Win N Your In ‘On Her Way Up’ Following FSS Susan’s Girl Win 

BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)     

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—St. Elias Stable LLC’s Rated by Merit withstood heavy pressure on his way to a three-and-three-quarters-lengths victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Affirmed at Gulfstream Park, but the undefeated 2-year-old colt acted like it was just another race in the aftermath of the second-leg of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owner’s Association Florida Sire Stakes series for colts and geldings sired by accredited Florida stallions.

“He came out of the race well,” trainer Michael Yates said Sunday morning of the Florida-bred star. “He cooled out normal, went straight to his feed and cleaned everything up like normal.”

The seven-furlong Affirmed, however, was not just another race.

While he won his July 13 debut and the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes on Sept. 7, as he pleased, the homebred son of Battalion Runner was made to earn his Saturday’s victory.

He responded the way a 1-5 favorite should.

Rated by Merit took the early lead in the seven-furlong stakes following an alert start but was soon joined by second-choice Neoequos to his outside. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee loomed as an upset candidate while drawing alongside the favorite on the turn but Rated by Merit kicked away under Jesus Rios through the stretch to remain unbeaten.

“It was obvious that the horse stalking him was going to put pressure on him the whole way. I think that was the intention from the get-go. After they broke from the gate and sorted themselves out, they were going to put pressure on him and make him earn it,” Yates said. “I think he answered the call. It wasn’t an easy task. He had to run hard to do it.”

Rated by Merit ran seven furlongs in a sharp 1:22.55 over track that was hardly glib. It was just .09 of the stakes record of 1:22.46 set by Soutache in the 2017 Affirmed.

Yates noticed a difference in Rated by Merit prior to the Affirmed that obviously served his trainee well Saturday.

“Yesterday, he seemed much more aware of what was going on. His first two races, I didn’t see his ears go up pointing forward or looking back and forth like he was yesterday,” Yates said. “He had his ears pretty much up forward, like he was paying attention to everything, He was very focused.”

Rated by Merit will be pointed toward the $300,000 In Reality, the mile-and-a-sixtenth third leg of the Florida Sire Stake series Nov. 30. He will make his two-turn debut while vying to become the 11th colt or gelding to pull off a sweep of the series.

“Until you see him do it, it’s always on the back of your mind, ‘Can he really do it?’ He trains like he can do it,” Yates said. “In his race going seven-eighths, being pressed all the way, you didn’t see him after the wire going on like he did going three-quarters [of a mile] but going seventh-eighths in twenty-two is a taxing race for any horse.”

 

Win N Your In ‘On Her Way Up’ Following Susan’s Girl Win

Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston’s Win N Your In exited her four-and-a-half-length triumph in Saturday’s $200,000 Susan’s Girl, the seven-furlong second leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes for juvenile fillies, in good order.

“I think she’s on her way up. She was looking really good this morning,” trainer Carlos David said Sunday morning. “We’re trying to keep her happy and stay out of her way.”

Win N Your In saved ground while running behind pacesetter Rogue Diamond along the backstretch and turn before rocketing inside the tiring leader while cutting the corner into the stretch, where she drew away to a decisive victory.

“I thought we were a little stuck on the rail with the [Rogue Diamond] stopping in front of us and horses coming on the outside. We were hoping she had another gear for us and she really came through,” David said.

Win N Your In bounced back dramatically from a disappointing third-place finish behind R Morning Brew as the 1-2 favorite in the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes on Sept. 7, on a hot sunny day.

“I think her biggest enemy is the heat. She doesn’t handle it well,” David said. “Now that the winter’s coming, I think she’s going to get even better.”

Win N Your In, who had previously won the Sharp Susan by four-and-three-quarters lengths after breaking her maiden by seven-and-a-half lengths, is scheduled to return in the $300,000 My Dear Girl, the mile-and-a-sixteenth third leg of the Florida Sire Stakes Nov. 30.

“I feel like she can do it all. She can go short; she can go long,” David said.

There have been 17 fillies that have won both the Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl, of which four also won the Desert Vixen to sweep the filly divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes.