Sent off the even-money favorite in a field of seven for Saturday's GII Demoiselle S., the first of four added-money events, Alpha Delta Stables' Lewis Bay proved easily best to provide trainer Chad Brown with his first winner of the race.
A homebred daughter of 2004 GIII Tempted S. victress Summer Raven–coincidentally, also the granddam of Smart Halo S. winner Lost Raven (Uncle Mo)–Lewis Bay caught a muddy main track at Belmont Park for her Sept. 13 debut, but attended a fast pace and gave way only grudgingly to finish second, beaten a half-length by well-meant firster Wave of Glory (Midshipman). Sent off the 13-10 favorite for a seven-furlong maiden up at Belmont Oct. 18, the bay was content to sit a stalking trip that day from her wide draw, but never looked a loser that Sunday afternoon, as she bolted up by six lengths, defeating a couple next-out winners in the process.
Drawn two for this first voyage around two turns, Lewis Bay was able to clear this year's Tempted runner-up Flora Dora (First Dude) and had the rail entering the first turn before settling fourth on the back of the pacesetting Lost Raven through an opening quarter-mile in :24.57. Thrilled, Mo d'Amour (Uncle Mo) and Disco Rose stacked up to the pacesetter's outside, but Lewis Bay enjoyed the run of the race from within easy striking distance before being deftly maneuvered out around horses and into the five path for a clear shot leaving the three-eighths pole. Lost Raven was clinging to a slender advantage as the field turned for home, but Irad Ortiz Jr. had the chalk in gear and bearing down on them out in the middle of the track. She hit the front with a furlong to race and managed to grind out the victory from Thrilled, the GIII Miss Grillo S. runner-up who was trying the main track for the first time. Flora Dora, four wide the trip, managed to stay on gamely for third while covering 51 more feet (about six lengths) than Lewis Bay.
“Turning for home I sent her out and she really went fast,” the winning jockey commented. “When she got the lead she was a little green; I think she was waiting for company. She went out a few paths because she changed leads a little early but I felt I had a lot of horse, so I felt comfortable taking her wide.”
Summer Raven, who first sold for $750,000 at Keeneland November in 2005, was purchased for $1.7 million carrying a full sibling to Winslow Homer at that event in 2009. Summer Raven is the dam of a yearling colt by Distorted Humor, was blank the following year and was bred to Candy Ride (Arg) in 2015.
Saturday, Aqueduct
DEMOISELLE S.-GII, $300,000, AQU, 11-28, 2yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:53.41, ft.
1–#@LEWIS BAY, 115, f, 2, by Bernardini">Bernardi
1st Dam: Summer Raven (GSW, $168,910), by Summer Squall
2nd Dam: Rahy Rose, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Rose Park, by Plugged Nickle
($170,000 RNA Ylg '14 KEESEP). O/B-Alpha Delta Stables LLC
(KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-1-0, $240,000. *1/2 to Misconnect (Unbridled's
Song), GSW, $327,100; and Winslow Homer (Unbridled's
Song), GSW, $273,365. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”stephensthoroughbreds-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″] 2–Thrilled, 115, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Excited, by Giant's Causeway.
O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$60,000.
3–Disco Rose, 115, f, 2, Weigelia–Katarica Disco, by Disco Rico.
($25,000 Ylg '14 EASSEP). O-Glenn Bennett; B-Wynoaks Farm
LLC & St. Omer's Farm (PA); T-Robert E. Reid, Jr. $30,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 1.05, 3.85, 42.00.
Also Ran: Flora Dora, Lost Raven, Invite, Mo d'Amour.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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