Tracy Farmer’s Lady Grace led a 1-2-3 OBS sweep of the $175,700 Royal North Stakes (G2) at Woodbine on Saturday, charging from off the pace along the rail on the turn, swinging out for the drive and getting up in the final yards to score by three quarters of a length. Stablemate Eyeinthesky (October ’17) closed well but settled for second, a head in front of late running Bohemian Bourbon (June ’18). It’s the first stakes victory for the 4-year-old Florida-bred filly by Kantharos, trained by Mark Casse, now 13-5-3-1 with earnings of $245,547. She turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat before she was purchased for $300,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2018 Spring Sale. watch her under tack video
First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm’s Nay Lady Nay (IRE) sat just off the leaders in the early going of Saturday’s $152,500 Matchmaker Stakes (G3), moved to contention on the turn, slipped between horses a furlong from home and outfought fellow OBS graduate Beautiful Lover (April ’18) to the wire and beat her by half a length. It’s the second graded stakes win for the 4-year-old daughter of No Nay Never, purchased for $210,000 out of the Eddie Woods consignment at the 2018 OBS March Sale after an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5. Now 7-4-1-0 for trainer Chad Brown, she has earned $356,180 to date. watch her under tack video
Two pairs of 2020 OBS March Sale graduates were one-two in a pair of Saratoga maiden special weight tests for 2-year-olds on Saturday, one on the main track and one on the turf.
Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Secure Investments’ Momos made his debut in the day’s first race, a $72,000 5-1/2 furlong dash on the dirt. Taking the lead shortly after the break and never looking back, he drew away in the stretch and scored by 6-1/2 lengths over Mo Mischief, who chased him from start to finish. The victory was worth $39,600 to the 2-year-old colt by Distorted Humor, trained by Christophe Clement. The two time OBS graduate was sold by Select Sales, Agent, at the 2019 Winter Mixed Sale, then purchased for $180,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment in the 2020 March Sale after an Under Tack quarter in :21 flat. watch his under tack video
In the sixth race, worth $72,000 at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf, sons of Cairo Prince were one-two as Glenn Del Russo’s Zippy Baby came from off the pace, slipped inside fellow OBS March graduate Nautilus in deep stretch and beat him to the wire by half a length. It was the third start for the 2-year-old colt gelding, trained by Dermot Magner, now 3-1-2-0 with $65,200 in earnings. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, he was sold for $50,000 after breezing an eighth in :10 3/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Crawford Farms Racing’s Archidust stalked pacesetting fellow OBS graduate American Sailor (April ’14) down the backstretch in Monmouth’s $82,500 Wolf Hill Stakes, chased him relentlessly down the stretch and ran past him late to win by a length and a quarter. It’s the fourth stakes win for the 2019 OBS Sprint Stakes winner, now trained by Steve Asmussen, leaving him with a 13-6-1-3 career record and $308,400 in earnings. The 4-year- old colt by Verrazano turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat before he was purchased by Juan Pacanins, Agent, for $300,000 out of the Whitman Sales consignment at the 2018 OBS March Sale. watch his under tack video
Andreas Psarras’ Mother of Dragons took command after dueling for the early lead in the $65,450 California Governor’s Handicap at Pleasanton, took over for good turning for home then held on gamely to score by a nose. That’s two stakes wins for the 6-year-old Florida-bred daughter of First Dude, sold as a yearling for $3,000 by Beth Bayer, Agent, at the 2015 OBS Winter Mixed Sale. Trained by her owner, she’s now 12-6-1-3 and has earned $153,495 to date.