Lucy N Ethel remains perfect in Prioress upset

J. A. G. Racing and Jettany Thoroughbred Corp.’s homebred Lucy N Ethel led all the way home in Sunday's $300,000 Prioress Stakes (G2) at Saratoga to post a 22-1 upset under jockey Jose Lezcano.

The dark bay daughter of During grabbed command as soon as the gates opened and proceeded to set a pressured pace of :22.05, :44.96 and :56.73. Dearest was the one pressing to Lucy N Ethel’s outside, and even seemed to gain the advantage for a brief moment in the stretch run.

However, Lucy N Ethel would not be denied and fought back along the rail to be a half-length clear on the wire while finishing six furlongs over the fast main track in 1:09.33.

Sent off the 22-1 eighth choice in the 10-filly field, Lucy N Ethel paid $47.40. Dearest was best of the rest, 2 3/4 lengths up on Takrees, while 2-1 favorite Off the Tracks filled out the top four another neck behind.

Kareena just missed the superfecta by a nose and had only a neck to spare over Coniah, who was followed under the wire by One True Kiss, Lost Raven, Coppa and Appealing Maggie.

Lucy N Ethel already boasted a stakes win in the Old Hat Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in her last race, but hasn’t been seen in competition since that January 2 affair. She was given some time off after having a chip removed from her knee.

The Pennsylvania-bred started her career with Ramon Preciado and was making her first start for new trainer Chloe Bradley in this spot, which moved her record to a perfect four-for-four and more than doubled her career earnings to $306,420.

Lucy N Ethel is out of the Silver Ghost mare Kid Silver, who captured her lone start. Lucy N Ethel is a full sister to stakes winner Jake N Elwood as well as a half-sibling to stakes victress Hey Kiddo.

Lucy N Ethel photo courtesy of NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography

PRIORESS QUOTES

Jose Lezcano, jockey Lucy N Ethel, winner: "She's a very nice filly. The trainer (Chloe Bradley) told me to take her away from the pony and warm her up pretty good, let her break and go to the lead. Everything went as planned. She broke well and I got good position in front and she did it easy. I felt I had enough horse in the stretch. She came in prepared for this race today."

Steve Perry of J. A. G. Racing, co-owner Lucy N Ethel, winner: "We knew she was training brilliantly against some very nice horses, so we really thought we had a shot at this. It's one of the last three-year-old races that there are in the country for fillies, so it was our plan all along. We had just hoped we had a race to enter her in before this.

"She's good enough for this, obviously. We were hoping to run good, maybe hit the board or possibly do what we did. We were pretty confident but it's hard, this was a lovely group of horses. These are some of the best in the world as far as sprinters go."