Ribbonite to play ‘catch me' in Shesastonecoldfox Stakes

Ribbonite will be favored to become the third two-time stakes winner of the Finger Lakes season on Monday, when she faces seven rivals in the $50,000 Shesastonecoldfox, a six-furlong stakes for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Ribbonite is based at Saratoga with trainer and co-owner Robbie Davis. She shipped to Finger Lakes in early September and won the $116,000 Lady Finger Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths. The Lady Finger was her first win following two attempts in statebred maiden company at Saratoga.

Ribbonite, who has been ridden in all four of her starts by Davis’s son Dylan, finished fifth in the Joseph Gimma Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 2.

She has good early speed and likely will try to take this field gate to wire, just as she did in the Lady Finger.

Ribbonite is the 7-5 favorite on the track’s morning line. The 5-2 second choice is Ransom Drop, who finished third, beaten 10 lengths, in the Lady Finger, and 11th in the Gimma.

A Lovely Rose, a 10 3/4-length maiden winner at Finger Lakes last out for trainer Michael Ferraro, is Ribbonite’s other logical challenger.

The Shesastonecoldfox is the final stakes of the Finger Lakes meet, which continues through Nov. 30.

The other multiple stakes winners at Finger Lakes this year are Breakin the Fever, who won the George W. Barker and Leon Reed Memorial, and Fingerpainter, the winner of the Niagara and Arctic Queen. Breakin the Fever was voted horse of the meet at Finger Lakes a year ago.

Shesastonecoldfox, Race 8

Key Contenders

Ribbonite, by Griffinite

Last 3 Beyers: 51-62-59

◗ Ribbonite has weakened in three of her four starts. If A Lovely Rose has the speed to stay with her early, she may be vulnerable.

A Lovely Rose, by Flower Alley

Last 3 Beyers: 61-31-18

◗ She was outrun in her career debut and then finished sixth in the Lady Finger. She showed vastly improved early speed in her maiden score.

◗ She will be returning on 11 days’ rest.

◗ The 61 Beyer Speed Figure she earned in her maiden win is the second-highest in the field, only a point below what Ribbonite was given for her Lady Finger victory.

Ransom Drop, by Regal Ransom

Last 3 Beyers: 28-40-46

◗ A 26-1 debut winner at Saratoga for trainer James Ryerson, she has tracked the pace and then been outfinished in both the Lady Finger and Gimma.

Market Music, by Exchange Rate

Last 3 Beyers: 15-40-43

◗ She won her debut nicely and then was beaten only a nose for third by Ransom Drop in the Lady Finger. Her most recent start, an eighth-place finish in an optional-claiming race, came over the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle.