Steve Asmussen picked a good day to make a rare appearance at Belmont Park, winning four races on
yesterday’s card, including the Grade 1 Frizette with Stonestreet Stables
and George Bolton’s My Miss Aurelia.
It was the first time in his recollection that he won four races on a single
day at a NYRA track.
“We’ve been pretty fortunate in the ‘win races’
category,” said Asmussen on Sunday morning as he sat at the desk normally
occupied by Toby Sheets, his Belmont-based assistant. “We had a seven-win
day at Lone Star once, and we had two six-win days at the Fair Grounds.
I’m very proud of how well they ran. Obviously, My Miss Aurelia is a
tremendous filly, Grade 1 win, homebred. Just a lot of warm fuzzies about
that.”
Asmussen’s four winners were all ridden by Corey Nakatani, who
became the third jockey in Belmont
Park history to win six
races on a single card.
“I’ve had luck with him,” said Asmussen of Nakatani,
who is riding full-time on the East coast after having spent 23 years primarily
in Southern California. “I had ridden
Corey a couple of years ago when we went to [Oaklawn Park],
and we had a lot of luck. This winter, when we went to California, he won on a few horses for us.
He rode Nehro, who was second in the Derby
and had a couple of good runs. Nice comfort level there, so we’re pleased
with that.”
Asmussen said all four of his winners – including Ron
Winchell’s Tapizar, a graded
stakes winner who returned from an eight-month layoff to capture a contentious
allowance/optional claiming race yesterday – came out of their races in
good shape. My Miss Aurelia and Tapizar will depart for Churchill Downs on
Monday, Asmussen said.
Plans remain undetermined for Vinery Stables’ Western Aristocrat, who will now be under
Asmussen’s tutelage after winning yesterday’s Grade 1 Jamaica
Handicap under Nakatani for English trainer Jeremy Noseda.