Half Sisters to Preakness Winners Race Sunday
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A loaded field of 2-year-old fillies has lined up for Sunday's sixth race at Saratoga Race Course, a seven-furlong sprint on the main track that includes half sisters to Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winners Shackleford and Bernardini , as well as a $1.9 million 2-year-old-in-training purchase.
Carella, a half sister to successful sire Bernardini, will go out for Godolphin Racing and trainer Tom Albertrani, who campaigned Bernardini for his six-win, Eclipse Award-winning sophomore campaign. Albertrani is hopeful that Carella, by Tapit out of 2006 Broodmare of the Year Cara Rafaela, will follow in her half brother's footsteps.
"I heard the mare might be retired, so this could be one of the last ones," said Albertrani. "She seems like she's a very precocious type of filly. Her works have been promising and it looks like she's been very focused. We have some high expectations. We're very optimistic she'll make a nice first-time start for us."
While Albertrani believes Carella has a bright future, the trainer acknowledged it will be a difficult task to win at first asking in such a regally bred field of maidens.
"There are some interesting pedigrees in there; it looks like a good group," he said. "I'm sure everyone is on the same level as we are. They're probably all very optimistic about their chances. Once we lead her over there we'll find out."
Breaking from the rail and making her career debut is Sherini, a half sister to three-time grade I winner and young sire Shackleford. Sherini, a daughter of Bernardini, is a My Meadowview Farm homebred trained by Graham Motion. My Meadowview purchased Shackleford's dam, 2011 Broodmare of the Year Oatsee, for $1.55 million at the 2008 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Fetching a sale-record $1.9 million at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, Inheritance will get her career started for trainer Steve Asmussen and owner LNJ Foxwoods.
A daughter of leading sire Tapit out of an unraced Silver Deputy mare, Inheritance has breezed four times since Aug. 10 including a five-furlong move Aug. 30 in 1:00.34 at Saratoga. She will have the services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez on Sunday and is the 3-1 morning-line favorite.