Winter Memories, whose explosive turn of foot propelled her to four graded
stakes wins last season, including the Grade 1 Garden City, makes her
four-year-old debut Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000
Beaugay at Belmont Park.
The gray daughter of El Prado should find the conditions ideal in the 1
1/16-mile grass test as she’s undefeated in three attempts over Belmont’s two
turf courses.
A marvel to watch due to her stretch-running theatrics, Winter Memories cut
things close in winning the Garden City and Grade 3 Appalachian by a neck each
last term, but blowout wins were just as common in such races as the Grade 2
Sands Point and Grade 2 Lake George. Winter Memories proved vulnerable twice in
six outings at three, struggling over boggy ground in the Grade 2 Lake Placid at
Saratoga and running a flat fourth in her season finale in the Grade 1 Queen
Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.
“I’m not sure if she likes Keeneland, and I think she went over the top after
the Garden City,” trainer Jimmy Toner said. “I think she left it all out there.
There was nothing left. Unfortunately, it was the race we pointed for all year
long, but she was just over the top.”
Back at her preferred course after lengthy winter preparation, Winter
Memories could prove difficult to fend off as the 119-pound highweight under
Eddie Castro.
“She has developed and matured over the winter,” Toner said. “She’s filled
out. We haven’t missed a beat, and we look forward to having her back. The
ultimate goal this year would be the Breeders’ Cup, but it’s one step at a time.
We’re looking forward to getting back in the groove.”
Juddmonte Farms’ Principal Role will make her U.S. debut in the Beaugay for
trainer Bill Mott. Previously based in England under Sir Henry Cecil, the
five-year-old was a multiple listed winner overseas, but ran probably her best
race in the Group 1 Nassau at the Glorious Goodwood meet last July, finishing
third behind standouts Midday and Snow Fairy.
Federation, also a former mainstay in England, could turn in a mild surprise
for trainer Christophe Clement. The four-year-old raced three times over the
winter at Tampa Bay Downs, winning twice against allowance foes and then
finishing second in the Grade 3 Hillsborough in a sharp effort.
Other notables in the Beaugay lineup are Gitchee Goomie, the New York-bred
ace who finished second by a neck in the 2011 Beaugay; Hessonite, another
multiple stakes winner in New York-bred company; multiple overnight stakes
winner My Redbyrd; and Check the Label, who debuts for Clement but has not
reached the winner’s circle since the 2010 Garden City.
Another who should appreciate the return to the Belmont turf is Phipps
Stable’s Boisterous, who heads a solid field in the Grade 3, $150,000
Fort Marcy
over 1 1/16 miles. Last season, the Distorted Humor five-year-old captured the
Grade 3 Knickerbocker and Three Coins Up overnight stakes on the inner turf,
plus ran third in the Grade 1 Man o’ War. He concluded the season with a
two-length score in the Grade 2 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct, but was only
fourth in his season debut in a March 18 allowance at Gulfstream over a course
that might have been too hard.
“He has been training very, very well and there’s no reason he shouldn’t run
well on Saturday,” said Robbie Medina, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Shug
McGaughey. “If he does, races like the (Grade 1) Manhattan (Handicap on June 9)
would be considered. The 1 1/4 miles of the Manhattan suits him more than the
Fort Marcy, but he is doing very well.”
Also coming off a South Florida clunker is the Todd Pletcher-trained Silver
Medallion, who trailed in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap as the 7-5
favorite. Prior to that, the colt ripped off impressive wins in the Grade 3
Tropical Turf Handicap at Calder and the Grade 3 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstream,
the latter against a very deep field.
Debuting for Chad Brown is French import Desert Blanc, a listed winner at
Deauville last July who later when on to place in a Group 3 at Longschamp.
Grade 3 veteran Sal the Barber, overnight stakes winners Beau Choix, Boots Ahead
and Top Surprize, and the consistent allowance-class Upgrade are others of
interest.