Sea Calisi Successful in Sheepshead Bay

Martin Schwartz's Sea Calisi made her return to the races a winning one in the $200,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G2T) May 6 at Belmont Park. 

The 5-year-old French-bred mare pulled clear in the stretch to win by 2 1/2 lengths, defending her title in the 1 3/8-mile race. The final time for the distance was 2:16.83 over a yielding turf course.

Sent off at even money, Sea Calisi gave trainer Chad Brown and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. their second win of the day in the fourth race, as they partnered to take a six-furlong maiden special weight race with Build to Suit in Belmont's second.

Zipessa led a field of five others through the first mile of the Sheepshead Bay, setting fractions of :24.84, :49.83, 1:15.73, and 1:39.90. Sea Calisi raced off the pace in fifth until the far turn, where she swooped by the field and got a jump on Suffused, who closed to finish second.

"I had a lot of horse and I went in comfortable," Ortiz said. "I didn't want Suffused to get out, so I made the move and got the jump on her. (Sea Calisi) is a big-time closer. When I asked her she really moved. She's good from the distance."

The winner paid $4.20, $2.70, and $2.10 across the board. Suffused paid $2.60 and $2.10, while third-place Apple Betty paid $2.50.

Achnaha, Zipessa, and Voila La Victoire completed the order of finish.

Sea Calisi had not raced since finishing seventh in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. The daughter of Youmzain began her racing career in France and England before coming to the United States.

Sea Calisi won last year's Sheepshead Bay in her U.S. debut, over graded stakes winner Guapaza, and then went on to finish second in the New York Stakes (G2T) at Belmont. 

In her third U.S. start, she won the grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse, before placing third in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T) back at Belmont just before the Breeders' Cup.

"She just had a little time off after the Breeders' Cup," said Brown's assistant, Cherie DeVaux. "Chad felt it was a good starting point for her. She won the race last year and it suits her. I thought she ran terrific. It'll be a really great race to start her off this year."

Bred by Derek Bloodstock, Sea Calisi is out of the German-bred winning Surumu mare, Triclaria.

Finishing out the day at Belmont, Robert Baker and William Mack's Smooth Daddy handed a nose defeat to Time Test in the grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes on the yielding inner turf. The Tom Albertrani-trained 6-year-old stayed close to the pace before taking over at the half-mile and finishing the 1 1/8 miles in a final time of 1:52.64.

"He was second in this race last year and he's always game," Albertrani said. "Once he gets in front, he really digs in and did it again today."