Frostmourne in good spot in Awad Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Frostmourne was no match for Oscar Performance in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes four weeks ago at Belmont Park. While Oscar Performance heads to Southern California as one of the choices for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Frostmourne finds a bit softer spot in Saturday’s $100,000 Awad Stakes at Belmont Park.

Frostmourne was one of nine juvenile males entered in the Awad, scheduled for a mile over the Widener turf course.

Frostmourne, a son of Speightstown, won nicely first out by 2 1/4 lengths at Saratoga. Breaking from the rail in the Pilgrim, Frostmourne got a bit rank early on, settled some down the backstretch, and made a move at the front-running Oscar Performance before tiring. He finished fourth, beaten 8 3/4 lengths.

“I didn’t think he ran badly second time out, he just moved a bit early in the race,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “He moved at the quarter pole, got tired from the one-eighth to the wire.”

Frostmourne, ridden by Manny Franco in the Pilgrim, will be reunited with Jose Ortiz, who was aboard for Frostmourne’s maiden win.

Harlan’s Harmony, trained by John Terranova, went 2 for 2 sprinting on turf at Saratoga. He shipped to Woodbine for the Grade 2 Summer Stakes at a mile and found himself on the lead. He faded to fifth, beaten nine lengths by Good Samaritan, a major player for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

“Coming away from the gate, he got bumped really hard from both sides, and I think it got him real keen, and he jumped in the bridle right away,” Terranova said. “He got engaged a little too early, and it was hard to get him switched off after that. He was right up on a 46-[second] half, and at Woodbine, that’s not the place to be, especially that day, when everything was off the pace.”

Heaven Is Waiting, a debut winner at Belmont for trainer Chad Brown, wheels back 20 days after finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland.

“I thought that horse was very impressive in his debut, outbattling a horse down the lane that already had a race under his belt,” Brown said. “At Keeneland, he broke terrible, then had a rough trip throughout, never had clear run. I thought I’d wheel him back in there for his last start as a 2-year-old. I think he’s potentially a pretty nice colt.”

Royal by Nature, fourth in the Bourbon, also wheels back on short notice for trainer Brad Cox. He won at Indian Grand and Louisiana Downs.

Bonus Points, Undulated, Hot and Heavy, Bookew Bucks, and D’yer Mak'er complete the field.