Pizza Bianca to prep for Royal Ascot in Hilltop Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – With the goal of getting to Royal Ascot next month, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca will run in next Friday’s $100,000 Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico.

Pizza Bianca made her 3-year-old debut in the Memories of Silver Stakes last month at Aqueduct, where she was beaten three-quarters of a length by Consumer Spending. Pizza Bianca has come back with two works over Belmont Park’s turf course, including a half-mile move Friday that Daily Racing Form timed in 51.14 seconds. Pizza Bianca, under Jose Ortiz, started two lengths behind the 3-year-old filly Eylara and finished on even terms.

“Started slow, finished well, willingly on the bridle, not too aggressive,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “Jose was very happy, she was very happy, she was not too strong.”

Pizza Bianca is owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who was at Belmont on Friday to watch the work. Flay, who primarily breeds and races turf fillies, said the Group 1 Coronation Stakes on June 17 at the Royal Ascot meeting “is like my Derby.”

In 2011, Flay ran 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner More Than Real in the Coronation, but she finished 11th.

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“The ground was awful, she ran awful,” Flay said. “Didn’t matter. Had a great time. I’m very much looking forward to the next step here.”

Pizza Bianca is one of as many as four horses Clement is considering bringing to Royal Ascot, the five-day meeting that runs June 14-18.

Slipstream, who won the Palisades Stakes on April 10 at Keeneland in his 3-year-old debut, is being pointed to the Group 1 Commonwealth Stakes, a six-furlong race on June 17.

Slipstream, who also will be nominated to the Paradise Creek on May 29 at Belmont, worked a half-mile in 50.03 by himself over the Belmont turf Friday.

Clement said he has not made final next-race plans for Big Invasion or Derrynane, but both could be considered for races at Ascot.

Big Invasion is coming off a two-length victory in the William Walker at Churchill Downs on May 4. A race like the Group 1 King’s Stand is possible for the 3-year-old son of Declaration of War.

Derrynane, a 3-year-old daughter of Quality Road, was beaten a neck in the Limestone Stakes on April 15. She also could be possible for the King’s Stand. She was beaten just a length in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

On Friday, Derrynane worked a half-mile in 49.99, starting two lengths behind workmate Breeze Easy and finishing on even terms through a final quarter in 23.18.

Brown quartet works on turf

Consumer Spending, who beat Pizza Bianca in the Memories of Silver Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:01.48 Friday morning over Belmont’s turf course in preparation for a start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Wonder Again Stakes on June 9.

Consumer Spending worked in company with Technical Analysis, the pair going their opening quarter in 24.68 and their final three furlongs in 36.80. Technical Analysis, second in the Plenty of Grace Stakes last out at Aqueduct, is pointing to the Grade 3, $150,000 Gallorette Stakes on May 21 at Pimlico.

Unanimous Consent, unbeaten winner of the Woodhaven Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:02.11 with the older horse Masen, loser by a nose of the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland.

Unanimous Consent is pointing to the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge on June 4 at Belmont, while Masen is a candidate for either the $100,000 Seek Again next Saturday at Belmont or the Grade 3, $250,000 Poker on June 18, also at Belmont. Both races are one mile on turf.