Factorbella rolls to victory in the Regret. (Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)
Tom Luicci/Monmouth Park
OCEANPORT, N.J. – A year of maturity, some added weight and the proverbial light bulb going on has turned Factorbella into a different horse – and a stakes winner.
The 4-year-old filly, 0-for-14 last year, extended her recent form spree and gave trainer Tony Wilson his first stakes win in 14 years when she rolled to a 3¼-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Wilson, who started his training career in 2001 and has a predominantly claiming stable, last won a stakes race on Nov. 26, 2011. That was with Deliburnsky in the Dave’s Friend Stakes at Laurel.
“She loves Monmouth Park,” Wilson said of Factorbella. “She has always done well here so we figured we give her a shot in a stakes race since she is so sharp right now.
“She’s a year older, she put on weight, she looks good and everything has been good with her lately. She doesn’t like a whole lot being done to her. We’ve learned to adapt to her and she has responded. Last year was a little frustrating but she protects herself and she is always willing to race. We haven’t done much different. She is just on her game now and she tells us when she is ready to run.”
Factorbella finished the six furlongs in 1:09.64.
Since Sonny Leon became her regular rider three races ago, Factorbella has a near-miss second, an optional claiming allowance win and now a stakes victory. All of those races were at Monmouth Park.
Owned by Happy Tenth Stable, Factorbella is now 3-for-25 lifetime. Two of her wins have come at Monmouth Park.
“I got lucky,” said Leon. “I have ridden her the past three times and she now has two wins and a second. I only have known her when she has been good. She’s a different horse right now and she has always handled the Monmouth Park track very well.”
After breaking alertly from the outside post in the six-horse field of fillies and mares, 3 and up, Factorbella briefly engaged Ms. Bucchero through an opening quarter of 22-flat before Leon back off with his filly.
Factorbella, sent off at 7-5, then took command and was never seriously threatened. St. Benedict’s Prep, the even-money favorite, was another 2¼ lengths back in third.
Wilson, who competes on the Tampa Downs-Monmouth Park circuit, last won a stakes race at Monmouth Park with Pure Disco in the Revidere Stakes on Oct. 25, 2007.
