Khali Magic storms to the front in the NYSSS Staten Island, NYRA Photo
Keith McCalmont
Khali Magic made every pole a winning one under a sharp ride by Ruben Silvera in Saturday’s $125,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible New York-sired fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained and co-owned by Rudy Rodriguez with Steven Speranza, the 7-year-old New York-bred daughter of Al Khali was haltered twice this year for $45,000, including in August by her current connections. In victory, Khali Magic is now a 12-time winner from 48 career starts and secured her first career stakes score in her fifth attempt.
“Since we claimed her, she’s been a very straightforward filly. She’s run three times for us now, so maybe third time was the charm,” Rodriguez said. “I love the way Ruben rides. He’s one of my favorite riders, and he’s an aggressive, speed rider. I thought today we were going to go 21 or 22 flat, but when we went 23, we were live.”
Stone Smuggler was hustled out of the inside post by Manny Franco, but Silvera soon had Khali Magic in charge to show the way through an opening quarter-mile in 23.15 seconds over the sloppy and sealed main track.
“I tried to break good, because she loves the sloppy track. I try to take the lead easy and wait for the end and see what happens,” Silvera said.
The speedy 2-5 post-time favorite Sunday Girl tracked from third position to the outside of Soloshot as Khali Magic led through the turn and the half-mile in 46.38 as Stone Smuggler retreated. Khali Magic took the field into the lane with Soloshot surging up the fence and Sunday Girl spinning her wheels under Flavien Prat.
A game Khali Magic stayed on strong and held her lane down the stretch as the Jaime Rodriguez-piloted Soloshot tried to finish along the inside before switching to an outside path inside the final sixteenth. Soloshot was resurgent once switched out, but Khali Magic held sway to score by a half-length in a final time of 1:23.84. It was three lengths back to Intentious in third with Midtown Lights, Stone Smuggler, Sunday Girl and Storm Changer rounding out the order of finish.
A rider’s objection by Jaime Rodriguez against Silvera and Khali Magic for interference in the stretch run was disallowed.
“I heard someone inside [Soloshot], but I never opened it [the rail]. Maybe if I did, she’d beat me at the wire,” Silvera said.
Jaime Rodriguez said the Ilkay Kantarmaci-trained Soloshot, off at 30-1 odds, was game in defeat.
“I tried to save some ground a little bit in the beginning – I didn’t want to be too far outside, and I was waiting for the space,” Rodriguez said. “By the time I took her out, she was ready and gave me the kick, but it was too late.”
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said Khali Magic, who won for the fourth time in seven tries over wet footing, benefited from a sloppy track that seemed to hamper the David Duggan-trained favorite Sunday Girl.
“The wet track [helped], and she looked like seven-eighths [would suit her]. When they went 23 with the way the track has been playing the last few days, it was amazing,” Rodriguez said. “When I saw that, I thought we were very live. Maybe it wasn’t the Duggan filly’s day today and maybe she didn’t handle the sloppy track, so when I saw her [Khali Magic] outside nice, I said, ‘this is good.’ It worked out for us today.”
Bred in the Empire State by Wachtel Stable, Khali Magic, out of the winning Smokin Mel mare Smokin Sue, banked $68,750 in victory while improving her record to 48-12-9-7. She returned $27.16 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a nine-race card featuring the $150,000 Forever Together in Race 4 and the Grade 3, $150,000 Pebbles in Race 8. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.
America’s Day at the Races will present 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/.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
