Geno has no problem with dirt in Great White Way
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Geno made the successful transition from turf to dirt and showed he’s got some grit to him as well, holding off a late challenge from Un Ojo to win Saturday’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series for 2-year-olds by a neck at Aqueduct.
Geno, ridden by Jorge Vargas Jr., had to withstand an objection from Trevor McCarthy, the rider of Un Ojo, who alleged that Geno came out and bumped him near the wire. The stewards, who also flashed the inquiry sign, took a look and ultimately decided the incident did not impact the order of finish.
“He’s running on the outside, my horse was kind of waiting and he bumped my horse in the ass and made it look a little bit bad, but nothing really happened,” Vargas said.
McCarthy saw it differently, believing he was going to go by Geno before the bump.
“My horse is a pretty big, gangly horse and it doesn’t take much to get him off stride and when he bumped me I was going by him,” McCarthy said. “When he bumped me, it took all the momentum away from him.”
Geno, a son of Big Brown, had made his first three starts on turf. David Donk, Geno’s trainer, said Geno worked well enough on dirt to try this race, especially for a $500,000 pot in a race restricted to progeny of New York-based stallions.
“It was either run here and find out how good he was on the dirt or turn him out for six weeks,” Donk said.
Geno broke sharply and was a joint fourth, inside of Stirdatpot, about four lengths off the pacesetting favorite Unique Unions, who was being chased by Kenner.
Approaching the quarter pole, Vargas tipped Geno outside into the clear. He collared Unique Unions inside the sixteenth pole and outfinished Un Ojo with the two exchanging a bump 30 yards out from the wire.
“We knew there was a lot of pace in the race, he broke really well, we thought he could get a good trip,” Donk said. “I told Jorge to keep him in the clear, but he sat behind and ate a lot of dirt kicked on him; when he asked him and it looked like he was pretty determined.”
Geno covered the seven furlongs in 1:25.88 and returned $18.80 to win.
Un Ojo, a 23-1 shot making his first start in restricted company, finished second by 2 1/4 lengths over Unique Unions, who needed a shoe repair in the paddock after he shed his right front shoe on the walk over from the barn.
Hot Stepper, a 96-1 shot, finished fourth and was followed, in order, by Kenner, Stirdatpot, Bustin Pietre, Maseta, Iron Lion in Zion, Hoboken Jack and Safalow’s Mission.
Donk said he would speak to owner Peter Martine, who races under the Mendham Racing banner, to determine whether to continue on the dirt with Geno or get him ready for a grass campaign
“I think we’ll have to explore running him back on the dirt,” Donk said.
Yo Cuz wins Fifth Avenue
A poor start compromised Yo Cuz when she debuted here on Nov. 21 so much so that her late-running fifth-place finish was actually a promising result for the 2-year-old daughter of Laoban.
On Saturday, Yo Cuz broke much better, easily made the front under Jose Ortiz, and scored a 1 3/4-length victory over the late-running Morning Matcha in the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series.
It was five lengths back to Laochi in third.
Shigeko was fourth, followed by Bank On Anna, Laoban’s Legacy, She’s a Big Deal, Alicia’s Way, Howdyoumakeurmoney, Mrs. Banks and Half Birthday.
The win was the third on the card for Ortiz and capped an 18-hour period in which he won six races including four stakes. Friday night, Ortiz won three stakes at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.
Ortiz was aboard Yo Cuz in her debut when she got squeezed at the start by horses on either side of her and was last of 12 early on.
“It cost her the race for sure,” Ortiz said. “She closed well last time, I was very happy with the race. I knew second time she was going to be a lot better.”
On Saturday, Yo Cuz indeed broke better, made the lead through an opening quarter in 22.96 seconds, maintained a one-length advantage through a half-mile in 47.10, opened up to four lengths after six furlongs in 1:12.19 and completed the seven furlongs in 1:25.34. Her final time was .54 seconds faster than her male counterparts in the Great White Way division two races earlier. Yo Cuz returned $8 as the second choice
Yo Cuz is a 2-year-old daughter of Laoban owned by the Dream Maker partnership managed by Tom Gallo. She is trained by Bill Mott.
“She broke very clean, I just tapped her on the shoulder to take position and I look around and nobody could keep up with me the first quarter so I took it,” Ortiz said. “When I took it, I slowed it down nicely. She was very relaxed.”
Morning Matcha, the even-money favorite coming off two wins at Parx Racing, did not show much interest retreating to the back of the pack in the 11-horse field. She rallied wide turning for home under Kendrick Carmouche, but could not catch Yo Cuz.
“She resists trying to hustle her into it,” Reid said. “The more he tried to ride her the more he wanted to back up. She’s just a filly that when she’s ready to go she’s ready to go. He just ran out of ground with her. As I said earlier, the longer the distance the better for this horse.”