Belmont: N.Y. Breeders' Futurity winner Wildcat's Smile back in against fillies for J.A. Gimma

Seven of the 11 fillies in Saturday's Joseph A. Gimma Stakes for 2-year-old fillies won their last starts, including Wildcat’s Smile, who beat the boys in the New York Breeders’ Futurity; and Shot Gun Pennie, who sat out that race after a wire-to-wire score over Wildcat’s Smile in the Lady Finger.

Shot Gun Pennie,  trained by Carlos Martin, was climbing badly in the mud first out at Saratoga, but added blinkers for the Lady Finger and was never headed.

“We skipped the Futurity because it looked like it was coming up a little salty,” Martin said. “After Wildcat’s Smile won it I was kind of kicking myself, but she’s fresh, she’s training great and I expect a good effort from her.”

Harbor Mist, a two-time winner at Saratoga for Flying Zee and Serpe, including the Ann Clare overnight stakes, could well go favored as she drops out of a pace-pressing try in the Grade 1 Frizette two weeks ago.

“We didn’t have anything to lose, so we took a little shot,” he said. “She’s back with her own kind and that should help a lot.”

Also entered were Bellacourt, Color Blind, Cute Cadet, Lenders Way, Motion Lounge, Newbie, Undaunted Ella, and Victory Island.