Buxom Beast to Make Career Debut in Schuylerville
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Trainer Gary Contessa says the maiden races for 2-year-olds at Saratoga can shape up tougher than stakes races
The maiden special weights for 2-year-olds are closely watched at Saratoga Race Course and can draw deep, competitive fields. With that in mind, trainer Gary Contessa will saddle Lee Pokoik's Buxom Beast for her career debut in the six-furlong, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) July 11, one of two stakes on opening day at The Spa.
"I like her. She's very level-headed and acts like a 3-year-old masquerading as a 2-year-old," Contessa said of Buxom Beast. "She's got a very good mind. I like everything about her.
"Over the years, I've raced maidens at Saratoga, and some of those races have been tougher than stakes. You just never know what you're going to get at Saratoga. Running in a stakes is sometimes easier than a maiden race."
From the first crop of The Big Beast , out of the Pentelicus mare Potluck Dinner, Buxom Beast is a half sister to grade 3 winner Gourmet Dinner and stakes winner Gaston A. The chestnut filly was consigned by breeder Ocala Stud at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where Contessa went to $205,000 for her.
Buxom Beast tuned up for the Schuylerville July 1 with a half-mile work in :49.32, the 10th fastest of 39, over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga.
"She's been training really good and Mr. Pokoik wanted to give this a shot," Contessa said. "Honestly, a stakes race this early in the year is just a bunch of horses who have either won one race or haven't raced. But she's training very, very good."
Seven of the nine fillies entered are debut winners, including George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, and Mark Mathiesen's Aurelia Garland. The daughter of Constitution was a five-length winner May 2 at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Belmont Park after taking over early in a five-furlong maiden race. She had her first work over Saratoga's main track July 5, breezing three furlongs in :38.77.
"She's doing great. She's a real quality filly who won convincingly in her debut," Ward said. "You never know in these races, but she's very talented and very fast, especially for being a big filly. She's certainly going to appreciate the added furlong. Her game will be going long."
Trainer Todd Pletcher and Doug O'Neill both have two fillies entered.
Pletcher will send out Three Diamond Farm's Kiss the Girl, sired by Into Mischief , and Suzanne and Michael Masters' homebred Algorithms filly, Integral. Kiss the Girl came off the pace for a 4 1/2-length score June 12 at Belmont Park going five furlongs, while Integral makes her first start since leading every step of a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight May 25 at Gulfstream Park where she won by 3 1/2 lengths.
O'Neill has taken over the training of Shippy for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, and Joseph Besecker. The Midshipman filly broke her maiden by 10 3/4 lengths June 14 dashing five furlongs at Laurel Park with trainer Timothy Keiser.
Shipping from O'Neill's California stable is ERJ Racing, Gary Barber, Dave Kenney, and Madaket Stables' Comical. The daughter of Into Mischief debuted May 26 at Santa Anita Park, led every step of the 4 1/2 furlongs, and won by six lengths.
Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, July 11, 2019, Race 8Entries: Schuylerville S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Shippy (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
120
Doug F. O'Neill
2/1
2
2Integral (KY)
Luis Saez
120
Todd A. Pletcher
6/1
3
3His Glory (FL)
Jose Lezcano
120
Thomas M. Amoss
15/1
4
4Lula's Roadrunner (PA)
Mychel J. Sanchez
120
Edward J. Coletti, Jr.
20/1
5
5Comical (KY)
Javier Castellano
120
Doug F. O'Neill
5/1
6
6Lady Fatima (KY)
Dylan Davis
120
Mark E. Casse
12/1
7
7Buxom Beast (FL)
Joel Rosario
118
Gary C. Contessa
15/1
8
8Aurelia Garland (KY)
Joe Bravo
120
Wesley A. Ward
3/1
9
9Kiss the Girl (MD)
John R. Velazquez
120
Todd A. Pletcher
6/1
