My Boy Tate rallies late to win the Hollie Hughes under Manny Franco.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though she had to scratch the morning-line favorite from the race, trainer Michelle Nevin still won Monday’s $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes for New York-bred sprinters at Aqueduct.

My Boy Tate, who won the 2018 Hollie Hughes, took advantage of a hot pace and rallied under Manny Franco to beat Big Engine by 1 1/4 lengths in the Hollie Hughes. It was three-quarters of a length back to Tribecca in third. Amundson, the 2020 Hollie Hughes winner who Monday dueled early with Tribecca, was eased and finished last.

Our Last Buck, the 9-5 morning-line favorite coming off two victories, was scratched. Nevin said Our Last Buck just wasn’t doing well Sunday morning and she knew then he would not be able to run.

“I was totally bummed out, he’s a cool horse too and he’s been in such good form, he looked good in there,” Nevin said. “But Tate’s been training great so it’s fine with me.”

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Nevin blamed herself for My Boy Tate’s fourth-place finish behind Our Last Buck in last month’s Say Florida Sandy Stakes. She said the temptation of a short field made her run My Boy Tate back a week after he ran fourth in the Gravesend. Further, the apparent lack of speed made her instruct Jose Lezcano try to get to the front.

“He has speed but as he’s gotten older he’s changed his ways too, he’s happier to let them go a little bit, settle in and then come with a run,” Nevin said.

That’s how it played out in the Hollie Hughes. As expected, Tribecca, under Trevor McCarthy, went to the front and he was pressed by Amundson, who broke slow but was rushed up by Jorge Vargas Jr, to attend an opening quarter in 22.98 seconds and a half-mile in 46.71.

Franco kept My Boy Tate behind those two and on the inside part of the track while Eric Cancel had Big Engine in an outside stalking position from third.

Tribecca put away Amundson, but was soon tackled by Big Engine. Franco, meanwhile, got My Boy Tate off the rail and he was able to rally by that pair to get the victory.

“Perfect set up; Manny did the right thing, sat chilly and let them come back to him,” said Nevin, who also is the breeder and part-owner of My Boy Tate along with Little Red Feather Racing.

My Boy Tate, a 7-year-old gelding by Boys at Tosconova, is now 8 for 22. He covered the six furlongs in 1:10.85 and returned $6.