NYRA/Susie Raisher
By Sarah Mace
After finishing third in last year’s $250,000 Empire Distaff on Empire Showcase Day, Bonita Bianca had to go back to the barn a beaten favorite for owners Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Michael Imperio. There was no such disappointment for her connections this time around. Favored once again at odds of 5-2 in a highly competitive field of 10 fillies and mares, Bonita Bianca absolutely trounced the competition, racing up on the pace and pouring it on the stretch to win by six lengths.
A winner of two of four starts already in 2018 for Jason Servis, who took over training duties this year from Rudy Rodriguez, the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin already owned a stakes win this term, rallying to take the 6 1/2-furlong Union Avenue at Saratoga. The 1 1/6-mile distance of the Distaff was still well within her comfort zone, though, and she had two wins at the distance to prove it. Moreover, in the Empire Distaff Bonita Bianca was returning to her proper surface following an unsuccessful turf experiment in the John Hettinger on September 23 at Belmont Park where she did no running and finished last of eight.
Michael Dubb explained the thinking behind the grass try. “She has a big [turf] foot and we felt we had to try her there [on turf]. It seemed like the right thing to do. With her being a 4-year-old, it’s been on our minds. She didn’t take to it.”
Partnered for the first time with Jose Lezcano for the Empire Distaff, Bonita Bianca got a good start from her outside post, racing with the vanguard as English Soul and Bluegrass Flag vied for the lead to her inside.
NYRA/Rob Mauhar
English Soul set early splits of 23.71 and 46.32, before Bluegrass Flag and Bonita Bianca advanced. In the turn, with three furlongs to go, the trio lined up across the track. Bonita Bianca on the outside had most momentum and, by the quarter pole, had the lead to herself.
From that point, it was all over but the shouting. Bonita Bianca drew off impressively to win by six lengths in a final time of 1:43.18. A pair of closers rallied into the remaining placings, with Split Time getting up for second, and Tiznow’s Smile coming from dead last to get third. [VIDEO REPLAY]
“She broke really good” Lezcano said. “She was right there the whole way. When I asked her at the quarter-pole, she went on. When I asked her, she kicked home. She did everything right today to win the race.”
Dubb emphasized that the distance, home track and draw were all on Bonita Bianca’s side. “She’s a Curlin. She’ll go long. She’ll go short. She loves Belmont Park. It was all in her favor today. She had a favorable post position, and everything was to her inside, so it was all good. At a mile and a sixteenth down the chute at Belmont, she’s really comfortable running outside, and that’s her comfort zone and she was there today.”
Dubb, a perennial leading owner on the NYRA circuit, still has an extra special feeling about winning on Empire Showcase Day. “When I go home tonight, I’ll be looking at the calendar for when this date is next year. It’s the greatest day; there’s probably more New York people here today than any other day. The track is busy. It’s one of the best betting cards. It’s really nice to see all of our New York brethren who work so hard come out and have the opportunity to compete. It’s a great day.”
Bred by Dormellito Stud and foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, Bonita Bianca was purchased by Dubb for $97,000 at the 2016 OBS March juvenile sale.
At two she won the Maid of the Mist and East View Stakes and placed in the Grade 2 Damoiselle Stakes. At three she added the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes to her stakes tally, which with her Union Avenue and Empire Distaff victories this year, brings the total to five. A winner of seven of 14 races overall with one second and two thirds, she has earned $609,667.
Bonita Bianca’s dam is Friendly Michelle, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Artax who won the Grade 1 Prioress and Grade 3 La Troienne Stakes in 2004. In 2006 Friendly Michelle sold to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings for $1.15 million at the Keeneland November sale in 2006.
In 2013 at Keeneland Steven Rowan bought Friendly Michelle for $42,000 with Bonita Bianca in utero. The mare has produced six winners in all, has a yearling colt by Paynter, no reported foal in 2018 and was bred to Ghostzapper in the spring.
