Three Euros challenge Coasted in Miss Grillo

ELMONT, N.Y. – Coasted won’t have to wait until the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf to take on competition from around the world. Sunday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Miss Grillo features horses who last raced in Ireland, France, and Great Britain.

By virtue of her two solid victories this summer at Saratoga, Coasted has developed into the top 2-year-old turf filly in the East if not the U.S. She hopes to maintain that reputation in the Miss Grillo, one of four stakes on Sunday’s nine-race program at Belmont Park. The Miss Grillo tops a card that includes the $200,000 Temperence Hill for marathoners on dirt; the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma for New York-bred juvenile fillies; and the Bertram F. Bongard for New York-bred juvenile males.

Coasted, a daughter of Tizway owned by Jeff Treadway and trained by Leah Gyarmati, won a maiden race by six lengths from just off the pace on Aug. 7, and then showed a different dimension by coming from well off the pace to win the P.G. Johnson Stakes on Sept. 1. Both wins were at the Miss Grillo distance of 1 1/16 miles.

In her maiden win, Coasted pressed a decent early pace and still finished well. Gyarmati said that race was more enjoyable to watch, but said she was “more impressed” with the P.G. Johnson.

“She ran huge last time, got in a lot of trouble,” Gyarmati said. “Hopefully, she’ll have an easier trip this time.”

The Miss Grillo is scheduled for the inner turf, where the rails will be out 27 feet, which makes it nearly as tight as the courses at Saratoga. Coasted will break from post 2 under Jose Lezcano.

Chad Brown has won four runnings of the Miss Grillo, including in 2014 with Lady Eli and 2007 with Maram, both of whom went on to win the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Brown has three runners Sunday, including Create a Dream, from Great Britain, and Dancing Waves from Ireland. Each has won a maiden sprint. New Money Honey is a maiden, having run second in her debut.

Rymska, a stakes winner in France, has won at a mile over soft turf.

Miss Grillo, Race 5

Key Contenders

Coasted, by Tizway

Last 3 Beyers: 75-82-70

◗ She is proven at the distance and has shown versatility in her two turf wins. The potential for soft turf is a concern.

“I just want to run over a safe turf course,” Gyarmati said.

Create a Dream, by Oasis Dream

◗ Won her debut going five furlongs on soft ground in April, and then came back to finish fourth, one length behind winner Brave Anna, in the Group 3 Albany Stakes. Brave Anna came back to win the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes last Saturday at Newmarket.

“She’s been training well,” Brown said of Create a Dream. “Distance is going to be a question mark for her, but she seems to train with some real quality.”

New Money Honey, by Medaglia d’Oro

Beyer: 73

◗ Was beaten four lengths in her Sept. 5 debut at Saratoga by La Coronel, who is headed to the Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 12. Starr Bear, third in that Sept. 5 maiden race, came back to win her next start. Two other horses from that race came back to run second in their next outing.

“I thought the winner of that race was quite impressive,” Brown said. “This filly was a bit green. We were not initially pointing to the Miss Grillo, but her two maintenance breezes since have been so strong, so professional I think it’s worth a shot.”

Joust, by War Front

Beyers: 71-68

◗ After breaking slowly, she finished third to Coasted at Saratoga in her debut. Came back to win maiden race at Kentucky Downs over 11 opponents going a mile over “good” ground.