Flower Bowl Invitational 2013 Contenders at Belmont Park

Las Vegas, NV – Belmont Park in Elmont, New York will be the scene of no less than five Grade 1 stakes on Saturday, September 28. One is the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational – a 1 1/4 mile turf test for fillies and mares three years old and upward.

A strong field of eight older females will line up in the Flower Bowl – race 8 on Belmont Park’s stacked Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:45 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all eight entries for the third of five Grade 1 stakes at Belmont on Saturday.

Laughing – had two straight wins in Europe before shipping to North America where she was seventh in her debut here in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in October 2011. 2012 was better for Laughing – two wins and a second place finish in six starts – the best result being a win in the Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park in July. Laughing has been terrific in 2013 defeating the likes of Stephanie’s Kitten, Dayatthespa, Ruthenia, Pianist and Dream Peace – three starts and three wins. Last time out was in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa after the Grade 1 Diana Stakes over Center Court and before that was in the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth Park June 29. She will look to stretch the impressive winning streak to four as the 123 pound highweight from post 7 with Jose Lezcano in the saddle. She will try this distance for the just the second time and is a coupled entry along with…

Tannery – made her North American debut in the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes at Belmont Park last September 15 and finished a very respectable third. She followed that with a distant eighth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 13 and ended 2012 with a fourth in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap in November. She has raced three times in 2013 – a fourth in the minor Owsley Stakes May 1 but followed that with her best career performance – a win in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Stakes at Belmont Park May 25. Last time out was an OK fourth against males in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer after a colossal letdown – an eighth in the Grade 2 New York Stakes June 29. Tannery breaks from the rail with Javier Castellano in the saddle.

Somali Lemonade -Michael Matz trained filly had her biggest result to date – a win in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial over Miz Ida and Pianist at Parx July 2 after a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in June and a 6 1/2 month layoff. Last time out however was a disappointing fifth behind Laughing among others in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga August 24. She placed in three of seven graded stakes races before being sidelined but looked great two back. Somali Lemonade has three wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 14 career starts. Luis Saez will be in the reigns from post 3 Saturday.

Qushchi – H. Graham Motion trained British-bred mare has 21 starts overseas with three wins, two seconds and three third place finishes before debuting in North America March 7. She finished third and second in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races at Gulfstream and followed that with an OK third in her North American stakes debut – the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland in April. Last time out was a win in the minor Waya Stakes at Saratoga August 5 after a respectable second in the minor Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs May 18. She steps up in company in OK form this week. Edgar Prado gets the mount from post 6.

Flower Bowl Invitational betting at Belmont Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Kissable – Irish bred filly made her North American debut in the 2012 Grade 2 Dance Smartly and finished fifth but followed that with a win in the minor Richmor Aviation Waya Stakes over Starformer at Saratoga August 6. She followed that with a decent third in the Grade 3 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga September 3 and a fourth in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine October 14. She ended 2012 with a seventh in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct November 10 and has just two starts in 2012 – a fourth in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland in April and a sixth last time out in the minor Waya Stakes at Saratoga August 5. Mike Smith will ride Kissable from post 5 Saturday.

Valiant Girl – H. Graham Motion trained British bred filly had five starts overseas with just one win before shipping to North America. She has raced six times in the States and has two wins, a second and a pair of fourths in Allowance races all over the Eastern seaboard. Last time out was her best North American result to date – a win in the minor Omnibus Stakes at Monmouth Park August 24. She steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday looking to build on what was a good result last time out.

White Rose – Bill Mott trained filly races in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday but has placed in seven of eight career starts. Last time out was a second in her stakes debut – the minor Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga September 2 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that same track July 25, a second and a third respectively in Allowance races. She broke maiden in March in her fourth career start and takes an enormous leap up in competition Saturday. John Velazquez will be in the saddle from the far outside post.

Mystical Star – won the Grade 2 New York Stakes June 30 2012 over Hit It Rich but hadn’t tasted victory since – before last time out – a nice score in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Stakes September 7. She had a good second in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster in October and was second in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct November 10 and then went on to a third in the Grade 3 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs March 9. Also this year she posted a third in the minor Waya Stakes behind Qushchi, a fifth in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay, and a fourth as favorite in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland April 19. Junior Alvarado rides Mystical Star from post 2 Saturday.

Race 8 on Belmont Park’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:45 PM.