The in-form and consistent Celestine chased the pace and put them away to post a stakes record and give Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott a record fifth victory in the Just a Game. Celestine began her career with trainer Bill Kaplan, and annexed Gulfstream's Sanibel Island S. last March off the stretch-out from a five-furlong maiden score. She was sent to Mott after that, and added this venue's Wait a While S. that May and the Wild Applause S. by a nose in June.
The dark bay turned in the worst race of her career when 10th in the GII Mrs Revere S. at Churchill Nov. 14, but bounced back to finish a neck second to 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent GIII Suwanee River S. heroine Tammy the Torpedo (More Than Ready) in Gulfstream's Tropical Park Oaks Dec. 19. Third to Just a Game runner Faufiler (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a hot-paced first running of the Sand Springs S. Feb. 27, she got away with much more sensible fractions in the GII Honey Fox S. back in Florida Apr. 2 and never looked back.
Having fired three bullets on Saratoga's Oklahoma Training Track in preparation for this, Celestine broke on top but was content to allow headstrong longshot La Berma (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) show the way through splits of :23.36 and :46.13. Popped the question hitting the stretch after six panels in 1:09.63, she skipped over the surface en route to a never-in-doubt victory.
“It was a dream trip,” offered winning pilot Junior Alvarado. “With this kind of filly, she has speed and she can stalk a little bit, too. As soon as she broke, she broke very beautifully and after that I was just sitting on her. I waited until we turned for home to ask her. I couldn't ask for a better trip than that. It was like everything was just going perfect.”
Mott also saddled fourth finisher Lady Lara (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}), and last-place My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song).
“This was a very impressive performance. She's gotten better as time has gone on,” Mott said of the winner. “She just drew away from a very good field. She's pretty fast. She tracked that filly today. She's rating well. She was very comfortable where she was in the race. I thought my other filly, My Miss Sophia, was in good shape and Lady Lara (in foal to Uncle Mo) was a little wide up on the outside and was fourth where she finished.”
The Hall of Famer noted, “We were one-hundredth of a second slower than the course record of Elusive Quality, who I also trained. That was a world record at the time.”
Celestine's dam is a half to GSW Buddy's Humor (Distorted Humor). She has a yearling half-brother by Silent Name (Jpn).
Saturday, Belmont Park
LONGINES JUST A GAME S.-GI, $700,000, BEL, 6-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:31.64, fm.
1–&CELESTINE, 121, f, 4, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Mona Mia, by Monarchos
2nd Dam: Hello Barbara Sue, by Dehere
3rd Dam: Barbara Sue, by Big Spruce
($100,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP; $975,000 RNA 2yo '14 OBSOPN).
O-James A. Bryan, Jr.; B-Phoenix Rising Farms (KY); T-William I.
Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $375,000. Lifetime Record: 12-6-2-1,
$784,755. *1/2 to Haunted Heroine (Ghostzapper), MSW,
$267,150. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A.[bullet ad=”woodsgayle-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″][bullet ad=”elmtree-halfbrosellskeesep”]2–Recepta, 117, m, 5, Speightstown–Honor Bestowed, by
Honor Grades. ($410,000 Ylg '12 KEESEP). O-Phillips Racing
Partnership & Pam Gartin; B-John W. Phillips & Hank Snowden
(KY); T-James J. Toner. $130,000.[bullet ad=”kirkwood-shell”][bullet ad=”darbydan-shell”]3–Mrs McDougal, 117, f, 4, Medaglia d'Oro–Distorted Passion,
by Distorted Humor. ($450,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Mr. & Mrs.
K. Warren, Jr.; B-Aaron U. & Marie D. Jones (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown. $70,000.[bullet ad=”stonestreet-trainingalum”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: 3 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 7.50, 3.85, 3.55.
Also Ran: Lady Lara (Ire), Faufiler (Ire), Prize Exhibit (GB), Rainha Da Bateria, Strike Charmer, La Berma (Ire), Lexie Lou, Tapitry, Irish Rookie (Ire), My Miss Sophia.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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