Village Voice. (Chelsea Durand)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Resolute Racing’s Village Voice made her stateside and barn debut a winning one with Dylan Davis aboard in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Waya, a 1 3/8-mile inner turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.
Village Voice provided her five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown with a record-extending eighth Waya victory, adding to past scores with Goldy Espony [2015], Guapaza [2016], Fools Gold [2019], My Sister Nat [2020-21], Rocky Sky [2022] and McKulick [2023].
Village Voice had made 12 prior starts overseas for conditioner Jessica Harrington, landing four wins and four group placings, including victories in the 1 1/2-mile Listed Prix des Tourelles last September at Saint-Cloud and the Group 3 Prix de Flore going 1 5/16 miles in October 2023 there.
The 5-year-old Zarak bay, who was a $1,727,463 purchase at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mare Sale for Resolute Bloodstock, had not started since a fourth in the 1 7/16-mile Group 1 British Champions Fillies and Mares last October at Ascot.
“Chad told me she was training well and that she’s very handy, but to just be mindful of the year layoff and save ground,” said Davis, who had never previously been aboard the mare.
Village Voice exited post 4 alertly and settled into 8th-of-10 well off the pace set by Big Beautiful through an opening quarter-mile in 23.74 seconds over the firm turf. Village Voice traveled along the rail following the Graham Motion-trained pair of Sirona and Beach Bomb as the field passed the wire for the first time.
Big Beautiful marked the half-mile in 48.55 while stalked by American Sonja, with a gap back to Noir, La Mehana and an improving Beach Bomb. Village Voice still hugged the rail in the second turn towards the back of the field as her Brown-trained stablemate Alimara drew up alongside to vie for eighth position.
“I tried to save as much ground as possible, and I thought she was traveling well enough to angle her out to the outside there into the third turn and into the stretch,” Davis said. “She was best. She ran really well. She definitely was a very classy ride.”
Down the backside, Big Beautiful’s cushion began to diminish following three-quarters in 1:14.26 and through one-mile in 1:39.37. American Sonja had closed the gap as the field entered the third and final turn with La Mehana looking to angle out while Alluring Angel and Beach Bomb readied for their bids to her outside, with Village Voice looming in behind.
At the top of the lane, Davis tipped Village Voice out wide for her rally, but the clashing Alluring Angel and Beach Bomb had the jump as the others stalled. The Hall of Famer Javier Castellano-piloted Beach Bomb edged clear in her duel with Alluring Angel within the final furlong, but the wide-rallying Village Voice swept by in the final jumps to post a neck victory in a final time of 2:15.71.
“Once I moved up, it put some pressure on the other riders to make some moves and forced them into positions where I was able to work my way out on the outside,” Davis said. “I was really happy with the way it panned out. She finished off strong and that was off a year layoff, so she should definitely improve off of that.”
It was three-quarter-lengths back from Beach Bomb to Alluring Angel, with American Sonja completing the superfecta. The favored La Mehana, Sirona, Big Beautiful, Lady Firefoot, Alimara and Noir completed the order of finish.
Youknownothing, entered in the Maryland Million Turf on October 11 at Laurel Park, was scratched, along with main track-only entrants Amanda’s Folly and Midtown Lights.
Castellano said Beach Bomb was game in close quarters during the stretch drive.
“It was tight. It was a combination of the horse that went to the inside – speed horse, and I try to maintain my line. The winner was much the best and she was way outside,” Castellano said. “The best horse won the race. My horse fought all the way to the end, and I give a lot of credit to the winner. Second best today.”
Kendrick Carmouche, aboard Alluring Angel, said the 33-1 Hall of Famer Bill Mott trainee improved with blinkers on for the longest race of her career.
“No excuse. She ran good and I had her in the right spot to win. Better horses in the race today. She did improve with the distance and the blinkers, so they can look forward for the same effort next time,” Carmouche said.
The British-bred Village Voice is out of the winning Street Sense mare Sensible Way. Her second dam is multiple Group 1-placed Nasheej. She banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 13-5-1-3 and returning $10.08 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Thursday at Belmont at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
