Be Your Best Earns First Graded Win at Aqueduct
Horse racing news:
Be Your Best Earns First Graded Win at Aqueduct
In a close finish at Aqueduct’s Long Island Stakes, Be Your Best, owned by Michael J. Ryan, secured her first graded stakes victory.
Offtrack betting fans witnessed the Irish-bred filly, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori, execute a perfectly paced race to edge out fierce competition. The Grade 3 race, covering 1 3/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares, showcased Be Your Best’s determination and the strategic prowess of her connections.
Dettori’s Strategic Lead Holds Strong
In her first start for Joseph, Be Your Best showed impressive poise on Aqueduct’s inner track. Previously trained by Horacio De Paz, she had placed in four prior graded races, including two Grade 1 events.
She entered Sunday’s race after a sixth-place finish in the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2) in California. Dettori, capitalizing on her positioning from post 7, established a pacesetting lead early on, fending off attempts from Whatlovelookslike and Blush. Clocking fractions of 24.23, 49.06, and 1:14.65, Be Your Best maintained her rhythm and control, benefiting from firm turf conditions.
As the final stretch neared, Saratoga betting favorite No Show Sammy Jo, under jockey Flavien Prat, made an aggressive move from behind. With powerful strides, she closed in rapidly, but Dettori’s mount clung to her lead in a photo finish, edging out the competition by a nose in a time of 2:14.36. Prat’s challenge was a strong one, but ultimately, Be Your Best secured her victory, while Immensitude followed in third place after a late surge.
A Rewarding Milestone for Be Your Best
This win was significant for Be Your Best, who had yet to capture a graded title despite her success at the listed level. Bred by Ryan’s St. Croix Bloodstock, her triumph added $165,000 to her earnings, advancing her record to 16 starts with three wins.
Her last win came at the P.G. Johnson Stakes as a juvenile at Saratoga. Returning $21.80 on a $2 wager, she rewarded those following horse racing odds with a solid payout.
Looking ahead, Be Your Best’s strong showing on the Aqueduct turf indicates she could be a serious contender in future graded events. Her performance in the Long Island Stakes demonstrates both her potential and adaptability, marking her as a rising talent to watch in the coming seasons.
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