Ingrassia Outbobs Barnmate Fluffy Socks in Chelsey Flower

ELMONT, NY – Trainer Chad Brown’s Ingrassia outbobbed her game barnmate Fluffy Socks to hit the stable exacta in Sunday’s $80,000 Chelsey Flower Stakes at Belmont Park.

Ingrassia broke from post 4 under Jose Ortiz as the 2/1 second choice and settled into a stalking position inside of Golden Voice. Just ahead of them, Psychic Ability led the 8/5 favorite Caldee and company through opening fractions of :23.80, :50.52, and 1:17.86.

After running mid-pack early, Fluffy Socks and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. tipped out three-wide in the far turn and took first run at Caldee, who very briefly held command.

Fluffy Socks took the lead shortly after straightening for home but began drifting in the stretch, causing an improving Ingrassia to dive down toward the rail.

Though several lanes separated them by width, Ingrassia and Fluffy Socks dueled noses apart through to the wire, where Ingrassa ultimately won the bob while completing the 1 1/16-mile soft outer turf event in 1:52.01.

“I had a good trip,” Ortiz said. “My filly was very willing and I think she liked the soft turf.”

Tic Tic Tic Boom rallied from next-to-last to take third by 1 1/4 lengths over Caldee, himself a neck past Mischievous Dream for fourth.

Zeyaraat, Psychic Ability, and Golden Voice completed the order of finish.

Oyster Box, Joqular, Lovestruck, and American West (Main Track Only) were scratched from the race restricted to 2-year-old fillies.

Ingrassia’s win was the second of her career and improved her overall record to 3-2-0-1 with $98,600 earned for owner/breeder Don Alberto Stable. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was third in the Jessamine Stakes (G2) last time out behind a pair of top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Ingrassia returned $6.50 to win, $3.80 to place, and $3.10 to show. Fluffy Socks brought back $4.10 to place and $3.80 to show, while Tic Tic Tic Boom paid $5.90 to show.