Trainer Gary Contessa, who one race earlier won the Park Avenue Division of the New York Stallion Stakes with Like a Rose, completed a sweep of the NYSS at Aqueduct Racetrack on Sunday afternoon when Fort Drum overcame an erratic trip to win the Times Square Division

Both divisions, for three-year-old fillies and for colts and geldings, respectively, carried $100,000 purses. Both races were run at seven furlongs on Aqueduct’s fast main track.

And both upsets contributed to a $205,953.07 Pick 6 Carryover for when racing resumes here on Wednesday, April 16.

Fort Drum, a Wiseman’s Ferry colt, broke from the far outside in post 8, then promptly veered outward. As Piquante Cat, favored King David J and Pocatello fought abreast on the lead through a quarter of 22.27 and a half of 45.06, jockey Eibar Coa managed to wrangle Fort Drum to the rail.

Piquante Cat shook free to take a clear lead as the other two faded, but Fort Drum progressed steadily. He came off the turn, and Coa tipped him out to get a clear shot at the leader.

Even after all this, Fort Drum couldn’t resist brushing with Piquante Cat in the lane, but he cleared the tiring rival and headed for the wire. Still making it interesting, Fort Drum drifted out late but still managed to hold on for a half-length win in 1:23:.87.

“He runs like a moron,” Contessa said. “He ran like a two-year-old making his first start. I have never seen a horse run this stupid and win.”

It was Fort Drum’s first win for Contessa and owners Winning Move Stable and Sanford Robbins. He returned $8.10.

“I went down to Keeneland in January (for the dispersal sale) thinking I could get him for $50,000-$70,000,” Contessa said. “Today’s race is why I paid $145,000. This one I really like.”

In the Park Avenue Division, Winning Move Stable’s Like a Rose, dismissed at a generous 8-1, provided her own brand of theatrics as she got her nose down between Study Aboard and I Promise to win in 1:25.31

Like a Rose

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t know I had it,” said winning jockey Mike Luzzi, who picked up the mount from Channing Hill, who was unseated in Sunday’s third race. “It was hard to tell. I needed a horse to push me by Gary’s other horse (I Promise) and here came the 2-horse (Study Abroad).”

I Promise and Canadian Ballet dueled early with Crafty N P and City by Sea behind a quarter of 22.21. Like a Rose, between horses early, managed to get to the rail to track the leaders as the half went in 45 and three-quarters went in 1:11.

Favored I Promise, also trained by Contessa, emerged with the lead and Study Abroad came with a wide rally. Like a Rose, once again between horses, put her nose down at the right second.

“This is a filly who I loved from Day 1,” said Contessa, as Like a Rose paid $18 to win. “She has had one physical problem after another stopping her. I told Steve (Sigler of Winning Move Stable) at the Ocala Sales last year that I had to have her. I think we paid $105,000 for her. I thought then the she was special, and today she proved she was special, on eight days’ rest. She’ll get a little time off now.”