New York Central Right at Home in Maryland Sprint
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
New York Central speeds to the wire in the Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
The connections of New York Central bided their time with the 4-year-old Tapit colt and were rewarded May 18 when he blitzed to a stakes-record victory in the $150,000 Clear Span Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.
Racing at his favorite distance for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and SF Racing, the Steve Asmussen trainee spotted an opening along the rail and made fast work of five rivals en route to a 1 3/4-length score. The record he set for six furlongs in 1:08.74 over a fast main track eclipsed the previous stakes mark of 1:09.07 set in 1996 by his broodmare sire, Forest Wildcat.
New York Central has been held in high regard by his connections since long before a saddle ever touched his back. Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock out of Fashion Cat, who is also the dam of grade 2 winner Corfu, he was a $750,000 purchase by China Horse Club from Top Line Sales' consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, in 2016. WinStar Farm and SF joined in the ownership group, and the gray colt at one time took tentative steps on the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Derby but faltered with a 10th in the Sunland Derby (G3).
After a runner-up effort in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG & E and KU (G3) last May, New York Central was sent to the shelf until reappearing with a Feb. 18 allowance victory over six furlongs, the same distance at which he broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths in November 2017.
The six-furlong Maryland Sprint seemed a perfect place to get back to the winner's circle after a fifth in the April 6 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.
"He had a little bit of an issue after the Pat Day Mile, so we turned him out and were real patient with him, and it's paid off," said WinStar's Elliott Walden. "He's come back great, and Steve felt like this was a perfect spot for him. He did a great job. I think he's a one-turn horse. He ran very well in the Pat Day Mile to be second at a mile around one turn. The way he was able to just sit behind the pace and then kick like he did, they ran fast, so it was a big race."
The victory marked the first stakes score for New York Central. It was the third straight Maryland Sprint win for jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., following Switzerland in 2018 and Whitmore in 2017. The win was the second in the race for Asmussen, who also saddled Switzerland.
Although New York Central bobbled at the break in the Maryland Sprint, he recovered quickly. Multiple stakes winner Lewisfield was on the lead with Wentz on his outside, going a quarter-mile in :22.65 and a half in :44.84, while Santana bided his time in fourth. Proforma came widest of all to join the fray on the far turn, but New York Central had room along the inside to surge to the lead as Proforma put away a stubborn Lewisfield, who finished third for the second straight year.
New York Central was racing for the third time since finishing second at odds of 31-1 in the 2018 Pat Day Mile. Improving his record at six furlongs to three wins, he took his overall mark to 4-2-1 from nine starts, with earnings of $310,700. His dam's last reported foal was a 2018 Exaggerator filly.
Asked if he would consider the June 8 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) for New York Central, Walden said, "Probably not coming back in three weeks after running hard like this. But maybe something in Saratoga. Maybe those grade 1s up there would be something to shoot for."