Belmont Park: Hessonite right back in Ticonderoga

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

Hessonite will be reunited with jockey Ramon Dominguez in the Ticonderoga Stakes.

With two wins and a second-place finish from three starts versus statebred competition this year, Gitchee Goomie is the horse to beat in the $125,000 Ticonderoga for fillies and mares at 1 1/16-miles on the turf.

The 3-year-old filly Hessonite is the one with the best chance to beat her.

In her last two starts, Hessonite defeated males in a New York Stallion Stakes at Saratoga in August and finished second to the loose-on-the-lead favorite Elusive Pearl in the $100,000 Pebbles.

The Pebbles was Plan B after the John Hettinger Stakes for New York-breds in September was rained off the turf.

“The plan was to run in both statebred races, but we had to call an audible and ran in the Pebbles, which came up very competitive, but she ran a really good race,” trainer David Donk said. “She came out of it well, so back in 12 days is not a big deal. This is probably her last hurrah for the year, she’ll get turned out after this.”

Ramon Dominguez, who is 3 for 3 on Hessonite, is reunited with the daughter of Freud in the Ticonderoga. Dominguez beat Hessonite with Elusive Pearl in the Pebbles.

Gitchee Goomie won the Yaddo by a nose over Rogue’s Jewel in August before finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl. Earlier this year, she twice finished second to Daveron in open-company stakes at Belmont and Parx.

Rick Violette, trainer of Gitchee Goomie, thought there was “a lot to gain” from running in the Flower Bowl, where Gitchee Goomie was beaten nine lengths by Stacelita.

“At some point, we were going to try and swing for the fences a bit and we figured we’d take a shot,” Violette said. “She didn’t embarrass herself. She probably doesn’t want to go a mile and a quarter.”

Rogue’s Jewel and Who Is Lady finished 1-2 in a second-level allowance race at Saratoga in July and are back in this field.