Riposte Primed For Big Effort in Orchid

Juddmonte Farms’ Riposte, winner of last year’s grade II Sheepshead Bay and New York Stakes on the grass at Belmont Park, looks ready to get back in the winner’s circle in the Orchid Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park March 28 following a solid second in the The Very One Stakes (gr. IIIT) Feb. 21, her first start in eight months.

Trained by Bill Mott, the 5-year-old daughter of Dansili has never been worse than third in her six starts in the U.S., finishing first or second in five of them.

Riposte was sent to Mott after failing to duplicate the form she showed when winning the Ribblesdale Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot in 2013, although she did manage a fifth-place finish, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in the Darley Irish Oaks.

Riposte gets the services of Javier Castellano for the first time and will break from post 7 in the nine-horse field.

None of the others can match Riposte for class, although the Christophe Clement-trained Tabreed, bred in Great Britain like Riposte, is coming off two strong performances—a fast-closing second in the La Prevoyante Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Dec. 27 and a strong third in The Very One, a neck behind Riposte.

Irad Ortiz Jr. will be back in the saddle and will break from the rail.

Both Mott and Clement will be represented by other starters in the 1 1/2-mile race. Mott sends out White Rose, coming off a fifth in the Suwannee River Stakes (gr. IIIT), following victories in the Dowager Stakes at Keeneland and the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon.

Clement will saddle French import Beauty Parlor, who will be making her U.S. debut, following a pair of victories in the provinces, and will be getting Lasix for the first time. The daughter of Elusive Quality   has not run since Sept. 6 and will be ridden by John Velazquez.

Graham motion also has two entered—Irish-bred Photo Call, third in the La Prevoyante last out and an allowance winner in her U.S. debut; and Kitten's Point, winner of the 1 1/2-mile Astra Stakes at Santa Anita Park in January, followed by a sixth-place finish in The Very One, in which she was beaten 2 1/2 lengths.

Rounding out the field are Notte d'Oro, winner of the Marie Krantz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots; Bitty Kitty, fourth in The Very One; and Union Prayer, making her stakes debut.