August Dawn Farm's undefeated New York-bred Maple Leaf Mel will look to double up on graded victories while maintaining an unblemished record in the $175,000 Victory Ride Stakes (G3), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies July 8 at Belmont Park.
She battles a field that includes dual graded stakes winner Red Carpet Ready and quick last-out allowance optional claiming winners Vahva and Dazzling Blue.
The Victory Ride marks Maple Leaf Mel's first outing for trainer Melanie Giddings, for whom the filly is named. Giddings worked for several years as an assistant to the filly's former trainer, Jeremiah Englehart, before venturing out on her own in November. Maple Leaf Mel will be her first stakes starter.
"I just want to do the best job for this horse that I can," Giddings said. "I've always done the same job for her and I hope the outcome is the same. Obviously, other people will see that it's some added pressure for someone like me that's only won two races and here I am with an undefeated graded stakes winner."
Maple Leaf Mel was last seen scoring her first graded triumph in the six-furlong Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) May 19 at Pimlico Race Course, leading at every point of call under Joel Rosario to land a tidy 1 1/2-length win over returning rival Topsy. She completed the course in 1:09.56 and earned a career-best 94 Equibase Speed Figure.
She is SPECIAL! Maple Leaf Mel, bred by Joe Fafone, is now 4-for-4 lifetime and they haven't gotten close to her! The #NYbred sophomore took her graded stakes debut, the G3 Miss Preakness, for @jceracingstable, August Dawn, and @JRosarioJockey. pic.twitter.com/bLCR9WXksi
— NYTB (@nytbreeders) May 19, 2023
The Miss Preakness was the daughter of Cross Traffic 's first foray outside of state-bred company and marked her second outing off a seven-month respite. She made her career debut with a dominant five-length score in August 2022 at Saratoga Race Course and followed 16 days later with her first stakes win in the Seeking the Ante Stakes. She did not return until March when she trounced a seven-horse field in Aqueduct's East View Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths.
The $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Aug. 5 is a summer target for the filly, who is owned by retired National Football League coach Bill Parcells.
"The goal is to get a grade 1 for her and for coach as well," Giddings said.
Maple Leaf Mel, bred by Joe Fafone, break from post 5 under Rosario.
Dual graded stakes winner Red Carpet Ready (post 8, Luis Saez) makes her first start in the Empire State off a determined head score in the May 5 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs for trainer Rusty Arnold, who also trained this race's namesake to a victory in the 2001 Test at Saratoga.
Owned by Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing, the daughter of Oscar Performance pounced from just off the pace under Luis Saez to narrowly fend off the resurgent pacesetter Munnys Gold. Red Carpet Ready is 4-for-5.
Two-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox will send out Juddmonte's undefeated Dazzling Blue as she steps up to graded company for the first time with a 3-for-3 record.
Also sharp is Belladonna Racing, Edward Hudson Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve Hornstock, and Twin Brook Stables' Vahva, who makes her return to the graded ranks after scoring an off-the-pace victory in a first-level optional claimer on May 5 at Churchill Downs. Cherie DeVaux trains.
Downtown Mischief, Interpolate, and Adeliese's Smile are other contenders.
Belmont Park, Saturday, July 8, 2023, Race 11Entries: Victory Ride S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Interpolate (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Chad C. Brown 5/1 2 2Dazzling Blue (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Brad H. Cox 5/1 3 3Vahva (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Cherie DeVaux 8/1 4 4Adeliese's Smile (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 Jose M. Jimenez 30/1 5 5Maple Leaf Mel (NY) Joel Rosario 124 Melanie Giddings 9/5 6 6Downtown Mischief (NY) Jose Lezcano 122 Linda Rice 8/1 7 7Topsy (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Steven M. Asmussen 12/1 8 8Red Carpet Ready (KY) Luis Saez 124 George R. Arnold, II 3/1
