Brisset Mulling Options for Hot Little Thing
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— WinStar Farm and Siena Farm’s Miracle will make her second start in stakes company in Friday’s $125,000 Joseph A. Gimma at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. The daughter of Mendelssohn has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite in the field of seven set to take on the seven-furlong main track sprint for New York-bred juvenile fillies.
“She’s doing well,” said Brisset. “She got to Belmont yesterday; it was a smooth ride and she jogged today. It looked like she was happy and moving well with good energy, so it looks like everything is in place for her.”
Bred by Magnolia Mares and Pony Express Sales, Miracle debuted on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course with an impressive six-length romp at odds of 14-1 in a six-furlong state-bred maiden special weight. The bay broke sharply under Flavien Prat and battled with Recognize for the lead through a half-mile before establishing a clear lead at the stretch call and widening her margins down the lane.
Brisset said he was not surprised to see Miracle deliver the strong performance.
“We liked her. She showed some talent in the mornings and that race seemed to be a pretty good group of New York-bred 2-year-olds,” Brisset said.
Miracle stepped up to stakes company for her first start against winners, finishing an even third in the Seeking the Ante against New York-breds on August 26 at the Spa over a sloppy and sealed main track. Miracle tracked 2 1/2 lengths behind the pace for the first quarter mile before swinging six-wide in the turn and finishing 5 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Maple Leaf Mel.
“I was a little disappointed to be honest,” said Brisset. “We thought we were in there with a chance to win and she didn’t run a bad race, but number wise she didn’t run the race she ran first time out. But she’s black type placed and you take the negative with the positive. She came out of the race very good. She’s been at WinStar and enjoying some turnout.”
Miracle will exit post 7 in the Joseph A. Gimma with Prat in the irons.
Another promising 2-year-old filly for Brisset is Hot Little Thing, who was a dominant 14 1/2-length winner against fellow Indiana-breds in the Back Home Again on September 7 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Owned by Brisset’s September Farm with Union Park Thoroughbreds, Storyteller Racing and Jonathan Wilmot, the daughter of Army Mule earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.
Brisset noted that Hot Little Thing earned the same figure as Grade 1 Spinaway winner Leave No Trace did at Saratoga.
“She surprised me a little bit. If she had won by three lengths, I would have been happy,” said Brisset, with a laugh. “People might knock her because she’s an Indiana-bred, but she earned a 76 and that’s what the Spinaway winner ran. She went 1:10 and two and I can tell you, you don’t see that often in Indiana.”
Hot Little Thing has been nominated to the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette on October 2 at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet, but could make her next start in the Miss Indiana on October 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis against Indiana-breds.
“We think highly of her and she’s been very impressive both times she’s won,” said Brisset. “I’m not committing to [the Frizette] because we have an Indiana-bred race on October 5 that we are leaning towards, but we’ll breeze her on Saturday or Sunday at Keeneland and make a decision. We aren’t scared of running in the big races.”
NYRA Press Office
Main photo: Miracle breaks her maiden at Saratoga July 27 (NYRA/Coglianese)
