NYRA/Chelsea Durand
As a light shower passed through Saratoga Springs, Chester and Mary Broman’s 3-year-old homebred Mark My Way (Noonmark) collected his second straight New York Stallion Stakes series victory, kicking away in the stretch to add the one-mile, $100,000 Cab Calloway to his score in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid at Belmont Park on June 22.
In the early stages of the race Mark My Way settled in the two path, three lengths behind 16-1 pacesetter Social Rebellion. Biding his time along the run down the backstretch, the gelding angled out one more path midway on the far turn and was asked for run.
Mark My Way challenged Social Rebellion and new contender Forever Utopia in the stretch, gained the lead inside the final sixteenth and kicked clear to a 2 3/4-length victory. Free Mugatu closed from last to finish second, a nose ahead Prophet’s Cat in third, who poked a head in front of Forever Utopia. Next across the finish line next were Mental Iceberg, Social Rebellion and Winnitude. After a half-mile in 49.73, the final time for the mile over the firm inner turf was 1:37.57. [VIDEO]
Jockey Cornelio Velasquez, also aboard for the Spectacular Bid, said, “[Mark My Way] was in the best position; he stayed in the clear all the way. I went away at the eighth pole when I asked. I had a lot of horse. He’s a good horse. He tries hard.”
Conditioner Linda Rice said she felt confident as the race unfolded. “You know, I thought when he was laying third that there were slow fractions. I thought that the stronger horses were behind him, and I felt that there was a good chance we’d get home.”
In his only previous try going a route of ground, Mark My Way finished a close-up third. Rice said, “I think he’s better at the mile than the seven-eighths. I think he’d run a mile and an eighth very well. So I’m probably going to have to stretch him out to open company. I think he would improve with added distance.”
When asked about the possibility of open stakes competition in the colt’s immediate future, Rice said, “It’s a big step up to go from the Stallion Stakes to open company itself,” adding with a smile, “so maybe I’m going to dance around and find the easiest spot possible.”
Mark My Way has compiled a record of three wins and two thirds from six starts and earned $173,910. He is one of two winners out of Whichwaydidshego, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Storm Cat from the family of Minardi, Tale of the Cat and Johannesburg for whom Chester Broman paid $425,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale. Whichwaydidshego currently has a 2-year-old filly named Hard to Stay Notgo by More Than Ready, and a weanling colt by Bernardini. She was bred back to Bernardini this spring.
Mark My Way’s sire Noonmark, who has relocated to the Philippines, stood in New York from 2010 through 2013 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.
