Schwartz hopes to savor win by Sea Calisi in Beverly D.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Minutes after the New York Stakes on June 10, owner Martin Schwartz walked dejectedly up the tunnel underneath the Belmont Park grandstand. Schwartz had expected to be in the winner’s circle with Sea Calisi. Instead, it was Dacita getting her picture taken while Schwartz chewed on Sea Calisi’s trouble-plagued three-quarter-length loss.

“It’s really frustrating because this is my best horse,” Schwartz said.

It’s been more than two months now, but Schwartz can finally rinse the bitter taste from his mouth if Sea Calisi does what she’s supposed to do and wins the Grade 1, $700,000 Beverly D. Stakes on Saturday at Arlington. And the taste of Beverly D. victory Schwartz knows well: He won it with Stacelita in 2011, Gorella in 2006, and Angara in 2005.

Sea Calisi was an odds-on favorite in both starts since Schwartz purchased her in France and turned her over to trainer Chad Brown, who won his second Beverly D. last year with Watsdachances. She might be as short as odds-on Saturday against 13 rival fillies and mares in the 1 3/16-mile Beverly D., a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In race linked to the BC Filly and Mare Turf. The distance sits on the short side of Sea Calisi’s ideal range, but she probably would have won the 1 1/4-mile New York with a cleaner trip, and Brown and Schwartz will employ a pacemaker, Elusive Million, to aid her chances.

Jose Ortiz rode Sea Calisi in her last two starts, but the mount Saturday belongs to Florent Geroux, who must work out a trip from a very poor draw, post 13.

Sea Calisi, by Youmzain, won 2 of 7 while keeping good company overseas and was third by a half-length in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks last summer.

“She’s a little filly, but she has a little bit of an attitude,” said Brown. “Luckily, my staff was very patient with her. Several different people on my team worked with her on different things that were unacceptable in her behavior, then she fell into line the right way. I love the way she’s progressed since we had her, particularly the last couple of weeks coming into this race. She’s worked very sharp.”

Sea Calisi’s strongest challengers might be two Aidan O’Brien-trained 3-year-olds, Ballydoyle and Coolmore. Euro Charline in 2014 is the only 3-year-old Beverly D. winner.

Ballydoyle captured the Group 1 Marcel Boussac last fall in France. In the Debutante Stakes last August, she beat Minding, who has gone on to become Europe’s leading 3-year-old filly, and Ballydoyle’s 3-year-old campaign started promisingly with a second to Minding in the English 1000 Guineas. But Ballydoyle could only finish sixth while racing over soft ground in the French Oaks, and if it was firmer going she needed, she should have run far better in the Belmont Oaks, where Ballydoyle straggled home 13th as the 2-1 favorite.

“It was just one of those things,” said head traveling lad Pat Keating. “She broke bad and never got into the race.”

Maybe Ballydoyle hasn’t transitioned well from 2 to 3, and maybe she’ll rebound Saturday. Seamie Heffernan rides from post 1, which historically has been a great draw for this distance here.

Coolmore was rated lower than Ballydoyle in O’Brien’s pecking order last year and early this year, but she has beaten Ballydoyle twice in a row, finishing fifth in the French Oaks and third in the Belmont Oaks. Coolmore got a favorable trip at Belmont, tracking a soft pace, yet did not finish especially well.

Faufiler would be an outsider in a stronger Beverly D., but here she only needs the favorite to falter to have a chance. Mainly a miler, Faufiler was stretched out to this distance when winning the Modesty Handicap here last out.

“For sure, she’s had a good few weeks since that race,” said trainer Graham Motion. “I had her pigeonholed as a miler.”

Zipessa has the talent to contend and will be forwardly placed, but she’s questionable to get the distance. Al’s Gal was outfooted to the finish by Faufiler in the Modesty but could get a top-four placing at long odds. Marypop, a French import less accomplished than Sea Calisi, races with blinkers added and has worked encouragingly in them.

Rodolphe Brisset, assistant to trainer Bill Mott, spoke very highly Thursday of the way Tuttipaesi, another longshot, is coming into this race.

– additional reporting by David Grening