Sean Avery Crushes Longfellow Rivals

Black Swan Stable’s Sean Avery moved past pacesetter Awesome Sun just after the quarter pole and opened up to an impressive 11 ¾-length score in the $75,000 Longfellow Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

Trained by Allen Iwinski, Sean Avery covered the six furlongs over a fast main track in a quick 1:09 1/5 and returned $4.80, $2.40 and $2.40 as the 7-5 choice in the field of six colts and geldings.  Awesome Son held the place, good for a $13.40 exacta and a $3 place, $2.80 show mutuel.  Hillswick, who paid $3.60 to show, finished another neck back.

“That was real impressive,” said winning rider Joe Bravo.  “Around the turn he was pulling on me and gave me every indication he would be tough.  I just held on and enjoyed the ride.”

The Longfellow win was the fifth in eight career starts for the lightly-raced Sean Avery, a 5-year-old gelding by Cherokee Run from the Forest Wildcat mare Latin Lynx.  He has now earned $173,180 for his connections.