NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Marc Keller’s Quezon (Tiz Wonderful) emerged from her second career start, the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes for juvenile fillies on Empire Showcase Day, with an unblemished record, decisively besting seven rivals in the one-mile contest, including 8-5 favorite and stakes winner Temper Mint Patty.
Despite a runaway victory in her career debut on September 17 at Belmont, where she romped by six lengths in an off-the-turf six-furlong maiden special weight over a muddy sealed track in 1:10.71, Quezon came into the Maid of the Mist with multiple question marks. Was she aided by the off going in her debut? Could she stretch out to a mile? On the other hand, Quezon’s debut victory was flattered when the runner-up, The Lewis Dinner, who was 3-5 that day, broke his maiden on Thursday in a good-looking effort by open lengths. The Bobby Ribaudo trainee, 4-1 second choice at post time, had answers to all the questions.
Roughed up a little at the start, bumping with Sweetpollypurebrd to her inside, Quezon settled back in fifth as a headstrong Myfourchix took over the lead at the rail from Sandra, while Temper Mint Patty stalked in third.
Rounding the far turn, Quezon worked her way out into the four path to the outside of Temper Mint Patty, while Myfourchix continued to lead through a half mile in 47.88 with Sandra at her flank. When Myfourchix relinquished her lead, the remaining three lined up across the track: Sandra at the rail, Temper Mint Patty in-between and Quezon on the outside.
NYRA/Chelsea Durand
As the group came off the turn Quezon suddenly spurted away and opened up at will, ultimately gaining the victory by six lengths at the wire. Temper Mint Patty was the best of the rest, finishing 3 3/4 lengths ahead of Sweetpollypurebrd. Completing the order of finish were Sandra, Serious Happiness, Lady Bling, Dunn Listening and Myfourchix. The final time for one mile was 1:38.38. [VIDEO]
Winning jockey Manuel Franco reported, “Today, there was a lot of speed. I tried to follow instructions; he [Bobby Ribaudo] said, ‘If someone wants to go, you sit, wait and when you’re in the clear, then make your move.’ I came with a lot of horse today. She galloped out really good. I think she can go further.”
Ribaudo was delighted he took a chance with his lightly-raced charge. “I had my doubts about doing this because she had come off the one race going three-quarters,” said Ribaudo. “You’re coming back in a month, which is good timing, but you’re going to a mile. You’re going into a stake. Common sense says you shouldn’t be doing this, but how many times can you run for a quarter of a million dollars with a New York-bred 2-year-old filly? She was doing good, so we went. I was surprised we outran the favorite [Temper Mint Patty] so easily.”
Quezon, untreated with Lasix in either start, has earned $193,200 from her two winning efforts. Bred by Apache Farm LLC and foaled at Apache Farm North in Mt. Morris, she is the only reported foal out of Kalookan Dancer, a multiple stakes-winning California-bred daughter of Olympio, who last changed hands at the 2009 Keeneland November sale, going to Jane Moriarty for $20,000. Quezon was a $90,000 purchase by Riverside Stable at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale in 2013.
