Accountforthegold Rushes to Stuyvesant Win

Front-running Accountforthegold peeled away from the field at the head of the stretch en route to his first open and graded stakes victory in the $110,100 Stuyvesant Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct Saturday.

Ridden by Mike Luzzi for trainer Gary Contessa and owners Winning Move Stable and Harold Lerner, the New York-bred Accountforthegold jumped away from the gate to lead the field in the 1 1/8-mile event and was quickly in control. The Successful Appeal   colt took them along in reasonable fractions and still had plenty left to defeat favored Carminooch by one length in a time of 1:48 4/5 on a fast track.

"He's always been a good horse," Contessa said. "He's just maturing. He's going to be even better next year and he's staying right here this winter."

Organizer finished third as New York breds swept the top three spots in the seven-horse Stuyvesant

Accountforthegold was coming off a nine-length win in a one-mile optional allowance/claiming race on a sloppy, sealed Belmont Park track Oct. 20. In his only previous start at nine furlongs, the bay colt finished last, beaten by 26 lengths, after tiring in the Albany Stakes at Saratoga in August. He won for the fifth time in 15 lifetime starts and increased his earnings to $391,648 with Saturday's winning share of $66,060. Accountforthegold began his career at Woodbine and was stabled with Mark Casse through 2005.

Accountforthegold set fractions of :23 4/5, :47 3/5 and 1:11 3/5 while maintaining a lead of one to two lengths over Organizer, ridden by Eibar Coa, into the far turn. With Carminooch and John Velazquez dropping back briefly at the rail, Accountforthegold got away from the field when roused by Luzzi and led by 3 1/2 lengths at the furlong marker. The 7-5 choice Carminooch angled out for the stretch drive and finished well but ran out of time. He finished two lengths clear of Organizer, who faded in the final furlong after stalking nicely on the outside.

It was three lengths to Reverberate in fourth, followed by Elements, Tinseltown, and the Irish-bred Billy Allen.

Accountforthegold paid $10.60, $4.70, and $2.90. Carminooch returned $2.90 and $2.20. Organizer was $2.90 to show.

Sez Who Thoroughbreds bred Accountforthegold, who is out of the Private Account mare Accountess and was a $20,000 Ocala buy in March 2004.

(Chart, Equibase)