Latonia Stakes ($250.000 Purse)
TP- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
March 23, 2024
Avatar came into the running of the Latonia Stakes after running well in a handful of NY-Bred races but was arguably about to have the toughest challenge of her career here since the IA Oaks last Summer. In a field that seemed well-balanced, she went off at odds of 10/1 and would reward her supporters and trainer Smokey Stover with a winning effort. It was a close finish, but she would prevail in a photo at the wire over one of the initial front runners, Pink Attack. The victory is the first in the Latonia Stakes, a race that had only been run twice previously, for both Smokey Stover and jockey R M Hernandez. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:41.74, which cannot be compared to anything since it was the first time the stake had been run at this distance. Let’s take a look at it:
(1/4 Mile- :22.99)- Out front early, it’s a horse that really needed to show something, TwinTowersRacing’s Ifyerewokeyerajoke, and beside her is Pink Attack, for The Sidley Stud. These two have broken away from the rest of the field, and they should be glad they did as it is as a bit of mess right behind them. We have a five wide group, that our eventual winner, Smokey Stover’s Avatar, is a part of. She runs on the rail, with the post time favorite, Shining At Knight, right next him for Our Athletes. Also stalking are Swiss Chocolate (Riggins Racing), Adolph Sniffler (TwinTowersRacing), and Snake Island (Night Mare Racing). Cackle Street (The Sidley Stud) looks like she wanted to be a part of that group as well, but there was no room for him. Behind these, Ask Forfree Delivery (Arindel) and Jinxed Artist (Smokey Stover) are within a length and a half, and at the back, we have the longshot Mirepoix (Alabarda Stable).
(½ Mile- :46.69)- Moving into the backstretch, Ifyerwokeyerajoke holds a half-length lead on Pink Attack and the five wide group of stalkers has been broken up. Now, there are just three of them, with Avatar riding the rail well in third, and Shining At Knight and Adolph Sniffler running within a length of her. Swiss Chocolate has backed off a bit, and Snake Island has really fallen off the pace. Cackle Street goes by her to the inside and runs evenly with Jinxed Artist and AskForfree Delivery. Mirepoix still trails.
(Top of Stretch, 1.6F To Go)- We have a new leader, as Pink Attack takes over the top spot while in the turn and enters the stretch with nearly a length lead on Ifyerwokeyerajoke. Avatar can no longer stay on the rail, or else she will run into that one, so R M Hernandez positions her right behind Pink Attack at the top of the stretch. Shining At Knight is unable to keep up with her, and a wide run for Adolph Sniffler may do her in. Further back, Cackle Street is pushed way wide, and if Swiss Chocolate, Ask Forfree Delivery, or Jinxed Queen had anything for the stretch, they needed to show it now. Mirepoix had caught up to the rest of the pack, but that’s about it.
(Finish- 1:41.74)- In the stretch, Pink Attack drifts just enough to allow Avatar not to have to alter her path anymore to make a run on the lead. However, Pink Attack was not going anywhere and was doing her all to hang on. Ifyerwokeyerajoke was feisty to her inside, as well. With a furlong to go, you could officially write off the rest of the field and focus on three horses. Just when it looked like Pink Attack was going to hang on, a late push by Avatar was something that the pace setter could not handle, and in a photo, it would be Avatar getting up just in time. Ifyerwokeyerajoke gets a good finish she needed, placing third. The rest of the field did were fighting for fourth at best and Ask ForFree Delivery is the best of the rest, topping Shining At Knight, Cackle Street, Adolph Sniffler, Mirepoix, Jinxed Artist, Swiss Chocolate, and Snake Island.
About The Winner- Avatar, trained by Smokey Stover, and ridden to victory by R M Hernandez, is a four-year-old filly by Sinissippi Star and is out of Ice Crystal. She was bred in New York as a third quarter two-year-old by Smokey Stover, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 12 starts, and her second stake win. Her career earnings are now $448.180.
| ## | Horse Name | Owner Name | Jockey | Odds | Fin | Time | SRF | ||
| 1 | Avatar | Smokey Stover | Hernandez R M | 10.30 | 11/4 | 1:41.74 | |||
| 9 | Pink Attack | The Sidley Stud | Jimenez A | 8.10 | 2nk | 1:41.82 | |||
| 7 | Ifyerwokeyerajoke | TwinTowersRacing | Cedillo A | 14.45 | 31 | 1:41.89 | |||
| 4 | Ask Forfree Delivery | Arindel | Murphy O | 8.55 | 4hd | 1:42.10 | |||
| 2 | Shining At Knight | Our Athletes | Silvera Ru | 2.70 | 5no | 1:42.15 | |||
| 8 | Cackle Street | The Sidley Stud | Alvarado F T | 8.45 | 5no | 1:42.15 | |||
| 6 | Adolph Sniffler | TwinTowersRacing | Bridgmohan S X | 15.75 | 73/4 | 1:42.17 | |||
| 5 | Mirepoix | Alabarda Stable | Ortiz J L | 59.80 | 81 | 1:42.33 | |||
| 10 | Jinxed Artist | Smokey Stover | Corbett G W | 5.45 | 81 | 1:42.33 | |||
| 3 | Swiss Chocolate | Riggins Racing | Husbands P | 5.05 | 103/4 | 1:42.56 | |||
| 11 | Snake Island | Night Mare Racing | Lezcano J | 23.10 | 11 | 1:42.71 |
Track: Fast
Time: :224 :463 1:104 1:413
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 1 – Avatar | 22.60 | 10.30 | 7.10 |
| 9 – Pink Attack | 9.30 | 5.90 | |
| 7 – Ifyerwokeyerajoke | 14.10 |
$1 Exacta: 1 – 9 Paid 79.80
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 9 – 7 Paid 1,000.60
Scratched: None
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
