Offspring of Posse sweep Stallion Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - It will cost $5,000 in 2015 to breed to the New York-based stallion Posse. After the results of Sunday’s two Stallion Stakes races at Aqueduct, that may be quite the bargain.

The Lewis Dinner and Chasing Bubbles, both progeny of Posse, won their respective divisions of Sunday’s New York Stallion Stakes. Posse stands at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, N.Y.

In the $150,000 Fifth Avenue, for juvenile fillies, The Lewis Dinner broke a step slow, but the 1-5 favorite recovered quickly enough to record a 3 3/4-length victory under Manuel Franco. It was the third consecutive victory for The Lewis Dinner, owned by Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and Gary Aisquith, and trained by Rudy Rodriguez.

The Lewis Dinner pressed the pacesetting Saluda, took over on the middle of the turn, and then won under a vigorous hand ride despite failing to change to her proper lead in the stretch. Kathy’s Humor, a maiden, finished second by 3 1/2 lengths over Saluda.

The Lewis Dinner ran six furlongs in 1:12.46 and returned $2.60 to win.

“She took a bad step out of the gate but after that she took the lead pretty easy,” said Franco, who won his third stakes of the inner track season.

“The only thing I didn’t like is when she turned for home she didn’t switch leads,” said Gustavo Rodriguez, assistant to his brother Rudy. “I asked Manny what happened and he said because she was running so good I didn’t want to bother her.”

About an hour later, Chasing Bubbles broke on top under Israel Rodriguez and took advantage of a tough trip for favorite Disco Partner to beat that rival by 1 1/2 lengths in the $150,000 Great White Way Division for males.

The win was the second straight for Chasing Bubbles, who was coming off a front-running victory for $40,000 maiden claimers. He ran six furlongs in 1:12.65 and returned $35 as a 16-1 fourth choice in the field of eight.

“It looked like he was the main speed. I didn’t tell the jockey to bang for the lead. I let him make that decision on his own,” said assistant Jeff Odintz, who oversees trainer Ken McPeek’s five-horse New York string. “If you know how to handicap and you’re the jockey, you’re going to say to yourself ‘I’m going to try and make the lead with this horse’ and that’s what he did.”

Disco Partner, bet down to 1-2 off a solid debut victory, got bumped by B.B’s Remington and stumbled a few strides out of the gate, costing him early position. He did come with a late run under Junior Alvarado, but it was only good enough to get second by a half-length over Clockwork.