By Bill Heller
Having absolutely no trouble stepping up from maiden company to a stakes, NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Electric City Racing and Sportsmen Stable’s Kay Cup drew off to a 3 ¼-length victory under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Bouwerie Stakes for three-year-old NY-bred fillies. Sent off the 7-5 favorite in the field of seven, Kay Cup won the seven-furlong stakes in a final time of 1:23.79.
Charlotte’s Heart, making her first start on dirt under Dylan Davis, edged front-running Bernieandtherose and jockey Katie Davis, Dylan’s sister, by a half-length for second.
Bred by Caperlane Farm, Kay Cup, a daughter of Instagrand out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Gypsy Jo, sold for $100,000 at the 2023 Saratoga Yearling Sale. She began her career at Saratoga last year, finishing third by a length and a half. Trainer Jorge Abreu freshened her and she returned on April 27th, winning a maiden special weight by 4 ¼ lengths as the 3-5 favorite.
Ortiz rode her like she was the best horse in the racce, settling in third on the outside as Bernieandtherose, who rushed up the rail to take the early lead, set a lively pace: a quarter in :22.55 and a half-mile in :45.55.
When Ortiz asked Kay Cup, she responded immediately. She engaged the frontrunner and then took over, opening up impressively and winning without being asked for her best.
“She put me in a beautiful position,” Ortiz said. “When I went after her, she responded really good.”
She is now two for three with one third and earnings of $161,500.
