Break Even likely to go in Jersey Girl or Acorn at Belmont

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Grade 1 Acorn on the Belmont Stakes undercard not only promises to rematch the first two finishers from the Kentucky Oaks, but the June 8 race also could get Break Even, whose victory in the Grade 2 Eight Belles on the Oaks undercard was among the most dominant of Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs.

Richard Klein, whose family bred and owns Break Even, said Saturday he was inclined to run the unbeaten filly in the $150,000 Jersey Girl, a six-furlong race at Belmont on June 9, but trainer Brad Cox said “we’ll see” in regard to possibly stretching her out to a mile in the $700,000 Acorn.

“We’ve got plenty of time to talk about it and consider all our options,” Cox said Wednesday.

Break Even, by Country Day, has won all four of her starts by four lengths or more. She led every step of the seven-furlong Eight Belles, drawing off by 5 1/2 lengths and earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Klein, a retired banker, said he was frustrated at the lack of prime opportunities given Country Day, the 13-year-old stallion who was moved to Louisiana for the 2019 breeding season after starting his stud career at Crestwood Farm in Kentucky. Klein and his late parents, Bert and Elaine, bred and raced Country Day, named for the local high school with which the family has close ties.

“I thought he’d end up getting a good horse like this,” he said.

Serengeti Empress, who earned an 88 Beyer in her front-running Oaks score over Liora (85 Beyer), returned to light training Wednesday at Churchill in her first morning to the track since her breakthrough triumph.

“She’s going to do very little in the month of May, although she will train on a regular basis,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “The Acorn is definitely on our radar, but I won’t be making any plans for a breeze and such until that time comes.”

As for a few other locally based Oaks fillies, trainer Steve Asmussen was noncommittal about the next race for third finisher Lady Apple. The Coaching Club American Oaks in late July at Saratoga will be the target for fourth finisher Champagne Anyone, said trainer Ian Wilkes. There are no immediate plans for Motion Emotion (ninth) and Out for a Spin (11th), both of whom came out of the race in good shape.

Meanwhile, Cox said Beau Recall, a last-to-first winner of the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile, likely will make her next start in the Grade 1 Just a Game on the Belmont undercard.