Nicole H rang in the
New Year in style on Tuesday at Aqueduct Racetrack, pulling clear
through the stretch to become the first mare to win three consecutive
editions of the $75,000 Interborough.
Fourth in a tightly
packed bunch as Mildly Offensive took the field of fillies and mares
through an opening quarter-mile in 23.06 and a half in 46.75, Nicole H
turned for home behind a wall of horses but quickly
found running room at the top of the stretch. Taking command with 220
yards to go, she edged clear under a hand-ride from Ramon Dominguez and
completed the six furlongs in 1:11.01.
“It seemed like every
other filly in here had a little tactical speed, and sure enough they
all went and it set up perfect for me,” said Dominguez, who won his
fourth straight riding title on The New York Racing
Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit in 2012. “Turning for home I was just
with a handful of horse waiting to see which way I was going to go. Once
the room opened up, she whistled through there.”
Trained by Mike
Hushion, the multiple stakes-winning daughter of Mr. Greeley is now
5-for-5 over the Big A’s inner track, including victories in the 2012
Correction Handicap, the 2011 Garland of Roses and the
2011 and 2012 Interborough. Six other horses have won two editions of
the race since 1930, including champions Ta Wee (1969-70) and
Affectionately (1963-64).
The 2-5 favorite,
Nicole H returned $2.70 for a $2 win bet and earned another $45,000 for
her owners, Gem, Inc. She is now 10-10-2 from 27 starts with a bankroll
of $776,144.
Mildly Offensive held
on for second, 1 ¼ lengths back, and was followed home by Singlet,
Tanglewood Tale, and Silent Serenity. Celtic Chant, Hot Roots, and Ms.
Cruisen’ were scratched.
In the 142nd
running of the $75,000 Ladies Handicap, favored Arena Elvira outdueled R
Gypsy Gold through the stretch and prevailed by a neck to snap a
three-race losing streak.
Trained by Hall of
Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, the 6-year-old mare
tracked longshot Silver Prize through an opening half-mile in 49.66
seconds and three quarters in 1:14.04. Moving up three-wide
to challenge the pacesetter on the far turn, Arena Elvira took command
straightening for home and had enough left to fob off a determined
inside rally from R Gypsy Gold.
Her winning time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:51.53.
“Lately, the last few
races I’ve been riding her, she’s not even taking me,” said Alvarado of
Arena Elvira, whose previous victory came in the Wayward Lass in March
at Tampa Bay Downs. “Today, since the second
step out of the gate, she took me right away. [In the stretch] my filly
felt that other horse inside and she kept trying until past the wire.”
The victory was the
ninth in 17 career starts for Arena Elvira, including stakes wins in the
Grade 2 Falls City Handicap, the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm, the
Sightseek and Madam Jumel. She returned $3.40 for
a $2 win bet and with the winner’s purse of $45,000 has earned
$487,496.
R Gypsy Gold was 8 ¼
lengths ahead of Silver Prize, with Villanesca completing the order of
finish. Dial Direct and Smart Cash were scratched.