[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] 
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Major advertisers” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_id=”Major advertisers”]
by Frank Vespe
Horses with mid-Atlantic connections of one sort or another could play prominent roles in a pair of closing day stakes at Belmont Park. Several horses bred or based in the region figure to be live in those two Sunday races.
The third race is the $100,000 Chelsey Flower Stakes for two-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf, and, with three on the also-eligible list, it figures to have a full starting gate, as long as the weather holds off. The eighth race, the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie Stakes, is a six-furlong, $100,000 test for older fillies and mares on the main track. Seven are scheduled to face the starter.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”All advertisers” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
A pair of Midlantic-breds are slated to line up in the Pumpkin Pie.
Carded as Race 8, the fifth running of the Pumpkin Pie will feature Pennsylvania-bred Lucy N Ethel, a homebred for Jettany Thoroughbred Corp & J.A.G. Racing, Inc who won the 2016 Grade 3 Old Hat and Grade 2 Prioress after winning her first two tries, in 2015, at Parx Racing. The Todd Pletcher trainee is looking to rebound from back-to-back poor performances, including a 12th-place finish in the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run to end her 3-year-old campaign in 2016 before finishing the last of six in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom last out on September 24 at Belmont.
Hall of Famer John Velazquez will ride from post 2.
Also in the Pumpkin Pie is the ultra-speedy Bustin Out. The New Jersey-bred daughter of Bustin Stones has won three of four this year, all at Monmouth Park and all in front-running fashion and all as the favorite. Bred by Dianne Boyken, she is trained by Chuck Spina for Gayle Ioia and will have Manny Franco up.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”3rd part of story” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.78″]
Five races earlier, the grassy Chelsey Flower features the first- and third-place finishers from the $100,000 Selima Stakes at Laurel Park.
Wise Gal couldn’t have been much more impressive in winning the Selima, as she drew off to a four-length score in a solid 1:09 2/5 for the six furlong distance, and, as a daughter of Einstein, figures to be just fine with the added ground of this event. Though foaled in Kentucky, she’s a homebred for Eric J. Wirth and based at Laurel Park with trainer Dove Houghton. Wise Gal is two-for-two in her brief career and will have regular pilot Steve Hamilton in the irons.
The third-place finisher in the Selima was the Maryland-bred Eighty Six Mets, bred and owned by The Elkstone Group LLC. She won her turf bow going 7 1/2 furlongs at Delaware Park, but in the Selima, she loomed a threat before flattening out. Trained by Kelly Rubley, she’ll have Nik Jaurez up and may appreciate the added ground.
SATURDAY’S MIDLANTIC-BREDS IN BELMONT STAKES
- Queen Caroline (VA) is 20-1 on the morning line in the Grade 3 Athenia for trainer Michael Matz and owner Amy Moore;
- Firsthand Report (PA) is also 20-1 in the same race for trainer Todd Pletcher and StarLadies Racing;
- Green Gratto (NJ) is 30-1 on the morning line for the Grade 3 Bold Ruler for Gaston Grant, who trains the horse for himself and brother Anthony Grant.
- Tom’s Ready (PA) is 8-1 on the morning line in the Bold Ruler for trainer Dallas Stewart and G M B Racing;
- V. I. P. Code (MD) is 20-1 on the morning line in the $100,000 Awad Stakes for trainer Phil Schoenthal and Jeffrey Nielsen.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Minor advertisers” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
