New York-Breds at the Races: January 9 to 15 By Bill Heller Awesome Gent Wins Second Straight Impressively Friday Burning Sands Stable s homebred three-year-old gelding Awesome Gent followed his 8 ½- length maiden victory with an impressive 6 ¼-length score in a six-furlong $57,000 New Yorkbred allowance/optional $75,000 claimer Friday at Aqueduct. Sent off the 2-5 favorite in a field of just four under Manuel Franco, Awesome Gent won in hand in a final time of 1:11.06. Todd Pletcher trains Awesome Gent, a son of Awesome Again out of Pawnee Patti by Sir Richard Lewis. Pletcher freshened Awesome Gent after he finished a tiring eighth as the 2-1 favorite in his debut at Saratoga on September 4 th. Returning on December 19 th at Aqueduct, he broke his maiden with authority, winning easily with Franco riding for the first time. Though he broke his maiden racing on the front end, Awesome Gent settled nicely in second Friday on the outside of 3-1 Gehrig and Jose Ortiz. Gehrig led Awesome Gent by three-quarters of a length after a :23.77 first quarter, and by a half-length after a half-mile in :46.85. Awesome Gent went after Gehrig in early stretch, wore him down by mid-stretch and took over, drawing away to win by himself. Gehrig held second, 2 ½ lengths ahead of 3-1 Fumin Newman. Uno Emayo was another neck back in fourth. Awesome Gent is now two for three with earnings topping $75,000. Zilla Racing Stable s five-year-old New York-bred gelding Swell, the slight 9-5 favorite in a field of six under Jose Ortiz, made a mid-race move to take the lead around the far turn, opened a two-length advantage in mid-stretch and then just held off Dreamscometrue, the 2-1 second choice under Angel Arroyo, by a short neck to win a $50,000 starter allowance Friday at Aqueduct. He completed the six-furlong distance in 1:10.63. Michelle Nevin trains Swell, a son of Langfuhr out of Beijio by Dr. Blum who was bred by Empire Equines. Zilla Racing Stable claimed Swell for $40,000 when he finished sixth in a grass race at Belmont on May 9 th. Swell didn t make his first start for his new connections until December 3 rd, when he finished a game second by a half-length at 7-2 odds. Ortiz set up Swell in second behind 3-1 Cort and Gabriel Saez. Cort led Swell by two lengths through a quick :22.64 opening quarter-mile. Swell whittled away at the lead heading into the far turn, then took over at the top of the stretch after a :45.68 half-mile. Swell opened a two-length advantage, then was all out to hold off Dreamscometrue. There was a gap of seven lengths back
to 3-1 Roman Rival in third. New York-bred Ant and Bee was another length back in fourth at 33-1 odds. Swell is now two for nine on dirt with two seconds and a third. He s also raced twice on turf and has combined earnings of more than $100,000. Tri County Stables idle six-year-old New York-bred, the homebred mare Bi Light of Day, shadowed front-running New York-bred Enduring Touch for three-quarters of a mile then shot past her in mid-stretch under apprentice Eric Cancel to win a one-mile $34,000 conditional $25,000 claimer by a length and three-quarters at 15-1 odds in a field of six. Jademarie, the 3-2 favorite under Angel Arroyo, rallied to finish second, a length ahead of 9-2 Benny s Diamond. Enduring Touch, who was stretching out from six furlongs to eight under Kendrick Carmouche, was a distant fourth at 4-1 odds. John Hertler trains Bi Light of Day, a daughter of Five Star Day out of Lady Bi Bi by Lord Avie who was making her first start since October 28 th, when she was second at 8-1 odds in the same company with Cancel aboard for the first time on a sloppy track. Breaking from the outside post Friday, Bi Light of Day got away second as Enduring Touch broke immediately in front. Enduring Touch quickly opened a three-length lead through a :24.62 quarter, then stretched the margin to 3 ½ by running a half-mile in :48.73. But Bi Light of Day narrowed the gap heading into the far turn and, after three-quarters in 1:13.58, took the lead. She won handily in a final time of 1:39.99. Bi Light of Day improved her dirt record to two for 14 with three seconds and two thirds. She also has one second and one third from 17 turf tries, for combined earnings of more than $125,000. Manuel Tobio s four-year-old gray New York-bred filly Midnight Champagne won her second straight race Friday, taking a $20,000 open $10,000 claimer by nearly two lengths as the evenmoney favorite under Cornelio Velasquez in a field of seven. She completed the six-furlong distance in 1:12.27. Jaime Rodriguez, who finished second on 9-2 Panfila, claimed foul against the winner, but the stewards let the original order of finish stand. Michael Miceli trains Midnight Champagne, a daughter of Noonmark out of Crystal Sweet by Holy Bull who was bred by Hidden Lake Farm. Tobio claimed Midnight Champagne for $20,000 when she finished seventh at Saratoga on August 14 th. In her first three starts, Midnight Champagne finished fifth in a $25,000 claimer and a close third in a conditional $14,000 claimer before dropping to $10,000 and winning by nearly five lengths at 2-5 odds on December 18 th. Breaking from the outside Friday, Midnight Champagne took a half-length lead on the outside of Panfila through a :23.80 first quarter. Midnight Champagne continued to lead by less than a
length on the outside of Panfila through a half-mile in :47.24 before clearing her and switching to the rail. The head-on replay showed that Midnight Champagne did drift over in front of Panfila, but she appeared to be clear of her when she did. Midnight Champagne then opened up a threelength lead on Panfila, but Panfila was switched to the outside and closed a bit of ground while finishing a well-clear second, 6 ¼ lengths ahead of 12-1 Rock Show, who edged 9-5 Star of the Forest by a head for third. Midnight Champagne is now four for 13 on dirt with one second, four thirds and earnings of more than $115,000. In Friday s finale, a 5 ½-furlong $31,000 New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer for three-yearold fillies, Our Sugar Bear Stable s Love You Babe, the 8-5 favorite in a field of 12 and ridden by Jose Ortiz, edged first-time starter Baronet, who went off at 18-1 odds under seven-pound apprentice Katie Davis, by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:06.35. That gave Ortiz his third winner for the day. Front-running Show Giant, who was adding blinkers and went off at 3-1 odds under apprentice Harry Hernandez, finished third, nearly three lengths behind Baronet. For Later, who was part of a 5-1 entry, finished fourth, three-quarters of a length behind Show Giant. Bruce Brown trains Love You Babe, a daughter of Not For Love out of Queen Cat by Mountain Cat who was bred by Saratoga Glen Farm and sold for $27,500 as a two-year-old in April 2015. Love You Babe was making her third dirt start. Love You Babe was fourth early as Show Giant took the field through a fast first quarter in :22.61, prompted by 11-1 Champagne Therapy. Show Giant put away Champagne Therapy and opened a three-length lead after a half-mile in :46.92, before Baronet and Love You Baby rallied in tandem two- and three-wide, respectively. Both went by Show Giant, with Love You Babe winning narrowly. Love You Babe now has a win and a second from three dirt starts. She s also raced three times on grass and has earned over $30,000. Blithely Noses Court Dancer in Allowance Thriller Thursday at Aqueduct Two classy five-year-old mares, William Parsons and David Howe s homebred Blithely and Michael Dubb s Court Dancer, put on a heck of a show in a $65,000 New York-bred allowance Thursday at Aqueduct, with Blithely, ridden by Junior Alvarado, winning by a nose on the outside of front-running Court Dancer and Angel Arroyo. She completed the six-furlong distance in a sharp 1:10.80.
Willet rallied to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind Court Dancer while a length and a quarter ahead of Make the Moment. Sheriffa finished fifth, another half-length back. Though there were only five mares in the race, each had won more than $200,000 in her career and they had combined earnings of more than $2 million. Bettors sent Blithely off at 4-1 odds, Court Dancer and Willet each went off at odds of 2-1, Make the Moment was 8-1 and Sheriffa was 5-2. This was a two-horse race the entire way. Breaking from the two post, Court Dancer took a narrow lead over Blithely, who broke from the three. Court Dancer led Blithely by a neck after an opening quarter in :23.43, then by a halflength after a half-mile in :46.59. The two mares went head-to-head all the way to the finish line, neither one giving an inch. In the nose-bob finish, Blithely prevailed. Mark Hennig trains Blithely, a lightly raced daughter of Exchange Rate out of Merryland Monroe by Allen s Prospect. Blithely is now five for 12 in her career, with three seconds, two thirds and more than $250,000 in earnings. Passed in mid-stretch by first-time starter Adrestia, Harry Landry s striking four-year-old homebred gray mare Irish Heroine gamely came again and drew away under apprentice rider Eric Cancel, winning a $55,000 New York-bred maiden special weight by a length and threequarters. Sent off at 1-2 odds in the field of six, she won in a final time of 1:13.11. Edward Barker trains Irish Heroine, a daughter of Street Hero out of Irish Ridge by Cactus Bridge who was co-bred by Mrs. Harry Landry. Originally trained by Michael Dilger, Irish Heroine started her career by finishing a close second in a maiden special weight at Saratoga and a solid third as the 5-2 favorite in a $141,000 New York-bred stakes at Finger Lakes on September 6, 2014. Irish Heroine didn t return to the races for more than 15 months. With Barker now training her, Irish Heroine roared home six-wide to finish third by a half-length at 2-1 odds with Cancel riding for the first time. She was pounded down at the betting windows Thursday. Adrestia, ridden by Jose Ortiz, was the 2-1 second choice. Breaking from the outside, Irish Heroine took the lead immediately. Adrestia advanced from third into second, three-quarters of a length behind Irish Heroine through a :23.57 first quarter. Adrestia drew closer after a half-mile in :47.13 and then drew even with the favorite. Adrestia pushed a head in front of Irish Heroine in mid-stretch, but Irish Heroine responded immediately and regained the lead. She then started to draw away, winning comfortably. Adrestia finished
second, 6 ¼ lengths ahead of 8-1 Rice and Beans. Redemption Queen, a 55-1 firster who broke slowly, finished fourth, 2 ¾ lengths behind Rice and Beans. Irish Heroine now has a win, a second and a pair of thirds from four starts, with earnings of more than $65,000. In Thursday s opener, a six-furlong $41,000 New York-bred maiden claimer for three-year-old fillies, Paradise Farm Corp. s Carysfort Reef, the 1-5 favorite in a field of six under Irad Ortiz, Jr., wore down front-running Big Band Benny in mid-stretch and went on to a 2 ¼-length victory in a final time of 1:12.83. Dr. Luber s Kiss, a new gelding sent off at 26-1 odds under Jackie Davis, rallied to finish second, 2 ¼ lengths clear of Big Band Benny, the 5-2 second choice ridden by Manuel Franco. Monhill Farm bred Carysfort Reef, a son of Freud out of Clear Punch by Pembroke who sold for $60,000 as a two-year-old in May 2015. After finishing ninth in his debut, he was dropped into maiden claimers, finishing third once and a close second twice, all three times as the favorite. He was claimed in two of them, for $40,000 initially on November 20, then again in his last start by Paradise Farm Corp. and trainer Steve Asmussen, when he finished second by a half-length with Ortiz aboard for the first time on December 5. Departing from the rail Thursday, Ortiz settled Carysfort Reef in third behind Big Band Benny and Whiskey Neat, an 8-1 firster ridden by Cornelio Velasquez. Big Band Benny led by a length after an opening quarter in :23.44. Heading into the far turn, Ortiz squeezed Carysfort Reef in between a tiring Whiskey Neat on the outside and Big Band Benny on the rail. After a half-mile in :47.27, Carysfort Reef put the pressure on the frontrunner, who held on until mid-stretch before Cary fort Reef took over. Carysfort Reef now has a win, two seconds and a third from five starts, for earnings of more than $40,000. In a roughly run finale Thursday, Angel Arroyo rallied Twice Worthy Stable and Christine Tesoriero s first-time starter Mystical Song, a four-year-old gelding who went off at 85-1 odds, on the inside of front-running Rich Dalone, who went off at 2-1 odds under Kendrick Carmouche, to win a six-furlong $31,000 New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer by two lengths. Down Town Kitty, another firster who went off at 30-1 odds, was third, a length behind Rich Dalone. Bear Clause finished fourth, another two lengths back, at 9-2 odds. At the start, Memory Keeper, ridden by Jose Ortiz, went to his knees from the four post and was clobbered by Freedom Seven, who made a right-hand turn at the start. Memory Keeper then tossed Ortiz. There was an inquiry after the race, but no action was taken as none of the top four finishers were involved.
Antonio Arriaga trains Mystical Song, a son of Pleasantly Perfect out of Lady Jove by Lord Carson who was bred by Ken Sherman and Tesoriero Stable. Breaking from the nine post in a field of 10, Rich Dalone took the early lead under Kendrick Carmouche, with Mystical Song also getting away well. After a half-mile in :46.90, Mystical Song rallied on the front-runner s inside and went right on by. Saythreehailmary s Wins Her Second Straight Stakes in Open Company Sunday Very Un Stable s homebred, the five-year-old New York-bred mare Saythreehailmary s, won her second straight stakes at foggy, sloppy Aqueduct Sunday, rallying under Manuel Franco to capture the 145 th running of the mile-and-70 yard $100,000 Ladies Handicap by three-quarters of a length. Mei Ling was second and New York-bred Wonder Gal finished third, five lengths behind Mei Ling, after Saythreehailmary s won in a final time of 1:44.91. The New York Racing Association cancelled the final two races Sunday due to dense fog and related safety concerns. Saythreehailmary s was sent off at odds of 5-1 from the rail, Mei Ling went off at 2-1 odds under Jose Ortiz and Wonder Gal was the 4-5 favorite under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the field of five. John Morrison trains Saythreehailmary s, a daughter of Repent out of Just Call Me Angel by Devil s Bag. In her previous start on December 12 th, Saythreehailmary s took the $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-breds by a length and a quarter under Jose Ortiz at 9-2 odds. That race was on a fast track. Before Sunday, Saythreehailmary s was three for four on wet tracks; now she s four for five. Breaking from the rail, Saythreehailmary s settled in fourth. Sustainable, who went off at 5-1 odds under Junior Alvarado, shot to the lead from the outside post. Mei Ling chased her in second and Wonder Gal was three-wide in third. Sustainable led by a length after a first quarter in :25.41, then by a length and a half after a half-mile in :49.39. Mei Ling made her move and took the lead as Wonder Gal rallied into second and Saythreehailmary s advanced into third. After three-quarters in 1:14.30, Mei Ling and Saythreehailmary s separated themselves from the other three fillies. Mei Ling was game, but couldn t withstand Saythreehailmary s rally. She got a perfect trip, Toscano said afterwards. Manny couldn t have ridden her any better. Saythreehailmary s is now six for 20 on dirt with five seconds and four thirds. She has also raced twice on turf and has total earnings of more than $430,000.
WinStar Farm s colt Inside Straight and jockey Jose Ortiz split horses decisively in mid-stretch and went on to a 3 ¼-length victory in a mile-and-70-yard $57,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $75,000 claimer for three-year-olds Sunday. Sent off at 5-1 odds, Inside Straight won in a final time of 1:45.24. Cards of Stone, the 7-5 favorite in the field of eight under Kendrick Carmouche, finished second, 4 ½ lengths clear of 5-2 Charming Indy, who was part of an entry, in third. EJ s Legacy was a distant fourth at 5-1 odds. SF Bloodstock bred Inside Straight, a son of Super Saver out of Dance Alexa by Southern Halo who sold for $100,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in September 2014. He is trained by Todd Pletcher. In his prior start, with blinkers added, Inside Straight stumbled and lost Ortiz, who was riding Inside Straight for the first time. Inside Straight got away in mid-pack as 20-1 Spin Cycle and 47-1 King Dublin dueled for the early lead. Spin Cycle led King Dublin by a neck after a :24.15 opening quarter. Then King of Dublin took the lead as Cards of Stones moved into second through a :48.43 half-mile. Cards of Stone went after King of Dublin and struck the lead after three-quarters in 1:14.07. Inside Straight, who had rallied into third, split King of Dublin and Cards of Stone to take the lead. Inside Straight is now two for six on dirt with one third. He was also second in a single turf try and has combined earnings topping $100,000. Kendrick Carmouche put Matthew Schera s filly Storm Cell on the lead and she rolled to a 4 ¼- length wire-to-wire victory in Sunday s opener, a one-mile $55,000 New York-bred maiden special weight for three-year-old fillies, as the 1-2 favorite in a field of just five. Boomerang Betty, the 5-2 second choice under Manuel Franco, rallied to finish second. There was a huge gap of 11 ½ lengths back to 13-1 Out of Nowhere and apprentice Eric Cancel in third. Carlos Martin trains Storm Cell, a daughter of Haynesfield out of Horticulture by Forest Wildcat who was bred by Toby Sheets and James Bredin and was purchased for $90,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in August 2014. Storm Cell was making just her second career start after finishing a distant fifth in her debut on December 20 th. She broke alertly from the rail, weathering a bit of pressure from 5-1 Preying Mantis and Junior Alvarado. Storm Cell ran a :25.00 first quarter and a half-mile in :49.13. Preying Mantis couldn t keep up as Storm Cell increased her advantage. She hit three-quarters in 1:15.42 with a twolength lead and won handily in a final time of 1:44.66.
In another six-furlong $55,000 New York-bred maiden special weight for three-year-old fillies Sunday, Everything s Cricket Racing s Flatterywillgetyou tracked longshot front-runner Stella Who, took over the lead readily when asked by Jose Ortiz and scored by 2 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:13.49. Flatterywillgetyou was the 8-5 favorite from the two post and Stella Who, who was shedding blinkers under Mike Luzzi, was sent off at 21-1 odds in the field of seven. Linda Rice trains Flatterywillgetyou, a daughter of Flatter out of Tres Chaud by French Deputy who was bred by First Class Thoroughbreds and was purchased for $75,000 in 2013. She had finished a promising third from the 11 post at 27-1 odds in her debut on December 20 th. She had a better post Sunday, and though she broke first, she ceded the lead to Stella Who, who opened a two-length lead on her through a :22.79 first quarter. Flatterywillgetyou closed the gap to just a neck after a half-mile in :46.62, then took over the front and opened up, winning handily. Chocolate Smoothie, a firster who went off at 3-1 under Kendrick Carmouche from the outside post, rallied smartly to finish second, four lengths clear of another firster, 3-1 Votre Coeur, in third. Stella Who held on for fourth. Flatterywillgetyou has already earned nearly $40,000 in her first two starts. La Verdad Wins the Interborough Stakes Handily at 2-5 Odds Saturday Still too sharp to retire, Lady Sheila Stable s six-year-old New York-bred winning machine, La Verdad, had to work to make the lead, but she did and then drew away, taking the 95 th running of the six-furlong $100,000 Interborough Stakes by 2 ¾ lengths under the only jockey who has ridden her, Jose Ortiz. Sent off the 2-5 favorite in a field of seven, La Verdad won her 16 th race in 25 lifetime starts in a final time of 1:10.65. Linda Rice trains the daughter of Yes It s True out of Noble Fire by Hook and Ladder who was bred by Eklektikos Stable. La Verdad had finished first in her first six starts in 2015 though she was disqualified from one of them for a drug positive heading into the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on October 31 st. Though she s better at six furlongs than seven, she was a solid second by a length and three-quarters to Wavell Avenue, a filly she d beaten by a half-length when she won the 6 ½-furlong Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap a month earlier. When La Verdad came out of the Breeders Cup strongly, plans to breed her were put on hold. She was entered against males in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct on November 26 th, but finished sixth by 2 ¼ lengths. For the Interborough, she turned in a blazing five-furlong bullet work in 1:00 4/5 on the Belmont Park training track on January 2 nd, fastest of 20 that morning at that distance.
Breaking sharply as she always does from the five post, La Verdad went for the lead on the outside of 51-1 longshot Fat Kat from the two post. La Verdad led Fat Kat by a neck after a :23.22 first quarter, then by just a head. But after hitting six furlongs in :46.13, La Verdad spurted clear, stretching her lead to three lengths in mid-stretch. She won handily as announcer John Imbriale called, Here s this marvelous mare, La Verdad, to win her 2016 debut. Dancing House, who went off at 8-1 odds under Kendrick Carmouche, finished second, a length ahead of 3-1 Room for Me and Cornelio Velasquez in third. New York-bred Princess Violet, who went off at 6-1 odds under Junior Alvarado, finished fourth, three-quarters of a length behind Room for Me. La Verdad is now 11 for 16 at six furlongs. Overall, she has 16 wins and three seconds from 25 starts, with earnings of more than $1,560,000. When you ve got a filly that has won as much as she has, it puts a little extra pressure on us, Rice said. It s a little nerve-wracking, but we enjoy racing her. Ortiz is sure happy to be on board, and he saluted Rice s training: Linda brought her in at 100 percent ready for this race. Spendthrift Farm s homebred colt Best Version made his first start a winning one Saturday, holding off another firster, Wine Not, by a neck under Carol Cedeno in a $55,000 New Yorkbred maiden special weight for three-year-olds. He covered the six-furlong distance in 1:13.83. Jet Black was a length and a quarter behind Wine Not in third. Yet another firster, Brooklyn Major, finished a distant fourth. Best Version was sent off at odds of 23-1, Wine Not went off at 9-1 odds under Kendrick Carmouche, Jet Black was 4-1 under Angel Arroyo and Brooklyn Major, ridden by apprentice Eric Cancel, was 32-1 in the field of 12. Blane Servis trains Best Version, a son of Dublin out of Ski Seattle by Seattle Slew who trained for his debut in New York at Parx, where he turned in five- and six-furlong bullet works. New York bettors weren t impressed, however. Jet Black, ridden by Angel Arroyo, set the pace while chased by 58-1 Caelifera. Best Version was fifth early. Jet Black led Caelifera by a half-length after a first quarter in :23.43. Jet Black stretched his lead to a length and a half, then drew off to lead by 3 ½ lengths, racing a half-mile in :48.00. Best Version cut into the lead rallying three-wide while Wine Not moved up four-wide. Both caught up to Jet Black and the three horses battled to the wire, with Best Version proving best.
By the barest of margins, Bran Jam Stable s new claim, the four-year-old New York-bred colt Got Winged, who had a four-length lead at the sixteenth pole, held off fast-closing Mello Groove to win a $40,000 conditional $40,000 claimer by a nose Saturday under Jackie Davis. Got Winged completed the six furlongs in 1:12.36. He was sent off at 7-1 odds from the outside post in the field of nine. Mello Groove went off at 8-1 odds from the rail under Junior Alvarado. Bran Jam Stable and trainer John Toscano, Jr. claimed Got Winged for $25,000 when he finished second by six lengths on December 17 th under Jose Ortiz at 3-1 odds. Very Un Stable bred Got Winged, a son of Posse out of Just Call Me Angel by Devil s Bag who sold for $30,000 as a twoyear-old in April 2014. Got Winged broke sharply from the outside, but so did three horses inside him. Warp, who went off at 9-1 odds under Kendrick Carmouche, led 4-1 Overcontrol two-wide by a nose, with Got Winged right there three-wide and 5-1 New York-bred Apache Warrior a close fourth fourwide through a :23.59 first quarter. Got Winged forged to the lead on the outside of Overcontrol, then cleared him after hitting the half-mile in :46.91. He then spurted away to lead by four lengths as Mello Grove came charging at him on the outside. Mello Grove gained ground quickly, and he and Got Winged crossed the finish line in tandem. The photo showed that Got Winged had held on. Saratoga Wildcat, the 3-2 favorite, finished third, 2 ¾ lengths behind Mello Grove. Apache Warrior finished fourth. Got Winged is now one for 13 on dirt with six seconds and one third. He also has one win from three grass starts for total earnings of more than $110,000. Drawing Away Stable s new claim Madame Maybry, who was shedding blinkers, wore down front-running Marakovits and drew off to a 4 ½-length victory under Kendrick Carmouche in a six-furlong $41,000 New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer for three-year-old fillies Saturday. Sent off the 8-5 favorite in a field of nine, Madame Maybry won in a final time of 1:13.44. Marakovits was the 2-1 second choice under Mike Luzzi. John Toscano, Jr. now trains Madame Maybry, a daughter of Maybry s Boy out of My Amandari by El Prado who was bred by RA Hill Stable. Drawing Away Stable claimed Madame Maybry for $25,000 when she was a distant sixth at 3-5 odds in her third career start on December 3 rd. Marakovits shot to the lead from the five post and Madame Maybry got away second from the eight post. They remained 1-2 the entire race. Marakovits led Madame Maybry by three-quarters of a length after an opening quarter in :23.93, then by a half-length after a half-mile in :48.48. Madame Maybry kept up the pressure and took over in mid-stretch, then drew away to win easily. Marakovits was a clear second, nearly five lengths ahead of 5-1 Wiredancer. There was a gap of 7 ½ lengths back to 7-1 Harmony Lass, who was adding blinkers.
Madame Maybry now has a win and a second from four starts, for earnings of more than $30,000. In Saturday s finale, a mile-and-70-yard $26,000 conditional $14,000 claimer, Dylan Davis rallied owner/trainer Joe Imperio s four-year-old New York-bred gelding Bossmon to a 2 ½- length victory. Sent off at 5-1 odds in the field of nine, Bossmon won in a final time of 1:46.38. Mr. Canada, the 5-2 second choice under Angel Arroyo, led in early stretch before tiring to finish second, a neck ahead of 5-1 New York-bred Hushhushmushmush in third. Sourcesandmethods, the 6-5 favorite under Manuel Franco, finished fourth. Bossmon is a son of Super Saver out of Zuri Ridge by Cox s Ridge who was bred by SF Bloodstock and sold for $52,000 as a two-year-old in May 2014. Imperio claimed Bossmon for $14,000 when he was a distant third on December 5 th. Bossmon finished a distant sixth in his first start for Imperio in a $25,000 claimer. Bossmon was seventh early as 13-1 New York-bred Lotza Heat took the field to a quarter-mile in :23.99 and a half-mile in :48.87. National Buck, a 42-1 New York-bred longshot, took a brief lead before Mr. Canada took over and opened a three-length lead after three-quarters in 1:15.00. Bossmon had rallied into second by then and shot past Mr. Canada late. Bossmon is now two for 10 on dirt with three thirds. He also has a second from two turf starts, for combined earnings of more than $50,000.