New York: Majestic Oops tries again vs. Randomized in Beldame

Majestic Oops looks to turn the tables on dual Grade 1 winner Randomized on Friday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile test for five fillies and mares at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. 

The Beldame is a part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen series for the $2 million Distaff on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The nominated winner of the Beldame will receive a credit of $30,000 toward entry fees for the Distaff with second and third places receiving credits of $15,000 and $7,500.

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Owned by Medallion Racing, Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable, Sublime Stables and Janet Kropp and trained by Dan Ward, Majestic Oops won three of her last five starts. She added a pair of graded placings including a three-length, runner-up effort to Randomized in the 1 1/16-mile Molly Pitcher (G3) on July 19 at Monmouth Park. There the 5-year-old Majestic Harbor bay stalked the pace and launched a three-wide bid to chase pacesetting Randomized. That earned Majestic Oops a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.

Majestic Oops validated that performance cutting back to seven furlongs in the Ballerina (G1) last out Aug. 23 at Saratoga, rallying for a six-length third to favored Hope Road at odds of 13-1. 

“The Molly Pitcher was a tough test, a half-million dollar race against some Grade 1-winning horses, and she ran really well,” Ward said. “We were going to wait out the time until the Beldame, but the Ballerina was right in the middle, and she got a good race that served its purpose. It was seven-eighths between races with five weeks until the Beldame.” 

Majestic Oops, who will be in post 4 with jockey Kendrick Carmouche, has three wins this year. They include the one-mile Dig a Diamond in April at Oaklawn and the 1 1/16-mile Lady’s Secret in June at Monmouth. She is 9: 3-3-1 this year, coinciding with her time with Ward. Overall she is 31: 7-11-4 with $596,559 in earnings. 

“She wasn’t bothered by hot weather, but I think now that it is cooler outside, she’s doing better,” Ward said. “She comes off the track bouncing, jumping, all of that. I think cooler weather will help her form. Her numbers have been going up, and we got a good sprint prep right in the middle now.” 

Randomized will be in post 5 with Flavien Prat. She was a distant sixth last out when fading from the lead in the 1 1/8-mile Personal Ensign (G1) on Aug. at Saratoga. Owned by Klaravich Stables and trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the 5-year-old Nyquist bay entered that race off the Molly Pitcher win. 

Randomized was fifth in a title defense in the Ogden Phipps (G1) in June at the Spa after a pacesetting third in her seasonal debut in the La Troienne (G1) in May at Churchill Downs. 

In 2023, Randomized wired the Beldame vs. older rivals, and she utilized similar front-running tactics when capturing the Alabama (G1) and the restricted Wilton, both at Saratoga this year.

Randomized boasts a field-best $1,714,050 in earnings via a 14: 6-2-2 record. A $420,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale, Randomized is out of unraced Elusive Quality mare French Passport, a half-sister to Brown-trained multiple graded-stakes-winning millionaire Smooth Air and graded-stakes winner Overdriven.

Grade 1-placed Gun Song, in post 3 on Friday with John Velázquez, was a distant fourth to Grade 1 winner Leslie’s Rose last out in the 1 1/8-mile Shuvee (G2) on July 18 at Saratoga. Owned by Lee Lewis and trained by Mark Hennig, the 4-year-old Gun Runner chestnut was making her fourth start of the year after a three-length second to Malibu Beauty in the 1 1/16-mile Obeah on June 14 at Delaware Park. 

“She’s doing super,” Hennig said. “After that race at Saratoga we figured we would regroup and point to a race in September. We are giving her a shot. Let’s see if she can earn her way somewhere. At a mile-and-an-eighth, you know she can lay fairly close.”

As a sophomore Gun Song hit the board in 7 of 9 outings including close seconds in the Mother Goose (G2) over Beldame course and distance in October and to eventual horse of the year Thorpedo Anna in the Cotillion (G1) at Parx.

Gun Song, out of graded-stakes-winning Mr. Greeley mare Nicole H, was bought for $400,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sale March auction of 2-year-olds in training. She has banked $778,220 through a 15: 4-5-2 record highlighted by a win in last year’s Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico.

Grade 1-placed sophomore Margie’s Intention, in post 2 with Manny Franco, who was third last out in the 1 1/4-mile Alabama for dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

Three-time winner Just Music will be in post 1 with Dylan Davis for conditioner Linda Rice.

The Beldame is the seventh of nine races Friday at 4:09 p.m. EDT. The first post is at 1:10.

Horse Racing Nation speed figures are in parentheses.