Lady Stardust's assignment: Beat the boys in Tremont Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y. – Lady Stardust would have been a natural fit for Thursday’s $200,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. But since trainer Wesley Ward already had a runner for that race, he opted to run Lady Stardust against the boys in Friday’s $200,000 Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park.
Running 2-year-old fillies against the boys in stakes is nothing new for Ward, who five weeks ago won the Kentucky Juvenile with Silvertoni, who is headed to next week’s Royal Ascot meeting. Coincidentally, the horse Silvertoni defeated in the Kentucky Juvenile, Hey Mike, is back in the Tremont.
Lady Stardust, a daughter of 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, won her career debut by 5 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct on April 20. She ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.08 seconds and earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure.
Ward noted that Lady Stardust is a big filly who probably would prefer to run longer distances, and he was thinking of backing off her until the summer. But after he worked her in company with Lightning Dove – the filly he entered in the Astoria – he was compelled to run her in the Tremont.
“They go 47 and 4 as easy as you want to go and come back with an identical work a week later, you have to go,” Ward said.
Though John Velazquez rode Lady Stardust in her maiden victory, he is named to ride Silver Mission for Todd Pletcher in the Tremont. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Lady Stardust.
Hey Mike, trained by Make Maker, defeated the Ward-trained Red Lodge in a maiden race at Keeneland on April 20. He came up the rail that day. In the Kentucky Juvenile, he was four wide and appeared to be poised to go by Silvertoni in upper stretch, but Silvertoni repelled him, and Hey Mike settled for second.
A field of seven was entered for the Tremont, but only five are likely to run. Is Everybody Happy will scratch due to a shin issue, owner Glen Hill Farm announced Tuesday on Twitter. Ward said he likely will scratch Lifelong Dream, who won her maiden for $35,000 claiming.
KEY CONTENDERS
Lady Stardust, by Union Rags
Beyer: 79
◗ Did her best running late in winning her debut over Holy Gold, who came back to run second in another maiden race.
“She’s a bigger type of filly; it takes a few strides to get her going,” Ward said. “The further they go, even better.”
◗ Her last two works at Keeneland were in company with Lightning Dove, scheduled to run in the Astoria.
Hey Mike, by Cape Blanco
Beyer: 66
◗ Thirstforlife, who finished a head behind Hey Mike in the Kentucky Juvenile, came back to win a maiden race by 6 1/2 lengths last Saturday at Churchill.