ELMONT, N.Y. – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Aron Wellman said Point of Honor could seek a second career graded stakes triumph in the Grade 2, $150,000 Beldame on October 4 at Belmont.
Trained by George Weaver, the 4-year-old Curlin chestnut filly last raced in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on August 8, where she was third to Vexatious, who upset reigning Champion Older Female Midnight Bisou.
Winless since capturing last year’s Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico Race Course, Point of Honor has placed in all of five of her graded stakes efforts since, including missing by a nose as the favorite in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 13 at Belmont.
“We’d like to be able to find a softer spot, but it doesn’t really exist with how the division is this year,” Wellman said. “It’s a mile-and-an-eighth. Yes, it’s one turn but it’s still a mile-and-an-eighth and it should be to her liking. She ran well first time going one turn at Belmont and that’s the thought behind running her there.”
Point of Honor breezed five furlongs over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on September 11, completing five furlongs in 50.45 over a track rated fast.
Bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms, Point of Honor is out of the Bernardini mare Zayanna, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Mr. Freeze.
Wellman also said stakes-placed Farmington Road will point to the Grade 1, $250,000 Belmont Derby on October 3.
The sophomore son of Quality Road, trained by Todd Pletcher, made his last out turf debut a winning one, when defeating winners in a first level allowance event going 9 ½ furlongs at Colonial Downs on July 29.
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbreds in partnership with Robert LaPenta and breeder Chrysallis Stables, Farmington Road was eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes earlier this year. He finished a good second on April 11 in the Oaklawn Stakes, where he was beaten a half-length to Mr. Big News, the eventual third-place finisher of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. The colt followed that effort with a fourth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in May.
“The race at Colonial was a good test run,” Wellman said. “We contemplated going to Kentucky for the Dueling Grounds Derby or the American Turf and neither worked out. But we know he gets the distance. He seemed to appreciate the turf at Colonial. This seemed like a logical spot.”
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Photo: Point of Honor wins the 2019 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. Credit: Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
