Stacelita Completes Breeders' Cup Preparations

Multiple Grade 1 winner Stacelita had her final serious work for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Thursday morning at Belmont Park, covering five furlongs in 1:02.96 under jockey Ramon Dominguez.

The 5-year-old mare, who finished third in the Grade 1 United Nations after arriving from Europe this summer and then scored back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the Beverly D. at Arlington Park and Belmont’s Flower Bowl Invitational, went in company with trainer Chad Brown’s Juvenile Fillies Turf candidate Dayatthespa, who was clocked in 1:03.42 over a “good” inner turf course.

“Stacelita went really, really well today,” said Brown, who trains Stacelita for Martin Schwartz. “All the serious work is done. She is scheduled to fly out Saturday and she’ll just gallop up to the race. She’s been training super; all that’s left is to hope for a good post position.”

Brown also sent out Juvenile Turf hopeful Fantastic Song, who went five furlongs in 1:01.98 in company with Desert Sage. Additionally, Grade 3 Miss Grillo winner Pure Gossip worked five furlongs for the Juvenile Fillies Turf in 1:08.40 for trainer Phil Serpe.

At Saratoga Race Course, Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito sent out Jackson Bend (Sprint or Dirt Mile) to breeze four furlongs in 47.50, and Ice Box (Classic) out for a five-furlong work in 59.68 over a “good” Oklahoma training track.