Our Super Nova is stellar in NYSS Staten Island

By Sarah Mace

Overcoming the speed-favoring trend of Aqueduct’s main track Sunday, Michael S. Foster, Charlton Baker and Lauren Linn’s Our Super Nova exploded with a rally in the stretch to record a much-the-best victory in the seven-furlong, $150,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes (NYSS) series for New York-sired fillies and mares.

A 4-year-old daughter of Boys at Tosconova, Our Super Nova was coming off a career performance just 22 days ago on Empire Showcase Day. Contesting the one-mile Empire Distaff, she rallied at the rail to give winner Ratajkowski a scare. Though Our Super Nova fell a head short of upsetting the race, she earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 88 for the runner-up effort.

Trained by Lauren Linn through May of this year and dividing her time between the NYRA circuit and Finger Lakes, Our Super Nova has really come into her own since moving permanently to Charley Baker’s barn in June. In recent starts she was competitive in three second-level state-bred allowance races before she won through the condition at Belmont on September 28. She followed up with her big Empire Distaff effort.

Partnered with Junior Alvarado for the sixth straight time Sunday and drawn in the outside post, Our Super Nova was sent off as the 5-2 second choice in the field of eight. Favoritism went to 2-1 Fair Regis, an improving runner who finished second in the Iroquois Stakes on Showcase Day. Third choice was 9-2 Carrera Cat, the apparent controlling speed after the early scratches of Newly Minted and Filibustin.

When the gates opened, Our Super Nova exited cleanly and set up shop mid-pack in fifth in the two path. Up front Carrera Cat took over the lead after vying early with Fair Regis and proceeded to set fractions of 24.05 and 48.31.

Racing in the clear along the backstretch, Our Super Nova advanced somewhat in the turn and angled out four-wide at the head of the stretch.

Carrera Cat yielded the lead to Fair Regis in upper stretch, but Our Super Nova really started rolling, gained second and collared Fair Regis mid-stretch. She picked up even more momentum from there, powering home to 4 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:25.97 for seven furlongs.

Fair Regis kept her nose in front of My Roxy Girl in third, who was followed across the finish line 1 1/4 lengths back by Espresso Shot. Completing the order of finish were Kid Is Frosty, Bluegrass Jamboree, Carrera Cat and Purrageous Dyna.

Junior Alvarado felt the race flowed perfectly for him. “I thought I was in a good position. Last time [in the Empire Distaff] we broke slow and she was even further back, but she made up a lot of ground. I wasn’t worried. I just wanted to make sure she was comfortable and in a nice rhythm so I would have horse left at the end. She was travelling very comfortably and when I asked her, she gave me a big kick at the end.”

Baker was excitied about the breakthrough first stakes win for his charge. “I thought she ran a big race,” Baker said “She looked comfortable early and Junior really gave her a great trip. Everything set up in her favor and she really performed today. I didn’t really have to give Junior any instructions. He’s ridden her four or five times previously and really gets along with her well. She certainly stepped up today.”

Bred by Tracy Egan and foaled at Seven Furlong Farm in Ballston Lake, Our Super Nova is one of six winners from six foals to start and the first stakes winner for White Wedding Day by Crimson Guard. She is a third generation product of Egan’s breeding program, which includes first dam White Wedding Day and second dam Blythe Smile, by Smile. Our Super Nova, who did not change hands at public auction, has earned $308,695 from six wins, four seconds and two thirds in 19 starts.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/11/10/our-super-nova-nyss-staten-island/

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