D. J. Stable's Lifetime of Chance staved off a late bid from Bank Frenzy to capture Saturday's $200,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the main track for eligible New York-sired sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Mark Casse, the bay son of The Lieutenant made his stakes debut in his first outing for the Hall of Fame conditioner after making his first six starts in the care of Linda Rice. He entered from an eye-catching 16-length score in a New York-bred maiden special weight on March 18 at the Big A.
“We've had him a little under a month. He has just been automatic, really classy and has does everything right since coming under our care. Linda did a good job with him,” said Shane Tripp, Casse's New York-based assistant.
Lifetime of Chance broke alertly from post 3 under Dylan Davis and briefly led the charge before East Coast Girl, hustled out of the inside post by Jose Ortiz, made the point to mark the opening quarter-mile in :22.50 over the fast main track.
Davis urged Lifetime of Chance into contention along with the outside rushing Ten Cent Town into the turn as East Coast Girl continued to dictate terms through a half-mile in :46.34. The Samy Camacho-piloted Bank Frenzy and Dr. Kraft, with Jackie Davis up, sprung into motion late in the turn, maneuvering around the Manny Franco-ridden Ten Cent Town, who appeared to be bumped slightly by Lifetime of Chance in pursuit of East Coast Girl.
Bank Frenzy, despite lugging out towards the wide-rallying Dr. Kraft, continued to find more in the final stages but could not overcome Lifetime of Chance, who took over in the final sixteenth and prevailed by a neck in a time of 1:18.65.
It was a further 2 1/4-lengths back to East Coast Girl in third with Dr. Kraft, General Banker, Ten Cent Town and Kerness rounding out the order of finish. Coach Pitino was scratched. Jackie Davis requested to hold the race for potential interference by Bank Frenzy, but an ongoing stewards' review resulted in no change to the order of finish.
Davis, who was aboard Lifetime of Chance for the first time in the afternoon, said he was a little concerned about East Coast Girl taking the field gate-to-wire.
“Down the backside, Jose started getting away from me. I was trying to keep him into it but he was just there and didn't want to jump into the bridle,” Davis said. “I just kept him with the pace and tried riding him. He just stayed in one spot, but that last eighth of a mile he found some extra and galloped out great. I thought maybe he doesn't like to be ridden so much early and he can find that big kick later.”
Davis said he wasn't too worried about the review into the stretch run.
“I came out a path at the top of the stretch. I took a look at it and was able to correct him and get that straight path all the way down the lane,” Davis said. “I didn't feel that I had any bump or anything like that. It looked like a little bit of a chain reaction to Manny. I thought I was in good shape.”
Bank Frenzy, a maiden winner at second asking at Tampa Bay Downs, was making his first start outside of Florida for trainer Lisa Lewis. Camacho, aboard for the first two career outings, said his colt performed admirably in the late stages.
“The trainer gave me the opportunity to ride that horse because I know the horse from his first time at Gulfstream,” Camacho said. “The last two times, she used different jockeys but the riders weren't as familiar. He has a little bit of a sensitive mouth. He gave me a great kick at the end.”
Lifetime of Chance, a half-brother to graded-stakes winner Lucky Player, is out of the Storm Cat mare Janetstickettocats, who is a half-sister to dual graded-stakes winner Runway Model.
Bred in New York by Destiny Oaks of Ocala, the $135,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale purchase banked $110,000 in victory while improving his record to 2-2-2 from seven career starts. He returned $6.70 for a $2 win bet.
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