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Stonewall Star shines in $100K Bay Ridge

by Christian Abdo

Barry K. Schwartz’s New York homebred Stonewall Star shined under Dylan Davis when holding off the favored Sterling Silver to win Friday’s $100,000 Bay Ridge, a one-turn mile for state-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Horacio De Paz, the 4-year-old Flatter bay traveled a prominent trip en route to her first win in her sixth start since capturing the state-bred Biogio’s Rose over the same course and distance in March. Her other stakes wins include the local state-bred Key Cents as a juvenile, the Franklin Square last year ahead of the open-company Wide Country at Laurel Park, as well as a third in the Grade 2 Beaumont at Keeneland.

“We wanted to just let her run where she’s comfortable and she’s usually pretty comfortable on the front end or close to the pace,” said De Paz. “The racetrack has been playing pretty fast all day today, so it seems like if you’re close or up front, you have that extra kick. She’s always been a talented filly.”

Stonewall Star exited the inside post a step slow after hitting the gate and briefly trailed the field of nine, but improved position along the rail and crept into fourth position just behind the pace duel between Sweetest Princess, Bon Adieu and Sterling Silver through an opening quarter-mile in 23.55 seconds on the fast dirt.

De Paz said Stonewall Star has frequently endured trouble at the gate, including last out in the local Grade 3 Go for Wand on December 7 where she stumbled badly and trailed the field.

“I expected the break to be better, but that’s been her trouble all year – bad breaks. In the morning she doesn’t get unsettled in there, but in the afternoon, Dylan said she was really good right up to the last horse that loaded and then she got a little unsettled in there which cost her the break,” De Paz said. “We got lucky that it stayed open, and he was able to come up the rail like that.”

Stonewall Star put a half-length in front of Bon Adieu as she traveled down the backside to lead through a half-mile in 46.15 with Sterling Silver dropping back slightly to travel in a close fifth under Junior Alvarado.

Davis kept close to the rail, which proved to be optimal during the prior seven races, sitting chilly aboard Stonewall Star rounding the far turn as stalking longshots Bon Adieu and Lisa’s Vision came under a drive to the outside.

“After the second race, it was very obvious,” Davis said of forward positioning. “Just speed in general, but then you could tell it was just inside.”

With three-quarters down in 1:09.98, Stonewall Star had a three-length advantage, widening to five lengths by the stretch call, but near-millionaire Sterling Silver was also responding down the center of the course.

Stonewall Star showed she had plenty left in the stretch, and despite a valiant chase from Sterling Silver, she maintained 2 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:35.02.

It was 4 1/4 lengths back to Midtown Lights in third and 4 3/4 lengths further to Golden Rocket rounding out the superfecta. Call Her Bluff, Lisa’s Vision, Bon Adieu, Silver Skillet and Sweetest Princess completed the order of finish. Sweet Brown Sugar, Cruise to Catalina and Khali Magic, who is entered in a local optional claimer on Sunday, were scratched.

Davis said Stonewall Star made a classy recovery to get forward positioning after breaking last.

“With not the best break, I was just trying to get as forwardly as possible and stay on the rail at the same time – just breaking and getting that position, and I just kept finding better position and found myself on the lead. I was happy with where I was at,” Davis said. “I was just trying to get her in hand to walk in the position, not to go too crazy, but she responded great.”

Alvarado said the Hall of Famer Bill Mott-trained Sterling Silver, who was defeated a nose last-out by Venti Valentine in the nine-furlong Empire Distaff on October 27 here, was unlucky once again.

“I got out of there and she put me in a good spot, but then I tried to go on the inside, and she shuffled back a bit,” said Alvarado. “She doesn’t like to be on the inside, so I had to go around, and we were just losing too much ground.”

Out of the Proud Citizen mare Jonata, Stonewall Star is a full-sister to multiple stakes-winner La Fuerza and a half-sister to stakes-winner Whatlovelookslike. Her second dam, Romp and Stomp, is a half-sister to 2002 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic-winner Volponi.

Stonewall Star banked $55,000 in victory while improving her record to 18-6-2-4 and returning $11.40 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes on Saturday at the Big A with a nine-race program that co-features the Listed $150,000 Gravesend [Race 3] and the state-bred $100,000 Alex M. Robb [Race 8]. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.