Swing and Sway powers over the Oaklawn slop in American Beauty

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Coady Photography

By Sarah Mace

Westrock Stables LLC’s Swing and Sway (Maclean’s Music) trounced her competition in Saturday’s $125,000 American Beauty Stakes at Oaklawn Park, powering over the slop to win by more than seven lengths.

Breaking from the outside post of six to go six furlongs over the sloppy (sealed) track, Swing and Way wasted no time. Clear early and leading by 1 1/2 lengths after a quarter-mile in 22.36, the 4-year-old only improved from the there.

Ahead by two lengths after a half mile in a hot 46.00 and by four lengths in the stretch, Swing and Way poured it on in the final stages, posting a 7 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:10.68. Sent off at 11-1 odds, the second-longest shot on the board, the filly returned $24.60 to win.

Winning Jockey David Cabrera, aboard Swing and Sway for the first time in the afternoon, said, “I worked this filly one time and I thought this is a really nice filly. I felt like we could get along really good. We saw that. She broke sharp, she liked it on the front end and she finished very well.”

Trained by Ron Moquett, the American Beauty victory was Swing and Sway’s fourth win in 13 tries, and boosted the Oaklawn-based runner’s earnings to $243,040.

Having broken her maiden and won an allowance early in 2017 at Oaklawn, Swing and Sway is well traveled, competing last year at Belmont, Finger Lakes, Saratoga, Laurel and Keeneland. She last visited the winner’s circle after winning the Niagara Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies at Finger Lakes last June 19 over a “good” racing surface.

Bred by Canyon Lake Thoroughbreds and foaled at Keane Stud[2] in Amenia, Swing and Sway is out of Placerita (Gilded Time) a winning Kentucky-bred Gilded Time mare. She has eight winning siblings from 10 to start, led by graded winner Sticksstatelydude and multiple stakes winner Saturday Nite Ride. The family tree also boasts Grade 1 winners The Big Beast and Slew the Dragon.

The filly first changed hands for $50,000 as a short yearling at the 2015 Keeneland January mixed sale, going to Walter Bloodstock. Purchased by Woodford Sales for $117,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale in Saratoga, she attracted the attention of Westrock at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds after a co-bullet :9 4/5 breeze in the under-tack show.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/SWING-AND-SWAY-The-American-Beauty-35th-Running-01-Coady-27-18-R08-OP-Under-Rail-1.jpg
  2. Keane Stud: http://www.keanestud.com/

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/01/27/swing-sway-american-beauty/