NYRA/Adam Coglianese
By Sarah Mace
Speedy Trinity Farm homebred Macagone, a gelded son of Artie Schiller, picked up his first stakes win at Aqueduct on Sunday when he led the field gate-to-wire to win the open $100,000 Danger’s Hour run at one mile, the first New York turf stakes of 2016.
Macagone had been freshened since his final start of 2015 which was also his first stakes effort for conditioner Michelle Nihei: Gulfstream’s El Prado Stakes on December 12.
Only fourth choice of six to take the Danger’s Hour over the yielding turf at 6-1 odds, the gelding was partnered with the hot-handed Jose Ortiz, who had been in the irons for the 5-year-old’s maiden breaker at Belmont Park in June 2014.
Out of the gate cleanly and alertly, Macagone assumed his customary place on the lead and bowled along with a two-, then three-length advantage through solid splits of 24.44, 48.41 and 1:12.21.
Still unchallenged at the top of the lane, Macagone drew away through midstretch. With a furlong left to go, favorite Takeover Target closed the gap, but Macagone had plenty still left in the tank to make the outcome anything but a certainty, winning by a clear 3 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:36.96.
Takeover Target finished second 1 1/4 length in front of Fredericksburg and completing the order of finish were: Legendary, New York-bred turf champion Lubash who was making the first start of his 9-year-old campaign, and Late Night. [VIDEO]
Jose Ortiz said, “[Macagone] wanted the speed of the race and I went to the lead early. It’s good to have speed in a race on the turf because the turns here at Aqueduct are tight and the horses come from behind sometimes and they don’t want to go to the wire. This is a nice horse, he looked great today, and Michelle Nihei brought him back really well.”
A consistent runner throughout his restricted and open conditions, Macagone has five wins, three seconds and four thirds from 18 starts and has earned $295,742. His dam Isabel Away, a winning daughter of Skip Away, has produced another successful turf runner, Birchwood Road by Pure Prize, a three-time grass winner of nearly $200,000.
Isabel Away currently has a 2-year-old full brother to Birchwood Road, a yearling colt by Colonel John, and was bred last year to Freud.
