Pimlico: Allaire DuPont rebound spot for Summer Applause

BALTIMORE – Summer Applause bounced back from one bad effort earlier this year when she won the Grade 2 Top Flight at Aqueduct. Her connections hope she shows similar resilience in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Allaire duPont Distaff at Pimlico.

Summer Applause finished fourth in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 12, a race in which trainer Chad Brown said his filly apparently “didn’t care for the surface” at Oaklawn Park.

“I hate that excuse, but the jockey made that comment to me so I got to believe there’s some truth to it,” said Brown, who noted the filly had shipped in just a few days before the race. “She was training too well going into the race. I really thought she lost the bridle on the far turn of the race; was just not going anywhere.”

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Summer Applause won the Top Flight following a last-place finish in the Houston Ladies Classic, a race in which the saddle slipped and her rider lost the irons.

Summer Applause, the 124-pound highweight in the 1 1/16-mile race, will be reunited with John Velazquez, who was aboard for the Top Flight victory.

DuPont entrant Brushed by a Star finished second in the Houston Ladies Classic, one of three in-the-money finishes for the 5-year-old mare this year.

Brushed by a Star has drawn an inside post in her last three starts. Saturday, she’ll break from the outside post in what will likely be a six-horse field come post time. Withgreatpleasure is expected to scratch to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Vagrancy at Belmont. Daydreamin Gracie is cross-entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Gallorette on the turf, but trainer Dane Kobiskie said he’s leaning toward the duPont because she ran her career-best race on the dirt on here winning the Shine Again on April 27.

“The outside for us would be my preference,” said Eddie Kenneally, the trainer of Brushed by a Star. “It gives you more options when you’re outside, especially in a small field, so it’s an advantage.”

It’s also an advantage having Joel Rosario, who is the leading rider in the country this year in purse money and races won.

Moon Philly has won four of her last six starts, including a 9 1/4-length score in the Maryland Racing Media Stakes at Laurel on Feb. 23. Trainer Michael Trombetta said he freshened Moon Philly with this race in mind. The filly has thrown in three bullet works at Fair Hill leading into the DuPont.

“I leaned on her a little the last couple of works to make sure she’s ready,” Trombetta said. “She’s an easy keeper. She should be tight enough.”

Sea Island, second in last November’s Grade 1 Gazelle in her last dirt start, and Access to Charlie complete the field.