Highway Star looks to regroup

ELMONT, N.Y. – The New York-bred Highway Star won the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap last year to cap a series of good efforts in graded stakes and establish herself as a significant player for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

It’s been nothing but frustration ever since then for her connections.

On Sunday, Highway Star will look to end that frustration and earn a return trip to the Filly and Mare Sprint with a repeat victory in the Gallant Bloom, one of three stakes on the 10-race card.

In six starts since the 2017 Gallant Bloom, Highway Star has four seconds and two nonefforts in the Breeders’ Cup and the Heavenly Prize.

Trainer Rodrigo Ubillo wasn’t thrilled with the ride Highway Star received in a couple of those races, including the Breeders’ Cup, and said that Highway Star came out of the Heavenly Prize in March sore.

Highway Star has not raced since finishing second to Lewis Bay, the likely Gallant Bloom favorite, in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap here on June 8. Highway Star kicked a stall wall, preventing her from making the Honorable Miss in July at Saratoga. Then, she spiked a temperature the day before she was to run in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga.

“It’s not her fault, it’s just the way it’s been,” Ubillo, who trains Highway Star for Chester and Mary Broman, said Thursday. “You have to be patient, have everything come together and move forward again. I’ve been trying to regroup and move forward.”

In between the Heavenly Prize and the Bed o’ Roses, Highway Star finished second, beaten one length by Pacific Wind, in the Grade 2 Ruffian and was beaten a nose by Holiday Disguise in the Critical Eye for New York-breds in May. When Highway Star ran in the Bed o’ Roses, she was coming back in 11 days.

“I ran her back too soon,” Ubillo said. “She needs more time.”

Highway Star will break from post 4 under Luis Saez as the 120-pound second highweight behind Lewis Bay (121 pounds).

The Gallant Bloom field, from the rail out, is: Still There, Kirby’s Penny, Lewis Bay, Highway Star, Holiday Disguise, Union Strike, and Your Love.

Kharafa back in Ashley T. Cole

The 9-year-old Kharafa, who upset last month’s West Point Stakes at 17-1 odds, will seek a fourth victory in Sunday’s $125,000 Ashley T. Cole Stakes for New York-breds at Belmont Park.

Kharafa will be making his 51st start on Sunday, and this will be the sixth straight year he has run in the Ashley T. Cole, run at 1 1/8 miles over Belmont’s inner turf course. Kharafa, a gelding by Kitalpha trained by Tim Hills, won this race in 2013, 2015, and 2016. He finished third in 2014 and last year.

Thirteen were entered in the Ashley T. Cole, but Control Group and J. J.’s Dreaming were entered only for the main track. Kharafa drew post 2 but will break from the rail as Control Group drew the inside post.

Offering Plan, second to Kharafa in the West Point, likely will vie for favoritism with his Chad Brown-trained stablemate Call Provision, who hasn’t run in New York-bred company since he was beaten a nose by Get Jets in this race last year. Call Provision was second to his stablemate Focus Group in the John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga but was disqualified to fourth.

Others entered in the Cole are Red Knight, Winston’s Chance, Leaveematthegate, Gucci Factor, Hit It Once More, Black Tide, Tapitation and Rapt.

Good opportunity for Lady Joan

Lady Joan suffered a tough neck defeat to La Moneda in the Yaddo Stakes at Saratoga last month.

With La Moneda skipping Sunday’s $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes to await a race next month, Lady Joan could be the horse to beat in the Hettinger for New York-bred females going 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Lady Joan ran three times at Saratoga, losing twice to La Moneda and winning a secondlevel allowance race at 1 3/8 miles.

Lady Joan drew the rail in what likely will be a field of nine. Eleven were entered in the Hettinger, but Frostie Anne and Take Charge Aubrey were entered only for the main track. Others entered for the turf include Bonita Bianca, Munchkin Money, Tizzelle, Feeling Bossy, War Canoe, Out of Trouble, Fifty Five, and Conquest Hardcandy.

King Kreesa retired at 9

King Kreesa will be reunited with familiar New York-bred turf-stakes rival Lubash at Old Friends, a retirement facility in Kentucky.

King Kreesa, a winner of 11 of 43 starts, including 10 stakes, has been retired from racing at age 9 and will be sent to Old Friends in the coming days, trainer David Donk said Thursday.

Donk said that Michael Blowen, who heads Old Friends, came to him a while back and said that when Donk and owners Gerald and Susan Kresa were ready to retire King Kreesa, Old Friends would like to have him.

Donk trained King Kreesa for 22 of the gelding’s 43 starts, including last month’s West Point, where he finished last. Jeremiah Englehart trained him for 18 starts, while Linda Rice had him for three races.

King Kreesa, by King Cugat, won the Grade 3 Poker twice – once for Donk, once for Englehart – the Forbidden Apple twice, and the West Point twice. He earned $1,431,654.