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Daily Racing Form: Nisha Back At Same Level As Favorite

ELMONT, N.Y. – The last time Nisha raced, she beat the heavily favored Your Love in a third-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race at Belmont Park. On Thursday, 119 days later, Nisha will be the horse to beat in a third-level optional $80,000 claiming race going six furlongs at Belmont Park.

Nisha, a 4-year-old daughter of First Samurai, was not offered for the tag the day she beat Your Love by a length. She is eligible to be claimed for $80,000 on Thursday.

Nisha has won 7 of 11 career starts and has been claimed three times. Last October, trainer Jeremiah Englehart and owner James Riccio took her for $25,000 from David Jacobson off a winning effort. Nisha has won 3 of 5 starts since the claim, with one loss coming when she lost her rider leaving the starting gate.

Last time out, on June 28, Nisha defeated Your Love by one length under a heady ride by Jose Ortiz, who kept the odds-on favored Your Love bottled up. Ortiz is at Keeneland on Thursday, so Manny Franco will have the call on Nisha, who breaks from post 5 in the six-horse field.

Yorkiepoo Princess finished third behind Nisha in that June 28 allowance. Yorkiepoo Princess has since run in two stakes, finishing seventh behind Your Love in the Shine Again at Saratoga and third behind runaway winner Liz’s Cable Girl in the Roamin’ Rachel on Sept. 15 at Parx Racing.

“The winner went wire to wire, opened up four or five, and was gone,” said Eddie Barker, trainer of Yorkiepoo Princess. “I think you have to run over that Parx track a couple of times to be successful.”

Barker sees ample speed in this race, so he would like to see Junior Alvarado have Yorkiepoo Princess come from off the pace Thursday.

This race attracted shippers Angel At War from the Delaware Park-based barn of Michael Gorham and Treble from the Churchill-based Ron Moquett. Peaches and Spice and Liz Mimi complete the field.

KEY CONTENDERS

Nisha, by First Samurai
Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-84

◗ Has won five of her last seven starts, though she hasn’t run over a fast main track since September 2017.

◗ In February, she beat Sounds Delicious, who came back to win her next two starts, including the Correction Stakes.

◗ In June, she defeated Your Love, who came back to win the Shine Again Stakes and run second in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom.

Yorkiepoo Princess, by Kantharos
Last 3 Beyers: 80-63-81

◗ She reeled off three straight stakes wins at Aqueduct from November 2016 through February 2017, but is winless in nine starts since.

◗ Her only non-stakes try in that span was a third-place finish behind Nisha in a race similar to this in the mud at Belmont in June.

◗ Liz’s Cable Girl, who beat this filly in the Roamin’ Rachel Stakes, came back to win an allowance, while She’s Stunning, fourth in the Roamin’ Rachel, also came back to win her next start.

Angel At War, by Shackleford
Last 3 Beyers: 85-79-73

◗ Speed and the rail are always a dangerous combination, and this filly has both.

◗ Beaten only 1 1/2 lengths when third to Cairenn in Laurel Park’s restricted Shine Again Stakes on Sept. 29.

This story originally appeared on DRF.com


Visit DRF.com for additional news, notes, wagering information, and more.

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