Trainer Jorge Abreu is no longer concerned about distance for Bam’s Bliss Kiss.
Bam’s Bliss Kiss, who had never raced beyond seven furlongs in her 17-race career, easily handled a mile on Sunday, cruising to a ridiculously easy 8 1/4-length victory in the $135,000 Biogio’s Rose Stakes for New York-bred females at Aqueduct. It was the sixth consecutive victory for the daughter of Solomini owned by Mad Dog Racing.
In a race that appeared to have ample early speed, Bam’s Bliss Kiss, under Jaime Rodriguez, was able to secure a one-length advantage through a quarter in 23.80 seconds and a half-mile in 47.15. When favored Collect the Data attempted to get near her at the five-sixteenths pole, Bam’s Bliss Kiss ran from her and the rest to record her first stakes win.
Sweet Brown Sugar, under Kendrick Carmouche, outfinished Midtown Lights by a neck for second. Walk With Me was fourth, followed by Lika Rolling Stone, favored Collect the Data and Sweetest Princess.
Rodriguez said he was surprised how easily she was able to make the lead.
“I was a little bit worried because I had some speed outside and I just let her break and do her own thing,” Rodriguez said in a post-race interview on ‘America’s Day at the Races.’ “Once I see myself on the lead, I just dropped my hands. Once she got to the five-sixteenths, somebody got next to her she gave me a kick, I said not yet. At the top of the stretch, she gave me another run.”
Bam’s Bliss Kiss, claimed by Abreu for $45,000 last Dec. 31, covered the mile in 1:38.22 and returned $10.32 as the third betting choice.
“That surprised me, that was the only concern I had was the distance,” Abreu said. “She did it so easy. When I saw that she cleared the chute and then she put away [Collect the Data] at the five-sixteenths pole I knew she was home free because no one else was doing any running.”
Abreu said he will likely give Bam’s Bliss Kiss the chance to go even farther in the $200,000 Critical Eye Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on June 3 at Saratoga.
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