NYRA/Adam Coglianese
By Sarah Mace
RAP Racing’s Louisville First, sired by former New York Darley stallion Girolamo, surprised a robust field of nine with a 14-1 score from her outside post in the $100,000 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Stakes (NYSS). The contest for New York-sired 3-year-old fillies, with a matching race for males earlier on Sunday’s card, was run at seven furlongs on Belmont’s Widener turf course.
Making her seventh career start, and racing for just the second time on turf, Louisville First and new rider Eric Cancel got out of the gate smartly, but ultimately settled in fourth, letting even speedier types set the early fractions. NYSS Park Avenue winner Libreta clocked a first quarter mile in 22.75 and half in 45.62, with Little Bear Cat and Wonderment in hot pursuit.
Taking the far turn three wide Louisville First joined the cavalry charge to the wire in the stretch. All out, and dispatching her rivals one-by-one in the final sixteenth, the bay filly charged gamely to the wire to score the win by a 1/2 length in a final time of 1:21.97.
Little Bear Cat (13-1) nosed Frosty Margarita (9-2) for second to generate a $340 exacta and $2,162 trifecta on $2 investments. Baronet, Libreta, Ametrine, Free N Clear, Wonderment and Naked Empress completed the order of finish. [VIDEO]
Cancel believed his mount would be capable of mounting a late charge. “She warmed up really good when we were on the track so I knew she would be ready today. She felt really prepared, I didn’t have to ask her early because I knew I had a lot of horse. I just remained patient and she really went off again and extended in the stretch.”
Blair Golen, assistant to winning trainer George Weaver, said, “Her last race, her first race on the turf, she ran very well. She came out of that race good and she’s fit, so why not? We’re just really happy with her and she’s come a long way. She was a little nervous last year but this year, she’s come back into racing just comfortable. She does everything right in the morning. She’s great to be around.”
Bred by Mr. and Mrs. James G. Bell, Louisville First is one of two registered New York-breds, and three winners from four runners out of Move Clickly, a Kentucky-bred six-figure-earner by Cherokee Run. A $70,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2014, Louisville First was purchased by her owners for $120,000 at the 2015 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds. From two firsts, a second and a third, the filly has earned $133,350.
Darley’s Grade 1-winning son of A.P. Indy Girolamo began his stud career in 2012 at Becky Thomas and Dennis Narlinger’s Sequel Stallions New York before relocating to Kentucky. Breeder “Jimmy” Bell is president and racing manager of Darley America and board president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
