Bluebirds Over Flies in Winning Grey

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Photo: Woodbine/Michael Burns Photo
Bluebirds Over wins the Grey Stakes at Woodbine

Bluebirds Over , under Edgard Zayas, made it two wins in as many starts after another strong showing, this time in the CA$159,300 Grey Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds Nov. 26 at Woodbine.  

Sent off as the 5-2 co-second choice, Bluebirds Over and 14-1 One Bay Hemingway  both broke alertly in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event, with the former taking the early lead as the field passed the wire for the first time. Mo Tourist  tucked into third, Hal  sat fourth, and Forever Dixie  was last of five. 


After guiding the field through an opening quarter in :25.17, Bluebirds Over was quickly overtaken by One Bay Hemingway, who proceeded to open up on his rivals, holding a three-length advantage after a half timed in :48.81. 

As the quintet approached the three-quarter mark in 1:12.37, Zayas cued his mount, a son of English Channel , and the bay glided up effortlessly on the outside to confront One Bay Hemingway.

The duo matched strides throughout most of the drive to the wire, with Bluebirds Over eventually wearing down his stubborn foe late to record a 1 1/2-length victory in 1:45.32. Mo Tourist nosed out Forever Dixie for third.   

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Bred and owned by Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson, the colt romped to an eight-length score over a mile and 70 yards on Gulfstream Park's synthetic Tapeta surface in his debut Nov. 5. 

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the Kentucky-bred was far more polished in his second start after being rank in his career bow.  

"He was way, way more relaxed," Zayas said. "It helped, I think, that we didn't take him away from the pony. The first time, we took him away from the pony, and he ran off with me before the race too. He was green the first time.

"He broke out of there last time, and he broke straight to go to the lead, and I was trying to take a hold of him to sit second. It took me a little bit to relax him. But today, he broke out of there sharp, and he relaxed from the get-go. He's really impressive." 

Bluebirds Over ($7.20) increased his earnings to $91,261. He is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Giant Review , who has two winners from two foals to race. 

Video: Grey S. (G3)