Schwartz Hopeful for Second Just a Game with Off Limits

Owner Martin Schwartz would love to see lightning strike twice, even it if it's more than a decade later.

Schwartz first won the Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) in 2006 with Gorella, and he'll try for a long-delayed encore June 9 in the one-turn mile turf stakes for fillies and mares when trainer Chad Brown sends out Off Limits in one of six grade 1 stakes on the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) undercard.

"It would be nice to win the Just a Game again," Schwartz said. "It's been 12 years since the last time, and the mile should be a perfect trip for Off Limits, who has a great affinity for Belmont Park."

Off Limits drew post 3 in a field of eight racing over Belmont's Widener turf course and was pegged as the 7-2 second choice, checking in just behind stablemate A Raving Beauty. A 6-year-old Mastercraftsman mare, Off Limits will look to regain her top form after a pair of disappointing efforts this year.

After winning five of six starts in 2017, capped by a one-length score in the Nov. 26 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) at Del Mar, Off Limits rallied belatedly to finish fifth in the Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs. In her last start, she was carried wide in the stretch of the Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland and finished a troubled third under jockey Joel Rosario. Brown recorded a 1-2-3 finish in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes.

"I was led to believe she was loaded for the Tampa race and would do well, but it didn't work out," Schwartz said. "Keeneland is always a crapshoot because you never know how a horse will handle that track. The best horse won in the Jenny Wiley, but the interesting thing is that I use Racing Post ratings, and Off Limits got 110 while Fourstar Crook got a 108, even though she finished second. They gave Sistercharlie a 112 for winning the race. That's how they ranked the trips."

Saying, "It was time for a change," Schwartz was delighted to gain the services of Hall of Fame jockey and four-time Eclipse Award winner Javier Castellano for his stretch-running mare in the Just a Game.

"I have all the faith in the world in Javy," said Schwartz, who teamed with Castellano and Brown to win the 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Zagora. "They call Mike Smith 'Big Money' Mike. I call Javier 'Saturday Javy' because he likes to be in the winner's circle on Saturdays, and I hope he can get me there."

Castellano and Brown also won last year's Just a Game with Juddmonte Farms' Antonoe.

Off Limits, another in a long line of turf runners purchased overseas by Schwartz and transformed into a graded stakes winner in the United States, has won 7 of 19 starts with earnings of $675,680. She owns three victories and a second over the Widener course.

Much like the April 14 Jenny Wiley, her main rival in the Just a Game could prove to be another runner in Brown's prolific barn.

A Raving Beauty, also a daughter of Mastercraftsman, registered a three-length victory in her May 12 U.S. debut in the Beaugay Stakes (G3T) at Belmont for Brown and owners Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables.

The victory was the fourth in 18 starts for A Raving Beauty, who was second in Rome's Premio Lydia Tesio (G1) in her previous race.

Trainer Mark Casse is hoping for a little less noise at the start for La Coronel and a loud statement at the finish.

A grade 1 winner in Keeneland's Queen Elizabeth II Cup Stakes Presented by Lane's End (G1T) last fall, the usually speedy La Coronel had a miserable trip in the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) May 5 at Churchill Downs. According to Casse, jockey Jose Lezcano tried to tell the starter that owner John Oxley's 4-year-old filly was not ready for the break, but his words were drowned out by loud music from a speaker near the starting gate. La Coronel broke 10th in a field of 11, was still 10th after a half-mile, and finished sixth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Just a Game third choice Proctor's Ledge.

"It was over before it started," Casse said. "Normally they can hear what the riders have to say, but they couldn't hear that Jose wasn't ready. Later on, the riders went to the stewards because the speakers were near the starting gate and the noise was blasting in their ears. It was kind of a mess. I don't think they'll be blasting music at Belmont Park, and I'm hoping she'll run a more typical race on Saturday. That's our plan."

Purchased for $375,000 at the 2016 Ocala Breeders' Sales April 2-year-olds in training sale, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Colonel John is winless in four 2018 starts after closing her 2017 campaign with her victory in the QE II Cup.

She'll be joined in the starting gate once again by stablemate Dream Dancing, who is also owned by Oxley and was fourth in the Distaff Turf Mile. She, too, is winless in four starts since taking the 2017 Del Mar Oaks Presented by The Jockey Club (G1T).

"It's an extremely tough race. Both fillies are a little off form right now, and we're hoping they can recapture what they had last year," Casse said. "I think the mile is the best distance for La Coronel. She wants to be close to the pace, and the other filly comes from out of it. Pace is the big thing with her. If they go fast and come back to her, she'll come running. If they don't, she won't. La Coronel should make sure there's a quick pace, if she breaks."

Entries: Longines Just a Game S. (G1T)

Belmont Park, Saturday, June 09, 2018, Race 8

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $700,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:02 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1On Leave (KY)	Manuel Franco	117	Claude R. McGaughey III	9/2
2	2Dream Dancing (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Mark E. Casse	20/1
3	3Off Limits (IRE)	Javier Castellano	121	Chad C. Brown	7/2
4	4Lull (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	117	Christophe Clement	5/1
5	5Proctor's Ledge (KY)	John R. Velazquez	123	Brendan P. Walsh	4/1
6	6Cambodia (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	119	Thomas F. Proctor	10/1
7	7A Raving Beauty (GER)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	117	Chad C. Brown	5/2
8	8La Coronel (KY)	Jose Lezcano	121	Mark E. Casse	10/1