NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Chester and Mary Broman’s eighth victory with a homebred at the current Saratoga race meeting was surely the sweetest, as Artemis Agrotera, the lone sophomore in the salty nine-horse field of the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Stakes, gained the lead in the stretch under jockey Rajiv Maragh and drew off to an overwhelming 6 1/2 length victory.
Named for the Greek goddess Artemis, one of whose cult titles is “Agrotera” meaning “Artemis of the wilds” (i.e. “the huntress”), Artemis Agrotera began her career last August at Saratoga by dominating a state-bred maiden special weight field by 11-plus lengths. In her very next start the Roman Ruler filly stalked and pounced to win the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont in October by 1 1/4 lengths. She wrapped up her juvenile campaign with a tough-trip fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Returning to the races this year in June, Artemis Agrotera disappointed in the Grade 1 Acorn, finishing eighth, but regained her form and, perhaps, her confidence with a romp in a state-bred allowance at Saratoga on July 23. Third choice in the Ballerina at 4-1 she was partnered for the first time with Rajiv Maragh and was drawn in the inside post.
NYRA/Adam Mooshian
After breaking slightly outward, Artemis Agrotera soon settled in second position, two lengths behind pacesetter and fellow New York-bred La Verdad, who ticked off the first quarter-mile in 23.14 and half in 45.78.
The relative positions of the first two remained unchanged along the backstretch. Maragh began to ask Artemis Agrotera in earnest for run rounding the far turn and guided her into the lane three wide.
Artemis Agrotera passed La Verdad in upper stretch and opened up to secure the victory, geared down, by a much-the-best 6 1/2 lengths over My Miss Aurelia who closed into second. Next across the line were New York-bred Willet, a solid closing third, followed by Better Lucky, La Verdad, Kipling’s Joy, Geeky Gorgeous and Hot Stones. [VIDEO]
Maragh said, “I was gearing down inside the sixteenth pole because she had the race wrapped up and was powering away. I don’t think I squeezed the lemon dry. I think she has more to give.” Maragh added, “She was pretty dominant today and she was much the best.”
NYRA/Lauren King
Artemis Agrotera completed seven furlongs in 1:21.89, or .46 seconds faster than The Big Beast (1:22.35), who won the King’s Bishop one race earlier.
Trainer Mike Hushion said that he left decisions about race strategy in the hands of his jockey. “I left it to Rajiv. We talked about [post 1] this morning, and he was going to take the path of least resistance. She barked out of there pretty good and he took it from there and it worked out well.”
Hushion also explained that he approached the filly’s training after her eighth place-finish in the Acorn a little differently. “I just lightened up on her a little. She’s a filly that apparently does better off of light training than five-eights [of a mile] in a minute every six days.”
Ultimately, however, Artemis Agrotera’s overpowering performance in Ballerina came as no great surprise. “You know, this filly has always acted like a special filly every day I’ve had her, so I was more confused by the couple of times she didn’t run well and never surprised when she shows up big.” Hushion added, “To win a Grade 1 at Saratoga, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
The Ballerina is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win & You’re In” race, which guarantees Artemis Agrotera a berth in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Park this fall.
Hushion said, “I heard that Mr. Broman told the last interviewer we were going. It sounds good to me.”
Artemis Agrotera, who has scored four victories from six starts and earned $763,800, is the most recent reported foal out of Indy Glory by A.P. Indy, also bred and campaigned by the Bromans. A full sister to Grade 1 winner, millionaire and sire Stephen Got Even and to stakes winner Grand Merger, Indy Glory is a stakes-winning router with multiple graded placings ($283,422). The Bromans purchased her dam Immerse (Cox’s Ridge) at the 1997 Keeneland November sale for $350,000.
Indy Glory’s four winners include stakes-placed Time Squared by Fusaichi Pegasus, who brought $1.05 million at the 2006 Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds, and stakes-placed Submerge, a filly by the same sire. Indy Glory was bred to Pioneerof the Nile this year.
