Sunday Girl rolls in John Hettinger Stakes

Sunday Girl made a winning return in her first start since March and a successful turf debut in Sunday’s $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes for fillies and mares at Aqueduct.

Katie Davis guided the 4-year-old daughter of Central Banker to the front just after the break and they stayed there throughout the 6-furlong stakes. Sunday Girl, off since winning the Correction Stakes against open company March 2 at Aqueduct, won by 2 1/4 lengths over Silver Skillet for her fourth straight victory. Loon Cry, the even-money favorite in the field of seven, finished third. Sunday Girl won in 1:07.76 over the firm turf.

“That was a whole lot of fun,” said David Duggan, who trains the filly for owners Mitre Box Stable, Clear Stars Stable and Eight Note Stable. “I was concerned [about the turf debut]. We had breezed her on it at Saratoga and she got over it fine, but when you get into a competitive level like this, it’s a concern without having tried it.

“I knew we were going to be close to the pace but being given an easy lead like that, I didn’t think that was going to happen. It was fantastic.”

Sent off as the 5-2 third choice, Sunday Girl led Cara’s Time up the backstretch to the opening quarter-mile in :23.04 with Silver Skillet and Sinead tracking in third and fourth.

Cara’s Time got within a half-length entering the far turn as Silver Skilled angled to the outside to make a run. Sunday Girl responded to the immediate challenges, edging clear by 1 1/2 lengths after a half in :45.34. Sunday Girl spurted clear in the stretch and opened up 4 lengths in midstretch, past 5 furlongs in :56.21.

Davis stayed busy on Sunday Girl in the lane and she finished well clear of the runner-up and 5-2 second choice. Silver Skillet edged Loon Cry by 1 1/2 lengths for the place spot with Cara’s Time fourth. Soloshot, Sugar Bee and Sinead completed the field.

“I know the filly very well. They’ve done a wonderful job with her,” Davis said. “The question was, will she like the grass? They breezed her over it once, and said she did not look horrible, but she was green. Today, she came out of the gate and went nicely on the lead, down the backside, I knew I had it. She just floated over the turf. I’m happy she liked the turf because now we have more places to go.”

Sunday Girl commanded the top price for a New York-bred in the open portion of the 2022 OBS October yearling sale on a bid of $43,000 from Kathryn Martin. Mitre Box Stables purchased her for $100,000 about seven months later at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, out of the de Meric Sales consignment.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC and Spruce Lane Farm and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, Sunday Girl is out of the winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Lady Daphne.

Sunday Girl is a half-sister to Lady Jasmine, a New York-bred daughter of Cairo Prince also bred by McMahon and Spruce Lane who won her debut in 2022 at Saratoga Race Course. She’s won two of 19 starts with two other placings and earned $103,146. Lady Daphne is also the dam of the winning New York-bred Laoban mare Proper Grammar.

Lady Daphne was purchased by McMahon of Saratoga for $17,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She’s also the dam of the 3-year-old Solomini colt Brimsley and a 2-year-old New York-bred full sibling to Sunday Girl named Sunday Boy, who sold for $65,000 at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training. Sunday Boy breezed a half-mile in :49.50 Saturday on the Belmont Park training track, his third official workout since the OBS sale. McMahon and Spruce Lane also bred a yearling full brother to Sunday Girl, foaled May 4, 2024.

Central Banker, a 15-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. He’s topped the New York general sire list the last four seasons, including in 2024 with progeny earnings of $5,436,573.

Sunday Girl, winner of the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes as a 3-year-old, improved to 7-for-9 and boosted her bankroll to $463,738.

“It’s huge,” Duggan said of the importance of having a filly like Sunday Girl in the barn. “How hard are these to find? For us, it’s extra special to have one like this. She’s a lot of fun.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/06/29/sunday-girl-rolls-in-john-hettinger-stakes/

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