Adam Coglianese
After running Old Harbor (Raffie’s Majesty) in blinkers for her last two starts and opting to remove the equipment from Joseph Birnbaum’s homebred filly for her stakes debut Sunday in the $100,000 Cupecoy’s Joy at Belmont Park, trainer Russell Cash had the pleasure of seeing his charge relax under jockey Angel Arroyo before coming from off the pace to win the filly division of the day’s paired New York Stallion Stakes series for 3-year-old progeny of New York Sires.
No fewer than twelve fillies lined up for this year’s running of the Cupecoy’s Joy, many trying turf for the first time, making for a wide-open board and a lukewarm 4-1 favorite in Lady Kreesa by Stonesider, a half-sister to last year’s New York-bred champion turf and older male King Kreesa.
Settling in midpack from post eight after the break, Old Harbor got in the chase around the far turn after the speedy Henry’s Gal showed the way through early fractions of 22.49 and 45.02. Angling out as she entered the stretch, Old Harbor began her steady march to the front, taking over the lead with a furlong to go and drawing off to a decisive 4 1/2 length victory in 1:20.97, the fastest time for the Cupecoy’s Joy since it was shortened from a mile to seven furlongs in 2009.
Funky Munky Fever (Roaring Fever), an 80-1 longshot (!), last at the head of the lane, roared down the middle of the track under jockey Junior Alvarado, passing all but the winner to grab second, finishing a half-length ahead of Lady Kreesa. Following them under the wire were Missy Bay, Henry’s Gal, Miss Narcissist, Champagne Ruby, Selenite, Traipse in Utopia, Storied Lady, Bella the Bandit and Hey Kiddo. [VIDEO]
Arroyo felt the effect of the equipment change as he tried to relax his mount. “It was a good trip,” said Arroyo. “She relaxed and had a good position. She felt really nice; she is a good horse. This was my first time on her. In the other race the filly didn’t relax so Russell [Cash] told me to try and relax her.”
Cash said, “[Taking blinkers off] might have helped her relax. She’s just been unfortunate. Her last race was good and in the two races before that she had bad trips. She’s always been good.” Added Cash, “I’m very happy for [owner] Dr. Birnbaum; he puts a lot of money into breeding these horses and he should be rewarded.”
A runner-up in her debut at Monmouth Park last July, Old Harbor broke her maiden second out at Saratoga in a 5 1/2-furlong turf dash. Off the board in two subsequent starts ten days apart at Belmont in May, she came into the Cupecoy’s Joy after finishing a close-up third in a first-level state-bred allowance three weeks ago.
Old Harbor’s dam Royal Mast was purchased by Cash as a weanling for a mere $8,500 in 2001 at the Fasig-Tipton December mixed sale. A New York-bred daughter of Roy, Royal Mast won her debut on dirt and started twice more, including a runner-up allowance finish, before beginning her career as a broodmare.
Royal Mast has produced all winners from five foals to start, including multiple stakes-placed Shipwreckstreasure, by Service Stripe, a $254,336-earner. Royal Mast’s most recent reported foal is a yearling colt by Girolamo.
Old Harbor is the tenth progeny stakes winner for Raffie’s Majesty.
