Florida-bred Wall Street Wonder exceeded analysts’ expectations Saturday at Aqueduct, leading from start to finish during a dominant, 8 ½-length win in the $65,000 Paumonok Stakes.
Wall Street Wonder, bred by Reddick’s Richard E. Wilson, became the second stakes winner for Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds stallion City Place, joining Florida-bred Glitter City, who captured the $60,000 Witches’ Brew Stakes at The Meadowlands in October. Wall Street Wonder, out of the Kissin Kris mare Kisses and Hugs, has won three of his 12 starts for $156,341.
With Channing Hill aboard him for the first time, Wall Street Wonder sprinted to the lead early in the six-furlong Paumonok, racing just ahead of 3-4 favorite Driven by Success. Wall Street Wonder covered the first quarter-mile in 22.72 seconds and a half-mile in 45.44 seconds while opening up a three-length lead, as Driven by Success began to fade.
Wall Street Wonder reached the top of the lane with a 5 ½-length advantage and wasn’t challenged the rest of the way, stopping the clock in 1:09.40 for his second consecutive victory. The 4-year-old colt returned $7.30, $4.10 and $3.30 across the board as the second choice in the field of six 3-year-olds and up.
“He just broke so sharp,” Hill said. “I really had no other options besides being where I was, especially with Driven by Success outside of us. I knew as soon as we had Driven by Success outrun that my horse was going to be real tough to beat. He’s a real nice horse, and I think getting on the dirt has really helped him.”
Mt. Glittermore paid $4.30 and $2.80 after finishing a length ahead of Shoptate, who returned $4.70 to show. Driven by Success, who had won the $125,000 Hudson Stakes against fellow New York-breds at Belmont Park in October, finished fifth.
“His style is to be in front by himself, but the other horse outran him to the lead,” said Driven by Success’s jockey, Mike Luzzi.
Wall Street Wonder entered the Paumonok off a two-length score in a $45,000 allowance going six furlongs on the Aqueduct inner dirt track last month. The horse, owned by John Connelly’s Stetson Stables, had run in six stakes races before, including four third-place finishes, most recently in the $72,950 Solomon Northup Stakes at Saratoga in August.
Wall Street Wonder was making his second start for trainer John Terranova after previously running for Bob Baffert, who had campaigned him mostly on turf. The colt was a $325,000 purchase at the March 2008 Barretts sale.
“This horse was just doing so well, and we really thought he was on the verge of a breakout performance,” Terranova said. “The way he jumped out of the gate, it looked like he took the lead very easily. We told Channing not to ask too much of him or take anything away, and just go with him. We knew the horse was up to running against these types of horses today, but he kind of blew our minds.”
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– Photo of Florida-bred Wall Street Wonder by Adam Coglianese
