Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley
Anstu Stables homebred and Todd Pletcher-trained Bay Park Boy came driving home in the stretch as 1-4 favorite to take the 37th running of the $126,387 Aspirant Stakes for New York-bred two-year-old colts and geldings at Finger Lakes Casino and Racetrack on Labor Day.
Bay Park Boy was coming off an open-length debut victory in a restricted maiden special weight at Saratoga on August 8. That day, the dark bay son of Johannesburg ran five furlongs on a muddy (sealed) track in 58.25 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88 under John Velazquez. With the track condition at Finger Lakes track also muddy (sealed) on Labor Day, Bay Park Boy was stretching out to six furlongs under Jesus Castanon – riding at Finger Lakes for the first time – and the pair was drawn midpack in post five of 10.
There were plenty of contenders for the early lead after the latch was sprung. No Flaws got the first jump on the field, but five others vied up front between him and Bay Park Boy, who ran in seventh, but only three lengths off the pace. After a first quarter mile in 22.25, Smokem’s Charm took over the lead, while Bay Park Boy moved up into fourth in the backstretch, one half length from the lead. The half was run in a more moderate 46.31
Moving well through the turn four wide, Bay Park Boy passed all but the leader in upper stretch, and then overhauled Smokem’s Charm at the furlong marker. He went on to open up two lengths by the finish. Smokem’s Charm was game, but had to settle for second, while a length behind French Wine rallied into third in his career debut. The final time for the six furlongs was 1:13.44. [VIDEO]
Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley
Bay Park Boy, whose record to now stands at two-for-two, with an earnings bankroll of $99,832, is the third New York-bred winner of three starters produced by Combanchera, a New York-bred daughter of Seattle Slew and full sister to stakes-placed Seattle Glory, who was twice stakes placed at two while racing under the Anstu colors.
Combanchera has an unnamed yearling colt by North Light (IRE), no reported foal in 2011 and was bred this spring to Bernstein.
The same connections sent out Ibboyee to victory in the Aspirant in 2009.
