ELMONT, N.Y. – David Bernsen and Schroeder Farm’s Cairo Memories has never raced outside of California in seven lifetime starts. That will change when she makes the journey to the Empire State for the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 9 at Belmont Park.
Trained by Bob Hess, Jr., the Cairo Prince sophomore gray filly will enter off two Grade 3 triumphs over the Santa Anita turf in the April 9 Providencia and the May 29 Honeymoon, both at nine furlongs under Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
Smith, who breezed Cairo Memories six furlongs in 1:12.60 on Thursday at Santa Anita, will have the mount in the Belmont Oaks.
“We’re looking forward to bringing her out east and participating in the program,” said Hess, Jr. “Obviously, it will be a big jump up in class. But she should like the added distance and the surface.”
Cairo Memories won her first two lifetime starts, including a stakes triumph in Del Mar’s Surfer Girl, before finishing ninth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She tried dirt for the first time when a close second to Eda in the Grade 1 Starlet in December at Los Alamitos.
“She needs a surface with not a lot of slippage, which is turf or firm, firm dirt. She’s a turf horse for sure,” Hess, Jr. said. “She’s elegant, graceful, intelligent and she loves her job. She’s getting better. She’ll have to get a lot better to win this race, but she’s up for the task.”
Boasting a consistent record of 7-4-1-0, Cairo Memories has banked $352,500 in earnings. She was bought for $50,000 by agent Davant Latham from the Airdrie Stud consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is a full-sister to Cariba, who won the 2020 Caress at Saratoga for Christophe Clement.
NYRA Press Office
Photo: Cairo Memories winning the Honeymoon Stakes May 29, 2022. at Santa Anita. (Benoit)
