More Than Real handed Winter Memories
the first and only defeat of her career when they met last fall in the
Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and the sophomores will
square off again Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course in the
Grade 2, $150,000 Lake George.
When the fillies faced
each other in November, their records were similar, but not identical.
Both posted debut maiden victories going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at
Saratoga, and both prepped for the championships in Grade 3 grass races.
Winter Memories won the Grade 3 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park by 5 ¼
lengths despite coming six wide into the stretch, while More Than Real
was defeated 1 ½-lengths by New Normal in the Grade 3 Natalma at
Woodbine.
Sent off at 13-1 in the Breeders' Cup, More
Than Real swept to the front and drew clear by two lengths as favored
Winter Memories held second by a head. After that race, their paths
diverged. Both enjoyed idle winters, but Winter Memories holds a clear
advantage in 2011, having posted back-to-back stakes victories in the
Grade 3 Appalachian at Keeneland, and the Grade 2 Sands Point at Belmont
on Memorial Day, while her juvenile rival is winless after a single
start.
"I don't know if it's so much a rematch," James
Toner, trainer of Winter Memories, said of the Lake George. "[More Than
Real] won the Breeders' Cup, and I was second.
"She's
done everything she's supposed to do," added Toner, who trains the
daughter of El Prado for her breeders, the Phillips Racing Partnership.
"She's filled out, she's matured and developed, and we couldn't be
happier with the way she is doing. So far, so good. We're ready to go
and anxious to get started."
Winter Memories, made the
even-money favorite on the morning line, will leave from post position 4
with Jose Lezcano. Toner will also sent out Sunlight Sonata, who will
be ridden by Rajiv Maragh from post 2.
As Winter
Memories looks to build on her 2011 success, More Than Real looks to
regroup after a disappointing 11th-place effort in the Group 1
Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. The More Than Ready miss
has turned in three works since returning from England including a four
furlong breeze (49.11) over the Oklahoma turf course on Friday.
"She
came out of her work yesterday in good shape and seemed to handle the
Ascot trip well," said Pletcher. "We're trying to get back on course
after a failed trip to England, so we'll hope that she's back to her
Breeders' Cup form. She's training very well and we're ready to run."
Second choice on the morning line at 2-1, More Than Real will leave from post 6 with John Velazquez aboard for the first time.
Pletcher
will also saddle Paul Pompa's Bellamy Star, a daughter of Bellamy Road
who exits a win in the Xtra Heat overnight stakes at Belmont on June 5
for previous trainer Carl Domino.
"She's been very
straightforward," said Pletcher. "She's trained really well and it would
be my guess that she'll be pretty forwardly placed against this group."
Bellamy Star, 5-1 on the morning line, gets the services of Ramon Dominguez from post position 5.
Stepping
into stakes company for the first time is Calmafterthestorm, who exits a
fourth-place turf allowance finish at Parx Racing on Independence Day.
"We
felt that it was worth taking a shot to get black type," said Kiaran
McLaughlin, who has trained the Broken Vow filly since April. "We
decided to take a chance, and maybe we can get lucky with a slow pace
and get a piece of it. It's an important race, Grade 2, but it is very
tough."
Completing the field is Grade 3 Iowa Oaks winner
Little Miss Holly, who will try turf for the first time in the Lake
George. Marion Ravenwood was entered main track only. The Field for the Grade 2, $150,000
Lake George:
|
PP |
Horse |
Jockey |
Wgt |
Trainer |
Odds |
|
1 |
Little Miss Holly
(KY) |
C J Lanerie |
116 |
S
Margolis |
12-1 |
|
2 |
Sunlight Sonata
(KY) |
R Maragh |
116 |
J J Toner |
10-1 |
|
3 |
Calmafterthestorm
(KY) |
A Garcia |
116 |
K P McLaughlin |
15-1 |
|
4 |
Winter Memories
(KY) |
J Lezcano |
122 |
J J Toner |
EVEN |
|
5 |
Bellamy Star
(FL) |
R A Dominguez |
120 |
T A Pletcher |
5-1 |
|
6 |
More Than Real
(KY) |
J R Velazquez |
120 |
T A Pletcher |
2-1 |
|
7 |
Marion Ravenwood (KY)
(MTO) |
J R Velazquez |
120 |
H G Motion |
8-5 |