Aqueduct: Wedding Toast set for graded stakes debut in Comely

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The name, grade, and purse of the race has changed, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin hopes the result remains the same when Wedding Toast heads a field of 10 entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Comely Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

Typically, the Grade 1 Gazelle has been run in this spot on the calendar, and McLaughlin won it last year with Dance Card for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing, which also owns Wedding Toast.

This year, the Gazelle was moved to April, and the Comely, historically run as a one-turn mile in April, was moved to Saturday and lengthened to 1 1/8 miles.

The Comely also had its purse doubled from $200,000, which partially explains why this Grade 3 race came up tougher than last year’s Grade 1 Gazelle.[bc_video_id:311063:]

“This is almost a Grade 1,” McLaughlin said. “For $400,000, they’re going to be here and run in it.”

Wedding Toast’s career mirrors that of Dance Card. Both ran second in their debuts before reeling off three straight wins. Both Wedding Toast and Dance Card had success at 1 1/8 miles around two turns, winning a first-level allowance at Saratoga. Both won an overnight stakes called the Belle Cherie in October at Belmont.

In the Belle Cherie, Wedding Toast stalked a pair of dueling leaders, took command turning for home, and won by 3 1/2 lengths over Sheer Drama, who is back in this field.

“It worked out well,” McLaughlin said. “It was a great stepping-stone. Now, she is a stakes winner. This is her first graded race. It’s a great progression and good timing.”

The one hiccup with Wedding Toast is that she has had some difficulties in the gate.

“She’s not straightforward at the starting gate,” McLaughlin said. “Training-wise, she’s straightforward.”

Wedding Toast will break from post 2 under Javier Castellano.

Sheer Drama is 2 for 3 around two turns, including an 8 3/4-length allowance win at Laurel Park in September. Following Sheer Drama’s runner-up finish to Wedding Toast in the Belle Cherie, trainer Tony Dutrow is adding blinkers to Sheer Drama’s equipment at the suggestion of jockey John Velazquez.

“I tried her with them; I don’t know if I feel any differently with or without them,” said Dutrow, who has Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride. “I think the filly likes two turns more than one, I think a mile and an eighth is very good for her, and I think she’s going to run her very best race.”

My Happy Face won the Grade 3 Tempted over this track last November when in the barn of Rudy Rodriguez. She came within a neck of winning the Grade 1 Test in August when in the barn of Chad Brown. On Saturday, she makes her first start for Peter Miller, who got the horse after Gary Hartunian bought a 75 percent interest from Michael Dubb after My Happy Face failed to meet her reserve at the November Keeneland sale.

In her only start at 1 1/8 miles, My Happy Face finished second, beaten six lengths by Princess of Sylmar, in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Marathon Lady, third in the Coaching Club, was beaten a neck by Fiftyshadesofhay in the Black-Eyed Susan in May. Most recently, she finished fourth in the Remington Park Oaks.

Flash Forward, Galloping Giraffe, Teen Pauline, Toasting, Sky Girl, and Street Girl complete the field. Street Girl also was entered in Friday’s Go for Wand here.