European imports add intrigue to Pebbles Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – It shouldn’t be hard to discover value in Monday’s $200,000 Pebbles Stakes. Contention runs deep in a field of 11 3-year-old fillies set to go a mile over Belmont’s Widener turf course.

The Pebbles tops a 10-race Columbus Day card that also includes the $100,000 Punkin Pie Stakes for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track.

Kenzadargent, who is 2 for 2 since coming to North America and trainer Chad Brown, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the Pebbles. It may be two other European-based fillies – Lady Lara and Irish Rainbow – who loom her biggest threat.

Lady Lara was sent this week to trainer Bill Mott by the Sangster family, a trainer-owner combination that over the years has won graded stakes with Angara, Sands Springs and Changing Skies.

Lady Lara has faced males in her last two starts, beating them in the Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury just three weeks ago. Prior to that, Lady Lara finished third in a Group 3 stakes at York behind Custom Cut and Trade Storm. Custom Cut came back to win a Group 2 stakes at Newmarket – his fifth consecutive win – while Trade Storm came to North America to win the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.

“I don’t know much about her,” Mott said by phone from Kentucky. “She was good enough to send over here. [Sangster] is a longtime client. He’s always sent me horses that were pretty good.”

Mott also sends out Secret Someone, a filly who has won her last two on turf.

Irish Rainbow is one of two fillies trainer Christophe Clement sends out in the Pebbles. Irish Rainbow, who drew the outside post, has finished second in a pair of Group 2 stakes in France and Germany. Walk Close is a New York-bred who has won three of five starts.

In the $100,000 Punkin Pie Stakes, Katie’s Garden, second in the Sky Beauty Stakes, and Voodoo Tales, head the field.

PEBBLES

Key contenders

Lady Lara

Only 2 for 13 in her career, but beat males last out and should handle a turf course with give in the ground as is expected to be the case Monday.

Will not race on Lasix.

“I just got her. I couldn’t find any reason to put her on Lasix,” said Mott, who has won the Pebbles twice.

Irish Rainbow

Makes U.S. debut and first start for Christophe Clement after finishing second in a pair of Group 2 stakes in Europe.

Does get Lasix for the first time.

Irad Ortiz Jr. takes off on Kenzargent, whom he’s ridden to a pair of victories, to ride this filly.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: In last three years, Clement is 1 for 7 with three third-place finishes going a mile or farther with when he’s running a horse for the first time in a non-graded turf stakes.

Kenzargent (Last 2 Beyers: 85-82)

Has gone 2 for 2 for Chad Brown since coming to the U.S. earlier this year. Both wins have been at a mile.

Gets a rider switch to Joel Rosario after being ridden to victory twice by Irad Ortiz Jr.

PUNKIN PIE

Key Contenders

Katie’s Garden (Last 3 Beyers: 93-89-83)

Had three-race winning streak snapped when beaten by Toasting in Sky Beauty Stakes going a mile here Sept. 7.

Shortens up to seven furlongs, distance of her allowance win July 24 at Saratoga.

Voodoo Tales (Last 3 Beyers: 94-90-74)

Was in excellent form here during the summer meet and was pointing to a second-level allowance race at Saratoga that didn’t fill. Was then pointing to Grade 1 Ballerina but suffered a stone bruise on a foot a week before the race, according to trainer Nick Esler.

“That knocked her out of commission, and it just took awhile to get her back,” Esler said. “She’s trained fantastic since we got back from Saratoga. Seven-eighths off an 11-week layoff isn’t ideal, but with the outside draw she could sit and stalk, and Javier [Castellano] knows her very well.”