Appleby trio turns in solid performances on Belmont undercard
Charlie Appleby didn’t get to run Rebel’s Romance in the Belmont Stakes, but the other three runners he shipped here at the beginning of May all ran super in their races on Saturday.
Althiqa and Summer Romance finished first and second in the Grade 1 Just a Game with the former rallying along the inside of the latter to win the one-mile turf race for females by three-quarters of a length.
“I watched the replay, that was something,” said Sophie Chretien, who traveled with the Appleby runners to New York. “That was super class.”
Althiqa, a daughter of Dark Angel, ran a mile in 1:33.90 and earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.
Desert Peach ran a terrific race in his first try on turf to finish second to Hard Love in an allowance in his first start on turf.
Rebel’s Romance, who won the UAE Derby, was pointing to the Belmont Stakes, but on Tuesday was found to have a hind leg infection. He has not yet been back to the track.
Chretien said she was awaiting word from Appleby whether the horses would be staying in the U.S. or shipping back to Newmarket. Tentatively, they are booked on a Wednesday flight back to England.