Race Preview: Belmont Oaks Invitational

Formally known as the Garden City, the Belmont Oaks was moved from the Fall Meet to the Spring/Summer Meet, purse increased to $1,000,000 and the distance moved from a mile and eighth to a mile and a quarter. This is a WAYI race for the Filly and Mare Turf. Here is the field:

Race 9 - Belmont Oaks Invitational S. (Grade I)

Purse $1,000,000. An Invitational For Northern Hemisphere And Southern Hemisphere (australian, New Zealand And South African. One And One Fourth Miles. (Turf)
P# PP Horse                A/S Med Jockey        Wgt Trainer         M/L
1 1 Goldy Espony (FR) 3/F L1 J Lezcano 121 C C Brown 10/1
2 2 Room Service (KY) 3/F L S Bridgmohan 121 W M Catalano 3/1
3 3 My Conquestadory (KY) 3/F L J Castellano 121 M E Casse 12/1
4 4 Summer Solo (NY) 3/F L C H Velasquez 121 C Clement 30/1
5 5 Flying Jib (GB) 3/F L1 P J Smullen 121 D K Weld 5/1
6 6 Rosalind (KY)         3/F J R Leparoux 121 K G McPeek 12/1
7 7 Xcellence (FR) 3/F G Mosse         121 F Doumen 5/2
8 8 Wonderfully (IRE) 3/F L1 C O'Donoghue 121 A P O'Brien 12/1
9 9 Minorette (KY) 3/F L J Rosario         121 C C Brown 12/1
10 10 Recepta (KY)         3/F L J Alvarado 121 J J Toner         20/1
11 11 Sea Queen (KY) 3/F L I Ortiz, Jr. 121 C Clement 10/1

Goldy Espony (Vespone (IRE)): US debut, G3 winner in her native France, 7th in a G1 in her last also in France.

Room Service (More Than Ready): Co winner of the Ashland and won the American Oaks in her last. Last loss was in January.

My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller): 1st start of the year was a nose loss in the Selene. The winner of that race was fourth in the Woodbine Oaks.

Summer Solo (Arch): 3 for 3 in her career. However, 2 of her wins where against state company and takes a major step up in class.

Flying Jib (Oasis Dream (GB)): 1st start in the US. All races have been in Ireland where she is 3 for 4 including two stakes wins.

Rosalind (Broken Vow): Royal Ascot... didn't go according for plan. 4th in the KY Oaks, faces her co Ashland winner here.

Xcellence (Champs Elysees (GB)): US debut, G3 winner in France. Third in her last two which where G1's.

Wonderfully (Galileo (IRE)): US debut. Has run poorly since September of last year.

Minorette (Smart Strike): Has been in the top 3 in both US starts. 2nd in the Wonder Again in her last.

Recepta (Speightstown): 3rd in her last two starts. Has won a stakes race over this surface, but that was last year.

Sea Queen (Lemon Drop Kid): Winner of the last two including the Wonder Again in her last. Has never finished worse then 4th in her career.

Picks

First- Room Service
Second- Xcellence
Third- Sea Queen

Due to the holiday I was unable to do a video, many apologies.

Note: Among the winners of the Belmont Oaks include 1988 Distaff winner Personal Ensign (when the race was known as the Rare Perfume) and 1999 F/M Turf winner Perfect Sting (known as the Garden City).