Aurelia’ Hopes to be ‘Belle’ of the Ball

James Miller’s Aurelia’s Belle (Lemon Drop Kid) seeks her third straight graded stakes success in Arlington Park’s GIII Pucker Up S. today. Victress of the GIII Bourbonette Oaks earlier this year, the Wayne Catalano trainee finished a head second in Churchill’s grassy GIII Regret S. June 14, but was promoted to second after the winner was disqualifed. The bay scored last time here going today’s 1 1/8-mile distance on the synthetic in the GIII Arlington Oaks July 19. 

Arlington Oaks runner-up Stellaris (Harlan’s Holiday), owned by Tom Van Meter and trainer Michael Stidham, has been knocking at the door of a black-type success. Second in the Northbound Pride Oaks prior to her Chicago outing, the dark bay completed the exacta last time out when shipped to the West Coast for the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 16. 

Graham Motion ships west with Narola Stable’s lightly raced Final Redemption (Hard Spun). A debut winner at Belmont July 3, the bay was second to Miss Frost (Curlin), who went on to capture the Riskaverse S. next out, in Saratoga’s Tenksi S. last time Aug. 11. Final Redemption fired a five-panel bullet at Fair Hill in 1:01 Sept. 5 and Motion wouldn’t ship to Chicago if he wasn’t confident in his charge’s abilities. 

The first two finishers from one division of this venue’s Hatoof S., Kiss Moon (Malibu Moon) and Maria Maria (Curlin), face off once again in this test. Owned by Carl Pollard and trained by David Vance, Kiss Moon was fourth in her turf debut in the Regret and finished over sloppy going in the Indiana Grand S. July 23. The other division of the Hatoof was won by Annulment (Broken Vow) and V V Goodnight (Midnight Lute) finished third.