Havre de Grace to stay on Breeders’ Cup course and goes for the Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park
The shorter distance was always the preference over the longer distance at Jockey Club Gold Cup for the 4-year-old filly, Havre de Grace, owned by Rick Porter and trained by Larry Jones. However, there is no doubt about the fact that they were inclined towards
the Gold Cup to begin with.
Nonetheless, ultimately they came to a decision and preferred the Grade 1, $350,000 Beldame Invitational against fillies, over a distance of 1 1/8 miles.
The Saint Liam filly has been running in tough races, and she doesn’t need another one before her ultimate goal, the Breeders’ Cup.
Hence, the Beldame Invitational has been selected since it is an easy spot for her than the Gold Cup.
The Beldame Invitational will commence on 1 October, 2011, at Belmont Park on dirt, and fillies like Royal Delta, Super Espresso and Life At Ten will size up on Havre de Grace.
Out of Easter Bunnette by Carson City, Havre de Grace bounced back from the defeat at Delaware Park in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, where she couldn’t counter the roaring run of her bitter rival, Blind Luck, who came from behind to snatch victory from
the jaws of defeat.
However, defeating the males can compensate any defeat easily, and that is exactly what she did. Havre de Grace got into the mix with the males in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes.
The line-up for the Woodward was an ominous one, with the likes of Flat Out, Giant Oak, Rule and Mission Impazible to contend with, but Havre de Grace downed the seven older males and won her first against the males.
The Woodward Stakes was held at Saratoga on 3 September, 2011, at about 1 1/8 miles.
Therefore, after running some tough races, it is only fair to give Havre de Grace a breather and an easy race to run in before the all important Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic on 4 November and then the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic on 5 November.
Though the Beldame line-up is reeling in some serious contenders, and it might not be as easy as they think, it would be a lot easier than the Jockey Club Gold Cup, facing males again.
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