Grade II winner Wired Bryan will try for a second straight stakes win against other New York-bred juveniles when he starts in the $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes Oct. 19 at Belmont Park.
The Bongard and its sister race, the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes for juvenile fillies, are two of the seven New York-bred stakes worth a total of $1.25-million scheduled for Saturday's Empire Classic Showcase Day at Belmont.
At the Saratoga Race Course meeting Wired Bryan posted an easy victory in the Sanford Stakes (gr. II) before just missing in the Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II), finishing second by a nose to Corfu. After an off-the-board finish in the Hopeful Stakes (gr. II) Sept. 2, Wired Bryan was shipped to Finger Lakes where he easily put away five other New York-breds in the New York Breeders' Futurity, posting a seven-length score in that six-furlong race.
"It was a fairly emphatic victory," said Michael Dilger, who trains Wired Bryan. "I don't think we ever lost faith in him. In the Hopeful, I think he came up against a drying-out track he didn't like. Of those who showed early speed, he was the only one who hung around at the end. He's doing great and we're excited to run him on Saturday."
Anstu Stables homebred Wired Bryan will stretch back out to seven furlongs in the Bongard, which has attracted a field of eight. The Stormy Atlantic colt has won three of five starts and has earned $447,474.
Some of the more accomplished juveniles awaiting Wired Bryan will be Langpap Stables' Fox Rox, a restricted stakes winner who finished third in the New York Breeders' Futurity; and Harry Weisleder's Sing the Dream, who rolled to a 9 1/4-length victory in the restricted Tin Cup Chalice Stakes Sept. 28 at Finger Lakes.
In the Gimma, also to be contested at seven furlongs, Bone Venture Stables' Court Dancer is the even-money morning line choice off her fourth-place finish in the six-furlong Matron Stakes (gr. II) Sept. 29 at Belmont. The War Chant filly won her career debut by 7 3/4 lengths Aug. 21 at Saratoga before her solid Matron effort.
Trainer Linda Rice will send out a promising pair of fillies in Clyde Rice's Champagne Ruby, who enters off a restricted stakes win at Finger Lakes; and Aqua Nova Stable and Winter Park Partners' Miss Narcissist, who posted a front-running maiden victory in her second career start Aug. 28 at Saratoga.
$150,000 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes (race 3, approximate post time 1:22 p.m.), NY-bred 2YO, 7 furlongs
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Odds
1. Carolinian (NY), L. Saez, 119, G. Contessa, 12-1
2. Fox Rox (NY), P. Rodriguez, 122, M. Ferraro, 5-1
3. Sing the Dream (NY), J. Ortiz, 122, C. Crane, 10-1
4. So Lonesome (NY), J. Castellano, 117, T. Bush, 8-1
5. Sol the Freud (NY), J. Lezcano, 117, D. Cannizzo, 4-1
6. Empire Dreams (NY), I. Ortiz Jr., 117, T. Albertrani, 10-1
7. Captain Toews (NY), M. Franco, 117, J. Antonucci, 20-1
8. Wired Bryan (NY), J. Velazquez, 122, M. Dilger, 6-5
$150,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes (race 2, approximate post time 12:50 p.m.) NY-bred 2YO Fillies, 7 furlongs
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Odds
1. Daddy's Lil Saint (NY), J. Ortiz, 118, B. Levine, 12-1
2. Canal Six (NY), I. Ortiz Jr., 116, T. Morley, 15-1
3. Nutmeg (NY), J. Velazquez, 118, J. Servis, 6-1
4. Champagne Ruby (NY), C. Velasquez, 122, L. Rice, 5-1
5. Star Grazing (NY), R. Maragh, 116, J. Jerkens, 15-1
6. Court Dancer (NY), J. Castellano, 118, G. Weaver, 1-1
7. Miss Narcissist (NY), J. Alvarado, 118, L. Rice, 4-1