For all the ability and potential Bishops Bay has displayed in his first eight races, there was one noticeable omission from his resume.
A graded stakes win.
That glitch was resolved when the ultra-consistent son of Uncle Mo used his class and grit to earn a hard-fought half-length victory over Quint's Brew in the $175,000 Westchester Stakes (G3) May 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"We always thought he was this type of horse. We didn't get to race him much at 3 or last year so it's good to have him back and healthy and in a good rhythm, racing more often," trainer Brad Cox said. "We hope he can continue to improve and step up more throughout the year."
Hind leg issues kept the 5-year-old Bishops Bay on the sidelines for 17 months, from June 2023 until Nov. 2024, but he has come back to the races better than ever. Grade 3-placed at 3, he has won four of five starts since returning. In his career, he has 6 wins from 9 starts with three seconds for the bulky BSW/Crow Colts Group ownership bundle of Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers, Martin Schwartz. Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing, Kueber Racing, Big Easy Racing, Rick Kanter, Michael Caruso, and breeder WinStar Farm.
The mile Westchester, one of three graded stakes on Sunday's card, was contested on a muddy, sealed track due to a short but heavy rainstorm, and was a two-horse race throughout.
Paul Berube, Karen Linnell, and Heather Hunter's Quint's Brew, coming off a neck loss in the Carter Stakes (G2) for trainer Ed Allard, and Bishops Bay broke as bookends in the field of seven. Quint's Brew, a Mosler gelding, held a narrow edge from the outside post early on, with Bishops Bay ($5), the 3-2 favorite, a half-length behind on the rail. Those two were unthreatened the rest of the way as Bishops Bay held a narrow lead through fractions of :46.32 and 1:09.90. They continued to battle side-by-side until the final sixteenth when Bishops Bay and jockey Flavien Prat edged away to cover the mile in 1:34.19.
Winning Move Stable's Yo Daddy was 6 1/2 lengths back in third.
"He dug in. Flavien put him in a good spot and he responded in the lane," Cox said.
Cox said he would most likely look for a softer spot than the June 7 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) for Bishops Bay's next start.
Out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Catch My Drift, Bishops Bay was purchased for $450,000 from the Warrendale Sales consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Dynamic Pricing prevails in Beaugay
A wide trip can be costly in a graded turf stakes, but not even being carried 9-10 paths wide could deter Klaravich Stables' Dynamic Pricing.
Forced extremely wide when the front-running 2-1 favorite Raqiya bore out on the final turn, Dynamic Pricing launched a strong stretch rally under Irad Ortiz Jr. and rocketed to the front in the final yards to secure a half-length win in the $175,000 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares.
One of three grade 2 winners trained by Chad Brown in the field of eight, the 4-year-old daughter of Night of Thunder was making her first start since September. It was her third win in eight starts and pushed her earnings to $497,125.
Bred by Epona Bloodstock, she was timed in 1:42.12 on firm turf for the mile and a sixteenth and paid $9 to win.
"It was nice off a layoff that she was ready and avoided the trouble in this race. She was able to get her season started the right way," Brown said.
Edict was second and Heredia third.
Haulin Ice takes the Vagrancy
After using gate-to-wire speed to cruise to decisive stakes wins in her last two starts, Haulin Ice ($6) showed a nice measure of grit to post her initial graded stakes win.
Owned by C Two Racing Stable, Paul Braverman, Miller Racing, and Timothy Pinch, the speedy daughter of Coal Front lost the lead to R Disaster in mid-stretch but re-rallied late to record a neck victory in the $175,000 Vagrancy Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the filly bred in Arkansas by Eugenia Thompson-Benight covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.10 on a fast track while winning for the eighth time in 14 starts.
R Disaster was second followed by Leslie's Rose a nose behind in third.
Socially Selective was declared a non-starter for wagering purposes as she was being held by a starter when the gates opened.
