The Queens M G will look to double her graded wins tally in Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies at Belmont at the Big A.
The Frizette, a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 1 at Del Mar, also offers the top five finishers 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks.
The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee was purchased privately out of a 45-1 winning debut for owner-trainer Israel Acevedo in April at Keeneland. The Thousand Words dark bay since has made four stakes starts at Saratoga, including a troubled seventh as the mutuel favorite in the Astoria in June ahead of a redemptive 44-1 score in the listed Schuylerville sprinting six furlongs in July.
The Queens M G romped to a nine-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack (G3) in August before faltering to fifth last out when competing over muddy and sealed footing in the seven-furlong Spinaway (G1).
Although cross-entered in Saturday’s Alcibiades (G1) on Saturday at Keeneland, Joseph confirmed The Queens M G, who has remained in training at Saratoga, will race in the Frizette.
“It’s a shorter ship and it made more sense to bring her here and see how she gets on,” Joseph said. “It looks like she’ll get a fast track, and that was important too. We didn’t want to catch a sloppy track again.
“She had three races in succession so that goes through your mind too, but we feel the Spinaway was more the track than the race. She’s bounced out of it well,” Joseph added.
Joseph said The Queens M G would be a strong contender if she runs back to her Adirondack effort.
“She definitely was impressive that day,” Joseph said. “The mile is unknown, but we feel pretty optimistic about it the way she trains.”
Daily Racing Form reported Thursday that Senza Parole, the 3-5 morning line favorite for the Frizette, will scratch and is out for the year with a physical problem.
Joseph said Paradise City, a maiden winner Sept. 6 at Gulfstream Park whom he also entered in the Frizette, also will scratch in favor of an easier spot.
“We wanted to take a look, but it’s a bit quick back to face that caliber and ship. So we’ll try allowance company first and take it step by step,” Joseph said.
Multiple graded stakes-placed Axthelm will look to make the grade in Saturday’s Belmont Turf Sprint (G3).
Although cross-entered in Saturday’s Woodford (G2) at Keeneland, Joseph said Axthelm would appreciate the extra half-furlong in the six-furlong outer turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up listed as race 6 at Aqueduct.
The 5-year-old Into Mischief horse sports a record of 8: 2-0-3 this year, including optional-claiming wins in March at Gulfstream and Sep. 1 at Kentucky Downs. He arrives from a rallying third to the victorious Cogburn in the Turf Sprint (G2) while racing on six days’ rest at Kentucky Downs.
“The extra distance will help him,” Joseph said. “He’s training well. He had two races at Kentucky Downs and one easy breeze back at Palm Meadows. We didn’t have to do much. He seems to be in good order, and hopefully he will run well. He went through a period there where he didn’t run well, but now he’s back on track.”
Axthelm, listed at 6-1 on the morning line, will exit the inside post under Dylan Davis.
White Abarrio, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, is training toward a return to action. He was last seen finishing fifth in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 8 during the Belmont Stakes racing festival at Saratoga.
The 5-year-old Race Day horse, who has banked more than $5.1 million through a 17: 7-1-3 record, has worked back twice over the Oklahoma dirt training track at Saratoga, including a three-eighths breeze in 38.22 on Oct. 1.
Joseph said White Abarrio is working toward the goal of the Pegasus World Cup (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park, a race in which he finished eighth in 2023.
“He had his second work back, and he’s in good order so far,” Joseph said. “He’ll ship down to Florida this week and do the rest of his preparation down there. He’ll run before the Pegasus, but where and when we just don’t know yet.”
Multiple graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Skippylongstocking finished second in Saturday’s Woodward (G2) at Aqueduct, stalking Masqueparade from second position in the nine-furlong route and taking command at the stretch call but missing by three-quarters of a length to the closing Tapit Trice. The 5-year-old Exaggerator bay earned a 97 Beyer for his game effort over the muddy and sealed track.
“I thought he ran well. He just got ran down by Tapit Trice, who is a very good horse,” Jospeh said. “We were second best on the day. You always want to win, but we can’t complain about the effort. We got a good trip, and I thought we lost nothing in defeat.”
Joseph said Skippylongstocking now will be pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup in November at Del Mar with both the Classic and Dirt Mile under consideration. He finished third in last year’s Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.
“We’re going to go to the Breeders’ Cup, but which race yet is hard to say,” Joseph said. “He’s come out of the race well energy-wise and looks in good order, so we’re happy with him.”
Joseph said he remains proud of the talented nine-time winner, who has banked more than $3 million while winning at five tracks.
“He’s a warrior,” Joseph said. “We put him in all different kinds of scenarios, and he just goes track to track and he shows up. He’s a model of consistency.”
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