Wavell Avenue Looks for Gallant Bloom Rebound

Last year's TwinSpires.com Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) winner Wavell Avenue will try to bounce back from a sixth-place finish in the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) when she faces an expected six other fillies and mares in the $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) Oct. 1 at Belmont Park.

In the seven-furlong Ballerina, Wavell Avenue appeared to be well-placed for her ususal late rally, but displayed no kick and finished sixth in the Aug. 27 race at Saratoga Race Course. Since that race, the 5-year-old Harlington   mare has breezed a half-mile and five furlongs for trainer Chad Brown.

Two starts back Wavell Avenue scored a clear victory in the Shine Again Stakes Aug. 3 at Saratoga. Last year Wavell Avenue finished second in the Gallant Bloom to New York-bred La Verdad, who went on to be named champion female sprinter of 2015.

This year's Gallant Bloom also features a trio of talented New York-breds in grade III winner and grade I-placed Hot City Girl, a 4-year-old daughter of City Zip   who enters off a clear win in the restricted Union Avenue Stakes Aug. 18 at Saratoga; multiple graded stakes-placed Wonder Gal, a 4-year-old Tiz Wonderful filly who enters off an 11 1/2-length win in a Saratoga allowance/optional claiming race; and another 4-year-old Tiz Wonderful filly in Quezon, a two-time stakes winner who finished second in the Union Avenue.