The Marshuas River Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
January 12, 2019

For the second straight year, Maxmillion Farm has won the Marshuas River Stakes. Last year, it came with Miss Darna, and had turf legend L H Colon in the saddle. This year, he gets it done with a horse that knows how to win in January, Nice Laff Phooey. This is the first win for now five year old mare since the end of January last year, when she won the SSM F & M Turf Sprint. She has consistently run in graded stakes since then, but has not always performed well. As stated in the preview, she needed a confidence boost, and while it seemed like just a performance in the money would provide that, she did even better then that here. Up and coming jockey D Cabrera picks up his first win in this stake. Congratulations to the winners! The time of the win on the soft turf was 1:45.03. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :24.25)- Windian is the quickest of the field out of the gate and jumps out to a length and a half advantage for her trainer, Team 7 Illusions. Distinctive Lady, out of D J C Racing Stables, was also good from the gate, but elects not to contest the lead and assumes a stalking position. Wbf No Regrets is another length back, for TwinTowersRacing, and then its another length to Sinuous Beauty, who was on the rail for Mb Stables. Five and a half lengths back is where we find out eventual winner, Nice Laff Phooey, for Maxmillion Farm, as she runs side by side with Gdp Inc’s Cmon Yall. Trailing is My Lady, out of Sheffler Stables.

(½ Mile- :48.48)- Windian runs the second quarter in almost the exact same time as she did the first, as there is no out there to challenge her for the lead. The lead has now been extended to three lengths. Behind her, we don’t see much in the way of change. Distinctive Lady is second with Wbf No Regrets and Sinuous Beauty following her in line. Cmon Yall moves clear of Nice Laff Phooey, who as now fallen nine lengths off the lead, as she trails the field, a half length behind My Lady.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- At the end of the backstretch run, and all while rounding the turn, Windian ran her race, all by herself, and having no challengers. At the top of the stretch and with just a furlong and a half to go, she had nearly a five length lead. Surely, she had gotten away from them at this point, and seemed as though as it was in the bag. Just a steady stride in the stretch should do it. As this was going on, the only horse making much of a move was Nice Laff Phooey, but she had dropped nine lengths off the lead even while in the turn, and though she shrunk that deficit as she took over second, it still seemed like too much to ask. Distinctive Lady and Wbf No Regrets were not making any sort of move. My Lady was advancing, but not nearly at the rate of Nice Laff Phooey. Cmon Yall and Sinuous Beauty dropped out of it even further.

(Finish- 1:45.03)- With a furlong to go, the lead was three lengths, but with half a furlong remaining Nice Laff Phooey had pulled up right along side Windian, who was winded at this point. Not only would Nice Laff Phooey have plenty of time, she would end up pulling away to nearly a two length victory. Windian was second, and My Lady was the best of the rest, and finished third. Everyone else were never factors in what really became a two horse race. Distinctive Lady finishes a bit better then Wbf No Regrets, and then it was Cmon Yall. Wait, and there was one more. Eventually, reports have it that Sinuous Beauty finished as well. I’ll pretend I didn’t pick her. Rumor has it Mb Stables clicked dry track only immediately after the race.

About The Winner- Nice Laff Phooey, trained by Maxmillion Farm, and ridden to victory by D Cabrera, is a five year old mare by Nice Laff, and is out of Inter Phooey. She was bred in California by LionKing Stables as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by Maxmillion Farm in November 2016 in a $35.000 private sale while she was still a maiden. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fourth in 18 starts, her second stake win, and first graded win. Her career earnings are now $353.160.

Track: Soft
Time: :24¹  :48²  1:13   1:45

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 3 Paid 33.00
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 3 – 4 Paid 620.90

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES