On Command wires first stakes attempt in Listed License Fee
Lucky Hat Racing and V Hop Racing’s On Command grabbed the lead and did not look back to win in her first stakes attempt in Sunday’s Listed $150,000 License Fee, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for older fillies and mares, at Belmont at the Big A.
The victory marked the first stakes score for trainer Amelia Green, who switched the 4-year-old Omaha Beach dark bay back to turf following five outings on dirt, including a last-out 1 3/4-length local optional-claiming score sprinting six furlongs on March 22 with returning rider Katie Davis up.
“Until you're here, you can't really describe it,” Green said of her first stakes triumph. “I'm just so proud of the filly and my team in the barn, they do all the hard work and work hard every day. She's been training so good. Since I've got her in the barn, she's never put a foot out of line. I'm just so proud of her and happy for the connections."
On Command, who was also Green’s first overall winner on December 1 here, was nominated to the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Vagrancy, slated for Race 7 on the main track. She made her first eight starts for trainer Rusty Arnold, including two maiden routes on turf, before being purchased for $120,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
“She has a big turf foot and seems like a filly that would run on anything,” said Green, who previously worked as an assistant to Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. “The big thing since coming into my barn was cutting her back and sprinting her. She seems to have thrived since we cut her back in distance. The two [turf] races before I got her were routing on the turf, but today obviously sprinting was the trick."
On Command exited the outermost post 6 alertly but not quite as sharp as the favored Dontlookbackatall or Time to Dazzle from posts 4 and 5, respectively. Davis, within a few strides, overtook those rivals aboard On Command to lead through an opening quarter-mile in 22.62 seconds on the firm turf.
“We’re outside post, let’s just break and see who wants to go. I was kind of surprised a lot of them took a hold, and I was like, ‘I’ll take it,” Davis said. “In the turn, I kind of took a look back and I was going to move because I thought they were on me, but they weren’t so I gave her another breather. Then, I hit the top of the stretch and she kicked on.”
On Command was followed through the turn by the Hall of Famer Javier Castellano-piloted Time to Dazzle, as Hollywood Walk improved along the inside to vie for third position with Dontlookbackatall as the half-mile elapsed in 44.85.
On Command held a 1 1/2-length advantage over Time to Dazzle with Hollywood Walk to her inside as the trio separated themselves from the rest of the field with one furlong remaining going five-eighths in 56.05.
“She just kept going for me,” Davis said. “I switched sticks, saved some for the last part. I was a little nervous with the horse outside of me [Time to Dazzle], and I said, ‘left hand, don’t catch me now!’ They were just chasing her, and she’s got those little legs and kicks them out. I was very confident with her on the grass.”
Time to Dazzle loomed the main danger down the center of the course but On Command responded on the front end, fighting gamely to hold off her rival. After a few attempts from Time to Dazzle to push on by the frontrunning 10-1 shot, it was On Command holding her command as a one-length victor in a final time of 1:07.65.
Hollywood Walk held third 1 3/4 lengths back, with Love Appeals completing the superfecta. Weehawken and Dontlookbackatall rounded out the order of finish. Buttercream Babe and main track-only entrant Save Us Melania were scratched.
Davis said that Green, who often rides her horses in morning training, was well-deserving of her first stakes win.
“It’s nice that women support each other. To know that they have confidence in me and I have confidence in her – I just love the way she trains. She gets on her own,” said Davis. “She knows what’s underneath her, and I praise her for that. She’s a great up-and-coming woman trainer and she’s going to have a lot of success."
Green said she will consider a potential next start for On Command in the Grade 2, $200,000 Intercontinental, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint on June 5 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
“We'll talk about it. We'll see how she comes out of the race, talk to the connections and look for a next spot after that,” said Green.
Castellano said the Hall of Famer Mark Casse-trained Grade 3-winner Time to Dazzle gave a nice effort off the bench since a fourth in the Listed Glen Cove in October here.
“I’m very proud and satisfied with the way she did it today. She hasn’t run in a while and she put a huge effort in today. I’m proud,” said Castellano. “They went pretty quick and I think the track is fast. The speed didn’t come back to me and you can see the times, 22, 44, 1:07 – I think that’s really fast. My filly kept tracking, and I think she’s going to go by, but the other one couldn’t be caught.”
Bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, On Command banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 13-3-2-4 and returning $22.80 for a $2 win bet. She is out of First Defence mare Flautist, and her second dam is dual Grade 1-winner Flute, winner of the 2001 Kentucky Oaks.
Live racing resumes Thursday at Belmont at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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