Belmont Park: Flash Forward to stay home for Zaftig Stakes

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ELMONT, N.Y. – Flash Forward, entered in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx Racing, will scratch from that race and instead run Friday at Belmont in the $100,000 Zaftig Stakes.

Flash Forward, a daughter of Curlin, is coming off an 8 1/4-length victory in the My Flag, an overnight stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 28. That effort prompted her connections to take a look at the Cotillion, but that race came up very tough, with Grade 1 winners Close Hatches and Sweet Lulu in the field.

“It’s tough to go from an overnight stakes to a Grade 1,” said Anthony Bonomo Jr., the racing manager for his parents, Mary Ellen Bonomo and Anthony Bonomo Sr. “There’ll be more races down the road. I’d rather go in a Grade 3 next than a Grade 1.”

Flash Forward has run well in each of her last three starts, including runner-up finishes to Montana Native in Saratoga and Street Secret here in June. Street Secret was entered in an overnight stakes here Thursday.

“She’s starting to mature and develop and putting everything together at the right time,” trainer Dominick Schettino said.

Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Flash Forward from post 2.

The field for the Zaftig includes Toasting, who finished second in the My Flag, and Ruby Lips, who makes her first start since finishing second – she was disqualified and placed third – in the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct in January. Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. then, Ruby Lips is making her first start for Michelle Nevin.