By the Moon faces multiple threats in Bed o' Roses
By the Moon will be favored to score a repeat victory in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Invitational at Belmont Park on Friday, but it may not be easy. Waiting in the wings are High Ridge Road, who has beaten By the Moon twice in the past six months, Lightstream, Quezon, and the improving longshot Mia Torri.
The $250,000 Bed o’ Roses, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares, has had its purse boosted by $100,000 this year. It concludes the 11-race Belmont Stakes Eve card and is the anchor leg of an all-stakes pick four with a guaranteed pool of $500,000 and a $100,000-guaranteed pick six.
By the Moon, 5, has been stabled the majority of her career at Belmont, where she is 3 for 4. She won the Grade 1 Frizette here at 2, the Bed o’ Roses last year at 4, and comes into this race off a victory in the Grade 3 Vagrancy at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Owned and bred by the Jay Em Ess Stable of Samantha Siegel, By the Moon is out of the nine-time stakes-winning mare By the Light, who won 10 of 20 starts and $885,000 for Siegel and trainer Rick Dutrow. By the Moon has been trained throughout her career by Michelle Nevin.
“She’s always run well wherever I’ve taken her,” Nevin said. “But she really likes the surface at Belmont. I am very happy with her right now and looking forward to the race.”
High Ridge Road, trained by Linda Rice, defeated By the Moon in back-to-back races at Laurel Park in December and January. She won a heated stretch battle by a half-length in the one-mile Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes and then came from the clouds to nail By the Moon by a neck in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at seven furlongs.
In her last race, High Ridge Road finished third over a sloppy track in the Grade 2 Ruffian going a mile. She showed last from the gate, moved up to track the pace of Indulgent – who also is in the Bed o’ Roses – then persevered evenly in the stretch while lacking a closing kick.
Lightstream had a prosperous 3-year-old campaign for Brian Lynch, winning the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland and finishing a close second in the Grade 1 Test at Belmont. She ended the year with a flat performance in the Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita, then was not a serious factor in her season debut, the Grade 1 Humana Distaff, which was run over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.
Javier Castellano stays aboard. Expect marked improvement Friday.
Quezon, trained by Bobby Ribaudo, finished third in the Vagrancy while making her 5-year-old debut.
“We wouldn’t take a shot if we didn’t think she belonged,” Ribaudo said. “She will definitely move forward, but she might need a few more races to be ready to run the numbers she was last fall.”
Mia Torri has progressed since being turned over to Jorge Navarro. She looks like the speed of the field.
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Bed o’ Roses, Race 11
Key contenders
By the Moon, by Indian Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 102-94-98
◗ She earned a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure in the Vagrancy. It’s possible she could regress here, and she does have six seconds to go with her five wins, but this is Belmont, and she is as consistent as they come.
◗ There is not a lot of speed in the lineup, and she could end up tracking pacesetter Mia Torri early.
Quezon, by Tiz Wonderful
Last 3 Beyers: 91-94-94
◗ She has stalking speed and shouldn’t be far back early. Look for the three-time New York-bred stakes winner to take a step forward in her second outing of the year.
Mia Torri, by General Quarters
Last 3 Beyers: 93-87-91
◗ She didn’t break a sweat in winning the $100,000 Sugar Maple going seven furlongs around two turns on Charles Town Classic Day.
◗ Her only subpar effort this year came in the Grade 2 Inside Information. Navarro said she had been sick prior to that race and he probably should not have run her.
Lightstream, by Harlan’s Holiday
Last 3 Beyers: 85-76-92
◗ She has the back class to win this, but the pace may not set up her late move.
High Ridge Road, by Quality Road
Last 3 Beyers: 92-80-94
◗ She may not have been suited by the pace-tracking trip she had in the Ruffian. Look for her to take back and make a run.