Carrumba Seeks Second Straight Win

The ultra-consistent Carrumba (Bernardini) looks to make it two in a row against a small, but strong field in Saturday's GII Ruffian S. at Belmont. Never worse than second in seven trips to the post, the Phipps homebred is two-for-two going a mile over this strip, following her third-out graduation going nine panels at Saratoga with a pair of optional claimer wins over this track and trip last fall. Second by just a head to subsequent GI Apple Blossom H. winner Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) in the GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct Nov. 28, the Shug McGaughey pupil kicked off this season with a win in the 1 1/8-mile GIII Top Flight H. at the Big A Apr. 10.

Brereton Jones and Tim Thornton's Include Betty (Include) is one of two Grade I winners in the field. Flying late to score an easy victory in this venue's GI Mother Goose S. last June, the chestnut finished third in the GI CCA Oaks and GI Alabama S. upstate and returned to winning ways in the Remington Park Oaks Sept. 27. Second in the GIII Valley View S. at Keeneland Oct. 24, the Tom Proctor trainee finished fourth after being bumped at the break of Aqueduct's Heavenly Prize S. Mar. 5, but was promoted to third via DQ. While this is the site of Include Betty's biggest success, the lack of speed signed on here won't do this late runner any favors.

Kiaran McLaughlin saddles the other Grade I winner in Stonestreet Stables runner Cavorting (Bernardini). The “TDN Rising Star” really came into her own as a sprinter last term, reeling off consecutive wins in this venue's Jersey Girl S. last June and the Spa's GI Test S. and GII Prioress S. Fourth as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint Oct. 31, the bay shipped out to California, where she completed the trifecta in Santa Anita's GI La Brea S. Dec. 26. Originally entered in the Keeneland's GI Madison S. Apr. 9, she was scratched in favor of Aqueduct's GII Distaff H., where she checked in second as the chalk behind an impressive performance from Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper). All of Cavorting's wins have come at distances between six and seven furlongs and she was well-beaten in her only two attempts at a mile.