Looms Boldly dodges the rain while winning Monday’s Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photos
Hometowner Dee’s Wiseguy tried to put the big-city favorites on their back feet in Monday’s Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes, but the tactics didn’t last much longer than the :21.79 it took to cover the opening quarter-mile in the 6-furlong stakes.
Shipped in from Belmont Park by trainer Brad Cox for Ten Strike Racing, even-money favorite Looms Boldly took over from the early leader after breaking a step slow from the inside post and stayed up front the rest of the way to win by 5 1/4 lengths. Belmont-based Acoustic Ave, second choice off at 6-5 for Christophe Clement, finished second with Dr. Kraft rallying for third. Ridden by Andre Worrie, the winner stopped the clock in 1:12.41 while improving 4-for-7 lifetime and adding the Ontario County to his victory in the Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct in March.
Bred by Ten Strike’s Marshall Gramm and Clay Sanders, Looms Boldly collected $30,000 to push his lifetime earnings to $207,640. The son of Goldencents and the Forestry mare See the Forest finished second in his debut last September at Aqueduct, and graduated next time in November. The bay colt started 2023 with a third at Aqueduct in March, then won the Runyon and an open-company allowance in April before placing third in the 7-furlong Mike Lee at Belmont Park May 29.
Dropping back to 6 furlongs for the Ontario County, Looms Boldly faced four rivals – last year’s New York-bred juvenile male champion Acoustic Ave chief among them. The four-time winner was making his first start since November for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and trainer Christophe Clement. The Maclean’s Music colt settled in third early before rallying on the turn and flattening out while staying on his left lead through the stretch. He was no match Looms Boldly, who sped a half-mile in :45.43, maintained a clear advantage into the stretch and pulled away late. Dee’s Wiseguy couldn’t make the early lead stand up and finished fifth.
Despite a Kentucky-bred dam, Looms Boldly – foaled at Keane Stud in Armenia – descends from New York-bred royalty as See the Forest’s dam Critical Eye won 14 races, earned $1.06 million and captured five graded stakes (two Grade 1) for owners/breeders Herbert and Carol Schwartz.
Like Critical Eye, See the Forest started out racing for the family – owner/trainer/breeder Scott Schwartz. She won once before getting claimed for $25,000 in December 2009. While racing for trainer Tony Dutrow and owner Michael Dubb, she won three times – getting claimed by Gramm for $12,500 in October 2010. She won twice more for trainers Bobby Dibona and Juan Carlos Guerrero, but was pulled up with an injury in her final start (for a $7,500 tag) at Delaware Park in May 2011.
As a broodmare, she has produced seven winners from as many named foals, topped by stakes winner and $303,795 earner Critical Value, 10-time winner and $457,124 earner Grit’n’grind and now Looms Boldly. See the Forest did not produce foals, on covers to Blame and Bernardini, in 2021 or 2022 but delivered a New York-bred Constitution colt at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater in February. The 17-year-old mare is in foal to Warrior’s Charge for 2024.
