A NY-BRED MARCH TO STAKES VICTORY
March X Press rallied late to win the Bolton Landing
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » After walking out of the gate in her career debut Aug. 2, March X Press staged a furious rally to break her maiden by a neck at Saratoga Race Course.
Exactly two weeks later, the 2-year- old filly was back to thrill the Spa faithful once again.
Jose Ortiz guided March X Press through a hole on the outside with enough time to rally past all rivals in the $100,000 Bolton Landing Stakes Wednesday.
The New York- bred completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast Mellon Turf Course in 1: 01.69. It was 1.38 seconds faster than her debut win two weeks ago.
“She broke really poorly first time out,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It worked to her advantage so we didn’t want to change that running style. She didn’t get away great again today but ( jockey Jose Ortiz) rode her patiently. She has an explosive turn of foot. For a lightly-raced filly to do that is impressive.”
Fairyland, who was making her first start since Royal Ascot on June 23, dueled with Buy Sell Hold in the early stages of the race. The duo set opening fractions of 21.79 and 44.15 as March X Press sat sixth in the field of seven. Ortiz initially guided his filly to make up ground along the rail after the final turn, but was forced to check when Sly Beauty, with Javier Castellano up, began to tire .
Ortiz knew March X Press was willing to run, he just had to find the space to do so. He got his chance at the 3/ 16ths pole.
“When Javier (Castellano) hit his filly (Sly Beauty) she moved in a little bit,” Ortiz said. “I went for it and then he corrected. When he corrected I was already there. I had so much horse I could go for it. She’s got a lot of heart. She made it through and I think that’s the point we won the race.”
After finding the space outside, March X Press blew by Sugar Queen with plenty of turf left before overtaking Fairyland with about three jumps before the wire.
The final margin of victory was a half- length. Fairyland held on for second and Sugar Queen, Pletcher’s other entrant, took third.
“She ran well, got kind of a wide trip and was drifting away from horses around the turn,” Pletcher said of Sugar Queen. “I think she closed pretty well also.”
First- choice March X Press paid $6.80 to win.
March X Press is a Shanghai Bobby filly out of Indian Rush ( by Indian Charlie). She was bred in New York by Pine Ridge Stables and sold at the Keenland September sales for $90,000.
March X Press now has two wins and $103,800 in earnings from two career starts. She will likely try a longer distance in her next start according to Pletcher.