Piedi Bianchi Seeks Third Straight Win in Harmony Lodge

Jay Oringer, Jack Bick, and Madaket Stables' Piedi Bianchi will try to remain undefeated this season when she faces nine other older fillies and mares at six furlongs in the $80,000 Harmony Lodge Stakes June 5 at Belmont Park.

The 5-year-old Overanalyze mare last raced March 14 at Aqueduct Racetrack, rallying to post a head victory in the Correction Stakes over Slimey, who is also entered in the Harmony Lodge, in a blanket finish. Prior to the Correction, Piedi Bianchi made her first start in a year, and her first start for trainer Carlos Martin, in a Jan. 26 allowance at Aqueduct. She passed the pacesetter and fellow Harmony Lodge contestant Honey I'm Good to win by three-quarters of a length. Both starts were at six furlongs.

Others Piedi Bianchi will have to face in the Harmony Lodge include Prioress (G2) victress Royal Charlotte, five-time stakes winner and grade 1-placed Chalon, and multiple stakes winner and Southern California shipper Mother Mother.

"For an $80,000 overnight, this is a pretty salty group," said Martin. "But, I think she has it in her. She was grade 1-placed as a 2-year-old and in 2018 she had a long campaign with a couple of tough spots like the Alabama (G1). Hopefully, we'll keep her to one turn and have some success with her."

The Indiana-bred filly placed in the Del Mar Debutante, Chandelier, and Starlet—all grade 1—as a juvenile with Doug O'Neill. As a 3-year-old with Todd Pletcher, she scored her first stakes win in the Frances Slocum Stakes at Indiana Grand.

"I don't think the time off has hurt her at all," said Martin. "If anything, she's moved forward. She's put on a little weight and looks healthy and sound."

Martin has retained the services of Jorge Vargas Jr., who rode Piedi Bianchi to victory in her last two starts, for the Harmony Lodge. The gray/roan mare will break from post 5.

Royal Charlotte, trained by Chad Brown for First Row Partners and Parkland Thoroughbreds, won two graded stakes last year in New York. In addition to the six-furlong Prioress, she took the Victory Ride (G3) going 6 1/2 furlongs. The 4-year-old Cairo Prince  filly has not raced since she placed fifth in the Oct. 19 Lexus Raven Run (G2) at seven furlongs. Javier Castellano will ride from post 4.

Lael Stable's Chalon finished first or second in 11 straight races—all in stakes company—and returns for her 6-year-old season off a fourth-place finish in the Oct. 5 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2). Arnaud Delacour trains the Dialed In  mare, who was second beaten a head in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 8.

Mother Mother will break from post 9 with Joel Rosario in the irons. Owned by Gainesway Stable, Barry Hall, Barry Lipman, Mark Mathiesen, and Andrew Molasky, the 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile filly began the year with a win in the 6 1/2-furlong Kalookan Queen Stakes Jan. 12. She then was the runner up behind grade 1 winner Hard Not to Love in the Feb. 15 Santa Monica (G2).

In her most recent start, the Bob Baffert trainee clipped heels at the start of the May 17 Desert Stormer (G3), crossed the wire fourth one spot behind stablemate Fighting Mad, but was placed third by stewards after Fighting Mad was disqualified to fourth for interference shortly after the start.

Last True Love, Gypsy Janie, Nisha, and Pacific Gale complete the field.

Entries: Harmony Lodge S.

Belmont Park, Friday, June 05, 2020, Race 9

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $80,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:36 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Last True Love (KY)	Andrew Wolfsont	124	Flint W. Stites	30/1
2	2Gypsy Janie (KY)	Eric Cancel	122	Thomas Morley	20/1
3	3Honey I'm Good (FL)	Junior Alvarado	120	Steven M. Asmussen	8/1
4	4Royal Charlotte (KY)	Javier Castellano	124	Chad C. Brown	3/1
5	5Piedi Bianchi (IN)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	124	Carlos F. Martin	10/1
6	6Nisha (KY)	Reylu Gutierrez	118	Gerald E. Seymour	30/1
7	7Slimey (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	David A. Cannizzo	15/1
8	8Chalon (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Arnaud Delacour	5/2
9	9Mother Mother (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Bob Baffert	2/1
10	10Pacific Gale (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	John C. Kimmel	20/1