Bubbles On Ice Breaks Through in Memories of Silver

Glen Hill Farm, Madaket Stables, and Cheyenne Stables' Bubbles On Ice  was victorious in her U.S. debut, edging Fluffy Socks  by a head in the April 18 Memories of Silver Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Christophe Clement and expertly piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the Irish-bred Starspangledbanner chestnut closed out 2020 with back-to-back group 1 sprints at the Curragh, where she finished sixth in the Keeneland Phoenix in August and fourth in the Moyglare Stud in September.

Kendrick Carmouche sent 21-1 Frost Me  to the lead through an opening quarter-mile in :25.17 under moderate pressure from 59-1 Bravo Regina  as Castellano angled Bubbles On Ice toward the rail from the outermost post 7, saving ground from last on the heels of rail-riding 2-1 favorite Fluffy Socks.

Frost Me continued to lead the parade down the backstretch with Bravo Regina to her outside in second. Ingrassia  and Sleek Lynx  tracked in tandem behind the longshot leaders, while Castellano waited patiently at the back of the pack aboard Bubbles On Ice as the half-mile was clocked in :51.09.

Oyster Box  rallied outside of Bravo Regina into the final turn as Bubbles On Ice followed suit with an outside move to get the jump on Fluffy Socks, who was still saving ground on the rail through three-quarters in 1:15.33.

Bubbles On Ice quickly picked off her rivals to emerge with the lead at the stretch call, but a game Fluffy Socks was angled to the center of the course by Irad Ortiz Jr. and loomed a serious threat. Bubbles On Ice and Fluffy Socks, with very little between them, battled gamely through the final strides with Bubbles On Ice prevailing in a final time of 1:45.14 over the firm course.

It was three lengths back to Sleek Lynx in third, who won a show photo by a nose over Oyster Box. Ingrassia, Bravo Regina, and Frost Me rounded out the order of finish. Main-track only entrant Song of Innocence  was scratched.

Clement, who won the 2019 edition with Feel Glorious , said a ground-saving trip was key.

"The first time out, I thought it was better that she was covered up," said Clement. "She got a great ride and saved ground. She had a great turn of foot. There was a small question mark on the distance, but she showed her form this afternoon."

Bubbles On Ice prepared for her U.S. debut at Payson Park in Florida where she recorded nine works dating back to Jan. 4.

"When she first came here, I didn't think she was handling the turns very well in her breezes," said Clement. "Her past two works were good at Payson Park, so I was happy with that. She answered the question about the distance this afternoon. I'm delighted."

Castellano captured the $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes with Hard Love  on Saturday's Big A card and completed a sweep of the weekend turf stakes with a masterful ride.

The Hall of Fame rider said he was impressed with how Bubbles On Ice negotiated the tighter turns of the Aqueduct inner turf.

"What really impressed me the most was the way she did it off a slow pace and tight corners," said Castellano. "She should stretch out pretty well. It's hard for horses to come off the pace when they go as slow as they did up front, and she did it well. I really like this filly. I think she has a bright future ahead of her."

Bred in Ireland by Michael Begley, Bubbles On Ice banked $55,000 in victory while improving her record to two wins from five starts. She returned $9.80 for a $2 win ticket.

Shaker Shack Shows Grit in NYSS Park Avenue

Roddy Valente and Darlene Bilinski's Shaker Shack  fended off a stretch challenge from Shesadirtydancer  to capture the 28th running of the $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The dark bay or brown daughter of Bustin Stones  , who stands at Waldorf Farm for $2,500, arrived at the 6 1/2-furlong event for eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies off a sharp second-place finish to next out winner Betsy Blue on a muddy Big A main track March 25.

Exiting post 5 under Jose Ortiz, who was crowned leading rider of the 11-day boutique Aqueduct spring meet, Shaker Shack broke sharply and matched strides with Laura's Bellamy  to her inside as the pair went a swift :22.07 for the opening quarter-mile over the fast main track.

Around the far turn, the leaders were met with a new challenger as Shesadirtydancer loomed large from the three path. Laura's Bellamy relinquished as the field reached the quarter pole leaving Shaker Shack and Shesadirtydancer by themselves on the front end. The two fillies duked it out until Shaker Shack edged clear inside the sixteenth pole and secured the 1 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:17.75.

A late-rallying Bustin Bay  finished another four lengths back in third. Laura's Bellamy, Jill's A Hot Mess  and 3-5 post time favorite Laobanonaprayer  completed the order of finish.

The triumph provided veteran conditioner Patrick Reynolds with his first stakes win since Baby J captured the Catinca in October 2013 at Belmont Park. Reynolds said Trevor McCarthy, who piloted Shaker Shack in her three prior starts, suggested the addition of blinkers for the Park Avenue.

"We worked her out of the gate and Trevor suggested that (adding blinkers). Jose is so good out of the gate and he knows how to relax them. The blinkers helped," Reynolds said. "She's not one of those horses who comes over here prancing and dancing and really tough. I put the rider up and she's all business.

"She's a perfect filly to have and easy to train," Reynolds added. "The owners have been terrific. They bred her and she's part of the New York program. It was their decision to come here and I went along with it. I knew the 1 horse (Laobanonaprayer) was tough, but it was a little short for her. We got away and hung on and won."

Reynolds said Shaker Shack shows similar determination during morning training.

"Even in her workouts, she would hang in there with $50,000 horses before she ever ran," Reynolds said. "I worked her with an older horse before I ran her and she was game all the way."

Ortiz concurred that blinkers moved Shaker Shack up.

"The blinkers helped a lot," Ortiz said. "A lot of credit to Trevor who told me that the blinkers would help her a lot, and they did. Patrick did an amazing job like he always does. He doesn't have a lot of horses, but I sure love to ride for him."

Shaker Shack more than doubled her lifetime earnings to $156,445 through a 5-2-2-0 record.

Bred in the Empire State by Roddy Valente and Dr. Jerry Bilinksi, Shaker Shack is out of the Disco Rico mare Disco Shaker, making her a full sister to stakes winner Bustin Out .