Boardroom Wins Turf Debut in Royal North
Image:
Description:
Photo: Michael Burns
Boardroom wins the Royal North Stakes at Woodbine
Boardroom made her turf debut a winning one, taking the CA$175,000 Royal North Stakes (G2T) June 4 at Woodbine.
For the connections of Boardroom, there was one big question heading into the 6 1/2-furlong Royal North: would the talented 5-year-old take to the turf?
The LNJ Foxwoods' mare provided an emphatic answer.
It was Souper Sensational , also making her turf debut, who took the lead, as Jeanie B , second by a nose in last year's Royal North, found herself a head behind the pacesetter. Boardroom, under Rafael Hernandez, was third, with U.S. invader In Good Spirits taking up residence in fourth through an opening quarter timed in :22.42.
Souper Sensational maintained her head advantage over Jeanie B, as Boardroom and In Good Spirits remained third and fourth, respectively, after a half in :44.37.
As the field rounded the turn for home, Souper Sensational was still calling the shots, as multiple stakes winner Boardroom was called upon for her best run.
Third and gaining at the stretch call, Boardroom dug down deep and collared her rival late, finishing a neck in front of Souper Sensational in a time of 1:13.55 over firm going. La Libertee was third and Gidgetta finished fourth.
Plagued by troubled trips on more than one occasion throughout her career, Boardroom enjoyed a smooth journey.
"Josie (Carroll) told me, 'Raffi, just make sure she breaks good out of the gate.' She's an unbelievable horse. Everything worked good, exactly like Josie told me, and here we are," Hernandez said. "Even though the pace was fast, she was doing everything easy. She just stretched her legs down the lane."
Hernandez had faith that the daughter of Commissioner would produce.
"I know my horse, when I keep asking, she's going to give me the best she can."
This is exactly what Carroll has come to expect from her multiple graded stakes-winning star.
"The last race, she missed the break," said Carroll of the second-place finish in the May 8 Whimsical Stakes (G3). "She just didn't get herself into position in time.
"She was flying on end. She handled the grass really well at Palm Meadows and I was pretty confident she'd like it. I was a little concerned because I knew it would be pretty hard and fast and that was something she hadn't been over. This is just a really good mare. You can't go over there with anything but confidence. She just gives you everything every time."
Last year, the bay, bred in Kentucky by Polo Green Stable, had an abbreviated campaign. Carroll lauded LNJ Foxwoods for their patience with Boardroom.
"I'm so fortunate that I have owners who are going to do the right thing by the horse," she said. "When you take the time and do the right thing by them, they pay you back."
With the victory, Boardroom now has six wins, two seconds, and a third from nine starts. She paid $7.70 to win.
Boardroom was a $475,000 purchase by bloodstock agents Jason Litt and Alex Solis from the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2019 Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training from the Q Bar J Thoroughbreds consignment. She is the one winner from four foals produced from the winning Rahy mare Money Madness .
Her current 2-year-old, Ever a Rebel , a colt by Bolt D'oro , ran second on debut May 12 at Belmont Park. She also has a yearling colt by Vino Rosso and a Tiz the Law filly foaled this year.