American Gal Tops West Coast Invaders in Bed O' Roses

Kaleem Shah's multiple grade 1 winner American Gal tops a trio of West Coast-based contenders and seeks her second straight graded victory as part of a strong eight-horse field in the $250,000 Bed o' Roses Invitational (G3) June 8 at Belmont Park.

The seven-furlong sprint, for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, is one of five stakes on the second day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which offers $9.4 million in purses through 18 stakes races over the three-day event highlighted by the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

American Gal comes into the Bed o' Roses off a two-length score in the May 5 Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs.

"She's doing really good," trainer Simon Callaghan said. "Were happy with the way she's coming into the race. She ran a good first race at Keeneland, not beaten far there, and then came back and won the grade 1 at Churchill."

Trained by Bob Baffert as a 2-year-old, the daughter of Concord Point placed third in the 2016 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and ended her juvenile season with a runner-up finish in the Starlet Stakes (G1). 

She only raced twice as a 3-year-old, winning the Victory Ride Stakes (G3) at Belmont in her first start for Callaghan, and the Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

"We gave her some time off (earlier in the year)," Callaghan said. "It was just a real minor thing. Then we decided to give her more time off and bring her back as a 4-year-old, but it seems she's come back as good as ever."

American Gal will break from post 2 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) winner Union Strike returns to action after being away from racing since the Jan. 13 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita Park in which she placed seventh. The daughter of Union Rags  has been working on both dirt and turf at Keeneland since May 12 for trainer Mick Ruis, who owns the 4-year-old filly with his wife, Wendy. Union Strike placed fifth in the 2017 Acorn Stakes (G1) in her only start at Belmont Park.

Lael Stables and trainer Arnaud Delacour entered the third West Coast-based contender in Chalon. The 4-year-old Dialed In  filly was runner up in the May 12 Vagrancy Handicap (G3) over the New York track in her most recent effort. Chalon recorded a stakes victory over the Belmont track when she took the 2017 Jersey Girl. She opened her 2018 season with a score in Laurel Park's Primonetta Stakes April 21.

Among the other contenders, Alpha Delta Stables' multiple graded stakes winner Lewis Bay brings her own impressive résumé with her. Still seeking a victory this year, the daughter of Bernardini  finished second in the Feb. 19 Royal Delta (G3), and third in both the Madison Stakes (G1) and Humana Distaff.

"She's doing well," trainer Chad Brown said. "She emerged from the Humana Distaff with a quarter crack that we had to repair, so she did miss a little bit of time. She's come back with a couple of easy breezes. She seems to be moving fine."

Trainer Todd Pletcher brings Humana Distaff runner up Ivy Bell, who seems to be turning a corner this year after beginning the season with a score in the March 17 Inside Information Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park, which was her first graded win.