Liguria leads Brown's duo in Wild Applause
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Liguria appears to have much in her favor heading into a competitive $150,000 Wild Applause for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Belmont Park.
She’s the most accomplished runner in the one-mile turf race as a Grade 3 winner. Liguria boasts a strong pedigree as the War Front filly is a full sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Avenge and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Lira. Liguria also could get an ideal trip off a few of her rivals, including Kerry and Soviet Excess.
“I’m hoping she gets good position early and settles and comes with a good kick,” said Chad Brown, who trains Liguria for Alpha Delta Stables.
The Wild Applause has drawn a field of nine, including Breath Away, winner of the $100,000 Sanibel Island at Gulfstream Park, and Shidabhuti, winner of the $200,000 Busher at Aqueduct who is entered for the main track only.
Liguria has raced exclusively on turf in her four-race career. She won a maiden special weight at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in her second start last October. From there, Liguria traveled to Del Mar and overcame post 11 to win the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante at a mile on turf Dec. 3. She launched her 3-year-old season May 5 and was fifth in the Grade 2 Edgewood at Churchill Downs. The third-place finisher from the race, Mission of Joy, returned in her next start to win the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill, while Liguria has since been working at Belmont.
“She’s been training really well,” Brown said. “I don’t think she cared for the turf at Churchill.”
Liguria shows a sharp final work for Saturday, traveling five-eighths around the dogs in 59.80 seconds June 18. The move came over firm turf at Belmont.
“A little quick,” Brown said. “It was on the fast side. She did it well. It looks like she’s coming into the race the right way.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 3.
Brown also will saddle the stakes-placed Tax Implications, who is making her first start since October.
“It’s a spot to get her started,” Brown said. “I would rather an allowance, but she gets to run against her own age group and I like the mile for her.
“She’s been doing really well.”
Tax Implications has made two career starts, winning her debut in a maiden special weight at a mile on turf at Monmouth then running second in the Chelsey Flower at the Belmont meet at Aqueduct.
Manny Franco has the mount from post 2 for Klaravich Stables.
Breath Away comes off a runner-up finish in the Hilltop on May 19 at Pimlico. The Beyer Speed Figure of 86 that she earned is the best last-race turf number in the Wild Applause. Breath Away is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Simply Breathless.
Im Just Kiddin is a daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify and a half-sister to Bar of Gold, a Grade 1 winner of $1.5 million.
Violet Gibson was third last out in the $75,000 Honey Ryder Gulfstream. The runner-up from the race, Ocean Club, returned in her next start to win that track’s Martha Washington.
◗ Grade 2 winner Gerrymander returns to the overnight ranks for the first time since her maiden win in 2021 in the ninth race. She will be first-time Lasix.
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