Mango Diva Expected to Contest Beverly D
The field for the 26th running of the Grade I Beverly D. took closer order on Saturday when the Grade III Modesty Handicap – the course and distance prep – produced three possible runners for the $700,000 event. Led by Highland Yard’s impressive and improving winner WALK CLOSE, the race also included a sharp return to form for Augustin Stable’s MANGO DIVA, who started to show a return on investment after her $867,061 sale at Tattersalls’ December sale when finishing second by a half-length on the rain-soaked good going.
While neither are confirmed, it is believed that Michael Matz-trained Mango Diva is the more likely of the two to return, especially with the prospect of running on faster ground next month. Haras Phillipson’s third-place finisher and globetrotting Uruguyan-bred race favorite GAGA A was a little closer to the pace than trainer Neil Drysdale expected and finished an even third, while stepping back in distance from a 1½-miles stakes victory in her American debut last month at Santa Anita.
A filly who skipped the Modesty in favor of having more time before the Beverly D. is Antoinette Oppenheimer’s EASTERN BELLE. A daughter of Champs Elysees trained by Graham Motion who was second last out in the Grade II New York Stakes on June 5, her form was flattered by Walk Close, whom she defeated by a nose when finishing second one race prior in the Keertana Stakes on May 16 at Churchill Downs. That division of the split Keertana has become a key race, as its winner – Glen Hill Farm and Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings’ Ceisteach – returned to win the Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park this past weekend over 1 3/8 miles. Craig Bernick, president of Glen Hill, confirmed that the daughter of champion New Approach is likely to stay at longer distances and point toward the 11-furlong Grade II Glen Falls Stakes on Sept. 5 at Saratoga.
A stateside race to watch is next weekend’s Grade I Diana Stakes at Saratoga, which has attracted the nominations of Grade I winners and Beverly D. nominees COFFEE CLIQUE, HARD NOT TO LIKE and STEPHANIE’S KITTEN. While Amerman Racing’s Brian Lynch-trained Coffee Clique is a confirmed miler and less likely to attack the 1 3/16-miles Beverly D. trip, it will be interesting to see if Speedway Stables’ Clement-trained Hard Not to Like and Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Chad Brown-trained Stephanie’s Kitten – both proven at longer distances – enter the race. As previously mentioned, the Diana is three weeks away from the Beverly D. this year – unlike four last year – and is thus less likely to produce runners for both races.
On the European front, three fillies are taking a serious gander at the Beverly D. Haras de la Perelle’s Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained CLADOCERA exits a good third in the Group II Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot – a key prep for the Beverly D. in recent years – and has shown an affinity for faster ground and distances slightly beyond a mile. On paper, she is not far behind Team Valor International’s current Beverly D. favorite and defending champ EURO CHARLINE, having finished a half-length behind the daughter ofMyboycharlie in the Group I Dubai Turf against the boys in March and both having lost to Sir Robert Ogden’s greatly improvedAMAZING MARIA in their respective last races. Amazing Maria – trained by David O’Meara – is not impossible to come over for the Beverly D., but is logically more likely to seek her August riches in Deauville, France.
Augustin has a foreign filly also reportedly under consideration for the Beverly D. in Group I winner WE ARE, who exits a runner-up finish – albeit by a distant four lengths – to two-time Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve in the Group II Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud on May 29. Though she is a longshot to make the race, she would be a force with which to reckon if she did, especially based on her victory in last October’s Group I Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp.
Qatar Racing and Newsells Park Stud’s quality mare SECRET GESTURE is a more likely contender from overseas. Having already proven her American mettle when a good fifth – beaten 2¼ lengths by champion Dayatthespa – in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last year, the daughter of Galileo was fourth in a salty renewal of the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh last out on June 28 behind Group I winners Diamondsandrubies, Legatissimo and Ribbons. Previous to that effort, the Ralph Beckett trainee was a smart winner of the Group II Middleton Stakes over 1 5/16 miles at York.
Sixth-place finisher in the Pretty Polly, Chasemore Farm’s Ed Walker-conditioned MUTATIS MUTANDIS is also under consideration for the Beverly D. A sleek gray fast ground-loving daughter of Mastercraftsman who had previously won a listed stakes race, Mutatis Mutandis did not disgrace herself when stepping up considerably in class and losing by three lengths at odds of 33-1.
Source: Arlington Park