Elsa Lorieul Photo

Ice Princess cool customer in capturing $100K Maddie May

by Brian Bohl

Ice Princess looked strong off a three-month layoff in her previous race and registered another impressive effort in the second start of her 2020 campaign, overtaking Courageous Girl out of the turn to capture Sunday’s $100,000 Maddie May for New York-bred sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Owned by Flying P Stable, Corms Racing Stable and R.A. Hill Stable, Ice Princess won her debut in September by 12 lengths at Belmont Park before trainer Danny Gargan moved her up in class, where she ran fourth in the Grade 1 Frizette on the same track in October.

Following a freshening, the Palace Malice filly bested first-level state-bred allowance company on January 20 at the Big A in her 3-year-old bow. That effort propelled Ice Princess to 2-5 favorite status in the fifth running of the Maddie May, where Nicky Scissors led the five-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.45 seconds and the half in 47.15 on the fast main track with Courageous Girl challenging up front.

Under jockey Manny Franco, who rode five winners on Saturday at Aqueduct, Ice Princess was covered in fourth position before being asked out of the turn. Courageous Girl, who took the lead by the three-quarters of a mile mark, was still in straightening for home before Ice Princess was set down and overtook her challenger from the outside.

Under Dylan Davis, Courageous Girl, at 34-1, gave one last push near the rail before Ice Princess drew away by 2 1/2 lengths, completing the one-turn mile in a final time of 1:39.70.

“I was the favorite, so they weren’t going to let me do it easily,” Franco said. “I had horse the whole way. I felt that as soon as I got out and I asked my filly, she was going to respond the best. I felt that I had a lot of horse. She still is a little green. When she made the lead, she kind of pulled up a little bit. Once you start working on her, she gets going.”

Ice Princess, bred by Mina Equivest has won three of her four career starts and improved her career bankroll to $148,300. She returned $2.90 on a $2 win wager.

Courageous Girl, conditioned by David Donk, bested Myawaya by 5 ¾ lengths for second. Holmdel Park and Nicky Scissors completed the order of finish.

“I thought Dylan gave her a great ride,” Donk said. “I was a little concerned there was so much speed in the race. Obviously, she didn’t match up on paper the way she has run. But Dylan gave her an excellent trip and she really hung in there and the winner had to get by her and really earn it.”

Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.