Photo: Adam Coglianese
Agave Kiss, one of twelve remaining Flying Zee horses in training, passed an essential class test with flying colors on Saturday. Making her stakes debut and first appearance outside state-bred company, she secured an effortless frontrunning victory in Aqueduct’s $75,000 Ruthless Stakes for 3-year-old fillies while boosting her career record to a perfect three-for-three.
A Rudy Rodriguez-trainee, Agave Kiss was making her third straight start at six furlongs in the Ruthless. With regular jockey Ryan Curatolo aboard, the chestnut daughter of Lion Heart was favored at odds of 4-5 in a strong field of seven.
Agave Kiss broke running from post two and secured the front spot, leading by two lengths under a hold through an opening quarter-mile in 22.62 and by more than three lengths after the half in 45.68. With no challenge of substance coming from the rest of the field, the Empire-bred opened up to a 3 1/4-length victory in 1:10.28 under a hand drive. [VIDEO]
Jockey Curatolo said after the victory, “I took hold at the beginning because I didn’t want her to go too fast. But, I didn’t take hold for long because she was so relaxed. I wanted to sit there for a bit because I know what she can do. I let her keep going the way she wanted: on an easy lead. When she really started to move, she did everything right. Today, she was still a little bit green, but next time she will be better. She’s really nice.”
Rodriguez, who has expressed virtually unbounded confidence in Agave Kiss from day one, said, “I thought she was that good. I just try to keep her happy and let her do her job. She’s a very classy horse.” He added, “We’ll point her for the Prioress. Hopefully, she’ll keep improving, and we’ll take it from there. She’s a special one.”
Agave Kiss burst on the scene with an impressive 6 1/4-length debut victory on Showcase Day last fall, going six furlongs in 1:09.79 for a Beyer Speed Figure of 90. Six weeks later she demolished a first-level state-bred allowance field, winning under wraps by 10 1/2-lengths, for which she was tabbed a “TDN Rising Star.” Agave Kiss is now a perfect three-for-three with $94,200 in earnings, and has led every step of the way in all three starts.
Bred by Nustar Breeding LLC, Agave Kiss is a daughter of stakes-winner Salty Romance (Salt Lake), purchased by the late Carl Lizza as a two-year-old in training for $320,000 at the 2003 OBS sale. Salty Romance went on to win the Delta Princess S. at two and run second in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel S. at three, earning $229,200.
Also the producer of multiple stakes-placed Luxury Appeal by Johannesburg ($70,960), Salty Romance topped the second phase of Flying Zee dispersal at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale, purchased in foal to New York sire Cosmonaut by Blue Devil Racing Stable for $260,000.
Salty Romance’s 2010 filly by Lemon Drop Kid, named One Time Only, was the top-seller of the yearling portion of the Flying Zee dispersal at the Fasig-Tipton Fall yearling sale last October, purchased by Glen Hill Farm for $375,000.
