Aqueduct: Gazelle upset lands Promiseher America in Ky. Oaks

Promiseher America, the longest shot on the board at 26-1, overtook pacesetter Capella in the far turn and fended off Gambling Girl’s outside deep-stretch bid to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 128th running of the 1 1/8-mile Gazelle – one of four graded stakes on a lucrative card highlighted by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, offered 100-40-30-20-10 qualifying points to the top-five finishers towards the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks on May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Promiseher America, owned by Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom F. McCrocklin, earned a spot at the multimillion dollar contest with her half-length win, which also marked trainer Ray Handal’s first career graded stakes victory.

Capella broke well from the rail position and led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.34 seconds, the half in 49.60 and three-quarters in 1:14.37 over the fast main track. Under jockey Jorge Vargas Jr., Promiseher America was forwardly placed, stalking in second position before being urged up approaching the top of the stretch.

Once in command, Promiseher America did not relinquish the lead, thwarting a bid from 9-5 favorite Occult to her immediate outside. Shidabhuti made a late run but Gambling Girl, under rider Jose Ortiz, mounted the best threat in the final stages, gaining ground in the final furlong. But Vargas kept Promiseher America to task, hitting the wire in 1:51.41 to secure an upcoming trip to Kentucky.

“I liked her today. She was 12-1 (on the morning line) and only had to improve a little bit,” Handal said. “I thought it was a good race to take a shot in for sure. She had been training so well, we had to take a shot.”

Added Vargas, Jr.: “She never breaks really well, so I was kind of expecting (a slow break). I let her take her time and then I pushed her a little and she got right into it. I was very pleased where I was the whole trip. I’m happy that Ray gave me the opportunity to be on her today. I’m extra happy and couldn’t be any more excited.”

The New York-bred Gambling Girl finished 1 1/2-lengths clear of Shidabhuti for runner-up honors, with Capella earning 20 points for fourth. Occult and Frosty O Toole completed the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky by Robert Low and Lawana Low, Promiseher America returned $55 on a $2 win wager in her stakes debut. Handal will now look to saddle his first ever entrant in the Kentucky Oaks off a milestone win for the conditioner.

“Finally, I can get that monkey off my back! I hope next time is not too far between drinks,” said Handal, who added that Promiseher America will likely continue to train in New York before shipping to Kentucky the week of the Oaks.

A daughter of Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah, Promiseher America has improved in each of her four career starts, starting with an eighth-place finish in December at the Big A before a runner-up effort in January and a maiden-breaking score in her previous start in February over the same track. She improved her career earnings to $198,138.

“This filly has done everything right since we’ve had her,” Handal said. “I thought that from before she ran she would relish the longer distances. Second time out, we stretched out to seven (furlongs), and she ran against a buzzsaw in Ziaerati that day. I saw a lot of good things from her though. I thought her next progression would get better going a mile.

“She was super impressive last time and I said, ‘Let’s go the nine furlongs,” he added. “We can always go back to the 1x if we need to.’ But I like the idea of two turns. She’s just built like a two-turn kind of horse. She obviously had to step up. It was one of those races where whoever took the biggest step forward would win this race today and she was in the realm of them and she hung on.”

Repole Stable’s Gambling Girl, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, earned black type in a second graded stakes, building on a third-place effort in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in December at Aqueduct. The Dialed In filly, bred by Gallagher’s Stud, now has 61 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

“She’s a hard-knocking filly. She’s not very big, but she always seems to show up in every race,” said Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes.

Joey Freshwater stalks and pounces to capture Bay Shore

Winning Move Stable’s Joey Freshwater stalked and pounced to secure his first career stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Linda Rice, the Jimmy Creed colt boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 2-1-1 in four starts since being haltered for $50,000 out of a winning effort at second asking over a sloppy and sealed main track on Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs.

Joey Freshwater broke alertly from post 5 under Kendrick Carmouche, but was content to stalk in third position as Prove Right and Victory Way batted for the lead, with the former marking the opening quarter-mile in 23.54 seconds over the fast main track.

Gilmore, who was off a step slow under Jose Ortiz, gained ground late and galloped out strong to secure the exacta by a nose over a stubborn Victory Way. Expected Value, Daydreaming Boy, Prove Right and Arrebato rounded out the order of finish.

Rice credited a smart ride by Carmouche, who returned to the saddle aboard Joey Freshwater for the first time since a New Year’s Day score at the Big A at first asking for the current connections.

“He stalked from second beautifully when he (Carmouche) won on him before,” Rice said. “I was hoping we’d get a set-up like that where he broke well enough to be in good position and could stalk off a little duel rather than have to press the pace himself. Great race, great ride, nice horse.”

Carmouche said his horse showed determination down the lane.

“I had a very good trip. The seven-eighths went perfect for the horse. I just wanted to make sure I could make the last eighth of a mile with this horse, and he did,” Carmouche said. “I’m just glad he’s got fight in him, because I think that’s what made him a winner today. I’m just glad to be part of it. Linda had this horse ready to run today.”

The veteran rider said his familiarity with Joey Freshwater paid dividends.

“In the post parade, he used to tend to get a little anxious and a little nervous, but I jogged him most of the post parade to keep him calm and after that, he was good to go,” Carmouche said.

Rice said that Joey Freshwater, who was traveling beyond 6 1/2-furlongs for the first time, could now jump into the deep end in the seven-furlong Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens on June 10 at Belmont Park.

“He trained like a seven-furlong horse, and I think he could get a mile,” Rice said. “He might be best at seven, but I think he gets a mile just fine.”

Gilmore, a $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase trained by Brendan Walsh, was full of run in deep stretch after overcoming an awkward start.

"He broke a bit slow. Then, he didn't want to run through the dirt," said Ortiz. "The dirt hit him in his face and he wasn't running through it. I had to ride him every step of the way, but finally he got going in the last eighth of a mile. Then, he flew home. He felt the horses outside of him and decided to start running. I wish it was a bit longer – he would've got there. He was flying."

Joey Freshwater, a $35,000 OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale purchase, is out of the More Than Ready mare Lake Turkana, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes winner Crewman.

Bred in Kentucky Dr. Aaron Sones, Dr. Naoya Yoshida and Dr. Eric Crawford, Joey Freshwater banked $110,000 in victory while improving his record to 6-3-1-1. He paid $8.30 for a $2 win ticket.