Impressive Maiden Winners Try Pilgrim Stakes
Oscar Performance breaks his maiden Aug. 20 at Saratoga Race Course Coglianese PhotosImpressive Maiden Winners Try Pilgrim Stakes
by Jeremy Balan @BH_JBalan
Several impressive 2-year-old maiden special weight winners will take the logical step up in the $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 1 at Belmont Park.
The most impressive of six last-out winners entered is Amerman Racing's homebred Oscar Performance, a Kitten's Joy colt who set the pace and drew off to win by 10 1/4 lengths at the Pilgrim's 1 1/16-mile distance Aug. 20 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Brian Lynch, Oscar Performance is out of the stakes-winning Theatrical mare Devine Actress, who won the 2010 Santa Lucia Handicap at Santa Anita Park over 1 1/16 miles on the then synthetic main track.
Also stepping up after clear route grass graduations are Frostmourne (2 1/4 lengths Sept. 3 at Saratoga),J. S. Choice (3 1/4 lengths Sept. 5 at Saratoga), andKitten's Cat (two lengths Sept. 15 at Kentucky Downs).
Bookew Bucks will stretch out after a six-furlong, maiden-breaking grass score at Belmont Sept. 11 for trainer George Weaver, while Sir Douglas will switch surfaces, owners, and trainers (from William Fires to Chad Brown) after a 4 1/2-length, five-furlong dirt win July 10 at Ellis Park.
Bird's Eye View and My Bo Chop are the only entrants with stakes experience. They finished third and fifth, respectively, in the With Anticipation Stakes (gr. IIT) Aug. 31 at Saratoga.
Maiden Oiseau de Guerre completes the field following a three-quarter length second in his debut Aug. 28 at Saratoga for Brown as the 4-5 favorite.
Pilgrim S. (gr. IIIT)
Belmont Park, Saturday, 10/1, race 8
$200,000, 2yo, 8.5f (turf), 4:37 PM (local)
| P# PP | Horse, Sire, Age/Sex, Jockey, Owner | Wgt M/L |
|---|---|---|
| 1 1 | Frostmourne (KY) Speightstown, 2/c, J–Manuel Franco, O–Green Lantern Stables LLC | 118 10/1 |
| 2 2 | J. S. Choice (KY) Congrats, 2/c, J–Irad Ortiz, Jr., O–KRA Stud Farm | 118 4/1 |
| 3 3 | Bird's Eye View (KY) Mizzen Mast, 2/c, J–John R. Velazquez, O–Ballybrit Stable, LLC | 118 15/1 |
| 4 4 | Sir Douglas (KY) More Than Ready, 2/c, J–Jose Lezcano, O–Covello, J., Coleman, T., Doheny Racing Stable, Madaket Stables LLC et al. | 118 6/1 |
| 5 5 | My Bo Chop (FR) Myboycharlie (IRE), 2/c, J–Junior Alvarado, O–Team Valor International and Earle I. Mack LLC | 118 12/1 |
| 6 6 | Oscar Performance (KY) Kitten's Joy, 2/c, J–Jose L. Ortiz, O–Amerman Racing LLC | 118 2/1 |
| 7 7 | Bookew Bucks (NY) Bluegrass Cat, 2/g, J–Luis Saez, O–Team Penney Racing | 118 20/1 |
| 8 8 | Oiseau de Guerre (KY) War Front, 2/c, J–Javier Castellano, O–Bligh, J., Magnier, M., Tabor, M., Smith, D. and Sheep Pond Partners | 116 7/2 |
| 9 9 | Kitten's Cat (KY) Kitten's Joy, 2/c, J–Joel Rosario, O–Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey | 118 10/1 |
| 10 10 | Thirst for Victory (KY) Stay Thirsty, 2/c, J–John R. Velazquez, O–Repole Stable | 118 2/1 |
| 11 11 | Cohen's Kat (KY) Einstein (BRZ), 2/c, J–Rider TBA, O–Hall, George, E. | 118 6/1 |
Breeders: 1-Green Lantern Stables, LLC; 2-Greenwood Lodge Farm, Inc.; 3-Cloyce C Clark & Jay Goodwin; 4-Blue Devil Racing Stable, LLC; 5-ALAIN CHOPARD; 6-Mrs. Jerry Amerman; 7-William Butler; 8-Jay W. Bligh; 9-Kenneth L. Ramsey & Sarah K. Ramsey; 10-Bo Hirsch, L.L.C.; 11-K & G Stables
