Raging Sea repels Julia Shining to take Comely

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Like most graduates of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Raging Sea was having a rather unproductive 3-year-old season. Unlike most graduates of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Raging Sea has seemed to salvage her 3-year-old year and has given her connections some hope for the future.

Saturday, at Aqueduct, Raging Sea fended off a late challenge from Julia Shining to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely Stakes by a nose. It was 1 1/4 lengths back to Honor D Lady in third. Defining Purpose, Just Katherine, and Ichiban completed the order of finish.

Corningstone and Warrior’s Ransom were scratched.

The win was the second from four starts this year for Raging Sea. For a comparison, the other 12 horses who ran in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies have gone a combined 1 for 47 this year, the win coming by Atomically on Friday in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream.

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Raging Sea didn’t get her 3-year-old season started until August when she ran fourth in an allowance at Saratoga. Following a second to Just Katherine at Saratoga, Raging Sea won an allowance at Keeneland on Oct. 20.

In the Comely, Raging Sea broke from the outside post Manny Franco, raced three-to-four wide down the backside behind Ichiban and Defining Purpose and alongside Just Katherine.

Raging Sea and Just Katherine, the latter ridden by Trevor McCarthy, moved in tandem around the far turn, keeping Raging Sea in the four-path. Ichiban had given way in upper stretch and Defining Purpose took a brief lead only to be tackled by Raging Sea.

Franco said Raging Sea slowed down a little after making the lead but re-engaged when Julia Shining, under Kendrick Carmouche was coming to her from the outside. Raging Sea held Julia Shining off at the wire.

“When I passed [Defining Purpose], she kind of slowed down a little bit, I said ‘come on filly, [Julia Shining] is going to come late,’ “ said Franco, who won three races on Saturday’s card. “When my filly felt that, she gave me another gear.”

Raging Sea, a daughter of Curlin owned by Alpha Delta Stables and trained by Chad Brown, covered the 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:50.86 and returned $6.30 as the second choice.

Julia Shining, who didn’t run in the Breeder’s Cup but who was having a disappointing campaign herself, gave one of her better efforts, but one that just fell short.

“She had every right to pass that horse, she just stayed next to her,” Carmouche said. “That’s what happens when you don’t win so often. They kind of get used to running second, third. Maybe with this effort, we can go in the right direction.”

Raging Sea certainly seems like she’s heading in the right direction. Brown told the New York Racing Association department that Raging Sea is scheduled to race in 2024.

“She has no trouble getting the mile and an eighth, she can even get a mile and a quarter, if needed,” Brown told NYRA. “She’s quite a nice filly and hopefully we have a complete year with her next year.”

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