Evidencias on air glide. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – James Wigan and Denford Stud’s Evidencias closed under Hall of Famer Joel Rosario to win her second stakes in a row in Sunday’s Listed $150,000 Turnback the Alarm, a nine-furlong route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, on Closing Day of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.
Trained by Christophe Clement, the 5-year-old Drosselmeyer mare entered from her first stateside win in the 1 1/16-mile Obeah on September 18 at Delaware Park over next-out New York-bred stakes-winner Venti Valentine. The Brazilian-bred Evidencias was a four-time winner in her native country for conditioner Emerson Garcia, including scores in the 2022 Group 1 Henrique de Toledo Lara on turf and last year’s Group 2 25 de Janeiro on the main track.
“A great ride from Joel – she stays. It’s a mile and an eighth and she’s a grinder. She’s won two stakes in a row, which is not easy but it’s always fun,” said Clement, who was in attendance after Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar where he saddled Big Invasion [tenth] in the Grade 1 Turf Sprint and Far Bridge [ninth] in the Grade 1 Turf.
Piloted by Rosario, Evidencias exited post 4 and traveled last-of-5 early. Movie Moxy showed the way under Jose Lezcano, with the favored Signal From Noise and Amanda’s Folly tracking to her outside through an opening quarter-mile in 24.09 seconds on the fast main track.
The order remained unchanged through the first turn and down the backside with Evidencias sitting many lengths off-the-pace while Movie Moxy covered the half-mile in 48.70. In the far turn, Evidencias drew up alongside Racing Colors in fourth position and crept closer to the front trio through three-quarters in 1:13.42.
At the top of the lane, Signal From Noise and Amanda’s Folly fought to go by Movie Moxy, who shrugged them off and held a 1 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call. With one-mile covered in 1:38.17, the stubborn pacesetter was still in command but Evidencias was devouring ground down the center of the course.
The late-closing Evidencias surged by Movie Moxy in the final sixteenth for a half-length score in a final time of 1:51.03.
Rosario, whose last mount before the Turnback the Alarm was a win aboard Full Serrano in Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, said today’s race went according to plan.
“Christophe told me she would stay the distance. She kept getting better and better at the end and gave me a very good race,” said Rosario. “She’s a big horse and when I made my move, I stayed in the clear and kept riding from there and hoping I’d get it, and she did.”
Signal From Noise was third with Racing Colors rounding out the superfecta, and Amanda’s Folly completing the order of finish.
Lezcano said the Linda Rice-trained Movie Moxy was game to get second after setting the pace. Rice also sent out fifth-place Amanda’s Folly.
“She ran very good. She gave me a very good race. She was still running hard at the end, but the other filly came running and got her,” said Lezcano.
Bred by Haras Old Friends LTDA, Evidencias is out of the Kingmambo mare Fiji Mambo, making her second dam the dual Grade 1-winning turfer Fiji. She banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 17-6-4-4 and returning $6.60 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes on Thursday at Aqueduct Racetrack with an eight-race card. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.
