Interesting Renewal of Sheepshead Bay has International Flare

With four of the six entrants in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay having begun their racing careers outside the United States, the 1 3/8 mile race for turf fillies & at Belmont Park has quite the international flare.

Set to make her first start of the year and first for trainer Christophe Clement is Carla Bianca for owners Moyglare Stud Farm. A 5-year-old gray or roan Irish-bred, she has collected five wins from 14 lifetime starts including a pair of Group 3 stakes victories in Ireland. In one previous start in North America she finished sixth in the Grade 1 Beverly Stakes at Arlington Park. Last out on October 2, she finished second in the Group 3 Diamond Stakes at Dundalk.

"I wouldn't like the course to be too soft so we'll have to keep an eye on the weather," said Clement. "She's been with us all winter long and been training very well since she came from Ireland. She needs to run and we're excited in what she can do."

Drawing the outermost post position 6 as the 3-1 morning-line second choice, Carla Bianco will depart with Chris Decarlo in the irons.

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a formidable pair of contenders in Sea Calisi, a 4-year-old French-bred for owner Martin Schwartz and Guapaza, a 5-year-old Chilean-bred for Carlos Heller.

With two wins from seven starts, Sea Calisi will make her North American debut after having ended her European campaign last fall in a bevy of stakes races. Most recently, she finished seventh at Ascot in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. Previous to that race, she collected a pair of third-place finishes in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Vermeille at Longchamp and in the Group 1 Darkley Yorkshire Oaks at York.

The 4-5 morning-line favorite, Sea Calisi will leave from the rail with Jose Ortiz in the irons.

Coming off a third-place finish at Gulfstream Park on March 5 in her U.S. debut, Guapaza will look to move forward off a 90 Beyer Speed Figure effort. Drawing post position 2 at odds of 6-1 on the morning line, Guapaza will be ridden by Manny Franco.

Nakuti, a 5-year-old Irish-bred for trainer Graham Motion, will make her third start in North America in the Sheepshead Bay and looks to rebound off a sixth-place finish on April 16 in the Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park. With Drayden Van Dyke in the irons, Nakuti will leave from post 4 at odds of 6-1 on the morning-line.

Rounding out the field are Robillard for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and Godolphin Racing, who will look to improve from a 12th place finish in the Grade 2 Mrs Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 14, and 5-year-old New York-bred Selenite who makes her first start against graded stakes level competition since last June. Most recently she finished sixth on April 16 at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Plenty of Grace Stakes.

Source: NYRA Communications