Highway Star looks to rebound in Heavenly Prize

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Highway Star, a well-beaten fourth in the Ladies Handicap on Jan. 13, will look to bounce back in Saturday’s $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational, which drew a field of seven.

Highway Star, a New York-bred daughter of Girolamo, had won three consecutive races, including the Grade 3 Go for Wand at Aqueduct on Dec. 3, before she was beaten 17 lengths by Wonder Gal in the Ladies.

In the Ladies, Highway Star was four wide down the backstretch, made a move at the three-eighths pole, but was done by the quarter pole.

“The track wasn’t playing in our favor,” trainer Rodrigo Ubillo said. “I hate to give excuses, but it was a merry-go-round. She was too wide and made a premature move.”

Highway Star blew out three furlongs on Wednesday in 36.58 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

“She’s sharp, she’s happy,” Ubillo said. “I think she went a little quick, but that’s all right.”

Highway Star will break from post 3 under Angel Arroyo in the Heavenly Prize, scheduled for 1 1/16 miles. It will go as race 3 on the card.

Genre, second to Curlin’s Approval in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream last out, drew post 6 and figures to be an odds-on favorite in the Heavenly Prize. The others entered are Annie Rocks, Chorus Line, Familyofroses, Isabelle, and Oasis At Midnight.

◗ Stallwalkin’ Dude, second in the General George, worked three furlongs in 38.59 seconds on Wednesday at Belmont Park. David Jacobson is pointing Stallwalkin’ Dude to the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan on March 25.