Kimari big favorite in Bolton Landing Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After coming within a head of winning the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, Kimari figures to be an overwhelming favorite when she comes to Saratoga to face six other 2-year-old fillies in Wednesday’s $100,000 Bolton Landing Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

Kimari launched her career with one of the most spectacular performances of the Keeneland spring meet, posting a 15-length victory against males in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash over the main track on April 25. She switched to the turf at Royal Ascot, where heavy rains softened the course just prior to her race. In the 25-runner Queen Mary, Kimari, ridden by John Velazquez, finished second to Raffle Prize, under Frankie Dettori, over a course rated good to soft.

“It was just a deluge, and with young horses like this you just really don’t know if they’ll handle the soft ground or not,” said trainer Wesley Ward. “We’d also had a lot of issues, young horse stuff, coming out of her first start, and it took time to get her back going. Add all the travelling, for her to run as big as she did, I was so proud of her. Johnny rode a tremendous race, although it was particularly frustrating having my buddy Frankie beat me a head like that.”

Ward said Kimari couldn’t be training better since returning from England. He’s also opted to remove the blinkers she wore in her first two starts for the Bolton Landing.

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“She’s a big, imposing filly and has really come around now,” said Ward. “She had a couple of big works at Keeneland before she got here, easily beating both Foolish Humor and Karak in the morning. They came off those works to win the Colleen and Tyro last week at Monmouth.

“I took the blinkers off because she’s very focused and such an easygoing filly she doesn’t really need them. And it should take a little of the speed out of her and help Johnny to get her to settle early. I’m really looking forward not only to running her Wednesday, but to what she might be able to accomplish moving forward.”

Five of Kimari’s six foes on Wednesday are coming off a victory, although only three of them – Dontyouremember, Abscond, and Champagne Humor – won on turf. All three will be shipping in from other venues around the country.

Dontyouremember led throughout at Indiana Grand to win her turf debut, Abscond rallied at Ellis Park to capture her career bow, while Champagne Humor won over the turf at Gulfstream Park at first asking.

Vast won here on the main course on July 12 in her only start. Her dam, Eoth, has yet to produce a grass winner nor did she run on turf herself.

Persian Queen was claimed for $50,000 out of her maiden win over the main track and likewise does not have a lot of turf pedigree to go on. Classy Sadie’s only win came on a muddy surface. In her only start on turf she finished third sprinting at Belmont in her debut.