Virginia Joy Rallies to Take The Very One
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Virginia Joy kicks clear late in the The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Peter Brant's Virginia Joy posted her first U.S. stakes March 5 in the $150,000 The Very One Stakes (G3T) when the 5-year-old German-bred mare rallied in the stretch for a length victory over Family Way .
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Virginia Joy settled comfortably in mid-pack as La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) winner Beautiful Lover set a slow early tempo of :25.38 and :50.86. After leading through a mile in 1:41.08, Beautiful Lover was overtaken by Family Way as the field wheeled into the homestretch. Launching a five-wide bid turning for home, Virginia Joy unleashed a powerful late charge to collar Family Way in the final strides.
Harajuku ran on for third, a half-length behind Family Way.
Virginia Joy clocked the 1 3/8-miles in 2:15.92 on a firm turf course. She paid $3.60 as the favorite.
“I got a good trip. Everything went perfect," said Ortiz Jr. "She came from a long way out. I just had to wait and save some ground and wait as long as I can. She did everything right.”
The daughter of Soldier Hollow was a group 3 winner and placed in the Henkel-Preis der Diana - German Oaks (G1) as a 3-year-old before being sent to the U.S. last year as a 4-year-old. Following a win against allowance optional claiming company last June at Belmont Park in her North American debut, she was unsuccessful in a pair of stakes tries in New York last summer. Her victory Saturday followed a seven-month layoff.
“We’re really pleased with her. I want to thank Mr. Brant for being so patient with her and keeping her in training," said trainer Chad Brown. "We’ve been training her up at Payson Park. We turned her out for a while.
"She had trouble keeping weight last year so we finally pulled the plug and turned her out and she came back a different horse. I also want to add I think the firmer ground helped her. I caught soft ground three times in a row with her and I could just tell training her that she wanted it firm. I never could find it, and you’re going to find it at Gulfstream."
Virginia Joy was bred in Germany by Gestut Auenquelle. A daughter of the group 3-winning Doyen mare Virginia Sun , Virginia Joy sold as a 3-year-old to Oceanic Bloodstock for the equivalent of $1,142,388 at the 2020 Arqana Saint-Cloud "The Arc" Sale when consigned by her breeder. Her 4-year-old full brother Virginia Storm is twice group-placed in Germany.