Bernieandtherose forced to miss Gazelle with cough

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bernieandtherose, a New York-bred 3-year-old filly who has won four straight, including a pair of stakes, was forced to miss Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle Stakes due to a cough, trainer Dominick Schettino said.

On March 28, Bernieandtherose worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Belmont Park, but shortly thereafter started to cough. Schettino, not wanting to take any chances, decided to not even enter.

“She’s fine, didn’t have to miss any training, just had to pass it,” Schettino said. “It’s a long year.”

Schettino said he was likely going to point Bernieandtherose to the $200,000 Bouwerie Stakes for New York-breds on June 4 at Saratoga, “but that could change,” he said.

Schettino said he does plan to try and stretch out Bernieandtherose to 1 1/8 miles at some point this year.

“I definitely want to run her two turns and a mile and an eighth,” Schettino said. “I think it’s definitely in her wheelhouse.”

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.