By Jerry Bossert
Stonetastic turned an evenly matched race on paper into a runaway victory on the track, registering a powerful 8 1/2-length score in the $300,000 Prioress Stakes (gr. II) from Saratoga Race Course Aug. 30 (VIDEO).
Sent right to the front by jockey Paco Lopez, the gray daughter of Mizzen Mast never looked back for her first stakes victory, winning for the third time from seven career starts for Stoneway Farm.
Miss Behaviour, runner-up in the Aug. 2 Test Stakes (gr. I), held on for second again by a neck as the 2-1 favorite, edging out Southern Honey. The final time for the six-furlong test was 1:08.88.
"She's fast," said trainer Kelly Breen, whose father passed away last week. "Paco came back and said she did it easy. I'm happy for all the connections. She ran great. Paco said he didn't whip her. I don't know what else to say, she went in 1:08 and four, and did it the right way. We're happy to be here."
In August of last year, Stonetastic broke her maiden by 12 1/2 lengths in her debut at Monmouth Park for Breen, who saddled his first winner in 1992.
She went ot finish second in the Sept. 7 Pocahontas Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old, before finishing fourth in the Nov. 3 Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
After finishing third in the Nov. 30 Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill, Stonetastic was put away for the season.
Stonetastic made her 2014 debut in the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 5 where she finished third.
She didn't start again until July 27 when she won an optional claiming race at Monmouth by 6 3/4 lengths before romping in Saturday's Prioress Stakes.
"I think we are (looking toward the Breeders' Cuo) today," said Terri Burch, the racing manager for Stoneway Farm. "We shelved her for a little while in January and brought her home to grow up. This is her second race back for us. But, that's what we're looking for. That's why we were here today, to challenge everyone and see. So we're excited."
Stonetastic returned $13, $5.90, and $4.40. Miss Behaviour returned $3.70 and $2.60, while Southern Honey returned $5.10. Tea Time, Who's in Town, Sweet Whiskey, Princess Violet, and Thirteen Arrows completed the order of finish.
"My filly ran great," said Phil Schoenthal, who trains Miss Behaviour. "There was no beating the winner. When entries came out (Stonetastic) was the one I was most afraid of. There's no shame in defeat, and it's fun to come up here and give it a shot."
Stonetastic, who was bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Carrie Brogden, and Craig Brodgen, is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Special Me. The Brogdens' Select Sales agency consigned her to the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Stoneway Farm snagged her for $77,000.