Forgotten Hero Makes an Impression in NYSS Fifth Avenue
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Forgotten Hero wins the New York Stallion Stakes Fifth Avenue Division at Aqueduct Racetrack
Forgotten Hero stayed undefeated with a strong effort under Mike Luzzi to win the $150,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes Fifth Avenue division for juvenile fillies Dec. 15 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained and owned by John Toscano Jr. in partnership with Charles Festa Jr., the filly arrived at the six-furlong sprint over a good main track off a 5 1/2-length romp in her Nov. 4 debut in a six-furlong maiden tilt at the Big A.
The gray/roan daughter of Mission Impazible broke alertly and challenged a pacesetting Sassy Agnes—the 1-2 favorite off a hat trick of stakes wins in the Lady Finger Stakes, Shesastonecoldfox Stakes, and Key Cents Stakes—through an opening quarter of :22.50.
Luzzi made a bold move down the back straight to push Forgotten Hero to the lead, marking the half-mile in :46.94, and the filly never looked back as Sassy Agnes, with Junior Alvarado up, angled outside to attack the new leader but failed to gain any traction the length of the stretch run. Forgotten Hero earned the length victory in a final time of 1:13.08.
Sassy Agnes, who battled gamely to the finish, completed the exacta an emphatic 7 1/4 lengths in front of Cartwheelin Lulu. Party Like Grandma, L. A. Page, and She's So Shea D completed the order of finish.
Toscano said he was pleased to see his filly build on the talent demonstrated in morning training.
"The first time we breezed her, she looked like something special. From day one, she really showed a lot of ability. She came through for us today," said Toscano. "The second quarter, she really took off like a shotgun. It was unbelievable. I didn't think she was that good, but she really fooled me. I was glad to see it.
"She's a racehorse. We knew (Sassy Agnes' trainer) Linda Rice was going to be tough in here, of course," he continued. "We decided to play it off the break and see what happens. She went by there in the second quarter and held on. That was great. She does it in the mornings and the afternoons. She has a lot of talent."
The popular Luzzi was full of praise for the speedy Forgotten Hero.
"I had a perfect trip. She broke good. We knew Linda's horse was very fast, but my filly's really fast," said Luzzi. "She breezes fast in the morning, so I broke, and I just stayed away from Junior, and we just bided our time and let the race spread out. I had a lot left heading for home. She's still a little bit green; she looks around a little bit still. She's got some improving to do. She's well-trained."
Bred in New York by Sequel Stallions NY and her co-owner Festa, Forgotten Hero is out of the Seattle Sleet mare Seattle Ash. Her record stands at 2-for-2, with $116,600 in earnings.