Adam Coglianese / NYRA Photo

A Freud of Mama’s brave stretch run wins NYSSS Fifth Avenue

by Brian Bohl

William Butler’s longshot A Freud of Mama ran down two competitors, including stablemate and pacesetter Time Limit, in deep stretch and surged home a 1 ½-length winner of the $500,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Fifth Avenue for state-sired juvenile fillies on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 35th running of the Fifth Avenue, along with Saturday’s NYSSS Great White Way for 2-year-olds, are the richest sire stakes race in the country. A Freud of Mama bagged the winner’s share of the half-million dollar purse by staying off fellow Mike Maker trainee Time Limit’s early fractions of 23.08 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and the half in 46.47 on the muddy and sealed main track.

Jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr. urged A Freud of Mama up after that point of call, gradually gaining on the leaders nearing the turn. Time Limit, under Manny Franco, maintained the edge into the final furlong. But Office Hutchy continued to close in nearing the wire before A Freud of Mama, at 23-1, overtook both with a strong outside kick, completing seven furlongs in a final time of 1:25.81 for her first stakes win.

“It was the first time she was getting kickback, so it took her a little bit to get used to it,” Vargas, Jr. said. “Once she got into the bridle, she was there for me.”

A Freud of Mama, who returned $48.20 on a $2 win wager, entered with graded stakes blacktype, finishing third behind Time Limit and next-out winner Alms in the Grade 3 Matron on October 5 at Belmont on the turf. The daughter of Freud, bred in New York by her owner, got the better of her stablemate in the rematch, with Time Limit finishing third, a neck behind runner-up Officer Hutchy.

Green Polka Farms’ Officer Hutchy, trained by Linda Rice, entered off a debut win in a maiden claiming event on November 21 at the Big A, where she showed good closing speed. Jockey Dylan Davis had her more forwardly placed in the Fifth Avenue, where the Boys At Tosconova filly stayed in second position behind Time Limit before again closing strong.

“She’s trained well coming into it and I really thought she would improve off that maiden victory and we should take a shot at this. She ran great, Rice said.

Added Davis: “She ran great. She broke sharp and put me in a good spot. I just stayed with her down the lane and she was inching back up and that six horse [A Freud of Mama] pushed her to finish a little stronger. She got up for second and I thought she was going to win for a little bit. She ran a good race off the maiden win.”

Bank Sting, Holmdel Park, 1-2 favorite Big Q, Sure Stitch, Classy Sadie, Central Exit, Desbordes and Jimmys Lass completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 12:30 p.m. Eastern.