Carroll hopes to make good memories in Bold Ruler with Ami's Flatter

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Canadian-based trainer Josie Carroll has made only two trips to Belmont Park in her career and doesn’t have fond memories of either one. She hopes for a different type of experience when she sends out Ami’s Flatter here in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap.

Ami’s Flatter will be Carroll’s third starter at Belmont. In 2001, Mapp Hill finished seventh in the Grade 3 Flash Stakes. Earlier this year, Ami’s Flatter ran fifth in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, 16 3/4 lengths behind the runaway winner, Frosted.

“I wasn’t terribly happy with that race,” Carroll said Wednesday. “He got himself out of position, kind of stopped and started a couple of times. I think he’s a better horse than what he showed in that race.”

Ami’s Flatter came out of the Met Mile to run fifth in the Grade 2 Play the King at Woodbine on turf. Most recently, he finished third behind top Breeders’ Cup Sprint contender A. P. Indian in the Grade 2 Phoenix at six furlongs at Keeneland.

“We were so happy with his run in the Phoenix, and that was a race that was a little short for him,” Carroll said.

Ami’s Flatter, who will be ridden by John Velazquez, drew post 8 in a 13-horse field entered Wednesday for the Bold Ruler, a seven-furlong race that could be used as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 26.

Stallwalkin’ Dude, coming out of a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Vosburgh, is the 121-pound highweight in the Bold Ruler. He drew post 6. The 3-year-old Economic Model, the runner-up in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 27, drew post 4.

The others entered are Green Gratto, Threefiveindia, Gentrify, Mylute, Liberty Holiday, Dannie’s Deceiver, Cadeyrn, Farhaan, Face of Winner, and Touchofstarquality.