Pure Silver, Miss Hot Stones Face Off in New York Stallion Series

As the old saying goes, a good horse can come from anywhere, and with the quality and talent of New York-bred Thoroughbreds rising to great heights in recent years, it could pay to keep an eye on the $150,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes (Fifth Avenue Division) coming up on Saturday at Aqueduct.

The six-furlong race is restricted to New York-bred two-year-old fillies that are eligible for the New York Stallion Stakes Series. Six horses have been entered in the race, including the accomplished Pure Silver, who is the 7-5 morning line favorite. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Pure Silver opened her career with a trio of eye-catching victories at Belmont and Saratoga, including a 9 ½-length romp in the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga. However, a fourth-place finish in the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I), in which she dueled hard for the early lead, seemed to throw off Pure Silver’s career rhythm; she was subsequently seventh as the heavy favorite in the Maid of the Midst Stakes going a mile at Belmont and second in the Key Cents Stakes going six furlongs at Aqueduct a month ago.

In order for Pure Silver to bring her losing streak to an end, she’ll have to contend against the exciting up-and-comer Miss Hot Stones. After finishing second in her first two starts at Belmont, Miss Hot Stones broke through with an impressive win going six furlongs at Aqueduct, racing close to a fast pace before seizing command and drawing off to win by 7 ¾ lengths in a fast time. Trained by Ollie Figgins, III, Miss Hot Stones looks bound for bigger and better things and could be ready for a winning effort in her stakes debut.

Wegetsdamunnys will step up in class after compiling a 2-for-3 record at Finger Lakes, with her lone defeat being a runner-up effort in the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes for New York-breds. Rounding out the field are Beaux Arts, runner-up in the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park this summer; Aunt Babe, a 7 ½-length maiden winner trying to rebound from a pair of defeats in stakes races; and Velvet Trinni, runner-up in a maiden claiming race at Aqueduct on December 9th.

The New York Stallion Series Stakes is the eighth race on the card, with a post time of 3:47 p.m. Eastern.