Careless Jewel Targets Shuvee
Careless Jewel, impressive winner of last year’s Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga Race Course, could make her 4-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Shuvee at Belmont Park on Saturday, May 15.
“We are currently pointing for the race,” trainer Josie Carroll said Friday. “She’s going to work on Sunday [at Woodbine], probably five furlongs, and we will then make a final decision.”
The daughter of Tapit, owned by Donver Stable, posted an 11-length victory in the Alabama, representing the third-largest margin of victory in the historic race, which has been run 129 times. The largest Alabama margin of victory was in 1875 when Olitipa, owned by August Belmont, won by 20 lengths.
Originally expected to make her yearly debut in the Grade 2 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on Friday, April 30, Careless Jewel had a minor setback that caused her to miss three days of training.
“We had to fix something on her foot, nothing major,” Carroll said. “Other than that, she has been doing really well.”
Mercedes Stable’s Seattle Smooth, off since winning the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap last June, is expected to make her comeback in next weekend’s Shuvee. The 5-year-old daughter of Quiet American had three wins from three starts in 2009, including last year’s Shuvee.
“We’re looking forward to it,” said trainer Tony Dutrow. “We’ll think she’ll run well – she’s all ready to go.”
In addition to Careless Jewel and Seattle Smooth, also expected for the Grade 2, $150,000 Shuvee, according to NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, are Mrs. C. Wilson McNeely’s Funny Moon, winner of last year’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, Eugene George’s Milwaukee Appeal, who has not started since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Gazelle at Aqueduct in November, and Blue Star Stable’s Lady Alexander, who exits a fifth-place finish in the Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on February 27. Byrnes also named Derby Lane Farm’s Dr. Zic, Fernando Abreu’s Granted Tiger, Claiborne Farm’s Haka and Live Oak Plantation’s Sheikh’s Serenade as possible for the race.