Rubilinda finally gets a shot at stakes race in Christiecat

ELMONT, N.Y. – Little has gone right for Rubilinda since her eye-catching debut win at Belmont Park in May.

Her first attempt at a stakes race was aborted when the Wild Applause Stakes in June was rained off the turf. Next, she had a difficult trip when second in a first-level allowance at Belmont in July. At Saratoga, Rubilinda ended up on the also-eligible list and did not draw into the Riskaverse Stakes on Aug. 24. Most recently, a first-level allowance race that she was entered in last Sunday at Saratoga was rained off the turf.

On Friday, the conditions look right for Rubilinda to finally make it back to the races – and perhaps the winner’s circle – when she runs in the $100,000 Christiecat Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the turf, the opening-day feature of the 36-day Belmont Park fall meet. Rubilinda drew post 4 in a 10-horse field, and dry conditions are expected for the program.

“Super-talented horse who’s eligible for a one-other-than,” trainer Chad Brown lamented this week. “I didn’t even get to run her at [Saratoga].”

:: Belmont Park PPs for as low as $1.50/card!

Rubilinda became the first progeny of European super stallion Frankel to win in North America. On May 27, she missed the break before rallying six wide in the stretch to win a six-furlong maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:08.72.

Brown felt Rubilinda was compromised down the backstretch of her July 9 race when Rajiv Maragh, on Eloweasel, came over on her, forcing jockey Jose Ortiz to steady on Rubilinda. While Rubilinda finished ahead of Eloweasel, Brown felt that the stewards should have disciplined Maragh.

Brown said he would prefer to run Rubilinda farther than the six furlongs of this race, but “she’s already won at six furlongs impressively, so it’s fine.”

Brown also has Noble Freud entered in the Christiecat. Noble Freud made a successful turf debut at Saratoga, winning a first-level allowance by 1 3/4 lengths on the front end.

Epping Forest, second to Morticia in the Coronation Cup at Saratoga, Adorable Miss, Boos, and Heavenly Score are others worth considering.

First post is 1:30 p.m. Eastern, with the feature carded as race 8.

:: Get firsthand workout observations for fall racing at Belmont Park

KEY CONTENDERS

Rubilinda, by Frankel
Beyers: 82-82

◗ Overcame a slow start to win her career debut over this course and distance, a race from which the second-, third-, and fifth-place finishers all came back to win.

◗ Steadied early on and midway through her second start when second behind Cherry Lodge.

◗ Has not run in two months owing in large part to the weather.

Epping Forest, by Exchange Rate
Last 3 Beyers: 82-82-81

◗ She is 3 for 4 at Belmont, including wins in both of her starts going six furlongs here.

◗ Two starts back, she finished third in a first-level allowance to Defiant Honor, who would win the Riskaverse.

“She ran very well in the a-other-than,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “She did not have the best trip that day. I think she can go from six to a mile, a mile being the end of the world.”

Adorable Miss, by Kitten’s Joy
Last 3 Beyers: 84-87-86

◗ Has won 3 of her first 4 starts, including two stakes going two turns at Gulfstream during the spring and early summer. This will be her first start around one turn.

“I think it’s going to be interesting to turn her back to six because she can be a little bit keen sometimes,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I think that shortening her up might help that.”