Elsa Lorieul Photo

Highway Star thrives off short turnaround to capture NYSS Staten Island

by Brian Bohl / Keith McCalmont

Regal Glory outbattles Introduced in Stewart Manor thriller

Chester and Mary Broman's homebred Highway Star stalked the pace in a 11-horse field before surging in the stretch for a four-length win in the featured $125,000 New York Stallion Series Staten Island Division for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Sunday's ninth and final race at Aqueduct Racetrack.

After running eighth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint November 3 at Churchill Downs, Highway Star looked sharp off a quick eight-day turnaround, tracking Bluegrass Flag's early pace of a quarter-mile in 22.72 seconds and the half in 46.32 on the fast main track.

On the backstretch, Highway Star rallied from ninth, gaining ground under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. entering the turn. At the top of the stretch, the Rodrigo Ubillo trainee overtook Frosty Margarita and Bluegrass Flag from the outside and easily cleared away to complete the seven-furlong sprint in 1:25.58 against her fellow New York breds.

"I had never ridden her before, but when I asked, she gave me a good kick into the turn and was travelling really nice," Ortiz, Jr. said. "I couldn't see anything with my right eye from the three-eighths pole on, so I had to turn around big time to look with my left eye to watch for the competition. Once I realized I was OK, I saved something [for next time]."

The 5-year-old Girolamo mare won her second straight start at a NYRA track, building on her win by a neck in the Iroquois on October 20 at Belmont Park. The four-time graded stakes winner improved to 10-5-2 in 23 career starts, including 4-1-0 in seven starts at the Big A.

"Irad did a great job. He was half-blind riding her, but she won easy," Ubillo said. "He had three goggles and used all of them. By the quarter pole he was trying to guide her, but he couldn't see anymore and that's why you see him looking back, because he was afraid somebody was coming, but nobody was coming. There was nobody near her."

Off as the 1-2 favorite, Highway Star, a Silver member of the New York Racing Association Starter Loyalty Program, returned $3.10 on a $2 win wager. She earned $72,188 for the victory and has finished on the board in five of her last seven starts.

"It's like she didn't run in her last race. It sounds crazy that she didn't run at the Breeders' Cup. She got beat five lengths, but it wasn't the Highway Star that I know," Ubillo said. "She wasn't all there. Coming back here after the race, it felt like she didn't run. She was jumping and kicking, and this race was coming up. I decided to enter and had a few days. We could scratch the morning of...but it worked out good and I can sleep good tonight."

Starlite Mission, who has achieved Gold status in the NYRA Starter Loyalty Program, edged Frostie Anne by a half-length for second in her stakes debut in her 14th career start for trainer Gary Contessa.

Frosty Margarita, Fair Regis, Our Super Nova, Aunt Babe, Frost Wise, She's Delightful, Bluegrass Flag and Andesine completed the order of finish.

In the penultimate race on Sunday's card, Paul Pompa, Jr.'s homebred Regal Glory nosed out Introduced in a thrilling stretch duel to capture the co-featured $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies.

With Jose Ortiz up for trainer Chad Brown, Regal Glory arrived at the six-furlong sprint over a yielding outer turf course from an impressive 5 1/2-length debut win on October 6 on the Belmont Park green. Sent to post as the even-money mutuel favorite in her stakes debut, Regal Glory saved ground inside of Tradeable from third position as Guacamole set a swift tempo, marking the quarter-mile in 22.33 seconds and the half in 46.07 while under pressure from Introduced.

Ortiz angled Regal Glory off the rail through the turn as Introduced, with Manny Franco, put away the pacesetter while drifting to the center of the track to engage with the onrushing favorite. The duo battled gamely to the wire with Regal Glory putting her nose down at the optimal moment to stop the clock in 1:10.94. ssGuacamole held on for third, 1 ½ lengths in front of Red Hot Dame.

Ortiz, who had guided the eventual runner-up to a second-place finish in her debut at Saratoga Race Course, was prepared for a fight down the lane.

"She's a nice filly and I remember the horse who finished second [Introduced, No. 10) from Saratoga and know she is a horse the trainer [Alan Goldberg] is high on. When we got to the eighth pole, I knew it was going to be a battle because Manny [Franco, Introduced's jockey] had her running. My horse started to run too, and we went head-to-head. I'm just glad we got it at the end," said Ortiz.

Regal Glory is a well-bred daughter of Animal Kingdom out of the multiple graded stakes winner Mary's Follies. Her half-brother, Night Prowler, is also a multiple graded stakes winner having captured the Grade 3 Dania Beach and Grade 3 Transylvania in 2015 for Brown.

Returning $4 for a $2 win ticket, she banked $55,000 in victory while remaining undefeated through two career starts.

Jaded Lady, Shak's Hidden Gem, Dragic, Tradeable and Brook Marie completed the order of finish. Monette and Music of Life were scratched.