Belmont Park: Roman Treasure has outside advantage

ELMONT, N.Y. – When trainer Mike Hushion saw Roman Treasure dueling through an opening quarter mile in 21.42 seconds in a recent first-level allowance race at Parx Racing, he was horrified.

“I looked like the connections of Animal Kingdom after the first sixteenth of a mile of the Belmont,” said Hushion, referring to the despair those connections felt after watching Animal Kingdom clip heels with another horse early in that race.

Hushion, however, soon perked up as he watched his filly continue on to win that race at Parx by one length. Hushion hopes that performance sets Roman Treasure up well for Thursday’s $75,000 Miss Royal Stakes at Belmont Park. The Miss Royal, for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs, drew a field of five, but will lose A Story of Revenge, who finished third in last Saturday’s $200,000 Jostle Stakes at Parx, according to her trainer, Michael Trombetta.

Roman Treasure is a daughter of Roman Ruler, who sired last Saturday’s Belmont Stakes winner, Ruler On Ice. After racing immaturely while finishing fourth in her debut, Roman Ruler was equipped with blinkers for her next start, which she won by three lengths in February over Aqueduct’s inner track. She got used in a speed duel and finished fourth in the Grade 3 Cicada in March.

After a little break, Hushion found what he thought would be an easy spot at Parx. Breaking from the outside post under Ramon Dominguez, Roman Treasure found herself in a cutthroat duel of 21.42 and 43.65 seconds with Inspired. After putting that one away, Roman Treasure held off a late run from Roman Renegade to win by a length, running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.68.

Roman Treasure will break from the outside post in the compact field on Thursday.

“I love the outside post position,” Hushion said. “She can do whatever she wants. I’ll leave it up to her and Ramon.”

Soundwave and Indian Lilly finished second and third, respectively, behind Savvy Supreme in the Classy Mirage Stakes, a similar spot as this on May 18. Soundwave, a three-time sprint winner at age 2, was making her first start off a six-month layoff in that race and made a good run at Savvy Supreme only to fall a half-length short.

Soundwave, trained by Barclay Tagg, has come back with three solid five-furlong workouts since that race. Alan Garcia rides.

You’re Kidding, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, comes off a maiden win going a mile here on May 6.

The Miss Royal goes as race 3 on the program.