February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By John Manley
Irish-breds won the two graded stakes races contested in the New York area recently. Shadwell Stable’s Elhayq pulled off an upset victory in the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont Park, while Buffalo Berry won as the favorite in the $100,000 Reeve Schley, Jr. Stakes at Monmouth.
Elhayq stalked the leaders along the hedge in the early going of the 11-furlong Bowling Green, a Grade II grass event, before splitting rivals around the far turn. The 5-year-old son of Nashwan then drew clear in the stretch under Shaun Bridgmohan and won by almost three lengths over Yankee Dollar. The winning time was 2:13.81. Elhayq paid $32.00 to win.
Kiaran McLaughlin trains Elhayq, who prepped for the Bowling Green by winning a Belmont allowance race. This was the second stakes win of the meet for McLaughlin, whose parents are from Belfast. He won the True North Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day with Intidab. For Elhayq, this was his fifth win in 17 career starts and lifts his total earnings to $176,920.
Kathy-Jo Stable’s Buffalo Berry, a 3-year-old daughter of Sri Pekan, was reserved toward the rear of the field by Aaron Gryder in the Schley, a Grade III mile and a sixteenth on the Monmouth lawn. The duo launched their bid around the far turn, took the lead in mid-stretch and gutted out the victory by a half-length over Mi Moochie. Final time of the race was 1:40.93. The winner paid $7.20.
Buffalo Berry now has four wins in eight lifetime starts, and earnings of $144,375.Before arriving in the U.S., she ran for Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, where she won the listed Cork Stakes last year. She now takes her cues from Bill Mott. The filly was bred by Orpendale.
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