Sorrentina Lemon not squeezed dry

ELMONT, N.Y. – Sorrentina Lemon doesn’t run very often, but when she does, she is usually right in the mix at the end.

Friday, Sorrentina Lemon heads a field of six entered in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claimer scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on turf that serves as the co-featured ninth race on Belmont Park’s 10-race card.

Sorrentina Lemon, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, debuted in January 2019 with a 2 1/4-length victory at Tampa Bay Downs. She didn’t race again until September when she took a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance at Belmont, beating Nay Lady Nay, a filly who has come out of that race to win four stakes.

Sorrentina Lemon ended her 3-year-old season with a three-quarter-length defeat to stablemate Feel Glorious in the Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct last December. Once again, she was off for nine months, not making her 4-year-old debut until last month at Kentucky Downs when she was beaten a nose by Summer in Saratoga in a $100,000 allowance race. Joel Rosario has ridden Sorrentina Lemon in her last three races and has the mount again on Friday.

“It was a bit of a struggle to bring her back,” Clement said. “I thought she ran well. She was a little too keen, a little bit too rank. She won’t be quite as fresh this time. Joel knows her well. She’s very versatile. I’m excited to see her run.”

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Her versatility should come in handy as there doesn’t look to be a lot of speed in this race. This will be Sorrentina Lemon’s first try at 1 1/8 miles.

“Small question mark about the distance, but she’s run in a way I think she should be fine,” Clement said.

Trainer Chad Brown sends out the uncoupled entry of Bacchanalia and Orglandes in this spot. Bacchanalia owns a maiden win over this course and at this distance last summer. During the winter, she went 1 for 2 at Gulfstream Park, defeating Cap de Creus and Civil Union. The latter has won three in a row and is the likely favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl.

Orglandes comes off a third-place finish in this condition at Monmouth on Sept. 6, her first start in more than a year.

Cap de Creus, Bramble Queen, and Out of Trouble complete the field.

Mischief Afoot, who has improved with the addition of blinkers, heads an eight-horse field entered in a first-level allowance on dirt that goes as race 8 on Friday.

Trained by Jimmy Toner, Mischief Afoot won a maiden race at Monmouth on July 26 and then was second to Danny California in this condition at Saratoga on Aug. 27. Danny California came back to win the Miner’s Mark Stakes here on opening day.

Luis Saez rides Mischief Afoot from post 8.

Forza di Oro, unraced since an eighth-place finish in the Grade 2 Remsen last December, makes his 3-year-old debut in this spot.

Also in the field are Dudley Square, Heirloom Kitten, Adare, First Line, Will Sing for Wine, and Fed Funds.