With
a determined run through the stretch, Lansdon B. Robbins, III’s Fuzzy Britches
came from off the pace to take the 16th running of the $65,000
Dearly Precious Sunday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, earning her second
victory of the year and first ever in a stakes.
Ridden
by New
York’s leading jockey, Ramon
Dominguez, the dark bay daughter of Pollard’s Vision was content to settle in
third as Wild News led the field of five 3-year-old fillies through fractions
of 22.66 and 46.34. Moving into striking position on the turn, Fuzzy Britches
launched her bid from the outside and took command inside the furlong marker,
holding off the late flurry by Judge Sonya to win by a half-length.
Her
time for the six furlongs was 1:11.88 over the fast inner track.
“She
was pretty settled and she showed a little more tactical speed today than she
has before,” said Dominguez, who last month rode Fuzzy Britches to win an
allowance race in her first start of 2010. “There was not really a
whole lot of pace in the race. She’s one of those who will relax, but
when you ask her to go she gives you her run.”
Fuzzy
Britches returned $3.80 as the 4-5 choice in running her lifetime record to
3-2-2 from seven starts, including a second-place finish in the one-mile,
70-yard Busanda Stakes on January 9 on the heels of her allowance win.
“The
last time she ran with only three days in between races, so that might have
been a little too quick,” said trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr.’s assistant, Juan
Rodriguez. “With the time off, I expected her to run much better today. I
think she’s better sprinting than going longer.”
The
Dearly Precious winner’s purse of $39,000 boosted Fuzzy Britches’ earnings to
$148,100 for Robbins and co-owner AZ Azalea Stables.
Following
runner-up Judge Sonya under the wire were Wild News, Indian Burn and Sweet
Venom. Bellflower
and Gator Prowl were scratched.
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