Adam Coglianese
Henry’s Gal, a daughter of Disco Rico, made her stakes debut a winning one with a much-the-best victory as the post-time favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong Park Avenue Stakes for New York-sired 3-year-old fillies on Sunday. The race was the second of paired divisions of the $100,000 New York Stallion Stakes series co-featured on Aqueduct’s closing day. The Times Square Stakes run earlier in the card was won by another odds-on favorite, Loki’s Vengeance.
Claimed out of a third-place finish two starts back for $75,000 from the barn of David Jacobson, Henry’s Gal strutted her stuff next out at the Big A on April 4 for her new connections – trainer Rudy Rodriguez and co-owners Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC, Gary Aisquith and Michael Imperio. The dark bay filly won the $50,000 starter’s allowance over “good” going by more than eleven lengths, improved her record to 3-0-1 from four starts and stamped her ticket to the Park Avenue three weeks later.
Favored at 1-2 for her stakes debut and reunited with jockey Cornelio Velasquez, Henry’s Gal wasted no time in getting to the front from her rail post, leading Miss Narcissist by a length as Bella the Bandit tracked in third along the backstretch.
Continuing on an uncontested lead through an opening quarter-mile in 24.13 and half in 47.50, Henry’s Gal widened her advantage in the stretch before crossing the finish-line with a four-length victory. She stopped the clock in 1:17.70 for 6 1/2 furlongs. [VIDEO]
Closing from last to finish second in her seasonal debut was Champagne Ruby (Utopia [JPN]), winner of the Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes last September, third in the NYSS Staten Island last November and second in the East View on December 22. Stakes debuter Storied Lady (Read the Footnotes) finished third another three-quarters of a length back. Completing the order of finish were Bella the Bandit, Miss Narcissist and Possetivevibration. Henry’s Gal returned $3 on a $2 win wager
Cornelio Velasquez confirmed that Henry’s Gal’s victory was as comfortable as it appeared. “I was a passenger,” said Velasquez. “There was a slow pace, but I had a lot of horse. She galloped. She won easy.”
Rodriguez said, “That’s what I was expecting from her [considering] the way she won [the starter’s allowance] the other day and the way she’s breezed in the morning. We’ve just tried to keep her happy. She’s a runner and we’re happy to have her in the barn. All the credit goes to Michael Dubb for picking out the horse; he saw that she was eligible for the New York Stallion Series.”
Bred by Alfred DiRico, and foaled at her sire’s home, Keane Stud, Henry’s Gal is the most recent reported foal out of Diva’s Quest, an unraced Maryland-bred daughter of Norquestor. Henry’s Gal’s most successful sibling is full-brother Disco’s Son ($159,580), a five-time winner.
