The Very One Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Turf
March 2, 2019

Although the betting public leaned towards Chai Mission as likely an ultimate credit to her trainer, Maxmillion Farm, the horse to beat in The Very One was still Free Sunset, who was in her second race since winning the BC Fillies and Mares Turf. She would disappoint in that she did not even hit the board, and neither would Chai Mission for that matter. Agenda, our second choice, was given generous odds of 5/1, and with the great L H Colon leading the way, there would be no denying her from this victory. The winning trainer is Mb Stables, who erases another graded stake off the ever fading list of such races he has never won. L H Colon is a two time winner now, having won last year as well with Eastern Sky. The time of the win was 1:52.52. Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :48.31)- Three of them break well out of the gate, with the early advantage going to normal pacesetter A Fine Seamstress, running for Dandy Dan Stables, but she would have some company on the front end. Maggie Greene was running nicely for The Sidley Stud to her outside, and Light The Fuse was keeping pace with them on the rail. After half a mile, it would officially be Maggie Greene as the one in front. As this was going on, our eventual winner, Agenda was monitoring the front three in a stalking position for Mb Stables. Hide N Seek Pup (Gdp Inc) ran together with Chai Mission (Maxmillion Farm), and at the back would be Wednesday (Fractious) and Free Sunset (Smokey Stover).

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.55)- Down the backstretch, it continues to be Maggie Greene out in front, and leading A Fine Seamstress by a length. Light The Fuse was beginning to drop out of it just a bit, and now Agenda had moved into the third position. She has not really made a move to take the lead though, and continued a patient stalk. The remaining four remained in the same formation as they were in at a half mile.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Rounding the turn, Maggie Greene was looking great, and moved into the top of the stretch with a length lead. She had put away all but one of her rivals to this point, but the one that she had not was looming as a major threat. That, of course, was Agenda, who gradually made up ground while running in the fourth line. It seemed as though she would have enough time to make her move, and Maggie Greene was going to have to battle hard. A Fine Seamstress, soon after the run into the turn began, started to show some signs of tiring. She hung in there, but the others proved to have more left for this portion of the race. Hide N Seek Pup was now fourth, and had three lengths to make up. Light The Fuse had dropped back, and we were still waiting for Free Sunset and Chai Mission to do something. Wednesday trailed, and had five lengths to make up.

(Finish- 1:52.52)- After a good stretch battle that had Maggie Greene doing all that she could, Agenda would prove to be too tough. She was ridden well by L H Colon, who has proven to be the best in the virtual world on the grass, and helps get her the win. Maggie Greene is second in a very good overall performance, herself. Hide N Seek Pup gets up for third, but was never a threat to finish higher then that, and A Fine Seamstress gets the fourth place check. Free Sunset started running with a furlong to go, but fails to collect a check. Chai Mission, Wednesday, and Light The Fuse were never factors.

About The Winner- Agenda, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by L H Colon, is a four year old filly by Engine Failure, and is out of Joba Mya. She was bred in Florida by Mb Stables as a yearling, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her 7th in sixteen starts, and its her first graded win. Her career earnings are now $393.270.

Track: Firm
Time: :48¹  1:11²  1:34³  1:52²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 7 Paid 64.20
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 7 – 8 Paid 87.20

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES