NY Stallion Series- Fifth Avenue ($150.000 Purse)
AQU- For Fillies Two Years Old Foaled in NY
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
December 18, 2016

It has been wet in New York over the last few days, whether it be snow or rain.  Not surprisingly, and for the second day in a row, we had an off track here at AQU, with the lingering rain throughout the afternoon causing the track to be muddy.  So the 11th running of the Fifth Avenue would have this additional variable to come into play.  However, in the end, this balanced field saw the race play out much like it did in our preview where our top two picks did indeed finish 1-2.  The winner is Canadian Racing’s Retrospective, a two year old filly that ran in big races early in her career that did not go according to plan, that is now starting to come in to her own.  It was her third win in six career starts, and the first win for the trainer in the stake.  Jockey I Ortiz Jr wins it for the second time, having also done so in 2013 with Drum Roll Please.  The time of the win on the muddy track was 1:12.38. Congratulations to the winners!  Interestingly, this was the first time the race had ever been run on an off track.  Let’s look more at it!

1st- 2- Retrospective (7/2)- Our eventual winner form Canadian Racing broke fine out of the gate, but would be unhurried early by jockey I Ortiz Jr.   During the backstretch run, she would be fourth and about three and a half off the leader.  As the field moved into the turn, she looked for her best running lane, but it would only be on exit of the turn where the filly began to cut into the lead.   At the top of the stretch, she was third with just over two lengths to make up.  It was looking like second place French Connection would be the difficult one to pass, and she had a length to make up on her as well.  Retrospective with just keeping inching closer and closer with every stride and just prior to the reaching the wire she would take over the lead.  There was no time for letting up, because there were others running well, but in the end Retrospective prevails in a very tight finish between first and fifth!  The time of the muddy victory was 1:12.38.  Retrospective is a two year old filly by Winter Warrior, and out of Retrospectively Not (who is by Charley Farley).  She was bred in New York as a yearling by Night Mare Racing and sold unraced in private sales to Canadian Racing on New Year’s Day for $25.000.  Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 4- French Connection (7/5)- Got off to a good start for D J C Stables, running in second down the backstretch in a stalking position of pacesetter Cobra Crunch.  Did well to keep the leader in sight around the turn, and at the top of the stretch she was ready to make her run on by, though the presence of Retrospective was looming larger.  She would be passed by Retrospective in the stretch, and had the rest of the field beginning to bear down on her late.  In the end, she would cling to her runner up finish in a tight finish.

3rd- 3- Sneaky Little Opus (18/1)- The filly from Kopites started off in the middle of the field, about length and a half back down the backstretch.  Held her ground while going into the turn, but as Retrospective went by her, Sneaky Little Opus simply did not respond with run of her own making it seem inevitable that she would be left behind.  To her credit, she seemed resurgent in the stretch and made a decent bid in her own right. Perhaps if this only had started earlier she could have ended up in the winners circle.

4th- 1- Crown Of Jewels (6/5)- The post time favorite from M.b.o. Racing Stable did not give her fans much to cheer about.  She would be content to start the race at the back and hope to close later on.  Made only minor headway while rounding the turn, and still had three lengths to make up in the stretch.  She ran quite well in the stretch, and nearly would get third.

5th- 5- Cobra Crunch (31/1)- Started better then she would finish, leading at the quarter mark for Aer Stables in a time of :22.75.   Rounding the turn, she still seemed in good shape while running a half in :46.30, emerging with a length lead at the top of the stretch.  Tried to hang in there, but did not have the same extra gear for the stretch that everyone else did.

Time now for holiday break, back for more next year!

Track: Muddy
Time: :22³  :46¹  :58⁴  1:12¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 4 Paid 12.40
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 4 – 3 Paid 97.80

Scratched: None

Winner and Exacta Picked By NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded