Estrechada following familiar pattern

ELMONT, N.Y. – The last time trainer Mike Puype shipped an Argentine-bred horse from Southern California to New York, Calidoscopio dazzled with a last-to-first victory in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Stakes at Belmont Park in 2013.

On Sunday, Puype hopes to pull some more marathon magic when he sends out the Argentine-bred Estrechada in the $100,000 River Memories Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles over Belmont’s Widener turf course.

Estrechada was a supplemental nominee to the River Memories after a third-level allowance race at Santa Anita failed to fill, Puype said. Estrechada is coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara at Santa Anita on April 30.

“They put the gate in the middle of the backstretch, and there was a very short run to the first turn,” Puype said. “She broke from the rail and got sawed off going into the first turn, and it set her back a little farther than she might have been. At that stage of the meet, the turf was very speed-favoring. She ran against the bias, and she ran quite well.”

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Estrechada has the rail again, but this time, the gate is set in midstretch, and there is a long run to the first turn.

Apple Betty takes a drop in class after running in a pair of Grade 2 stakes to begin her 4-year-old season for trainer Shug McGaughey. Last October, when still in the barn of Jean-Claude Rouget, Apple Betty was beaten a nose at Keeneland when second in the Grade 3 Dowager at 1 1/2 miles.

“She wants to run a mile and a half,” McGaughey said. “She’s the kind of filly that’s got some speed, so I think she can be forwardly placed. She had a really good work here last Sunday on the turf.”

The New York-bred Feeling Bossy came off a seven-month layoff to win an open, second-level allowance race going 1 1/4 miles here for Jimmy Jerkens on June 16, her third consecutive victory.

“I was thrilled with how she rated so kindly after being away so long,” Jerkens said. “She wasn’t rank at all. The way she sat back there and galloped along was terrific.”

Jerkens is optimistic about Feeling Bossy getting the 1 1/2 miles.

“She acts like she’ll do it,” Jerkens said.

Completing the field are Achnaha, Quiet Business, Summersault, Evidently Lottie, and Desiree Clary.