Harlan Punch authoritative in Stymie

by Najja Thompson and Heather Pettinger

Divine Miss Grey wires her competition in Heavenly Prize

Making his second start in less than a week, Harlan Punch received a perfect trip for owner and trainer David Jacobson under the services of leading winter meet rider Dylan Davis, besting a field of seven to win the $150,000 Stymie on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Breaking alertly from post 2, Harlan Punch comfortably stalked in second position as Hit It Once More set fractions of 23.79 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, with the half in 47.52.

Harlan Punch made his winning move at the quarter-pole, moving three wide to overtake Hit It Once More and was set down in full gear at the top of the stretch. He extended away to comfortably secure the victory by seven lengths.

He completed the one-mile distance in a final time of 1:38.03.

"I just played off the break," said Davis. "I saw Rafael [Hernandez] was very aggressive with Hit It Once More [No. 4], so I just let him do his own thing. Once I come to the outside, he just got into his own stride and he took it all for himself."

Sent off as the 9-5 post-time favorite, the son of Harlan's Holiday returned $5.90 for a $2 win wager. He earned his third consecutive victory, following a pair of allowance optional claiming wins on February 15 and March 4, respectively. The 5-year-old increased his career earnings to $571,993.

"I didn't discuss [the race] with Dylan," said Jacobson. "I left him no instructions, I told him to use your gut, and figure it out, and the way he's riding right now, who's going to tell him what to do? Definitely not me."

Backsideofthemoon closed strongly to finish second followed by Hit It Once More, Watershed, Fellowship, Vulcan's Forge and Securitiz.

One race later, Corms Racing Stable's Divine Miss Grey picked up her third straight win with a 6 ¾-length gate-to-wire score in the $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational for fillies and mares at a mile.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, the 4-year-old chestnut filly by Divine Park assumed an easy early lead under Kendrick Carmouche, racing about a length ahead of Frost Wise and taking the tightly-packed field of five through a 23.73-second quarter-mile and a 47.35-second half. Carmouche took a confident peek behind him nearing the turn and put Divine Miss Grey under mild asking at the top of the stretch to easily draw off for the win.

The final time for the one-turn mile in 1:38.13. The Danny Gargan trainee returned $4.20.

The Heavenly Prize was the second stakes win for Divine Miss Grey, who won the seven-furlong Interborough by 3 ¼ lengths on January 15. Prior to that, she closed out her sophomore campaign with a 3 ¾-length allowance optional claiming win on December 10.

Divine Miss Grey, who was claimed for $16,000 in March of 2017, improves her career record to eight wins and three seconds from 15 lifetime starts for total earnings of $383,672.

"She's a nice horse," said Gargan. "She's worked out well for us. She kind of stumbled at the start and had to rush up, but once she was there, she inserted herself and controlled the speed, but she's really turning into a nice horse, and I'm just lucky to have her at the right time."

Biogio's Rose winner Holiday Disguise, who made a three-wide move in the turn to get into contention, settled for second, finishing 9 ¾ lengths ahead of Frost Wise in third. Boule was fourth while Highway Star, making her first start since finishing second in the Grade 3 Go For Wand Handicap on December 2, completed the order of finish.

Bishop's Pond, Crimson Frost, and Inconclusive were scratched.