 Balanchine on February 18 at Meydan respectively, are targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Just a Game, a one-mile turf event for older fillies and mares.

“The two fillies are physically very similar. They both won in Dubai and will run in the same race here in New York,” said Chretien.

Summer Romance, a 4-year-old daughter of Kingman out of the Statue of Liberty mare Serena's Storm, is a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning millionaire Rizeena.

Bred in Ireland by Roundhill Stud, Summer Romance captured the 1 1/16-mile Group 3 Princess Elizabeth in July at Epsom. Last out, in her second start of the season, Summer Romance won the Balanchine by 2 ¼-lengths at Meydan.

Althiqa, a British homebred by Dark Angel and out of the Shamardal mare Mistrusting, won the Prix Amandine in July at Deauville in France ahead of a trio of group placings to close out her sophomore season. The grey filly launched her 4-year-old campaign in style with a score in the Group 2 Cape Verdi at Meydan ahead of her third in the Balanchine.

Appleby previously indicated a good result in the Just a Game could see Summer Romance try her luck in the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana, a nine-furlong turf test for older fillies and mares on July 17 at Saratoga.

“Summer Romance is one who can handle a little more distance going forward,” said Chretien.

For more information, visit www.BelmontStakes.com.

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Vault Wins Ruffian With Powerful Stretch Rally

Vault capitalized on a patient ride by jockey Joel Rosario, rallying from last of six older fillies and mares to overtake Water White from the outside in deep stretch before powering home a 1 3/4-length winner in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Vault, a Pennsylvania bred trained by Brad Cox making just her second career graded stakes start, was unhurried breaking from the inside post, content to let Gibberish lead the field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.57 seconds and the half in 47.24 over the fast main track.

Taking back under Rosario, Vault saved ground entering the turn as 6-5 favorite Lake Avenue temporarily took command over Water White. Nearing the top of the stretch, Rosario tipped out his charge, as Gibberish and Water White were kept to the inside and Lake Avenue pressed on from the outside.

Vault found a seam between Lake Avenue and Water White, splitting the contenders in surging to the front. Water White, encouraged by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., gamely pursued Vault, but the 5-year-old Jump Start mare pulled away in a final time of 1:35.81 to notch her second consecutive win.

“She was a little slow out of there,” Rosario said. “Brad said to let her be comfortable where she was and come with a run and she did. She was pretty amazing.

“I was trying to stay inside, keep away from the dirt [kick back] and save some ground,” he added. “It looked like maybe I could go through inside, but then maybe not. So, I looked to go in between or maybe outside. When they split, I just went right in the middle [inside of Lake Avenue]. It was perfect.”

Owned by Kueber Racing, Barlar, Madaket Stables and Little Red Feather Racing, Vault entered off her first win of her campaign with a 1 3/4-length score against allowance company going 1 1/16 miles on March 27 at Oaklawn Park.

Her first foray over Belmont's Big Sandy was just her second career stakes appearance and first since a sixth-place effort in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher in July at Monmouth Park. She shipped in from her base at Churchill Downs and impressed her connections in her New York debut.

“They had her down in Kentucky and it took us a while to figure her out, but now it looks like we got the wheels spinning finally and she showed it today,” said Dustin Dugas, assistant to Cox. “The guys in Kentucky had her ready to roll. I'll talk to Brad and let him decide where we go next. He'll sit down with the partners and figure out a game plan from there.”

Vault improved to 7-6-2 in 21 career starts. She returned $8.80 on a $2 win wager.

EV Racing Stable's Water White, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, bested Our Super Freak by a length for second.

“I got a perfect trip,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “She got through on the inside and did everything right. We just got beat today. I was happy with it.”

Lake Avenue, Saguaro Row and Gibberish completed the order of finish that saw a finish of 1-thorugh-6 in program numerical order.

The 45th running of the Ruffian is named for the five-time Grade 1-winner and 1976 Hall of Fame inductee who was trained by Frank Whiteley, Jr. Ruffian, the 1974 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and 1975 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, broke down in a match race against Kentucky Derby-winner Foolish Pleasure in 1975. She is buried in the Belmont infield.

Live racing at Belmont resumes Thursday with a nine-race card that features a 3:05 p.m. Eastern first post.

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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Preakness Weekend Stakes Nominations At Pimlico Close Tuesday

Stakes nominations are due Tuesday, May 4, for Preakness weekend at Pimlico Race Course, featuring 16 stakes, 10 graded, worth $3.25 million in purses May 14-15 led by the 146th running of the Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Other graded events on Preakness Day, May 15, are the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) and $150,000 Gallorette (G3) on turf and the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3), $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) and $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabian horses on the main track.

Preakness eve, May 14, will be highlighted by the 97th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies. Among the supporting graded stakes are the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) and $150,000 Miss Preakness on dirt and $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3) on turf.

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series returns following a one-year hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 with four races Preakness weekend – the Pimlico Special and Allaire du Pont May 14 and the Maryland Sprint and $100,000 Runhappy Skipat May 15.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Sunday, May 9 for the Black-Eyed Susan Day program and Monday, May 10 for Preakness Day.

For the fifth straight year, the Maryland Jockey Club is offering bonus money totaling $100,000 to trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend. The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

Points are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one) in the Skipat, Miss Preakness, Allaire du Pont, Black-Eyed Susan, Pimlico Special, Hilltop, Jim McKay Turf Sprint, Maryland Sprint, Chick Lang, Preakness, Gallorette, James W. Murphy, Dinner Party, The Very One and Sir Barton.

There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,000 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen was the leading Preakness weekend stakes trainer in 2018 and 2019, followed by Brad Cox in 2019 and Mike Maker in 2020.

Races & Post Times for Black-Eyed Susan, Preakness
The Maryland Jockey Club will feature 14-race programs on Black-Eyed Susan Day and Preakness Day.

On Friday, May 15, first race post will be 11:30 a.m. ET with the Black-Eyed Susan scheduled to go off at approximately 5:44 p.m. On Saturday, May 16, the live program begins at 10:30 a.m. with the Preakness scheduled to go off at approximately 6:47 p.m.

There will be a Black-Eyed Susan-Preakness daily double offered Friday. The Preakness will be the 13th race Saturday, followed by the UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabians at 7:33 p.m.

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