Liguria finishes impressively to take Wild Applause

Liguria came with a big run through the stretch to win the $150,000 Wild Applause by a three-quarters of a length over stablemate Tax Implications on Saturday at Belmont Park. It was another two lengths back in third to Soviet Excess.

Chad Brown trains the first two finishers in the Wild Applause, which was for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf.

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Liguria ($5.60) broke on top and settled in along the rail, about four lengths off Kerry as that one took the field through an opening quarter in 23.65 seconds, a half-mile in 47.18 and six furlongs in 1:11.18. Tax Implications was the first of the Brown trainees to take aim at the leaders while Liguria advanced on the turn, came well wide into the stretch, then shuttled home. The eventual winner caught Tax Implications in the later stages, and went on to cover the distance on firm ground in 1:35.01.

“She broke quick, but after that I just let her be where she wants to be,” winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. told the New York Racing Association. “I think she had the best races coming up to it, so I wasn’t afraid to be wherever she wants to be. I took my time and when I asked her, she was full of run.”

Liguria has now won two stakes in just five starts. Her other such victory came last fall in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante at Del Mar. Liguria is a daughter of War Front and a full sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Avenge. She races for Alpha Delta Stables.

Liguria picked up a first-place check of $82,500 in the Wild Applause to improve her record to 3 for 5 for earnings of $219,850.

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