Wonderment wins Arctic Queen squeaker

By Sarah Mace

Wonderment made the trip from Belmont Park to Finger Lakes for Monday’s six-furlong $50,000 Arctic Queen with lots of back class to draw on and, unsurprisingly, was sent out as the odds-on favorite. Even so, the 4-year-old daughter of former New York sire Cosmonaut found herself having to earn her fourth career stakes victory the hard way for trainer Kenny McPeak and jockey Dylan Davis.

Despite the scratches of Bustin Hearts, Rip Loves Maize and Slam Chowder, a robust and competitive field of eight lined up for the race. At the bell, Lemme Rock (9-1) broke on top, but confirmed speedster Victorias Fire (9-1) an eight-time winner at Finger Lakes, shot up the rail from her inside post, and showed the way through an opening quarter in 22.20.

Wonderment settled early in fourth in the two-path, 3 1/2 lengths off the pace, but advanced into second going three-wide round the far turn. She caught up with Victorias Fire at the head of the lane, and swept by her in upper stretch while opening up a half-length.

At this point, Dylan Davis had to call on his mount to start digging a little deeper. Bee Noteworthy (3-1), a Saratoga shipper for Jimmy Bond with Belmont “shipper” Rajiv Maragh in the irons, was mounting a threatening late rally from midpack. Bee Noteworthy reached Wonderment’s throat-latch in the last hundred yards and kept on coming.

In the final jumps before the wire, heads bobbed up and down, but, as the photo showed, Wonderment’s determination kept her on the winning end of the late duel by nose. She completed the six furlongs in 1:11.46. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

The rest of the field was well separated from the top two. She’s All Ready and Tough Temper finished noses apart third and fourth 7 3/4 lengths back, followed even further back by Pachamama, Brooklyn Gal, Victorias Fire and Lemme Rock.

Wonderment is owned by Walking L Thoroughbreds and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing. Apart from her debut maiden-breaking score at Belmont on July 9, 2015 and a Keeneland allowance this past April, Wonderment has raced exclusively in stakes races. A $364,120-earner from five wins, two seconds and three thirds in 17 starts, she won the Lynbrook Stakes in 2015, Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks in 2016 and Dancin Renee and Arctic Queen this year. In her only prior trip to Finger Lakes, Wonderment finished fourth in the 2016 New York Oaks.

Wonderment is one of four winners, including six-figure earner Persuasive Devil (Closing Argument), from five foals to start out of A Wonder She Is, a winning daughter of Three Wonders from the family of Videogenic.

Bred by Michael S. Landers and foaled at Mill Creek Farm[3] in Stillwater, Wonderment first sold as a weanling at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed sale for $24,000 to Baccari Bloodstock. A $47,000 RNA the following year at the New York-bred preferred yearling sale in Saratoga, two years later she sold as a broodmare/racing prospect at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale. Offered by Vinery Sales, Wonderment was purchased by Walking L. Thoroughbreds for $185,000. Magdalena Racing has been a partner on the filly from the start.

A Wonder She Is has a placed 3-year-old filly by Twirling Candy named Arabesque, a winning juvenile Discreetly Mine colt called Mr Wonderful, no foal this year, but was bred to Itsmyluckyday.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/02/wonderment-arctic-queen/

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