Pretty Ana (rail) captures the Comely and makes the grade (Chelsea Durand)
Mary Eddy/NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Three Chimneys Farm’s Kentucky homebred Pretty Ana dug in gamely in the stretch to repel post-time favorite Alpine Princess and win Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Comely, a nine-furlong route for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the daughter of Quality Road is out of the graded stakes-winning Giant’s Causeway mare Quiet Giant and is a half-sister to Hall of Famer and top sire Gun Runner. She entered from a neck third in the Grade 2 Mother Goose on October 26 here where she endured a bumpy start and troubled trip to just miss behind Tarifa and Gun Song.
The Comely went much smoother for Pretty Ana, who enjoyed a pacesetting trip under Jose Lezcano after she emerged cleanly from the inside post in the five-horse field.
“In the mornings, we use her as a lead horse often and I haven’t seen anybody pass her since we’ve gotten her,” Brown said. “I think one of the keys to her is probably keeping her face clean. Perhaps when she fell off form earlier on the dirt it might have been that she didn’t appreciate the kickback because when we have her clean – using her as a lead horse in the mornings – she really kicks on and nobody can get by her. Once she’d set soft fractions on the lead, I knew she’d be tough.”
The regally-bred bay made the lead in the first turn to mark an opening quarter-mile in 24.41 seconds over the fast footing with Dorothy’s Dreams keeping close watch in second and the favored Alpine Princess stalking in third.
Lezcano remained patient as Dorothy’s Dreams was coaxed along to take brief command from Pretty Ana down the backstretch while Manny Franco kept a snug hold of Alpine Princess through the half-mile in 49.32. Approaching the turn, Pretty Ana easily took back command as Franco asked Alpine Princess for more in the three-path and Dorothy’s Dreams toiled between rivals.
Alpine Princess came to even terms with Pretty Ana after three-quarters in 1:13.45 as Dorothy’s Dreams retreated, and the top two edged clear of the rest to gear up for a stretch-long showdown.
Alpine Princess gave strong chase and appeared poised to sweep by after the mile in 1:37.63, but Pretty Ana refused to yield as she pinned her ears and kept a head in front to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:49.99.
It was a 5 1/2-length gap back to Scalable in third, who held off her stablemate Life Talk by a neck. Dorothy’s Dreams completed the order of finish. Just Music and Audacious were scratched.
Lezcano, aboard for the first time in the afternoon, praised Pretty Ana’s professionalism.
“She is a very nice filly. When she got to the lead, she relaxed herself,” Lezcano said. “When I asked her to go, she went on and won the race. She was running, and the other filly, too, she gave me a good race.”
Brown said it was important to put a graded stakes win on the resume of a filly with such an esteemed family.
“I’m so happy for Mr. Torrealba and the whole Three Chimneys team,” Brown said. “This is their core family, and this filly is worth quite a bit of money. Hopefully they keep her in training next year and we can build on her resume. She’s lovely to have and on top of what she did today, she’s a very classy horse and a pleasure to have around.”
Pretty Ana was initially trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen through her first five outings, which included a second out graduation in February at Fair Grounds Race Course. The Comely marked her first win in four starts since transferring to Brown earlier this summer. In victory, she banked $110,000 while improving her lifetime record to 9-2-0-3 and returning $9.40 on a $2 win ticket.
The Brad Cox-trained Alpine Princess entered from a 9 3/4-length romp in the Listed Remington Park Oaks on September 29 and made her second outing off a six-month respite.
Franco, who was aboard for Alpine Princess’ second-out graduation last September, could only tip his cap to Pretty Ana.
“My filly was trying so hard. I have to give credit to the winner,” Franco said. “She never gave up, she was competitive. I was right there. It was slow, but I was right there, just stalking them, so not really much excuses.”
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a nine-race card. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.
