Lady Rockstar out for encore in turf allowance
ELMONT, N.Y. – Lady Rockstar made an auspicious North American debut when she rallied from the back of the pack while widest of all to win a first-level allowance race by 3 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs early on the Kentucky Derby card.
The Irish-bred Lady Rockstar will play Sunday at Belmont Park in a second-level allowance going 1 1/4 miles on turf. The $94,000 race serves as the featured event on Belmont’s nine-race card, the last one before the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off on Thursday. There are 17 stakes scheduled over the three-day festival, culminating with the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 11.
Lady Rockstar hadn’t run in six months when she roared down the center of the Churchill Downs turf course to win a 1 1/8-mile allowance going away. The victory earned her an 89 Beyer Speed Figure.
“We wanted to stretch her out a little bit,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “Obviously, she’s an Irish-bred so she’s running for a lot less money in Kentucky. We sent her up there to see if we could do something.”
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In addition to being able to run for more money, Walsh likes the idea of trying her at 10 furlongs over the big course at Belmont.
“Mainly, I like that mile and a quarter, and that big galloping track should really suit her,” Walsh said. “I thought she was impressive on Derby Day. She should improve from having that first run in this country.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on Lady Rockstar.
In most female turf races on this circuit, one has to beat trainer Chad Brown to win it. Brown sends out both American Bridge and Federalist Papers. American Bridge won a Group 2 stakes in Italy at this 1 1/4-mile distance before shipping to the United States, where she ran fifth, 10 lengths behind War Like Goddess, in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Saratoga last September.
Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget in Europe, owner Peter Brant left her in the United States with Brown. American Bridge shows a sharp work tab leading to her seasonal debut and has the services of jockey Flavien Prat.
Federalist Papers is coming off a first-level allowance win as the 4-5 favorite going 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland in April. She has finished behind Champagne Ivy and Flanigan’s Cove, both of whom are in this spot.
Flanigan’s Cove won her last two starts of 2021, both at 1 3/16 miles, before finishing second in a second-level allowance April 21 at Keeneland. Jockey Joel Rosario had to alter course in midstretch of that race, and the winner, Disappearing Act, had gotten the jump on her and beat her by 1 1/4 lengths.
“Didn’t have the cleanest trip, ran fast, been training good, looking forward to running her,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, who has Rosario back aboard.
Champagne Ivy, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., finished last of six in the Grade 3 Orchid on April 2 at Gulfstream Park. Prior to that, she won an off-the-turf allowance in February over Gulfstream’s synthetic surface. Javier Castellano has the call Sunday.
Mia Martina, fifth in the Distaff Turf at Tampa in March in her first start since July, completes the field. Luis Saez rides for Graham Motion.