Marketsegmentation Wires New York Stakes

Marketsegmentation , a late addition to the $600,000 New York Stakes (G1T), proved she belonged by winning the 1 1/4-mile turf test by three-quarters of a length over Didia  June 9 at Belmont Park.

"A last-minute entry based on the pace of the race," according to trainer Chad Brown, she led her six rivals on a futile chase though tepid splits of :24.56, :50.26, and 1:15.29, and had enough to hold off a rally from Didia, who had a seven-race win streak snapped with her runner-up finish Friday.

Favored late-running War Like Goddess , compromised by the slow pace over a distance somewhat shorter than her preferred trip, was a non-threatening sixth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

A 4-year-old daughter of American Pharoah  , Marketsegmentation was clocked in 2:02.12 for the distance over firm turf. She paid $14.20 to win as the race's third choice. She gave Brown a record-extending fifth career win in the New York Stakes.

"No rabbit," said her smiling owner Seth Klarman of Klaravich Stables, whose other starter, McKulick , grabbed third in a blanket show photo.

Owner Seth Klarman leads in Marketsegmentation after her victory in the New York Handicap at Belmont Park pic.twitter.com/dyr2aH8Kwp

— Byron King (@BH_BKing) June 9, 2023

"She always shows speed and there was no pace in the race on paper," jockey Jose Ortiz said of his winning mount. "I knew everybody was going to be afraid that (owner Klaravich Stables had) two horses, so I went out there took the lead, and took command of the race early. She relaxed very well, she set some slow fractions in the half, and down the backside, I felt very comfortable." 

Flirting Bridge  ran fourth and Brown's other two starters, Virginia Joy  and Shantisara , finished fifth and seventh, respectively. Only a half-length separated the fillies and mares finishing third through last.

Ignacio Correas, trainer of runner-up Didia, was pleased with the mare's stalking effort in light of how the race unfolded. He mentioned the Aug. 12 Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Colonial Downs as a summer goal for her. She is a two-time stakes winner over the Colonial Downs turf.

Bred in Kentucky by Marcus Stables, Marketsegmentation is the first stakes winner produced by the Medaglia d'Oro   mare Lonelily , whose four foals are all starters. The mare was sent from the United States to Japan in 2019.

Marketsegmentation was a $200,000 weanling purchase by de Meric Stables, as agent, at the 2019 November Breeding Stock Sale at Keeneland from the consignment of James B. Keogh. She subsequently went through the 2020 September Yearling Sale at Keeneland, and the Denali Stud-consigned filly went unsold when bidding stalled at $120,000.

Brown praised horseman Nick de Meric, who kept her "at his farm and he's always liked this horse. And they were responsible for not only buying this horse but developing her and taking her when she needed some time off."

Marketsegmentation notched her third consecutive stakes victory Friday in improving her record to 5-1-1 in seven starts with earnings of $638,730.

Brown mentioned the July 15 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course as a race to be considered for Marketsegmentation, though he also has Just a Game Stakes (G1T) winner In Italian  as a likely starter for that prestigious 1 1/8-mile contest. The four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer indicated he would consider sending a runner from his deep turf stable to Colonial for the Beverly D., a race he won six times when it was staged at now-shuttered Arlington International Racehorse.