Mean Mary gets the jump on them and never looks back in New York Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - There was little doubt what Mean Mary’s strategy was going to be in Saturday’s $250,000 New York Stakes at Belmont Park, and once she made the lead and slowed the pace, there was also little doubt as to the outcome of the Grade 2 turf fixture for older fillies and mares.

Mean Mary pulled away to a 5 ¼-length victory over the late running My Sister Nat in the 1 ¼-mile race. Feel Glorious finished third.

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With her regular rider Luis Saez aboard, Mean Mary readily took control shortly after the start. She showed the way through a slow 25.11 opening quarter and 51.55 half-mile over a course still listed as firm despite some heavy showers earlier in the afternoon, and drew away from her five rivals once sharply roused by Saez upon settling into the stretch.

My Sister Nat lagged well off the early running, angled out a bit wide rallying into the stretch, and finished with good energy down the center of the course.

The New York was the fourth straight victory for Mean Mary, a 4-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy owned and bred by Alex Campbell Jr. and trained by Graham Motion. Saez has been aboard the filly in all four of those starts.

Mean Mary completed the distance in 2:01.85 and returned $4.40 as the slight choice over Call Me Love, who finished fourth after prompting the early pace.

“She did it so easily,” said Motion. “Luis said he just basically held on. When you have speed in these longer races and you can just gallop all day, it is very dangerous. I don’t think I ever had a horse like that before.”

The first three wins in Mean Mary’s streak came at Gulfstream Park, and Motion was uncertain if she could run as well at Belmont.

“You always wonder if she just was suited to the course in Florida,” said Motion. “But this is different than running at Gulfstream. So in that respect, this has to be her best performance yet.”

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Motion mentioned the Grade 3 Waya going 1 ½ miles at Saratoga on Aug. 8 as a possible next objective.

“The question is do we try her next at a mile and one-half or a mile and one-eighth,” said Motion. “She can do either.”

Motion had a potent one-two punch for the New York, having also entered Mrs. Sippy, but he was forced to scratch the Grade 1-placed filly earlier in the day.

“I took her to the gate at Fair Hills on Thursday just to stand her and she tied up a little,” said Motion. “But I should have plenty of time to get her ready for the Robert Dick at Delaware Park, which will probably be her next start.”