By Sarah Mace
Once the New York-bred juvenile fillies finally got a chance to face the starter for the 6-furlong $100,000 Key Cents Stakes Friday — rescheduled after last Sunday’s high winds KO’d the Aqueduct card — Alan R. Cook’s Filibustin by Bustin Stones scored a clear-cut victory over 11 rivals to drive her record to a perfect three-for-three.
Drawn in post four the first time around, but migrating out to the 10-hole when the race was redrawn, Filibustin (3-1) broke alertly, and made her way efficiently toward the inside under Jose Lezcano. The filly then settled in the two path, where she hooked up with Ribbonite to her inside – winner of the Lady Finger Stakes in Farmington September, but let go at odds of 64-1.
The pair raced in tandem for a half-mile in 47.39, and Ribbonite had a slight advantage as they reached the quarter pole. Filibustin then began to assert herself in upper stretch, and around the furlong marker launched her drive to the wire in earnest. She ultimately opened up to a decisive 3-length victory in 1:12.50.
Second time starter Overnegotiate (3-1), the lone filly to join the lineup when the race was drawn a second time, closed into second from third, while longshot Ribbonite tired and drifted out, but held on for third. [VIDEO]
NYRA/Chelsea Durand
Jockey Lezcano, summed things up neatly: “She’s a very nice filly. She broke very good and I let her go and do her thing. I asked her within the last sixteenths, and she really took off and won the race easily.”
Trainer Greg Sacco first talked race tactics, beginning with Filibustin’s outer post in the rescheduled Key Cents. “When we drew the outside post today,” said Sacco, “I just left it up to Jose. We were on the inside going seven-eighths last time [in the Gimma] and we just wanted to get her out in the clear. This time, we had speed on the inside, the filly that won impressively first time out [Kim Royale] and Ribbonite, and I just told Jose, ‘wherever you’re comfortable, you’re comfortable, but she will rate.’”
Sacco continued, “She’s rated kindly in the mornings and it’s much different than a race. I thought she was in a good position the whole race and then sending her for home, it’s just whether you’re good enough. Every time you run, you have to answer the bell.”
Sacco also felt the significance of the victory and filly’s perfect record. “There were some really impressive horses in this race, which made the race a little interesting. There was a little different dynamic than the last race. Three wins at three different tracks, three different surfaces; she’s just a really neat New York-bred filly to have. It’s exciting, and I’m really happy for Mr. Cook. It’s the only horse he has.”
Continued Sacco, “She’s a really easygoing filly to train and just a pleasure to have. We’re fortunate to have a nice filly that can run like this.”
Winner of her debut at Monmouth Park by more than eight lengths on September 4, Filibustin captured the Joseph A. Gimma by nearly five lengths on October 2. She has earned $161,970 from her three wins.
Sacco is thinking about bringing her back from her Parx home base for the NYSS Fifth Avenue on December 19. “That would obviously be her last race of the year and then we’ll see if we’ll give her a little break,” he said. “When they’re going good, you don’t want to stop, and she doesn’t mind getting spaced out. I’d like to space her out and not run her too much over the winter and have her ready for this summer.”
Bred by Luck Be a Lady Racing, Filibustin was foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, home of her sire Bustin Stones who stood for $2,500 in 2016.
Filibustin is one of two winners from two foals to start out of Sweet Aloha, a West-Virginia-bred six-figure earner. The mare has a yearling filly by Take Charge Indy, a weanling colt by Forty Tales and was bred back to the same sire in 2016.
