By Brian DiDonato
La Berma (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), a stakes winner and multiple group-placed in France last year for conditioner Fabrice Chappet, is an intriguing invader for Saturday's GI Just a Game S. at Belmont Park. The dark bay was offered at the Arqana Arc Sale on the eve of a tilt in Longchamp's G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret Oct. 4, and was hammered down for €600,000–the most among “wildcard” entrants–to Chantilly Bloodstock. She wasn't disgraced when beaten just 5 1/2 lengths by some of the best sprinter/milers in the world the following afternoon, and was subsequently sold privately to Deron Pearson and shipped to California to join the barn of Jim Cassidy. Making her first start for the new connections in Santa Anita's GII Royal Heroine Mile May 5, she dueled through impossible splits before fading to ninth. “She's a pretty nice filly, I think.” said Cassidy, fitting in nicely in his signature New York Yankees cap after watching La Berma and his other Just a Game entrant Prize Exhibit (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) school in the paddock Wednesday morning. “I was very disappointed in the ride that she got last time–he never took a hold of her, he just let her do her thing. I really felt like she could win that race.” La Berma was entered in Thursday's seven-panel Intercontinental S. as insurance against failing to make it into the body of the Just a Game, but she drew post four of 13 in the $700,000 affair.
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