Nutella Fella | Sarah Andrew
Bell Gable Stables Nutella Fella (Runhappy), out of action since winning last year's GI Hopeful S., could return to action on the June 8 GI Woody Stephens S. The bay colt upset Hopeful at 54-1, but suffered an ankle injury after training for GI Champagne S. and had surgery. He was working out of Oak Ridge Training Center in Ocala and is now back with trainer Gary Contessa's team in Saratoga.
“He worked 5/8 in 1:01 in Ocala before I brought him up last week,” Contessa said. “Maybe he will have his first work in the middle of next week. I will wait until the weather is good and the track suits my taste.”
Contessa continued, “His first race of the year will be Woody Stephens on Belmont Day. He's a good horse and it was the perfect distance for him – the same distance as Hopeful and he ran five-eighths. He'll be really ready for that race in June. I know returning to Woody Stephens is a tall order, but that distance is what he does best.”
Contessa is expecting another 2023 Saratoga ranked winner to make the trip north from Ocala next week. by Lee Pokoik Becky's Joker (Practical joke) won the GIII Schuylerville S. in his track debut last July, but has not appeared since finishing seventh in his second GIII Adirondack S outing.
“Mentally, she was disappointed with me after that race,” Contessa said. “We took her off the winter and that's what you have to do with these young horses when they're not progressing mentally the way you want them to and Lee is the type of owner who will let you do the right thing. ”
Becky's Joker spent the winter at the Eclipse Training Center.
“I worked her 5/8 last Friday at 1:02 at Eclipse,” Contessa said. “My plan is to work her there this Friday and then move her over the weekend.”
As for potential targets for the filly, Contessa said, “I want to see how she is progressing and how she is performing. Obviously, going into Belmont Stakes weekend, she had a mile and an eighth race. [June 7 GI Acorn S.] and I don't think the distance will be a problem for her since she is 17.2 years old [hands]. She's the chubbiest girl you'd ever want to meet, but she'll have to tell me when she wants to come back. She is eligible for allowance and all the stakes races for 3-year-olds – there are plenty of opportunities for her, so we will take it one step at a time.”
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This story was posted in Top news and tagged Becky's Joker, Stable Gable Bell, Belmont Stakes, Gary Contessa, Lee Pokoik, Nutella Fella, Saratoga Race Course, Woody Stephens shares.
