Sunday Boy, NYRA Photo
Brian Bohl
DiRico Racing and Breeding’s Sunday Boy posted a maiden-breaking win in the most prestigious race of his young career, pulling away from Combat Mission in the stretch for his first victory in six starts via a 2 3/4-length score in Saturday’s $500,0000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The finale of the Cigar Mile Day card featured a full field of 14 for the seven-furlong sprint for eligible New York-sired juveniles. The Jim Ryerson-trained Sunday Boy, by Central Banker, saved his best for the end, staying well off 4-5 favorite Parker Boone’s early speed, with the pacesetter going the opening quarter-mile in 22.50 seconds and the half in 45.71 on the fast main track.
Jockey Chris Elliott kept his patient approach and piloted Sunday Boy to the outside coming out of the turn. From the top of the stretch, Sunday Boy picked off rivals one by one and demonstrated a new attribute with an impressive closing kick from the far outside. With Elliott keeping his charge to task, Sunday Boy was unrelenting, gaining separation and repelling Combat Mission’s re-rally in the final sixteenth to hit the wire in 1:24.90.
Combat Mission finished clear of Muscle Shoals for second, with Parker Boone, Dinghy Bar, Hurricane Kaz, Spirit of New York, Sicilian Dancer, Hey Pal, Froutien, Takahama, Chummers, Diamond Child and True Legend completing the order of finish. Also-eligibles Pure Mischief and Take a Stance were scratched.
“I knew there was a lot of speed,” Elliott said. “I was hoping they’d go fast and they did. It was perfect, I tipped him out and he responded. It was great. There were a lot of tired horses at the quarter-pole about when I tipped him out. He responded great. In the beginning, he always seems to climb during it [taking kickback] but he always responds and tries hard.”
Sunday Boy is a full-brother to the dual-surface multiple stakes-winner Sunday Girl, who runs in the $150,000 Garland of Roses for trainer David Duggan on Sunday at the Big A. The colt had finished second twice in his first five starts, including his debut in July at Saratoga Race Course. After competing on the main track in his first two races and moving to turf for the next two, Ryerson switched the colt back to dirt last out, where he ran second going a one-turn mile on November 9 at the Big A.
“It didn’t matter [being wide in the stretch]. You don’t want to have to get stopped,” Ryerson said. “In a turf race two back, he ran up right behind a [tired] horse and got stopped, and then he got a little lucky to get running late again, but this horse you probably don’t want to get stopped. At this point, to go wide is probably the trip.
“We had a great year with our young horses and he ran well his first time,” Ryerson added. “The second time, it discouraged me on whether he wanted to dirt or not. Sunday Girl had shown that she could do both [dirt and turf], so we ran him on the turf. He’s been a bit of a trip trying to figure out what he wants to do. His last [race] really put him in a good spot for here.”
Off at 12-1, Sunday Boy paid $27.10 on a $2 win wager. Bred in the Empire State by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds and Spruce Lane Farm, Sunday Boy improved his career earnings to $319,600.
“We’ll talk to Mr. DiRico about that,” Ryerson said regarding Sunday Boy’s future plans. “Our turf horses got a freshening, so I’m not sure what he’ll think of doing. Maybe we’ll give him a try in open-company, but we’ll just take it from here.”
Whisper Hill Farm’s maiden colt Combat Mission, trained by John Kimmel, posted his best finish in four career starts.
“Perfect trip. I broke sharp,” Combat Mission jockey Kendrick Carmouche said. “The outside horse wanted to go more than me. I let them go, sat right off of them. I thought he ran very good. I think more distance will help him and that he did great.”
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card, featuring the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely in Race 7 and the $150,000 Garland of Roses in Race 6. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.
America’s Day at the Races presents 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/.
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