Belmont Park: My Happy Face gets distance test in Frizette

Barbara D. Livingston

My Happy Face wins a maiden race by 21 1/4 lengths at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Dreaming of Julia, who has won her first two starts by a combined 26 3/4 lengths, will be the favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette.

My Happy Face, who won her second start by 21 1/4 lengths, could be her main rival in the one mile race, which offers the winner an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

My Happy Face won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race by 21 1/4 lengths on Aug. 31 at Saratoga. Having the option of running her in last Sunday’s Grade 2 Matron at six furlongs or the Frizette at one mile, trainer Rudy Rodriguez opted for the Frizette.

“I want to try to find out if we can go long,” said Rodriguez, who trains the filly for Michael Dubb. “I think she can do it; I think this is the right spot to do it. We’re very happy with the way she’s coming into the race. Hopefully, she gives us something exciting.”

My Happy face will break for post 2 under Ramon Dominguez. Dreaming of Julia will break from post 7 under John Velazquez.

The remainder of the field is Roveing Patrol, Carameaway, Sweet Shirley Mae, and Nancy O.

Cue the Moon waiting for Tempted

Conspicuous by her absence from the nomination list of the Frizette was Cue the Moon, who overcame traffic to win her debut going seven furlongs at Saratoga on Sept. 2.

Trainer James Bond, who quietly won his 1,000th career race on Sept. 28 at Finger Lakes, said that he doesn’t want to run Cue the Moon and plans to run her just once more this year, most likely in the Tempted at Aqueduct on Nov. 4.
“She is a very, very big horse,” Bond said. “I really think her best is way in front of her being next year. I had a meeting with [owner B. Wayne] Hughes at Keeneland, we talked it over. He was very, very kind when he told me I could screw it up all by myself.”

Meanwhile, Bond said it was appropriate that his 1,000th winner came at Finger Lakes, where he basically started.
“Finger Lakes is where I started, that’s where I cut my teeth,” Bond said. “I made a lot of good and bad decisions. I’ve been lucky enough to get to New York and train with some of the greatest trainers I’ve always admired.”