Andina Del Sur just lasts in Forever Together Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - In preparing to ride Andina Del Sur for the first time in Friday’s $150,000 Forever Together Stakes, jockey Javier Castellano noted that the 4-year-old filly has just a short run.

While he had hoped to save his move until later, Castellano rallied Andina Del Sur four wide and to the lead just above the eighth pole. Andina Del Sur then had just enough to hold off Theodora B. to win the Forever Together by a neck at Aqueduct. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Sweet Bye and Bye, the 3-2 favorite, in third.

Go Noni Go was fourth followed by My Sistersledge, Too Charming, Lounge Act, and Shanghai Rain.

The result virtually mirrored that of the $106,000 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park in September when Andina Del Sur held off Theodora B. by a nose.

The win was the fourth from 19 starts for Andina Del Sur, a 4-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway owned and bred by Don Alberto and trained by Tom Albertrani.

Castellano said that when he watched a replay of Andina Del Sur being outfinished for second by Sweet Bye and Bye in the Grade 3 Athenia, he thought the horse moved too soon.

“She’s got one short run,” Castellano said. “You got to save her all the way to the end.”

Castellano couldn’t quite do that. He had Andina Del Sur in sixth down the backstretch, but Castellano was eyeing Manny Franco aboard Sweet Bye and Bye, who was fifth early. When Franco guided Sweet Bye and Bye toward the leading duo of Too Charming and Lounge Act at the top of the stretch, Castellano followed aboard Andina Del Sur.

Andina Del Sur struck the front just above the eighth pole and was able to outfinish Theodora B., under Joe Bravo, for the victory.

Andina Del Sur covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.03 over an inner turf course labeled good and returned $8.30 as the third choice.

“My only instructions were I thought there would be plenty of pace early on and she wouldn’t need to be up too close,” said Albertrani, whose other fill, Too Charming was part of that early pace. “She came out running pretty good and he had to grab her into the first turn.”

Albertrani said that Andina Del Sur would likely ship to South Florida as he awaits a decision from Alberto on the filly’s future.

Trainer Michael Dickinson said Theodora B. is better at 1 1/8 miles and over firm ground, and he was pretty happy with the way his filly ran. Theodora B. will likely get a break before returning for her 5-year-old season.