Ballerina summer target for Paulassilverlining

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Michelle Nevin said the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 27 is the long-term goal for Paulassilverlining, the 3 1/4-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont. What she does between now and then remains undecided.

Paulassilverlining added the Vagrancy to an earlier victory in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct. She earned duplicate Beyer Speed Figures of 95.

“I thought it went the way it was supposed to go,” Nevin said. “We’ll see how she comes out of this and see what’s around before we decide what’s next.”

The next filly-and-mare sprint stakes on this circuit is the Grade 3, $150,000 Bed o’ Roses Handicap on June 25. The prep for the Ballerina is the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss at Saratoga on July 27.

Earlier on Saturday’s card, Nevin won a high-quality allowance race with Touchofstarquality, a 6-year-old by Mineshaft who was making his first start in eight months and his first as a gelding. He ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.55 and earned a career-best 100 Beyer. He is now 4 for 9.

Nevin said Touchofstarquality was gelded because he was a big, heavy horse who put so much effort into his races that they would take a toll on him.

“It made a major difference in him with his weight,” Nevin said. “He was a top-heavy horse. He’s lightened up.”

Touchofstarquality has only made nine starts and has never run back in less than seven weeks, so Nevin wants to see how he comes out of this race “before we start making too many plans,” she said.