Possessed, Dreamboat Annie victorious in New York Stallion Stakes

There were no surprises in divisions of the off-the-turf New York Stallion Series at Belmont Park on Sunday as Possessed ($3.40) won the Spectacular Bid like a 3-5 shot should and the co-favored Dreamboat Annie captured the Cupecoy’s Joy for fillies three races later.

Racing on the first “muddy” track of the meet, Possessed was last of four in a compact field early, rallied wide to surge past Secured Position under confident handling from Jose Ortiz, and drew off to best that rival by 6 3/4 lengths. Secured Position was well clear from third-place finisher Fenwick Hall as Ex Ex Ex faded to fourth after flashing early speed.

“We broke well, and the six horse [Ex Ex Ex] went to the front, and then the two horse [Secured Position] went out there,” said Ortiz. “When I asked my horse to go, he responded very well.”

Possessed ran seven furlongs in 1:25.17 over a drying-out harrowed track that had been sloppy and sealed to start the day. This was his second New York Stallion win to go along with the Times Square division on closing day at Aqueduct.

“We got a little luck, the race came off the grass, and there were a lot of scratches,” said trainer Charlie Baker. “I’m going to eventually try him on the turf. I think there’s another Stallion Series in Saratoga. Maybe we’ll try that spot, but we’ll definitely try the grass to see where he’s at.”

The Cupecoy’s Joy was run over a track rated good, and after scratches, offspring of Freud accounted for four of the five fillies in the field.

One of them was the second choice Dreamboat Annie ($6.50), who forced the early pace along the inside and was then eased back before rallying outside to get the victory under a patient John Velazquez.

Dreamboat Annie battled with Perfect Freud through the stretch and proved best by three-quarters of a length. It was better than eight lengths back to the third-place finisher The Lewis Dinner. Loon River was fourth, and the 2-1 favorite Freudie Anne completed the order of finish.

“I had a good trip,” said Velazquez. “It was a little bit uncomfortable because there was no speed in the race, and I was trying to rate her. She was a little bit rank for the first part of the race, but the other horses moved outside, and that made it easier for me. From the quarter-pole home, it opened up for me, and it was perfect.”

Dreamboat Annie, whose only defeat was a third in the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion at Aqueduct, ran seven furlongs in 1:25.64. She upped her record to 3-0-1 from four starts for trainer Leah Gyarmati.

“It was a great ride,” said Gyarmati. “I think if she’s inside and being pushed and head-and-head dueling, it might be a repeat of that Aqueduct race [the Park Avenue] where she got a little weary. Luckily, he was able to get her back and outside, and it was perfect. We’ll have a lot of fun with her at Saratoga … you have so many choices it will make for a fun summer.”