Sahin Civaci guides Loon Cry to victory in the Sweet Briar Too Stakes Saturday. Woodbine/ Michael Burns Photo
Waterville Lake Stables’ homebred Loon Cry collected her first stakes victory in Saturday’s listed $127,500 Sweet Briar Too at Woodbine.
Going off as the 3-2 favorite in the field of 10 for trainer Christophe Clement, the 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready settled toward the back of the field early in the 6-furlong turf stakes. Nearly from the time the gate opened, Miss Vyvyanne raced on an open-length lead through early fractions of :22.23 and :44.92 over the firm turf. Nearly 15 lengths separated first from last early with Loon Cry sitting in third-to-last.
Jockey Sahin Civaci let his Loon Cry to roll around the turn and the filly started moving closer while circling the field. Loon Cry picked up even more in the final furlong, hit the front and held steady by a length at the line. Blind Spot finished second with Queen Macha third. Loon Cry won in 1:09.11.
“I spoke with Mr. Clement this morning,” said Civaci. “And you know, it’s a horse that comes off the pace, so that’s what we decided on, coming off the pace. There was quite a bit of speed throughout the race. I was just sitting comfortably at the back watching everything unfold and when it was time, I angled her out, and she kicked on. She was drifting in a little bit, but I was clear of everybody. And she finished up strongly.”
Loon Cry improved to 6-for-13 with five other top-three finishes and boosted her bankroll to $349,999. The New York-bred already had a stakes placing to her name when third in last year’s Lady Erie Stakes at Presque Isle Downs before staying almost exclusively in allowance company, other than one other stakes run before Saturday.
Loon Cry is one of five winners from five to race out of the multiple stakes-placed Bernardini mare Final Escrow, who was also bred by Waterville Lake Stables out of the multiple stakes placed Escrow Agent.
Escrow Agent proved to be a strong broodmare as the dam of dual Grade 1 winner Vicar and stakes winner Sheepscot among her five stakes performers.
Six of her daughters went on to produce their own stakes performers, led by Sheepscot, who produced Group 1 winner Astronomer Royal and Grade 2 winner Navesink River.
In addition to a winning New York-bred Nyquist filly named Go Ny Go born the year after Loon Cry, Final Escrow also has an unnamed Liam’s Map yearling colt. She produced a New York-bred Good Magic filly February 18. All were bred by Waterville Lake Stables.
