Northern Netti Stays Unbeaten With Bouwerie Score | |
| By Francis LaBelle Jr. | May 4, 2008 |
Entering Sunday’s 31st running of the $109,300 Bouwerie for three-year-old New York-bred fillies at seven furlongs, Dance Gal Dance was a formidable adversary. She had won all four of her career starts for trainer Tim Ritvo and was understandably the 3-2 post-time favorite of the Belmont Park crowd of 4,576. But when the race was over, the only undefeated filly was Jim and Susan Hill’s Northern Netti, a Canadian invader who sat off the leader, then blew her away in the stretch for a 9 ¼-length victory worth $22.80 to the $2 win players. The big price helped account for a Pick 6 Carryover for Wednesday of $48,557. A daughter of City Zip, Northern Netti made her first start outside of Woodbine an impressive one as she stalked Dance Gal Dance’s pace of 22.28; 45.25 and 1:08.96 on the fast main track. When jockey Eibar Coa gave her the `go,’ she dug in and left her six rivals reeling, stopping the clock in 1:21.24. “I knew nothing at all about the horse,” said Coa, who picked up the mount after his own mount, Love Co, was scratched. “She finished up well. I am glad she was outside so she could break and sit. She was very professional.” She was also the third of Coa’s four winners on the afternoon. Now 3 for 3, Northern Netti will likely step up in her next start, the Grade 1, $250,000 Acorn for three-year-old fillies at a mile on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7. Among those she will likely meet is Zaftig, who won Saturday’s Grade 2 Nassau County, covering seven furlongs in 1:22.74 in her 5 ¼-length victory. “Well, she’s undefeated, and she can run,” said trainer Reade Baker of Northern Netti. “There was nothing for her at home and we saw this race, and we wanted to win a stakes with her. I am kind of surprised at the price. I thought on paper she stacked up with the rest of them. We are going to come back for the Acorn. She’s fast, she’s impressive, and she deserves a chance.” My Dinah was third, followed by Expect the End, Meriwether Jessica, Karakorum Katie and Weathered. |









