Betting With, and Against, Brickyard Belle in the Stewart Manor Stakes

A dozen juvenile fillies will travel six furlongs over the inner turf oval at Belmont Park in Saturday’s $175,000 Stewart Manor S. The Miguel Clement-trained #5 Brickyard Belle (2-1) has been installed as the morning-line choice in the co-feature. 

Brickyard Belle – With 

• $1 superfecta 5 with 6,9 with 2,6,9,12 with all ($54)

Brickyard Belle – Against

• 50-cent superfecta 6,9 with 5,6,9 with 2,5,6,9,12 with all ($54) 

Purchased for $600,000 in the spring, the daughter of Yaupon impressed with her going-away debut score on the Saratoga green on Aug. 27 and followed that victory with a fine closing score in the subsequent Matron (G3) at this venue on Oct. 3. Brickyard Belle was not a factor in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland when facing some of the fastest youngsters in training, but will relish the class relief on Saturday. Regular rider Manny Franco will ride the fast-closing filly. 

Wesley Ward’s #9 Fanshell Beach (4-1) is a major threat in the heat while making her local debut. The precocious daughter of Corniche made her first run on the grass in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot in the summer and finished a commendable fifth behind the excellent Orthodox, prior to returning to the states and leading at every call in a stakes triumph at Ellis Park on Aug. 1. She missed by a length following a tardy start in the Indian Summer S. at Keeneland most recently, and the chestnut will be formidable with a clean break on Saturday under Antonio Fresu. 

Team Valor’s #6 Pink Venom (8-1) will make her stateside debut for Johnny Murtagh and rides in on a three-race winning streak. The Soldier’s Call filly has been pretty convincing in each of her measured victories leading up to her stateside debut, and she could surely be the one while toting 122 pounds after carrying 136 in her latest venture. Jamie Spencer inherits the mount. 

I’ll also dabble with a pair of runners at huge odds for the lower rungs of my vertical plays. #2 Scabiosa (20-1) has yet to be headed on the green from two easy wins and could be the inside pace of the race for trainer Hugo Padilla. And second timer #12 Queen Celine (30-1), a daughter of fine grassy influence Golden Pal, was a smart first-out graduate on the dirt at Parx and could improve on the switch to the sod at a big price for Butch Reid.