Where's My Ring Finds Victory for First Time in Gazelle
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Where's My Ring wins the Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Where's My Ring is a maiden no more after a commanding victory in the $200,000 Gazelle Stakes (G3) April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Shipping cross country for the Gazelle, the West Coast invader picked up 100 qualifying points to ensure a spot in the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Campaigned by Michael McMillan, Where's My Ring is no stranger to stakes company, having already competed in three stakes before ever winning her first race. The 3-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy was exiting a runner-up effort to Kinza (who finished second in Saturday's Santa Anita Oaks) in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3).
McMillan noted that there have been reasons why that first win had eluded Where's My Ring.
"Nobody knows the story of this horse," McMillan said. "She had colic and almost passed away. Then she was beaten a nose in her first race, but what it comes down to is this was her second healthy race. She lost to Kinza, who can't go to the Kentucky Oaks, and is the number one filly in the country in my opinion. We went wide that whole race, this time she drew the one post which was a gift for us. We loved it. We are ecstatic."
After breaking from that insides post, jockey Jose Lezcano rushed Where's My Ring up the fence, where she was soon met by Carmelina in a race for the early lead. Lezcano and Where's My Ring conceded that role of pacesetter to Carmelina and tucked in behind fractions of :23.57, :48.05, and 1:12.80. At the top of the lane, longshot Regulatory Risk got the jump on Where's My Ring, putting away Carmelina, as Lezcano began angling the Val Brinkerhoff trainee off the rail for a clear run in the stretch.
Where's My Ring fixed her aim on the Chad Brown runner and took control at the eighth pole, then widened her advantage to 4 1/4 lengths under the wire. The 5-2 race favorite, Where's My Ring ($7.10) clocked the 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track in 1:50.33.
Klaravich Stables' Regulatory Risk, rebounding from a last-out fifth in the Busher Invitational Stakes, was second, 5 1/4 lengths ahead of Gin Gin in third. Regulatory Risk and Gin Gin picked up 50 and 25 points toward the Kentucky Oaks, respectively.
"It's not about breaking the maiden, we wanted to be in the Oaks, that was our goal. I just got into horse racing, I met Val and Kelly Brinkerhoff and I told them, 'I'm not in this for little races, we are in it for the big races,' " McMillan said. "I told them it was going to be the Kentucky Oaks. Everyone was shocked that we came here, but our whole team figured out the best race for us. It was a huge team effort."
Video: Gazelle S. (G3)
ShiDabhuti Wins Off the Bench in Distaff Stakes
Two races earlier on Saturday's Aqueduct card, Peter Brant's Shidabhuti overcame a lengthy layoff to capture the $175,000 Distaff Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares.
Shidabhuti gets up late to win the Distaff Stakes
The 4-year-old daughter of Practical Joke , a stakes winner on the Aqueduct strip last winter in the Busher, angled four wide down the lane Saturday and drove to a half-length tally in her first race since July. Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Dylan Davis, Shidabhuti ($19 to win) completed the seven furlongs in 1:23.86 to secure her second career stakes win.
Ain't Broke and Fingal's Cave completed the trifecta while early race leader and 6-5 favorite Hot Fudge , who was riding a five-race win streak, faded to finish last of five.