Ava's Kitten Targets Wild Applause
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Photo:
Chelsea Durand/NYRA
The $100,000 Wild Applause, Sunday's feature race at Belmont Park for 3-year-old fillies contested at one mile on the Widener Turf Course, will feature a talented field of 11 runners headlined by Sarah and Ken Ramsey's Ava's Kitten.
A trainee of current Belmont Park leading trainer Chad Brown, Ava's Kitten enters the Wild Applause after making her first three starts this year in graded stakes. Last out, on May 6, she finished fifth in the Grade 3 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs. Prior to that race, she placed second in the Grade 3 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland on April 16, and started her year on March 12 at Tampa Bay Downs with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks.
Ava's Kitten, 2-for-2 on the Belmont turf, will depart from post position 10 as the 3-1 morning-line favorite with Javier Castellano in the irons.
Brown will also saddle stablemate Ancient Secret for Alpha Delta Stables. A $225,000 Ocala Breeders Sale 2-year-old in training purchase, Ancient Secret is also undefeated at Belmont in her first two career starts. Making her debut last October, she comfortably won by three lengths and followed with an impressive 4 ¼ - length allowance victory on May 14.
At 6-1 on the morning line, Ancient Secret will leave from post 4 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard.
Tin Type Gal, who won the Grade 3 Miss Grillo last September for trainer Graham Motion and owners My Meadowview Farm, will make her 2016 debut in the Wild Applause. With two wins from three lifetime starts, including a maiden victory at Saratoga Race Course last summer, the daughter of Tapit will be reunited with rider Luis Saez as the pair will leave from post 9 at odds of 5-1 on the morning line.
Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle Welcoming for owner Robert S. Evans. A $520,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, the daughter of Tapit enters off a third-place finish in her first start on the turf in the Soaring Softly Stakes on May 21 at Belmont. Picking up a career high 83 Beyer Speed Figure for her effort, she will look to improve on that effort, drawing post 5 with Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez, at odds of 9-2 on the morning line.
Set to make her second start in North America will be German-bred Elegant Supermodel for trainer Alan Goldberg and Colts Neck Stables. Stakes placed in Europe, finishing third in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Ascot Racecourse, she finished second in her state side debut in the Stormy Blue Stakes on June 4at Pimlico Race Course.
Rounding out the field are Joseph V. Shield's Jr.'s Summer Reading and Paul Tackett Saharan for trainer Jimmy Jerkens;Heavenly View for trainer Todd Pletcher and Siena Farm; Baciami Piccola for trainer Erin Cotterill and Amerman Racing; and Thundering Sky for trainer George Weaver and owner Matthew Schera. Main track only entrant Estella enters for trainer Tom Albertrani and Godolphin Stable.
Source: NYRA Communications
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