| Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Contact: Sean Morris smorris@nyrainc.com
Belle Gallantey brings impressive resume into Affectionately
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - New Year's Day at Aqueduct Racetrack will feature the $100,000 Affectionately at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, which drew a graded stakes caliber field led by multiple Grade 1 winner Belle Gallantey.
Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables, Belle Gallantey enters the Affectionately off a ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on October 31 at Santa Anita Park. One start prior, the daughter of After Market cruised to an 8 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park.
Also in 2014, Belle Gallantey took the Grade 1, 1 ¼-mile Delaware Handicap by 2 ¾ lengths over Princess of Sylmar, and was beaten by 1 ¾ lengths in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont. Through 44 career starts, the bay mare has compiled a record of 9-12-7, with earnings in excess of $1 million.
Belle Gallantey will break from post 9 with regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard, and is the 7-5 morning-line favorite.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will send out a talented entry of Penwith and Divided Attention, who are both owned by Godolphin Racing and sit at 3-1 on the morning line. Penwith flashed potential as a 2-year-old, finishing third in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct, but was disappointing at the start of her 3-year-old campaign.
After a 4 ½-month layoff, the daughter of Bernardini returned in style at Saratoga Race Course, where she dominated a second-level optional claimer on August 15. The McLaughlin trainee followed that performance up with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Indiana Oaks, and most recently finished fourth in the Grade 3 Comely at Aqueduct after sitting behind a slow pace.
Like Penwith, Divided Attention showed promise as a juvenile, and turned heads this year at Saratoga off an extended layoff. The dark bay or brown filly had finished fourth in last year's Grade 1 Frizette and second in the Grade 3 Tempted in November, but was not seen again until August 23 at Saratoga, when she took a first-level allowance race by 5 ¼ lengths. Since her allowance score, Divided Attention finished 10th in the Grade 2 Raven Run and sixth in the Comely.
Fernando Jara will ride Penwith from post 3, while Dylan Davis will be aboard Divided Attention, who drew post 7.
Rounding out the field are Simply Spectacular and Mylitta, an entry trained by Michael Wilson; Shayjolie, runner-up in the Comely; America, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for celebrity chef Bobby Flay; Agawa, who an off-the-turf optional claimer in her most recent start; and Moment in Dixie, third in the Grade 3 Go For Wand at Aqueduct in her last start.
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