New owners hope for quick return with Consumer Credit
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Owner Adam Wachtel and his partners are stockpiling talented 3-year-old turf fillies.
Wachtel, Nils Brous, and Gary Barber won the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs in March with Quality Rocks, who defeated the favored Consumer Credit by three-quarters of a length. Wachtel had eyed Consumer Credit from afar and was able to buy her from Seth Klarman and William Lawrence.
On Thursday, Consumer Credit makes her first start for her new owners in the $100,000 Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct, and she figures to be favored in the field of six 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles.
“I always had my eye on her,” Wachtel said. “I thought Quality Rocks and Consumer Credit were the second- and third-best 3-year-old turf fillies outside of California in the country. Obviously, Lady Eli is in a class by herself.”
After losing her first two starts, Consumer Credit reeled off three consecutive victories, including a one-length score over Quality Rocks in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January.
In the Florida Oaks, Consumer Credit had to go four wide under Edgard Zayas while Quality Rocks, under Jose Lezcano, split horses in the No. 2 path.
“I thought she ran great last time – arguably ran as good a race as Quality Rocks,” said Wachtel, who noted that Quality Rocks is being pointed to the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Chad Brown trained Consumer Credit for her first six starts and will remain the trainer. Wachtel said this is the first horse he’s had with Brown.
Christophe Clement has the main threats in the uncoupled entry of Pine Needles, a winner of both of her starts, and Colour Party, who makes her U.S. debut after going 2 for 4 in Britain with John Gosden.
Been Here Before, Darling Sky, and Kawfee Fa Marfa complete the field for the Memories of Silver, which goes as the third race (2:22 p.m. Eastern) on the nine-race program.
KEY CONTENDERS
Consumer Credit (Last 3 Beyers: 88-81-82)
◗ She finished well when second to Quality Rocks in the Florida Oaks.
◗ She shows two solid workouts leading up to this.
◗ Irad Ortiz Jr., riding at a 30 percent success rate for Brown, is reunited with the filly.
Pine Needles (Beyers: 79-74)
◗ Won her debut on the lead going 1 1/8 miles, then 10 weeks later came back to win a first-level allowance race from just off the pace.
“The main thing about her is she stays,” Clement said. “She might be more of a mile-and-an-eighth to mile-and-a-quarter horse.”
First juvenile race
Thursday’s card kicks off with the first 2-year-old race of the year on this circuit. Trainer Wesley Ward sends out two of the five in the race, which is for fillies. The Ward-trained Storied Tale breaks from the rail and stablemate Sunshine Life from the outside post. Interestingly, Sunshine Life will debut on Lasix, while Storied Tale will not.