NEWS: RACING

La Fuerza much the best in Rockville Centre Stakes

Saturday, July 14th, 2018

NYRA/Chelsea Durand

By Sarah Mace

If his first two career starts are anything to go by, Barry Schwartz’ homebred Flatter colt La Fuerza has a bright future. On the Saturday of Belmont’s closing weekend, the chestnut colt drove his career record to perfect two-for-two with a much-the-best victory in the $100,000 Rockville Centre Stakes for New York-bred juveniles.

La Fuerza, “The Force” in Spanish, was impressive in his debut three weeks ago for trainer Todd Pletcher. Pinched back at the start and left with nearly eight lengths to make up after the first point of call, he swept past the field in the stretch under jockey Jose Ortiz to win the 5 1/2-furlong tilt by seven-plus lengths.

Schwartz told the DRF when en route to the Rockville Centre from California, “[I] thought he ran wonderfully, really excited. Honestly, he’s out of a crop of 18 2-year-olds I have. Clearly, he was the best-looking one, and he ran to his looks, I guess. We’re excited.”

Favored in his debut at 1-2 odds, La Fuerza proved even more popular with bettors Saturday, sent out as the most likely winner of the five-horse field at odds of 2-5.

La Fuerza got away cleanly under jockey Manny Franco, by contrast with his unveiling, but was still content to bide his time in last about three lengths off the pace set by Hushion, who was gunned to the front from his rail post by Mike Luzzi. What the Luck and Bustin Mach Four tracked in second and third.

Advancing a position at the rail along the backstretch, La Fuerza still saved his real running for later.

NYRA/Joe Labozzetta

While the field was on the turn, Hushion was joined by What the Luck and first-time starter Red Zinger, who moved aggressively on the bend, making it three across the track.

Late in the turn, La Fuerza tipped out three-wide and straightened away for the dash home. From this point it was all smooth sailing. Once in the clear, he outkicked his three rivals and drew off to win by 4 1/2 lengths. Bustin Mach Four finished second 1 1/2 lengths ahead of firster Red Zinger in third. Completing the order of finish were Hushion and What the Luck.

Following early splits of 22.33 and 46.28, the final time for six furlongs over the fast going was 1:12.27.  The order of finish remained unchanged after the stewards worked through two jockey’s objections and an inquiry into a traffic issue in upper stretch between Bustin Mach Four and What the Luck. [VIDEO REPLAY]

Franco expressed his overall confidence in La Fuerza but noted that his top priority for the race was getting a good break. “The main thing was to break out of there well and then try not to do too much to him,” Franco said. “As soon as I had the chance to go to the outside, I just tipped him out and he exploded by himself. He’s a nice horse. I knew the horse can run and I had a lot of confidence in him and I just waited for the time and he did it.”

Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes added, “I thought he broke well. There was a little more speed in the race than we expected. They kind of went ahead of him and he was down there on the inside on the rail. Manny did a good job being patient and when the outside opened up, he veered him there and he kicked on in the stretch.”

Overall, Hughes felt that La Fuerza’s Rockville Centre was a case of ‘mission accomplished.’ “It was a good race for him. Coming into today, we were hoping he would break a little better. He broke a little slow and got pinched his first start and it turned out to be okay. In similar fashion, here he ended up getting behind horses but handled taking the dirt well and was able to get up.”

La Fuerza, who was foaled at Barry Schwartz’ Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, is the first foal out of Jonata, a Kentucky-bred two-time winner purchased by Schwartz as a yearling for $100,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September sale. Without issues in 2017, she foaled colt by Mizzen Mast on January 27, 2018.

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