Queen of Beas looking like the real deal

Queen of Beas proved her well-graded maiden win here last month was no fluke when rallying to an impressive and popular 2 3/4-length victory over the previously undefeated and regally bred Graceful Princess in Thursday’s co-featured seventh race.

Queen of Beas, a daughter of Flatter owned by Kingsport Farm, finished second when launching her career going six furlongs Dec. 13. She wheeled back three weeks later to earn a 92 Beyer Speed Figure when stretching to seven furlongs and winning her 3-year-old debut.

Trainer Jorge Abreu resisted the temptation to bring Queen of Beas back in Saturday’s Grade 3, seven-furlong Forward Gal in lieu of Thursday’s $51,000 first-level allowance test going a mile. She rated kindly off the early pace under regular rider Jose Ortiz, moved readily three wide to challenge for command just outside Graceful Princess into the stretch, and pulled away with complete authority at the end. She earned an 87 Beyer for the victory.

“The filly showed us she was a special horse from the time I first had her,” Abreu said. “The first race was just a little too short for her. The second race made me feel a whole lot better, and today she showed she could really run.”

Abreu said he felt some temptation to try the Forward Gal, but instead has opted to take the more conservative route with Queen of Beas, who was a May foal and fetched $170,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale in 2017.

“What I’d really like to do is bring her back in one more allowance race, a never-won-three going two turns, and then point her to Keeneland for the Ashland,” Abreu said. “I know it won’t be easy to get the allowance race to go. If not, then we’ll probably run her in a stakes later in the meet.”

Meanwhile, Graceful Princess, a daughter of Tapit by Havre de Grace, ran well in defeat making her first start since winning her debut in wire-to-wire fashion on closing weekend of the 2018 Saratoga meeting.