WAR OF WILL’s dual stakes placed Stubby visited the winner’s circle for the first time on Thursday with a Maiden Special Weight victory against her elders.
Racing over 5 ½ furlongs at Sunland Park as the race favorite, she was one of the back markers early on, but never let the leaders get too far away. Jockey Luis Negron was happy to take his mount wide as they raced past the quarter pole to give her an opportunity at the leaders and Stubby made the most of it.
She engaged the leading Brazilian Queen in a battle throughout the stretch before pulling away in the final sixteenth to win by 2 ½ lengths.
Trained by Dick Cappellucci for Judge Lanier Racing, Stubby has finished in the top three in 6 of 11 starts. Those top three finishes include thirds in both the Zia Park Princess Stakes and the Sunland Park Oaks for stakes placings in both her two and three-year-old seasons.
Bred by Ashview Farm, Stubby is out of the multiple stakes winner and Grade 3 placed Treasured Up, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Choctaw Nation. The mare is also a half-sister to the dam of Grade 1 winner El Deal.
Stubby’s victory comes days after WAR OF WILL saw daughter Will Then win the China Doll Stakes.