The Beaugay (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
BEL- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
May 9, 2020

The gate will mostly be full at BEL on Satuday for the 11th running of the Grade 3 Beaugay, a race that showcases older female turf horses. Conditions have varied on the race since its inception, and up until 2014, three year olds were also eligible to run against the older horses. There was even one year where the distance of the race was only a mile. The purse of the race was $100.000 for quite some time, and then ran at $150.000 for over half of its lifespan, before getting an additional increase to its $200.000 level. Last year, Gdp Inc was the winning trainer with four year old filly Not Charleigh Now. It would be the final win of her career, and amazingly she has already produced three foals since then! No trainer has won this race more then once. This year, the race will have ten horses taking part, so let’s take a look at them now!

#1- Absolute Bella (Luz International, ridden by J J Castellano)- At six years old, this mare is the oldest in the field, and makes the 26th start of her career. She has been effective during that time frame, with nine wins, but none have come in a stake yet. Overall, she is new to this level but showed the ability to succeed in it when she was second in the Grade 3 My Charmer Handicap in December. Works are going the wrong way a little bit, but nothing I would be greatly concerned about as there could be a reason for it.

#2- Holualoa (Smokey Stover, ridden by J Lezcano)- This is a four year old filly by Grandeur that looks to bounce back following a subpar performance in the Grade 1 Wiley. When not running in Grade 1’s, she’s been good and has shown particular prowess when running against ON-breds. Placed third on Leap Day in the Grade 3 Very One, a longer race that she ran at the front at from start to finish. This race is much more like that the Wiley, of course, so that is the kind of race I am expecting to see out of her on Saturday.

#3 Bach In Tune (Threshold, ridden by E Cancel)- Be looking for this one to come from behind in the stretch if she runs the race like she has her previous few starts. The trainer will be hoping that leads to her third straight victory, and her first at the graded level. Most recently, she won the $100.000 Sand Springs in a very tight photo in the wire, a photo in which also included Absolute Bella. That was her first stake win of any sort, so winning this race would be the ideal follow up.

#4- Because (Mb Stables, ridden by M Tunon)- Last week, Mb Stables finally crossed the KYO off the list of stakes that he has never won. This week, he could do that again in the Beaugay. Fine, that’s a lot less exciting. Because comes into the race red hot, winning her last three, as well as her last five of six. Her last start saw her win the $100.000 Plenty Of Grace at the Big A last month. When she was two, she ran against graded company, but might not have been ready quite yet. Now, she seems poised for a strong result.

#5- Command Stroke (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J K Court)- The Command Attention filly has been running well of late, with wins in two of her last four starts. That’s highlighted by the $75.000 Tropical Park Oaks at GP. That stretch also marked a return to the grass for her, something she saw a lot of when she was a two year old, competing in the graded ranks back then. This is the first time in nearly a full year that she has run at that level. Working well coming into the event.

#6- Bewitching (Winning Link Stable, ridden by R Bejarano)- Making her debut with the trainer after being picked up in private sales from Smokey Stover for $50.000. Winning Link is doing some things differently here, as her career was mostly all five furlong turf sprints before this. Once, and over a year ago, she ran a mile. A recent mile work shows that she is ready for the test, but the bigger question is whether or not she will need a race first. The trainer does not think so, as Bewitching makes her first stake appearance, of any sort, here in the Beaugay.

#7- Broken Nail (Aer Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Claimed in her last start for $32.000 from Mb Stables. She’s passed hands a few times now, with occasional entries into races like this one, though has never won a stake. She has not won since last July, but has been second in four of her last six starts. Worked brilliantly at SA late last month, but is Aer Stables going to be the one who finally gets her to achieve at this level. After all, she has had her chances, and I have to wonder if prior trainers found her to be a frustrating horse to own.

#8- Speak Of The Devil (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by D E Centeno)- Rapidly fell out of favor in her prior barn, Maxmillion Farm, from once running in an allowance before breaking her maiden, before ultimately dropping to TUP in order to do that. Off of that, Max seemed to just want to get rid of her, placing her in a $3.000 claimer, where she was fifth. TwinTowers picked her up, and moved her to the main track, and it did not go well. Now, she is back to running long on the grass. Recent public works are all on the main track, so it’s hard to be excited about her.

#9- Bonne Happy (Crocker Ggs, ridden by A Beschizza)- Since being picked up in a $7.000 maiden claimer, Bonne Happy has been very happy with Crocker Ggs. Her distance was extended to a mile or more, and after two strong allowance performances, she has run first and second in a couple of ungraded stakes. The win came in the $100.000 Benson Memorial Stakes about six weeks ago. Now, she will be making her graded debut, and I like the form she is on right now. Look for her to be a major threat.

#10- Coastal Flower (Nolespan Racing, ridden by Mar Garcia)- This is another horse that makes her debut for a trainer fresh off a claim. Coastal Flower was picked up for $12.500 from Gustafson Stable last month, and now her 25th career start will be her graded debut. It is also the first time she has been on the grass since her lone attempt at it, which was back in July 2017. There are no public works since late February, and she has not been publicly worked on the grass since 2018. I can’t pick a horse that I don’t have enough information about.

Prediction: 3-4-9-6

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES