Rossa Veloce gets her first stakes win in the Correction March 11 at Aqueduct (Susie Raisher)
By Mary Eddy – NYRA Press Office
ELMONT, N.Y.— Robert A. Derr’s graded stakes-placed Rossa Veloce returns to state-bred company for the first time since October in Sunday’s $125,000 Dancin Renee, a six-furlong main track sprint for older New York-bred fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.
Trained by Rob Atras, Rossa Veloce arrives off a trio of stakes starts, including a last-out third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on May 14 at Belmont and a win in the open-company Correction in March at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The daughter of Girolamo set the pace in the 6 1/2-furlong Vagrancy under Manny Franco, holding a slim advantage over Easy to Bless and Mosienko before giving way at the eighth pole to be defeated 3 1/4 lengths by the victorious closer Caramel Swirl.
“She ran a good race and ran hard,” said Atras. “I was proud of her and she tried her hardest. She came out of it good and we were pointing towards this race for a while. Hopefully, we can see another good effort. I wish I had a few more like her.”
Rossa Veloce, bred by John Scott Rogers, has been a model of consistency since being haltered for $32,000 out of a close fourth-place effort in September at Saratoga Race Course. She won her first outing for Atras with a facile 5 1/2-length score in an off-the-turf state-bred optional claimer before stepping up to open company for her next six starts. She kicked off her year with a 5 1/4-length optional claiming coup on January 27 at the Big A and followed that effort with a victory by the same margin in the six-furlong Correction on March 11 over the same course.
Atras said he expects the often prominent Rossa Veloce to rate behind speedy competitors like Grannys Connection on Sunday.
“She doesn’t show a ton in the morning, but now that we’ve spaced her races out a little bit, she’s put together nice works and she’s coming in in good form,” Atras said. “This is going to be as tough as an open race. I think we’ll probably have to be off the pace against these horses.”
Franco retains the mount from post 2.
Mark T. Anderson’s multiple graded stakes-placed Sterling Silver [post 4, Javier Castellano] looks to improve off a runner-up effort in the state-bred Critical Eye going 1 1/16 miles on May 29 here.
Trained by Tom Albertrani, the 4-year-old daughter of Cupid closed from last-of-6 and swung three-wide in the turn to run down all but one of her rivals and settled for second 2 1/4 lengths behind Classy Edition.
Albertrani said Sterling Silver is competitive at a range of distances.
“I think she’ll like the cutback, and we were very pleased with her last race that she was able to get the distance,” Albertrani said. “I always felt maybe seven-eighths would be her best distance, but she sure looks like she could do just as well going three-quarters. The stronger the pace, the better for her. She looks like she’s in great form and hopefully we’ll see another good effort out of her this weekend.”
Bred by Mallory Mort and Karen Mort, Sterling Silver boasts three graded placings, her best result a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga where she was bested a neck by Wicked Halo. In addition to that effort, her sophomore campaign included state-bred stakes wins in the Franklin Square and Bouweire, and additional graded placings when third in both the Grade 3 Victory Ride and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom. She completed her campaign with an off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November at Keeneland.
“She seems to me that she’s put on a little more weight and looks more mature this year,” said Albertrani.
Cloud Nine Stable’s graded stakes-placed Betsy Blue is set to return from a four-month respite for trainer Linda Rice.
The 5-year-old Tonalist dark bay was last seen posting a runner-up effort in the state-bred Broadway on February 12 at Aqueduct Racetrack where she was defeated 4 1/4 lengths by Funny How. Betsy Blue boasts two open-company stakes wins at the Big A this winter, scoring back-to-back victories in the Garland of Roses and Interborough, the former coming on just seven day’s rest after she finished third in the Grade 3 Go for Wand in December.
Betsy Blue, bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable, has proven to be an astute acquisition since being claimed for $50,000 by Linda Rice in March 2021. Since then, she has hit the board in 16-of-18 starts, including her open company stakes triumphs and another victory in the state-bred Bouwerie second off the claim in May 2021. She has prepared for her return with three breezes over the Belmont dirt training track since the end of May, most recently covering five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.49 on June 13.
Jose Lezcano has the call from post 6.
Orpen Horses, Jack Hardin Towell, Jr. and Alan Griffin’s Grannys Connection streaks into her stakes debut off a dominant six-length score again open company last out on May 28 at Monmouth Park in pacesetting fashion.
Trained by Tom Morley, the 4-year-old Connect bay has won her last four starts by a combined 27 1/4 lengths, including a second-out graduation against open company in January at the Big A.
Bred by Paul Pompa, Jr., Grannys Connection has banked $174,300 through a lifetime record of 5-4-1-0. Eric Cancel, who has ridden the filly in each of her five starts, has the call from post 5.
Completing the field are the multiple stakes-placed Captainsdaughter [post 1, Flavien Prat] for conditioner Russell Cash; the Phil Serpe-trained stakes-winner Bank On Anna [post 3, Dylan Davis]; and four-time winner Kant Hurry Love [post 7, Trevor McCarthy] for trainer David Duggan.
The Dancin Renee, named in honor of Sanford Bacon’s graded stakes-winning New York homebred who hit the board in 19-of-21 lifetime starts, is slated as Race 8 on Sunday’s nine-race program. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.
