Favorites back in top form for rematch
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Falconet beat Battle Bling by two lengths in the Ladies Stakes going 1 1/8 miles around two turns at Aqueduct on New Year’s Day. Six weeks later, those two will square off again here when they head a five-horse field entered to run a one-turn mile in Saturday’s $125,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational.
Though her last four starts came in races configured around two turns, Falconet has proven adept at one turn having captured an entry-level allowance at Churchill Downs going a mile in June and, in her career debut, was beaten just a head going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park in March 2022.
“I suppose in a perfect world this would be a mile and an eighth, but she’s done well enough going a mile before,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “This is our best option at the moment.”
For Falconet, the Ladies proved a nice bounce-back race after a slow start resulted in a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Comely.
“She got the kind of trip we were looking for,” Pletcher said of the Ladies. “She didn’t get away great in the Comely. It seems like she’s one that’s steadily improved.”
Falconet will break from post 5 under Jose Lezcano in the Heavenly Prize.
Though second, the Ladies proved a bounce-back race for Battle Bling, who had won three in a row, including the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm, before finishing eighth of 10 in the Grade 3 Go for Wand on Dec. 3. Trainer Rob Atras said that Battle Bling “was not quite herself,” in the Go for Wand and he was glad to see her return to form – even in defeat.
In the Ladies, Battle Bling failed to make the early lead, sat a ground-saving trip inside of Falconet, and then encountered some traffic at the top of the lane. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche had to tip Battle Bling out four wide, which enabled Falconet to get first run.
“Everybody came together all at once, we had to wait for a second, and [Falconet] did get the jump on us,” Atras said. “I don’t know if it would have changed the outcome, but did cost us a chance to win, it appeared that way.”
Dylan Davis replaces the injured Kendrick Carmouche on Battle Bling, who breaks from post 2 in the Heavenly Prize.
Frost Point returned from a seven-month layoff to win a second-level allowance going a one-turn mile here Dec. 30. She has had three solid works in between starts for Bill Mott, who has Jorge Vargas Jr. to ride from the rail in the Heavenly Prize.
Piece of My Heart, whom Rudy Rodriguez claimed for $80,000 from Linda Rice on Feb. 10, and Mommasgottarun, currently trained by Rice, complete the compact field.
With only five runners, the Heavenly Prize is carded as race 3 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m.
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