Finest Work holds off late challengers to win Friday’s John Hettinger for her first stakes win. NYRA Photo.
By Melissa Bauer-Herzog
The Repole Stable-bred Finest Work recorded her second straight victory Friday when she won the $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes at Belmont at the Big A.
The 4-year-old Outwork filly stretched out to 1 1/8 miles from the 1 1/16 miles that she won over at Monmouth Park last out. Finest Work broke from the widest gate in the field of nine and split the field, racing about 5 lengths off pacesetting 100-1 longshot Vienna Code, in the early stages. Finest Work was happy to bide her time through fractions of :23.40 and :48.37 with four rivals a few lengths in front of her and four horses behind her down the backstretch, while 3-1 second choice Make Mischief kept pressure on the longshot leader.
The field tightened entering the far turn with the eventual winner going widest of all in the midst of a five-way battle for the lead.
That battle was quickly ended with Finest Work and Make Mischief the only two left near the front at the eighth pole. Make Mischief eventually gave in close to the line and Finest Work was clear of all challengers. The late-closing duo of Marvelous Maude and Runaway Rumour nearly spoiled her chance at the first stakes win but the wire came soon enough. Finest Work won by a half-length over Marvelous Maude in 1:48.50 over the firm turf. Runaway Rumour finished a neck back in third and a neck in front of fourth-place finisher Make Mischief. Pure Bode, Classic Colors, Ice Princess, Classic Lady and Vienna Code completed the field.
Trained by George Weaver for Ted Hoover, Finest Work won her first stakes and recorded her fourth victory in five starts this year. She also improved to 5-2-2 in 11 career starts and boosted her earnings to $272,050 with the win.
“By the three-eighths, I felt they were getting kind of close to me,” said winning jockey Manny Franco. “I gave her her head a little bit and she was making her move a little early, but at the same time, that’s the move I wanted to do because I wanted to get the jump.
“George did a great job. This filly is improving a lot and it seems she’s got it [figured out]. I’m just glad to be part of the win. She did really well.”
Foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Finest Work was a $40,000 short yearling purchase by Rose Creek Farm at the 2019 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. She went through the ring two more times – going unsold at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale and selling again to Rose Creek Farm for $40,000 2019 OBS October yearling sale.
Finest Work is out of winning Pleasantly Perfect mare Nero’s Pleasure, who was purchased by Repole for $60,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February mixed sale. The mare was sold two years later, in foal to the Repole-raced Overanalyze, at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale to Phil Lebherz and Alan Klein for $95,000.
Finest Work’s dam is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Burning Roma and the stakes-placed dam of 2016 champion female sprinter Finest City and stakes winner Grand Prix.
Nero’s Pleasure’s last live foal was the Overanalyze filly she was carrying when sold in 2018. Named Autism Prism, that 3-year-old has won three starts with her last victory coming two starts ago at Canterbury Park.
