Stone Smuggler, a talented New York-bred filly, is set to race in the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Aqueduct Racetrack this Saturday, December 14, 2024. After finishing third in her last race, she is ready to take on 11 rivals and is hoping for a strong performance. This race is important for Stone Smuggler, as it could mark her second career stakes win after her victory in the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes. Let’s dive into what makes Stone Smuggler a strong contender in this race and what to expect from her performance.
Stone Smuggler’s Past Performances and Strong Potential
Stone Smuggler has been showing great promise, and her trainer, Jorge Abreu, believes she has a good shot at winning the Fifth Avenue Stakes. In her last race, Stone Smuggler finished third in the Key Cents Stakes on November 17, 2024, after leading for much of the race. Although she couldn’t hold off the strong finish of other horses like With the Angels and Nina Kay, she still performed well and earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure, which was the best in the field. This shows that she has the ability to compete at a high level.
Before this, she won the Lady Finger Stakes on September 23, 2024, at Finger Lakes, where she led the race from start to finish, winning by a strong 3 1/2 lengths. Her trainer, Abreu, was pleased with her victory and believes that she has a lot of potential for more wins. Stone Smuggler has shown improvement with each race, and her previous results suggest that she has what it takes to win the Fifth Avenue Stakes.
The Competition: Who Are the Other Contenders?
While Stone Smuggler is a strong contender, she will face tough competition in the Fifth Avenue Stakes. Some of the other horses in the race include Boston’s Phinest, a stakes-placed filly trained by Chad Brown, and Idyll Gossip, a filly who won the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes at Finger Lakes. These horses have all shown that they can race at a high level, and Stone Smuggler will need to be at her best to beat them.
Boston’s Phinest comes into the race with a strong second-place finish in the Maid of the Mist Stakes and will be looking to build on that success. Idyll Gossip also brings a lot of potential, having recently won a race in impressive fashion at Finger Lakes.
Stone Smuggler’s trainer, Abreu, believes that if she can take the lead early in the race, she will have a good chance of winning. He feels that she is at her best when she leads from the front, and if she can set a fast pace, it could work in her favor. The race will be a test of her ability to handle the distance and the competition, but she has shown that she is capable of handling challenges.
Stone Smuggler’s Training and Preparations
Leading up to the race, Stone Smuggler has been training hard to prepare for the Fifth Avenue Stakes. She recently worked over the Belmont Park dirt track, where she completed a five-furlong workout in 1:02 flat. Trainer Abreu was happy with how she handled the workout, and it’s clear that she is ready for the big race. However, there is some concern about whether she can handle the seven-furlong distance. In her previous races, she has shown that she may prefer shorter distances, but Abreu is hopeful that she will perform well at this length.
Stone Smuggler is one of the few horses in the race sired by Honest Mischief, a promising young stallion. Her pedigree and training suggest that she has a bright future in racing, and this weekend’s race is a big opportunity for her to show what she can do.
Conclusion
The Fifth Avenue Stakes is a major race for Stone Smuggler, and it could be a turning point in her career. She has the talent and potential to win, and her past performances show that she can compete with the best horses in the field. With the right strategy, Stone Smuggler could be in for a big victory at Aqueduct this Saturday. All eyes will be on her as she looks to prove herself once again and secure her second career stakes win.