It's been a long time since anyone could say that Be your best was her best. Based on her performance in the Long Island Stakes (G3T), it's fair to say she gave it her all in the Nov. 10 race Aqueduct race track.
Front running from the start, that Muharar The filly didn't let up under tardy pressure to win the $300,000, 1 3/8-mile indoor turf competition for fillies and mares ages 3 and up.
It's been a long road back to the winner's circle for Be Your Best, who last won in her second race, the PG Johnson Stakes, more than two years ago Saratoga Race Track. She wasn't a lost cause, however, as she came up just compact on several occasions.
She narrowly lost in the 2023 Wonder Again Stakes (G2T), then finished a distant second two races later in the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) before falling compact by 1 3/4 lengths in the American Oaks (G1T). Despite having raced in staggered company in 12 of her last 13 starts, the filly just hadn't been able to get it all together.
Until Sunday.
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Jockey Frankie Dettori immediately brought the filly to the rail as they reached the first corner and was content to set the pace and force the ten rivals to chase her.
“I drove at the pace I wanted,” said Dettori. “She wasn't driving slowly, but she wasn't going full throttle either. She had a good rhythm, she pricked up her ears and as I said, nobody bothered me up front and when I stole those two lengths of the track. “I was difficult to catch.”
Favored No show Sammy Jo who spent most of the race at the back of the field, made frantic efforts to steal the victory from Be Your Best.
Jockey Flavien Prat patiently waited for his opportunity to advance rather than forcing the issue early. They came into the final corner almost last, but Prat's sense of timing couldn't have been better.
Frankie Dettori jumps off Be Your Best in the winner's circle after winning the Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
As the field approached the top section, No Show Sammy Jo shot wide seven times and showed impressive finishing speed, reducing the gap to Be Your Best. If she had taken two more steps, the outcome might have been different. The Lope de Vega The filly was right at the barrier but was narrowly beaten in the photo finish.
The final time was 2:14.36 in favor of trainee Saffie Joseph Jr. The Long Island was Be Your Best's second start since joining Joseph's barn.
“(Joseph) left it up to me. … They told me what great form she had,” Dettori said. “I could dictate. It's always very tough to catch one, especially on the inside lane, if you manage to avoid being picked up. Flavien came away from the crowd and I wasn’t sure.”
Be Your Best posted break times of :24.23, :49.06, 1:14.65, 1:39.16 and 2:02.76. immensity And Avenue Niel took third and fourth place respectively. Be Your Best paid $21.80 for a $2 winning ticket.
Prat said an early misstep from No Show Sammy Jo made all the difference for his mount.
“She jumped well, but everyone took part,” he explained. “Going into the first corner I wasn't swift enough, so I was a little further back than I wanted to be. She made a good move after that, but that was it.”
Bred in Ireland by owner Michael Ryan's St. Croix Bloodstock, Be Your Best improves to 1-0-1 from five starts and earnings of $194,109 this year and 3-3-2 from 16 starts and one win of $538,359 lifetime.
Notes
- Dettori achieved his first victory in Up-to-date York in 1991 at Long Island on Shaima trained by Luca Cumani.
- Coach Brendan Walsh had won the previous Long Islands. He had no entry on Sunday. Graham Motion, whose No Show Sammy Jo finished second, has four wins in the race.
