Munnings Express storms home to take the Johnstone, NYRA Photo
Christian Abdo
Team Spoor’s Munnings Express, with a heady ride from jockey Manny Franco, made her stakes debut a winning one in Wednesday’s $200,000 Johnstone, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Linda Rice, the 4-year-old Munnings bay maintained a perfect on-the-board record as she improved to 12-6-3-3. With Franco up for the first time in the afternoon, Munnings Express got the jump on her rivals with an inside move in the turn, which helped her top the seven-horse field that included two Grade 1 winners.
After a dominant state-bred optional claiming score in March at Aqueduct Racetrack, Munning Express stepped into open company to win a pair of optional claimers the following two months there. She then ran third when trying turf in June at Belmont at the Big A ahead of the same result from post 1-of-8 last out sprinting seven furlongs on July 23 here.
“It was a terrific ride,” Rice said. “The last time she ran, she ran well but she had a bit of a troubled trip. The post position was awkward, and things didn’t unfold that well. Manny rode her beautifully today and I’m excited to get a stakes win with her.
“She’s done everything right all winter long. She was a very, very big 2-year-old and needed a lot of time to grow into herself. I think she’s there,” Rice continued.
Munnings Express exited post 3 alertly and settled into fourth position behind the trio of Bam’s Bliss Kiss, Landed and Iron Orchard through the opening quarter-mile in 22.20 seconds over the fast dirt.
“My plan was to be forward with her because of the way she runs,” Franco said. “I took my time – there was a lot of speed in the race, so I don’t rush her off her feet.”
Those three continued to vie for command into the turn, and midway around the bend Franco made his bold decision to navigate Munnings Express up the rail as the half-mile elapsed in 45.10.
With the ground-saving move, Munnings Express quickly took command while Bam’s Bliss Kiss dropped back and the Hall of Famer John Velazquez-piloted Landed tried to keep pace from the outside. The Grade 1-winning favorite Usha, under Flavien Prat, followed Munnings Express up the rail as three-quarters went in 1:09.65.
“I felt like at the three-eighths pole going to the five-sixteenths, I had the rail wide open, so I say, ‘let me go for it,’ because after that, they’re going to come back. I went and then she took off quick,” Franco said. “After that, she put her ears up again and I said, ‘we’re here [on the lead] already, so hopefully she can get it done.’ And she did.”
Munnings Express was already well clear and prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:23.39. Landed fended off Usha by three-quarter-lengths for place honors, with 1 1/2 lengths back to Grade 1-winner Iron Orchard in fourth.
The Rice-trained With the Angels, Bam’s Bliss Kiss and the outwardly-breaking Naive Melody completed the order of finish. Sunday Girl was scratched.
Munnings Express debuted as a sophomore last April at Aqueduct, posting a 5-2-2-1 record as a 3-year-old. Rice noted similarities between Munnings Express and La Verdad, who she conditioned to be 2015 Champion Female Sprinter as a 5-year-old and remains her top earner to date.
“She was a very big, awkward 2-year-old, reminded me a lot of La Verdad,” Rice said. “As a 3-year-old, we got her to run a little bit but really, she didn’t come together until 4-years-old. I think that’s a function of her size and immaturity.”
Velazquez said the Wesley Ward-trained multiple stakes-winner Landed was game in defeat.
“She got a good position, made the lead and started drifting out and that horse got inside there. Kind of went a little early, [and] I didn’t want to move too early and have nothing left,” Velazquez said. “She ran a good race. She keeps trying and finishing [in the money].”
Prat said the Hall of Famer Bob Baffert-trained Usha, reigning NYTB Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Female Sprinter, didn’t respond late.
“She jumped well and I had a great trip – she just never picked it up,” Prat said. “I went through, asking her to follow Manny when he went through down on the inside, but she just dropped the bridle and that was it.”
Bred by Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, Jayne Johnson and Adrian Wallace, Munnings Express, a $325,000 purchase from the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is out of the multiple stakes-winning Freud mare Freudie Anne – a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Frostie Anne. She earned $110,000 in victory while returning $13.50 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Thursday with a 10-race card, featuring the state-bred $200,000 John Morrissey in Race 9. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
Saratoga Live presents daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
