NYRA Photo

Soloshot fires late to win NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy

by Keith McCalmont

Travis and Eddie Racing Stable’s Soloshot split rivals in deep stretch to nail the pacesetting Geopolitics and capture Friday’s $150,000 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for eligible Empire State-sired sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A.

Expertly piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the chestnut daughter of Solomini rose from claim-to-fame to give trainer Lolita Shivmangal her first career stakes win.

"I expected her to run big, but I was nervous going into the race, because you know you get nervous before a big race,” Shivmangal said. “I was very confident in her, and having Irad on, that she was going to run big, and she did it. I'm very proud of that little filly. Very, very proud of her.”

Find Your Joy and Being Betty broke alertly, but the Joel Rosario-piloted maiden Geopolitics, who left the gate as the 6-5 mutuel favorite, was sent to the front to mark the opening quarter-mile in 21.93 seconds over the firm going.

Geopolitics led to the turn with Being Betty, under Jose Lezcano, stalking closely from second position as Soloshot saved ground in third through a half-mile in 45.19 with Naughty Destiny trying to advance into the picture with an outside move.

Soloshot was in need of room while pinned inside by Being Betty and racing behind the speedy Geopolitics, who spun the field into the lane holding a precarious one-length lead. Ortiz, Jr. attempted to angle Soloshot off the rail for much of the stretch run, but Lezcano and Being Betty made sure it was no easy task before Soloshot finally fired through a narrow seam between rivals inside the final sixteenth to score by a nose in a final time of 1:09.03.

Geopolitics held second by a neck over a game Being Betty with Sohana, My Shea D Lady, Naughty Destiny, War Terminatrix and Find Your Joy rounding out the order of finish.

Shivmangal, who won her first race as a trainer in 2018, credited five-time Eclipse Award-winner Ortiz, Jr. for a perfect trip.

"You can't give Irad instructions. You tell him to ride and say thank you,” Shivmangal said. “I asked him what he thought, and he said he was going to stay close to the pace and make a run."

Ortiz, Jr. said he was content to follow Geopolitics and wait for his moment.

“I was right behind the horse [Geopolitics] and she carried me all the way to the wire. I saved all the ground,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “The horse helped me because she was there when I asked her. She deserves a lot of credit – she fought and she deserved the win today.”

Geopolitics, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, made her first two starts on dirt and settled for second by a half-length or less on both occasions with pacesetting trips.

Rosario, aboard Geopolitics for the second time, said he thought he was home free.

“She kind of waited a bit for the horses, but she responded. It’s too bad we didn’t get it,” Rosario said. “She always likes to wait a little bit. That horse that came past us [Soloshot] came running, so it was a good race.”

Soloshot made her first six starts all on dirt for trainer George Weaver, taking the state-bred Lady Finger in September at Finger Lakes. She was haltered for $32,000 from a runner-up effort over muddy and sealed going here on March 3.

Soloshot arrived from a pair of strong efforts sprinting six furlongs over the Big A turf, finishing a close second in open allowance company on April 27 and a stalking fourth in a state-bred optional-claimer on May 24.

The talented chestnut is out of the Twirling Candy mare Sweet Queen, who posted a record of 4-1-2-1 that included a debut win on dirt ahead of a pair of stakes placings on turf in California.

Shivmangal said the dam’s success on the green led them to point Soloshot to turf as well.

“We did the research and we saw the mother ran four lifetime races and three were on the turf, and she placed in every one. So, we went to the turf,” Shivmangal said.

Bred in New York by Rhapsody Farm, Soloshot banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 10-3-2-0. She returned $5.60 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont at the Big A with an 11-race card featuring the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses in Race 10. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.