Battle of the Rising Stars in Prioress

[Wandering Eyes]

For many years, the Prioress was contested as a Grade I at Belmont Park, a steppingstone to the GI Test S. at Saratoga. Nowadays, the race is run as a Grade II as the final leg of a three-race series for the sophomore filly set, but it reads more like a top-level race once dissecting the form.

Mia Mischief (Into Mischief) earned ‘TDN Rising Star‘ status with a double-digit romp through the Keeneland slop last October and has done little to invalidate the decision this term, with victories in the Purple Martin S. at Oaklawn, in the GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill and an exceptionally game runner-up effort behind Separationofpowers (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Aug. 4 Test. Though she won the Eight Belles and was right there in the Test–both at seven-eighths–this more abbreviated distance should work in her favor.

Dream Rush (Wild Rush) won both the Prioress and the Test back in 2007 and ‘Rising Star‘ Dream Pauline (Tapit) will try to follow in her talented dam’s hoofprints Sunday afternoon. A half-sister to fellow ‘Rising Stars’ Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy) and Atreides (Medaglia d’Oro), the Stonestreet homebred powered home to graduate by a half-dozen lengths in a single racetrack appearance at two and stayed perfect last time with a two-length allowance tally over the course and distance Aug. 2.

A pair of Grade I winners from California add to the depth of the Prioress field. Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ Dream Tree (Uncle Mo) carries an unblemished four-for-four mark into the Prioress, her biggest score coming in last year’s Starlet S. around two turns at Los Alamitos. Last seen galloping home in the GII Las Virgenes S. in early February, the bay will be ridden by Mike Smith, who stays in town following Saturday’s big card.

‘Rising Star‘ Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon) was the beaten favorite in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but prior to that won the GI Del Mar Debutante and GI Chandelier S. She returned to winning ways-albeit narrowly-at Del Mar July 19, but needs to have her running shoes on if she wants to match motors early with Mia Mischief.

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