SV Photography
By Sarah Mace
Late Night Stables LLC’s Five Star Rampage made Monday’s road trip from Saratoga to Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington well worth her while, scoring a determined victory in her stakes debut, the featured $50,000, 1 1/16-mile Jack Betta Be Rite for older New York-bred fillies and mares.
A 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Five Star Rampage – a three-time winner in 13 starts – was tabbed as the 9-5 favorite for the “Jack” on the morning line, but by post time her odds had drifted up to 6-1. Most bettors gravitated toward Linda Rice’s Belmont/Saratoga shipper Daisy Cutter (4-5) and Jeremiah Englehart’s Finger Lakes-based Pride of Saratoga (2-1).
After breaking from the outside post of five, Five Star Rampage rushed up to the front under Joshua Navarro to establish a spot at the rail for the trip around the first turn. Midway around the bend, though, Pride of Saratoga advanced aggressively to take over the pacesetter’s role and led the field through opening splits of 24.36 and 48.44, with Five Star Rampage setting up in a customary stalking position.
Rounding the far turn, the pair found themselves on even terms. Five Star Rampage took a narrow lead at the quarter pole and a pitched battle ensued in the dash for the wire as the pair took turns holding the top spot.
Both fillies were in it to win it, but, in the end, Five Star Rampage edged past Pride of Saratoga to get the victory by a neck. Daisy Cutter checked in third, 2 1/4 back, followed across the line by Mecke’s Madalyn and Taramislew. After six furlongs in 1:12.95, and a mile in 1:39.59, the final time for 1 1/16 miles over the fast track was 1:46.89. [VIDEO REPLAY]
Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and JMJ Racing, Five Star Rampage is the first foal out of Genisa, a placed Kentucky-bred Storm Cat mare who was purchased by Sequel’s Becky Thomas for $140,000 at the 2011 Keeneland January sale. In addition to Five Star Rampage, Genisa has an unplaced 3-year-old filly by Girolamo named Vedado, and a juvenile filly by Mission Impazible named Dreamers and Me. At the 2015 Keeneland November, the mare sold in foal to Bodemeister to Shimokobe Farm in Japan.
Five Star Rampage changed hands once at public auction when purchased by Dr. Stephen Carr for $175,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale in 2012. Her stakes victory improves her overall record to four wins, two second and three thirds with earnings of $159,939.
