Crazy Beautiful Returns to the Main Track in G3 Comely

Multiple graded stakes-winning Crazy Beautiful  made an impressive seasonal turf debut last out but will return to more familiar surroundings on a dirt track as part of an eight-horse field of 3-year-olds fillies competing at 1 1/8 miles in the $200,000 Comely Stakes (G3) Nov. 26 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Crazy Beautiful, owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III, had racked up all five of her stakes wins on dirt before trainer Kenny McPeek moved the Liam's Map   daughter back to turf for the first time since her successful career debut in July 2020. Crazy Beautiful ran a competitive second, finishing one length behind winner Navratilova , in the 1 1/16-mile Rubicon Valley View Stakes (G3T) Oct. 29 at Keeneland.

After posting three graded stakes wins in 1 1/16-mile main track races earlier this campaign—capturing the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in March, the Summertime Oaks (G2) in May at Santa Anita Park, and the Delaware Oaks (G3) in July at Delaware Park— McPeek said the return foray to grass was prompted by scheduling limitations more than a desire to deviate from what had been a successful sophomore blueprint for the Kentucky-bred.

"There weren't any options for straight 3-year-old fillies at the time," McPeek said. "She was doing well and she continues to do well after her last start. It looks like the Comely will be a good spot for her."

McPeek said the 72nd edition of the nine-furlong Comely could facilitate a start in the $300,000 American Oaks (G1T) on the grass that is slated for opening day of Santa Anita's winter/spring meet Dec. 26.

"The goal is to get her to the American Oaks at the end of the year," he said. "The Valley View gave me a test drive that she can handle the turf just fine. She's shown previously that she can run on anything."

Three Diamond Farm's Army Wife  has finished in the money in each of her last eight starts dating to Oct. 2020 for trainer Mike Maker.

The Declaration of War  filly won the prestigious George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on the eve of the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course before posting a 3 3/4-length score in the Iowa Oaks (G3) in July at Prairie Meadows.

Victories in her last four starts—and five wins in her last six races—has earned Vegas Weekend  a seat at a higher stakes table as she makes her first stakes appearance in her twelfth career start.

Trainer by Rob Atras said he wasn't worried about the cut back in distance last out in Vegas Weekend's first start for new connections.

"When she won the mile and an eighth, we were hoping to keep her going further but when she works in the morning she shows a pretty good turn-of-foot," Atras said. "I wasn't worried about running her seven-eighths."

Rigney Racing's Played Hard , fifth in the Alabama over the summer going 1 1/4 miles, garnered a personal-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure for her runner-up effort last out to fellow Comely contender Crazy Beautiful in the 1 1/16-mile Seneca Overnight Stakes in October at Churchill.

Rounding out the field is Shalimar Gardens , who was fourth in her stakes debut in the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) last out in Oct. at Keeneland; Bees and Honey , making her stakes bow in her fifth career start; Hybrid Eclipse , fourth in the Delaware Oaks (G3); and Ninetypercentbrynn , who will be seeking her first stakes win in her first graded stakes appearance.

The Comely is Race 9 on the 10-race card with a post time of 3:43 p.m. ET. First post is 11:50 a.m.