A challenge and a change for Livelovenlaughter

Lifelovenlaughter will be making a couple of notable changes Thursday when she starts as one of the top contenders in the eighth race at Belmont Park.

Livelovenlaughter is moving back into the straight 3-year-old ranks for the first-level allowance for fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf. She also will be adding blinkers for the race following a fifth-place finish in a first-level allowance May 20 at Pimlico.

“I believe she warrants a shot up there,” trainer Michael Trombetta said. “The race she ran Preakness weekend was a good group of horses and they were older horses and I think all things considered, coming off a layoff, she showed up and ran a creditable race. I know she earned a fairly good number in the race.”

Livelovenlaughter earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 73. She was beaten 3 1/2 lengths under jockey Sheldon Russell in the 1 1/16-mile turf race that went in a quick 1:40.56. It was her first out since November.

“We’re going to put a small blinker cup on her,” Trombetta said. “Sheldon Russell recommended that after he rode her. He thought [blinkers] would get her a little more focused, and be beneficial.”

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Lifelovenlaughter has since worked a bullet half-mile in 48.60 seconds June 12 at Laurel Park.

Jockey Jose Ortiz has the mount Thursday. Livelovenlaughter will break from post 5 for her breeder and owner, The Elkstone Group.

“She pretty handy,” Trombetta said. “She’s one of those horses that if there’s not a lot of pace, she can be part of that, and if they’re in a hurry, she can sit and run when asked to.”

The field of eight also includes Stephanie’s Charm, who has placed in three stakes; Root Cause, who is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Vertical Oak; Quarrel, who is moving back to the distance of her maiden win; and Big Brass Bed, an Ontario-bred maiden special weight winner at Monmouth Park.

Chad Brown trains both Big Brass Bed, a winner at this distance last out, and Root Cause, whose maiden win came over 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Quarrel comes off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly, a seven-furlong turf race at Belmont Park in May. It was her first race since November.

The feature is one of several points of interest on the card. In the first race, Coalville, a 3-year-old out of Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, launches his career. He is by Into Mischief. Cathryn Sophia’s first foal, Mezcal, is a two-time winner. Ortiz has the mount on Coalville for Brown.

One race later, Brown will saddle Grade 3 winner Verbal in a two-other-than allowance for 3-year-olds and up at a mile.

In the sixth race, Colonel Bowman, a winner of his last four starts, and Nova Rags, a stakes winner, meet at six furlongs in a three-other-than allowance for 4-year-olds and up.

Daufuskie Island, who won a race by almost 20 lengths May 5 at Belmont on is entered in a two-other-than allowance sprint for New York-breds that goes as the seventh race Thursday.

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