Gallant Bloom win sets up Artemis Agrotera for Breeders' Cup

There aren’t many sprint races contested in New York in which the half-mile is run faster than 44 seconds. In Southern California, there are plenty.

When trainer Mike Hushion sends Artemis Agrotera to Southern California for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, he will do so confident his filly can be effective regardless of how fast the early fractions are.

Artemis Agrotrea proved that Saturday at Belmont Park, where she rallied from 9 1/2 lengths back to catch the pace-setting La Verdad to win the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap by a head. It was the third straight win for the 3-year-old Artemis Agrotera – a streak that includes the Grade 1 Ballerina – and one that should set her up well for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at seven furlongs.

La Verdad ran a half-mile in 43.78 seconds over a Belmont main track that has been playing exceedingly quick all week. The only difference, Hushion noted, is that the track wasn’t simply favoring speed horses.

“Different track than the last two days – otherwise, we might not have caught her,” Hushion said Sunday.

After watching the replay a few times Saturday night, Hushion grew more impressed with his filly’s effort, considering she got floated five wide at the quarter pole. It also was the first time she came from that far back to get a win.

“It’s great to know she can do that,” Hushion said. “It’s another tribute to her talent, really.”

Artemis Agrotera earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure for the Gallant Bloom. Hushion said that most likely, Artemis Agrotera would do all her serious pre-Breeders’ Cup training at Belmont before shipping to California on Oct. 26.

Meanwhile, La Verdad, who finished second by a length over Willet, likely is not Breeders’ Cup bound. She is not Breeders’ Cup nominated, and the race is at seven furlongs, a little farther than her best distance.

Trainer Linda Rice called the Filly and Mare Sprint “an outside possibility” and said races such as the Grade 2, $200,0000 Thoroughbred Club of America going six furlongs Oct. 4 at Keeneland or the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes for New York-breds going 6 1/2 furlongs Oct. 18 at Belmont were more likely options.

Willet, the third-place finisher, also is a likely candidate for the Iroquois, a race she won in 2012 and in which she finished second last year.