Eternal Hope wins the Sands Point (G2) Oct. 14, 2023, at Aqueduct (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Five Charlie Appleby-trained stakes horses from the Godolphin barn breezed over the Oklahoma training turf Friday, including Beautiful Love, Eternal Hope, Legend of Time, Ottoman Fleet and Cinderella’s Dream.
Eternal Hope, a 4-year-old Teofilo chestnut, made her last two outings at Belmont at the Big A with scores in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Jockey Oaks Club Invitational in September and the Grade 2 Sands Point on October 14.
Beautiful Love, a sophomore Siyouni filly, was last seen taking a conditions race in February at Meydan Racecourse.
Beautiful Love commenced the five-furlong breeze in front with Eternal Hope tracking to the outside. Eternal Hope advanced alongside down the lane to finish up together at the wire with Eternal Hope drawing clear through the gallop out. The pair covered five-furlongs in 1:05.65.
“It was all routine straight forward stuff,” said Appleby’s traveling assistant Alex Merriam. “Beautiful Love led and Eternal Hope joined up there. They finished up together nicely. We’ll see how they come forward.”
Merriam said a target race will be picked out in the near future for both fillies.
Legend of Time, a sophomore son of Sea The Stars, was last seen finishing third in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 6 at Belmont at the Big A. He worked a half-mile solo in 53.22 this morning and remains on target for the Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 3 here.
Ottoman Fleet worked a solo half-mile in 54.66 in his first breeze back since taking the Grade 2 Wise Dan on June 29 at Churchill Downs in an effort that was preceded by a score in the Grade 3 Arlington at the Louisville oval.
The 5-year-old Sea The Stars gelding, who captured the Grade 2 Fort Marcy last year at Belmont Park, could point to the Grade 1, $500,000 FanDuel Fourstardave on August 10 here which offers a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Del Mar. An additional option would be the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on September 14 which also offers a ‘Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
“He’s come out of the Wise Dan well and is possible for the Fourstardave or the Woodbine Mile,” Merriam said.
Cinderella’s Dream, a sophomore Shamardal filly, worked a solo half-mile in 56.50 in preparation for the Grade 2, $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 2. The talented bay was last seen rallying to a three-quarter length score in the Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 6 at Belmont at the Big A.
“She’s in good form,” Merriam said. “They all look to be in good order. It was pretty straightforward.”
Merriam also reported that Star of Mystery is in good order after her impressive win against the boys in the Grade 3 Quick Call presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation here on Sunday.
The Kodiac bay, who entered from a third in the Grade 1 Jaipur presented by Resolute Racing on June 8 here, has bested males on three occasions this year after taking the Al Wasl in her seasonal debut and the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint versus elders, both in January at Meydan Racecourse.
Merriam said Star of Mystery will target the Listed $150,000 Galway, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomore fillies on August 10 at the Spa.
“She’s a pretty straightforward little thing. There’s a listed race for her in the middle of August,” Merriam said. “She might have a spell from there and look at Keeneland in the fall.”
