OZONE PARK, NY – Ten Strike Racing’s Lucky Move got the better of defending champion Mrs. Orb in Sunday’s $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes at Aqueduct.
Breaking from the rail as the 6/5 second choice under Kendrick Carmouche, Lucky Move settled into a stalking position while Singular Sensation set the pace.
Sticking with Mrs. Orb as that rival challenged for the lead, Lucky Move rallied to take command near the 1/16 pole before pulling away to win by a 1/2-length.
The Juan Guerrero trainee completed the 1 1/8-mile fast dirt route in 1:56.54.
“You don’t worry about (the pace),” Carmouche said. “You just got to sit and wait as long as you can to make them run and let them run home the last 1/8 of a mile. She had me in a good spot the whole way around. No excuses today. I just had to get the job done.”
Mrs. Orb, the even-money favorite, finished second for the fifth straight time, all at various stakes levels.
Singular Sensation faded to finish 1 1/2 lengths back in third, holding off Firenze Freedom by 3/4 of a length to complete the order of finish.
Kilkea and Sky Kitten were scratched from the race restricted to New York-bred fillies and mares.
Lucky Move’s win was her second straight following the Empire Distaff Handicap and improved her overall record to 32-7-7-4. The 6-year-old Lookin At Lucky mare, claimed for $30,000 in April 2019, has now bankrolled $429,759 lifetime.
“It was a different result this year,” said Carmouche, who was aboard when she lost by a nose. “I had that nose in mind from last year when I lost this race. I knew it was going to be slow up front. I just had to sit, wait, and bide my time. My horse ran very well. Juan Carlos Guerrero had this horse ready to run.”
Lucky Move returned $4.40 to win and $2.30 to place, while Mrs. Orb paid $2.10 to place. There was no show betting.
