Hold Your Breath, NYRA Photo
Keith McCalmont
Main Line Racing Stable and Avalon Racing Stables’ Hold Your Breath made every pole a winning one to secure her first career stakes win in Sunday’s $150,000 Garland of Roses, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by John Servis and piloted by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, the 3-year-old McKinzie dark bay entered from a dominant 9 3/4-length optional-claiming score versus elders on November 12 at Parx Racing that earned a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure. She is now 2-for-2 since returning to dirt following five starts on either turf or synthetic.
Hold Your Breath exited the outermost post 7 in the Garland of Roses and asserted command through an opening quarter-mile in 22.93 seconds over the fast main track with 3-2 mutuel favorite With the Angels stalking from second position.
With the Angels ramped up the pressure through the turn with Sunday Girl launching a wide run as Hold Your Breath marked the half-mile in 46.07 and reached the stretch call with a head advantage.
The Flavien Prat-piloted With the Angels chased in vain as a stubborn Hold Your Breath continued to find more down the lane, spurting clear late to win by two lengths in a final time of 1:09.76. With the Angels completed the exacta by 3 1/4-lengths over Patricia Ann with Sunday Girl, Volleyballprincess, Tricky Temper and The Big Calhouna rounding out the order of finish. Reliable Lady was scratched.
Rosario said Hold Your Breath, who was off the board in three previous stakes attempts, was quick from the gate.
“We were in a good spot on the outside. She came out of there running nice. She ran very good. She had another gear, and the whole time, she was there for me,” Rosario said. “It looked like there was another horse or a couple with speed, but man, she was fast. She got out of there and she looked like she wanted to go, and she loved to be up there. After that, I just let her do her thing and she just took me for a ride. That was nice.”
The Linda Rice-trained New York-bred sophomore filly With the Angels won her first five starts, including a trio of state-bred stakes. She entered the Garland of Roses on a quick turnaround after being defeated for the first time last out when second to Roswell while facing elders in a 6 1/2-furlong optional-claimer on November 28 here.
Prat said that With the Angels was in good position throughout.
“It set up good for me and I had a good trip. It looked like turning for home I had a chance to go by, but she [Hold Your Breath] had enough to keep on going. She [With the Angels] ran a good race,” Prat said.
The victory marked the fourth career win for Hold Your Breath, who graduated at first asking last November at Parx and also won an optional-claimer on turf in June at Saratoga Race Course.
Hold Your Breath, a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed My Sweet Affair, is out of the Midnight Lute mare Illicit Affair. Her second dam is Hall of Famer Silverbulletday.
Bred in Kentucky by Highclere Inc., Constance Wickes and Rocky Top Racing, Hold Your Breath banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 9-4-0-0. She returned $8.08 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Wednesday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.
America’s Day at the Races presents live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.
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