BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Although Stephen Rousseau’s Nic’s Style is a perfect three-for-three to start her career, the Florida-bred filly is the 8-5 second choice on the morning line for the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom during the Belmont at Big A meet Sunday. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Nic’s Style is one of four fillies and mares who will try to upset 3-5 program favorite Ways and Means in the six-and-a-half-furlong contest featuring a $250,000 purse.
Nic’s Style has won her three races by more than 22 lengths combined, although they have come over a three-year period.
She defeated maiden special weight fillies by six-and-a-quarter lengths at Gulfstream Park in May of 2022 then did not come back to races again for 17 months. She was sharp again in winning a first level, $20,000 optional claiming for Florida-bred fillies and mares by more than 10 lengths at Gulfstream on Dec. 9 but was forced to sidelines again for another eight months.
Her first start for Mott came at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 17 in a six-furlong allowance race and she won by nearly six lengths with Junior Alvarado aboard.
A $25,000 purchase by Rousseau out of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield consignment at the 2021 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale, Nic’s Style has earned $135,000 in her three races.
She is by Uncaptured out of Sense When, by Street Sense and was bred in Florida by D’Oyen Thoroughbreds LLC.
Alvarado gets the return mount and they will depart post two.
Ways and Means will attempt her third straight victory after winning a one-mile allowance race by eight-and-a-quarter lengths on June 6 and the Grade 1 Test by two-and-a-half lengths over a sloppy seven furlongs on Aug. 3, both at Saratoga.
She started the year finishing second to Power Squeeze in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in March before finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks won by Thorpedo Anna on May 3.
The 3-year-old filly is trained by Chad Brown and owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables for whom she has earned $569,500 from three wins in six starts with two seconds.
Ways and Means is by Practical Joke out of Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward and will be ridden from post three by Flavien Prat.
Mott will also saddle Sterling Silver, who is 5-1 on the morning line after winning the $121,000 Johnston Mile Handicap by nearly 10 lengths at Saratoga on Aug. 7.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Sterling Silver from post one.
Pacific Rose and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. and Hot Fudge with Jose Lezcano up, round out the field.
Nic’s Style would be the first Florida-bred winner of the Gallant Bloom since the Amy Tarrant owned and trained Pomeroy’s Pistol in 2011. Other Florida-bred winners were Umpateedle in 2005 and Lady Tak in 2004.
