Belmont at Big A: Gun Song is triumphant in Beldame Stakes

Gun Song, under a perfect trip from Hall of Famer John Velázquez, overtook 2-5 favorite Randomized and powered away to a comfortable score Friday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile route for four fillies and mares at the Belmont at Aqueduct fall meet.

By winning the Beldame, Gun Song receives a credit of $30,000 toward entry fees for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Runner-up Randomized and third-place Margie’s Intention received credits of $15,000 and $7,500 since Friday’s race was part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen series.

Click here for Belmont at Aqueduct entries and results.

Trained by Mark Hennig for owner Lee Lewis, the 4-year-old Gun Runner chestnut picked up her first win since capturing the Cathryn Sophia in August 2024 at Parx. She was making her first start since she finished a distant fourth in the Shuvee (G2) on July 18 at Saratoga.

“Very satisfying,” Hennig said. “When you kind of put one away in mid-July and say I’m going to point to one race in September, you’re putting some pressure on yourself. I said after that race in July that I’m just going to get her ready for one try, and if she runs well, we’ll talk about whether she deserves a trip to California.”

Dual Grade 1 winner Randomized was sent to the front from outermost post 4 by jockey Flavien Prat. Velázquez was content to save ground aboard Gun Song out of post 3. Manny Franco hustled slow starting Margie’s Intention to stalk from second through an opening quarter-mile in 23.78 seconds.

Gun Song settled into a smart stalking position up the backstretch as Margie’s Intention pressed to the outside of pacesetting Randomized through a half-mile in 47.26 seconds and three-quarters in 1:11.19.

“That helped me a little bit that (Margie’s Intention) went with them,” Velázquez said. “I kept her right behind her heels anyways, so I was pretty comfortable where I was. When I did get out, she responded very nicely.”

Franco scrubbed on Margie’s Intention throughout the final turn as Velázquez maneuvered Gun Song into the fray between the front duo and prepared to engage Randomized in battle. Randomized fought back gamely, but momentum favored Gun Song. She wrested control in upper stretch en route to a 1 1/4-length score with a final time of 1:49.45 over the fast main track.

It was a neck back to Margie’s Intention in third. Just Music trailed throughout. Majestic Oops was scratched in favor of racing in Sunday’s Delaware Handicap (G3) at Delaware Park.

Hennig said a clean break was one of the keys to success.

“That was a big difference, because if you just look at her trouble lines, it’s like trouble at the gate means trouble for her,” Hennig said. “She broke cleanly and really just had a nice trip from there.

“I’m glad it went well. So many things can go wrong in this game. She got a really nice trip today, Johnny rode her well, my help did a great job with her, and everything went well.”

Prat said he had no excuses for Chad Brown-trained Randomized.

“She jumped well,” Prat said. “She got herself into the lead. She just couldn’t hold on all the way there.”

Gun Song enjoyed a 9: 3-4-0 sophomore season that included a win in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico and close, runner-up efforts in the Monmouth Oaks (G3), Mother Goose (G2) and Cotillion (G1). Gun Song lost by just a neck in the Cotillion to eventual horse of the year Thorpedo Anna.

Hennig said a healthy Gun Song is returning to her best form.

“We finally got her feet right. Ian McKinlay has shod her the last two times, and she really responds to him,” Hennig said. “He’s done a great job with her and got her going the right (way). We had a really good 60 days since her last effort.”

Gun Song is out of graded-stakes-winning Mr. Greeley mare Nicole H. She was bought for $400,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March auction of 2-year-olds in training. She banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 16: 5-5-2. She returned $11.54 for a $2 win bet.

Hennig said he’ll keep an eye on upcoming bouts in the division before determining if Gun Song will head to the Breeders’ Cup.

“You’ve got some more preps to go, and these races have a chance to start falling apart, especially with these older horses as they get closer,” Hennig said. “So we’ll see how she comes out of it, see how the other races go and evaluate whether that’s the right move.”