Belmont at the Big A Picks | Port Washington Stakes 2024

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco’s Silver Skillet will look to repeat her recent stakes success in Sunday’s $125,000 Port Washington, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older New York-bred fillies and mares, at the Belmont at the Big A meet. 

The Port Washington is slated as Race 5 on Closing Day Sunday’s nine-race card that co-features the $125,000 Hudson Valley, a one-mile turf test for older New York-bred horses, in Race 2. First post is 1:05 p.m. 

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Silver Skillet, the reigning NYTB Champion Turf Female, was victorious in an off-the-turf edition of the one-mile Mount Vernon last out on June 9 New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Liam’s Map gray showcased her talent indeed, setting the pace and drawing off to a four-length triumph over graded stakes-placed Stonewall Star, registering a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure in victory. 

“She’s doing great. I’m very happy with her, she came out of her last race in good order,” said Clement. “I think her form is probably very similar on both turf and dirt, so we will go and see what happens.” 

The Mount Vernon marked Silver Skillet’s second start off the layoff, after finishing fourth in an April allowance over course and distance. There, she was rank early and trailed the field in last-of-6. It was an uncharacteristic outing for Silver Skillet, who made 5-of-7 starts over the grass last year, including a rallying win in the state-bred Suzie O’Cain in August at Saratoga and a stalking second in the Listed Winter Memories here in September.

Clement expressed confidence in Silver Skillet’s versatility in running style, and said he will leave it up to Hall of Famer Joel Rosario to engineer a winning trip from the outermost post 5.

“Joel rides her and knows her very well. It is up to him,” said Clement. 

Bred by Robert Chasanoff, Silver Skillet, out of the stakes-winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star, was a $260,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. She boasts a record of 13-4-3-2 with $371,490 in earnings. 

Whatlovelookslike [post 4, John Velazquez], a homebred for Barry Schwartz, will look for a title defense after taking last year’s edition on Independence Day at Belmont Park. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 5-year-old English Channel chestnut’s Port Washington victory was sandwiched between optional claiming scores, going one-mile versus state-breds in May at Belmont and 11 furlongs versus open-company in August at Saratoga. 

Whatlovelookslike will return from a near eight-month layoff dating to a prominent fourth in her graded stakes bow in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Long Island in November here. The effort came on the heels of a pacesetting third in the local nine-furlong John Hettinger in September. 

Out of the Proud Citizen mare Jonata, Whatlovelookslike is a half-sister to graded-stakes placed Stonewall Star and multiple stakes-winner La Fuerza.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out stakes-winner Marvelous Maude [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for owners Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Michael J. Caruso.

Marvelous Maude returns to state-bred company after a third as the beaten favorite in the Listed Plenty of Grace here on April 21. It was the 6-year-old Slumber dark bay’s first effort since last May when she posted a nose score in the state-bred Mount Vernon at Belmont Park. 

Before the Mount Vernon, Marvelous Maude’s most recent victory was in an open-company allowance traveling 1 1/16-miles in July 2022 at Saratoga. She also tried slightly longer distances in that campaign, winning a nine-furlong open allowance at Belmont and closing for second in the state-bred John Hettinger at the same distance. 

Bred in the Empire State by Beechwood Bruckner, Marvelous Maude is out of the winning Warrior’s Reward mare Wait Your Turn, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Fear the Cowboy.

Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Phil Gleaves’ Snowy Evening [post 2, Dylan Davis] returns on short rest from a closing second in a local one-mile state-bred optional claimer Friday. Trained by David Donk, the 4-year-old Frosted bay will exit the half-length defeat to Determined Lilly to make her first stakes attempt since the Suzie O’Cain won by Silver Skillet in August. 

“She ran really well last week. The grass opportunities are limited and I come from a different era, so I’m not afraid to run horses back,” Donk said, with a laugh. “We are looking to get black type. Phil, Steve, and Ken own her and they’d probably keep her as a broodmare.” 

Ahead of her last effort, Snowy Evening was a distant tenth in a six-furlong state-bred optional claimer in May, her first sprint since June of last year. 

“I think she is a better horse going longer. My purpose of her running short and long was just to run on the grass, we had to scratch when it came off a few times,” Donk explained. “Her dirt races for me last winter were not very good, so we are trying to take advantage of turf opportunities.” 

Bred by Michelle Nevin and Godolphin, Snowy Evening, out of the winning Sharp Humor mare Backslash, is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning New York-bred My Boy Tate. 

Rounding out the field is the stakes-placed Lisa’s Vision [post 3, Manny Franco] for trainer David Duggan. The 5-year-old Laoban dark bay was a distant fifth last out in the Mount Vernon over the Saratoga main track. 

Bustin Bay and Bon Adieu are entered for the main track-only.