Shoot It True heads for home in Saturday’s Notebook Stakes. Chelsea Durand/Coglianese Photos
By Paul Halloran
Trainer Wesley Ward entered two fillies in Saturday’s Notebook Stakes for 2-year-old New York-breds at Aqueduct Racetrack, both of whom had already beaten males. He opted to scratch Phoebeinwonderland and run her vs. fillies in Sunday’s Key Cents Stakes, leaving Shoot It True to take on the boys in the Notebook.
Good decision.
Off a 198-day layoff, Shoot It True, a $340,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling in 2023, showed no signs of rust, taking the lead early in the 6-furlong stakes and cruising to a 4 ¼-length win.
“She’s a big, imposing filly,” Ward said. “She’ll be much better as a 3- and 4-year-old. I told Dave (Reid, of Ice Wine Stable) she was 80-percent fit. I thought her ability would get her there.”
Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Shoot It True took control in the first furlong and led through a quarter-mile in :22.43, chased by Kenny Be, who remained on her flank through a half-mile in :46.12. Once they straightened out and Dettori asked her, Shoot It True drew clear and was an easy winner. The final time was 1:10.17.
By Munnings out of the Malibu Moon mare To the Moon Alice, Shoot It True was an impressive maiden winner against the boys at Keeneland April 5, then took the lead and faded to fourth in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs 27 days later.
“I was hoping to get her a stakes win early in the year,” Ward said. “I ran her back off a big win. I shouldn’t have and it cost me.”
That prompted Ward to put her on the shelf for five months, bringing her back to the work tab at Keeneland Oct. 1 and giving her six workouts before the Notebook. He thought she would have a better chance than Phoebeinwonderland, who drew the far outside post in Sunday’s stakes.
“This filly (Shoot It True) is much better and to me it wouldn’t matter where we ran her,” Ward said, a sentiment echoed by Dettori.
“He was very confident, my boss,” Dettori said. “In fairness, he’s always confident, but he said she’s special. She broke really good and was good in the gate. Last time, she was a bit hot, but [today] she was very calm, broke well and got to the lead on her own terms pricking her ears. The only concern was I couldn’t get her to switch leads, but she was going forward, so don’t fix what’s not broken. She was very good. I really like her.”
Shoot It True, bred by Old Tavern Farm in Stillwater, is the fourth foal and second winner out of To the Moon Alice. Her Two for Charging won a claiming race at Aqueduct Friday. Ward picked out Shoot It True for Ice Wine Stable and Smart Choice Stable at the Saratoga sale, though he is not taking credit for being particularly clever.
“She was the talk of the sale. She’s a beautiful physical, by a great stallion. It was a Joe Johnson no-brainer,” Ward said, a reference to what the former NBA All-Star called his decision to re-sign with the Boston Celtics 20 years after the organization first drafted him.
Ward said Shoot It True would get another break, with a spring return planned.
