Flexibilty Seizes Opportunity With Runaway Jerome Win

Flexibility left the opposition in the dust on Saturday in the Grade 3 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
by Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
NEW YORK – After twice chasing highly regarded Mohaymen in vain last autumn, Flexibility capitalized on his archrival’s absence to gain an easy 4 ¼-length victory in the $200,000 Jerome Stakes on Saturday at Aqueduct.
Flexibility took his debut by 1 ¾ lengths on Oct. 10 at Belmont Park before finishing second to Mohaymen in a pair of Grade 2 races at Aqueduct. He fell short by 1 ¾ lengths in the Nashua Stakes on Nov. 4 and by 1 ½ lengths a little more than three weeks later in the Remsen Stakes.
With trainer Kiaran McLaughlin opting for much warmer surroundings and pointing Mohaymen to the Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 30 at Gulfstream Park, Flexibility was left with a golden opportunity to pick up 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
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“It gives you a sigh of relief to not face him right now,” said Cherie DeVaux, assistant to winning trainer Chad Brown. “He can build his confidence and — I don’t want to knock anyone here — get a race that is easier for him.”
The 1-mile and 70-yard Jerome began with Donegal Moon stumbling badly out of the third position in the starting gate and unseating jockey Manuel Franco.  Both horse and rider appeared to be fine. Flexibility, who started in post four, shook off the potentially unsettling mishap that occurred beside him to assume a perfect stalking position under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
Vorticity, being measured against graded stakes company for the first time, set the early pace for Jose Ortiz with Bird of Trey and Condo King in hot pursuit. Vorticity carved out the opening quarter-mile in 23.48 seconds, the half-mile in 47.31 and three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.97.
Irad Ortiz Jr. made sure to bide his time with Flexibility, a bay son of Bluegrass Cat, in fourth.
“He broke sharp. I had to take a hold to get him back,” the jockey said after winning the Jerome.
With ample speed in the field of eight, Ortiz treated the Jerome as an educational opportunity for his responsive New York-bred.
“I was told they wanted him to rate and save ground,” he said. “When I asked, he just took off. I just wanted him to be able to switch leads in the stretch and finish in the stretch. He did it easy.”
Flexibility loomed four wide as they entered the turn for him and blew past the top three when prompted by Ortiz. He gradually edged away during the stretch run, completing the distance in 1:42.98.
FLEXIBILITY CRUISES TO VICTORY

Photo by NYRA/Joe Labozzetta
Vorticity held well to run second. In Equality, with Junior Alvarado aboard, closed from fifth to finish third.
Flexibility returned $3.10 to win, $2.50 to place and $2.10 to show. He banked $120,000 for co-owners Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence, hiking his career earnings to $256,000. He was bred in New York by WinStar Farm.
DeVaux said Brown will meet with the owners before determining the colt’s next start.
“Hopefully, each one he can continue to step up,” she said. “He’s been professional throughout.”
Whatever the future holds for Flexibility as he works his way toward a hoped-for berth in the Kentucky Derby, Mohaymen lurks in the distance.
For an Equibase chart, click here.