Love Reigns primed for G2 Intercontinental
At 0h04, on June 7, 2024 • By SARATOGA
Stonestreet Stables’ Love Reigns is set to make her second start off the layoff in Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Intercontinental presented by MTV Solutions, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older fillies and mares, on June 7 Day Two of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, at Saratoga Race Course.
The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which spans Thursday through Sunday, is highlighted by the 156th edition of the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 8. The four-day Festival will include 24 stakes races with purses totaling $10.25 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day festival in 2014.
Trained by Wesley Ward, the 4-year-old U S Navy Flag bay finished second in her seasonal bow in the Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway to returning rival Roses for Debra, sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs for the sixth time in her seven-race career, on April 21 at Keeneland.
Love Reigns has breezed back three times since the place-effort, including a half-mile Friday over the Oklahoma turf training track in 52.80 seconds.
“She ran a big race at Keeneland, and she has good spacing now, so she’s ready to roll,” said Ward. “She worked good [Friday]. I was happy with that.”
The talented turf sprinter, a $187,123 purchase at the 2021 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, was a top prospect since her juvenile campaign, where she graduated at first-asking by 9 3/4 lengths at Keeneland ahead of a trip to Royal Ascot to finish fourth in the five-furlong Group 2 Queen Mary.
She was victorious in her return to the states in Saratoga’s Listed Bolton Landing in August ahead of an off-the-board finish as the favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint versus colts in November at Keeneland, under Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Hall of Famer Joel Rosario has been aboard in her three efforts since the Breeders’ Cup attempt, including a win in the Listed Limestone last April going Friday’s distance at Keeneland. Ward said he hopes the veteran can launch a closing trip from post 10.
