Photo: Hoofprintsinc.com
With Saturday’s authoritative victory in the 4 ½-furlong $50,000 Polly Drummond Stakes at Delaware Park, Final Mesa, a New York-bred two-year-old daughter of Sky Mesa, is now perfect in two starts and has punched her ticket for international travel with trainer Wesley Ward, who owns her in partnership with Ice Wine Stable.
Final Mesa won her Keeneland debut by a no-doubt-about-it 7 ½ lengths under Robbie Albarado on April 16th. On Saturday she did the same to seven rivals in her first start in a stakes, this time with jockey Jose Valdivia aboard. Grabbing the lead and a good position on the rail shortly after the start, Final Mesa was pressed to a brisk first quarter in 22.17 by eventual third-place finisher Mis Vizcaya (Successful Appeal) just to her outside. As Mis Vizcaya weakened in the stretch, and runner up Gave Away Power (One More Power) began to launch what would have been a closing bid, Final Mesa was busy opening up daylight on the field with ease. The quarter went in 46.02 and the bay filly stopped the clock at 52.54.
Final Mesa has earned $55,500 from her two wins, and has an even more exciting future in store. According to Michael Lischin, owner and manager of Dutchess Views Farm (where Final Mesa was foaled, raised and prepped for sale), trainer/owner Wesley Ward will be taking her to Royal Ascot where last year he won the five-furlong Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes with Jealous Again, a two-year-old Florida-bred filly by Trippi.
Bred by Carmine Telesca and John Guerrera, Final Mesa was purchased by Ward at the 2009 Saratoga Preferred Yearling Sale for $72,000. She is the sixth winner of six foals to race (including three other New York-breds) out of Final Style (Smart Style). Final Mesa is also a half-sister to Graded winner and sire Uncle Camie (Abaginone), who currently stands at Dutchess Views Farm and whose first foals are two-year-olds of 2010. Final Style has a yearling colt by Andromeda’s Hero, a reported live foal by Posse and is currently in foal with a full sibling to Final Mesa on an April cover. Her progeny have earned nearly $600,000.
