Princess Violet enters Ruffian in full bloom
Fresh off a win in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland, Princess Violet heads a field of six fillies and mares in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park.
Princess Violet, a New York-bred filly by Officer, breaks from post 4 in the one-mile Ruffian, which is carded as race 4 on a 10-race program. To her inside are Shayjolie, House Rules, and Macha. Breaking from the outside is the Godolphin Racing entry of Via Strata and Wedding Toast.
Princess Violet won three of her four starts at Belmont last year, all for former trainer Mike Hushion, with her richest payday a 5 1/2-length victory in the $250,000 Empire Distaff. Her only loss over the track was a runner-up finish to champion filly Untapable in the Grade 1 Mother Goose.
Following a second in the Barbara Fritchie to start the year, Princess Violet was transferred to Linda Rice, who shipped her to Keeneland to post a mild upset from off the pace in the Madison Stakes.
“Best race of her career so far,” said assistant trainer Samantha Randazzo, who saddled Princess Violet in the seven-furlong Madison.
Princess Violet’s most accomplished opponent is House Rules, formerly trained by the late Allen Jerkens and a three-time stakes winner this year for his son Jimmy Jerkens, including the Rampart at Gulfstream Park and the Top Flight at Aqueduct, both Grade 3 events.
House Rules ended last season with a seventh-place finish in the Comely at Aqueduct and began 2015 with a 9 1/4-length score in the Bal Harbour at Gulfstream.
“When we got her to Florida, we didn’t know what to make of the [seventh-place finish] in the Comely, but once she got down there, she was like a bear, so we just ran her,” said Jerkens. “When she gets strangled off a slow pace or you drag her too far back, she gets discouraged.”
Via Strata has won all three of her starts by a combined 16 lengths and looks like the “now” part of the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained entry.
Via Strata comes off an eight-length romp in a second-level allowance at Keeneland on April 9, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 93. McLaughlin said he hopes 30 days is sufficient recovery time for her.
Wedding Toast is a dual stakes winner, including the 2013 edition of the Grade 3 Comely.
Shayjolie has won or placed in all three of her starts at Belmont, notably a lifetime-best Beyer of 87 in taking a preliminary allowance in the mud last fall. She comes off two sharp efforts at Aqueduct, a win in the Cat Cay Stakes that gave jockey Sheldon Russell his 1,000th career win and a close third to House Rules in the Top Flight.
“She’s knocked on the door in some very big races,” said trainer Gary Contessa. “Maybe this could be her year.”