Ward's duo of Chi Town Lady, Poppy Flower hold key to Futurity
ELMONT, N.Y. – Wesley Ward said Friday he planned to scratch both Chi Town Lady and Poppy Flower from Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matron Stakes to run both 2-year-old fillies in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity at Belmont Park, a six-furlong turf race that offers a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
The Matron, also a six-furlong turf race, is for fillies, while the Futurity is open to both sexes and attracted six colts in addition to the two Ward fillies.
“It just looks like the colt division is a little easier,” Ward said.
Chi Town Lady, a daughter of Verrazano, is 2 for 2. She won a maiden dirt race at Keeneland in April and then came off a four-month layoff and overcame a stumbling start to run by pacesetting Poppy Flower and win the $120,000 Bolton Landing at Saratoga.
Off her debut win, Ward had planned on shipping Chi Town Lady to Royal Ascot, but the filly developed shin issues that prevented him from doing that. Chi Town Lady had a very nice work in company with Poppy Flower over the Belmont turf course here last Sunday.
John Velazquez, aboard for both of Chi Town Lady’s first two starts, is named to ride Sunday. Joel Rosario was named to ride on Saturday.
Poppy Flower defeated males in a six-furlong maiden race here in June. After finishing second in the Bolton Landing, Poppy Flower finished third in the Ainsworth Stakes on Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs. On Sunday, Poppy Flower has Jose Ortiz named to ride from the outside post. On Saturday, David Flores was named to ride Poppy Flower from the rail.
Slipstream finished fifth behind Poppy Flower in a June 20 maiden race and then was third in an off-the turf maiden race at Saratoga in July. On Sept. 18, Slipstream romped to a 6 1/4-length maiden score and is wheeling back on short rest for trainer Christophe Clement.
“He had three starts, he never stopped improving,” Clement said. “His maiden win was very impressive at Belmont Park. He’s a very nice horse, and we’re running in the Futurity to see how good he is.”
Rosario is named to ride Slipstream from post 4.
Midnight Worker, a son of Outwork trained by Todd Pletcher, is trying turf for the first time in the Futurity. He won a maiden race at Saratoga and was third in the Sapling going a mile at Monmouth Park.
Biz Biz Buzz, a son of Fed Biz, won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race at Laurel and ships up from Maryland for trainer Michael Trombetta.
Completing the field are Run Curtis Run, winner of the Rick Violette Stakes on dirt; Ready to March, a winner of a maiden race at Finger Lakes; and Kavod, who finished last in last Saturday’s Grade 1 Champagne.