The Long Island (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
AQU- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and Three Eighths on the Inner Turf
November 10, 2024

Superface Party, the horse that seemed to be about as good of a lock in a race like this that you will ever see in our virtual racing world, decided not to show up for The Long Island. So, as will happen in the real world, you just know never know when it comes to a horse race. The trainer, though, still had the winner, as Sound Bath did show up, and would pick up the win in the Long Island. We had predicted a 1-2 finish for Mb Stables, so Sound Bath was our second choice, and our picks in general were good other than for Superface Party. I guess Mb made the right decision in not running her in the BC. As for Sound Bath, she is now 3-for-3 in her career with Mb Stables. This is the first time that the trainer has won this race, something that we’re getting less and less chances to say. I Ortiz Jr is a two winner now. Congratulations to them! The race was won in a time of 2:12.66, the third quickest in the stake’s history. Let’s take a look at it:

(½ Mile- :48.59)- No one seemed to be in a hurry to get to the race lead, as both Right As Rain, from Alydar Stables, and Superface Party, from Mb Stables battled it out on the backstretch. Superface Party would get the upper hand prior to going around the opening turn of the race and would lead after a half mile. Right As Rain was third by this point, as coming through between the two of them was the eventual winner from Mb Stables, Sound Bath. Sitting a length and a half off the lead in fourth All By Myself, and the TwinTowersRacing entry was true to her name here. Ginger Lucy (The Sidley Stud) ran behind her, and Nijinsky (Team 7 Illusions) was at the back.

(3/4 Mile- 1:12.76)- Sound Bath decides that there is no need to wait until later to make a move and makes her pass for the lead while running around the clubhouse turn. She’s pulled nearly a full length ahead of her stablemate, while Right As Rain still runs with them while three wide. All By Myself is still a length or so behind them. Ginger Lucy is right behind her, with Nijinsky still running at the back.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Sound Bath pulls a full length in front of the two that she had been running with while in the backstretch, and it would be at this point where the post-time favorite, Superface Party seemed to look like she was in trouble. As they worked around the turn and moved into the stretch, Sound Bath would only draw away even more. She had a two-length lead now on the still second place Right As Rain, while Superface Party struggled on the rail. All By Myself was beginning to go around her, and on the far outside, Nijinsky was about to take them both. Ginger Lucy would now trail.

(Finish- 2:12.66)- With a furlong to go, it seemed like we had to left to do was watch Sound Bath run. But in the dying moments of the race, supporters of Nijinsky got their hopes up for a moment, only to see their horse run out of time. It would be Sound Bath winning by half a length on Nijinsky, with a length and a half break to the rest of the field. Being the best of the rest gets All By Myself third, narrowly over Ginger Lucy. Then would come Right As Rain with Superface Party finishing dead last.

About the Winner- Sound Bath, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by I Ortiz Jr, is a three-year-old filly by Hippies And Cowboys, and is out of Mid Season Hoot. She was bred by Woogaloo in Pennsylvania as a second quarter two-year-old and was acquired by Mb Stables, via Sheffler Stables, for $35.000 in a July 2024 private sale. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 13 starts, her third stake win and second graded win. Her career earnings are now $448.400.

Track: Firm
Time: :48²  1:12³  1:36³  2:12³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 2 Paid 63.20
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 2 – 4 Paid 268.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES