OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Roddy Valente’s homebred Stone Creator will make her stakes debut while facing winners for the first time in Monday’s one-mile $100,000 Maddie May for New York-bred sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Charlton Baker, Stone Creator enters from an impressive debut maiden special weight victory sprinting seven furlongs against fellow state-breds at the Big A on January 16. Piloted by Kendrick Carmouche, the daughter of Creative Cause broke last in the field of seven and was rushed up to battle for the lead with runner-up Galaxina through an opening quarter-mile in 23.96 seconds.
Stone Creator took command to the inside of Galaxina at the half-mile pole and continued to widen her margins rounding the turn, skipping away to a definitive five-length victory, stopping the clock in 1:29.13.
“She’s a talented little filly and has some ability,” Baker said. “It seemed like she wanted to go long and that’s how she trains. She wants to go further. I think a mile would be great for her. She’ll handle stakes company OK. She’s been training forwardly since her last race and the race did her a lot of good.”
Baker praised Stone Creator’s ability to debut a winner going seven furlongs.
“That’s a tough distance first time out. For most horses, it’s a tough distance,” said Baker. “It’s kind of a sprint, but a little more than a sprint. To do it first time, you’re not sure. We had her wound up tight for the race and she did great.”
Carmouche will ride again from post 1.
Dream Maker Racing’s Yo Cuz enters from a last-out score in the $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue on December 18 at the Big A for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. A daughter of Laoban bred by Seidman Stables, Yo Cuz’s Fifth Avenue win was her first career victory, improving off a disappointing fifth on debut in a state-bred maiden special weight in November.
Piloted to her victory by Jose Ortiz, the bay filly was sent to the front and led the field of 11 through quick fractions, coasting to the half-mile pole in 47.10 and widening her margin at the top of the stretch. Under urging from Ortiz, Yo Cuz turned away a late run from post-time favorite and multiple stakes-placed Morning Matcha to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Ortiz gets the call again from the outermost post 8.
Trainer Horcio De Paz sends out Moam for her second try at stakes level after finishing a closing fourth with a troubled start in the Franklin Square last out on January 22. A bay daughter of Twirling Candy, Moam was a debut winner on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course for De Paz, sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs to a 1 3/4-length victory in a mild upset in the field of six.
The Franklin Square was the first start off a five-month layoff for Moam, who broke slowly and trailed 17 lengths behind pacesetter and returning rival Sandy’s Garden down the backstretch. With urging from Jose Lezcano, Moam made up ground rounding the turn but was left with too much to do and was beaten 15 lengths by Sterling Silver.
De Paz said he was proud of his filly’s ability to close despite her poor break.
“I was very encouraged by the run she put in considering the bad start,” said De Paz. “She was able to make up ground and it was good to see. She only had one race under her and we’re just getting started.”
De Paz said he has noticed more maturity and alertness from the filly in her gate work since the Franklin Square.
“Hopefully she’ll be sharper [after] that incident in the gate and having another race after not running for a while,” De Paz said. “She left herself a lot to do last time. She got some experience after breaking green and she’s schooled well. She’s been very consistent in her training and has had no hiccups since. She should be much more into the race now.”
Moam, a homebred for owner Barry Schwartz, will emerge from post 7 with Lezcano in the irons again.
Multiple stakes placed Captainsdaughter is seeking a breakout win after a trio of consecutive runner-up efforts at stakes level for trainer Russell Cash. The Midshipman filly, bred by Ocean View Stable, enters as the most experienced entrant in the field of eight with nine starts on her resume.
Captainsdaughter graduated at sixth asking in October at Belmont Park, cutting back to six furlongs and making the switch to dirt to win by 2 1/4 lengths over returning rival Caragate.
The dark bay has kept good company in stakes since, finishing second to Grade 2-placed Venti Valentine in the Maid of the Mist, the undefeated multiple stakes winner Classy Edition in the Key Cents, and runaway winner Stand Up Comic in the Parx Futurity last out on December 29.
Manny Franco will ride from post 2.
Completing the field are recent maiden winner Caragate [post 4, Eric Cancel], and stakes-placed fillies Sandy’s Garden [post 6, Trevor McCarthy], Reigning Chick [post 3, Jalon Samuel] and Thinking It Over [post 5, Dylan Davis].
The Maddie May, which is slated as Race 7 [3:57 p.m. Eastern] on Monday’s eight-race card, is named in honor of the New York-bred mare who captured three stakes at Belmont, including the Schenectady Handicap, the Iroquois Handicap, and the Maid of the Mist. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Maddie May won a total of eight races from 18 starts with each win occurring at a NYRA track.
First post for Monday’s Presidents’ Day card is 12:50 p.m.
America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
