Alms and Albert the perfect gifts!
Yeah, yeah – you’ve been hearing this a lot, lately, haven’t you – what a great few days for the stable! But it really has been, thanks to an amazing stake-race double for Godolphin. Their home-bred 2-year-old filly, Alms, showed a great turn of foot to claim the $150,000 G3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park Saturday, while Albert Park showed himself to be a talented juvenile indeed when prevailing in the $100,000 Fitz Dixon, Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes today at Presque Isle Downs.
Alms was towards the rear during the first half of the race, but jockey Jose Lezcano brought the daughter of City Zip into the home stretch with a rolling run down the middle of the course to win quite cosily in the end.
“She’s got a lot of class,” said Stidham, of a filly with a fine two-from-two career record. “This was a marked jumped up in class from her debut, and she’s taken things in her stride.”
The stable nailed its stake-race two-timer today when Godolphin’s Albert Park showed admirable professionalism to win the Fitz Dixon, Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes going away under Pablo Morales. This 2-year-old son of Street Sense is, like Alms, two-from-two, and the sky certainly seems the limit.
“It’s always fantastic to get any winner, let alone stakes winners, for Godolphin, who have been such a strong supporter of the barn,” said Stidham. “Both horses are very exciting, and it’s a testament to the stable and all the hard-working staff that we’re doing so well. Long may it continue!”
More big race success could come the stable’s way tomorrow at Presque Isle Downs, when Call On Mischief lines up in the $100,000 Debutante Stakes, a 6 1/2 furlong sprint on the all weather. Rafael Manuel Hernandez takes the mount on the 5-1 shot who’s drawn 2 of 11.
And here’s the rest of the week’s entries:
Friday
Meadowlands
Keeneasabean – Race 4, Claiming
Black Dynamite – Race 5, Allowance Optional Claiming
Laurel Park
Embossed – Race 7, Maiden Special Weight
