Judge Davis Takes First Aim at Stakes in Nashua

Before his connections consider sending him two turns, Courtlandt Farms' Judge Davis  will take on five other juveniles in the $150,000 Nashua Stakes (G3) Nov. 7 going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, who saddled 1997 Nashua victor Coronado's Quest, Judge Davis arrives off a three-quarter length maiden triumph at second asking. The Distorted Humor   colt made amends from a distant fourth going 6 1/2 furlongs on debut when stretching out to 1 1/16 miles Sept. 24 over a muddy main track at Belmont.

"I think stretching him out in distance and getting that experience helped him," McGaughey said. "I'd like to see how he does here and then start thinking about two turns."

Judge Davis, a $280,000 purchase from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post 2.

Cairama  will attempt to parlay a first out winning effort into stakes company for trainer Steve Asmussen. Owned by His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud, he led through every point of call and held off a late confrontation to win by a head in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden Sept. 17 at Belmont.

The son of 2013 Nashua winner Cairo Prince   has sold twice through the ring, most recently for $525,000 to Narvick International out of the Harris Training Center draft at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Breaking from post 6, Cairama will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will saddle Repole Stable's Midnight Worker  who returns to the main track after trying the turf when fourth in the Futurity Stakes (G3T) last out. The Outwork   colt was a 10-1 winner of his July 24 debut at Saratoga Race Course ahead of a third in the Sapling Stakes Sept. 5 at Monmouth Park. He was bought for $60,000, with West Bloodstock as agent, from Brookdale Sales' consignment to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale.

Pletcher will attempt his fourth Nashua score, previously saddling Bluegrass Cat  (2005), Violence   (2012), and Blofeld   (2014).

Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Midnight Worker from post 4.

Rockefeller  will take a drop in class and cut back to one turn after finishing fourth in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) five weeks ago at Santa Anita Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. The blue-blooded son of Medaglia d'Oro   is out of the grade 1-winning Speightstown   mare Dance to Bristol  and was bought for $750,000 by agent Donato Lanni out of the Mill Ridge Sales' consignment to the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He dazzled on debut going wire-to-wire in a six-furlong maiden special weight Aug. 28 at Del Mar.

Rockefeller is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, and Robert Masterson. He will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez from post 1.

Completing the field are Holly Crest Farm New Jersey homebred Speaking  (post 3, Gerardo Corrales), winner of the Sept. 26 Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth for trainer Eddie Owens Jr.; and Cheyenne Stables' Cooke Creek  (post 5, Manny Franco), who took the Oct. 16 Rocky Run Stakes (non-black-type) at Delaware Park for trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer. Both are unbeaten in two starts.

Earlier on the card seven fillies and mares will line up to race 1 1/2 miles on the Widener turf course in the $150,000 Zagora Stakes, including graded stakes winners Orglandes  and Always Shopping .

Entries: Nashua S. (G3)

Belmont Park, Sunday, November 07, 2021, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 2 yo
• 3:43 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Rockefeller (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Bob Baffert	7/5
2	2Judge Davis (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	3/1
3	3Speaking (NJ)	Gerardo Corrales	120	Eddie Owens, Jr	7/2
4	4Midnight Worker (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	9/2
5	5Cooke Creek (KY)	Manuel Franco	120	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	8/1
6	6Cairama (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Steven M. Asmussen	10/1

Entries: Zagora S.

Belmont Park, Sunday, November 07, 2021, Race 4

• STK
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 1:18 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Orglandes (FR)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Chad C. Brown	5/2
2	2Lovely Lucky (KY)	Paco Lopez	122	Thomas Albertrani	12/1
3	3Candy Flower (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	122	Michael J. Maker	12/1
4	4Always Shopping (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Todd A. Pletcher	3/1
5	5Beautiful Lover (FL)	Joel Rosario	122	Christophe Clement	6/1
6	6Go Big Blue Nation (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Michael W. McCarthy	3/1
7	7Hungry Kitten (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Claude R. McGaughey III	4/1