It’s Breeders’ Cup or bust for a pair of undefeated 2-year-olds, both trained by Todd Pletcher, who won “Win and You’re In” Challenge races Saturday at Belmont Park.
The filly Dreaming of Julie, sent off at 1-9 after winning her first two starts by 10 and 16 lengths, outlasted 5-2 My Happy Face, who won her last race by 21 lengths, in an epic dogfight to win the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette by a head under John Velazquez.
Then in the Grade 1, $400,000 Champagne, 8-5 favorite Shanghai Bobby, previously 3-for-3 including a 3 ¾-length score in the Hopeful, drew off again under Rosie Napravnik to score by five lengths over California shipper Goldencents.
Pletcher also swept last weekend’s two stakes for 2-year-olds, the Matron and the Futurity.
The Frizette, its field reduced to four starters after Roveing Patrol flipped in the gate, kicking Shirley Mae in the stall next to her, was a barn-burner. My Happy Face, Ramon Dominguez up, set a quick pace (23.22 and 46.19 seconds) with Dreaming of Julie breathing down her neck. Those two locked horns into the far turn and traded punches to the wire. Dreaming of Julie began to edge ahead with a furlong to run, but My Happy Face dug in along the rail to just miss.
Both fillies were exhausted at the finish, staggering home the final quarter in 26.24 seconds to complete the mile in 1:37.10. Dreaming of Julie, a Stonestreet Stable homebred sired by A.P. Indy, paid $2.30.
“Not as easy as the last two, not at all,” Velazquez said. “The other filly is a nice filly. I had to put pressure on her the whole way around to make it a match race.”
The Champagne shaped up as a match race, at least the early part, as Goldencents, a seven-length winner of his only previous start at Del Mar, cut out the pace (23.55 and 47.45 seconds) under Kevin Krigger, with Shanghai Bobby right off his flank.
Then Napravnik gave Shanghai Bobby his cue, and then son of Harlan’s Holiday surged to the lead turning for home, then kicked clear down the stretch in :24.34 for the final quarter, the mile in 1:35.55.
Purchased as a yearling by Starlight Stable for $105,000, Shanghai Bobby paid $5.30 to complete a $26 exacta with Goldencents second. Fortify was third, Archwarrior fourth.
“’Bobby’ was on his game today,” said Napravnik, who came back to win the next race, the Grade 1 Jamaica on turf, aboard 28-1 King David. “He was taking me to the lead before I wanted to go, but he was full of it and did it as easy as could be.”