De Sousa, Dettori to ride Wednesday at Belmont
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New York racing fans will have a chance to see the newest addition to Belmont Park's storied jockey colony in action as Sylvestre de Sousa rides on Wednesday's card, his first engagements since arriving in the United States earlier this week.
The newly minted British riding champion will be aboard Viva Malala for trainer Christophe Clement in the second race and Big Band Benny for Leo O'Brien in the third race. Represented by agent Seth Benzel, this year will be the first winter in the U.S. for the 34-year-old native of Brazil.
A former contract jockey for Godolphin Racing, de Sousa has been primarily based in England and Dubai, where he has collected wins on some of the world's biggest stages, including victories in the 2014 Group 1 Emirates Dubai World Cup aboard African Story and this year's Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York with longshot Arabian Queen.
Also on Wednesday, European racing star Frankie Dettori is named to ride maiden runner Chiltern Street in the sixth race for trainer Wesley Ward. Dettori, who rode a pair of winners during a three-day jaunt at Saratoga Race Course last summer, will be in the United States for the Breeders' Cup, where he is expected to ride Ward trainees Judy the Beauty in the Filly & Mare Sprint and Undrafted in the Turf Sprint.
Named to make a cameo as well is Aaron Gryder, with his first mount at Belmont since 2013. A one-time staple in the New York jockey colony, Gryder, who rode 42 winners at NYRA tracks in 2005, his last full-time year on the circuit, has more recently been based in Southern California.
The newly minted British riding champion will be aboard Viva Malala for trainer Christophe Clement in the second race and Big Band Benny for Leo O'Brien in the third race. Represented by agent Seth Benzel, this year will be the first winter in the U.S. for the 34-year-old native of Brazil.
A former contract jockey for Godolphin Racing, de Sousa has been primarily based in England and Dubai, where he has collected wins on some of the world's biggest stages, including victories in the 2014 Group 1 Emirates Dubai World Cup aboard African Story and this year's Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York with longshot Arabian Queen.
Also on Wednesday, European racing star Frankie Dettori is named to ride maiden runner Chiltern Street in the sixth race for trainer Wesley Ward. Dettori, who rode a pair of winners during a three-day jaunt at Saratoga Race Course last summer, will be in the United States for the Breeders' Cup, where he is expected to ride Ward trainees Judy the Beauty in the Filly & Mare Sprint and Undrafted in the Turf Sprint.
Named to make a cameo as well is Aaron Gryder, with his first mount at Belmont since 2013. A one-time staple in the New York jockey colony, Gryder, who rode 42 winners at NYRA tracks in 2005, his last full-time year on the circuit, has more recently been based in Southern California.
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Next Saturday - either Halloween or Day 2 of the Breeders' Cup, depending on your point of view - will feature two live stakes races at Belmont Park as well as all the simulcast action from Keeneland.
Run for the 39th time, the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap is likely to attract Florida import Falling Sky, who in his last foray to New York finished seventh in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga Race Course; Green Gatto, who earlier this year was second in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap and most recently finished third on an optional claimer at Belmont; Heaven's Runway, who will be making his first start for trainer David Jacobson, and the Chad Brown-trainedMatrooh, sixth in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park last time out. El Kabeir, who has been training forwardly for a return to the races, is possible.
The $100,000 Chelsey Flower at a mile on the turf looks to have a full field of 2-year-old fillies, including European imports Spinamiss and Belvoir Bay for trainers Todd Pletcher and Bill Mott, respectively; Outsider Art, most recently third in the Jessamine at Keeneland; allowance winner Ponytail from trainer Michael Matz; Width, fourth in the Grade 1 Frizette last time out; Time and Motion, Look Who's Talking, and Wild About Harry, third, fifth, and seventh, respectively, in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo, and recent maiden winners Wedding Dress, Lady Luckyand Ava's Kitten. Celestial Sighting, second in the Bolton Landing at Saratoga and the Lady Finger at Finger Lakes, is possible.
On Sunday, the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie for filly and mare sprinters is likely to attract multiple graded stakes winner Classic Point; mid-Atlantic shipper Lady Sabelia, who is coming off a nearly six-month layoff; Medaglia d'Argento from trainer George Weaver; R Free Roll, newly relocated to Belmont from Florida for trainer Danny Gargan; recent allowance winner Shogun Samurai; Sustainable, making her turf debut for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin; and multiple stakes winner Tea Time, winner of an optional claimer at Delaware Park last time out. Hey Kiddo and Ride the World are questionable.
Source: NYRA Communications
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