Bank On Shea gets up at wire in Great White Way division of New York Stallion Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – When things are going as well they have been for trainer Jason Servis, you catch all the breaks and win all the photos.

Saturday, at Aqueduct, the Servis-trained Bank On Shea benefitted from a little immaturity from favored Dream Bigger and won a close photo by a nose in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes series at Aqueduct. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Captain Bombastic in third.

This was the 10th stakes victory for the Servis stable since Nov. 26. It’s a run that includes the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct.

“I’m telling you it’s a crazy year,” said Henry Argueta, longtime New York assistant to Servis. “It’s been great, super good. I hope it stays like that.”

Jose Lezcano rode Bank On Shea to victory, his fourth win from six mounts on the card.

On Nov. 17, Bank On Shea finished third, five lengths behind Dream Bigger in the Notebook Stakes here at six furlongs. That was Bank On Shea’s first start since he won his maiden at Saratoga four months earlier. According to Daniel Shea, who along with his brother Dennis Shea Sr. and nephew Dennis Jr. comprise Shea D Stable, Bank On Shea had kicked a stall wall after his maiden win and injured a foot.

Daniel Shea said Servis told him Bank On Shea would likely need that race to be ready for Saturday’s $500,000 race.

Saturday, Aqueduct’s main track was sloppy and enveloped in fog. The Great White Way drew 14 but went to post with 12 after the scratch of It’s a Risk – trained by Servis – and Brunate, a maiden.

The race looked loaded with speed, and Moonachie, breaking from post 12, and Colormepazzi, from post 2, were head and head through a quarter of 23.51 seconds and a half-mile in 46.97. Manny Franco had Dream Bigger in third stalking those two, while Lezcano had Bank On Shea in midpack, within five lengths of the lead.

In upper stretch, Moonachie put away Colormepazzi but had Dream Bigger a menacing presence to his outside. Dream Bigger struck the front at the sixteenth pole and appeared poised to draw off. But he lugged in a step while Bank On Shea was rallying along the inside and Bank On Shea got the bob on the wire.

Bank On Shea, a son of second-year stallion Central Banker, who stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, covered the seven furlongs in 1:26.59 in the slop and returned $23.40.

“I saw a lot of speed. I don’t want to be involved in a speed duel, I want to give him one shot, make one run from the quarter pole to the wire, and it worked today,” Lezcano said.

Despite the fact he was a two-time stakes winner and making his fifth start, Dream Bigger got a little unfocused in the stretch, according to Franco.

“I thought he was going to give me more when I started riding hard, but I had to make him switch” leads, Franco said. “Still a little green.”

For Daniel Shea, it was his biggest win since he began owning horses two decades ago.

“I started off 20 years ago at Charles Town claiming one for $2,500 and running for $5,000,” Shea said.

He added he’s just happy that a trainer the stature of Servis takes his horses.

“He’s a genius,” Shea said.

Future plans are uncertain for Bank On Shea. The Rego Park at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 12 and the Gander going a mile on Feb. 16 are the next two stakes restricted to statebreds on this circuit. The next Stallion Stakes race is in April.