Proctor’s Ledge Back in the Game

[Wandering Eyes]

Proctor’s Ledge (Ghostzapper) will take aim on a second straight graded victory when she goes postward in Saturday’s GI Just a Game S. at Belmont Park. The ‘TDN Rising Star’ just got the better of a game On Leave (War Front) over a good turf course in the May 5 GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile and could get similar conditions with rain in the forecast Saturday. Trainer Brendan Walsh had also considered Proctor’s Ledge for the 1 1/4-mile GII New York S. Friday, before deciding to stick to the one-mile Just a Game.

“It is a one-turn mile, which I think will really suit her,” Walsh explained. “And I think she’ll like the big, sweeping turn. She has always been a good turn runner. And it’s a Grade I.”

Stuart Janney’s On Leave, a winner of four of five starts over the Belmont lawn, has hit the board in four straight one-mile graded events. She was third in the GII Goldikova S. at Del Mar before concluding 2017 with a win in the Dec. 16 GIII My Charmer S. at Gulfstream. She opened 2018 with a third-place finish in the Mar. 31 GIII Honey Fox S. and was beaten just a half-length by Proctor’s Ledge at Churchill last time out.

“[The Just a Game] is a big move up,” trainer Shug McGaughey admitted. “Her two races this year have been really good, so we’ll see what happens. We’re hoping to get some racing luck on the grass. If she goes over there and runs her race the way she has been, she’ll be just as tough as the rest of them.”

A Raving Beauty (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) powered clear to a three-length win in the May 12 GIII Beaugay S. over the Belmont lawn. That 1 1/16-mile race was the stateside debut for the 5-year-old mare, who was purchased for €225,000 at last year’s Arqana December sale and now races for Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables and trainer Chad Brown.

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