Elmont, NY - May 25, 2015 - Fields are taking shape for next weekend's stakes at Belmont Park - the $200,000 Pennine Ridge on Saturday and the $200,000 Wonder Again on Sunday - which serve as preps for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Belmont Derby Invitational and Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational, respectively, on Stars & Stripes Day, July 4 at Belmont.
The 1 1/8-mile Pennine Ridge for 3-year-olds on the Belmont turf will likely include a number of talented runners. Live Oak Plantation's World Approval, trained by Mark Casse, is coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 2. Startup Nation, winner of last year's Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga Race Course for Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown, will be looking to make his first start since running in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, in which he endured a difficult trip to finish 11th. Also likely to enter for Klaravich Stables and Brown is Takeover Target, who is undefeated in two starts at Belmont.
Other possible contenders in the field include Eh Cumpari, winner of the Grade 3 Palm Beach at Gulfstream Parkfor Antsu Stables and trainer Michael Dilger, Face the Music for Phipps Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, recent maiden winner Rock Eagle for the Barclay Tagg barn and Made in Detroit for owner Nick Mamatas and trainer Rick Violette, Jr.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lady Eli is likely to headline the Wonder Again at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies. Lady Eli, a daughter of Divine Park trained by Chad Brown, was dominant in her 2015 debut, taking the Grade 3 Appalachian at Keeneland by 2 ½ lengths over next-out stakes winner Miss Temple City.
The brilliant filly has yet to run beyond 1 1/16 miles in her career, but Brown does not foresee the added ground of the Wonder Again as a problem, nor Lady Eli's ultimate objective, the 1 ¼-mile Belmont Oaks.
"My feeling is she's talented enough, has a good enough mind, and relaxes enough to handle the stretch-out," said Brown, who trains Lady Eli for Sheep Pond Partners. "We'll first try her at 1 1/8 miles, which she's never done before, and see how she handles it. If she does, we'll point her to [the Belmont Oaks]."
Lady Eli is expected to meet a talented group of turf fillies, including Heath, for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott; Itsonlyactingdad, a recent allowance winner for trainer Todd Pletcher; Miss Chatelaine, who has not run since taking the Chelsea Flower at Belmont as a 2-year-old; My Sweet Girl, who has yet to win on turf but is out of multiple graded stakes winner Bit of Whimsy; Pangburn, fourth in the Grade 3 Fantasy last out; and Pine Needles, second in the Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in her most recent outing. Diannestillworks is possible.