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Poppy Flower Blooms Late To Win Intercontinental In Final Strides

Arnmore Thoroughbreds' Poppy Flower remained persistent into the stretch, overtaking five rivals in total and gaining the edge on pacesetter Bubble Rock in the shadow of the wire for a thrilling win by a nose in Friday's Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental at six furlongs on the inner turf for older fillies and mares in Friday's concluding race at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Megan Jones, general manager and owner of Arnmore Farms, expressed delight in seeing the Kentucky homebred daughter of Lea and the Excellent Art mare Nisharora make the grade.

“We bred her, and raced the mare so this is very exciting, and this is her first foal so it's really thrilling,” Jones said. “Down the stretch we were cheering for her, but I didn't think she got there. [After they crossed the wire] we stayed sitting and then they showed the replay, and obviously, that was a nice surprise. That was amazing. When Poppy kicks, it's always unbelievable but it just didn't look like she got there, so we are thrilled.”

Poppy Flower, whose lone previous graded stakes appearance was a fifth-place effort in the 2021 Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont, saw Jose Ortiz give her a patient ride, tracking in fifth position as Bubble Rock, under Joel Rosario, led the eight-horse field through the opening quarter mile in 22.29 seconds and the half in 45.61 over firm going.

Out of the turn, Ortiz tipped out Poppy Flower, finding an open lane to the outside in picking off Bay Storm, Amy C and Goin' Good with a strong late surge. Zeroing in on Bubble Rock, Poppy Flower completed the comeback by stopping the clock in 1:08.53.

It marked the first win in three attempts in Poppy Flower's 4-year-old campaign following a third-place effort against optional-claiming company in April at Aqueduct Racetrack and a last-out runner-up finish in the License Fee last month at Belmont for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Bubble Rock finished three-quarters of a length ahead of the Flavien Prat-piloted Amy C for second. The favorite Bay Storm was fourth, with Goin' Good, Clitheroe, Messidor and Sarah Harper completing the order of finish.

“She tried hard and got a great trip,” said Mott, who notched his first career Intercontinental win. “He tipped her out in time, and she got there. I mean, she was rolling. She was going to be a half-length in front a couple of jumps past the wire but I wasn't sure she got there in time. That's a close finish. I wasn't sure she got there. She's one of those fillies that shows up every time, but today was an exceptionally good race.”

Poppy Flower, off at 6-1, returned $15 on a $2 win wager. She improved her career earnings to $505,030 and moved to 4-5-2 in 14 career starts.

“She broke great. I felt like we had a good position,” Ortiz said. “I was following Flavien. When he made his move, I made mine outside of him and luckily we got the bob in the end. You see the form of this mare – she's there every time. There's not a day that she hasn't shown up. I think she'd run on anything. She's just a trier and she gives me confidence. I knew she was going to run great and it's nice to ride a horse you know is going to give you 100 percent. Bill got her doing great and the owner is just great. I'm just so happy for everyone.”

Bubble Rock, trained by Brad Cox, was coming off a win in the License Fee and has finished first or second in each of her last four starts dating to a win in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere in November at Churchill Downs that concluded her 2022 ledger.

“She broke in front nicely with no speed today,” Rosario said. “I was just cruising. I had time to get her inside and she got beat right there on the wire. She ran her race.”

Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont for the lucrative 13-race Belmont Stakes Day card, featuring nine graded stakes races led by the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in Race 12. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern.

The FOX Sports family of networks will present expansive coverage and analysis of Belmont Stakes Day beginning with America's Day at the Races on FS1 at 11 a.m. Coverage then shifts to FOX, where America's Day at the Belmont and Belmont Day on FOX will air from 3-7:30 p.m. America's Day at the Belmont Stakes will complement the FOX broadcast with parallel coverage geared to the avid and experienced horseplayer from 4-7:30 p.m. on FS1. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Appleby Strikes Again! Siskany Takes Belmont Gold Cup As Heavy Favorite

Godolphin's British homebred Siskany lived up to his heavy favoritism when pouncing to a two-length victory in Friday's Grade 2, $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup, a two-mile Widener turf test for older horses, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and expertly piloted by William Buick, the bay son of Dubawi made his first trip to America well worth the while in scoring the winner's share of $137,500 and providing Appleby with his second win at Belmont Park in the past month, adding to a triumph with Ottoman Fleet in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy in early May.

“It worked out really well. He's a horse who hasn't had all the luck in the world in his past races,” said Liam O'Rourke, director of studs, stallions & breeding for Darley Europe. “He had a lovely sit today and a lovely ride from William. They went slow early and I think that helped him. He's got a big finishing kick and nothing got in his way. He was resolute to the line. A deserving winner. There's no doubt he improves when he travels.”

Siskany emerged from post 2 and was settled in the middle of the 13-horse field as Tide of the Sea bounded to the front under Katie Davis, racing four lengths ahead of Channel Maker and marking an opening quarter-mile in 24.81 seconds and a half-mile in 51.11 over the firm footing. Buick patiently held Siskany in his mid-pack stalking position passing the stands for the first time and into the second turn before the Trevor McCarthy-piloted L'Imperator, who had broken slowest of all, made a bold move from ninth on the far outside of the field to challenge Tide of the Sea for the lead after one-mile in 1:45.48.

Buick angled Siskany a couple paths from his inside stalking position to ensure racing room mid-way down the backstretch while L'Imperator quickly fizzled out after his ambitious bid. Tide of the Sea was once again in command through the latter part of the stretch and entering the final turn, but clung to a precarious lead as Channel Maker was asked for more from Luis Saez through 1 1/4 miles in 2:11.26.

“I thought getting him into the clear [on the backside] was a sensible thing to do,” Buick said. “He was the best horse in the race and it was an opportunity that arose. Channel Maker took me into the race and to get on the back of him was an obvious move at that point.”

A loaded Siskany loomed large on the outside as Amazing Grace rushed up the inside and took the lead at the top of the lane, but Siskany gained with every stride down the center of the course and came to even terms with his rival just past the eighth pole before kicking clear when shown a right-handed crop by Buick. An inside-rushing British Royalty passed a game Amazing Grace and The Grey Wizard made an impressive late run on the far outside from 11th, but was left with too much to do as Siskany prevailed in a final time of 3:23.94.

The Grey Wizard got up for place honors by a neck over British Royalty with Amazing Grace rounding out the superfecta another half-length back. Cibolian, High Definition, Tide of the Sea, Barbados, Strong Tide, Channel Maker, Tartini, L'Imperator and Cross Border completed the order of finish.

Buick, who rode the Appleby-trained Yibir to a third-place finish in last year's Grade 1 Man o' War here, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to return to Belmont this year.

“It's great to win at Belmont,” Buick said. “We came here with Yibir last year and that was a bit frustrating. Like I've said, to be able to come over here and get these rides and opportunities is a real privilege. There are a lot of good riders here who could ride these horses, so I'm very happy I get the call to ride when they come over, especially because we are in the middle of a European season, as well.”

Appleby said Siskany's next start is likely to come back home in the U.K.

“Delighted with him,” said Appleby by phone from Newmarket. “He's a good mile-and-six [furlong] horse [in the U.K.], two-miler [in the U.S.A.]. He's done that well today. Unfortunately, there's nothing left for him there on the other side of the water, so we will likely bring him back here and then look to Dubai again and hopefully work our way back from a Belmont Gold Cup, again.”

Siskany, who also won the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy in February at Meydan Racecourse, improved his lifetime record to 18-7-3-3. He returned $3.70 on a $2 win ticket.

Graham Motion, trainer of runner-up The Grey Wizard, expressed pride in the son of Caravaggio when making the step up from a last-out allowance win in April at Keeneland.

“He ran super. I was very pleased with his race,” Motion said. “This was a big step up from his last race, absolutely. It was a good effort. He's very honest this horse. He hasn't done much wrong. I was very pleased with him. The winner is legit.”

Motion added the $135,000 John's Call, a 1 5/8-mile marathon restricted to horses who have not won a Grade 1 or Grade 2 race this year on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course, could be a viable next start.

“Where do we run now? It's possible we may run him at Saratoga, maybe the John's Call or one of the mile-and-a-half races, definitely,” he said.

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Kentucky Oaks Winner Pretty Mischievous Digs Deep For Acorn Triumph

Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous has put herself firmly atop the 3-year-old filly division with Friday's hard-fought victory in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park. The Brendan Walsh-trained Kentucky Oaks winner was backing up in distance for the challenging one-turn contest over 1 1/16 miles, and had to dig deep versus 11-1 chance Dorth Vader to win by a head on the wire.

Ridden to victory by Tyler Gaffalione, Pretty Mischievous was the second choice in the wagering at odds of 9-5 and paid $5.80 to win. The daughter of Into Mischief stopped the clock in 1:43.33 over Belmont's fast main track.

Dorth Vader ran well to be second in her first start for trainer George Weaver (previously Michael Yates), while 27-1 longshot Occult ran down frontrunning 8-5 favorite Munny's Gold to finish third.

As expected, Munny's Gold was quick off the blocks to lead the field out of the chute under Irad Ortiz, Jr. The favorite was pressured by Goodgirlbadhabits through fractions of :23.34, :46.37, and 1:10.86. Dorth Vader hugged the rail in third down the backstretch, just inside of Randomized. Pretty Mischievous broke sharply, but allowed Gaffalione to ease her back to sixth in the early going.

Rounding the far turn, Dorth Vader swung off the rail to challenge frontrunning favorite Munny's Gold, thus forcing Gaffalione to take a three-wide path aboard Pretty Mischievous. Those three turned for home on even terms, but Munny's Gold was the first to drop back.

Pretty Mischievous took command near the eighth pole, but was dogged all the way to the wire by Dorth Vader to win by just a head. Occult ran on well late to score third over Munny's Gold.

Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Pretty Mischievous is out of the Grade 1-winning Tapit mare Pretty City Dancer.

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Marketsegmentation Gets Easy Lead In Gate-To-Wire New York Score

Klaravich Stables' Marketsegmentation broke through at the top flight with a gate-to-wire score in Friday's Grade 1, $600,000 New York, a 10-furong inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.

Owner Seth Klarman, who also sent out third-place finisher McKulick, said he was thrilled with the result for the 4-year-old American Pharoah filly, who entered from a prominent score in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Beaugay on May 7 here.

“She's improved every race. She's solid,” said Klarman. “She always tries. We thought she might be the only speed and it set up, and sometimes that's dangerous. To win a race like this, a Grade 1, and to have a filly advance like that and another filly that ran third, it's an exciting time.”

Trainer Chad Brown, who now boasts a standalone record five New York wins, won the Grade 1 Just a Game earlier on the card with Peter Brant's In Italian and noted the stablemates could meet up in the nine-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Diana on July 15 at Saratoga Race Course.

“She has gotten better every single race and you love to see horses like that. You have to think about the Diana next,” said the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner. “I think a cut [back] to a mile and an eighth wouldn't bother her at all. She's got a big grizzly bear to run against. But I'm not afraid to run multiple horses like this and let them settle it on the track.”

Marketsegmentation exited post 4 under Jose Ortiz and quickly took command with stablemate Shantisara tracking in second position through an opening quarter-mile in 24.56 seconds over the firm footing.

War Like Goddess, the 3-5 mutuel favorite under Joel Rosario, was last-of-7 down the backstretch as Marketsegmentation dictated the tempo through splits of 50.26 and 1:15.29.

Marketsegmentation led the field into the final turn with the streaking Didia looming a threat from third position as War Like Goddess was given her cue from the back of the pack by Rosario. But when Ortiz asked Marketsegmentation for more as the field straightened away, his filly responded in kind and kicked clear as Didia dug in to try and make a race of it and reluctantly settled for second as the winner scored by three-quarters-of-a-length in a final time of 2:02.12.

It was a further 1 3/4-lengths back to McKulick, who got the better of a five-horse photo by nosing out Flirting Bridge for third. It was a head back to Virginia Joy in fifth, who was a nose better than War Like Goddess. Shantisara landed another neck back to round out the order of finish. With The Moonlight was scratched.

“She relaxed very well, she set some slow fractions in the half and down the backside, I felt very comfortable,” said Ortiz.

Brown credited Ortiz for engineering a perfect trip.

“We put her in here and it was Jose's first time on her, but he rode her like he's always ridden her her whole life. He got along with her beautifully and carved out the fractions just right,” said Brown, who previously won this event with Dacita [2016], Fourstar Crook [2018], Homerique [2019], and Bleecker Street [2022].

Marketsegmentation finished a close third in her stakes debut in February in the Grade 3 Endeavour at Tampa Bay Downs and followed with a rallying neck score in the Sand Springs on April 1 at Gulfstream Park ahead of her Beaugay coup.

The Argentinian-bred Didia saw her seven-race win streak come to an end for trainer Ignacio Correas, IV. The 5-year-old Orpen bay was a multiple Group 1-winner in her native country before arriving in the U.S. last year and notching a win in the Old Nelson at Colonial Downs. She won the Tom Benson Memorial in March at Fair Grounds ahead of a score in the Grade 3 Modesty in May at Churchill Downs en route to the New York.

“My filly ran very well. The winner was in front and was very relaxed. We had a good travel, too,” said jockey Vincent Cheminaud. “The winner was the best today, but my filly finished very well. I finished second and obviously I prefer to win, but I'm very happy.”

Correas, IV. said he would likely point Didia to the Grade 1 Beverly D. on August 12 at Colonial Downs, a race he finished second in with Dona Bruja in 2017.

“She ran great. I can't take nothing away from that,” said Correas, IV. “There was no pace and you can't do everything, you have to run your horses. You cannot ride the other horses. She ran great and I think she showed she belongs with this bunch of fillies.

“The year is long and we are going to look for more somewhere. I think we will leave the Diana to In Italian,” he continued. “My goal for the summer is the Beverly D. and after that we'll figure it out. I do have unfinished business there.”

Bred in Kentucky by Marcus Stables, Marketsegmentation banked $330,000 in victory while improving her record to 7-5-1-1. She returned $14.20 for a $2 win ticket.

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