BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Niche got the jump on At a Premium from the start then withstood pressure from the odd-on favorite for the last half-mile to upset the $750,000 Charles Town Oaks (Grade 2) at Charles Town Races Friday night. Ridden to a half-length victory by Dylan Davis for trainer Rob Atras, Niche won by a half-length at 14-1 in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies racing seven furlongs around two turns.
With the out-of-state victory in a this level, Niche produced a $5,000 Export Incentive for breeders Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck of Williston, Florida in the name of their Summerfield Sales Agency and Holly and Jack Maro’s Etarip Stables of Ocala, Florida. Export Incentives are paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Davis had Niche on the lead immediately from post three and was a length ahead of At a Premium past the finish line for the first time. Niche still had a length on At a Premium through a quarter mile in an honest :23.20 with Florida-bred Tessellate in third a length-and-a-half farther back and they kept that formation down the backside. At a Premium approached Niche in the second turn after a half mile in :46.77 and those two hit the top of the stretch heads apart while clicking off six furlngs in 1:11.25. At a Premium tried to get by in the run for home but Niche never gave in, winning in 1:25.36 for her first career stakes victory. At a Premium held second by a length-and-a-half ahead of a 27-1 longshot Tahlequah in third. Tessellate, Luv Your Neighbor, Little Miss Curlin, Irish Jig, Now or Nevermore and Pearl of Pearl finished in that order.
Niche earned $449,748 for owners Red White and Blue Racing while paying $30.00 to win.
After four tries, three on grass, Niche won a six-furlong maiden special weight for fillies by a length-and-a-quarter in wire-to-wire fashion at Laurel Park on April 17. Atras then took her to Aqueduct during the Belmont at Big A meet in May for a first condition, $100,000 optional claiming and she responded with another flag-to-finish performance, winning by three lengths after six-and-a-half furlongs.
After a two-month break, Niche raced on a synthetic track for the first time in the $100,000 Lady Erie at Presque Isle Downs on July 20. She again showed the way for the first six furlongs but was passed in deep stretch by eventual winner Quiet Street and finished second.
Niche has now won three of eight career starts with one second and she boosted her revenues to $555,108. Red White and Blue purchased Niche for $275,000 through bloodstock agent Marshall Taylor at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale where she was consigned by Summerfield.
Niche is by Yaupon and is the seventh foal out the Quiet American mare of Stormbeforethecalm, who has four winners from six starters and nine foals. Niche is a half-sister to graded stakes-winning Florida-bred Proven Strategies and stakes-winning Florida-bred Corona Bolt.
Stormbeforethecalm has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Olympiad and an unnamed yearling filly by Mage, both bred in Florida by Summerfield Sales Agency and Etarip Stables. The yearling filly sold for $60,000 at last year’s Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale out of the Summerfield consignment.
Purchased by Summerfield for $15,000 at the 2016 Keeneland January Sale of Horses of All Ages, winner Stormbeforethecalm is a half-sister stakes-winners Cool Catomine, Master Spy and Wild Catomine, also a stakes-producer; and stakes-placed Crowns Dynasty and Goldmine Cat.
Summerfield consigned Stormbeforethecalm at the 2026 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where Etarip bought her for $47,000. Stormbeforethecalm was bred to Bolt d’Oro this year.
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