Looms Boldly sharp in Damon Runyon score

Manny Franco knew Looms Boldly could do it all on the lead and wasn’t about to take his mount out of his game after the break of Sunday’s $97,000 Damon Runyon at Aqueduct. He’d ridden the big Goldencents colt to victory on the front end before – namely in a maiden win in mid-November – and didn’t change a thing in the 6-furlong Runyon.

“I took advantage of the break,” Franco said after Ten Strike Racing’s Looms Boldly won by a half-length. “He broke so sharp and I went with him because I won on the lead with him before. That’s what I did and he took me all the way to the wire.”

Looms Boldly, coming off a third in a state-bred allowance-optional Feb. 20 off a more than three-month break, improved to 2-for-4 in the Runyon for trainer Brad Cox. He also became the second stakes winner for Marshall Gramm’s and Clay Sanders’ Forestry mare See the Forest, who is also the dam of 2019 champion New York-bred 2-year-old filly and $303,795-earner Critical Value.

Sent off as the 5-1 fourth choice in the field of five, Looms Boldly came away quick from the gate and led stakes winner Andiamo a Firenze by a half-length through the opening quarter-mile in :22.39.

Looms Boldly continued on around the far turn, holding that half-length edge and to the half-mile split in :46.42. Franco let him out in the lane and Looms Boldly opened up 2 1/2 lengths on Andiamo a Firenze in midstretch with What’s Up Bro trying to make a belated run on the outside. Looms Boldly held it together inside the final furlong and won in 1:13.73.

“In the stretch, my horse was getting a little tired in the end, but at the same time he was giving me all he had,” Franco said. “I’m glad we got it done today.”

Andiamo a Firenze, winner of last year’s Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and the second choice at 9-5, held second and was 4 1/4 lengths clear of 9-5 favorite What’s Up Bro in third. D’ont Lose Cruz and Bobby Ride completed the field, reduced by the scratch of East Coast Girl.

Looms Boldly added the Damon Runyon to his Nov. 12 maiden victory also at 6 furlongs at Aqueduct. He finished second in his debut – after opening up a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch before falling short by three-quarters of a length – and third in his comeback Feb. 20.

Dustin Dugas, Cox’s New York-based assistant, said Franco’s familiarity with the colt played a key role in the victory.

“I expected him to be on the lead or near it, but I didn’t expect it to be that quick,” he said. “Manny was really confident in the horse and has breezed him a bunch of times. He knows him really well. He rode him last time and he needed the race a bit off the layoff. He wasn’t that comfortable sitting off the pace, so Manny made sure to be really aggressive today and it panned out.

“I was a little bit nervous down the backside with the fast fractions, but when he turned for him he just looked as confident as he did and was striding out very comfortable. I was confident then.”

Looms Boldly is one of six winners out of See the Forest, who is out of two-time champion New York-bred, multiple graded stakes winner and $1,060,984-earner Critical Eye. See the Forest was claimed by Gramm for $12,500 out of a victory in early October 2010 at Philadelphia Park. See the Forest retired with six wins in 24 starts and $126,313.

In addition to Critical Value, See the Forest is the dam of Grit’n’grind, a 10-time winner in 80 starts who earned $449,584; three-time winning New York-bred Backstretch George, five-time winning New York-bred winner Steam Engine; and the 4-year-old New York-bred Midnight Lute colt Whittington Park, a three-time winner currently in training for Ten Strike Racing. See the Forest did not produce a foal in 2021 or 2022 before delivering a colt by Constitution in New York Feb. 6.

Foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Looms Boldly earned $55,000 for the victory to boost his bankroll to $117,540.

“He’s always been a big, chunky boy and we always thought he was unfit, but he’s shown us that he just is [this way],” Dugas said. “He never lost his baby fat and he’s just this big boy. He’s definitely grown mentally and physically. His whole family is happy-go-lucky and they love to race and train.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/19/looms-boldly-sharp-in-damon-runyon-score/

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