Starformer the one to catch in Sheepshead Bay

Starformer has the advantageous early foot to steal the Sheepshead Bay (Kenny Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography) Starformer, who stole a pair of graded stakes on the front end last season, might be in a position to do so again when she breaks from post 1 in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont Park. The 1 3/8-mile test over the Widener turf has attracted a highly competitive field of eight older fillies and mares. A homebred campaigned by Juddmonte Farms, Starformer won or placed in five of seven outings last season, including wire-to-wire victories in a pair of Grade 3s: the Robert G. Dick Memorial over 1 3/8 miles at Delaware Park, and the Long Island Handicap over 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct. Although she showed versatility taking the February 16 The Very One at Gulfstream from slightly off the pace, the five-year-old mare should be well positioned to take an early lead here at the hedge in what looks on paper like a paceless affair. Edgar Prado, who has four wins and a second the last five times he’s ridden the Bill Mott trainee, will be reunited with her for the Sheepshead Bay.

Mystical Star, controversially disqualified from third to eighth in last
year’s Sheepshead Bay after breaking through the gate before the start, seeks to
snap a five-race losing skid. The 2012 New York heroine fell a neck short of
catching Starformer in the Long Island last November, and fell victim to a slow
pace in both the Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs and the Doubledogdare at
Keeneland in her two outings this year.

Strathnaver has transformed from a low-level handicap performer in Britain to
a graded stakes winner since her importation over the winter. Now residing in
the barn of Graham Motion, the Oasis Dream filly won at first asking for her new
trainer in a Gulfstream allowance, and then overcame a 13-length deficit to win
the 1 1/2-mile Bewitch at Keeneland going away by a length as an 18-1 longshot.

Hessonite, the New York-bred mare who turned in an explosive sixteenth-mile
burst to claim the Beaugay earlier this month, will attempt to win for the first
time beyond nine furlongs. The David Donk-trained daughter of Freud has won five
of nine over the Belmont lawn, though the Beaugay was her first ever success
against open stakes company.

Three of the top four finishers from the May 1 Owsley, a 1 1/4-mile overnight
stakes, return for the Sheepshead Bay. Julie’s Love endured a pocket trip before
getting out and up by a half-length to post the 6-1 upset of that race, with
29-1 longshot Minakshi second in her U.S. debut. Fourth was Group 3 winner
Tannery, who has not placed in this country since a third in the Garden City for
three-year-olds last September.

The field is rounded out by Anjaz, a handicap performer in England who was
fourth in the Orchid at Gulfstream in her American bow.

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