Blackmail takes the rail route in Woodhaven Stakes
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Blackmail flew up the rail under storm clouds at Aqueduct to win the $150,000 Woodhaven Stakes on Saturday.
The 10-1 outsider made his stakes debut without a prior win on turf, but jockey Javier Castellano put him in a perfect position to spring the upset over 4-5 favorite Instability at the wire.
"I loved the trip,” Castellano said, per the New York Racing Association. “That was key to winning the race, being inside at the rail. Be patient. I knew there was not much speed, but I knew the key was to cover up, be behind horses, let it develop, save all the ground, and when I made my move at the quarter pole, I cut the corner. I went inside. I think that made the difference to win the race.”
During a layoff going back to mid-February, Blackmail must have shown trainer Mark Casse something to suggest he was ready for a test in New York. A maiden winner on synthetic at Gulfstream Park in November, the gelding switched to turf for his next three starts but never broke through against allowance rivals.
“We were pretty excited to lead him over today,” said Shane Tripp, Casse’s assistant. “He's been training great. The guys who get on him in the morning were really excited to run him. I'm glad Mark and [owner Gary Barber] decided to put him in this spot.”
When his stablemate Blinging It Back scratched, along with Casa Cielo and main-track-only runner Growth Equity, Blackmail was left as Casse’s lone representative in the shortened field of five 3-year-olds. Though it rained for most of the day in New York, the mile race stayed on a turf course designated as firm in the afternoon.
Longshoreman, a stakes-placed colt trained by Wesley Ward, went straight to the lead in his 3-year-old debut. Taking advantage of his four complacent rivals, jockey Jaime Rodriguez coaxed the front-runner through an opening quarter-mile in 25.24 seconds. He managed to lead by 1 1/2 lengths before the field reeled him in slightly through a half-mile in 51.55.
The soft pace made things difficult for closers Teddy’s Rocket and Blue Forty Two, leaving Blackmail and Instability to benefit from stalking positions.
Instability, a commanding maiden winner last time out for trainer Chad Brown, hustled into second on the backstretch under Flavien Prat, putting Blackmail in tight quarters on the rail and forcing Castellano to pull back for a moment. But while Prat was working to launch an outside bid turning for home, Castellano sent Blackmail along the rail and successfully got the jump on the heavy favorite at the top of the stretch.
Longshoreman remained resolute on the front end turning for home, but he could not deny Blackmail and Instability as they swarmed him on both sides in midstretch. Instability unleashed a determined charge for command, but he could not outkick Blackmail, who made the most of the ground-saving trip and prevailed by a neck. He completed the mile in 1:40.21 and paid $23.14 to win.
“I wanted to cover up and save something for the end,” Castellano said. “When I asked him, he really finished with a big strong finish at the end."
Longshoreman finished three lengths behind Instability, but easily held third over Teddy’s Rocket, who bobbled at the break and never fired for trainer Miguel Clement.
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