Sweet Melania delivered the performance everyone expected, dominating the GIII Wonder Again S. from start to finish. Seizing the early advantage, the 6-5 chalk put up a half-mile in :47.62 with Antoinette (Hard Spun) hounding her from a close second. Showing the way into the lane, the chestnut charged clear in the lane to win as she pleased with Highland Glory (Sky Mesa) in second.
“Analyzing the race beforehand, it looked as though she had a pace advantage,” said Todd Pletcher. “We weren't going to put her on the lead, we felt that she would naturally get herself there. Jose [Ortiz] did a nice job of hashing it out and she responded well.”
Graduating at third asking when trying turf and a route of ground for the first time at Saratoga July 14, Sweet Melania missed by a neck in that venue's P.G. Johnson S. Aug. 29, but redeemed herself with a dominant win in Keeneland's GII Jessamine S. Oct. 9. She was last seen finishing third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. Nov. 1.
Pedigree Notes:
Sweet Melania is one of seven stakes winners and three graded winners from the first crop of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Sweet N Discreet did not produce a foal in 2018 and her 2019 Carpe Diem filly died, but she had a Liam's Map colt in April after being acquired by Mt. Brilliant Farm for $1.6 million at Fasig-Tipton November shortly after her daughter's Breeders' Cup effort. Sweet N Discreet is a full to GSW and GISP Discreet Dancer and a half to GSW Travelin Man (Trippi).
Saturday, Belmont Park
WONDER AGAIN S.-GIII, $145,500, Belmont, 6-20, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.23, fm.
1–SWEET MELANIA, 122, f, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Sweet N Discreet (SW & GSP, $366,447), by Discreet Cat
2nd Dam: West Side Dancer, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Bering Cruise, by Danzig
($600,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Robert E. & Lawana L. Low; B-St.
Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Jose L. Ortiz.
$82,500. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-3, $376,500.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Highland Glory, 122, f, 3, Sky Mesa–Kristi With a K, by
Petionville. O-Steadfast Stable; B-Bonner Young (KY); T-Barclay
Tagg. $30,000.
3–Antoinette, 122, f, 3, Hard Spun–Shuruq, by Elusive Quality.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. $18,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.30, 3.20, 6.20.
Also Ran: Speaktomeofsummer, Selflessly. 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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