Jayeff B Stables’ Social Queen rallied from last early in an eight-horse field to win the $150,000 Eatontown Handicap (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares by neck at Monmouth Park June 14.
With Jose Lezcano riding for trainer Alan Goldberg, Social Queen rated, but never more than seven lengths off a lively pace set by Miracle Moment and jockey Pablo Fragoso. Social Queen advanced on the outside heading into the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile Eatontown, and gradually wore down the leaders to get up in 1:40.40, a little more than a second off the course record.
Chestoria, with Daniel Centeno riding, rallied in tandem with Social Queen but couldn’t contain her late and fell a neck shy at the wire. Miracle Moment held well for third, 2 1/4 lengths behind Chestoria.
The fractions on a turf course rated firm were :23.19 for the first quarter-mile, :46.70 for the half-mile, 1:10.22 for three-quarters of a mile, and 1:34.33 for the mile. Social Queen paid $8 to win as the second choice; favored Medley checked in sixth after stalking the early leader.
Social Queen, a 4-year-old filly by Dynaformer out of the Irgun mare Gal on the Go, won for the fifth time in 11 starts and bagged her first graded-stakes victory. She is now four-for-five on the Monmouth turf course, with victories in the Staybridge Suites Stakes last year and the Politely Stakes this year.
Social Queen was bred in Kentucky by James English and Hermitage Farm.
Social Queen, who earned $90,000, her biggest payday, for winning the Eatontown, was purchased for $275,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale.
(Chart, Equibase)
