Forecheck likely to be on the offensive in $175K Key Cents
Tic Stables' Forecheck stretches out from a pacesetting maiden score in Saturday’s $175,000 Key Cents, a one-mile Widener turf test for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies, at Belmont Park.
The Key Cents is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card, which also features the Listed $175,000 Knickerbocker in Race 9. First post on Saturday is 11:05 a.m. Eastern. Belmont Park will be open to the public from 10:00 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. on Saturday so racing fans can watch and wager on the simulcast of the Breeders’ Cup from Keeneland. Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup program is headlined by the Grade 1, $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Trained by Linda Rice, Forecheck has made two starts over firm footing versus fellow state-breds. She utilized a stalking approach in her September 4 debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs at Saratoga Race Course when a three-quarter length second to Tiger Line, who exited that effort to run third in the state-bred Joseph A. Gimma here won by Key Cents contender Extravaganzoo.
Last out, on October 3 at Belmont, the Maxfield dark bay broke to the front under Manny Franco from post 6-of-12 over the inner turf and led through splits of 22.43 seconds and 45.42 en route to a half-length victory in a final time of 1:09.24 for six furlongs. The winning effort returned a field-best 76 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She’s run well both times,” Rice said. “The first time she was pretty green at Saratoga and ran a little spotty. She was more professional the second time. This race should suit her well.”
Rice said it was Franco’s decision to put Forecheck on the lead last out and that she wouldn’t be surprised if her charge was forward again on the stretch out.
“It worked [last time],” Rice said. “You would think a Maxfield would get a mile, pedigree-wise she should. You don’t know until you do it, we’ll see.”
Bred by Fred W. Hertrich, III, Forecheck was purchased for $200,000 from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. She is out of the winning Verrazano mare Pammi Dearest, a half-sister to Grade 3-winning turf sprinter Chaos Theory.
Dylan Davis has the call aboard Forecheck from the outermost post 10.
Trainer George Weaver has entered a trio of formidable contenders in e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Extravaganzoo [post 3, Samuel Marin], Robert Klimasewski and Tammy Klimasewski’s homebred Boomesherang [post 4, Edgard Zayas, hood ON], and Newtown Anner Stud Farm’s homebred Luck Penny [post 8, Jose Lezcano].
Extravaganzoo made light work of the Joseph A. Gimma last out, closing from last-of-6 under Franco to win the 6 1/2-furlong inner turf sprint in-hand by 2 3/4-lengths on October 2 here.
The Golden Pal dark bay was patiently handled over the firm turf and Franco had plenty of horse late in the turn. When the field straightened away, he tipped Extravaganzoo out and powered home a much-the-best winner in a final time of 1:15.77. The winning effort earned a 67 Beyer.
Extravaganzoo graduated at second asking sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs versus fellow state-breds in July at Saratoga Race Course and stepped into open company to land a good third in the Listed Bolton Landing one month later there.
Bred by Fred W. Hertrich, III and Robert L. Tribbett, Extravaganzoo, was a $375,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase. She is out of the Blame mare Prisoner’s Dilemma, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-placed Brigand and Hush Now, dam of graded stakes-placed Hush of a Storm.
Boomesherang graduated on debut in July sprinting five furlongs over synthetic at Presque Isle Downs in the care of trainer Ron Potts, Jr. She was transferred to Weaver for her most recent outing when last-of-6 in the Gimma.
The Vekoma chestnut is out of the Tapit mare Tapitbythesea, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Uncle Lino.
Luck Penny was off the board in a pair of dirt starts before switching to turf last out on October 18 here and rallying from eighth-of-10 to score by a half-length in a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden sprint.
Luck Penny is out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Compulsion, a half-sister to Listed dirt stakes-winner Justin Squared. Her unraced second dam, Graciously Soft, is a half-sister to dual Grade 1-winner Spoken Fur, who captured the 2003 renewals of the Mother Goose and Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont.
Bridle Path Racing’s Gold Fashioned [post 6, Rajiv Maragh, blinkers ON] will stretch out in distance following a fourth-place finish last out in the Gimma.
Trained by Jena Antonucci, the Golden Pal chestnut proved her mettle in her September 2 debut at Saratoga, stalking and pouncing to a 2 1/2-length score against restricted maiden auction company in a final time of 1:04.75 for 5 1/2-furlongs over yielding footing.
Last out, she didn’t fire her best shot down the lane and landed an eight-length fourth.
Antonucci said she is hopeful a stretch out in distance will benefit her filly.
“I don’t think distance will a problem for her. Obviously, we were hoping to be on-the-board [last time], but we’re not deterred. She’s continued to train well, just working on fitness and she’s coming into herself still,” Antonucci said.
Bred by Spruce Lane Farm, Copper Beech Stables and Empire Equines et al., Gold Fashioned is out of the winning Sky Mesa mare Bourbon Endowment, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Lauras Light, multiple graded stakes-placed Barry Lee and stakes-winner Play Action Pass.
Tristar Farm’s Saint Dymphna [post 1, Jaime Rodriguez] switches back to turf and stretches out in distance following a distant fourth last out in the six-furlong state-bred Seeking the Ante on September 4 at Saratoga.
The Tonalist dark bay was off-the-board in her first two starts for Destin Heath, finishing seventh on debut in June over the Churchill Downs main track and fifth when shifted to turf in July at the Spa. She made her debut for Green in August at the Spa and posted a game neck victory in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint ahead of her Seeking the Ante try.
“Back to the turf this time,” Green said. “Her last race was on the dirt, and she stumbled out of the gate very badly. She still ran OK. She’s a filly that I’ve always thought wants to go longer. I’m excited to stretch her out. She’s never went further than a sprint distance yet, but the way she trains, I think she’ll like this stretch out.”
Saint Dymphna, bred by Very Un Stable, is out of the Courageous Cat mare Courageous Angel – a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Saythreehailmary’s and stakes-winner Afleet Alexandra.
Three Diamonds Farm and Main Line Racing Stable’s Under the Moon [post 7, Jorge Ruiz] will make her turf debut for trainer Joe Sharp.
The Greatest Honour bay graduated at third asking sprinting six furlongs on October 16 here over a good main track, pouncing to a 3 3/4-length score.
“She’s doing great,” Sharp said. “I thought she still lacked a little engagement late and seemed a little spotty [last out]. I think she actually might be a filly that benefits from a little more ground. The way she makes one run late, maybe the turf will help her.”
Bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, Under the Moon, a $45,000 acquisition from the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, is out of the Gormley mare Nicorina.
Belmont Street, a homebred daughter of Corniche for Gatsas Stables, will make her stakes debut as a maiden.
Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., Belmont Street has made two starts traveling 1 1/16-miles over firm turf versus open company, finishing third in her August debut at the Spa and a two-length fourth last out on October 4 here.
“We’re looking forward to watching her run. She’s never been with New York-breds,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “We tried to enter New York-bred races at Saratoga, they just wouldn’t go, so we put her in maiden specials, and we were thrilled with her runs. Same thing happened the next time, and we just put her back in against maiden specials. Again, we were thrilled. We are excited to run against New York-breds, and right out of her stall here.”
Belmont Street, out of the stakes-placed Will Take Charge mare Battle Charge, will exit post 2 in rein to Christopher Elliott.
A strong field includes maiden winners Golden Maiden [post 9, Antonio Fresu] for conditioner Kenny McPeek; and Blessednotbothered [post 5, Katie Davis] for trainer Anthony Ferraro.
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