TDN RISING STARS

May 27, 2016 - Belmont Park, Race 1, Msw, USD $75,000, 5F, .0000

Red Lodge, f, 2, 2014 by Midshipman

1st Dam: Star Silver, by Aldebaran
2nd Dam: Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk
3rd Dam: All My Memories, by Little Current

Owner: Hat Creek Racing
Breeder: William J. Betz & Peter V. Lamantia (KY)
Trainer: Wesley A. Ward

Red Lodge, favored at 4-5 as the lone filly against five males in the Friday lid-lifter at Belmont, shaped as a horse of tremendous promise with this very handy maiden success. Away without incident from gate three, Red Lodge settled in second position as Joel Rosario sent 5-2 second choice Dangerous Dan (Iqbaal) into a clear early advantage. Given just a bit of rein as the quarter pole loomed, the chestnut eased past the pacesetter under no encouragement whatsoever, opened a winning break and had 3 3/4 lengths to spare at the wire. Made You Look (More Than Ready) finished best of the rest for second. The final time established a new course record for the distance. Red Lodge, campaigned by Gatewood Bell’s Hat Creek Racing, was trying the grass for the first time off a debut runner-up effort over the Keeneland main track Apr. 20 in which she led another field of boys by four lengths into the final eighth of a mile, only to be tagged late when her rider failed to pick up the move of a rival rallying up the fence. For some time, winning trainer Wesley Ward has thought highly of Red Lodge, who he will send into action against the males in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot. “I saw that brilliance in March in her,� he explained. “Mario Pino worked her at Palm Meadows and we took her back off three horses. She breezed about four lengths behind them and when he swung her wide and let the reins loose, it was like a leopard pouncing on a gazelle.� Given the speed Red Lodge had exhibited at first asking, Ward asked jockey John Velazquez to try to teach his pupil something Friday. “I told him to get a hold of her in the gate and I was trying to get back to what she did in the work instead of what she had done in her first race,� Ward explained. “And as luck would have it, she came through.� The winner is kin to a yearling filly from the final crop of Street Cry (Ire) and a colt foal of this year by English Channel. The winner’s second dam, Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk), was a dual Grade I winner on the grass and is responsible for two-time GISW Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}), GSW La Cloche (Ghostzapper) and the stakes-winning full-brothers British Blue and War Trace, both sons of Storm Cat. Sales history: $82,000 Ylg ’15 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $55,000.