Thrilled Seeks First Graded Victory in Miss Grillo

The graded stakes-placed Thrilled seeks her first stakes victory going against a talented group of fillies in Grade 3, $200,000 Miss Grillo for 2-year-olds fillies on Sunday at Belmont Park.

 

Second to Harmonize in a rain-soaked edition of the P.G. Johnson Stakes on September 3 at Saratoga Race Course, Thrilled enters the race for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Michael Tabor. After a tumultuous start in which Thrilled bumped into Ava's Kitten and Seaside Schiller, the daughter of Uncle Mo, settled in fourth position going the opening quarter in a respectable 23.58 seconds, with the half in 46. 73. Swinging widest of three rivals at the top of the stretch under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, she unleased a powerful late kick in the stretch but failed to catch Harmonize, who was four lengths clear of the rest of the field at the wire.

 

Thrilled broke her maiden at first asking on the inner turf in a 1 1/16 mile maiden special weight on August 9. Breaking slowly, Thrilled settled back in mid-pack and was content to gallop along in sixth position. Given a ground-saving trip under Velazquez, Thrilled rode the rail to nip Harmonize by a nose at the wire.

 

"She came out of the [last] race in good form," said Pletcher's assistant Byron Hughes. "She looks good, very fit and has been training very well. We hope for a big effort."

 

At 5-1 on the morning line, Thrilled retains the services of Velazquez. The pair will break from post 7.

 

The 36^th running of the Miss Grillo, to be run on the inner turf for the first time since 2012, also attracted a pair of European invaders, Llanita and Belvoir Bay

 

Previously trained by Stephane Wattel, Llanita will be making her first North American start for new trainer Chad Brown, after a pair of second-place finishes at Deauville Race Course in France. Topping the Belmont trainer standings, Brown sees promise in this filly and feels that stretch out in distance may be what the daughter of Rock of Gibraltar needs to break her maiden after running at six and seven furlongs, respectively.

 

"She's a nice filly, a real sweet-looking, athletic type [that] seems to have a decent turn of foot." said Brown. "She's breezed twice for us and she seems to be improving. I wish we had her longer, but based on what I saw in her latest breeze she deserves a shot in the race."

 

With the addition of Lasix for the first time, Llanita goes off as the post-time favorite at odds of 5-2. She will break from post 3 with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons.

 

Brown will also enter Breakfast Time for Sheep Pond Partners. The daughter of Kitten's Joy finished fourth in a maiden special weight on August 23 at Saratoga. At 10-1, she will be ridden by Javier Castellano from post position 5.

 

From the syndicate of Team Valor International is Belvoir Bay. Having raced exclusively in England, she is the most experienced of the nine fillies entering with a record of 2-1-0 from 5 starts. A winner in her second start, the daughter of Equiano will try the 1 1/16 distance after finishing fourth in the Group 3 888 Sport Prestige Stakes going seven furlongs on August 29 at Goodwood Race Course.

 

Carrying two pounds more than her rivals, Belvoir Bay will break mid-pack from post position 6 with Jose Lezcano aboard. The pair is 3-1 on the morning line.

 

Rounding out the field are: Archarella, a two-length winner in a maiden special weight on August 26 at Delaware Park; Chinchilla Dust; most recently eighth in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes on September 12 at Woodbine, Lemon Liqueur, third in the Seeking the Ante Stakes on August 15 at Saratoga; Look Who's Talking, second in the Selima Stakes on September 12 at Laurel; Time and Motion, who breezed three furlongs in a bullet 35.8 seconds on the dirt on September 12 at Belmont; Tin Type Gal, first in a maiden special weight on August 23 at Saratoga and Wild About Harry, who broke her maiden on September 12 at Belmont Park.