No Chalk gets up at the wire to take Arctic Queen Stakes

No Chalk lived up to that moniker, as she was up in time to post a half-length win over Gone and Forgotten for a mild upset of Monday’s $50,000 Arctic Queen Stakes, a sprint for for New York-bred fillies and mares at Finger Lakes.

No Chalk ($8.60) and Anthony Rodriguez were fifth in the field of nine, but only a little more than a length back, at the quarter pole as the field geared up for a wild stretch run. Honest Banker, the post-time favorite, had dueled with Small Pebbles early before leading the field through a moderate but pressured opening half of 46.52 seconds on the fast track.

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As she faded, Gone and Forgotten, the morning-line favorite, took control at the top of the stretch and looked like a winner in midstretch. No Chalk angled widest into the stretch, and came with a rush in the final yards, and Easy Play, just inside of her, came nearly in tandem.

At the wire, with three across, No Chalk was up just in time on the outside for her half-length win. Gone and Forgotten, attempting to win the Arctic Queen for the third consecutive year, held second by a neck on the inside over Easy Play, between horses.

After the top three, it was 1 1/2 lengths back to Kaz Music, followed by Honest Banker, Small Pebbles, Dolce Veloce, Bury the Lede, and Tivoli Gardens.

The time for the six furlongs was 1:12.49.

No Chalk, a 5-year-old Tapiture mare, races as a homebred for Matties Racing Stable, and is trained by Sal Iorio, Jr. Monday marked her sixth win from 22 career starts, and her first stakes victory. In her lone prior try at the level, she was second in the 2022 Niagara Stakes at Finger Lakes.

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