Yo Cuz Seeks to Continue Dominance in NYSSS Park Avenue

Dream Maker Racing's Yo Cuz  brings a three-race win streak, all in stakes company, to the $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series April 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The race is a 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies on the final day of the track's spring meet. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Laoban bay has made all four career starts at Aqueduct, graduating in style at second asking, traveling gate-to-wire to capture the seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths Dec. 18.

Yo Cuz was bred in the Empire State by Seidman Stables and followed her maiden score with similar front-running scores against fellow state-breds in the Maddie May Stakes in February, taking the one-turn mile by 3 1/4  lengths ahead of a 5 1/4-length romp last out on March 27 in the seven-furlong East View Stakes.

The $125,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale purchase breezed a half-mile in :49.27 last week over the Belmont main track.

"(Yo Cuz) came out of the East View in great shape. She's moving right along and on schedule. She's had a couple of good works and is doing well," said Tom Gallo of Dream Maker Racing. "You have to take advantage of the New York stallion stakes, it's a $200,000 purse. Hopefully, she continues to improve and can win. It's been great at Aqueduct and we hope to close it out on a high note." 

Gallo said they are content to keep her in the right company rather than get overly ambitious.

"We just don't think that the numbers she's running right now justify taking those big jumps," he said. "Everyone wants to win the (Kentucky) Oaks (G1) or the (Kentucky) Derby (G1) but we are trying to develop the horse and give her the physical maturity and confidence and evolve with each race.

"We're going step by step and over the past couple of races she's improved her demeanor," Gallo said. "She has become more professional as far as vanning over from Belmont and standing in the paddock. She's carrying good weight and seems to be improving with every race and that's what we like to see."

Jose Ortiz, aboard for all four starts, will retain the mount from the inside post. Gallo credited Ortiz with the decision to take command early in her three victories but said the filly doesn't necessarily need the lead.

"I think that's just the way it's set up the past three races. Nobody took the lead, so Jose took command of the lead and throttled it down," Gallo said. "I don't think she needs to be on the lead. That's just the continuity of having the same rider on the filly and he has a lot of confidence in her and really likes the filly. They're a good team."

Bran Jam Stable and David W. Clark's Kisses for Emily  graduated in style last out, posting a rallying one-length score over returning rival Starship Laoban  in the six-furlong Society Hill Stakes March 8 at Parx Racing.

Bank On Anna , Gris Tormenta , Galaxina , and Celebrity News  complete the field. The latter adds blinkers.

The NYSSS Park Avenue is slated as the third race on Sunday's nine-race program, which also features the $100,000 Memories of Silver later on the card.