Hard to Stay Notgo Romps in Franklin Square
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Chester and Mary Broman's homebred Hard to Stay Notgo romped to a front-running 5 1/2-length triumph in the $125,000 Franklin Square Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies Feb. 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Off at odds of 13-2, the daughter of More Than Ready stumbled at the start but quickly recovered to show the way while maintaining a clear advantage throughout from eight overmatched opponents. Favorite Golden Gem, an impressive maiden winner last November at Aqueduct, was the best of the rest in finishing second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Graeme Crackers.
With Angel Arroyo riding for trainer Jimmy Jerkens, Hard to Stay Notgo clocked :23.55 for the opening quarter with My Super Nova in closest pursuit, 1 1/2 lengths back, and Golden Gem stalking from sixth under Manuel Franco.
Hard to Stay Notgo opened up by 4 1/2 lengths on My Super Nova as the half mile went in :46.97 and Golden Gem made rapid advancement to third. Extending her command to 6 1/2 lengths in early stretch with Golden Gem chasing in vain from second, Hard to Stay Notgo coasted across the finish line a very comfortable winner.
"I had talked to the assistant trainer before, and he just told me to get out in front and keep going and that's just what the horse did," Arroyo said. "(She) was perfect."
Hard to Stay Notgo covered six furlongs on a fast inner track in 1:12.30, earning her first stakes win after placing twice in state-bred stakes twice last year. She was second in the Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and subsequently third in the Joseph A Gimma Stakes in the mud at Belmont Park. She has finished in the top three in her four career starts, winning twice, including her career debut last August at Saratoga, while earning $173,800.
"She's hit or miss, and she's a little problematic to train, but she's a vintage inner-track type filly," said Steven Moyer, assistant to Jerkens. "She's naturally very fast; that's all she wants to do."
Hard to Stay Notgo, who paid $15.20, for the win, is out of the winning Storm Cat mare Whichwaydidshego, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Fed Biz . She is also the dam of two-time New York-bred stakes winner Mark My Way. Hard to Stay Notgo is from the family of prominent sire Tale of the Cat , U.S. and European champion and sire Johannesburg, and Irish group I winner Minardi.