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Truth Hurts Takes Bite Out Of Pumpkin Pie At Belmont

Chad Summers and J Stables' Truth Hurts rallied impressively up the rail to capture the first division of Sunday's $100,000 Pumpkin Pie, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward contested over a sloppy and sealed main track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Summers, and piloted to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr., Truth Hurts covered the seven furlongs in 1:24.99 for a two-length victory. It was the third career Pumpkin Pie victory for Ortiz, Jr., who previously won it in 2014 [Classic Point] and 2018 [Sower].

Breaking from post 5, Truth Hurts had to steady shortly after the start but Ortiz, Jr., remained patient aboard Truth Hurts while Victim of Love, Aunt Kat, and Starfront all battled for the lead through an opening quarter-mile in :22.67.

Just inside the half-mile pole, Ortiz Jr., asked Truth Hurts to move closer to the leaders, all while saving ground on the rail. After a half-mile in :46.40, Truth Hurts moved into fourth as she began to pass tiring horses.

As the field entered the turn, Ortiz Jr., took advantage of an opening on the rail and overtook Victim of Love and Starfront. Truth Hurts, full of run, responded to right-handed encouragement from Ortiz, Jr., and held off the wide late rally of Never Enough Time.

The victory followed a pair of off-the-board efforts from Truth Hurts at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs,N.Y., including a close fourth in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss in July with Ortiz, Jr. aboard.

“I really didn't want to be on the rail,” said Summers. “Irad said he got squeezed coming out of there and went to Plan B. He rode her in the Honorable Miss up the rail and he said he knew she didn't mind being inside. He let her do her thing and it worked out well.”

Ortiz Jr., said he was aware that the race could develop into a speed duel between several horses.

“I knew some other horses had speed, but she's been up close before in sprint races,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “I got some room to go on the inside. I asked her and she went forward and kept doing it. She responded really well.”

Summers said Truth Hurts, who captured an off-the-turf edition of the Perfect Sting in July at Belmont, will now target the one-mile $250,000 Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“That's been the plan all along. Hopefully, we can get a little graded black type on December 4. A mile should hit her right between the eyes,” Summers said.

Rounding out the order of finish was Union Maiden, Honor Way, Starfront, Victim of Love, and Aunt Kat.

Truth Hurts returned $17.60 on a $2 investment. She improved her lifetime record to 13-4-1-1 and now has earned $262,075. Bred in Ontario by William D Graham, Truth Hurts is a daughter of Tonalist, out of the Distorted Humor mare Witty Gal.

Live racing returns Friday at Belmont Park with packed 10-race card which includes the $200,000 Ticonderoga for New York-bred fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf; the $150,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies going a one-turn mile; the $100,000 Awad for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the turf; and the $100,000 Atlantic Beach, a six-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds. 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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Lane’s End 2022 Stallion Roster Topped By Quality Road At $150,000

Lane's End in Versailles, Ky., has released its advertised fees for the 2022 breeding season, led by leading sire Quality Road at $150,000, unchanged from the previous year.

Quality Road, a 15-year-old son of Elusive Quality, is led this year by Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Corniche, Grade 2 winner Astronaut, multiple Grade 3 winner Dr Post, and Grade 1-placed Dunbar Road.

After a standout debut season for his yearlings at auction, Grade 1 winner City of Light will stand for $60,000 after previously standing for $40,000.

A 7-year-old son of Quality Road, City of Light has been represented by a pair of seven-figure yearlings in 2021, including a $1.7-million colt that topped this year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Veteran sire Twirling Candy also saw his fee increase in 2022, going from $40,000 to $60,000.

The 14-year-old son of Candy Ride was led this year by Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer, joined by Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Pinehurst, Grade 3 winner Gear Jockey, and Grade 1-placed Dream Shake.

Two stallions' fees will be determined by the results at the Breeders' Cup.

Connect, an 8-year-old son of Curlin, is among North America's leading freshman sires, led by Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Rattle N Roll, who won the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. He is also the sire of Hidden Connection, who earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies after taking the G3 Pocahontas Stakes.

The fee for Liam's Map could also fluctuate by the Breeders' Cup outcomes, starting with a base fee of $40,000. The 10-year-old Unbridled's Song horse has a Juvenile Fillies hopeful in Grade 1 winner Juju's Map.

The roster also includes newcomer Code of Honor, a Grade 1-winning son of Noble Mission whose fee will be announced after his final start in the G1 Clark Stakes.

Following is a complete list of advertised fees for the 2022 stallion roster at Lane's End.

Accelerate – $15,000
Candy Ride – $75,000
Catalina Cruiser – $15,000
City of Light – $60,000
Code of Honor (NEW) – TBD
Connect* – TBD
Daredevil – $25,000
Game Winner – $30,000
Gift Box – $10,000
Honor A. P. – $15,000
Honor Code – $20,000
Liam's Map* – $40,000
Mineshaft – $10,000
Quality Road – $150,000
The Factor – $17,500
Tonalist – $10,000
Twirling Candy – $60,000
Unified – $10,000
Union Rags – $30,000
West Coast – $15,000

*Stud fee pending Breeders' Cup results

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Bell’s The One Heads Field Of Nine For Honorable Miss At Saratoga

Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One, a multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire, leads a talented field of nine in Wednesday's $200,000 Grade 2 Honorable Miss, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One, who boasts a record of 18-8-3-2, captured the 2020 Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs by a nose over Serengeti Empress. Her graded stakes ledger also includes scores in the 2019 Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and last year's Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The 5-year-old Majesticperfection bay enters from a three-quarter length score in the Roxelana under returning rider Corey Lanerie on June 19 at Churchill.

“I'm really not scared of any sprint filly in the country right now, to be honest,” Pessin said. “It's just a question of if she runs her race. If she does, she's going to be tough to beat no matter who shows up. I respect them all, but I don't fear any of them. I'm very confident in my filly's abilities.”

Bell's the One rated closer to the pace last out in the 6 1/2-furlong Roxelana before popping outside rivals to secure the win.

“I'm trying to get her a little more that way, so we're not so pace dependent,” Pessin said. “In her last race, they didn't go fast early but we weren't far off of it. She was stuck in between horses – there were three across the track – and Corey let her suck back a little bit so she could get to the outside. When she turned for home, she just kicked on. She won by three-quarters, but it was a handy three-quarters.”

Bell's the One launched her current campaign with a narrow loss to Kimari in the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland ahead of a fourth-place finish in her title defense in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill in May.

“Kimari beat us at Keeneland and it was my mare's first out of the year,” Pessin said. “We also got stuck on the inside and didn't get to bounce outside. If we'd got outside, I think we'd have beat her that day.”

Bell's the One breezed a bullet half-mile in :47 flat on July 20 over the Arlington Park synthetic and will arrive in Saratoga on Sunday.

“It was an OK work. She went a little faster in the first part than what I wanted,” Pessin said. “She finished good and did it fairly handily. It didn't take a lot out of her. Fitness-wise, I don't have any issues. It's just a matter of if she handles the shipping and likes the track.”

Lanerie retains the mount from the outermost post 9.

“He knows her well and rode her excellent last time,” Pessin said.

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Godolphin homebred Lake Avenue enters in search of her first graded stakes win since the 2019 Grade 2 Demoiselle in the final start of her 2-year-old campaign.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old Tapit chestnut was winless in four starts last year but has enjoyed a resurgence in 2021, posting wins in an optional claimer at Gulfstream in February ahead of a 6 3/4-length score in the Heavenly Prize Invitational in March at the Big A.

Last out, Lake Avenue made the lead at the stretch call of the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses but could not stave off Estilo Talentoso, who prevailed by a neck in the seven-furlong sprint on a sloppy Belmont main track on June 4.

Junior Alvarado will pilot Lake Avenue from post 4.

Dennis Narlinger's graded-stakes-placed Sadie Lady, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Freud, boasts a record of 20-8-1-3 with purse earnings of $406,322.

The speedy mare won the open-company Correction in her seasonal debut at Aqueduct in March ahead of a strong second in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on May 8 at Belmont. Last out, Sadie Lady went gate-to-wire in the six-furlong Dancin Renee for state-breds.

Trainer Rob Atras said Sadie Lady, who breezed a half-mile in :49.26 Friday on the Saratoga main track, may consider waiting for the state-bred Union Avenue Handicap on August 19.

“We breezed her this morning and she went really well. It was just an easy half with a nice little gallop out,” Atras said. “We're probable to run but there's also a New York-bred stake in just over three weeks, so we'll talk it over with the owner.”

Atras said Sadie Lady is at her best on the engine.

“She runs her top race when she can get out front and dictate it a little bit,” Atras said.

Jose Ortiz retains the mount from post 3.

Almost Heaven Stables' Honey I'm Good enters from a neck win in the Regret, contested at six furlongs over a muddy Monmouth Park main track on July 3.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old Shackleford mare was a gate-to-wire winner of the six-furlong Harmony Lodge over muddy going at Belmont last June.

Honey I'm Good will emerge from post 7 under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Truth Hurts, trained and co-owned by Chad Summers with J Stables, added blinkers and romped to a 5 3/4-length score last out under Luis Saez in the off-the-turf Perfect Sting at one mile over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track on July 3.

The 4-year-old Ontario-bred daughter of Tonalist tried her luck at longer distances last season, including a third in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City at Woodbine.

Truth Hurts breezed a half-mile in :48.54 on July 20 on the Saratoga main track under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Summers said he is cautiously optimistic after her last-out win.

“I think it was good for her. The first time with blinkers on she was more aggressive,” Summers said. “She came out of the gate good and sat a perfect trip. I'm proud of how she finished up and she galloped out strong. She came out of the race like nothing. I know we'll be a big price on the board, but she's doing so well. Irad came out and breezed her the other day. He liked her and it gives me a lot of confidence going into Wednesday.”

Truth Hurts, who graduated at first asking sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in December 2019 at the Big A, will shorten up to six furlongs for the first time.

“I think seven [furlongs] is probably her game, but she can go six,” Summers said. “With Sadie Lady and a few of the others with speed in there, I'm hoping we can work out a good trip.”

Rounding out a competitive field are Ain't No Elmers [post 1, Adam Beschizza], Reagan's Edge [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Don't Call Me Mary [post 6, Saez], and Miss Mosaic [post 8, Manny Franco].

The Honorable Miss is slated as Race 9 on Wednesday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Gold Cup Winner Country Grammer Moved From Baffert To Pletcher, Will Target NYRA Stakes

Winner of last month's Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita when conditioned by embattled trainer Bob Baffert, WinStar Farm's Country Grammer has been transferred to the care of trainer Todd Pletcher, reports the Daily Racing Form. The 4-year-old son of Tonalist will be pointed to either the G2 Suburban Stakes on July 3 at Belmont Park, or the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

The New York Racing Association announced last month a ban of trainer Bob Baffert from racing or stabling at any of its tracks, a decision Baffert and his lawyer have since countered in court.

“In addition to the ongoing investigation into Medina Spirit's victory in the Kentucky Derby, NYRA has taken into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas,” read NYRA's statement announcing the ban on May 17.

“With the ban on Bob in Kentucky and New York right now, our opportunities are limited to the Pacific Classic in late August,” WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden wrote in a text to DRF. “With Improbable last year, we came east and ran in the Whitney which helped him win an Eclipse Award. We are continuing to evaluate the situation with Bob and will adjust as we need to.”