Nassau Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
WO- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
May 29, 2016

Heading into the race, Narly Kruz was looked like one of the top horses in the field.  That is, if you did not get carried away with holding her two month layoff against her.  Most of the people at the track, however, did not make the same mistake as I did in the preview, and Narly Kruz would be the second choice, and the top choice amongst the three year olds.  Tidal Wave took in slightly more money from bettors as they believed she could overcome her weight disadvantage.  In the end, weight can indeed bring down a tidal wave, and look pretty narly in the process.  It is the fifth win in nine starts for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf runner up, and there is unquestionably some more great things in store for her.  She didn’t just win because of the weight, she won because she is a remarkable talent.  Now, any doubter as to her layoff should be convinced!   It is the first win in the stake for both the trainer, Brave, and the jockey, P Husbands. Congratulations to both! The time of the win was 1:33.23, which ranks it amongst the quickest in stake history.

1st- 7- Narly Kruz (7/2)- Our eventual winner from Brave wasted no time getting out to the front, pulling out to about a length advantage early before P Husbands began to settle her in. She would lead after a quarter, setting a reasonable pace in a time of :23.50.  Her stride remained graceful over the backstretch, and Tidal Wave momentarily took the lead, before Narly Kruz took it right back.  While rounding the turn, she had a neck in front, setting the half-mile time in :46.79.  The filly cruised around the turn in quite a narly manner, and looked like she might be about to open up on the entire field in the stretch.  With a furlong to go, Narly Kruz had pulled out to a two length advantage and seemed on her way to an easy win.  However, a hard charging Shekinah on the outside, as well as Smoking Nebulae slicing and dicing through traffic meant that the trainer had to sweat it out all the way to the wire, in a time of 1:33.23!  In the end, there would be no denying Narly Kruz today.  Congrats again!  Narly Kruz is a three year old filly by Kruz and out of Pickled Pepper (who is by Charley Farley).   She was bred in California as a first quarter two year old by Brave and they have been together throughout!

2nd- 5- Shekinah (6/1)- The Blushing Meadows entry was not concerned with the early pace, and would assume a position near the back of the pack in the early stages of the race.  Approximately when the leaders hit the opening quarter, Shekinah moved forward to race alongside, and ultimately pass Smokin Nebulae before they reached the turn.  L Contreras had her ready to run on exit of the turn, but the only choice was to move to the outside of Track Star, and when that one drifted into her lane a little bit, Shekinah had to move over another lane or two.    The end result of this meant that she was about six wide while trying to make her strong close.  Shekinah was excellent in the stretch, and was coming on with authority all the way to the wire.  Unfortunately for the trainer, the wide trip in the stretch did her in, and Shekinah settled for a second and a “what might have been.”

3rd- 1- Smokin Nebulae (5/1)- The maiden from Drabfantasy did well to prove that she belongs t this level, and that an upcoming win will eventually be a formality.  She would get off to a rather average start, and keep her spot along the rail a length or so behind Track Star.  At the top of the turn, she have about five lengths to make up on the leaders.  It would not be until the top of the stretch, with two furlongs to do where that number would begin to shrink, and even when it did, it didn’t seem like more then gradual progress.  Then, in the final furlong, she exploded for J S McAleney, with an emphatic move around Tidal Move, leading to a hard charge all the way to the wire.  In the end, she would make up all but one of those lengths.

4th- 6- Track Star (4/1)- Making her debut in her new Heavens Own silks, Track Star would break well out of the gate, but would soon opt for a stalking position behind the three pacesetters while running along the rail.  As they moved into the long WO turn, she would be fourth and was three lengths off the lead.  D Moran looked to position her within the turn for a stretch run, but seemed to have no choice but to take the lane he did, and swing out about four wide.  In the stretch while running well, she drifted a little, possibly to try and hold off Shekinah.  Ran gamely in the stretch, it just wasn’t enough.

5th- 3- Polish Dogma (12/1)- The longest shot on the board from EasyMoney Stables started well out of the gate and at the front while along the rail as a part of three wide with Narly Kruz and Tidal Wave.  She would hold this ground as they moved into the turn, but lost ground to Narly Kruz by the time they reached the stretch.  While she looked to be in trouble at this point, it still seemed as though she was running well enough to still hit the board.  The final furlong would be the most difficult for her, and she get passed by a few late.

6th- 4- Tidal Wave (7/2)- Started well out of the gate for Paradise Stable, and was within half a length of Narly Kruz as they ran down the backstretch, and would even poke a nose in front as they approached the turn.  Hung tough for a while, but on exit of the turn she was not able to keep up with the leader.  At the same time, those behind her were preparing for their moves to the front and the betting favorite was not able to keep up with anyone in the stretch, and that has to be frustrating.

7th- 2- Taco Belle (5/1)- Making a run for the northern border did not pan out for the Lemax Farms entry. She was a bit slow out of the gate and soon found herself about seven lengths out in the backstretch.  It is something she would never recover from, and there was no late close to be found from her.

Track: Firm
Time: :23²  :46³  1:09³  1:33¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 7 – 5 Paid 34.00
$1 Trifecta: 7 – 5 – 1 Paid 258.50

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES