Kathryn the Wise makes it look easy in Critical Eye Stakes romp

By Bill Heller

Lawrence Goichman’s unbeaten four-year-old, home-bred filly Kathryn the Wise seemed to have a lot of legitimate concerns in the fourth running of the one-mile $200,000 Critical Eye Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares at Belmont Park on Big Apple Showcase Day, Memorial Day Monday.

Could she handle stakes company in just her third lifetime start? No problem.

Could she handle a sloppy track? No problem.

Could she stretch out to a route? No problem.

Could she overcome the 11 post in the 11-horse field and a four-wide trip? No problem.

Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Kathryn the Wise was unworldly again as she upped her unblemished record to three-for-three with a spectacular 8 1/4 length victory in-hand under Irad Ortiz Jr.

In doing so, she became the latest star in trainer Chad Brown’s powerful barn and confirmed the wisdom Brown showed by not rushing her for one of his biggest clients. He and Goichman now have an unbeaten filly with an unlimited ceiling.

“She’s a really very talented filly,” Brown said. “She had some issues as a young horse where we just stopped on her and let her get over them. Mr. Goichman has been very patient. He’s been owning horses for a very long time and he knows the game. He gave the horse plenty of time in order to receive the best care. Here she is. She has so much talent.”

Literata, who was 24-1 under Javier Castellano, finished a clear second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of 30-1 Bee Noteworthy and Rajiv Maragh. Wonderment, who was 9-1 under Joel Rosario, finished fourth, a half-length behind Bee Noteworthy.

Kathryn the Wise is a daughter of Uncle Mo out of Shea d’ Lady by Crafty Prospector who made her debut Nov. 25th, winning a maiden race by 5 1/2 lengths as the 9-5 favorite. She didn’t race again until April 5th when she run an allowance race by 12 lengths at 1-10.

Bettors believed she could handle the step up to stakes company and made her odds-on. They weren’t disappointed.

Kathryn the Wise broke first, but was four-wide early. Ortiz took a hold of his talented filly and settled her in fourth while remaining on the far outside for a clear shot at the leaders. The gray Jules N Rome, who was 9-1 under Manny Franco, took a narrow lead over 110-1 Big Mara and Dylan Davis and 43-1 Play Me a Memory and C.C. Lopez in a :22.63 first quarter.

Play Me a Memory, who had finished second to Kathryn the Wise in a maiden race in November, fought her way to a brief victory as Kathryn the Wise advanced into second, still on the far outside after a half-mile in :46.36.

Into the far turn, Kathryn the Wise took control. She hit the head of the stretch with a two-length lead that quickly became a five-length cushion. After three-quarters in 1:11.73, Kathryn the Wise stretched her advantage to nine lengths before Ortiz wrapped up on her. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“I just held her together as long as long as I could and when I let her run, she opened up,” Ortiz said.

Now three-for-three to begin her career, Kathryn the Wise has earned $187,200.

“She trains and runs like a horse that can run in open company,” Brown said. “If she keeps developing and training well, you’ll definitely see her in open company.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/05/29/kathryn-the-wise-critical-eye/

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