Coffeewithchris put away grade 3-placed Full Moon Madness on the turn and held off favored Prince of Jericho through the stretch to spring a 16-1 upset in $100,000 Heft Stakes Dec. 30 at Laurel Park.
The 21st running of the Heft for 2-year-olds led off six $100,000 stakes on a high-class program that was rescheduled from Dec. 26 because of inclement weather.
Coffeewithchris, bred in Maryland by National Thoroughbred Racing Association president and CEO Tom Rooney out of the Outflanker mare Andiemac, covered seven furlongs in 1:24.96 on a fast main track for his second career win and first in a stakes. He races for owners John Salzman Jr., Fred Wasserloos, and Anthony Geruso and is trained by Salzman.
He became the first-stakes winner for third-crop stallion Ride on Curlin, who finished second in the 2014 Preakness Stakes (G1).
Coffeewithchris and jockey Jaime Rodriguez found themselves quickly in front after a few jumps in breaking outside each of their five rivals until Full Moon Madness, exiting a runner-up finish in the Nov. 6 Nashua Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, surged up the rail to take the lead and hold it though a quarter-mile in :22.71 seconds and a half in :46.24.
Rodriguez ranged up on Full Moon Madness midway around the far turn and forged a short lead straightening for home, when 3-5 favorite Prince of Jericho—who had been tracking in third—launched his bid on the far outside. Coffeewithchris drifted out slightly in mid-stretch but had plenty left to turn back a game Prince of Jericho and win by 2 1/2 lengths.
He paid $35.60 to win for a $2 wager.
Riccio, sent off at 22-1, earned his third stakes-placing when he closed to be third followed by Full Moon Madness, Alottacents, and Midnight Trouble. We Don't Need Roads and Home School were scratched.
"(Salzman) told me in the paddock there's not much speed in the race so just use good judgment and figure out how the race goes," Rodriguez said. "He broke good but when I saw the horse inside going I just stayed with him and I knew the favorite was behind me so I wanted to save some horse for the end. Once I asked him at the top of the lane, he gave me everything."
A race after the Heft, Happy Face Racing Stable's Malibu Moonshine caught front-running Stonewall Star in deep stretch and drove clear to improve to 3-for-3 with a 1 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes. The Charlton Baker trainee raced seven furlongs in 1:26.86 under Angel Cruz, returning $6.20 to win as the favorite.
Give Me Kisses edged Stonewall Star by a head for second, and it was another neck back to Gormley's Gabriela in fourth.
Other stakes winners on the Friday card included Swayin to and Fro in the Willa On the Move Stakes, Factor It In in the Dave's Friend Stakes, Malibu Beauty in the Carousel Stakes, and Nimitz Class in the Robert T. Manfuso Stakes.
