Token of Love needs to settle
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Graham Motion hopes familiarity breeds success when he gives John Velazquez a leg up for the second time on the filly Token of Love in Friday’s $85,000 allowance feature on the turf at Belmont Park.
Velazquez rode Token of Love in the Intercontinental Stakes here June 4, and the Britain-bred filly was very headstrong, dragging Velazquez up on heels of other horses and forcing him to take a hold of her. When a hole opened in the stretch, Token of Love was not fast enough to go through it. Still, she was beaten only four lengths.
In her only other start in the U.S., Token of Love finished sixth, beaten four lengths, in the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico in May. She also was a handful early in that race.
Motion said Token of Love had not shown such eagerness in her training at Fair Hill.
“She’s surprised me that she’s been as keen as she has in both of her starts,” said Motion. “I’m hoping that Johnny knows her a little better now and that will help her. She never settled last time.”
Token of Love is meeting easier opponents than she did in her first two starts in the U.S. While this is not an easy spot, the only stakes winner in this field is the New York-bred Mah Jong Maddnes.
Seven will run in this third-level allowance race at seven furlongs. Two horses were entered for the main track, but Friday’s forecast is for dry conditions.
KEY CONTENDERS
Token of Love (Beyers: 85-83)
◗ She won three races in Europe, including a listed stakes over Lady Lara, who came to the U.S. and has won two stakes for trainer Bill Mott.
◗ It has been a frustrating meet for Motion, with 3 wins and 10 seconds from 27 starters.
Mah Jong Maddnes (Last 3 Beyers: 84-78-62)
◗ In two starts this year, she finished sixth in the License Fee Stakes against open company and second under Jose Ortiz in the Mt. Vernon for New York-breds, a race she won last year.
“She needed the first race,” trainer John Morrison said. “I was pretty confident she’d run well in her next race, and she did. Jose was a little miffed after the race. He felt like she was the best horse.”
In the Mt. Vernon, Mah Jong Maddnes had to go wide while the winner, Invading Humor, rallied along the rail.
◗ Morrison also likes the turnback to seven furlongs from the one mile of the Mt. Vernon. Mah Jong Maddnes has not run seven furlongs since winning a New York-bred second-level allowance here in October 2013.
Dauphine Russe (Last 3 Beyers: 89-85-79)
◗ She was wide throughout and finished with interest when fourth in the Intercontinental Stakes here June 4.
◗ She won a second-level allowance turf sprint over this course last October.
◗ Fired a best-of-34 half-mile workout for trainer Chad Brown at Saratoga on July 3.