Constellation Distances Herself From Rivals in Ruthless
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Photo:
Chelsea Durand/NYRA
LNJ Foxwoods' budding star Constellation got her sophomore year off on the right track with a 10-length score in the $100,000 Ruthless for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs over the inner track on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Seizing control out of the gate under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Constellation led the scratch-laden field of four through an opening quarter-mile in 23.57 seconds and a half in 47.15. The chestnut daughter of Bellamy opened up by more than six lengths at the top of the lane, spiriting through five furlongs in 58.80 to complete the dash in 1:10.89.
"It was great," Ortiz said of the effort. "She was much the best today, she just broke great out of there and she was ready. She does it easy."
Purchased for $800,000 as a 2-year-old-in-training, Constellation garnered attention since stepping into the starting gate for her summer debut at Saratoga Race Course, breaking her maiden by 4 ½ lengths on August 9. The Steve Asmussen trainee followed up a month later with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway and a runner-up placing in the Grade 2 Matron at Belmont Park on October 18.
Constellation put her speedy talent on full display in her next race, closing out her 2-year-old season with a resounding 8 ¼-length victory in the Furlough onNovember 26 at the Big A.
"The pressure's on when you're the favorite, [so] it's a relief and, of course, I'm happy for [Constellation]," said Toby Sheets, Asmussen's New York-based assistant trainer. "She's such a nice filly. She's very straightforward. She thinks she is the boss and we let her be the boss."
Constellation boasts a record of 3-1-1 from five starts and earnings of $274,800.Sent off as the 1-9 favorite, Constellation returned $2.10 for a $2 win wager.
Kalabaka rallied for second, a half-length ahead of Mo d'Amour in third. Wave of Glory was fourth. Clipthecouponannie, Lost Raven, Absatootly and Karen's Silk were scratched.
Source: NYRA Communications (Heather Pettinger)
Seizing control out of the gate under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Constellation led the scratch-laden field of four through an opening quarter-mile in 23.57 seconds and a half in 47.15. The chestnut daughter of Bellamy opened up by more than six lengths at the top of the lane, spiriting through five furlongs in 58.80 to complete the dash in 1:10.89.
"It was great," Ortiz said of the effort. "She was much the best today, she just broke great out of there and she was ready. She does it easy."
Purchased for $800,000 as a 2-year-old-in-training, Constellation garnered attention since stepping into the starting gate for her summer debut at Saratoga Race Course, breaking her maiden by 4 ½ lengths on August 9. The Steve Asmussen trainee followed up a month later with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway and a runner-up placing in the Grade 2 Matron at Belmont Park on October 18.
Constellation put her speedy talent on full display in her next race, closing out her 2-year-old season with a resounding 8 ¼-length victory in the Furlough onNovember 26 at the Big A.
Constellation boasts a record of 3-1-1 from five starts and earnings of $274,800.Sent off as the 1-9 favorite, Constellation returned $2.10 for a $2 win wager.
Kalabaka rallied for second, a half-length ahead of Mo d'Amour in third. Wave of Glory was fourth. Clipthecouponannie, Lost Raven, Absatootly and Karen's Silk were scratched.
Source: NYRA Communications (Heather Pettinger)
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