More Than Ready filly breaks maiden in $200,000 Miss Grillo S. (G2)

Selflessly was a very unlucky second in her Aug. 28 debut, but the More Than Ready filly made up for it on Sunday at Belmont Park with a victory in the $200,000 Miss Grillo S. (G2) on the turf.

Two-year-old Selflessly is the seventh graded stakes winner this year for her sire, and he now has 90 lifetime graded stakes winners nearly 200 stakes winners worldwide.

After being well off the early pace in her Saratoga debut, Selflessly was much closer to the lead in the Miss Grillo. Javier Castellano had her in third for the first six furlongs, then moved three-wide into the stretch and made the lead with about a furlong to run. She held off hard-charging Crystalle to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:42.32 for the 1 1/16-miles on the firm turf.

“She improved. I liked the way she did it today,” said Castellano. “I think she’s just going to move forward. I don’t think distance is a question the way she did it and the way she galloped out. She can be very competitive at the Breeders’ Cup.” 

Trainer Chad Brown said a decision would be forthcoming on whether or not she would go to the Breeders’ Cup, on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.

Selflessly is owned by Klaravich Stables, who bought her for $190,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. She was bred by George Doetsch, Jr. and is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Enchanted Ghost.