Cash Offer proves best in La Verdad Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jose Lezcano learned a couple of things about Cash Offer when he rode her to victory in an allowance race last month. First, she doesn’t need the lead to be successful. Second, she doesn’t like the whip.

Lezcano put those lessons to good use Saturday at sloppy Aqueduct as he guided Cash Offer to an off-the-pace, one-length victory over Kept True in the $100,000 La Verdad Stakes for New York-bred females. Pauseforthecause, the 1-2 favorite, could only manage third.

The win was the fourth from 11 starts and first in a stakes for Cash Offer, a 4-year-old daughter of Shackleford owned by Paul Reddam and trained by Mark Hennig.

It also kept Lezcano on quite the roll at Aqueduct. It was his second win on the card and ninth from his last 20 mounts here.

Lezcano had ridden Cash Offer twice last spring including a 12 1/4-length maiden victory in front-running fashion at Belmont. Last time, in an off-the-turf allowance, Lezcano felt there was enough speed to let Cash Offer try and come from off of it. She rallied to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

“She didn’t beat much that day but she gave me a good race, I liked it and today I said ‘Let’s try the same thing,'" Lezcano said.

Pauseforthecause, the heavy favorite off three consecutive wins, broke a step slow under Manny Franco, but quickly made the lead. Kept True, under Dylan Davis, was within a half-length through a half-mile in 46.32 seconds. Cash Offer was three lengths back.

Kept True tackled Pauseforthecause in upper stretch but Cash Offer, who was widest of all, kept coming and passed Kept True inside the sixteenth pole to get the victory. Kept True finished second by 2 1/4 lengths over Pauseforthecause. Aunt Babe, Fight On Lucy, and Indy’s Lady completed the order of finish. Bluegrass Jamboree scratched.

Cash Offer covered the seven furlongs over the sealed sloppy track in 1:24.58 and returned $10.40 to win as the third choice.

“I kept her face clean and when I asked her she took off,” Lezcano said. “I didn’t have to hit her or anything, I just showed the whip and kept riding and she kept going.”

Pauseforthecause, who did bump with Fight On Lucy coming out of the gate, had her three-race winning streak snapped and remained winless at seven furlongs and over wet tracks.

“The last time she took me, today she never dragged me,” Franco said. “The only excuse I can give you is the track.”