Frost Wise noses Riot Worthy in Bay Ridge Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When trainer Mike Dilger saw his 4-year-old filly Frost Wise surrounded by horses at the quarter pole of Thursday’s $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes he grew concerned.

“I thought she might take herself out of the game,” said Dilger, who, to this point, had not seen much tenacity from his filly.

But after a stretch-long duel inside of Riot Worthy, Frost Wise got her nose on the wire before Riot Worthy to win the Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares at Aqueduct. Riot Worthy finished second by 2 3/4 lengths over Frostie Anne. It was 14 1/2 lengths back to Frosty Margarita. Might Be scratched.

The Bay Ridge was first scheduled for Dec. 29, but didn’t fill that day and was twice postponed by weather.

Frost Wise was coming off a 16 1/4-length allowance victory here Nov. 30, a day she barely broke a sweat.

Frost Wise, under Kendrick Carmouche, was outhustled for the lead Thursday by Frosty Margarita, under Junior Alvarado. Frost Wise stalked from second about two lengths off the pace.

Frost Wise and Riot Worthy, who was third early under Manny Franco, moved in tandem and joined up with Frosty Margarita at the quarter pole. Frost Wise was in between those two and it got tight turning for home with Frosty Margarita on the rail and Riot Worthy in the three-path. The trio ran together until the eighth pole, where Frosty Margarita gave way.

Riot Worthy appeared to have the measure of Frost Wise, but Franco said his filly tried to pull herself up when she got a head in front.

“I thought I got him, but at that point she stopped and I just tried to hand ride her and she got beat,” Franco said.

Carmouche, who turned 34 on Thursday, said his filly got emboldened when things got tight at the quarter pole.

“They bumped her a little bit at the quarter pole and squeezed her and she wanted to fight more,” Carmouche said. “I just put my head down and rode her to the wire and we got the head bob today.”

Frost Wise, a daughter of Frost Giant owned by George and Stephanie Autry, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:53.89 and returned $4.80 as the 7-5 favorite.

Dilger was happy to come out of the winning end of a photo after his Evaluator lost Monday’s Damon Runyon by a nose to Empire Line. He was also happy to see Frost Wise show some grit.

“The one thing she’s doing now is she’s battling at the end of her races,” Dilger said. “That was not something we saw her do when she was sprinting so that has to be a positive for her.”