Coastal Mission victorious in a Laurel Park allowance Feb. 21, 2022 (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Owner-trainer Jeff Runco’s Coastal Mission looks to build upon his ultra-consistent 17-11-3-1 record in Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Coastal Mission made his graded debut last out in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets here on December 2. The 5-year-old West Virginia-bred son of Great Notion broke slowest of all from the inside post, was hustled to fourth down the backside by returning rider Arnaldo Bocachica, getting all the way up to second in the stretch before tiring and finishing fifth-of-12.
“He likes the mile. That was no problem. He was just standing in the gate for a long time and got off slowly,” Runco said. “He broke poorly and had to rush up early and it cost him doing that.”
The Cigar Mile was contested over a muddy and sealed track, which came on the heels of a 5 3/4-length score in the nine-furlong state-bred West Virginia Breeders’ Classic over a sloppy and sealed surface in October at Charles Town. Prior to that effort, he won the open-company Russell Road going seven furlongs over a wet and fast track at the same site.
“He’s fine in the mud, he’s won plenty of races in the mud,” said Runco regarding rain in the forecast again for Saturday. “He’s ready to go. We just want a decent position out of the gate – there is some speed in there though.”
In his last outing, the gray finished behind multiple graded-stakes winner Hoist the Gold, recent Group 1 Saudi Cup victor Senor Buscador, graded-stakes placed returning rival Castle Chaos, and Grade 2 winner Three Technique.
“He ran against some pretty good horses,” Runco said. “He ran against the best back in December, but he is ready.”
Coastal Mission, listed at 9-2 on the morning line, will exit post 4.
