SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Miguel Clement has nominated a half-dozen fillies and mares to the Grade 2 Flower Bowl here next Saturday, a Win and You’re In for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. As of Friday, he planned to run four of the six, although which four may not be determined until entries are drawn for the race on Sunday.
Clement had a busy morning during turf training over the Oklahoma course on Friday. He worked 13 horses within a 45-minute span, including Bellezza, who he named as a definite for the Flower Bowl about an hour after she breezed inside the dogs in company with Tawny Port in 49.38 seconds. Bellezza made up a couple of lengths on her mate before galloping out a strong five furlongs in 1:01.36.
Bellezza opened her 2025 campaign making her U.S. debut a winning one in the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay Stakes this spring at Aqueduct. She was then Grade 1-placed for the first time when third behind division leader She Feels Pretty here in the New York Stakes on June 6 before returning six weeks later to finish a distant second behind stablemate La Mehana in the Grade 2 Glens Fall. Her last two races were decided over a yielding course.
“I was very pleased with her [Bellezza] work this morning, and she will definitely start in the Flower Bowl as will In Time, who worked well [50.80 seconds over the main track] down at Belmont today and La Mehana who worked well over the training track here yesterday.”
In Time led at every call to capture a second-level allowance race on the grass while stretching out to 1 1/2 miles for the first time here July 6.
Multiple graded stakes winner La Mehana is coming off a breakout performance in the Glens Falls. Her 8 3/4-length victory earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, easily best of her 24-race career.
As for who Clement’s fourth starter might be in the Flower Bowl, he was still playing that option close to the vest, with the final choice to come amongst Sacaya, Unreasonable, and Youknownothing after their workouts over the weekend.
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