Fourstar Crook added to her stellar 2018 season with a win at the highest level in the GI Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Saturday, leading home a 1-2 finish for trainer Chad Brown in front of Onthemoonagain (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the “Win and You're In” qualifying event for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. It was the New York-bred's fourth overall graded stakes score and first at the Grade I level.
Away without incident, Fourstar Crook bided her time at the rear of the pack as longshot Feeling Bossy reeled off fractions of :51.72 for the half-mile and 1:15.80 for six furlongs. Gathering steam into the far turn, Fourstar Crook threaded her way between horses entering the stretch and finished with a flurry, collaring stablemate Onthemoonagain in midstretch and kicking clear to claim the victory.
“This horse ran super,” Brown said. “We expected a short field and that the pace wouldn't be that strong, and it wasn't, but she was able to overcome it. She's a really consistent horse and she particularly likes Belmont. She ran to her odds. She seemed very deserving to finally win a Grade 1.
Of Onthemoonagain, Brown said, “I was very happy to see run a really good race to go along with how well she's been training. I thought she ran well. She got a beautiful trip by Javier [Castellano].”
Fourstar Crook established dominance over New York-bred rivals during the early years of her career and earned her first graded stakes win in the GIII Dr. James Penny Memorial S. at Parx in July 2017. Third in the GI E.P. Taylor S. at Woodbine last October, she began her 2018 campaign with a rallying tally in the GII Hillsborough S. at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 10. Subsequently second behind stablemate Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S. Apr. 14, she annexed the GII New York S. back in Elmont June 8 and was last seen finishing a narrowly beaten runner-up behind Sistercharlie in the GI Beverly D. S. at Arlington Aug. 11.
“Every winter she's gone to Ocala and rested, and every year she's come back bigger and stronger,” Brown added. “They've managed her very well. The way she finished today she surely looks like a mile the three-eighths [of the BC Filly and Mare Turf] won't be a problem for her. We know that it will be a much deeper field, but she's game and she's not afraid to run against anybody, I tell you that. She's a brave horse.”
Pedigree Notes:
Fourstar Crook hails from a deep female family that traces back to her ultra-productive third dam Court Circuit, who was responsible for MGSW Honorable Miss and sire Balijumper, among others.
Sunday, Belmont Park
FLOWER BOWL S.-GI, $501,000, Belmont, 10-7, 3yo/up, f/m,
1 1/4mT, 2:03.28, gd.
1–FOURSTAR CROOK, 121, m, 6, by Freud
1st Dam: Avril a Portugal, by D'Accord
2nd Dam: Emiress, by Damascus
3rd Dam: Court Circuit, by Royal Vale
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($55,000 Ylg '13 SARAUG; $70,000 RNA 2yo
'14 FTFMAR; $110,000 2yo '14 EASMAY). O-Michael Dubb,
Bethlehem Stables LLC & Gary Aisquith; B-Kathleen M. Feron
(NY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $275,000. Lifetime
Record: 19-12-4-1, $1,604,566. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”elite-sales-ftknov-hip-195″][bullet ad=”eisaman-equine-maroon”][bullet ad=”young-gary-2yo-in-training-sales-recommendation”]2–Onthemoonagain (Fr), 119, f, 4, by Cape Cross (Ire)
1st Dam: Ma Preference (Fr), by American Post (GB)
2nd Dam: Restless Mixa (Ire), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Restless Girl (Fr), by Bolkonski (Ire)
(€55,000 Ylg '15 AR15). O-Martin S. Schwartz; B-Patrick
Chedeville (FR); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.[bullet ad=”eisaman-equine-maroon”]3–Lady Montdore, 121, f, 4, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Hystericalady, by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Sacramentada (Chi), by Northair
3rd Dam: Sembrada (Chi), by El Oriental (Arg)
O-Godolphin Racing, LLC; B-Darley (KY); T-Thomas Albertrani.
$60,000.
Margins: 2, 4 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 0.80, 4.30, 4.90.
Also Ran: Danceland, Feeling Bossy, Tricky Escape, Holy Helena.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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