Goldy Espony Scores Front-End Long Island Win
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Goldy Espony runs away from the field in the Long Island Handicap.
Under a steady ride from Kendrick Carmouche, Goldy Espony led at every call on her way to a clear victory in the $200,000 Long Island Handicap (gr. IIIT) on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Breaking from the inside, Carmouche asked Goldy Espony just a bit in the initial strides to make sure the French-bred daughter of Vespone controlled the inside position and seized the early lead in the 1 1/2-mile turf test, then the duo relaxed and settled into slow fractions on the firm turf.
Carmouche and Goldy Espony cruised through a half-mile in :51.38, six furlongs in 1:17.07, and a mile in 1:42.93, while pursued by longshot Courtesan and favorite—and Chad Brown stablemate—Danza Cavallo. Swift Thoroughbreds and Bradley Thoroughbreds' Goldy Espony seized a clear lead turning for home and withstood a mild challenge from Danza Cavallo, who never cut into that clear advantage, to secure the win.
"I felt very confident this time that they would probably let me go a little easier than the last Saratoga race (when ninth in the Glens Falls (gr. IIIT) on Sept. 5)," Carmouche said. "That being said, I'm just very appreciative of the opportunity from Chad Brown and the owners. It's been a very successful ride so far in New York."
The 120-pound highweight in the field of 10 fillies and mares, Goldy Espony completed the 1 1/2-miles on firm turf in 2:31.10. Danza Cavallo edged Gotachancetodance for second.
The victory gives Goldy Espony stakes wins at 1 1/2 miles on the turf at all three New York Racing Association tracks since July 5. Prior to Saturday's score, the 4-year-old filly won the River Memories Stakes July 5 at Belmont Park before taking the Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (gr. IIIT) Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course.
"Kendrick gets along really well with this filly. He's able to set a slow pace and wire them again," Brown said. "I'll speak to Peter Bradley who heads the ownership group and figure out what we're going to do with her. She's had a great season."
A group III winner in France, Goldy Espony has won four of her past five races, all in New York, claiming three stakes wins and two graded stakes wins in that stretch.
Goldy Espony paid $9.40 to win, $5.20 to place, and $4 to show while stablemate Danza Cavallo returned $3.80 and $3.10. Gotachancetodance paid $5.20 to show.