Filly First Winner for Here Comes Ben

Grade I winner and New York stallion Here Comes Ben   gained his first winner July 2 when Here Comes Gwen made the pace and won the third race at Prairie Meadows .

 

Here Comes Ben, a 9-year-old son of Street Cry, whose first runners are on the track this year, stood the 2015 season for a $7,500 fee at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds. He has 43 2-year-olds in his first crop.

 

Here Comes Gwen powered clear of rivals in the turn of the five-furlong maiden claiming race and won by 2 3/4 lengths with Kelsi Purcell aboard. Out of the winning Stevie Wonderboy mare Sheza Great Friend, Here Comes Gwen is trained by Brian Stivers for owner Bill Stivers, who picked her up from Nursery Place, agent, for $6,500 at the Keeneland September yearling sale.

 

Here Comes Ben compiled a 7-1-0 career line from 17 starts that included his victory in the 2010 Forego Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park and bankrolled $410,764 in three seasons. His dam is the winning Dayjur mare Chasetheragingwind, a daughter of grade I winner Race the Wild Wind, who also produced French group I winner King Charlemagne, English group III winner Meshaheer, and Chasethewildwind, dam of grade I winners Albertus Maximus   and Daredevil.