NEWS: RACING

Saythreehailmary’s splashes gamely to victory in Ladies Handicap

Sunday, January 10th, 2016
NYRA/Adam Coglianese

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

Currently in career form, Very Un Stable homebred Saythreehailmary’s (Repent) followed up her December 12 victory in the 1 1/16-mile Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares, with a determined score at Aqueduct on Sunday in $100,000 open Ladies Handicap.

The forbidding conditions racing conditions at the Big A – a sloppy racing surface with some fog thrown in for good measure – seemed to present no obstacles for the hard-trying consistent five-year-old. Saythreehailmary’s had previously won of three races from four starts over off-going and seems to have a penchant for the Aqueduct inner oval itself (two wins and a second from six tries). The one mile and seventy yard distance was also right in her wheelhouse, with three prior firsts a second and a third at the distance.

Breaking at the rail under jockey Manny Franco as the fifth choice of six in the wagering at odds of 5-1, Saythreehailmary’s tucked in neatly for a ground-saving trip in fourth though the clubhouse turn, just two lengths off pacesetter Sustainable, who posted the first quarter-mile in 25.41 and half in 49.39.

Working her way into the three path along the backstretch run and asked more midway through the far turn, Saythreehailmary’s was floated out yet further at the head of the lane by odds-on favorite Wonder Gal to her inside who was making her bid from third as Mei Ling took over the lead.

With a furlong to go Saythreehailmary’s issued a direct challenge to Mei Ling, gained the lead at the sixteenth pole, sustained a bump from her rival and, with a final charge, scored a gutsy three-quarter-length victory.

Mei Ling finished second, followed five lengths back by Wonder Gal. Stroke Play and Sustainable completed the order of finish. The final time of race was 1:44.91. [VIDEO]

Jockey Manny Franco said, “We planned it out. We didn’t think there would be too much pace up front and we wanted to be close to them and we made our move from the outside. When she hit the front, she stopped a little bit but we worked it out.”

John Morrison, who trains Saythreehailmary’s for Joe Gioia’s Very Un Stable commented, “She got a perfect trip. Manny couldn’t have ridden her any better. She likes the inner track, we can’t argue with her record here so it was nice.”

Continued Morrison, “She’s just been doing great. She started turning around in October and has been getting better ever since. I kind of thought she was on top of her game today and she was. It was an open stake now and Joe is also the breeder so it helps. He still also owns the mare so this helps everything.” In November, Saythreehailmary’s also finished a close second to Sheriffa in the NYSS Staten Island division.

Foaled at Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains, Saythreehailmary’s is one of five winners from five starters, and the second stakes winner out of Just Call Me Angel, a winning daughter of Devil’s Bag who was purchased by Gioia in 2005 for $16,000 at the OBS winter mixed sale.

Just Call Me Angel’s first foal Afleet Alexandra (Northern Afleet) won the 2008 New York Oaks at Finger Lakes and earned over $250,000. As it happens, her four-year-old by Posse colt, Got Winged, recorded his second victory on Saturday in an open $40,000 claiming event at Aqueduct.

The mare currently has an unnamed three-year-old filly by Dublin, a juvenile filly by Courageous Cat named Courageous Angel and a newly minted yearling colt by Posse.

Now a dual stakes winner with three additional stakes placings, Saythreehailmary’s has compiled a career record of six wins, five seconds and four thirds from 22 starts and has earned $437,600.

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