Stephanie Seymour Brant's Significant Form led the entire way April 22 to win the $100,000 Memories of Silver Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in her season debut at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Chad Brown, Significant Form was unhurried from the gate, and although Manuel Franco aboard Coffee Crush stayed just off her flank, the daughter of Creative Cause was able to get away with fractions of :25.06 and :48.96 through the first half-mile of the 1 1/16-mile turf contest.
Turning up the pace to run six furlongs in 1:11.65, the early slow fractions set up Significant Form, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, for a stretch drive that left her 6 1/4 lengths in front of runner-up Wealth Effect. Sweet Sting closed for third, a half-length behind.
"(Going to the lead) wasn't the plan, but when the doors opened, everything changed," Ortiz said. "You have to make your own decision, and it is what it is. She broke so good, and I didn't want to take that away from her by fighting too much with her. So I let her be there, and Chad (Brown) gave me the confidence when the gate opened to do whatever I want, and I felt that that's what I had to do when they opened. It worked out good."
Off as the 1-9 favorite in the field of five, Significant Form completed the distance in 1:40.85 over the firm turf course, improving her record to two wins from four starts and pushing her earnings to $230,415.
"We thought Manny (Franco, aboard Coffee Crush) was going to go, but (Significant Form) broke so well. It wasn't the plan, but when she went to the lead, she got it so easily, so we didn't want to take it away," said Whit Beckman, assistant to Brown. "I know she went 1:40 and change; I know the track is fast, but that's no joke. She was impressive, and we're happy to have her back."
Significant Form last raced in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, where she finished fourth. She broke her maiden one start prior in the Oct. 1 Miss Grillo Stakes (G3T) on the Belmont Park turf in her second start.
"She's a nice filly," Ortiz said. "She's growing. Her mind is growing. She's a lot different than last year. Mentally, she was still a little green last year, getting out sometimes on turns, drifting. Here, she was straightforward. We're going to have fun with her."
Bred by Brereton Jones, Significant Form is the second foal out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Church by the Sea, making her a half sister to grade 3 winner Hay Dakota.
One race prior Sunday, Retonova brought his record to two-for-two in the $100,000 New York Stallion Stakes for 3-year-olds, winning the 6 1/2-furlong event by 2 3/4 lengths.
The Boys At Tosconova gelding, trained by Chris Englehart for My Purple Haze Stables, broke his maiden by four lengths on debut in a March 17 maiden special weight going six furlongs over the same track.
"He ran such a great race for me, and after I won the first time with him, I called my agent and said, 'Whatever you do, don't let him get away.' He was pretty impressive today," jockey Trevor McCarthy said of Retonova.
Bred by Barry Ostrager, Retonova is out of the Banker's Gold mare Jb's Golden Regret and was a $20,000 purchase during the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales June sale of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age.
