Not even the hot hand of knight Flavien Prat on board Mysterious Lake enough to withstand Tyler Gaffalione’s powerful kick Emery in the $162,750 Victory Ride Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old mares on July 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Prat, who had won the previous five races in the nine-race July 4 holiday program, looked poised for a sixth win in the first race, as Mystic Lake pulled away from the fast-paced chasing pack. The Power of Halina But Emery was relentless as she claimed her fourth win in five starts. Third of the four, she moved into second place on entering the lane and took the lead in the final sixteen miles, sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.44. She reached the finish line three-quarters of a length ahead.
Her maiden graded win was her second in black, following a 3 1/2-length victory in the Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes last month at Churchill DownsShe is perfect in three starts this year, winning the optional allowance race at Keeneland this spring to start her season. Her previous efforts this year helped her start as the low-priced favorite. She paid $3.20 to win.
Her previous wins in 2024 had resulted in a resounding victory for owner Stonestreet Stables, but this race was still very much in doubt until the end. The result seemed to be hanging in the balance between the two leaders until Mystic Lake, who had set times of :21.72, :44.38 and 1:08.89, began to tire as she approached the finish.
“The field was short, a little nervous about the pace scenario, but both of the fast horses that I thought were going to finish were sitting right in front of us. We were able to track them,” Gaffalione said. “When I got to the turn, I just let my mare out a little bit, and she just kept going. When I got into the sprint, the mare on the inside (Mystic Lake), she finished really well, but my mare really pushed hard and did a good job today.”
Prat called his horse “exciting” and “fast” but said the 6 1/2 furlong race was probably “as far as he’d want to go”.
Halina’s Forte languished in third, 5 3/4 lengths behind and 1 1/2 lengths ahead of second. Autumn evening the person lagging behind in a group of four. Gold Degree was crossed out of the original five-player list.
Emery’s quick record and previous success on the seven-furlong Leslie’s Lady could work in her favour this summer. Victory Ride typically advances the winner or other top finishers to the August 3 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Track more than seven furlongs.
She also has winning experience at the Saratoga oval, having won on her first attempt last summer. Her only defeat came when she returned from the race to finish fourth behind the champion 2-year-old mare Just so you know in the one-mile Frizette Stakes (G1) last fall. She was then rested.
“We always thought highly of her and Stonestreet always allows you to do the right thing with the horse,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “Patience paid off today and we are very proud of what she has achieved. We look forward to bigger and better things.”
Summer possibilities
Cox and Gaffalione won the Victory Ride for the first time. The trainer did not commit to the Test immediately, although he admitted it was possible.
“We’ll be talking to the Stonestreet team and watching her first and foremost,” he said. “There’s a chance she’ll get on a truck in the next couple of days and head to Saratoga.”
Raised in Kentucky by Mary Grum, Emery came out of Street feel mare Athena a winner of three races. Two of her four racing-age foals have started and won, the remaining horse is Classic Runner (Gunman ), with an income of $34,445.
Barbara Banke’s Stronestreet stable purchased Emery as a weanling for $235,000 from Nursery Place’s consignment sale for the 2021 November stallion auction at Keeneland.
The winner was a daughter of More Than Ready, who died in 2022 after being sire of WinStar Farm. The late stallion’s offspring, who was valued at $50,000 in his final year at the farm, have continued his legacy. His son, Emmanuel is another third grader who won this year.
Other Holiday Racing Activities at Aqueduct
- Previously on the card, very popular Muffy rallied in the middle of the grass track to win the $139,500 Perfect Sting Stakes by a neck. Midnight Mile . Frankie Dettori has come on board with Jonathan Thomas, who trains his five-year-old daughter. Uncle Mo for Augustin stables.
- RA Hill Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds’ The Outlaw Child Win the race for quality priority by running faster The Great Invasion with six furlongs on the outer turf in a course record of 1:06.73 under Prat.
- Klaravich stables Title Number made a splash in her debut by 11 3/4 lengths. The Chad Brown-trained 3-year-old, a daughter of Gun Runner, ran the mile on dirt in 1:36.51 with Prat on her back.
