Bosserati earns first stake win in Stormy Blues
Frank Vespe- June 18, 2023
Sheldon Russell sure enjoyed Father’s Day.
The veteran rider piloted Bosserati, trained by wife Brittany Russell, to a half-length score in Sunday’s featured $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes for three-year-old fillies, surviving objections from the riders of runner-up My Sweet Affair and last-place finisher Sweet Harmony in the process.
“Both my kids are here, and it’s a special day,” Russell said after the victory, holding daughter Edy in his arms. “They’re probably my greatest gifts, so just a proud father, especially to win the stake today.”
The victory, achieved in front-running fashion, made the Maryland-bred daughter of Holy Boss three-for-three on the turf after she’d won just once in seven dirt outings to start her career.
“I’ll be honest, we had a couple of bad experiences on the dirt, and it was fair play that [owner-breeder] Joel Politi, he was always the one that sort of wanted to try her on the grass. She hasn’t taken a step wrong on the grass and if anything has just got better, so just really happy to get the win for him today.”
The break of the race was a bit ragged, with Bosserati drifting out from her inside post while After Eight came in and bumped with Caroline Krystyna. The effects of all that were to leave Bosserati alone in front while My Sweet Affair, the even-money favorite, was fifth of six in the early running and with plenty to do.
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It was also the messy start that prompted Feargal Lynch, aboard My Sweet Affair, to file an objection, which the stewards denied.
Bosserati threw down zippy fractions on the firm and fast-playing turf course – 21. 55 seconds for the first quarter, 43.76 for the half – and was always a length or more clear of her rivals.
Entering the lane, Caroline Krystyna and jockey Carol Cedeno tried to move to the attack, but Bosserati turned them away. Meanwhile, the stakes-placed My Sweet Affair swung four wide in the stretch and when clear closed with good energy. But she was left with too much to do, settling for second, a half-length behind the winner and a half-length clear of show horse Apple Picker, also trained by Brittany Russell. Caroline Krystyna faded to fifth, 2 ½ lengths behind the winner.
“I just sort of broke her sharp,” Russell explained. “And then I gathered her up and just tried to save something for the end.”
Bosserati returned her backers $11.60 as one of three horses to go off at 4-1 or 9-2. The exacta, with the favorite underneath, returned $15.00 for a one-dollar wager.
Running time for the Stormy Blues was 1:01.44 for 5 1/2 furlongs. It was the first stakes win for Bosserati, who now owns four wins $175,760 in earnings from 10 career outings.
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