Funny How Brings Five-Race Win Streak to Distaff

Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing's New York-bred Funny How  rides a five-race win streak into her graded stakes debut in the April 7 $150,000 Distaff Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Funny How, a 4-year-old Overanalyze  bay, enters the seven-furlong test off a triumphant stakes debut in the Feb. 12 Broadway, defeating her Empire State-bred counterparts by 4 1/2 lengths under Katie Davis. Despite breaking a step slow and unable to establish her usual tactical position down the backstretch, Funny How was able to take command into the stretch drive after moving into the two-to-three path. She shook clear in the final eighth of a mile to triumph over the graded-stakes placed duo of Betsy Blue  and Bank Sting . The victory garnered a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Funny How began her hot streak in her Big A debut, breaking her maiden going six furlongs against open company in Sept., defeated fellow New York-breds in her following two efforts before stretching out to seven furlongs against open allowance company Jan. 7. 

Trainer Ray Handal said Funny How has been taking considerable leaps forward with each race. 

"She gets bigger and stronger every time she runs. She just keeps on growing, widening, and strengthening. She was a good horse to start with and she's turned into an absolute beast of an animal," Handal said. "For her to win would definitely solidify what she's been doing. We're just giving her the shot that she deserves. She's been beating up on New York-breds all winter and run through her ranks, so she deserves the chance to show what she can do against open graded stakes company. She couldn't be doing any better going into it, so I'm excited."

Handal spoke of how difficult it is for a horse at any level to be such a model of consistency. 

"This is everyone's dream," Handal said. "You can go 5-for-5 with any horse and it would be spectacular, even in the claiming ranks. But to do it in allowance and stakes races is that much more impressive. It's tough to show up like that every time you put them in the gate, and she does. We're looking forward to next weekend."

A victory would provide Handal with his first graded stakes victory. Davis, who also is in pursuit of her first graded stakes victory, will maintain the mount from post 7. 

"It would be special, especially for this ownership," Handal commented. "Matt Cutair has been a big advocate for the Adelphi Racing Club, Jordan Zotts (Adelphi Racing Club managing partner), and those guys started it all. They've been so influential and have been with me from the very beginning. It would be special to win my first graded stakes for them." 

Trainer Rob Atras will saddle Robert A. Derr's formful Rossa Veloce , who brags field-best earnings of $476,510. Grade 1-placed Pass the Champagne  makes her third start off an 11-month layoff. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander , who will make her first start since a distant eighth in the Cotillion (G1) Sept. 24. 

Completing the field are the Jimmy Ferraro-trained pair of Easy to Bless  and Meraviglioso , as well as 10-time winner Hydra  and Mommasgottarun .