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Woodbine-based trainer Dale Desruisseaux plans to bring between 15 and 20 horses to Belmont Park for its winter meet, adding a Canadian contingent to New York’s racing fields. Before that move, his stakes winner Highwaytothemoon is scheduled to contest the $175,000 Carle Place on Saturday, Nov. 7.
According to Canadian Thoroughbred, in a report credited to NYRA media, Desruisseaux also has recent maiden winner Glorious Gem in mind for the Empire Trillium Series.
Desruisseaux prepares a Tapeta winter string
Belmont Park’s winter meet will be conducted exclusively on Tapeta. Desruisseaux plans to send his first group of horses from Woodbine at the end of November, with claimers and promising 2-year-olds among the horses he may bring.
“I’ll be bringing between 15-to-20 horses down. I’ll send the first load down at the end of this month,” Desruisseaux said.
His plans also include potential runners for the Empire Trillium Series, which comprises 14 races offering $3.2 million in total purses.
Highwaytothemoon returns to sprinting in the Carle Place
The Carle Place is a six-furlong inner turf sprint for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park in Elmont. Highwaytothemoon will break from post 5 with Dylan Davis riding for owner Domenic Dilalla.
The Ransom the Moon gelding won July’s Plate Trial Stakes before finishing ninth in the King’s Plate and seventh in the Prince of Wales. In his latest start, he closed to finish second in the 6½-furlong Sophomore at Woodbine on Oct. 10.
Highwaytothemoon has four wins, two seconds and one third from 10 starts, with earnings of $277,376. All four wins came on synthetic surfaces. The Carle Place would be just his second turf start, following a fourth-place finish in Woodbine’s Listed Algonquin last October.
Desruisseaux expressed confidence about a possible surface change because of rain: “If it goes to synthetic, that’s fine. Either way, I think he’ll take it in stride and it’s just a matter of if he’s good enough or not.”
Glorious Gem targets Empire Trillium stakes
Glorious Gem is being aimed at the $200,000 Saratoga Dew, a 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies. She won a one-mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight at Woodbine on Oct. 31.
Empire Trillium Series nominations for foals of 2023 and earlier are due Nov. 20. The first four legs are slated for Dec. 26.
That day’s undercard will also feature four $85,000 maiden races restricted to 2-year-olds foaled in Canada or New York. Those races honor Channel Maker, Overskate, Fanfreluche and Hard Not to Like.
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Source: As reported by Canadian Thoroughbred.
