Belmont Park: R Betty Graybull retired
R Betty Graybull, who fell after the finish line when fifth in last week’s Sky Beauty Stakes here, has been retired from racing, her connection announced.
R Betty Graybull came out of that spill with inflammation in her right hind ankle, according to Bob Hutt, managing partner of Fantasy Lane Stable, which co-owns the New York-bred mare with Frank Stronach. R Betty Graybull will be sent to Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm in Kentucky and will be bred next year.
R Betty Graybull, a daughter of Holy Bull trained by Linda White, won 8 races from 23 starts and earned $436,117. She won four stakes, including the Ladies Handicap.
Her Smile will be pointed to Test
Her Smile, the off-the-pace winner of Monday’s Grade 1 Prioress Stakes, will likely point to the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 6, her connections said after the race.
Her Smile, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay and trained by multiple Eclipse winner Todd Pletcher, took advantage of a hot pace and rallied up the rail under Javier Castellano to win the Prioress by a half-length over Pomeroys Pistol. Her Smile, a daughter of Include, ran six furlongs in 1:09.44 and earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.
Both Flay and Pletcher said they didn’t decide until late Monday morning to run in the Prioress. They had also considered this coming weekend’s Delaware Oaks.
NYRA to host Special Olympians
The New York Racing Association will host approximately 250 Special OIympic athletes and their families Saturday in a celebration known as “Racing for a Cause,’’ a charity event for the New York Chapter of Special Olympics. The event will be held in the Marquee Tent in Belmont’s backyard. Donations to Special Olympics will be accepted from racing vans at various stations throughout the track. Some horsemen scheduled to participate in “Racing for a Cause’’ include trainers Linda Rice, Doodnauth Shivmangal, Naipaul Chatterpaul, Joe Lostritto, and Richard DeMola, as well as Drawing Away Stables. Jockey Janice Blake-Baeza had planned to donate half of her earnings from Saturday’s program, but she didn't pick up any mounts for that day’s card.