Medallion Racing, Barry Fowler, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Little Red Feather Racing, and BlackRidge Stables' Estilo Talentoso took advantage of her outside draw to capture Friday's Grade 3, $300,000 Bed o' Roses Stakes at Belmont Park, defeating Lake Avenue by a neck on the wire. Following a weather delay when a deluge hit the Elmont, NY track, the 4-year-old daughter of Maclean's Music splashed over the sloppy, sealed main track to cover seven furlongs in 1:22.96 under Javier Castellano.
Estilo Talentoso marks the first graded stakes winner for trainer Juan Arriagada, and was off as the 5-2 second choice in the field of six.
“I feel like I'm blessed,” Arriagada said. “To be in Belmont today and to win with her, it's one of the more beautiful things that could happen in my life right now. I appreciate the owners giving me the opportunity.”
Race-favorite Victim of Love (9-5) broke on top, as expected, and was pressured by Pacific Gale through fractions of :22.90 and :45.87. Bayerness and Lake Avenue were also close to the pace early. Castellano kept Estilo Talentoso out in the clear going in the center of the course, though at the back of the compact field down the backstretch.
Lake Avenue got a perfect rail trip to challenge for the lead at the head of the lane, but Castellano had already moved Estilo Talentoso into contention while staying widest of all. Lake Avenue grabbed a brief advantage while Bayerness made a run up the rail, but Estilo Talentoso was able to get her neck in front in the final sixteenth of a mile.
“It went well,” Castellano said. “That's what I was looking for today. Everything worked out perfect, the way it was set up. The two speed horses [went to the front] and I tried to keep track of the third horse, outside, because there seemed to be a lot of puddles on the rail, but my horse helped me to handle the situation very well. When I asked her, she responded very well and did it very well.”
Lake Avenue had to settle for second, while Bayerness checked in third. Pacific Gale was fourth.
Bred in Kentucky by Mile High Bloodstock, Estilo Talentoso is out of the unraced Afleet Alex mare Bazinga Baby. A $77,000 yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall sale, the filly later brought just $15,000 when selected by Arriagada at the OBS June sale. Estilo Talentoso began her career with four straight second-place finishes, and finally broke her maiden in her sixth start. She was stakes placed next out, and won the Escena Stakes at Gulfstream in August of her sophomore season. Since then Estilo Talentoso has twice hit the board in Grade 1 company, and the Bed o' Roses improves her overall record to 3-8-3 from 14 starts for earnings of over $430,000.
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