NYRA/Chelsea Durand
By Sarah Mace
Toni Tools (Roaring Fever), captured the $150,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes series at Aqueduct Sunday with an dramatic late charge, going from last to first in the final sixteenth to win the 6-furlong contest for New York-sired 2-year-old fillies.
Toni Tools began her career with two starts for Dominick Schettino, and second out finished second at Saratoga. She then migrated to the Todd Pletcher barn. On October 6, when offered for a $40,000 tag, the filly broke her maiden by more than seven lengths covering 6.5 furlongs at Belmont Park. She then recorded a second win in a starter allowance on the Aqueduct main track on November 23. She scored both victories from off the pace.
Third betting choice in the Park Avenue at odds of 5-1 behind two unbeaten horses, multiple restricted stakes winner Filibustin (4-5), and Catcher in the Sky, a debut maiden breaker on November 18 (3-2), Toni Tools settled in last from the outset, while the two favorites hooked up on the front end.
Through a testing first quarter-mile up front in 22.07, and half in 45.83, Toni Tools navigated the sloppy going on the backstretch well off the rail, moved inwards to save a little ground in the far turn and, at the head of the stretch, angled out into the six-path as she headed for home.
Even though she gained steadily on the field, now led solely by Filibustin, Toni Tools was still last with a sixteenth to go. Charging on the grandstand side, she passed her first horse just inside the sixteenth pole. Then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the mud-bespattered filly inhaled the rest of the field, securing her victory by a clear half length in a final time of 1:14.43.
The outcome for the other runners was a little murky at first. A few minutes after the placing judges ruled that Filibustin and closer Passporttovictory dead-heated for the place, it was announced that Passporttovictory had indeed finished second, and Filibustin third. Catcher in the Sky, Gonna Be Morgan and Bliss to You completed the order of finish. [VIDEO]
Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes said, “She didn’t have the speed to keep up with the others, which we knew going into the race. We were just hoping the speed came back, which it did. She got up in time. It was a very dramatic win. She seemed to handle it [the muddy track] well today.”
Said winning jockey Manny Franco, “I watched her replays and she always gives something at the end, and the pace helped me a lot today.”
Bred by Barry Ostrager and foaled at his Questroyal North in Stillwater, Toni Tools is the only foal produced by Patine, a winning Kentucky-bred Smart Strike mare.
Toni Tools, who has earned $164,172 from three wins and a second-place finish in five starts, was purchased as a weanling by Crupi’s New Castle Farm for $35,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall mixed sale.
