Rymska goes last to first in Athenia Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Rymska has missed the majority of her 4-year-old season, and on Sunday she gave a glimpse of what might have been with a visually impressive last-to-first victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park.

After breaking on top, Rymska was taken back off the pace by Irad Ortiz Jr. and at one point was last, inside of On Leave. Rymska gradually advanced into contention while saving ground, tipped four wide into the stretch, then outfinished her multiple Grade 1-winning stablemate New Money Honey to win by 2 1/2 lengths. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Indian Blessing in third.

Hawksmoor, who set the pace under Manny Franco, finished fourth and was followed by On Leave, Inflexibility, and Pas de Soucis.

The win was the sixth from 10 career starts for Rymska, a 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Le Havre owned by Sheep Pond Partners, Alain Jathiere, Thomas Coleman, and Elayne Stables, and trained by Chad Brown.

For Brown, it was his third consecutive victory in the Athenia and fourth in the last six years.

Rymska, who won two Grade 3 stakes as part of a 3 for 3 campaign last year, was making just her second start of 2018. Rymska turned up lame last December at Santa Anita the morning of the Grade 1 American Oaks, in which she was the morning-line favorite.

She didn’t make it to the races until August, when she was beaten a nose by Candy Store in an allowance race at Saratoga. Coincidentally, Candy Store was entered in, but scratched, from the Athenia to run in an allowance race Wednesday at Belmont.

Breaking from the rail in the Athenia, Rymska actually broke on top, but was reined by Ortiz to settle off the pace early. When Ortiz asked her around the turn and in the stretch, Rymska lengthened her stride and easily outkicked New Money Honey.

Rymska covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.59 and returned $10 as the third choice.

“Irad gave her a great ride and she showed a great turn of foot,” said Brown, who won his 11th stakes on the 31st day of the meet.

“Unfortunately, she’s had some gaps in her racing due to some minor issues here and there, but the ownership group has been very patient every time we’ve rested her to get her right. When she is right, she’s very good.”

Sol Kumin, of Sheep Pond Partners, said Rymska could be pointed to the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar on Dec. 2 where Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners and others are also looking to run Uni.