OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Ocean Club became a graded stakes winner and did so in game fashion, riding the hot hand of jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. to a head victory over Five Towns with Breath Away just another nose farther back in Saturday’s $175,000 Noble Damsel Stakes at Aqueduct.
Trainer Jack Sisterson reached out to Santana, who had already won three races on the card, to replace the injured Frankie Dettori aboard Ocean Club in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel and the veteran rider made the most of the opportunity.
Ocean Club, stretching out to a mile off a second-place finish going 6 1/2 furlongs in the Grade 2 Lady’s Turf Sprint just three weeks ago at Kentucky Downs, quickly sped to the lead after breaking alertly from his inside post. Ocean Club was stalked by Midnight Mile from the outset, but disposed of that rival when shook up entering the stretch, briefly edged two lengths clear, then dug in bravely to withstand late bids from Five Towns and Breath Away.
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Five Towns, well placed while saving ground just off the early leader, eased out for the drive, gradually closed ground on Ocean Club through the final furlong but fell short, as did Breath Away, who came wide off the final turn and was also gaining slowly on the winner at the end.
Ocean Club, a Glen Hill Farm homebred by Curlin, completed the distance over a firm course in 1:34.71 seconds and paid $6.80.
“Jack [Sisterson] called me this morning and said, ‘I don’t have [a rider] in the race’ and asked me if I wanted to ride the filly,” Santana said. "I watched the last three times she’s run, and every time the jockey grabbed her and caused her to come back. Today, I said, ‘I’m going to lead,’ and I let her run free. I thought I was beat in the [last] sixteenth, but when she felt the other one on her side, she came back to fight.”
Sisterson said he agreed with Santana’s assessment of his filly in discussions prior to the race.
"Ricardo [Santana, Jr.] watched her replays and we both thought that, drawn on the rail, just let her jump and go forward and allow her to be comfortable, just give her her head. It paid off perfect this afternoon. I liked a bit of pressure coming down the outside, it makes her reengage a bit and it worked out well. It was coming back in three weeks, we don't typically do this. But when horses are doing well, I think you have to listen to them and run them. It worked out."
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