After registering a clear victory against New York-breds in his previous start, West Hills Giant will return to open company and the turf Oct. 8 for the $150,000 Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park.
The race for juveniles, to be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf, is a Breeders’ Cup "Win and You’re In" race to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT). The Pilgrim is the fifth race on Belmont's Columbus Day card with a scheduled 2:58 p.m. EDT post.
The Pilgrim, originally scheduled Oct. 7, was delayed a day to improve the chances of keeping the race on turf, where eight juvenile colts are entered. The race also attracted two main-track-only entrants in Bernie the Jet and James Jingle.
West Hills Giant secured his maiden victory for trainer John Terranova Sept. 3 on the turf at Saratoga Race Course before shipping to Finger Lakes. There he defeated nine other New York-breds in the six-furlong New York Breeders’ Futurity on dirt. West Hills Giant is the first stakes winner for his New York-based freshman sire Frost Giant .
Pilgrim enrants Noble Tune, Quinzieme Monarque, and Cerro will try to secure their first stakes victory after impressive maiden victories on turf.
Noble Tune drew off as the favorite in his career debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga. The Unbridled's Song colt scored a 3 1/4-length victory in that 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race. Martin Schwartz’s and Dell Ridge Farm’s Noble Tune is the first starter out of the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Serena’s Cat.
John O’Connor’s Quinzieme Monarque, a Rock Hard Ten colt, quickly returns to racing for trainer Tom Albertrani after drawing off to a 4 3/4-length score on the Belmont turf Sept. 15.
Team Valor International purchased Irish-bred Cerro privately after the Mr. Greeley colt registered a front-running victory in his career debut at Milan at about seven furlongs.
$150,000 Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 5, 2:58 p.m.), 2YOs, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Saint Vigeur (KY), J. Castellano, 116, C. Brown
2. Cerro (IRE), J. Rose, 118, H. Motion
3. Notacatbutallama (NY), J. Velazquez, 118, T. Pletcher
4. Special Skills (KY), J. Lezcano, 118, A. Goldberg
5. West Hills Giant (NY), J. Espinoza, 120, J. Terranova II
6. Read the Proposal (NY), A. Garcia, 118, R. Violette Jr.
7. Noble Tune (KY), R. Dominguez, 118, C. Brown
8. Quinzieme Monarque (KY), J. Rosario, 118, T. Albertrani
Main Track Only
9. Bernie the Jet (KY), TBA, 118, G. Contessa
10. James Jingle (NY), E. Prado, 118, P. Kelly