Coglianese /NYRA Photo Photo

Lady Alexandra collects License Fee

by Najja Thompson

Making her first start of the year, Heider Family Stables' Lady Alexandra made her 2018 debut in impressive fashion, besting a field of seven to win the $100,000 License Fee for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on Sunday at Belmont Park.

Breaking alertly from post 7 at odds of 8-1 with Jose Ortiz in the irons, Lady Alexandra stalked comfortably from third position as Touch of Bling and Nisha went to the front with the former setting fractions of 22.88 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and the half in 45.47.

At the quarter-pole, Lady Alexandra was positioned three wide passing the pair in front. IN full command at the top of the stretch, she extended away to the wire to secure the victory by 3 ½ lengths.

Her final time for the six-furlong distance was 1:08.65 on the inner turf course listed as good. The Graham Motion trainee made her first start in nearly nine months following an eighth-place finish in the Coronation Cup at Saratoga last July.

"I was just a passenger today," said Ortiz. "She broke well and put me in a good position. Graham always gives me the confidence to put them where they are comfortable. I felt like she was doing it easy where she was in second. She was pretty easy going to the quarter pole and when I asked to go, she exploded. She really gave me a good kick. She did it really nice."

Returning $18.80 for a $2 win wager and earning her first stakes win and fourth overall from seven career starts, the 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready filly boosted her career earnings to $210,750.

Odds on favorite Stormy Victoria, who trailed through most of the race before making a swift turn-of-foot to the wire closed for second, followed by Jennifer Lynnette, Jc's Shooting Star, Always Thinking, Touch of Bling and Nisha. Pretty Perfection was scratched from the race.