Hard Love, Devious Mo Capture Stakes at Aqueduct
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta
Hard Love wins the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Robert LaPenta and Augustin Stable's Hard Love outdueled a stubborn Original before staving off It's a Gamble 's late charge to capture the $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomores, April 17 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Jonathan Thomas and expertly piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the Kitten's Joy ridgling made his seasonal debut from a strong second in the Central Park Stakes at 1 1/16-miles on the Aqueduct turf in November.
Hard Love broke alertly from the inside post and established an early lead before acquiescing to Original into the first turn through an opening quarter-mile in :23.83 on the firm course.
Original, with Jose Ortiz up, dictated terms down the backstretch through a half-mile in :49.68 as Castellano took Hard Love back and angled outside of the frontrunner in a perfect stalking position with Extrasexybigdaddee and It's a Gamble tracking their early foot in front of trailers Shawdyshawdyshawdy , Minuteman , and Sifting Sands .
Castellano and Hard Love ratcheted up the pressure into the final turn and engaged a game Original with the duo battling to the eighth pole before Hard Love took command with enough in reserve to hold off the late run of It's a Gamble for a 1 1/4-length win in a final time of 1:44.34.
"I love the way he finished; galloping out strong," Castellano said. "I enjoyed the ride because (Thomas) brought him in 100%."
It's a Gamble completed the exacta by 2 1/2 lengths over Original. Rounding out the order of finish were Extrasexybigdaddee, Minuteman, Shawdyshawdyshawdy, and Sifting Sands.
"I thought Javier did a great job of letting Jose go and then getting to the outside of that horse and giving him a chance of getting a breather," said Thomas. "I was just super proud of the horse, because we have had less than an ideal preparation over the last six weeks."
A $200,000 purchase by Thomas at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training from the Eddie Woods consignment, Hard Love improved his record to 2-1-0 in three starts and has earned $109,650.
Bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Hard Love is the lone winner of two foals out of the winning Rock Hard Ten mare Hard Lovin Woman . The mare's other foal is a 2-year-old filly by Maclean's Music named Peanut Gallery . She was bred to Speightster for 2021.
Thomas said Hard Love will now target the May 29 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park.
Video: Woodhaven S. (BT)
Devious Mo Lands Times Square
A race before the Woodhaven, Repole Stable's Devious Mo captured the $200,000 New York Stallion Stakes Times Square Division for New York-sired 3-year-olds. The Rudy Rodriguez-trained son of Laoban raced 6 1/2 furlongs on a good track in 1:17.10 under Manny Franco, outlasting Sinful Dancer by three-quarters of a length, with It's Gravy settling for the show.
Bred in the Empire State by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Devious Mo ($24.20) is the lone winner out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Devious Chic . Among the mare's five foals are an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Central Banker and a yearling filly by the same sire. She was bred to Redesdale for 2021.
A $37,000 purchase by Gary Contessa, agent for John Irwin, at the 2020 OBS July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale from the Top Line Sales consignment, Devious Mo was claimed by Repole Stable and Rodriguez last fall from a maiden claiming race for $40,000.