She’s Country gets up in time in the Key Cents, NYRA Photo
Christian Abdo
West Point Thoroughbreds, James Politano and LVD Racing’s She’s Country lunged between rivals late to nail Cosmic Candy Girl and win Thursday’s $125,000 Key Cents, a one-mile inner turf route for New York-bred juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
She’s Country, a six-length state-bred debut winner going 1 1/16 miles in August at Saratoga Race Course ahead of a last-out fourth in the Selima in September at Laurel Park, was one of three George Weaver-trainees in Thursday’s field along with Boomington [third] and Fancy Lights [fourth].
“She was a little keen early but then she settled down on the backstretch and it looked like she was traveling nice and comfortable,” said Peter Gulyas, assistant to Weaver. “She found an opening and really kicked in. She’s only a 2-year-old and still learning – she was a little aggressive in the paddock and then when she went out, she was more settled and relaxed.”
Piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the Combatant dark bay exited the inside post with a slight hop inward, but settled into stalking position as stablemate Fancy Lights set the pace while pressured by Sacred Goddess through an opening quarter-mile in 24.11 seconds over the firm footing.
“The pace was slow. To be honest, I didn’t have the best break. She hopped out of the gate, kind of lose a little momentum,” said Castellano, aboard for the first time in the afternoon. “I see everybody go in the first turn, I don’t want to send out of there, just have a ‘Plan B’ and sit behind the other horse of George Weaver’s.”
She’s Country saved ground down the backside in third position as the Kendrick Carmouche-piloted Cosmic Candy Girl traveled to her outside through the half-mile in 49.79. In the second turn, Fancy Lights held sway on the lead with Sacred Goddess fading as She’s Country improved to second inside of that rival, while Cosmic Candy Girl went around on the outside as three-quarters elapsed in 1:14.75.
“I was behind and saving all the ground,” Castellano said. “I like the way she developed in the race, beautiful behind the two horses and inside on the rail.”
Fancy Lights led by a half-length passing the eighth-pole, but She’s Country and Cosmic Candy Girl reeled her in as the field neared the wire. Cosmic Candy Girl took command narrowly within the final sixteenth, but between her and Fancy Lights was She’s Country, who lunged in the final jumps to put her head in front, in a final time of 1:38.70.
The favored Boomington closed for third a half-length back of Cosmic Candy Girl, with a nose back to Fancy Lights in fourth. Maria Callas, Neshika, Considerate City, Miss Moxee and Sacred Goddess completed the order of finish.
“I see the horse [Cosmic Candy Girl] blew by outside, and said, ‘I’m going to finish second, but [then], my filly’s going to come back again,’” Castellano said. “She fought a little bit and the battle can go either way, but it seemed to me my filly put her head all the way – I said, ‘I think I got lucky this time.’
“It seemed to me like he [Carmouche] had the momentum, like he got the jump. But for some reason, his horse was hanging outside, and my horse fought again to get the bob,” Castellano added.
She’s Country, in the 1 1/16-mile Selima, was defeated 6 1/4 lengths by Ultimate Love, who exited that effort to run fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf as the favorite.
“Today, I like it because she doesn’t have to be on the lead,” Castellano said of Thursday’s win. “She can go behind horses, save ground, teach her something, finish good, and between two horses in the battle for the win. I think she’ll step up a lot.”
Carmouche said the Jim Ryerson-trained Cosmic Candy Girl was game in defeat as she stepped up off a third-out graduation on September 27 here.
“I had a perfect trip, just wasn’t a winner today,” Carmouche said. “She stuck her head down right at the wire, Javier’s horse. That’s the way it went down, but she did everything perfect. I was very happy with her. She’s such a nice filly.”
Bred by Twin Oaks Bloodstock, She’s Country, an $80,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Malibu Moon mare Lunar Affair, while her stakes-placed second dam, Magical Affair, is a half-sister to stakes-placed Mystic. She banked $68,750 in victory while improving her record to 3-2-0-0 and returning $9.70 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Friday at Aqueduct Racetrack with a nine-race card, featuring the state-bred $125,000 Notebook in Race 5. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.
America’s Day at the Races will present 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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