By Joe Bianca
Last spring, Martin S. Schwartz's Sea Calisi (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}) impressively annexed Belmont's GII Sheepshead Bay S. in her seasonal debut over yielding turf by 2 1/2 lengths and went into the GII New York S. on GI Belmont S. weekend favored. Things didn't go according to plan, and the bay had a nightmare trip before settling for second.
This spring, the now 5-year-old impressively annexed Belmont's GII Sheepshead Bay S. in her seasonal debut over yielding turf by 2 1/2 lengths and will go into the GII New York S. on GI Belmont S. weekend favored. Only time will tell whether the racing gods will smile on her with a less detrimental trip this time around.
The Chad Brown trainee, placed twice in Group 1's in Europe, earned her first top-level score in the GI Beverly D. S. last August, but was third in the GI Flower Bowl S. Oct. 8 and closed her 4-year-old campaign with a disappointing seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Her title defense in the Sheepshead Bay, however, earned her a 105 Beyer, easily the best number of her career.
Chief among Sea Calisi's rivals is the mare who beat her in last year's Sheepshead Bay, stablemate Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy). The honest chestnut backed that victory up with a win in the GI Diana S. and was second by a head in the boggy-ground GIII Beaugay S. in her 6-year-old bow here May 13.
“They're both training really well and they're coming into the race the right way,” Brown said of his pair. “They have similar running styles, but they complement each other in terms of ground preference. Dacita prefers it firm, but can handle soft if she has to. Sea Calisi can run on firm, but she prefers some give in the ground.”
A clear second behind Sea Calisi last out, Juddmonte Farms' Suffused (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) rates a chance. Capturing the first 1 15/16-mile Belmont Coronation Invitational, which will not be run this year, last June, the homebred has yet to be out of the exacta in six starts since, including victories in the GIII Glens Falls S., GIII La Prevoyante H. and GIII The Very One S.
Lightly-raced Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could make some noise. The bay 4-year-old, with three wins in five career starts, captured the GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. last fall at Keeneland and was third in the GI Jenny Wiley S. there when last seen Apr. 15. Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) will look to go back-to-back after gamely holding off Dacita in the Beaugay. The Lael Stables colorbearer was third in the G1 Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary in her only previous try at 10 furlongs.
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