Raging Sea visits the winner’s circle after the Comely (Susie Raisher)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Alpha Delta Stables’ Kentucky homebred Raging Sea garnered an 89 Beyer Speed Figure when scoring her first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Comely, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the daughter of Curlin pounced from fifth under Manny Franco to make a five-wide bid for the lead at the top of the stretch and ran on strongly down the lane to collar post-time favorite Defining Purpose, but was left to deal with the eye-catching rally from Julia Shining, who was last down the backstretch. Raging Sea found another gear when faced with the challenge and had enough left to hold onto victory by a nose in a final time of 1:50.86.
“She really dug in there and found a little more. I was quite impressed with the race. It’s nice to see her round back into form,” Brown said.
Raging Sea was a winner on debut last August at Saratoga Race Course and two starts later, finished third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. She did not return to the races until this August at the Spa and won third off the layoff in an October 20 allowance at Keeneland.
“She’s definitely progressed throughout the year, albeit her year got started a little later than we had hoped,” said Brown. “Nevertheless, she’s rounded back into form.”
Brown added that Raging Sea will now get a freshening with future goals to be determined.
The regally-bred Raging Sea boasts a pedigree connected to some of the most recognizable names in horse racing. Her third dam, the multiple graded stakes-winning Reine-de-Course mare Weekend Surprise, produced the pair of multiple Grade 1-winning influential stallions A.P. Indy and Summer Squall, as well as Lassie’s Legacy, the second dam of Grade 1-winner Happy Saver. Weekend Surprise is also the second dam of multiple graded stakes-winner and sire Court Vision, the Canadian Champion-producing broodmare Smart Surprise, and Grade 1-placed sire Mambo in Seattle.
Raging Sea now boasts $464,628 in total purse earnings through a record of 7-3-1-1. She was a $300,000 RNA at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
