New York Stakes Looks Like Three-Horse Race

Although the $200,000 New York Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park drew a field of only six, it appears as if the race will come down to the three fillies and mares in the first three post positions.

From the rail out, you have the classy Tannery, winner of the 2013 E.P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-IT) at Woodbine and Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont, and the 2014 Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park; Riposte, winner of last year’s Ribblesdale Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot and this year’s Sheepshead Bay Stakes; and Inimitable Romanee, winner of the 2014 Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland and The Very One Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park.

Tannery possesses the deepest resume, having also finished a close second in last year’s Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT) in addition to performing well against the boys, getting beat a half-length in this year’s Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIIT) and a fast-closing fourth in last year’s Sword Dancer Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga.

The 5-year-old daughter of Dylan Thomas, owned by Richard Santulli and trained by Alan Goldberg, will break from the rail under Javier Castellano and will carry top weight of 123 pounds. Although she came from far back in the E.P. Taylor and Red Smith, she tracked a very slow pace in the Miss Liberty and won in a three-horse photo going 1 1/16 miles, which is much shorter than her best distance. She now stretches back out to 1 1/4 miles in the New York.

Riposte, owned by breeder Juddmonte Farms and trained by Bill Mott, is another who changed her running style in her last race. After coming from sixth or seventh in her first three starts in the U.S., the 4-year-old daughter of Dansili also took advantage of a crawling pace in the Sheepshead Bay, winning wire-to-wire by nearly two lengths. Unlike Tannery, she drops back in distance from 1 3/8 miles.

Joel Rosario, who rode Riposte in the Sheepshead Bay, will be back aboard under 120 pounds.

Outside those two is Gallagher’s Stud’s Inimitable Romanee from the barn of Graham Motion. The 6-year-old daughter of Maria's Mon has won three of her last four starts, all graded stakes, following a winless drought. One thing she has in common with Tannery and Riposte is the ability to change tactics when the pace warrants it. Normally a stretch runner, she did wire her field in last fall’s Long Island Handicap (gr. IIIT) when they slugged through a :53 3/5 half over a course listed as good.

Alan Garcia, who was aboard in her last three starts, will be back up, and also will carry 120 pounds.

Of the remaining three starters, the Todd Pletcher-trained Viva Rafaela, fifth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in the Bewitch Stakes, and second in the Orchid Stakes (gr. IIIT) in March, will be the likely pacesetter. The Brazilian-bred daughter of Know Heights, who captured the Brazilian Oaks (BRZ-I) in 2012, has either set the pace or been a close second in her last six starts.

Completing the field are the Shug McGaughey-trained Scampering, second in an allowance/optional claimer in her last start, and the Jonathan Sheppard-trained Gathering, also second in an allowance/optional claimer last out.

$200,000 New York Stakes (gr. IIT, Race 9,  5:28 EDT, Fillies and mares, 4YO&Up, 1 1/4 Miles, Turf

PP/Horse/Jockey/Trainer

1. Tannery (IRE), J.J. Castellano, 123, A. Goldberg

2. Riposte (GB), J. Rosario, 120, W. Mott

3. Inimitable Romanee (NY), A. Garcia, 120, H.G. Motion

4. Viva Rafaela (BRZ), J. Bravo, 116, T. Pletcher

5. Scampering (KY), J.R. Velazquez, 116, C.S. McGaughey

6. Gathering (PA), I. Ortiz Jr. 116, J. Sheppard

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