3rd-BEL, $78,400, Alw (NW2$X)/Opt. Clm ($62,500), 4-29, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:38.06, ft.
CALEDONIA ROAD (f, 3, Quality Road&log=">Quality Road–Come a Callin, by Dixie Union), last year's GI 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine and champion 2-year-old filly, returned to the races with a facile allowance victory Sunday at Belmont. Graduating on debut in the Saratoga slop Sept. 3, the $140,000 Keeneland September buy ran on well to be second over track and trip in the GI Frizette S. Oct. 8 before her powerful Breeders' Cup tally. Off at 35 cents on the dollar in this sophomore bow, the bay broke decently and was soon maneuvered into the clear to stalk from third through pokey fractions of :24.29 and :48.40. Drawing alongside Total Control (Bellamy Road) at the head of the lane, the big favorite started to assert her superiority outside the eighth pole and kicked clear after belatedly switching leads to score by 3 1/2 lengths. Total Control just held for the place.
“This was good,” winning trainer Ralph Nicks told the NYRA notes team. “Hopefully we got out of it what she needed. But she needed a prep. We didn't get to make the big dance in Kentucky, but we're going for the [June 9 GI] Acorn and we'll go from there. She handled this probably a little better than I expected. I thought she was about 80 percent today going into it and she's obviously going to have to step up for the Acorn, but we got a race under her now, so we can handle her a little differently than if we just had to come in off the layoff.”
The victress has a juvenile half-sister by Majestic Warrior named Lady Esme and her dam foaled a colt by Blame this term. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Filly & GISW, 4-3-1-0, $1,277,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Zoom and Fish Stable Inc., Charlie Spiring & Newtown Anner Stud; B-Vegso Racing Stable (FL); T-Ralph E. Nicks.[bullet ad=”berkelhammer-caledonia-road”][bullet ad=”106322″]
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