Jody's Pride finds first graded-stakes triumph in Ruffian
?q=100)
Jody’s Pride, a 4-year-old filly trained by Jorge Abreu, finally broke through in graded stakes competition after five unsuccessful tries when she kicked away to win the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.
The filly, now 2 for 2 in dirt miles and 4 for 4 on dirt in New York, made the most of a perfect trip under jockey Joel Rosario, who found a comfortable position behind the early leaders and angled her between horses in the stretch on the way to a three-quarter-length victory.
"Good trip,” Rosario said. “I was inside there for a little bit. I was enjoying when it opened up turning for home, but she looked like she wanted to be up there. She liked to fight and that showed at the end.”
The Ruffian was Rosario’s third stakes victory of the day. He also won the Grade 2 Man o’ War on Far Bridge and the $150,000 Take the A Train on Love Cervere.
Jody’s Pride ($17.60) was one of several runners in the field of seven who broke sharply, but Rosario eventually decided to settle just behind as 4-year-old fillies Here’s the Kicker and Headline Numbers took the early initiative.
The top two were separated by a head through an opening quarter-mile in 23.62 seconds; Jody’s Pride was a half-length back in third. When Here’s the Kicker quickly faded, 6-5 favorite My Mane Squeeze rushed up to challenge Headline Numbers. Jody’s Pride was momentarily boxed in and had to wait for running room on the inside before launching her bid between horses on the far turn.
“I said to Joel Rosario today, 'whatever you do, she needs to be forwardly placed, but I don't want you on the lead,'” Abreu said. “She broke well and he told me after that he thought about [going to the lead], but he found a good spot. When I saw her at the quarter pole I felt pretty comfortable, because he had a ton of horse and we were just waiting to find a way through — when he did, she exploded.”
After putting away Headline Numbers, My Mane Squeeze was in command at the top of the stretch, but Jody’s Pride and Sterling Silver, a 6-year-old mare trained by Bill Mott, were already making up ground. As soon as she found an open lane, Jody’s Pride easily kicked past My Mane Squeeze in the stretch and finished well, completing the mile in 1:35.04 and getting a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.
After starting in sixth, Sterling Silver made a late move down the center and challenged for the win at the wire, but she had to settle for second behind a filly who simply got a better trip.
Jody’s Pride’s best finishes are all in New York to this point in her career, and Abreu doesn’t intend on shipping far. For her next start, the trainer said that he is considering the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga on June 6.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.