Favored Lead Guitar Wins Autumn Days

OZONE PARK, NY – Jim and Susan Hill’s Lead Guitar made good on her 6/5 favoritism and extended her win streak to 4 in Sunday’s $100,000 Autumn Days Stakes at Aqueduct.

Lead Guitar broke well from post 9 under Jose Lezcano and sat a close stalking trip in the clear while Risky Mischief and Ode to Joy dueled through opening fractions of :23.33 and :47.08.

Advancing steadily in the far turn, Lead Guitar went two-wide at the top of the stretch with A Great Time to her outside and shot past Risky Mischief in mid-stretch.

Leaving A Great Time and Risky Mischief in her wake, the George Weaver trainee crossed 3 1/4 lengths clear while completing the 6-furlong yielding outer turf sprint in 1:10.87.

“She’s a very nice filly; the kind you can do whatever you want with,” Lezcano said. “It was my first time riding her and she broke well. She put me right in the race, and when I asked her to go on, she went on and won the race.”

Despite advancing with the winner through the turn, A Great Time hung in the stretch and just nipped a game Risky Mischief for second by a head.

Madeleine Must, Ode to Joy, I’llhandalthecash, Saratoga Treasure, Mentality, My Sassy Sarah (who blew the start), and Dendrobia completed the order of finish.

Rose Flower scratched, as did Main Track Only entries Malibu Mischief, Timely Tradition, and Bridlewood Cat.

Lead Guitar’s victory followed her first stakes success last time out in the Floral Park against her fellow New York-breds and improved her overall record to 11-6-2-1. The 4-year-old Maclean’s Music filly, purchased for $200,000 as a yearling, has now earned $290,678.

“She’s a good girl,” said assistant trainer Blair Golen. “She’s just a nice filly to train and be around. She’s proven that she doesn’t have to have everything go her way.”

Lead Guitar returned $4.50 to win, $2.90 to place, and $2.40 to show. A Great Time brought back $4.50 to place and $3.30 to show, while Risky Mischief paid $5.40 to show.