BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Ground Support, a winner at 100-1 on the tote board in her debut victory at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 30, again defied the betting public with a gate-to-wire score at 12-1 odds in the $200,000 Miss Grillo (Grade 2) during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct Race Track Saturday. The Miss Grillo featured 2-year-old fillies going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass and was a Win and You’re In qualifier for the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 1) to be run on Oct. 31 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Ground Support started evenly from post three then took jockey Adam Beschizza to lead the 11 fillies into the clubhouse turn. Ground Support had two lengths on 67-1 longshot Carra’s Daydreamchase and 17-1 choice Believe in Magic together in second through comfortable fractions of :23.17, :48.65 and 1:13.56. Believe in Magic tried to muster a challenge coming out of the far turn but Ground Support accelerated to lead by three-and-a-half lengths in deep stretch before Deep Learning, the 2-1 favorite, and 5-2 second choice Quiet Street came on late. However, they never threatened Ground Support, who won by two lengths in 1:43.32 on the firm turf. Deep Learning finished second, a half-length ahead of Quiet Street in third. Fille d’Oro (Ire), Believe in Magic, Cara’s Dreamchaser, Dyna, Day to Day, Boomington, Miss Picky and El Barrio completed the order of finish.
Ground Support paid $26.86 to win.
Trained by Kelsey Danner for NBS Stable, the nom du course of Art Neuhedel, John Ballantyne and Daryl Shaw, Ground Support broke her maiden in her first start, defeating special weight fillies going a mile on the turf.
She is by Army Mule out of Arch Support, by Arch and was bred in Florida by Champion Equine LLC. She has now earned $164,000 in two starts.
NBS Stables/John Ballantyne purchased Ground support for $80,000 out of the Tom McCrocklin consignment at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-year-olds in training after she did not meet her reserve at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale two month earlier.
Arch Support has eight foals, six of which are winners from seven starters, with Ground Support her only black-type winner. She was bred to Verifying in 2025. Arch Support is a half-sister to stakes-placed Witchesofwestfield and stakes-producer Breaking Promises. Champion Equine purchased her in foal to Not This Time for $40,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February Mixed Sale.
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