Wedding Toast After More Belmont Joy In Beldame

Time/Date - 15.06hrs local time/Saturday, September 26, 2015 Racecourse/Country - Belmont Park/USA
Surface/Distance - Dirt/1m 1f

Wedding Toast goes for a third straight Pattern win on the dirt of Belmont Park, USA, in the Grade One Beldame Stakes over nine furlongs on Saturday, September 26.

The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained mare stormed to a five-length success in the Grade One Ogden Phipps Stakes over an extended mile on June 6 and scored by four lengths in the mile Grade Two Ruffian Stakes on May 9.

She was fourth in the seven-furlong Grade One Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 4 and started her season with two appearances at Gulfstream Park, including a comfortable victory in the non-graded Miami Shores Handicap, also over seven furlongs, on January 7.

The daughter of Street Sense made only had one outing last year but gained four consecutive wins during her 2013 campaign, which featured a pair of successes at Belmont Park and an Aqueduct Grade Three victory at nine furlongs. Jose Lezcano, who has ridden Wedding Toast on her six most recent starts, partners the five-year-old again.

Kiaran McLaughlin declared: "Wedding Toast missed the Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga in August because we thought that she could have been working a little better.

"She loves racing around one turn at Belmont, so we decided to wait for this race. She is doing great and I like our chances."

Wedding Toast faces five rivals headed by dual Grade One heroine Curalina and Grade Three scorer Hot Stones.

Imperial Gesture (2002), Cocoa Beach (2008) and Music Note (2009) have won the Beldame Stakes for Godolphin.