Stephanie's Kitten Seeks Flower Bowl Repeat

Defending Flower Bowl Stakes (gr. IT) winner Stephanie's Kitten heads a field of eight fillies and mares that are signed up for the 2015 version of the $500,000 event at 10 furlongs on the inner turf course at Belmont Park Oct. 3.

Two others were entered for the main track only should the race be moved off the turf. Rain is expected in the New York area most of the week leading up to the race.

Six-year-old Stephanie’s Kitten has earned nearly $3 million in her fine career for trainer Chad Brown, who conditions four of the 10 entered in the Flower Bowl. She finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) after her 2014 Flower Bowl score, and came back this season to win the Hillsborough Stakes (gr. IIIT).

Most recently she ran third, and was placed second, in the Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT). She enjoys soft turf, having won the Just A Game Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont in 2013 on yielding ground.

Curvy, group I-placed in her native Ireland, will attract plenty of attention in her first U.S. start. The only 3-year-old in the field was third in the Darley Irish Oaks (Ire-I) two starts back and fourth, a half-length off the winner, in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-I) last time out. Prior to those two efforts she had won four straight, including group II and group III heats.

Watsdachances was placed first in the Beverly D. following the disqualification of Secret Gesture. The 5-year-old mare will need some pace to run into as she lacks early speed, but she, too, has shown an affinity for off going. She also hails from the Brown shedrow.

Regardez won an allowance race on good ground at Saratoga Race Course by five lengths this summer before finishing third in the Glens Falls (gr. IIIT) at the Spa. She is another who launches from well back, and she smoves up if there is sufficient moisture.

Danza Cavallo didn't show much in her summer efforts at Saratoga but Brown entered her on the chance of rain, as she has won at Keeneland on yielding turf and finished a close-up second at Aqueduct Racetrack under the same conditions. She will also be off the pace early.

Mutatis Mutandis makes her first start in this country after running in England and Ireland. She has won a stakes at the Flower Bowl distance but has not faced the kind of competition as has Curvy.

America has raced just twice on grass in 17 career starts but her recent dirt form merits trying a change of pace. She hasn’t won since last winter when she was victorious three times at Aqueduct. Distorted Beauty would need to step it up from a class standpoint.

Both horses entered for the main track only will get plenty of action if the race comes off the turf. Tiz So Sweet would likely be on the lead if she runs, but she has never been this far. Rosalind has run well on firm turf and finished fourth, beaten 7 3/4 lengths by leading distaffer Wedding Toast in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (gr. I).