Charles J. Palombini and Anthony Catalano’s Fiftyfour Forever added her first open stakes placing to an already strong resume on Sunday with a game third-place finish in Belmont’s featured $80,000 Dream Supreme Stakes.
The 3-year-old daughter of Closing Argument came into her third stakes appearance (and open stakes debut) for trainer Anthony Quartarolo having finished first or second in seven of her last eight starts, including a runner-up finish to subsequent Grade 1 performer Beautiful But Blue in the Bouwerie Stakes for state-bred fillies at Belmont on June 24.
Fiftyfour Forever had just proved her mettle at the seven-furlong distance of the Dream Supreme by winning her most recent start, a second-level allowance for New York-bred fillies and mares on September 19 at Belmont over off-going, for which she earned a career high Beyer Speed figure of 84. On Sunday the main track at Belmont was listed as “good (sealed)” and Eddie Castro was at the helm.
Owner of abundant early speed, Fiftyfour Forever (4-1 third choice) traded the lead from the earliest stages until the final furlong with the horse to her outside, California invader Munnings Sister (full sister to MGSW Munnings).
Munnings Sister dug in and finally shook off the persistent Fiftyfour Forever in the final panel to secure the win, while 3-2 favorite Hearts of Red closed well in the clear on the outside to grab the second spot. Fiftyfour Forever held on well to keep a nose ahead of Well Kept, both of them 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner. After a half mile in 47.60 and three quarters in 1:11.78, the final time for the seven furlongs was 1:24.93.
Fiftyfour Forever, can now add her first open stakes placing to two placings in restricted stakes, the Bouwerie and the fillies division of Monmouth’s NATC Futurity last year. With a career record of 3-5-3 from 13 starts, the consistent filly has now earned $182,349.
Bred by Thomas-Narlinger LLC and A R Properties, Fiftyfour Forever is the third and last reported foal produced by black type-placed Silver Charm mare High Silver. All three foals are winners, including New York-bred Note the Smoke, by Read the Footnotes ($82,223). Fiftyfour Forever’s second dam, Grade 3 Alabama Derby winner Vivace by Shot Gun Scott, won 20 races and earned just over $1 million.
Fiftyfour Forever sold twice at public auction, going for $12,000 to Kharag Stable at the 2010 OBS Open Yearling Sale and to Carlo Vaccarezza for $7,000 at the 2011 OBS Open Horses of Racing Age Sale.
