Timeless Journey continues her rise in Sunday’s Biogio’s Rose Stakes at Aqueduct. Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo.
Timeless Journey overcame a touch of trouble at the start to secure her first stakes victory in the $97,000 Biogio’s Rose for older New York-bred fillies and mares Sunday at Aqueduct.
Merrylegs Farm’s homebred 6-year-old daughter of Verrazano recorded a 1 1/2-length win over Know It All Audrey for her third victory in her last four starts and third in five starts since joining trainer Ray Handal’s barn. Dylan Davis rode Timeless Journey to complete his three-win day to start Sunday’s card.
“She ran super and she had been touting her hand lately,” Handal said. “She had been breezing awesome, so it was nice to see her put things together. She’s just getting better and improving and getting stronger.”
Sent off at 3-5 while shortening up from 1 1/8 miles to the one-turn mile, Timeless Journey came away from the break last of five. Davis said she wasn’t standing correctly, got situated by the gate crew but still “wanted to push back on those back panels” just before the start.
“She just wasn’t ready for it, but it was a good trip,” Davis said.
Impazible Donna, winner of the Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes two starts back in early December, took the initiative under Kendrick Carmouche and led the field through early splits of :24.13 and :47.52. Impazible Donna continued to barrel along on the lead around the far turn and held a half-length advantage over 2-1 second choice Know It All Audrey through 6 furlongs in 1:12.18.
Davis watched everything unfold to that point from the back of the field before swinging Timeless Journey out at the quarter-pole. They came out and bumped with Captainsdaughter before straightening back up to take aim at Know It All Audrey on the lead. Timeless Journey continued her momentum from midstretch to the wire to win in 1:37.42. Know It All Audrey held second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Impazible Donna with Mia Bea Star and Captainsdaughter completing the lineup.
“I didn’t like that she missed the break,” Handal said. “It honestly wasn’t that great a trip. … I thought Know It All Audrey would be in front and we’d be sitting second or third if Kendrick decided to engage. Of course, when the gates break, everything changes. But Dylan knows her well and has great hands. He got her to switch off and she was right there for him the whole race. When he gave her daylight, she took off.
Timeless Journey earned $55,000 for the victory, her sixth in 18 starts, and boosted her bankroll to $378,483.
“She had to run her good race today and she did,” Handal said. “I thought if everybody ran their best race, she’s still probably the best in the race.”
Davis, aboard Timeless Journey for her five starts since being transferred from Christophe Clement to Handal, appreciated the mare’s effort.
“Ray has done a great job with her,” Davis said. “She’s steadily progressing and she tries hard every time. I was just hoping for that daylight. Once we get through, she does the rest.”
Bred by Merrylegs Farm North LLC and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Timeless Journey is out of the stakes-winning Utopia mare Matchmadeinheaven. Another homebred for Merrylegs, Matchmadeinheaven won three of five starts with a second and $206,217 in earnings. She started her career with three straight stakes wins in the Lady Finger and Rachel Alexandra at Finger Lakes and the Joseph A. Gimma at Belmont Park.
Timeless Journey is the second foal and one of two winners out of Matchmadeinheaven, who is also the dam of 2022 winner and 4-year-old Overanalyze New York-bred filly Hope for the Best. Matchmadeinheaven is also the dam of the unraced 3-year-old Palace Malice filly Watch Over Me and her 2-year-old full sister Till There Was You. Each of those foals are New York-breds bred by Merrylegs Farm North LLC.
