Feel Glorious Up in Time in Winter Memories

SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Tango Uniform Racing’s Feel Glorious toiled at the rear until being unleashed and getting up in time to take Saturday’s $150,000 Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct.

Breaking from the rail under Junior Alvarado as the 8/5 favorite, Feel Glorious was squeezed to the back when the field came over as they exited the chute onto the front stretch. Up front, Panther Hit and Tass dueled through opening fractions of :23.06, :47.79, and 1:11.99 while Feel Glorious and her Christophe Clement stablemate Sorrentina Lemon trailed in the group of seven.

Still patiently handled on the inside as she straightened for home, Feel Florious waited until room appeared between the rail and a fading Tass. Exploding through the stretch, Feel Glorious took command just inside the final furlong and kicked clear.

Though Sorrentina Lemon put forth a late rally, Feel Glorious was too far gone to be caught, crossing the wire 3/4 of a length ahead in a final time of 1:43.16 for the 1 1/16-mile event over the yielding inner turf course.

“She broke well,” said Alvarado, who rode her to a second-place finish in the Sands Point Stakes (G2) last time out. “We got shuffled back a little bit coming out of the chute in the first part, but I still thought she was travelling well. We were 6 lengths behind the leader and I was told to be about mid-pack. I was probably a little farther back than they wanted, but she was travelling well. She started picking it up and we were just waiting for room to open up. I knew I had a lot of horse. When we turned for home, the hole opened up at the rail and she never hesitated. She went through and finished very strong for me.”

Sorrentina Lemon was 2 1/4 lengths in front of Atomic Blonde in each filly’s stakes debut. Panther Hit weakened to fourth, just necking out Shelter Island, with Tass and On the Town completing the order of finish.

Jabuticaba and Tuned were trainer scratches. Jennemily, Monaco Princess, and Team Win were main track only entries.

Feel Glorious’ win was her first since taking the local Memories Of Silver Stakes on April 19 and improved her overall record to 13-4-3-1. The British-bred 3-year-old daughter of Bated Breath, purchased last fall for $174,638, has now earned $298,734 in her career.

“I thought each of our horses were going to be a bit closer,” Lorieul said. “We were last and second-to-last going into the first turn. They went pretty quick early on, so that gave us a chance to close. Both fillies had good trips as a result of being in the back of the field early. Feel Glorious found an opening on the inside and Sorrentina Lemon was able to find her way on the outside. They both finished very well and we’re very happy with the result.”

Feel Glorious returned $5.40 to win, $2.80 to place, and $2.20 to show. Sorrentina Lemon brought back $3.80 to place and $2.50 to show, while Atomic Blonde paid $3.20 to show.