Going off as a four-horse race, the $100,000 Lynbrook Stakes at Belmont Park for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies was nothing short of a match race on paper, but in the end it was Todd Pletcher-trained Pure Silver who prevailed July 16.
Much like she had done in her June 22 debut, the Twin Creeks homebred Pure Silver bounced out of the gate and took the lead, with 2-5 favorite I Still Miss You running just off her flank to the outside. Second-choice Pure Silver completed the six furlongs in 1:11.4 under jockey John Velazquez.
The Jeremiah Englehart-trained I Still Miss You was urged on by jockey Javier Castellano, but had to work hard to stay with the daughter of Mission Impazible once they entered the stretch and finished 1 1/2 lengths back.
"After the last start we knew she had the speed out of the gate and she showed it again today," Pletcher's assistant Byron Hughes said. "She was able to hang on. We will see how she comes out of the race and from there it will be somewhere at Saratoga for sure."
"We just broke good and got to the lead," Velazquez said. "I tried to save something for the end and she put in a good fight in the lane. She broke so fast, it was kind of weird. She was so fast, she was on the ground and in the next step, she's up and running. She got pressed and when she had to put in a fight, she did it all the way."
Prior to Sunday's loss, the daughter of Majestic Warrior, owned by Gold Star Racing Stable, Matthew Hand, and Brian McKenzie, was a perfect two-for-two and came into the race off a 2 1/4-length victory in the 5 1/2-furlong Astoria Stakes at Belmont June 8.
"She ran good. She was second best today," Castellano said. "I had the opportunity to go by and I just couldn't get by the other filly today. She was much the best. She dictated the pace and set good fractions, :46 and 1:11. We were rolling. You could see the separation from the other two horses in the race.
"She was really comfortable, she rated perfect, and she settled behind (Pure Silver). She did everything the right way, except she couldn't get by that other horse. She's got a lot of potential and I give a lot of credit to the winner."
The winner paid $6.20 and $2.20 with no show wagering and I Still Miss You returned $2.10 for the place. The pair finished 14 1/2 lengths in front of Pletcher's other entry One Last Cast, who finished third. Northernstreetgal rounded out the field.
Pure Silver is out of the stakes-winning Forest Wildcat mare Jehan. Twin Creeks purchased Jehan for $150,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale from Lane's End, agent. Mission Impazible, last year's leading first-crop sire in New York, stands at Sequel Stallions New York. His 2017 fee was $7,500.
