Adam Coglianese
Sensational in her Saratoga debut, Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred Artemis Agrotera took a huge next step in her young career when she won the Grade 1, $500,000 Frizette at Belmont Park on Saturday, a “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge race for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 2 at Santa Anita.
Artemis Agrotera won her Saratoga debut on August 16 in a six-furlong state-bred maiden race at 2-5 odds, leading at every point of call and drawing off to an 11 3/4-length victory. Named for the Greek goddess Artemis, one of whose cult titles was “Agrotera” meaning “Artemis of the wilds” (i.e. huntress), the Roman Ruler filly had posted three strong works in preparation for the Frizette. Third choice at 4-1 odds, she took a back seat in the wagering only to odds-on favorite Sweet Reason, winner of the Grade 1 Spinaway on closing weekend at Saratoga, and 3-1 second choice Stopchargingmaria, the Spinaway runner-up.
Adam Coglianese
Breaking well under Jose Lezcano, Artemis Agrotera tracked a length behind pacesetter Tea Time though early fractions of 23.30 and 47.41 while Sweet Reason trailed the field, having veered in sharply from her inside post after the break.
Artemis Agrotera moved off the rail into the two-path in the backstretch, and, drawing even with the pacesetter late in the far turn, took over the lead before the furlong marker and opened up a length. The only late challenger to present herself was Sweet Reason, who got in gear and closed rapidly on the outside into second, but Artemis Agrotera kept to her task and secured the victory by 1 1/4 lengths. Stopchargingmaria finished another 2 3/4 lengths back in third. The final time for the mile over the fast going was 1:36.25. [VIDEO]
Adam Coglianese
Rider Jose Lezcano said, “She broke good, put herself in position, and when I asked her, she took off and won the race. She acted very, very professional today. She did everything right in the gate and in the race, and did the job.”
Said winning trainer Mike Hushion, “I said [to jockey Jose Lezcano], ‘Be careful she just doesn’t run off the first part of it.’ If he tapped her once on the shoulder, she’d be gone, and he didn’t.” Added Hushion, “I saw [Sweet Reason] coming, but watching as many races as I have over this track, I knew at the sixteenth pole [Sweet Reason] had her work cut out for her and we were in good position.”
As to whether Artemis Agrotera will make her next start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, which is run at 1 1/16 miles, Hushion said, “I hope so. We’ll see what the next few days bring. Hopefully, everything will be a ‘go.'”
Artemis Agrotera, who has earned $342,000 from her two career victories, is the most recent reported foal out of Indy Glory by A.P. Indy, also bred and campaigned by the Bromans. A full sister to Grade 1 winner, millionaire and sire Stephen Got Even and to stakes winner Grand Merger, Indy Glory is a stakes-winning router with multiple graded placings ($283,422). The Bromans purchased her dam Immerse (Cox’s Ridge) at the 1997 Keeneland November sale for $350,000.
Indy Glory’s four winners include stakes-placed Time Squared by Fusaichi Pegasus, who brought $1.05 million at the 2006 Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds ($100,740), and stakes-placed Submerge, a filly by the same sire ($64,259). Indy Glory was bred to Noonmark (Sequel Stallions New York) in 2013.
