The May ($100.000 Purse)
AQU- For Fillies Three Years Old Foaled In NY
One Mile on the Dirt
February 20, 2021

Ever since Fleeting has been going at least a mile, she has been successful and running in the May would be her chance to show that progress at the stake level. She entered this race having won two of three, with the other race being a close second. After running a mile at AQU she would win again, and figures to take another step forward for her next race. It’s a nice win for trainer D J C Racing Stables, especially when you factor in that he just sold the race’s post-time favorite, A Girl On Fire, for $375.000 two weeks ago. Now, we know that much of that price was for that one’s long-term broodmare potential, but I’m sure D J C liked seeing his filly beat that one here. Fleeting was not one of my picks, and I’m wondering why about that since I wrote well of her in my preview. Regardless, she is the first winner in the May for D J C Racing Stables and jockey P Morales. Congratulations to them! The race was run in a time of 1:35.56, and that is a new stake record. Let’s take a look!

(¼ Mile- :23.92)- Indecisive, the Mb Stables-trained filly, takes the lead down the long backstretch, after an initial battle with Fleeting. Our eventual winner from D J C Racing Stables will back off just a bit from Indecisive, and trails by a length after a quarter mile, but still seems to be right where P Morales wants her at this point. It looked like a gap was going to form between these two and the other four, but Tiratzo’s Fantasy Command started to creep forward a little to become a clear third, two lengths back of the leader. It’s another length to the rest of the field. The favorite, A Girl On Fire (Smokey Stover) is on the rail, with Bronx Belle (Arindel) in the middle, and Blue Moon Rising (Sccj Stables) three wide.

(½ Mile- :47.43)- Indecisive picks it up a little during the backstretch, and she gains another half length or so on Fleeting. That does not worry Fleeting at all, nor does Fantasy Command moving forward to her outside. These two are now side by side after half a mile, and Fantasy Command does have a neck in front at the half mile mark. It’s now a gap of about two and a half lengths to the rest of the field, who are still in the same alignment as they were previously.

(Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- Early in the turn, Indecisive seemed to be fine, but midway through, she had all the looks of a frontrunner that was gassed and about to back out of it. Others in the field looked to capitalize on this, and it was going to be time to strike now for Fleeting. She would move over a lane, and for the moment Fantasy Command did the same. However, unlike her rival, Fleeting was full of run and quickly pulled up to the outside of Indecisive. By the time they hit the top of the stretch, she was only a quarter-length behind and looking to be in good shape. The biggest potential challenger to Fleeting would not be Fantasy Command, but Bronx Belle, who responded with more run in the turn, getting away from the two she had been running with very quickly and moving just a length and a half behind Fleeting, and even with Fantasy Command. Blue Moon Rising started an advance in the third lane, but a little later than Bronx Belle would. At the back, those in the grandstands were shaking their heads wondering when A Girl On Fire would pick it up.

(Finish- 1:35.56)- Early in the stretch, Fleeting looked to be in complete control, powering out to the lead, putting away Indecisive very easily. As she did this, she moved to the outside a little more, and this did allow room for Bronx Belle to make a big run, but for the moment, that one was only running level with her. As the wire approached, Fleeting continued to run well, and was able to hold off Bronx Belle without too much difficulty to score the win! A good effort for Bronx Belle to be a clear second. Third goes to Blue Moon Rising, but she never did threaten for anything more. Fantasy Command lacked response over the second half of the race, but does get a fourth place check. Further back, Indecisive and A Girl On Fire officially dead heat for fifth.

About the Winner- Fleeting, trained by D J C Racing Stables and ridden to victory by P Morales, is a three year old filly by Years Gone Bye and is out of Summit. She was a bred in New York as a second quarter two year old by her trainer, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her third in seven starts, and it is her first stake win. Her career earnings are now $102.690.

Track: Fast
Time: :23⁴  :47²  1:11   1:35²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 4 Paid 24.50
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 4 – 5 Paid 146.60

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded