Beach Bomb rides wave into G3 Sheepshead Bay

Cayton Park Stud’s Beach Bomb seeks a third consecutive Grade 3 win in Friday’s $175,000 Sheepshead Bay, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Graham Motion, the 5-year-old Lancaster Bomber bay was a dual Group 1-winner in her native South Africa and her form has translated nicely to American racing. In her fourth stateside outing, Beach Bomb set the pace in the 11-furlong Grade 3 The Very One on March 1 at Gulfstream Park en route to a one-length victory over Immensitude and returning foe La Mehana.

Beach Bomb [post 4, Javier Castellano, 122 pounds] duplicated that performance in the 12-furlong Grade 3 Orchid on March 29 there, prevailing in pacesetting fashion by a head over re-opposing Silvology, while also carrying six pounds more than that rival.

“I think that [front-running] was more a matter of circumstances and just the way that track plays,” Motion said. “I don’t think that is something that she has to do, but it kind of adds dimension to her, which certainly can put her at an advantage.”

The pair of recent wins avenged an eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar, where she was only defeated 3 1/2 lengths by subsequent Champion Turf Female Moira. The performance registered a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She’s a very honest, straightforward filly. We pressed to make the Breeders’ Cup last year and I think she performed admirably, all things considered,” said Motion. “I think having a little freshening and starting back over the winter, she’s really done well. She had time to acclimate and get caught up. I’ve been impressed with both of her efforts down at Gulfstream Park.”

Beach Bomb’s other two efforts for Motion were a second in the Violet in August at Monmouth Park and a third in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive in October at Santa Anita Park. In January 2024 for trainer Candice Leigh Bass-Robinson, Beach Bomb won the Group 1 Paddock at Kenilworth in South Africa, which earned a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

“She won a ‘Win and You’re In’ and that is why she came here. It was neat that we were able to make it,” Motion said. “It would’ve been nice to hit the board, but she did run admirably. It was a very respectable effort.”

Stuart Janney, III’s Kentucky homebred Silvology [post 2, Eric Cancel, 118 pounds] looks for a breakthrough win after her narrow defeat to Beach Bomb in the Orchid. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the 4-year-old Blame gray traveled 6 1/2-lengths back in last-of-6 and closed to miss by a head, while edging La Mehana for second by a neck.

The runner-up finish continued an upward trend in form for Silvology since stretching out in distance. She graduated sixth-out traveling 11 furlongs on January 9 at Gulfstream, ahead of a closing optional claiming score there traveling 12 furlongs – piloted by Dylan Davis in those wins and the Orchid. 

Prior to her maiden win, Silvology’s longest effort was nine furlongs when fourth in a local maiden tilt in September. She is out of the unraced Forestry mare Silviculture, a half-sister to millionaires Ironicus and On Leave for the same connections.

Trainer Christophe Clement will send out Grade 3-winner La Mehana [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche, 120 pounds] and Listed stakes-winner Bellezza [post 1, Jaime Rodriguez, 118 pounds].

LSU Stables’ La Mehana made her first 12 starts in her native France, including a third in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu in September 2023 at Longchamp. In nine stateside outings since, she won the Grade 3 Waya over course and distance in October as well as the 11-furlong Listed Via Borghese in December at Gulfstream.

La Mehana enters from three consecutive Grade 3 thirds at Gulfstream, including the Orchid, the The Very One and the 12-furlong La Prevoyante in January. She has been third at that level five times since coming to the U.S. last year, including the past running of this event when closing to miss by a head to Royalty Interest. 

Moyglare Stud Farm’s Irish homebred Bellezza will make her stateside debut while returning from a more than seven-month layoff after a rallying neck score in the 10-furlong Listed Diamond on September 27 over the Dundalk synthetic.

Trained through her first seven starts by Ger Lyons, the 4-year-old Siyouni filly graduated on debut in July 2023 over good Leopardstown turf. She hit the board in a trio of Listed turf stakes last summer when second in both the 1 5/8-miles Yeats at Navan and 10-furlong Naas Oaks Trial ahead of a three-quarter length third in the 12-furlong Marble City at Gowran Park.

Assistant trainer Shane Lyons told IrishRacing.com following the Diamond win, “We're delighted, she's a filly that we've always thought a lot of.

“She's had a few hard luck stories in races but she's just put it together there and showed what we thought we had,” Lyons added. “She's a fine big filly that will only thrive with another year under her belt as well.”

Bellezza has worked four times at Payson Park Training Center in Florida, including a five-eighths turf breeze in 1:02.80 on April 20. She is out of the Listed stakes-placed Galileo mare Terrific, a full-sister to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Together, who captured the 2011 Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

Rounding out the field is New York-bred stakes-winner Whatlovelookslike [post 3, Jose Lezcano, 118 pounds], a Barry Schwartz homebred trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Amanda’s Folly is entered for the main-track only.

The Sheepshead Bay is slated as Race 3 on Friday’s nine-race card. Operating hours at the Big A on Friday are 10 a.m. – 7:15 p.m. to accommodate an 11 a.m. first post from Churchill Downs with the Grade 1, $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks set for Race 11 at 5:51 p.m. First post at the Big A is 1:10 p.m. 

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.