Pedigree indicates Coastana should handle extra distance in Belmont allowance

ELMONT, N.Y. – During her time in New York as an assistant to Chad Brown, Cherie DeVaux had the opportunity to work around dozens of graded stakes winners. Among them was Real Solution, who in 2014 won the Grade 1 Manhattan at 1 1/4 miles.

DeVaux hopes Coastana, a full sister to Real Solution, appreciates 1 1/4 miles at Belmont as much as her brother when she runs in a first-level allowance feature that highlights Belmont Park’s nine-race twilight Thursday program. First post is 3:05 p.m.

“He was a cool horse,” DeVaux said of Real Solution. “She looks like a smaller version of him; same face, same head.”

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances - the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures

Coastana, a 4-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy and Reachfortheheavens, took a while to get to the races. She debuted in January at Gulfstream Park, running sixth in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race. She came back in February to run second going 1 1/8 miles. Coastana became one of four next-out winners from that race when she took a 1 1/8-mile maiden race at Keeneland on April 15. Two horses from that race won their next start.

“The farther we let her stretch out, the better she got,” DeVaux said.

DeVaux said the fact Coastana is “finishing full of run” in her 1 1/8-mile races gives her confidence an additional furlong will be within her scope.

Luis Saez, winner of Saturday’s Belmont Stakes on Essential Quality, has the mount.

Saez had been the regular rider of Prairie Wings, who is in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Prairie Wings finished second in a 1 3/8-mile maiden race at Saratoga last summer before winning an off-the-turf affair for her only victory.

In her 4-year-old debut, going a mile at Churchill Downs, she broke slowly, made a belated bid before tiring, and finished sixth, beaten three lengths.

“She was a little rusty off the bench. She put in some good works since then; hopefully she’ll step forward,” said Pletcher, who has Manny Franco to ride.

High Opinion ended her 3-year-old season with a close second to Duopoly in the Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct. She began her 3-year-old season with a close second-place finish behind Publication in a first-level allowance race here on April 24.

Both of those races were run at 1 1/16 miles. Trainer Tony Dutrow said he’s eager to stretch the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid out to 1 1/4 miles in this spot.

“She had a race and now we get to stretch her out to a distance we’ve been wanting to get to,” said Dutrow, who added that her first race “was a good first step.”

Joe Bravo is named to ride.

Brown sends out the only 3-year-old in the field in Higher Truth, a daughter of Galileo who won a 1 1/4-mile maiden race here on April 22.

Brown also sends out Linny Kate, who is 1 for 3 on turf and tries a marathon distance for the first time. Made In Italy is an Irish-bred making her U.S. debut for trainer Graham Motion. Whatdoesasharksay, Windfall Profit, and Wicked Amber complete the field on turf.