Ottoman Fleet Gives Appleby Another NYRA Victory

It looks like Charlie Appleby is well-stocked for another big year at New York Racing Association tracks.

Though based in England with his regally bred Godolphin runners, Appleby shipped across the Atlantic Ocean last year to send out eight starters in New York and came away with a grade 1 win and two grade 3 victories as well three seconds and a third.

The arrival of a new year apparently did little to slow Appleby's roll as he claimed yet another NYRA win May 6 as Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet  surged through a small opening on the rail and drew clear to post a 1 3/4-length victory in the May 6 $200,000 Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) on Belmont Park's inner turf course.

"The horse was plenty good and he put the race to bed when he got through in the stretch. He's been a solid horse this year in Dubai and the United Kingdom before a grade 3 win in England, so this was a nice progression for him," said assistant trainer Chris Connett. 

A son of Sea The Stars , the 4-year-old gelding was third in two stakes in Dubai before winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes (G3) at Newmarket in his last start. 

Bred by SCEA Marmion Vauville & Alain Jathiere and bought for $574,516 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he is out of the Motivator  mare Innevera and has won four of his 11 starts.

Flying P Stable's Tide of the Sea  (English Channel), a 56-1 shot who was in front by seven lengths under Katie Davis after a half-mile in loose-on-the-lead fashion, showed some grit in hanging on for second over Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Peter and Patty Searles' City Man  (Mucho Macho Man  ) by a neck.

Ridden by Richard Mullen, the favored Ottoman Fleet ($4) was timed in 1:47.25, setting a course record for the new about 1 1/8-mile distance.

Saturday's result could be an omen of things to come next Saturday as Godolphin/Appleby will be back at Belmont May 13 with Warren Point  in the Man o' War Stakes (G1T).

Pass the Champagne wins Ruffian Stakes

It took a while, but Pass the Champagne  has regained the form that made her a top member of the 3-year-old filly class of 2021.

Finally notching the initial stakes win that seemed inevitable after she lost by a head in the Ashland Stakes (G1) two years ago, the 5-year-old Flatter mare swept to the lead in midstretch and registered a decisive 5 1/2-length victory in the $200,000 Ruffian Stakes (G2) Saturday at Belmont Park.

"This is very rewarding," said Blair Golen, an assistant to trainer George Weaver. "She's such a great, talented filly and we knew she had it in her. For her to be able to pull that off today on such a big day is pretty special and amazing, because she's always been special. She has been training very well and it paid off. I'm very proud of the team."

After 11 months on the sidelines, Pass the Champagne returned to the races in January, running three times before Saturday. She was second in the Heavenly Cause Stakes at Laurel Park.

Sent off at 7-1 ($17) and ridden by Feargal Lynch, Pass the Champagne was bred by Preston Madden.

Idiomatic  (Curlin  ) was second by 1 1/2 lengths over Gerrymander  (Into Mischief  ).

The final time for the mile was 1:36.13.

Teena Ella registers first stakes win in Senorita Stakes

Teena Ella  notched her initial stakes win as she held off a late charge by Tom's Regret  to record a neck victory in the $100,500 Senorita Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies May 6 at Santa Anita Park.

The homebred daughter of War Front   owned by Spendthrift Farm had broken her maiden for trainer Richard Mandella two starts earlier and was second in the Angel Flight Stakes in her last race. She is the first stakes winner produced by Spendthrift's Hall of Fame race mare Beholder .

The Wild Grazer  was three-quarters-of-a-length back in third.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Teena Ella ($7) was the 5-2 third-choice in the field of seven and covered the 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course in 1:12.36.

Video: Fort Marcy S. (G2T)

Video: Ruffian S. (G2)

Video: Senorita S. (G3T)