Volleyballprincess scores her first stakes win in the Ruthless (Joe Labozzetta)
Mary Eddy/NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bran Jam Stable and David Clark’s Volleyballprincess netted her first stakes victory in impressive fashion in Saturday’s $125,000 Ruthless, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The North Carolina-bred daughter of Mo Town led a Louis Linder, Jr.-trained exacta as the same ownership’s Ourdaydreaminggirl put in a late bid to move up into second behind an untouchable Volleyballprincess, who posted the 10-length score under Eliseo Ruiz.
Volleyballprincess entered from a third-place effort in the seven-furlong Parx Future Stars Fillies Division on December 30, where she stretched out from her debut victory sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in October at Parx Racing.
Linder, Jr. said he was confident Volleyballprincess could win at the distance.
“When we breezed her, she didn’t want to pull up, so I thought she could get it,” said Linder, Jr., who won his first New York stakes. “I wasn’t too worried.
“She’s maturing every day,” Linder, Jr. added. “She’s always showed us she has talent, and she showed it today.”
Volleyballprincess emerged in good order from post 3 in the five-horse field and bounded to the front while her stablemate stumbled to her inside. The Mychel Sanchez-piloted Hollywood Beauty broke sharpest of all, but relinquished the lead to Volleyballprincess on her inside before they reached the quarter-mile call in 23.67 seconds over the fast main track.
“I thought we’d be sitting off the inside [Win N Your In] or outside [Hollywood Beauty] horse, but she came out of there running,” Linder, Jr. explained. “He didn’t want to discourage her, so he just went on with her.”
VOLLEYBALLPRINCESS serves up a longshot win in the Ruthless Stakes at 10-1 with @eliseorfoficial aboard for trainer Louis Linder, Jr. pic.twitter.com/Rd0l0ERZcX
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) February 1, 2025
Hollywood Beauty kept close watch from second as Win N Your In and Moonlit Drive went head-to-head for third position, with Volleyballprincess ticking along smoothly at the helm through the half-mile in 47.81. Hollywood Beauty came under a ride entering the turn and was reaching her best stride approaching the top of the lane, but Volleyballprincess drew further and further away as the others tried in vain to close the gap after three-quarters in 1:12.38.
Despite Ruiz losing his crop inside the quarter pole, Volleyballprincess accelerated impressively with just a strong hand ride, drawing well clear of the late-rallying Ourdaydreaminggirl to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:25.12.
Ourdaydreaminggirl was 1 1/4 lengths clear of Hollywood Beauty with post-time favorite Moonlit Drive finishing another 2 3/4 lengths back in fourth. Win N Your In completed the order of finish.
Ruiz, who celebrated his first New York stakes conquest and second overall, said Volleyballprincess was sharp in victory.
“My horse broke really good today. I trusted in her all the way. She broke and she bites the bit easily when in front on the lead. She gave me her all and she won a stake by a lot. She knew it was a stakes,” Ruiz said, with a laugh.
Linder, Jr. added Volleyballprincess will likely target the Listed $200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile on March 1 offering 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers.
“That would be the plan right now, for sure,” Linder, Jr. said. “I think we’re pushing the limit to a mile. She could prove me wrong, but I think that’s about as far as she would want to go.”
As for Ourdaydreaminggirl, the daughter of Instagrand is likely to see even more ground moving forward.
“That filly will need two turns to be super competitive, but she’s a nice filly, too,” Linder, Jr. concluded.
Bred by Dr. Frank Batten, Volleyballprincess was a $17,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the winning Stephen Got Even mare Prom Dress. She banked $68,750 in victory while returning $22 on a $2 win ticket.
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
