Rice filly eyes three in a row

ELMONT, N.Y. – A pair of allowance dirt sprints for fillies and mares highlight the Thursday card that kicks off the final week of racing at the Belmont Park spring/summer meet.

Race 8 is a second-level allowance scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs in which the Linda Rice-trained Downtown Mama looks for her third consecutive victory to begin her career. Downtown Mama, a 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown, won her debut at Laurel in the mud on April 23 before coming back to New York to win a first-level allowance race by three lengths at Belmont on May 27.

Rice said she thought about running Downtown Mama in a stakes race but said the Jersey Girl at Belmont on June 11 “came up too soon” and the Grade 3 Victory Ride, won Sunday by American Gal, “was too tough.”

Rice described Downtown Mama, a $440,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training by Sheila Rosenblum, as “a high-strung filly who needs a little time between races.”

“Frankly, I didn’t want to throw too much too soon at her,” Rice said.

On Thursday, Downtown Mama appears to have found a relatively easy spot against five rivals, including a filly named Everlasting Secret, who recently joined the Rice barn after making her first nine starts for Mary Eppler. Everlasting Secret has twice been second in this condition and in both races set the early pace.

She could provide the target for Downtown Mama to stalk from the outside post in this six-horse field. Jose Ortiz, who is battling for leading-rider honors at this meet with his brother Irad Ortiz Jr., has the call on Downtown Mama.

Littlemiss business has won two straight races and has been claimed out of each one. On June 16, she won a $40,000 claimer by a neck for Robertino Diodoro and was taken by Steve Asmussen, who has her entered for the optional claiming price of $62,500 on Thursday. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides.

Super Allison, who has been her own worst enemy with slow breaks in her last six starts, Riot Worthy, and Malibu Stacy complete the field.

Race 5 is a first-level allowance race for fillies and mares at six furlongs. The race marks the seasonal debut of Set to Dance, a 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor who won her last two races of 2016 after losing by 11 1/2 lengths by Felini in her debut.

“It took her quite a while to get fit, but she’s been working well lately, and I’m excited to see her run,” said trainer Christophe Clement.

Among her competition will be Knarsdale, a 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro who won her debut for trainer Jimmy Jerkens in April, beating, among others, the Jerkenstrained Holy Helena, the recent winner of the Queen’s Plate against males at Woodbine. Knarsdale will break from the outside post under Rajiv Maragh.

Sky Gesture, True Charm, Ladies Day, and Cursor complete the field.