Go Unbridled third time lucky, as she lands the John Hettinger Stakes at Belmont Park
The 4-year-old Allen Jerkens trained filly, Go Unbridled, coming off a third place finish in the Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga takes advantage of the change of surface in the $100,000 John Hettinger Stakes, under jockey Ramon Dominguez, on 25 September
at Belmont Park.
The daughter of Unbridled Jet, out of Majesty’s Time mare Reign or Shine, Go Unbridled, in a reduced field of six, turned it on at the three eighth pole, where she found pace and stamina to split horses.
Jockey Ramon Dominguez tipped the filly four wide to get into contention, as they left behind Spa City Princess inside the eighth pole, and got clear, home free to win the race by 1 ½ lengths.
The John Hettinger Stakes was originally carded to be run over the Belmont Park’s turf surface, but the officials deemed that the turf is too soft to have a race on it and despite early workouts on the soft grass course, it was switched to run over dirt.
Pace setting Exclusive Scheme showed the way in the early stages of the race, as she ripped the opening half mile in 46.82 seconds.
It came down to fellow main-track-only entrant, Spa City Princess, and Go Unbridled, but the latter one had enough in her on the day to take down any filly, and she went all the way in the 1 1/8 mile test.
Spa City Princess rolled in second, but was well away from the rest of the fillies, 7 lengths to be exact, as Roger Jewel’s came in a little too late in third place, followed in the order of finish by Mineralogist, Akilina and Exclusive Scheme.
Jockey Ramon Dominguez said that the filly went pretty fast when she got in front, and she had enough in her to keep coming all day.
He praised Go Unbridled’s speed management, as the filly was pretty steady in her run, and knew not to blow out completely so she didn’t get tired.
Go Unbridled ran well in her last two starts, but got out finished by a head in each of her last two starts, and Jerkens might point her to the $100,000 Iroquois Handicap at seven furlongs on 22 October.
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