Good-looking Euros spice up Miss Grillo
ELMONT, N.Y. – A year ago, Lady Eli rolled to a three-length victory in the Miss Grillo Stakes on turf at Belmont Park and, a month later, captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
On Sunday, 11 2-year-old fillies will attempt to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Miss Grillo, which probably will propel the winner to the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf next month at Keeneland.
Like last year, the 1 1/16-mile Miss Grillo drew a big field of maidens and maiden winners, none of whom have yet distinguished themselves. Two of the more interesting entrants are Belvoir Bay and Llanita, both of whom are making their North American debut after racing in Europe.
Belvoir Bay is the only two-time winner in the field. It was her victory in a listed stakes against males at Goodwood in July that prompted Barry Irwin of Team Valor International to buy her privately. She was trained for this race by Richard Hannon.
“When she won her second race at Goodwood, she laid in the back of the field, and she just waited and waited, and when the jock wanted to go, he couldn’t find a spot,” Irwin said. “He kept poking her head in five different holes. He started near the rail, and by the time he found a spot to run, he was literally on the outside of the field. He never hit her or got into her. He just got her into a spot, showed her daylight, and she took off, opened up, and won eased up. It was extremely impressive. Based on that, I thought she could come here and do something.”
Jose Lezcano will ride Belvoir Bay from post 6.
Chad Brown has won four runnings of the Miss Grillo, including the last three in a row. On Sunday, he is running the maidens Llanita and Breakfast Time.
Llanita finished second in two of her three starts in France before being purchased by Martin Schwartz and sent to Brown. Breakfast Time was fourth behind Miss Grillo rival Tin Type Gal in an Aug. 23 race at Saratoga.
Tin Type Gal was a second-out winner for Graham Motion.
Thrilled, second in the P.G. Johnson Stakes, would be a contender here if she runs. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he is considering trying her on dirt in the Grade 1 Frizette here next Saturday.
KEY CONTENDERS
Belvoir Bay
◗ Seems to do her best running from off the pace but found herself forwardly placed in a Group 3 race at Goodwood when she finished fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.
◗ This will be her first start beyond seven furlongs.
“If she relaxes and gets cover, the distance will be fine for her,” Irwin said.
Llanita
◗ Has been with Brown long enough to get two workouts over the Belmont turf course, including one in company with Breakfast Time where the two were head-and-head throughout.
“She’s a nice filly, a real sweet-looking, athletic type [who] seems to have a decent turn of foot.” Brown said. “She’s breezed twice for us, and she seems to be improving. I wish we had her longer, but based on what I saw in her latest breeze, she deserves a shot in the race.”
Tin Type Gal (Beyers: 72-38)
◗ Well-bred daughter of Tapit out of the millionaire Grade 1-winning mare Miss Shop showed a good turn of foot after getting out from behind horses in the final sixteenth to win a maiden race at Saratoga.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Tin Type Gal. Trainer Graham Motion is 17-6-3-2 with a $3.27 ROI over the past five years in turf routes with juveniles following a maiden win. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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