Wekeela brings Grade 1 class to allowance

ELMONT, N.Y. – For the second year in a row, trainer Chad Brown will run the favorite in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita when he sends out Lady Eli on Saturday in the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares.

On Friday, Brown will start the favorite in last year’s Gamely, Wekeela, in a third-level allowance that serves as the feature on Belmont Park’s nine-race card. Wekeela, who finished second in last year’s Gamely, will be making her first start since finishing last of 10 in the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga last summer.

Brown said Wekeela had to go to the farm following the Diana “with some minor injuries, and it took a long time to bring her back.”

On paper, Wekeela certainly is the class of the field. Prior to finishing second in the Gamely, Wekeela finished second to Tepin in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland in April 2016.

In Europe in 2015, Wekeela won a Group 3 race at Longchamp and finished second behind Queen’s Jewel in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary. Queen’s Jewel finished third in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

There was an 80 percent chance of showers on Thursday and a 60 percent chance on Friday. While this race is likely to stay on the turf, the ground could be good to yielding.

“She’s better on firm,” Brown said.

Trainer Christophe Clement sends out the uncoupled entry of Desiree Clary and Dream Prospect. Desiree Clary won an allowance race here last summer but has gone winless in six races, all stakes, since. Dream Prospect has not run since a second in a minor stakes at Gulfstream Park West last November.

Trainer Graham Motion entered two but will run only one. Boreale, who makes her seasonal and U.S. debut, will run. Rachel Wall will scratch to run in Saturday’s $100,000 Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs.

She’s Incredible rounds out the field on turf. She’s So Fine would run only if the race is moved to the dirt.

KEY CONTENDERS

Wekeela, by Hurricane Run

Last 3 Beyers: 84-98-98

◗ She appears to have a solid work tab for her return.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the last three years at Belmont Park, Brown is 5 for 15 when bringing horses back off a layoff of 181 days or longer on turf.

Desiree Clary, by Sholokhov

Last 3 Beyers: 83-86-87

◗ Made a nice U.S. debut, rallying from last to win a second-level allowance going 11 furlongs over this course nearly 11 months ago.

◗ Could find the distance of this race a tad short.

Boreale, by Makfi

◗ Beat males twice in Europe, including last December at Deauville in France.

◗ Makes her first start for Motion after being purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds.

“She’s done everything nicely enough,” Motion said. “She doesn’t have much in the way of conditions left, so she’s going in the deep end a little bit. This is not an easy spot.”