My Mane Squeeze catches Cara's Time in Maid of the Mist

My Mane Squeeze became a stakes winner Sunday when she overtook pacesetter Cara’s Time for a three-length victory in the $200,000 Maid of the Mist at Aqueduct.

It was another nose back in third to favorite Caldwell Luvs Gold.

The Maid of the Mist was for 2-year-old fillies bred in New York. It was one of eight statebred stakes making up Empire Showcase Day. The races were worth a cumulative $1.6 million.

My Mane Squeeze ($12.20) settled off the pace set by Cara’s Time, who took the field through an opening quarter in 23.97 seconds, a half-mile in 48.74 and six furlongs in 1:14.04. My Mane Squeeze advanced on the turn of the mile race, was angled out in the stretch, and closed with good energy to catch the leader and cover the distance in 1:38.73.

The fast track was sealed as rain started to hit early on the card and continued into the afternoon. Aqueduct ran the card's first turf stakes, the Mohawk, on the grass, but moved the other turf stakes offering, the Ticonderoga, to the main track.

Irad Ortiz Jr. rode My Mane Squeeze for trainer Mike Maker.

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“She did everything right,” Ortiz told the New York Racing Association. “She broke well. I was happy where I was, biding my time, and followed [Cara’s Time]. I saved all the ground because I feel like this horse needs a little break to save something for the end. But she was there when I tapped her on the shoulder at the quarter pole. I saw I could get out and then she did the rest. She kept going after I hit the clear and galloped out nicely.”

My Mane Squeeze is a daughter of Audible who races for her breeder William Butler. She is now 2 for 4 for earnings of $183,960.

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