Flipcup Rallies to Take East View

Flipcup made her American debut a winning one as she pulled clear through the stretch to post a 4 ½-length victory over Champagne Ruby on Sunday in the 76th running of the $100,000 East View at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The field of 2-year-old New York-bred fillies was reduced from seven to five with the late scratches of favored Miss Narcissist, who became fractious at the starting gate and flipped, and Underthemoonlight, who was in the adjacent stall. Both fillies were walked off the track. 

Jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard Miss Narcissist, was unseated during the incident and was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. for X-rays of his left ankle.

Flipcup, who began her career in Canada, broke alertly and raced three wide in third through the early going behind Champagne Ruby, who set fractions of 25.72, 50.82 and 1:15.28 over an inner track rated good. Accelerating when asked for run by jockey Rajiv Maragh, Flipcup poked a head in front straightening for home and was never threatened as she hit the wire in 1:45.64 for the one-mile, 70-yard race.

"My trip was good," said Maragh of the George Weaver-trained filly, who had won two of her three starts over the synthetic surface at Woodbine. "Everything went well for us. She sat nice and when I asked her to go, she went on."

The even-money favorite at post time, Flipcup returned $4.10 for a $2 win bet and earned $60,000 for Team Penney Racing. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew is now 3-0-1 from four starts with earnings of $134,000.

Mlle. Minuit was third, 2 ¼ lengths behind Champagne Ruby, with Skye Saratoga and G Note following her under the wire. Daddy's Lil Saint was an early scratch.