Wonder Gal romps in Lynbrook Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Leah Gyarmati said it looked like Wonder Gal was just out for a morning gallop.

Instead, it actually took place in the afternoon, and she got paid for it.

Wonder Gal, making quite the auspicious debut, galloped to a 14 1/2 length victory in Sunday’s $125,000 Lynbrook Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies at Belmont Park. Accelebrate, also a maiden, rallied to get second by a half-length over Saluda, a first-time starter. Harlan’s Honor and Jiggin Witit, the only two winners in the field, finished fourth and fifth. Jessica’s Ride scratched after acting up in the gate.

Last early, Wonder Gal made an eye-catching inside move under Taylor Rice from the 3 1/2-furlong pole to the five-sixteenths pole before tipping three-wide at the quarter pole. Turning home into the stretch, Wonder Gal just galloped home under a hand ride. She covered six furlongs in 1:11.14 and returned $3.60.

“It looked like she was weaving through traffic in the morning on the training track,” Gyarmati said.

Wonder Gal, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful, was purchased by Jeff Treadway for $210,000 at the OBS March sale. Gyarmati was impressed with how well the filly had trained leading up to her debut, which she would have been content to have come in a maiden race. Essentially, the Lynbrook was a maiden race.

Gyarmati noted that most of the field was acting up in the paddock. In the gate, Jessica’s Ride began throwing a fit and was ordered a late scratch.

“Everybody was acting so silly,” Gyarmati said. “But it was impressive. You get excited anytime a horse runs like that, but I’m not going to go crazy. She still has a lot to prove. It was fun.”

The Lynbrook was the third win on Sunday’s card for Rice.