La Verdad Looms As Heavy Favorite in $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap

La Verdad has been tabbed as the heavy favorite at morning line odds of 4-5 for trainer Linda Rice. Bred in New York, the five-year-old daughter of Yes It’s True has won fourteen of her twenty starts and comes into this race off of a four race win streak. She was second in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) last year. She was last seen winning the Honorable Miss Stakes (G2) and will have regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard from post two.

Dame Dorothy trying to return to form

Second choice at 4-1 on the morning line is Dame Dorothy for trainer Todd Pletcher. Purchased for $390,000 as a yearling by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, she has been on the board in nine of her ten starts and is a seven-time winner. She is trying to rebound after a sixth-place finish in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga last time out and will have John Velazquez in the irons from the inside post.

Wavell Avenue making graded stakes debut

Also in the field at morning line odds of 12-1 is longshot Wavell Avenue for trainer Chad Brown. A four-year-old daughter of Harlington, she has won five of her eleven starts and will be trying to earn the first stakes victory of her career. She won an optional claiming race last time out at Saratoga and will have Joel Rosario aboard from post position four as she makes her graded stakes debut.