Photo: Adam Coglianese
On Saturday the state-bred juvenile boys had their moment in the spotlight at the Spa, with Repole Stable’s Never Right Joey getting a trip to the winner’s circle. Sunday gave us Saratoga’s first field of New York-bred two-year-old fillies. Yawkey Way, owned by Klaravich Stables, Inc. in partnership with W. H. Lawrence, earned debut win honors in the 5 ½-furlong contest, besting six rivals on her way to a an open-length debut victory.
The starters were a distinguished group, led by Risk a Chance (A.P. Indy), Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred half-sister to stakes-winner Mineralogist, and including Page by Page, a half-sister to Woodbine stakes-placed Sharp Secretary. Yawkey Way, trained by Chad Brown, was the public’s second choice at odds of 2.80-to-1 and broke from post four.
Post-time favorite Risk a Chance was a step slow out of the gate and found herself as many as eight lengths behind the lead after the first quarter. Up front, however, a speed duel developed shortly after the break between Copious Notes and Lady Maureen (one of the field’s two second-time starters), and the pair ran one-two for the first three-eighths of a mile. Yawkey Way, who broke in good order with Javier “on his way to five straight victories” Castellano in the irons, tracked comfortably in the three-path in third. At the top of the lane, Yawkey Way drew up on even terms with Lady Maureen, and Copious Notes began to give way. The tested Lady Maureen weakened in mid-stretch, leaving Yawkey Way the opportunity to open up. She reached the wire with a 5 ½-furlong advantage. The fractions (22.36 and 46.30) and final time for the race (1:04.99) over the “good” going were slightly faster than the boys on Saturday. Page by Page finished third.
Yawkey Way, a dark bay/brown filly by Grand Slam and bred by New Dawn Stud LLC, was the second highest-priced New York-bred two-year-old at the OBS February Select Sale, where she was purchased for $165,000. She had sold earlier as a Saratoga Preferred Yearling to James Barry for $50,000. She is the first registered NY-bred offspring of dam Is Kylie Good (Touch Gold), a two-time winner two and half-sister to two stakes winners. Yawkey Way is her second winner from three foals to start.
