Waltzing Matilda Stuns Field in New York
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Mrs. Paul Shanahan's Waltzing Matilda provided quite a shock in the $300,000 New York Stakes (gr. IIT) June 5, taking the 1 1/2-mile turf event at Belmont Park at odds of 22-1 in her U.S. debut .
The 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Danehill Dancer tracked down pacesetter Kitten's Queen in the stretch, then held off a closing run by fellow European Eastern Belle to win by three-quarters of a length.
Kitten's Queen, heavily favored at 1-5 as an entry with multiple grade I winner Stephanie's Kitten, finished a neck in front of her decorated stablemate for third.
Prior to her New York run, Waltzing Matilda had one win from 11 starts racing in Ireland and England, was on a 10-race losing streak, and had only $44,883 in earnings.
Considered a "rabbit" by many, Kitten's Queen opened up an easy lead on the eight other fillies and mares, setting fractions of :24.48, :49.75, and 1:14.43 as the trailing pack bunched up behind her, with the eventual winner as many as five lengths back in fifth under jockey Junior Alvarado.
"The faster they went for us, the better," said James Stack, assistant and son of winning trainer Tommy Stack. "They didn't go that fast and she got a good break there off the lane."
After a mile in 1:37.76, Waltzing Matilda improved to fourth, drew even with about a sixteenth remaining and hit the wire at 2:01.30 over the Belmont inner turf course, which was rated firm.
"As soon as I hit the three-eighths pole, I knew I had a ton of horse and started working my way through," Alvarado said. "Every time I asked her, she was there to help me. We turned for home, I put her in the clear, and that was it."
Trainer Chad Brown wasn't as happy with the trip for Stephanie's Kitten, who was ridden by John Velazquez.
"I don't know what the rider on (her) was doing," Brown said, "and unfortunately, our filly was seven-wide the whole way. Why? I have no idea."
The winner paid $47.40, $19.80, and $7 across the board. Eastern Belle delivered $14.80 and $5.40, while the entry paid $2.10 to show. The $2 exacta paid $434.50 and the $2 trifecta brought $1,217.00.
White Rose was fifth, followed by Beauty Parlor, Riposte, Maximova, and Selenite, to complete the order of finish.