Early stumble doesn't keep Novermber Rein from Seeking the Ante win
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – November Rein overcame an early stumble out of the gate to post a solid win over three other 2-year-old New York-bred fillies to win the $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Friday.
Stretching out to 6 1/2 furlongs after two career races at 5 1/2 furlongs, November Rein led nearly the entire way and posted a 1 3/4-length victory over Velvet Sister to win in 1:17.14. She paid $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite.
Jockey Jose Ortiz said that the early stumble by November Rein didn’t have a dramatic impact on the race.
“She recovered quickly, and it was a short field, so I let her run up the chute and she ended up leading anyway,” Ortiz said. “She ran really well. When I asked her to race she was there for me.”
November Rein posted fractions of 22.47, 45.98, and 1:10.82.
The Seeking the Ante was the first of six stakes races restricted to New York-breds on the Friday card at Saratoga, under the banner of “New York Showcase Day.” All of the non-stakes races on the 11-race card were also restricted to New York-breds.
November Rein is trained by Kelly Breen and owned by Mr. Amore Stable. She’s by Street Boss out of Ju Ju Eyeballs, by Gatos N Bears. Ju Ju Eyeballs, a Maryland-bred, was raced by Mr. Amore Stable and won seven of 16 lifetime starts.
Breen said after the race that November Rein is a “unique individual.”
“She is very temperamental,” Breen said. “Her groom, my assistant, the exercise riders, and Jose have formed a perfect bond with her. She is very quirky. To get her here, and to win a stakes race with her, plus her being a homebred for Ron Lombardi, is amazing. It takes a village to get her to the winner's circle. With this one, it's more than usual.”
In her debut race on June 18 at Belmont Park, November Rein was second, but she put in a vastly improved effort in her next race, winning a New York-bred maiden special weight by 5 1/2 lengths.
Velvet Sister, the 7-2 third choice, was appearing in her first restricted race after winning an open maiden in her debut at Belmont in June and then being overwhelmed in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on July 15 at Saratoga. In the Seeking the Ante, she was running more strongly in the last 200 yards than November Rein, but couldn’t gain enough ground by the wire.
It was 19 1/4 lengths back to Laoban’s Legacy, and another 3 1/2 lengths to Succulent.
Miss Alacrity, a 2-year-old filly who won an open stakes at Monmouth in her last start, was scratched from the race. She would have presented a formidable challenge.