Lights of Medina Leads Pletcher Trio in Mother Goose
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Lights of Medina (5) falls just short in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
Lights of Medina will look to build off her promising graded stakes debut as part of a field of seven 3-year-old fillies all seeking their first graded score in the $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park July 1.
One of three entrants for trainer Todd Pletcher in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile test, Lights of Medina rallied from eighth to finish second in the May 19 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) last out at Pimlico Race Course.
Owned by Sumaya U.S. Stable, the daughter of Eskendereya took four tries to break her maiden, ultimately getting over the hump at Laurel Park March 26, but has finished off the board just once in six career starts. The chestnut filly followed her maiden victory with a two-length win in the April 22 Weber City Miss Stakes at Laurel and was only beaten a head by Actress in the Black-Eyed Susan.
Lights of Medina's stablemate, Moana, will make just her fourth career start. The Uncle Mo filly broke her maiden April 14 at Keeneland and was promptly entered in the Black-Eyed Susan for her first stakes race, where she finished fifth for owners Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
My Miss Tapit, also trained by Pletcher, is 2-for-2, including a 1 1/4-length win over Actress in the Game Face Stakes April 22 at Gulfstream Park.
Bill Mott-trained Lockdown comes into the Mother Goose off a third-place finish in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 5 at Churchill Downs. The Juddmonte Farms' homebred has not finished out of the money in her first five starts and was second to Miss Sky Warrior in the April 8 Gazelle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Vexatious, a full sister to grade 1 winner and sire Creative Cause , is also making her first start since the Kentucky Oaks, after a fourth-place finish in that 1 1/8-mile test. The Neil Drysdale-trainee also was third in the Fantasy Stakes (G3) and Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).
Mother Goose S. (G2)
Belmont Park, Saturday, July 01, 2017, Race 9
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $250,000
- 3 yo Fillies
- 5:50 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Lights of Medina (KY) | Feargal Lynch | 121 | Todd A. Pletcher | 10/1 |
| 2 | 2Unchained Melody (KY) | Joel Rosario | 121 | Brian A. Lynch | 7/2 |
| 3 | 3My Miss Tapit (KY) |
Manuel Franco | 121 | Todd A. Pletcher | 6/1 |
| 4 | 4Lockdown (KY) | Jose L. Ortiz | 121 | William I. Mott | 2/1 |
| 5 | 5Spanish Harlem (KY) |
Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 121 | Danny Gargan | 20/1 |
| 6 | 6Vexatious (KY) |
Kent J. Desormeaux | 121 | Neil D. Drysdale | 5/2 |
| 7 | 7Moana (KY) |
John R. Velazquez | 121 | Todd A. Pletcher | 8/1 |