NY Stallion Series- Staten Island ($125.000 Purse)
AQU- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward Foaled In NY
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
November 22, 2025
Neon Terra came into the Staten Island having only made four starts for her career, and was going up against some that had 25 or more races on their resume. This was her second stake appearance, and she was needing to do much better than she had here last month in the Iroquois. The Neon Wolf filly would run the race completely different from a tactical standpoint, waiting to the end to make her move, and she would get up time to win in a photo. Neon Terra was among our picks, but on the back end of them. She is trained by First Flight Stable, who wins the Staten Island for the first time. Jam Rodriguez was aboard for his first such win, and he completes the Thunder Rumble-Staten Island double. Congratulations to them! The race was won in a time of 1:21.90, the third quickest in the race’s history. Let’s take a look at it!
(1/4 Mile- :23.07)- Mo Mentum Farm’s Thanks Mucho would be the quickest out of the starting gate, but from the outside, Line Of Flight ultimately pushes forward for D J C Racing Stablees to take the lead at first call, with Thanks Mucho settling in for second. Chilly stalks the pace for La Canada Racehorses, and Onlineracingclub.com’s Sandrine is fourth while closer to the rail. After a length and a half, we have Luz International’s Sneaky Mistress in fifth with TwinTowersRacing’s Status nearby. Running seventh, and four lengths off the lead is our eventual winner from First Flight Stable, Neon Terra, and she runs in the third lane. Jireh’s Bourbon Bon Nay trails.
(½ Mile- :46.51)- Down the backstretch and into the turn, there is not much change with how the leaders are running. Line Of Flight continues to lead while having Thanks Mucho within half a length to her inside. Chilly stalks these two, but begins to look to their outside for a run on entrance of th turn. Sandrine, however, loses some ground. A little further back, we begin to see Neon Terra showing more interest. She hasn’t made a powerful move yet, but Jam Rodriguez brings her forward while three to pass Sneaky Mistress and Status, setting her up for a clean shot at the leaders. Bourbon Bon Nay was lacking any sort of interest thus far.
(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Entering the stretch, Line Of Flight is officially still the leader, but by the most narrow of margins. It’s not Thanks Mucho that gets closer, but it is Chilly, as that filly methodically gains ground within the turn, and figures to take the lead momentarily in the stretch. Thanks Mucho was still to Line Of Flight’s inside. Sandrine held fourth, but the one to watch would certainly be Neon Terra at this point, as she continued to close in on the leaders. Utilizing the same lane as Chilly, she was now only about two lengths back with plenty of time left. Status and Sneaky Mistress were a length behind her, while Bourbon Bon Nay still lacked response.
(Finish- 1:21.90)- Chilly does take the lead, and if it wasn’t for Neon Terra, she had a great stalking trip. However, that will only be good enough for second, as Neon Terra dug deep and found another gear especially in the closing moments. In the final furlong, I wouldn’t have thought she was going to have a chance on Chilly, but Chilly did drift out a little in the stretch as Neon Terra was making her last ditch effort, and in the end that’s the difference. In a photo, Neon Terra catches Chilly to win by a head, with Status edging out Thanks Mucho for third. Neither of them were anywhere near the top two. Rounding it out, we have Sandrine, Line Of Flight, Sneaky Mistress, and Bourbon Bon Nay.
About The Winner- Neon Terra, trained by First Flight Stable and ridden to victory by Jam Rodriguez, is a three year old filly by Neon Wolf and is out of Calm Pacific. She was bred by Night Mare Stables as a first quarter two year old in New York, and was acquired by First Flight Stable in the June 2025 auction for $35.010. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her third in five starts and first stake win. Her career earnings are now $143.400.
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded