NEWS: BREEDING

Here Comes Gwen first winner for Here Comes Ben

Saturday, July 4th, 2015

by Sarah Mace

Bill Stivers’ Here Comes Gwen became the first winner for New York sire Here Comes Ben on Thursday, July 2 at Prairie Meadows as the successful 4-5 favorite in a five-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies.

After the break, the chestnut filly assumed a narrow lead before the first point of call under jockey Kelsi Purcell. Continuing to show the way to her seven rivals, Here Comes Gwen gradually increased her advantage without a direct challenge, crossing the finish line a 2 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:00.89.

Bred in Kentucky by Charles LoPresti, Here Comes Gwen is the first foal out of the winning Stevie Wonderboy mare Sheza Great Friend. Bill Stivers purchased the filly for $6,500 at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale. Sheza Great Friend is the half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Siphon City and issues from the family of Wise Dan.

Freshman sire Here Comes Ben stands at Joe and Anne McMahon’s McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for his breeders Brandon and Marianne Chase in partnership with McMahon Thoroughbreds for a 2015 stud fee of $7,500, and has 43 2-year-olds in his first crop.

A 9-year-old son of Street Cry, Here Comes Ben is out of the Dayjur mare Chasetheragingwind, who is a half-sister to Group winners King Charlemagne and Meshaheer as well as the dam of Grade 1 winner Albertus Maximus. His second dam is the Grade 1 winner Race The Wild Wind.

A winner of the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga in his graded stakes debut, Here Comes Ben also captured the Kelly’s Landing Stakes in consecutive years at Churchill Downs. Trained by Charles Lopresti, he retired with a record of seven wins, one second and one third from 17 starts and earnings of $410,764.

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