Senbei takes Notebook, Classy Edition wins Key Cents
Senbei made a statement Sunday at Aqueduct when he darted to an 8 1/4-length win in the $100,000 Notebook for 2-year-olds bred in New York.
It was the third career stakes victory for the son of Candy Ride and improved his career record to 4 for 5.
The Notebook shared a card with the $100,000 Key Cents, in which Classy Edition ran her record to 3 for 3 with a 3 1/2-length win over Captainsdaughter.
Both races were run over six furlongs, and both were restricted to horses bred in New York.
Senbei ($2.50) set fractions of 23.03 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.59 for the half-mile before going on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:11.49.
"As soon as I made the lead, I didn’t feel too much pressure,” Manny Franco, who was aboard Senbei, told the New York Racing Association. “I was able to slow down the first part and I knew after that I was going to be tough.”
Christophe Clement trains Senbei.
“He’ll have a break now,” Clement said. “It will be interesting to see if he can come back next year and stretch his speed a little bit.”
Senbei’s other stakes wins have come in the New York Breeders’ Futurity in October at Finger Lakes and the Funny Cide in August at Saratoga. He has now earned $364,857. Senbei is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski.
Classy Edition ($3.90) had two horses beat early as Silver Fist set fractions of 22.48 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.31 for the half-mile. Classy Edition advanced steadily on the turn, came four wide into the stretch, and went on to cover the distance in 1:12.19.
“She broke a step slow, but she put me in the race quick and after that I just waited in the turn,” winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. told NYRA. “She's the type of filly that needs a little time to get going. She probably wants to go a little farther, but she kept coming and she got there on time. At the quarter pole, she went by and she just kept going. She's a nice filly.”
Todd Pletcher trains Classy Edition for Robert and Lawana Low. The daughter of Classic Empire has now earned $184,250. Classy Edition was winning her second stakes behind the Joseph A. Gimma in September at Belmont Park.