NEWS: RACING

Fourstar Crook takes Yaddo from off the pace

Friday, August 26th, 2016
NYRA/Adam Coglianese

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

After scratching into the main body of the field from the “also-eligible” list and being bet down to 2-1 favoritism, Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stable’s Fourstar Crook (Freud) came from off the pace to best a large and formidable field in Friday’s $150,000 Yaddo for New York-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course.

The 4-year-old Chad Brown trainee, who was looking for her fifth straight victory dating back to a maiden-breaking score at fourth asking last October 8 at Belmont Park, was partnered with Javier Castellano.

Breaking from the outside post of ten and settling in sixth in the two-path behind pace-setter Invading Humor for an opening half-mile that went in 48.65, Fourstar Crook began her advance by moving out a path in the far turn, passing horses and swinging out yet wider for the stretch drive.

Charging for home with a bevy of rivals, she dug in and outfinished the group in the final furlong to secure the win by three-quarters of a length. The first five to finish were only separated by 1 3/4 lengths. Flipcup, a fast-closing runner-up, finished a neck ahead of The Tea Cups in third, who finished three-quarters of a length head of Neck of the Moon and Freudie Anne who finished noses apart. The final time over the yielding turf was 1:43.56. [VIDEO]

“It was the first time I rode her and I felt great,” said Castellano. “I stuck to the inside on the first turn and saved a little ground. I stepped up a little to the outside after that. She’s a very straightforward filly. Everything she does is nice and easy. When I asked her, she took off. I’m very happy with the way she did it today.”

Trainer Chad Brown said, “We had sent her to Barry Eisaman in Ocala to lay her up [over the winter]. She had no issues, we were just focused on a campaign this year as a 4-year-old. She’s a New York-bred grass horse, there was no reason to race her down in Florida. Mike Dubb and his partners were so patient, they came up with a plan. We just gave her a break and she’s clearly responded. She’s come back bigger and stronger. She appreciated the time we gave her and she hasn’t looked back since.”

As to the future, Brown said, “We really weren’t looking past today. The opportunity came up to wheel her back on a short rest [19 days]. Given it’s Saratoga and we’re all trying to win and it looked like a logical spot for her. So we did that, now I’ll give her more time. She’s clearly a good one, she deserves it.”

Bred by Kathleen M. Feron and foaled at Akindale Farm in Pawling, Fourstar Crook was a $110,000 two-year-old purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Spring sale.

The filly is out of an unplaced New York-bred mare Avril a Portugal by D’Accord, who has produced five winners to date. Her Jump Start gelding Coaltown Legend earned over $320,000. The mare currently has a weanling filly by Freud and was bred back to the same stallion this year.

Leave a Reply