New York-bred Lubash posted his first graded stakes win when came from off a blistering pace to win the $150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes (gr. IIIT) in near course-record time May 4 at Belmont Park (VIDEO).
The 6-year-old son of Freud --Nasty Cure, by Cure the Blues, was reserved early by jockey Junior Alvarado as King Kreesa and Irad Ortiz, Jr., took the field through a quick early pace, getting the first quarter mile in :23.23 and half-mile in :45.71 over a firm turf course.
Moving on the outside, Lubash began to pick it up leaving the five-sixteenths pole and kept his momentum going to win by a half-length. The final time of 1:38.89. The Fort Marcy Stakes record was just off the 1 1/16-mile course record of 1:38.53. The victory was the eighth in 26 starts, including six stakes, for Lubash, who has earned $594,379 for owner-breeder Aliyuee Ben J. Stables.
Lubash returned $11.80, $4.80, and $3.30 as the fourth choice in the field of six, with Bombaguia, up close throughout, second at $6.40 and $4.30. After that sizzling pace, King Kreesa held third, paying $3.60. The order was completed by Real Solution , Abilio, and Speaking of Which, the 7-5 favorite who trailed throughout.
"The winner: really nice horse, very honest, always tries," said trainer Christophe Clement, who conditions both Lubash and Speaking of Which. "I thought he was a bit unlucky at Aqueduct the other day (when second in an overnight stakes), came out of it, trained well. The next New York-bred stake is in a month's time, and Mr. Pivnick wanted to try him. He was absolutely right, and he won the race, which is great.
"Speaking of Which: very disappointing, completely outpaced, obviously I ran him too short. I still think he's a very nice horse, I just need to run him further, that's all. We can never be blasé about winning a graded stakes, though; it's very hard."
"The first thing I tried to do was find a horse to follow because (Clement) told me to put him behind horses," said jockey Alvarado. "I knew they were going pretty fast, and I was able to get a good position. When I asked him he came on pretty strong at the end. I tried to follow instructions, and it worked out pretty good."
