Quality Road Filly Splashes to Belmont Debut Score

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Belmont Park

Two days before Mage  lit up the toteboard with a dramatic victory in the 149th Kentucky Derby (G1), trainer Wesley Ward uncorked  fireworks of his own when Three Chimneys Farm’s Princesa Celina  easily disposed of her rivals in a $90,000 maiden special weight at Belmont Park.

PRINCESA CELINA wins the opener of the Belmont Spring/Summer meet with jockey @jose93_ortiz aboard! pic.twitter.com/BrwXMQ1a5O

— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) May 4, 2023

A 2-year-old daughter of top sire Quality Road  , Princesa Celina looks to be another feather in Ward’s Royal Ascot cap after her 6 1/2-length romp in the mud May 4. Outrun for the early lead, jockey Jose Ortiz chased the leader behind a :21.98 first quarter before closing the gap around the final turn. With little urging, Princesa Celina exploded past her rival at the top of lane and bounded to the wire.

Although she won on the main track, Princesa Celina’s pedigree is inundated with turf influences. She is a half sibling to three stakes performers on the lawn, including grade 2 winner Conquest Panthera  (Kitten’s Joy). Campaigned by Gary Barber, Conquest Panthera notched his biggest career victory in the 2017 Play the King Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine. Earlier that spring he was beaten a neck and a nose when third in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1T) behind American Patriot  and Heart to Heart  .

Another half sibling is the speedy Distorted Humor filly Happy Like a Fool. Also trained by Ward, Happy Like a Fool dominated her foes first time out in a Keeneland maiden special weight before finishing second overseas in Royal Ascot’s Queen Mary Stakes (G2). Returned to the States, she proceeded to score wins sprinting on the dirt in the Matron Stakes (G3) and later the Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) as a 3-year-old. Retired at the conclusion of her sophomore season, Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services sold her for $1.45 million at Fasig-Tipton’s 2018 November Sale to Blandford Bloodstock.