Yo Cuz has speed to burn in New York Stallion Stakes at Aqueduct

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Yo Cuz have been steadfast in their belief the 3-year-old New York-bred filly can sit off horses if needed. In putting together a three-race win streak comprised totally of stakes races, Yo Cuz has led each race from gate to wire.

Sunday, when Yo Cuz goes for a fourth consecutive stakes in the $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Aqueduct, it is most likely she will again use that speed to achieve success. Yo Cuz will break from the rail in this seven-horse field going 6 1/2 furlongs.

Yo Cuz, a daughter of Laoban trained by Bill Mott for Dream Maker Racing, won the $500,000 Great White Way division of the NYSS as a maiden last Dec. 18. In two starts this year, Yo Cuz won the Maddie May at a mile and the East View at seven furlongs.

“I think this race looks a little bit tougher than the others, but I think she’s the best horse in the group by numbers and by everything. She’s got a lot of class,” said Jose Ortiz, who has ridden Yo Cuz in all four starts and is back aboard Sunday. “If she breaks clean, I’m not taking anything away from her.”

The only time Yo Cuz failed to break cleanly was in her debut, when she broke last of 12. That she rallied to finish fifth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, proved to Ortiz that Yo Cuz can be effective from off the pace.

“When she broke bad, I said well, let’s kind of school her and if she gets there, she gets there,” Ortiz said. “I felt like she took a lot out of it and luckily after that she’s been breaking very clean. We always have good position.”

Bank On Anna finished 10 3/4 lengths behind Yo Cuz in the Great White Way. Since then, she has won two straight including a first-level allowance in which she stumbled badly and rallied from fifth to win by a half-length.

“That was a pretty impressive performance as bad as she stumbled,” trainer Phil Serpe said.

Kisses for Emily and Starship Laoban ship up from Parx Racing, where they finished first and second in the Society Hill Stakes on March 8. Starship Laoban came out of that race to win a seven-furlong allowance by 7 1/4 lengths for Parx’s leading trainer, Jamie Ness.

Galaxina comes in off a maiden win going seven furlongs for trainer James Bond. Celebrity News finished second in a well-bet debut on March 25, and trainer George Weaver adds blinkers to the filly’s equipment.

“I think first time out she broke well and maybe didn’t maintain her position in the early stages of the race, then she stayed on good for second,” Weaver said. “Even working in company she’s fairly docile. She doesn’t drag you anywhere, she only does as much as she needs to. I’m hoping the blinkers keep her a little more focused.”

Gris Tormenta goes first off the claim for Tom Morley, who claimed the filly for $30,000 out of a turf race at Fair Grounds.

The Park Avenue, which goes as race 3 on the nine-race card, shares billing with the $100,000 Memories of Silver Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf featuring the return of 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca.

Following Sunday’s card, racing moves to Belmont Park beginning Thursday.