NYRA/Joe Labozzetta
By Sarah Mace
Untested in her first two races, which she won by a combined 9 3/4 lengths, Repole Stable homebred Clipthecouponannie (Uncle Mo) displayed a fierce will to win in her stakes debut on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack when she dug deep to outduel a game Frosty Margarita in deep stretch to take the $125,000 Franklin Square for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies.
Unveiled on the inner track by trainer Todd Pletcher on December 20 at 5 1/2 furlongs, the bay filly stalked and pounced to beat 11 rivals by 4 3/4 lengths. Scratched out of the Ruthless Stakes on January 17 and meeting winners for the first time on January 28 in a state-bred allowance / optional claiming race at six furlongs, she led from gate-to-wire to win by six lengths geared down in a final time of 1:12.19.
Reunited on Saturday with regular pilot Irad Ortiz, Jr. and slated to break from post one as the 1-2 favorite, Clipthecouponannie only faced three rivals after the scratches of Stones of Navarone and Absatootly, but a win would not be a walkover. Drawn just to her outside was the talented Wonderment, who was returning to the races undefeated after winning the Lynbrook Stakes at Belmont Park last July, and, in the outside slot, the formidable Frosty Margarita, looking for her fourth straight stakes victory.
Breaking in tandem with Wonderment, Clipthecouponannie soon gained control to lead by a half length after a first quarter mile in 22.94 and continued to lead through a half in 46 seconds flat. Meanwhile Frosty Margarita advanced on the outside from third to second.
NYRA/Chelsea Durand
Joined by a Frosty Margarita for the stretch drive, Clipthecouponannie had a serious challenge on her hands from the three-sixteenths marker to the wire.
The two battled hammer and tongs just heads apart until the shadow of the wire, when Clipthecouponannie lunged in the final strides to gain the victory by a half length in a final time of 1:11.15.
Wonderment tired to finish five more lengths back in third, followed across the line by outsider Red Atlantic. [VIDEO]
A happy Mike Repole said, “It’s the first time she was in a fight. [It’s different than] when you win by three, four, or five lengths, and you do it easy in a maiden and [allowance]. This Frosty Margarita is a really, really good horse; I think she’s got eight starts now, with five wins and three seconds. At the eighth pole, the best horse was going to win. Irad [Ortiz Jr.] said he had plenty of horse and thought he had it measured out and she went pretty impressively.”
Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. added “[Clipthecouponannie] broke good and thank God she got a good trip. I left the No. 4 horse [Wonderment] by the turn, and after that I didn’t want to move too early.”
Ortiz, very familiar with both contenders, continued, “I waited for Frosty Margarita because I rode her and I know her well. I met her at the top of the stretch and knowing that filly and that she hangs a little bit and it’s a little hard to make her finish compared to Clipthecouponannie who I know can finish strong so I waited for her and made my run at the end. You can hit her [Frosty Margarita] and it’s hard to get her to respond. She doesn’t like it you have to do it little by little, so that’s why I took the chance to wait for her in the stretch and I knew when I asked Clipthecouponannie she would respond and finish strong.”
Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes said, “I thought she handled everything well. She’s a very easygoing filly and she outran a very nice filly. So all around, it was a really nice effort.”
Repole said he was interested in seeing Clipthecouponannie stretch out in her next start, which he projects will be the Grade 3 Gazelle at 1 1/8 miles over the Aqueduct main racing surface on April 9.
Foaled at Vinery Sugar Maple in Poughquag Clipthecouponannie is the first foal out of Mike Repole’s multiple stakes-winning New York-bred mare Lights Off Annie, who was bred by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Powers and earned over $200,000.
Both Lights Off Annie and Clipthecouponannie are named for Repole’s mother, by way of a teasing reference to her frugal habits.
The mare has a 2-year-old colt by Stay Thirsty, a yearling colt by Overanalyze and was bred back to Uncle Mo last year.
