Newspaperofrecord Travels Fast to Take Miss Grillo
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Newspaperofrecord wins the Miss Grillo Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park
Set down in the final furlong of the $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) Sept. 30, Klaravich Stables' Newspaperofrecord pulled well away from her competition to win the 1 1/16-mile test at Belmont Park by 6 1/2 lengths.
The even-money favorite in Sunday's nine-horse field of 2-year-old fillies, Newspaperofrecord broke on top and held. Ticking off fast fractions of :23.44, :48.26, and 1:12.76 through the first six furlongs, it looked as there was no end to the filly's energy.
Tracking the pace in second and third, Stellar Agent and Kitty's Legacy dueled along the backstretch in a futile attempt to catch the leader. Showing off her staying power across the yielding Belmont turf, Newspaperofrecord refused to allow her margin slip to less than 1 1/2 lengths.
As the field rounded the turn for home, a game Miss Technicality made her move four wide on the outside as the field entered the stretch and attempted to issue a late challenge.
But the effort proved too little, too late.
Well in control with a 4 1/2-length lead and only a furlong left to run, with one last push the daughter of Lope de Vega found a whole new gear and opened up her lead to hit the wire in 1:42.11.
"Our plan was (to) try to relax her and finish, but she broke so sharp, and I didn't take anything away," said winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. "She put me right there and made the lead so easy. She was relaxed on the lead, so I took it, and it was good for us.
"She was relaxed the whole way. When we broke, she went out in front and put her ears up right away. "
Varenka moved up on the inside to take second and was followed by Stellar Agent to complete the trifecta. Dogtag finished fourth and was followed by Miss Technicality, No More Fast Women, Virginia Eloise, Kitty's Legacy, and Decorated Ace to complete the order of finish.
"I thought (Newspaperofrecord) would be forwardly placed. In her debut she was, but I didn't think she'd be on the lead," said winning trainer Chad Brown. "I'm happy to hear from (Ortiz) right now. I was concerned that the first quarter-mile maybe she was just running on or she wasn't real responsive to the ride or something, but he said, 'No. She just broke well and I let her go with it.' She was always in the race, and as long as that's the case, I'm fine with it."
Newspaperofrecord broke her maiden at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 19 in equally commanding fashion. She defeated nine other fillies by 6 3/4 lengths over the Miss Grillo distance. Duly impressed with his filly's performance, Brown said he plans to point the 2-year-old to the Breeders' Cup in November at Churchill Downs.
"She needs to go on and take the next step to do it, but she is certainly on her way," Brown said. "We knew in her debut she was something special, and it's nice to see them perform in the afternoon that way if they're training brilliant in the morning. These horses, no matter what condition they're in—it's so rare to have a brilliant horse that when you find them, you hope they carry that on to the afternoon, as this one certainly has."
Bred in Ireland by Times of Wigan, Newspaperofrecord is the third foal out of her dam, the group 1 placed Holy Roman Emperor mare Sunday Times. She was purchased by Klaravich for $278,019 from the Goldford Stud consignment to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Newspaperofrecord now has two wins from as may starts with $156,750 in earnings.