Saythreehailmary's splashes to victory in Ladies Handicap

The wet-track-loving Saythreehailmary’s relished the sloppy going Sunday at Aqueduct, rallying past Mei Ling inside the sixteenth pole to record a three-quarter-length victory in the $100,000 Ladies Handicap.

Mei Ling, who inherited the lead entering the far turn, repelled the challenge of the favorite Wonder Gal in midstretch but could not turn back Saythreehailymary’s and had to settle for second. It was five lengths back to Wonder Gal, who broke slowly under Irad Ortiz Jr. Stroke Play was fourth, followed by Sustainable. Sheriffa scratched to run in a Thursday allowance race going six furlongs.

The win was the sixth from 22 starts – and fourth in five tries over a wet track – for Saythreehailmary’s, a 5-year-old daughter of Repent owned and bred by the Very Un Stable and trained by John Morrison. It was her second consecutive stakes victory after winning the Bay Ridge for New York-breds Dec. 12.

The scratch of Sheriffa took the primary speed out of the race, which was a bit of a concern to Morrison since Saythreehailmary’s does her best running late.

Sustainable set a slow early pace of 25.41 seconds and 49.39 for the half-mile with Mei Ling and Wonder Gal to her outside.

Manny Franco had Saythreehailmary’s in fourth, about two lengths back.

As Sustainable faded, Mei Ling inherited the lead with Wonder Gal right at her throat. Franco put Saythreehailymary’s three wide and had to go wider still around Wonder Gal in the stretch. After passing Wonder Gal, Saythreehailymary’s gradually wore down Mei Ling.

“We knew there wasn’t going to be too much pace and wanted to be close to them,” Franco said. “I made one move from the outside. When she hit the front, she stopped a little bit, but we’re working on that.”

Saythreehailymary’s, a New York-bred daughter of Repent, covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:44.91 and returned $13.40 as the fourth choice in the field of five.

“All I told Manny was just don’t leave her with too much to do,” Morrison said. “He couldn’t have done a better job with her.”

Morrison said that since Saythreehailmary’s is in such good form right now, she will likely be pointed to the $100,000 Biogio’s Rose, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares Feb. 7.