Nicole H posted a repeat victory in the Interborough Stakes as she commenced the New Year with a win
Undefeated since 4 December, 2010, the 5-year-old mare, Nicole H, has stayed at Aqueduct race course for her 4 starts up till now, and in between her four race winning streak, the experienced mare landed the $75,000 Interborough Stakes for the second consecutive time at Aqueduct race course on 1 January, 2012, going over a distance of six furlongs, on dirt, under jockey Ramon Dominguez.
In a field of six 3-year-old and above fillies and mare, M Hushion trained Nicole H settled in for the fourth position. She stalked for a while in the six furlong dash to the top of the stretch, and suddenly found her second wing to cut in between two rivals to launch her rally.
Approaching the three sixteenths pole, Nicole H, then had to run down the pace setter, Winning Image.
Nicole H had enough in the tank to keep her neck advantage over the pace setter right through her deep stretch rally.
“Throughout the first part of the race she was as brilliant as she has always been – very handy and full of herself,” said Dominguez. “When she made the lead, there was a change today. She was obviously slowing down the last sixteenth of a mile. You have to take into consideration that she hasn’t run in awhile; I don’t know whether that was a factor, but I’m not overly concerned. Overall I was happy with her; there is always room to improve, she probably just got tired the last sixteenth.”
The Kentucky bred daughter of Mr. Greely, out of mare Hot Chipotle by Victory Gallop, Nicol H defeated Winning Image in second, and Aquitania in third, while she covered the six furlong distance in 1 minute and 10.99 seconds.
After winning the 2011 edition of the Interborough Stakes, Nicole H was pointed at the Grade 2 Distaff Handicap. Under a new jockey, C Hill, Nicole H did not even put a foot wrong in the seven furlong long grade 2 event.
She came out as the victor, and by defeating Wild News and Kid Kate, she had completed her hat-trick of victories in an incredible run at Aqueduct.
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