Galaxina holds off multiple challengers late to win Monday’s New York Oaks at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
By Tom Law
The late money proved the right money in Monday’s $75,000 New York Oaks at Finger Lakes.
Galaxina, who hovered around 3-1 and 5-2 with about 12 minutes to post for the 1 11/6-mile Oaks, eventually was hammered down to 6-5 favoritism. She backed up the support in her first try beyond 7 furlongs with a three-quarter-length victory over Eros’s Girl and six others in the 34th renewal of the Western New York fixture.
The win didn’t come easy for Ascendant Farm’s homebred daughter of Giant Surprise.
Galaxina, shipped to Finger Lakes from trainer Jim Bond’s Gridley Street private barn just off the grounds of Saratoga Race Course, stalked early under Dylan Davis and withstood late runs from Eros’s Girl, Curly Girl and Shesascoldasice. She then withstood about a five-minute stewards inquiry and jockey’s objection from Kevin Navarro, the rider of Eros’s Girl, before adding the Oaks to her growing resume.
Eighth and 9 lengths behind Dream Central last time out in her turf debut in the Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Series June 19 at Belmont Park, Galaxina returned to the dirt for the New York Oaks. She’d won her last two on the main track before the Cupecoy’s Joy, including a 24-1 upset of the Park Avenue division of the NYSS in late April at Aqueduct.
Curly Girl came in a bit from post two at the break, brushing Galaxina down on the rail and Silent Invasion wound up in front heading past the finish the first time and into the first turn. Silent Invasion led Galaxina by a length through the opening splits of :23.98 and :48.60. Charge Nurse and Sister Linda, who opened up as the early favorite at 3-5 before drifting up to 9-5 at post time, tracked from there with Eros’s Girl fifth and Sweet Maeve sixth.
Davis gave Galaxina her cue around the far turn and was within a head of the leader through 6 furlongs in 1:13.98. They took the lead into the stretch, racing about two paths off the rail as Silent Invasion retreated and Eros’s Girl revved up.
Davis gave Galaxina a couple taps of the whip left-handed, she drifted out a bit and exchanged a light bump with Eros’s Girl. The two battled side-by-side through the lane with Galaxina eventually edging away to win in 1:49.68. Curly Girl finished a head back of the runner-up in third, with Shesascoldasice another half-length behind in fourth. Silent Invasion, Charge Nurse, Sister Linda and Sweet Maeve completed the field.
Galaxina earned $45,000 for the victory – her third in five starts – and boosted her bankroll to $208,250.
A second generation homebred for Ascendant and foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Galaxina is out of the Lawyer Ron mare Strange Magic.
Ascendant and Don Manuchia purchased the unraced Artax mare Lokoya Red, in foal to Saarland, for $28,000 at the 2005 OBS October mixed sale. Bred to Lawyer Ron in his second season at stud three years later, the mare produced Galaxina’s dam Strange Magic.
Strange Magic never made it to the track but has produced two runners with Galaxina her first winner. She’s also the dam of the New York-bred 2-year-old colt Incantation, who breezed a half in :51 Monday morning at Colonial Downs, and a New York-bred yearling colt by Frank Conversation.
