Highway Star Tops Ruffian Stakes Field
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Highway Star wins the Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct
Chester and Mary Broman's Highway Star will seek a second straight graded stakes win May 13 in the $250,000 Ruffian Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.
The 4-year-old, New York-bred daughter of Girolamo , trained by Rodrigo Ubillo, won the April 9 Distaff Handicap (G3) at seven furlongs last time out at Aqueduct Racetrack. Her six victories—all in New York—feature three stakes wins, including the Dec. 16 Go for Wand Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct. Highway Star is also undefeated in three starts at Belmont.
BLOODHORSE STAFF: Highway Star Closes for Distaff Handicap Win
Also in the field for the one-turn-mile, main-track test are fellow graded winners High Ridge Road and Verve's Tale.
Martin Schwartz's High Ridge Road has won four of her five starts at a mile, but her lone loss came to Highway Star—by a nose—in the Go for Wand. The 5-year-old Quality Road mare bounced back to win two straight stakes—the Thirty Eight Go Go and Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G2)—at Laurel Park, before a troubled trip and a seventh-place finish last time out in the Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
BALAN: High Ridge Road Closes to Win Barbara Fritchie
Verve's Tale, owned by Charles Fipke and trained by Barclay Tagg, closed out her 3-year-old season with a victory in the Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct before running fourth in the Royal Delta Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 18 and second in the Top Flight Invitational (G3) at Aqueduct last time out April 2.
Graded stakes-placed Bar of Gold and Indulgent, who was just a half-length behind Highway Star in the Distaff Handicap, complete the field.
Ruffian S. (G2)
Belmont Park, Saturday, May 13, 2017, Race 10
- 1m
- Dirt
- $250,000
- 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 6:17 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1High Ridge Road (KY) |
Jose L. Ortiz | 123 | Linda Rice | 2/1 |
| 2 | 2Verve's Tale (KY) | Paco Lopez | 123 | Barclay Tagg | 8/1 |
| 3 | 3Highway Star (NY) | Angel S. Arroyo | 123 | Rodrigo A. Ubillo | 5/2 |
| 4 | 4Indulgent (KY) | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 117 | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | 3/1 |
| 5 | 5Bar of Gold (NY) | Joel Rosario | 123 | John C. Kimmel | 7/2 |