Thankful rebounds with Ladies Handicap triumph

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Thankful rebounded from a disappointing third-place finish in the Grade 3 Comely Stakes last November by reeling in the pace-setting Miss Marissa in deep stretch to win Sunday’s $100,000 Ladies Handicap by three-quarters of a length at Aqueduct.

Miss Marissa, the slight favorite among a trio of 5-2 shots, finished second by a neck over a late-running Ujjayi. Lucky Move was fourth followed by Am Impazible and Smooth With a Kick.

Kendrick Carmouche rode the winner, one of four on the card for him just one day before his 37th birthday. Three of those wins, including Thankful, came for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Carmouche said Thankful felt better to him in the warm-up Sunday than she did prior to the Comely, in which she raced mid-pack and was defeated 10 3/4 lengths by Mrs. Danvers.

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On Sunday, Carmouche was able to put Thankful right into the race as she stalked from second Miss Marissa, who went a quarter in 25.01 seconds, a half-mile in 49.96 seconds, and six furlongs in 1:14.46.

Miss Marissa, under Jose Lezcano, fought on through the lane, but Thankful persevered past her in deep stretch to get the victory.

Thankful, a daughter of American Pharoah owned by Ramona Bass, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:53.51 and returned $7.90 as the third choice.

“I don’t think my filly adjusted to the racetrack as much last time,” said Carmouche, whose four wins give him a meet-leading 34 at Aqueduct this winter. “Today, she warmed up good, she was very happy, that was a big plus in my favor. I wanted to ride her out of there to get her close to the pace.”

Byron Hughes, the assistant to Pletcher, said Carmouche “placed her in the right spot” early in the race.

Jim Ryerson, the trainer of Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan winner Miss Marissa, wanted his filly to be on the lead, but was a bit concerned that speed wasn’t necessarily holding on Sunday.

“I think the track today, the way it was playing - at least the way I saw it - was going to be against us, but maybe she would be good enough,” Ryerson said. “If she wasn’t good enough she’d run her race and I thought she ran her race.”