Classy Edition Heads Field For Joseph A. Gimma Friday At Belmont

Following an impressive maiden score, Robert and Lawana Low's Classy Edition will make her stakes debut against five other New York-bred juvenile fillies in Friday's $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma going seven furlongs over the main track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Joseph A. Gimma honors the late investment banker, political official, and former chairman of the New York State Racing Commission from 1965-76. Born in Baro, Italy, Gimma also served as the governor of the American Stock Exchange from 1952-58.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Classy Edition backed up her heavy 3-5 favoritism in her September 5 debut when breaking her maiden by 6 ¾ lengths over a good and sealed track at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., garnering a 63 Beyer Speed Figure.

The bay daughter of freshman stallion and 2016 Champion Juvenile Colt Classic Empire rated in fourth along the rail down the backstretch and made an aggressive four-wide move nearing the quarter-pole, cruising away to a hand-ride victory under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“It's back a little quick, but she did it very easily. Irad wrapped up on her in the last part of the race,” Pletcher said. “She had always trained well. I expected her to run well on debut, and she did.”

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Classy Edition is out of the Bernardini mare Newbie, making her a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Newly Minted.

Ortiz, Jr. will return aboard Classy Edition from post 4.

Mr. Amore Stable homebred November Rein will attempt a second stakes score following a triumph in the Seeking the Ante on August 27 at Saratoga.

Despite stumbling at the start, the Kelly Breen-trained daughter of Street Boss recovered quickly and commanded the field through every point of call, winning by 1 ¾ lengths.

November Rein arrived at the Seeking the Ante off an even more decisive victory, breaking her maiden going 5 ½ furlongs at the Spa by 5 ½ lengths to garner a field-best 76 Beyer.

Jose Ortiz is unbeaten in two starts aboard November Rein and will have the call from post 6.

D.J. Stable's Adversity, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, graduated by 2 1/4-lengths at second asking on September 6 over a sloppy and sealed main track at the Spa.

“Her first start we ran her on the grass, and she didn't run very well, but she had always worked really well on the dirt,” said Casse assistant Shane Tripp. “It rained really hard right when the horses were in the paddock, so it was in the slop. She ran great that day and we're looking forward to running her again.”

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, the daughter of the late first crop sire and 2016 Travers winner Arrogate is out of the Grade 1-winning Roman Ruler mare Artemis Agrotera.

Jockey Luis Saez will ride from post 3.

Stonestreet Stables' Velvet Sister, a half-million-dollar purchase from the Fasig-Tipton March Sale, will attempt to turn the tables on November Rein following a runner-up effort in the Seeking the Ante.

The daughter of Bernardini, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, was a 9 ¾-length winner against open company in June at Belmont before a distant fourth in the Grade 3 Schuylerville five weeks later at Saratoga.

Bred by Godolphin and Michelle Nevin, Velvet Sister is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner My Boy Tate.

Breaking from post 2, Velvet Sister will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

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Joseph Bucci's Shesawildjoker bested November Rein on debut and returns to New York-bred company for trainer David Donk.

The daughter of freshman stallion Practical Joke took a considerable jump up in class following her first-out maiden score when eighth in the Grade 3 Schuylerville. She was bred by Three Diamonds Farm.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride from post 5.

Rounding out the field is Our Tiny Dancer – a wire-to-wire winner for a $25,000 tag at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., for trainer Amira Chichakly. Larry Botting bred the chestnut daughter of Union Jackson.

Jockey Erick Lopez will ride from post 1.

The Joseph A. Gimma is slated as Race 8 on Friday's nine-race card which also includes the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole in Race 3. First post is 1 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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Midnight Bourbon, Jackie’s Warrior Work Ahead Of Travers, H. Allen Jerkens

Winchell Thoroughbred's Midnight Bourbon, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, worked a half-mile in :49.60 Sunday on the Oklahoma training track in preparation for Saturday's $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

Asmussen said the graded stakes-winning sophomore son of Tiznow has worked well after a troubled trip last out in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, where he was a close third in mid-stretch before clipping heels and falling, unseating rider Paco Lopez.

“He's a very impressive horse,” Asmussen said. “I think we're obviously very fortunate that he came out of the mishap in the Haskell in good shape and he's training well, per usual.”

Midnight Bourbon, a winner of the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds Race Course in his 2021 debut, was second in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico to Rombauer prior to the Haskell.

Asmussen and Winchell finished third twice in the Travers with Pyro [2008] and Gun Runner [2016].

Also breezing on Sunday for Asmussen was five-time graded stakes winning millionaire Jackie's Warrior, who went a half-mile in :48.98 seconds in preparation for the $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on the Runhappy Travers Day undercard.

William and Corrine Heiligbrodt's dual graded stakes winner Yaupon went a half-mile in :50.50 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. The 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo is targeting the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego.

Asmussen was pleased with a solid runner-up finish from Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere in the Grade 1 Alabama. The winner of the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra in February at Fair Grounds closed late under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to finish second, 1 ½ lengths in arrears to Malathaat. Asmussen said no plans have been made for the daughter of Curlin's next start.

“She came out of it in good shape,” Asmussen said. “There's a lot going on between now and what's next for her.”

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Regal Glory Moves Late To Take De La Rose At Saratoga

Regal Glory put in a potent late move from well off the pace to capture Sunday's $120,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Regal Glory was one of two entrants for trainer Chad Brown, along with Viadera, in the one-mile inner-turf test for older fillies and mares who haven't won a graded race this year.

Under an aggressive hand ride from Jose Ortiz, the daughter of Animal Kingdom took command of the field on the far turn and then she kicked clear through the lane to run down Hendy Woods, who enjoyed a ground-saving trip from Tyler Gaffalione, and Shifty She, who had set honest splits of :23.89, :48.58, and 1:12.20 on the firm turf.

Owned by Peter M. Brant, the five-year-old mare prevailed by one-half length over Hendy Woods. Shifty She faded to third, 1 ¼ lengths behind, as Regal Glory covered the one-mile in a final time of 1:34.85.

Regal Glory, who had captured the Plenty of Grace at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y., in April two starts back, took good advantage of the drop in class from her most recent outing in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 on the Belmont Park turf.

“She got a really bad trip in the Just a Game, which was unfortunate because she was really primed to run a big one and she did, it just didn't work out for her,” Brown explained. “But we regrouped. I spoke to Mr. Brant and said, 'Let's get her to Saratoga and let's put her in a race where she can get a good trip,' and hopefully put a W under her belt with the eye of trying to win a Grade 1 with her this year, which is why he kept her in training after he bought her. We'll see what's next for her, but, for now, we'll just enjoy this.”

Ortiz said he felt confident there was pace to close into when the usually prominent Raven's Cry, piloted by Luis Saez, wasn't up top.

“I broke running but I knew the pace was fast when Saez wasn't anywhere close,” Ortiz said. “I just sat there and followed him [Saez]. I was following the right horse but Tyler had a great trip on the inside and it made it closer than it should be. I knew I had him.”

Viadera, the 6-5 favorite piloted by Joel Rosario, finished fourth after having a less auspicious run around the course than her stablemate.

“She had a rough trip for her first time back. It happens sometimes when you have a late-running horse like that,” Brown said. “I spoke to Joel briefly and he was frustrated because he had to stop a couple of different times and by the time she got clear, it was just too late.”

Viadera was making her first start since capturing the Grade 1 Matriarch in November at Del Mar.

“She got started a lot later than we had hoped this year,” said Brown. “Now that she has a race under her belt, hopefully she'll move forward. She's another one that, already being a Grade 1-winner, we're probably headed into Grade 1s with her. It's her abbreviated last season of racing and we're going to try and make the most of it.”

Hendy Woods, who was bred by her owner Stonestreet Stables and trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, outran her 10-1 odds while also gaining late but was no match for the winner.

“Everything went to plan. The speed set a nice tempo in front of us and I was able to tuck in and save some ground,” Gaffalione said. “I had every chance down the stretch. She gave me a huge run. We just couldn't get the bob today. That's horse racing. I'm super proud of my filly. She ran big today.”

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Raven's Cry, Star Command, and Belle Laura completed the order of finish.

The Kentucky-bred Regal Glory, who won the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes and the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga in 2019, returned $5.20 for a $2 wager. She now has a record of 8-3-0 in 14 starts for her connections.

Live racing resumes Wednesday at Saratoga with a 10-race card highlighted by the $120,000 Mahony for 3-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in Race 9 and the $100,000 Evan Shipman for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up competing at 1 1/8 miles in Race 3. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Twilight Gleaming A Stakes First For National Defense at Deauville

Stonestreet Stables LLC's 2-year-old filly Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) gained recompense for a defeat in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S. with a first black-type success in Saturday's Listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge at Deauville, becoming the first black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX DE LA VALLEE D'AUGE-Listed, €60,000, Deauville, 8-7, 2yo, 5fT, :58.86, vsf.
1–TWILIGHT GLEAMING (IRE), 123, f, 2, by National Defense (GB)
1st Dam: Thames Pageant (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Golden Stream (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Phantom Gold (GB), by Machiavellian
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (£75,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Pier House Stud (IRE); T-Wesley Ward; J-Lanfranco Dettori. €30,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 4-2-2-0, €96,163.
2–Delmona (Ire), 123, f, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)–Imelda Mayhem (GB), by Byron (GB). (£44,000 Ylg '20 TATIRY). O-H H Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa & Fawzi Nass; B-Ballyhane Stud (IRE); T-Tom Dascombe. €12,000.
3–Royal Ashirah (Ire), 127, f, 2, Hot Streak (Ire)–Royal Visit (Ire), by King's Best. (£13,000 Ylg '20 TATSEP). O-Antonino Caracciolo; B-Michael Downey & Roalso Ltd (Ire); T-Gianluca Bietolini. €9,000.
Margins: NK, 3HF, 4. Odds: 0.70, 4.10, 9.00.
Also Ran: Papa Don't Preach (Ire), Help (Fr), Faster (Fr), Filly of Malta (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by TVG.

Twilight Gleaming bettered an Apr. 8 debut second over 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance in a May 9 maiden special weight when upped to five furlongs at Belmont and went postward for this retrieval mission coming back off a runner-up finish in the June 16 G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot. In command throughout this straight dash, the 7-10 favourite was shaken up with 350 metres remaining and ridden out inside the final furlong to withstand the late threat of G3 Princess Margaret S. third Delmona by a neck for a first black-type triumph.

Twilight Gleaming becomes the first black-type scorer for her freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and for her dam Thames Pageant (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Thames Pageant, who has a yearling colt by Sioux Nation to come, is a full-sister to G1 Winx S. second  Mainstream (GB) out of Listed Eternal S. and Listed October S. winner Golden Stream (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Golden Stream, who also threw this year's Listed Chesham S. runner-up Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), is the leading performer out of MGSW G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Phantom Gold (GB) (Machiavellian), herself a full-sister to G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Flight of Fancy (GB). Flight of Fancy is the dam of dual G3 Winter Hill S. victor Fabricate (GB) (Makfi {GB}) while Phantom Gold's other descendants include Listed Fillies' Trial S. victrix Momentary (GB) (Nayef) and Listed Stand Cup victor Sextant (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

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