Berning Rose gets the better of Held Accountable in Maid of the Mist

ELMONT, N.Y. – Berning Rose avenged her only previous setback and did so impressively when rallying to a 1 1/2-length victory over Held Accountable in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist, the first of eight statebred stakes decided on Saturday’s New York Showcase card at Belmont Park.

Berning Rose launched her career at Saratoga with an easy five-length maiden special weight triumph, but proved no match for Held Accountable just three weeks later when finishing second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, making her stakes debut in the seven-furlong Joseph A Gimma here on September 20.

But the added distance, a better post, and perfect trip made all the difference when Berning Rose encountered Held Accountable for a second time in the one-mile Maid of the Mist.

With regular rider Kendrick Carmouche aboard, Berning Rose readily beat her seven rivals out of the gate, breaking from the extreme outside before being rated in fourth position in the run down the backstretch. Berning Rose rallied three wide to assume command nearing the quarter pole, opened a comfortable advantage through midstretch before easily holding a safe advantage to the wire.

Held Accountable led the second flight while kept well off the early leaders during the opening five furlongs, rallied wide advancing into the stretch, and finished willingly enough but could never seriously menace the winner in what amounted to a two-horse race at the end. It was nearly another 14 lengths further back to Miss Mystique, who finished third. Heavily favored Pure Silver was seventh in the eight-horse field of 2-year-old fillies.

Berning Rose, a homebred daughter of Freud trained by Dominick Schettino for her breeders Robert Rosenthal and Bradford Bernstein, completed the distance in 1:37.76 and paid $16.80.

“She was a little compromised last time by the one post, being down on the inside and getting dirt in her face for the first time,” said Schettino. “I never thought the the extra distance would be a problem today. I just told Kendrick to break running and see how things set up inside her. He rode a great race. It was a perfect trip all around.”

Trainer Phil Serpe, who trains Held Accountable, said going into the race he felt Berning Rose would be the one to beat again.

“She came back on three weeks rest the last time and had the inside post,” said Serpe. “I told my rider today she was the one we had to beat, but she got a pretty good jump on us and we couldn’t catch her this time.”