By Joe Bianca
There was a lot of hype coming into Sunday's seventh race at Belmont Park, but almost none of it surrounded the eventual blowout winner of the six-furlong dash. Ladies Day (Bernardini), a distant second on debut in the slop July 31 at Saratoga behind 'TDN Rising Star' Runway Doll (Majestic Warrior), was an afterthought at the windows and in the prerace conversation, but burst onto the scene with a six-length romp to earn her own 'Rising Star' badge.
Sent off at 8-1 despite being coupled with a fast-working Godolphin stablemate, Ladies Day stalked the pace three wide, made a strong bid for the lead at the top of the lane, spurted clear and cruised home well in front while under wraps late. Heavenly Grace (Tapit), garnering all the buzz going into the race by virtue of being the first starter out of 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), finished third despite a slow break and significant traffic trouble in the stretch. Her future is likely bright, but there is little question about the potential of Ladies Day.
“I was very impressed,” said trainer Tom Albertrani. “We always thought she looked like a talented filly. She definitely showed some run in her first start, and knowing that she would probably benefit from the race, that certainly showed yesterday.”
Albertrani is notorious for being patient with his juveniles, often leading to a slow Saratoga meet and a subsequent surge for his barn at Belmont fall.
“I like to see them progress on their own,” the 58-year-old Brooklyn native said. “I'd rather get a race under their belt–instead of breezing them two or three more times–and give them some experience. Sometimes they're good enough to win first time out, but I just like to see them come around slowly and make that natural progression. It seems like Belmont fall has always been our best meet.”
Albertrani is best-known for campaigning Bernardini (A.P. Indy), the Eclipse champion 3-year-old colt of 2006 who captured that term's GI Preakness S., GI Travers S., GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and finished a narrow second to Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Darley-owned bay has since turned into one of the most successful sires in America, and Albertrani now gets to condition many of his former superstar's progeny, including Ladies Day.
“Being that I had the opportunity to train [Bernardini],” Albertrani related, “I always look for the same traits that he had. I couldn't say that about a lot of [his offspring], but this filly certainly has a lot of his traits and temperament. Calm demeanor, how she handles her surroundings, she's just very low-key and he was similar in that respect. It's been 10 years now since Bernardini was racing and I've had a couple of nice horses by him, but I'm hoping this filly is a notch better.”
Albertrani added that Ladies Day appeared to come out of her graduation effort well and will be pointed to run next in one of three upcoming spots at Aqueduct–the GIII Tempted S. Nov. 5, the Furlough S. Nov. 24 or the GII Demoiselle S. Nov. 26.
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