Juveniles Take Center Stage at Belmont Sunday

(from Belmont Park report)
My Mammy, a runaway Delaware maiden winner in her first and only start, gets tested for class Sunday in the 101st edition of the Astoria for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park. Juvenile colts are also in the spotlight with the 115th running of the Tremont.

Both races carry a $100,000-added purse and are contested at 5 1/2 furlongs.

My Mammy, a filly by Came Home and a half sister to grade I winner Bandini, faces six rivals in the Astoria. She is trained by the Laurel-based Hamilton Smith. Naturally Smith, who saddled My Mammy to a wire-to-wire, tour de force 13-length victory June 11, has high hopes for the filly.

“She’s been training great going into this,” said Smith, who also entered Delaware maiden winner Izzy Speaking in the Tremont. “We’ve got no excuses going in. We liked her going into her first race and she didn’t disappoint us. She’s the kind of horse that’s done everything right all along; no issues with the gate, paddock, or shipping to a new racetrack.”

My Mammy handled the unfamiliar surroundings of Delaware Park after preparing for her career debut at Laurel Park. Racing over a sloppy track first out, she opened up by three lengths at the first call, widened her lead on the turn and easily coasted away to score over Pill Jam and Red Birdie. She completed the 4 1/2-furlong race in :51 4/5.

“She’s very quick out of the gate and I think she’s got enough speed to put herself anywhere she wants early on,” Smith said. “As for this race, I’ll leave everything up to (jockey Edgar) Prado. I’m sure he’ll have her wherever she’s comfortable.”

Like My Mammy, Pure and Simple enters the Astoria off a Delaware Park maiden victory -- in a quarter mile dash. By Trippi, Pure and Simple starts for trainer Molly Pearson. 

Champion trainer Todd Pletcher enters the 1-2 punch of Bridal Song and Glacken’s Gal.

Glacken’s Gal already owns a victory at Belmont Park, having won her debut versus New York-breds on May 31. Glacken’s Gal vied inside early, fought her way to the lead off the turn, and kicked clear of Blue Devil Bel, who returned to break her maiden here Wednesday as the favorite. Glacken’s Gal, by sprint champion Smoke Glacken, completed her five-furlong debut in :58.

Bridal Song, by Vicar, broke poorly in her debut, but closed from fifth to win first out June 1 by a bare nose as the 3-5 favorite.

Dubit starts for trainer Steve Asmussen’s powerhouse 2-year-old operation and enters the Astoria off a determined wire-to-wire Churchill Downs win June 10.  Dubit, by E Dubai, already owns a victory at the Astoria distance.

Seven colts and geldings were entered in the Tremont.  Pletcher, who entered Fort Drum, Holidaze and Ready’s Image, is out for his fourth career victory in this race.

Fort Drum beat New York-breds in his professional debut at Belmont June 1, completing the five-furlong dash in a solid :58 3/5 after a less-than-perfect beginning. Ready’s Image, a $410,000 yearling purchase by More Than Ready  , won first out at Keeneland in April, then finished third over a sloppy track in Churchill’s Kentucky Breeders’ Cup (gr. III). Holidaze, fifth in his career debut at Keeneland, enters the Tremont off a head maiden win at Monmouth at odds of 1-5. He is by freshman sire Harlan’s Holiday.

Pearson entered Nordic Wind, an impressive Delaware maiden winner in May.  By an obscure sire in Cartwright, Nordic Wind won his first race going wire-to-wire. Nordic Wind ran his 4 1/2-furlong debut in :51 4/5.

Asmussen has Lantana Mob, a recent Churchill maiden winner, entered in the Tremont. Lantana Mob is by Posse, who scored the biggest victory of his career at Belmont Park in the 2003 Riva Ridge (gr. II), now called the Woody Stephens.

$100,000 Astoria Stakes (Race 6, 3:36 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 5 1/2 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey
1. Glacken's Gal (NY), John R. Velazquez
2. Snow Storm Lady (FL), Eibar Coa
3. Pure and Simple (FL), Kendrick Carmouche
4. Dubit (KY), Garrett K. Gomez
5. Halcyon (MD), Luis Garcia
6. My Mammy (KY), Edgar S. Prado
7. Bridal Song (KY), Kent J. Desormeaux
Each assigned 118 pounds.

$100,000 Tremont Stakes (Race 8, 4:40 p.m.), 2-Year-Olds, 5 1/2 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey
1. Fast Talking (MD), Fernando Jara
2. Fort Drum (NY), Kent J. Desormeaux
3. Holidaze (KY), Cornelio H. Velasquez
4. Nordic Wind (IL), Kendrick Carmouche
5. Lantana Mob (KY), Garrett K. Gomez
6. Twenty Eight Hours (KY), Edgar S. Prado
7. Ready's Image (MD), John R. Velazquez
8. Izzy Speaking (MD), Eibar Coa
Each assigned 119 pounds.