Will Dubai trip affect Lady Shipman in License Fee Stakes?
ELMONT, N.Y. – Just five weeks after a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, Lady Shipman is back to the races and back against her own gender in Sunday’s $100,000 License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park.
A winner of six turf-sprint stakes in 2015, Lady Shipman looms a strong favorite against six rivals in the six-furlong turf stakes, and she should run well – provided she’s not fooling her connections with how well she appears to have bounced back from her transcontinental trip.
“She came back in great shape,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “She’s worked twice, looks great. Didn’t see a reason not to run except if it rains off.”
McLaughlin said Lady Shipman would not run if the License Fee came off the turf. There is rain in the forecast.
McLaughlin believes a slow start in the Al Quoz Sprint cost Lady Shipman her chance to win. She was beaten 2 3/4 lengths.
“She turned her head when they broke,” McLaughlin said. “She did miss the start, and her advantage is being close to the pace.”
Lady Shipman will break from the outside post under regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr.
The main threat to Lady Shipman appears to be Shrinking Violet, a multiple stakes winner who hasn’t run since finishing second, beaten a nose, in the Grade 2 Monrovia down the hill at Santa Anita on Jan. 3.
Shrinking Violet does her best running late, so owner-trainer Wesley Ward is hoping someone challenges Lady Shipman early.
“I hope we get a contested pace and come with a big run and get her,” said Ward, who has Joel Rosario to ride from post 3.
KEY CONTENDERS
Lady Shipman, by Midshipman
Last 3 Beyers: 103-106-103
◗ From Nov. 15, 2014, through Aug. 30, 2015, when in the barn of Kathleen O’Connell, Lady Shipman won eight of nine starts. Her lone loss came in the Wait a While Stakes going seven furlongs at Belmont.
◗ Most of her wins have come at 5 1/2 furlongs, though she did win a six-furlong stakes over the synthetic surface at the Ocala Training Center.
“I’m not worried about six furlongs,” McLaughlin said. “I’m more worried about any overseas reaction. We’re coming back a little quicker than often we do.”
Shrinking Violet, by Congaree
Last 3 Beyers: 97-65-105
◗ Makes her first start off a 119-day layoff but has fired fresh before, including in her last start, the Monrovia, off a 111-day layoff. She is making her first start at Belmont but has won over five turf courses.
Zindaya, by More Than Ready
Last 3 Beyers: 89-97-96
◗ Owns three wins sprinting over Belmont’s turf course, including a victory in this race last year when in the barn of Christophe Clement. She makes first start in 10 months and her first for trainer Chad Brown. Brown is 2 for 15 over the last two years when bringing a horse back off a layoff of 180 days or more in a turf sprint.