Hidden Brook Farm and Joseph and Anne McMahon’s Sting’s Bank secure her career third stake win with a brave show in the $97,000 La Verdad Stakes, fight back to beat eloquent speaker neck on a (sealed) mud trench at Aqueduct race track.
“I think she’ll level off there for a bit, but I know she has a lot of games in her body and she really hits when she needs to,” coach John Terranova said. “She’s a good doc and can overcome prejudices as well as not. She handles it in a way that’s wrong.”
Sent to the post as a 1-5 favorite according to Dylan Davis, Bank Sting broke cautiously from post 4 with Letmetakethiscall pressure her outside through a quarter mile open in: 23.01. The eloquent presenter was on the tracks early but spiked in conditions even with Bank Sting approaching the half-mile cross: 47.08. The eloquent presenter had a tight lead at the top of the lane but Bank Sting, a few paths outside the eloquent presenter, responded to a left-handed encouragement from Davis and kicked into the last 16. to win close. The last time was 1:25.
Courageous girl complete 9 3/4 of the back length in third place with Letmetakethiscall and Awillaway round to end order.
Bank Sting won five of its six starts last year, posting the win in the Critical Handicap a mile after the mudslide that took place in May at Belmont Park and the final score of 8 1/4 in length came at the seven-lap Stallion Stakes Series Staten Island in New York on December 5 on the fast Big A main track.
Davis said he was very impressed with the 5-year-old Central Bank the mare’s desire to win a protracted battle after a protracted bout is over.
“That (near finish) was not expected, but I think the track has a lot to do with it,” said Davis, who won La Verdad last year with Mrs. Orb . “Comparing her from her last attempt to today, she just had a little bit of a tough time getting through it. I think her best suit is a bit drier. I came here thinking that she was going to double her last attempt and today she had a challenge. grant me what we need to win.”
Terranova says Bank Sting can now target $100,000 in Biogio’s Rose Stakes, a one-time mile for older New York studs and stallions on March 6 at Big A; or $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3), a seven-time sprint for fillets and mares of 4 or more on February 19 at Laurel Park.
“We’ve thought about that (Barbara Fritchie) before too. I guess we’ll see how things go in this race,” Terranova said. “She’s going to be nominated and we’ll keep it in mind. We always have a New York hybrid race in March if we need more time. We’ll see what winter brings. , we got lucky with the weather.”
Bred in the Empire State by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, the Bank Sting was no exception to the Precise End mare Bee’s staking role in a Bonnet, who also produced the staking Liberty Island (Harlem Rocker). Bee in a Bonnet has a 2-year-old full sister with Bank Sting, an avid Laoban pony, and was bred with Solomini for the year 2022.
Bank Sting, a $14,000 RNA at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale, now boasts $406,300 earnings and six wins in eight starts.
Videotapes: La Verdad S. (BT)
