Adventurous trip doesn't stop Fiftyshadesofhay in Ruffian Stakes victory

ELMONT, N.Y. – After a bit of an adventurous trip, Fiftyshadesofhay came with a flying finish to win Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park.

Seemingly going nowhere early on down the backside, Fiftyshadesofhay was shuffled back to last around the far turn. After being guided to the inside by John Velazquez, Fiftyshadesofhay began to get back into the race turning into the stretch. Still fourth at the eighth pole, with My Wandy’s Girl and Grace Hall moving forward and Six Queens weakening, Velazquez swung Fiftyshadesofhay to the outside, and she motored past the leaders to get the win by three-quarters of a length.

Grace Hall, making her first start in 13 months, got second by a nose over My Wandy’s Girl. Six Queens was fourth followed by Parc Monceau and Toasting.

The win was the fifth from 16 career starts for Fiftyshadesofhay and first since she captured the Iowa Oaks last June at Prairie Meadows. Fiftyshadesofhay, a 4-year-old daughter of Pulpit, is owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman and trained by Bob Baffert.

“She had me a little worried there the way [Tom] Durkin was calling her,” Baffert said. “I saw her way behind and saw the hot pace, so I thought we had a chance. I told John to ride her however he wanted, so I guess he knew what he was doing.”

Velazquez said he guided Fiftyshadesofhay to the inside midway down the backstretch because being on the outside “she didn’t seem like she was going anywhere.”

Velazquez had to further guide Fiftyshadesofhay all the way to the rail when another horse cut in front of Fiftyshadesofhay. Velazquez said she nearly clipped heels with that horse.

Fiftyshadesofhay picked up momentum being on the inside, but when Velazquez wheeled her outside in the stretch, she really powered home.

“I finally got her out at the three-sixteenths pole and she responded,” Velazquez said. “She finished really good man. I thought I was going to get there. Not only did she get there, she put her head in front. She wanted to pull up. I said, ‘Don’t do that. You keep running.’ ”

Fiftyshadesofhay covered the mile in 1:35.70 and returned $5.40 as the slight favorite over My Wandy’s Girl.

Grace Hall, the Grade 1 Spinaway winner in 2011, put in a “great effort,” in her first start in 13 months and first for trainer Bill Mott.

“Great race,” Mott said. “I was hoping to see something like that.”