March Wins Woody Stephens by a Nose
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Robert LaPenta's March won a hard-fought battle by a slim nose in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II), the first of nine graded stakes on the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) day undercard .
The winner is a member of Blame 's first crop and is currently his leading earner. The 3-year-old colt was bred in Kentucky by Lakland Farm and bought out of the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale as a weanling for $320,000 by Steve Young.
March is trained by Chad Brown and has been ridden in three of five lifetime starts by Irad Oritz Jr. Ortiz rode March to a victory in his previous start in the grade III Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Cinco Charlie, owned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, finished second and Ready for Rye, owned by Chalk Racing, finished 5 1/2 lengths back in third for the seven-furlong stakes. The final time was 1:21.37 over a dirt course rated fast.
"This horse had been training really well and we've figured out a few things," Brown said. "Obviously, the distance—he's a come-from-behind sprinter—and he runs really well fresh. He came off a layoff in the Bay Shore and he ran so well, we figured 'You know, let's just give him another layoff into the big race.' When it came up tough, we were really just hoping to grab a piece of it. When they broke, everything changed. We were in a great spot and our horse showed up."
Cinco Charlie broke sharply out of the gate, but was quickly passed for the lead by Ready for Rye, who lead the field through the turn in fractions of :22.22, :45.04, and 1:08.87. Cinco Charlie took command at the top of the stretch, but March came flying along the rail. The two hooked up and battled all the way to the wire.
"Today he broke a little more sharp, so we were a little closer," Ortiz said. "I just left him there, I don't fight with him too much. When we got to the stretch he took off."
Previously undefeated 2-5 favorite Competitive Edge was never a factor and finished last in the field of six.
"He didn't try very much at all," said jockey John Velazquez. "That's it. I was in tight, but it didn't really matter. I couldn't hold my position."
March paid $22.80 and $9. There was no show wagering. Cinco Charlie paid $8.30. The $2 exacta paid $186.50, and the $2 trifecta paid $905. Classy Class finished fourth followed by Two Weeks Off.
March has earned $512,500 to date. The colt is out of Lifeinthefastlane, a daughter of Unbridled's Song. He is his dam's second graded stakes winner. Lifeinthefastlane's first stakes winner is Eightyfiveinafifty, a son of Forest Camp, who also won the Bay Shore in 2010.