Calla Lilly gets some class relief
ELMONT, N.Y. - Having run into graded-stakes-quality turf females in her last four starts, Calla Lilly should appreciate some class relief as she drops into a second-level allowance race, Belmont Park's feature race on Friday's nine-race card.
The racing office carded the 1o1/16-mile turf race as the first race of the day in hopes of beating some forecasted rain.
Calla Lilly last won in a first-level allowance race on this course on Sept. 10. Since then, she has faced the likes of graded winners Quite a Bride, Cassydora, Bright Abundance and Vacare in her last four stakes.
In her last race, Calla Lily had a very wide trip and was beaten only 3 1/2 lengths by Vacare in the Magna Distaff Handicap at Gulfstream on April 1.
"She's been knocking at the door, had some traffic problems and some wide trips this year," said Tom Albertrani, trainer of Calla Lily. "We're just trying to lower our sights and make this a confidence builder for something later on."
Calla Lily, a 4-year-old daughter of Pulpit, does her best running from off the pace. There doesn't seem to be much speed in this field.
"As a 3-year-old she was a bit too rank in her races, and we finally got her to settle down," Albertrani said. "Now, she's got a good late kick."
Eibar Coa will ride Calla Lily from post 4.
Rewrite, one of the more talented 3-year-old New York-bred fillies last year, makes her season debut in this race. Rewrite is 4 for 5 over Belmont Park's turf course, her only loss coming in last year's Terravigne Stakes over yielding turf.
Trainer Christophe Clement said he is using this race for Rewrite as a prep for the $100,000 Mount Vernon Handicap for New York-breds on June 10.
"She's slightly under-trained for that race," Clement said. "She's a very lightly framed filly, so I haven't been too hard on her."
Garret Gomez rides Rewrite from the rail.
St. Hildegard comes off a first-level allowance win at Keeneland on April 7. She finished sixth, beaten 7 1/2 lengths by Calla Lily, in a maiden race here last June.
Now More Than Ever, who won a first-level New York-bred allowance race over this course 12 months ago, could be the main speed of the race. Kent Desormeaux rides from post 7.