Joey Freshwater hangs on for victory in Runhappy

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Joey Freshwater parlayed a perfect trip from the outside post and a stumbling start from the odds-on favorite Straight No Chaser into a neck victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $169,750 Runhappy Stakes at Aqueduct.

Under Jose Lezcano, Joey Freshwater broke sharp, sat a stalking third outside of Straight No Chaser and Durante, and moved into second just before a half-mile time of 44.60 seconds. Joey Freshwater took over from Straight No Chaser inside the eighth pole and had enough to hold off the late run of Ninetyprcentmaddie to win by a neck. It was 2 1/4 lengths back to longshot Twenty Four Mamba in third.

Straight No Chaser was fourth followed by Durante.

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The win was the sixth from 16 starts for Joey Freshwater, who was coming off a monster allowance victory a month ago for which he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. Joey Freshwater was given a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday's race.

“Obviously, we were concerned coming off a lifetime effort, can he repeat that in 30 days?” trainer Linda Rice said. “So, that was a big concern and you’re always wondering will they perform off of Lasix as they do on Lasix. Those are all the unknowns and makes game so interesting, keeps everybody guessing.”

Joey Freshwater actually broke on top from post 5, while Straight No Chaser, making his first start in a year, stumbled at the start and then had to rush up to make the lead in 22.01 seconds under John Velazquez.

Lezcano sat outside of Durante, who was chasing Straight No Chaser, before moving into second approaching the top of the stretch. Straight No Chaser maintained the lead until inside the eighth pole when Joey Freshwater went on by. Ninetyprcentmaddie, under Irad Ortiz Jr., was rallying, but he never changed leads and fell a neck short.

Joey Freshwater, a 4-year-old son of Jimmy Creed owned by Winning Move Stable, covered the six furlongs in 1:09.41 and returned $7.80 as the second choice.

“He broke pretty good like last time,” Lezcano said. “He was outside, I don’t have to use him to be where I want to be. He liked to be there and run in the clear and I waited until the three-sixteenths and he really punched hard.”

Rice said she felt Joey Freshwater’s chances increased when Straight No Chaser stumbled.

“When I saw [Straight No Chaser] stumble and not break well I thought ‘well, we got an opening here,’ ” Rice said. “With a horse of that caliber, you’re just hoping for things to unfold well for you. I think the outside draw was good for him and he ran a big race again.”

Rice said Joey Freshwater would point to the Grade 2, $350,000 True North going 6 1/2 furlongs on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard at Saratoga.

Straight No Chaser was making his first start since he won the Maryland Sprint Handicap at Pimlico last May with a 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

Velazquez said Straight No Chaser stumbled when he “outbroke himself... The horse outside of me is going to try to put me in there, so he’s getting a little closer to the rail so I had to let him [go to the lead]. I held him the best I could after that, but he didn’t have it.”

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