Annecdote Seeks Second Grade III in Athenia

Coming off a victory in the Noble Damsel Stakes (gr. IIIT) in her U.S. debut, George Bolton and Peter Leidel's Annecdote tops a solid field of 12 older fillies and mares entered in the Athenia Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park Sept. 12.



At 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf course with a purse of $200,000, the Athenia is the ninth on a 10-race card, with an approximate post time of 4:58 p.m. ET.



Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Christophe Clement, Annecdote, a group III winner in Great Britain last year, went from last to first to secure the Sept. 13 Noble Damsel at a mile on the Belmont turf. She defeated pacesetter Byrama, a grade I winner who also returns in the Athenia, by 2 3/4 lengths.

Ortiz is also named to ride again. Annecdote, breaking from the far outside post, is one of three tabbed to carry top weight of 123 pounds. A 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Lucky Story, Annecdote has won six of 14 starts.



Clement has entered Maximova and Cushion in the Athenia, which also drew the Noble Damsel third and fourth-place finishers in Julie's Love and Baffle Me.



Also assigned 123 and with Ortiz named, is Stonestreet Stable's homebred Teen Pauline, entered by trainer Todd Pletcher for the main track only. If she goes, the daughter of Tapit   will be coming off a lengthy layoff, having last raced while winning the Top Flight Handicap (gr. II) March 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The Top Flight was the third stakes win in as many starts this year, all last winter, for the 4-year-old filly who is 5-1-3, with earnings of $461,300, from 11 starts.



Another closer assigned 123 pounds is Pin Oak Stable's homebred Overheard, who rallied from seventh to just nip Malcolm Pierce-trained stablemate Deceptive Vision in the Dance Smartly Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine July 6. Most recetnly second in the Violet Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth park, she will break from the rail under Javier Castellano.



A 4-year-old filly by Macho Uno  , Overheard has bankrolled $471,340 while winning five of 13 starts with eight placings. The filly's additional stakes triumphs include the 2013 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland and the Alywow Stakes at Woodbine.