Wedding Toast Belmont Blitzes her Beldame Foes

Godolphin Racing's Wedding Toast feels very much at home at Belmont Park, of that, there can be no doubt. Away from the races since dominating the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on Belmont Stakes day, the five-year-old daughter of Street Sense made the most of returning to the friendly confines of her favorite track, by cruising home an easy 2 ¾ length winner over five rivals in this afternoon’s Grade 1 Beldame.

It was not the plan for Wedding Toast to skip the entire Saratoga meet, but a “minor issue” forced her to miss some training, and the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Travers Day, according to her trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin. The good news was that the small setback allowed her to string together three consecutive starts at Belmont, which of course, only made the task of her Beldame competition that much tougher.

Sent off as a big 3-5 favorite, Wedding Toast broke well under rider Jose Lezcano, and eased her way to the front without too much encouragement. Hot Stones was the one who took up the role of chaser, as the favorite rattled off sensible fractions of :24.11 and :47.57, down the backstretch.

Eclipse Thoroughbred's Curalina, who had a four-race win streak, which included the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont, snapped when third in the recent Alabama, moved up into a prominent position under John Velazquez on the inside, but Wedding Toast was merely loping along on an easy lead. Turning for home, it was the three-year-old Curalina who proved to be the only one in the field capable of asking Wedding Toast for her best. That question would be answered.

Lezcano shook the reins and his mount responded. Wedding Toast never looked in danger, as her younger competition kept on trying hard to stay within shouting distance. In the end, it was a strong performance by both of the two, who were well clear of the rest. Catch My Drift, who had made a nice move into contention on the turn, had no answers down the lane, but easily held third over the longshot, Call Pat.

“As good form as she's in, she'll be able to handle two turns (in the Breeders' Cup Distaff),” said McLaughlin. “She's won at two turns. But this race was here and it's a Grade 1, so it worked out well. I don't say it very often, but I asked him (Jose Lezcano) not to give her a hard race if he didn't have to because she looked that good on paper. We have a big race in five weeks. Couldn't have asked for better, it really went perfect."

Final time for the nine furlongs over the fast main track was an excellent 1:47.67. As the overwhelming favorite in the field of six, Wedding Toast returned $3.30 for the win, and the $2 exacta over the second choice, Curalina paid $8.60.

Now an eight-time winner from 12 career races, Wedding Toast raised her growing Belmont Park record to a gaudy 6-5-1-0. More impressive yet, she has tore through the most important older mare races at the New York oval this spring and fall, winning the Ruffian, Ogden Phipps, and Beldame by a combined 11 ¾ lengths.

At her favorite track, Wedding Toast looks every bit the part of the best female east of Beholder. The question now becomes if she can take her show on the road, and do her best running at Keeneland in next month’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff.