$41,000 Maiden Special Weight
Aqueduct, 7 furlongs
Freedom Trail, Winner #14 for freshman sire FRIENDS LAKE, broke her maiden with a wire to wire run against a tough field at Aqueduct. Third in her first start over this track in October, for trainer Rick Violette, the filly went the first quarter in :22.3 and looked very comfortable holding position on the rail. Joined by foes at the eighth pole she found an extra gear late and pulled away to be 1 1/4 clear at the wire.
Lifetime 2-1-0-1, $28,700.
November 16th.
LUCKY NUMBER 13: FRIENDS LAKE’S 4 BIG WINNERS IN 5 DAYS CONTINUE HIS IMPRESSIVE FRESHMAN RUN
$43,000 Maiden Special Weight
Aqueduct, 5 1/2 furlongs
Although certainly bred to be better around two turns, the Friends Lake 2yos continued on their impressive course when the first-year AP Indy stallion was represented by three quality winners in a five day period. Led by Kiaran McLaughlin’s dead game debut winner Monk’s Creek, who outdueled the race favorite down the stretch to take a $43,000 MSW in impressive fashion, Friends Lake 2yos also took maidens at Churchill Downs and Delaware Park for top conditioners Dale Romans, Eddie Kenneally and Larry Jones respectively. A $270,000 Barretts 2yo purchase for Mr. William Warren, Monks Creek embodies both Friends Lake’s quality on the racetrack as well as his prowess in the sales arena, where his first crop 2yos in training averaged over $160,000 in 2008. Now with 13 2yo winners from his first crop, including the GIII Bashford Manor winner Screen Your Friend, Friends Lake continues to gather momentum with a freshman crop that should only get better as the distances increase!
