By Mary Eddy – NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Team D’s graded stakes-placed Redifined will strive for her first stakes victory in Saturday’s $120,000 Stewart Manor, a six-furlong outer turf test for juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Tony Dutrow, the daughter of More Than Ready was a narrow runner-up last out in the Grade 3 Matron on October 8 at Belmont at the Big A. There, she rallied from five lengths off the pace under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano to improve to second position while five-wide at the stretch call, but could not reel in a game American Apple, a 47-1 shot, to come up a neck shy in her graded stakes debut. American Apple is slated to take on the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Friday at Keeneland.
Dutrow said he was pleased with the effort from Redifined.
“I don’t have a problem [with the trip],” said Dutrow. “I thought she had a good trip and Javier rode her very well. I just did not understand where that race came from for the winner, but we’re very happy with her. She seems to be very happy and is training well. That was a graded stake, and you like to win them with fillies, but hopefully we can make a stakes winner out of her on Saturday.”
The Matron was the second stakes appearance for Redifined, who entered from a game third-place finish behind well-regarded fillies Love Reigns [also entered in the Juvenile Turf Sprint] and Danse Macabre in the Bolton Landing on August 21 at Saratoga Race Course. Her other start was a debut victory going the Stewart Manor distance in June at Belmont Park, closing from fifth-of-6 to land the one-length score at odds of 9-1.
“I didn’t see anything standing in her way of becoming a stakes horse,” said Dutrow. “I thought that she would run very, very good the first time she ran. She always was a very smart, intelligent filly. In April, May and June, the smart ones usually outperform the talented ones. I’m hopeful that she could possibly win a graded stake someday.”
Redifined has worked extensively over the Belmont inner turf, most recently posting a half-mile in 49.72 seconds on Saturday.
“She’s been very good so far,” said Dutrow. “She really likes the turf, so I try to get her workouts on the turf. We’re fortunate that on Saturdays NYRA lets us work on the turf. It was a matter-of-fact, easy way around there for her.”
Out of the two-time Brazilian Group 3-winning Wild Event mare Mrs. Boss, Redifined was a $150,000 purchase by Dutrow at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Dutrow said her pedigree aligned well with her conformation.
“I’ve been buying babies for a long time now, and she’s pretty typical of what we like,” said Dutrow. “Being by More Than Ready [was a factor], and her pedigree plays a part. When you’re on a budget, you can only get so much individual and pedigree together, especially in today’s times. Physically, she’s a fantastic, athletic filly. She’s got a great shoulder and great neck.”
Jose Lezcano picks up the mount from post 8.
Trainer Jorge Abreu will saddle two starters in Chris Larsen’s Moonage Daydream [post 1, Reylu Gutierrez] and Georgees Spirit [post 2, Manny Franco], who he co-owns with Robert Photos and Sportsmen Stable.
Moonage Daydream, a bay daughter of Candy Ride, was last seen posting a second-out graduation in off-the-pace fashion on September 30 at Belmont at the Big A. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Moonage Daydream experienced traffic issues at the nine-sixteenths and wound up five-wide down the stretch, but carried on well to post the one-length score in a final time of 1:08.62.
The win came after a troubled debut where the filly sported blinkers and was squeezed at the start before improving to finish fifth. Abreu said removing the blinkers for her second start made the difference.
“I like that filly. Early on, I thought that was one of the best babies I had,” said Abreu. “I think I made a mistake first time out putting blinkers on her. She got a bit annihilated leaving the gate and that compromised her a bit, but she came with a good run. The other day, she was ready to go.”
Bred in New York by 3C Stable, Moonage Daydream is a direct maternal descendant of Hall of Famer Gallorette, the 1946 Champion Handicap Mare who won the Acorn, Pimlico Oaks, Metropolitan Handicap, and Brooklyn Handicap, among others.
Georgees Spirit, a Mor Spirit dark bay, was off-the-board last out in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A where she tracked in third through the first three-quarters but faltered and retreated to sixth. She pressed closer to the pace than she did in her second-out graduation, which saw her launch a bid from seventh of 10 to secure a half-length victory going 5 1/2 furlongs at the Spa.
The $80,000 OBS October Yearling Sale purchase breezed a half-mile in 48.75 over the Belmont dirt training track Saturday.
West Point Thoroughbreds, Scarlet Oak Racing and Titletown Racing Stables’ Dontlookbackatall was a close fourth in the Matron for conditioner Christophe Clement after a deep rally under Manny Franco.
A dark bay daughter of Peace and Justice, Dontlookbackatall rushed up from eighth-of-11 to be fourth at the top of the lane, but was shuffled, spun four-wide for the stretch drive and flattened out 3 1/2 lengths behind the victorious American Apple. Her other outing was an impressive debut win going 5 1/2 furlongs on August 25 at Saratoga when defeating nine rivals by two lengths.
Trevor McCarthy has the call from post 6.
Robert Hess, Jr. will saddle the only undefeated entrant in the field as Westlake Racing Stable’s Showgirl Lynne B vies for her first second stakes victory. The Constitution chestnut boasts a perfect 3-for-3 record that includes a tidy one-length victory in the Sharp Susan in August over Gulfstream Park’s all-weather surface.
Showgirl Lynne B tried turf for the first time in her last start, responding to the change with a gutsy neck victory over Happy Gal, who was demoted to fifth for interference in the stretch of the 6 1/2-furlong restricted allowance over firm turf at Kentucky Downs. The prominent Showgirl Lynne B was also a one-length winner of her 5 1/2-furlong debut in July over the Gulfstream tapeta, dueling with Olga before pulling away down the stretch to claim victory in a final time of 1:06.22.
Kendrick Carmouche will guide Showgirl Lynne B from post 3.
Rounding out the field are Hurricane Debbie [post 4, Paco Lopez], Recinto Rompere [post 5, Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.] and Dulcia [post 7, Dylan Davis]. Shidabhuti is entered for the main-track only.
America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct 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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