New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro) may have earned more than a first career victory with her late-closing triumph in Sunday's GIII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Park. The bay filly may have earned a shot at the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf next month at Santa Anita.
“I always thought a lot of her,” trainer Chad Brown said of the filly, who was second behind the impressive La Coronel (Colonel John) in her Sept. 5 unveiling at Saratoga. “It took one start for her to get it together, but I think if she comes out of the race in good order, shess earned her shot at Santa Anita.”
One of three Brown trainees in the seven-horse field, New Money Honey settled in fourth down the backstretch as the leaders dawdled through fractions of :25.99 and :51.57. The bay filly ranged up three deep to challenge passing the three-sixteenths pole and soon ran by pacesetter Rymska (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), pulling away late to score a 2 3/4-length victory in 1:44.58 over yielding ground.
“It was also nice to see her lay close to the pace in her second start,” Brown continued. “It was a slow pace, but she broke better, much more professional. I think this filly runs with some positional speed. The more I run her the more I think she'll get more tactical.”
Brown said he was far from disappointed by New Money Honey's runner-up effort as the 9-5 favorite while going 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga in her first career start.
“I thought she got a lot out of her first race,” he said. “I think the horse that won her debut is quite a nice filly as well. It was her third start versus our filly's debut and at Saratoga, it's a lot to ask a horse going two turns first time out. I thought for the most part she handled it well. She moved forward dramatically in her two breezes after her debut. It gave us enough confidence to start her here. After she got defeated in her first race, I hadn't thought about bringing her to the Miss Grillo. She dragged me here with her last two workouts.”
The winner's effort impressed jockey Javier Castellano.
“She's going to be competitive,” Castellano said. “She showed today she has great skill and can compete with some the best horses in the country.”
Pedigree Notes:
New Money Honey becomes the first graded winner for Bob Edwards's e Five Racing, which, through bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, was an active buyer at the Keeneland September sale, paying $1-million for a son of Curlin (hip 845) and $520,000 for a colt by Paynter (hip 747). Ryan signed the ticket at $450,000 to acquire New Money Honey at the 2015 Keeneland September sale. Her dam, the unraced Weekend Whim, is a half to Grade I winner Any Given Saturday (Distorted Humor) and to graded stakes winner Bohemian Lady (Carson City). The 10-year-old mare produced a filly by Pioneerof the Nile this year and was bred back to Carpe Diem.
MISS GRILLO S.-GIII, $200,000, BEL, 10-2, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.58, yl.
1–#@NEW MONEY HONEY, 115, f, 2, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Weekend Whim, by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Weekend in Indy, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Whow, by Spectacular Bid
($450,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Javier Castellano.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-1-1-0, $136,600. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*.[bullet ad=”stonestreet-trainingalum”][bullet ad=”winstar-bred”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Rymska (Fr), 121, f, 2, Le Havre (Ire)–Foreign Raider (Ire), by
Lend a Hand (GB). (€35,000 Wlg '14 ARQDEC). O-Alain
Jathiere; B-Eric Feurtet (FR); T-Pia Brandt. $40,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Coasted, 121, f, 2, Tizway–Malibu Pier, by Malibu Moon.
($210,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Treadway Racing Stable;
B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Leah Gyarmati. $20,000.[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”][bullet ad=”warrendale-sold-congratulations-to-all-the-connections”]Margins: 2 3/4, 1HF, NK. Odds: 4.30, 8.90, 1.50.
Also Ran: Create a Dream, Joust, Chubby Star, Dancing Waves (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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