BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A winner of her first two starts as the second choice in the betting, Averill Racing LLC’s R Morning Brew has this time been labeled the heavy favorite on the morning line for Saturday’s $200,000 Susan’s Girl, the second leg of the filly division of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes. The undefeated filly has been assigned 4-5 odds in the program for the seven-furlong contest in which she will face six other 2-year-old fillies by accredited Florida stallions.
The Susan’s Girl is the co-feature on Saturday’s program with the $200,000 Affirmed, the second leg of the male division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, also run at seven furlongs.
A winner of her first two starts by a combined 10 lengths, R Morning Brew has performed better than trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. expected.
“She’s never been the fastest work horse, so it’s been kind of a surprise how she’s shown up on race day,” Joseph said.
Egdard Zayas, who has ridden R Morning Brew in both of her career races, also notes he was a bit taken back by her dominance.
“One time I worked her out of the gate, and she was pretty slow out of there, but after that she really picked it up,” Zayas said. “I thought she was definitely going to appreciate distance, but the way she ran really surprised us. Then she came back to run even better.
“I think definitely the longer she goes the better she will even get,” he added. “From before she ever ran, I thought she was going to like going a little longer, so the fact that she won the first two it was a little bit of surprise for us. Hopefully we’re right about her.”
Owned by Rich Averill’s Averill Racing LLC, R Morning Brew won her first race by four-and-a-half lengths over a sloppy track at 5-2 odds, defeating 6-5 favorite My Denysse, who was more than six lengths back in third.
She then won the six-furlong FSS Desert Vixen by five-and-a-half lengths in a stakes record time of 1:10.85, defeating odds-on favorite Win N Your In in third.
“Her first time out I didn’t know what to expect. She just trained evenly. She won well, but we weren’t sure if it was the slop,” Joseph said. I thought [in the Desert Vixen] that she came back with a performance that spoke for itself.”
R Morning Brew was the first winner and stakes winner for her sire Curlin’s Honor, who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions. Bred in Florida by Dori Morgan Hyatt, R Morning Brew is out of Foolhearted Woman, by Uncaptured and has earned $89,000 in her two starts.
Averill purchased R Morning Brew for $30,000 out of the Rivera Training and Sales consignment at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale in April.
Zayas gets the return mount and they will break from post five.
“I think we have a really good post position. I’ll just try to help her break out of there and [put her] wherever she’s comfortable,” Zayas said. “We are on the outside and I don’t think we have to push her. If she’s on the lead by herself and comfortable, good. If we’re stalking, I think [it’s] good. I think she can do anything. She’s pretty classy.”
Zayas tries for a record fourth straight victory in the Susan’s Girl after winning with Outfoxed (2021), Lynx (2022) and R Harper Rose last year. Other jockeys with three victories in the Susan’s Girl are Manoel Cruz with Ivanavinalot (2002), Running Lass (2005) and Adhrhythm (2006); and Manuel Aguilar on Aclassysassylassy (2004), Silk Ridge (2007) and Aroma de Mujer (2008).
Joseph and Averill will be trying to win their second consecutive Susan’s Girl after also teaming to win with R Harper Rose.
Win N Your In will try to avenge her loss to R Morning Brew as she returns in the Susan’s Girl for trainer Carlos David.
A seven-and-a-half-length victress of a maiden special weight for state-bred fillies in July, Win N Your In is the only other stakes winner in the field having taken the $95,000 Sharp Susan going six furlongs at Gulfstream in August.
“Right after her win in the Sharp Susan, she had a little setback. She had a little cut that got infected. She missed a workout and we kind of had to press at the end,” David said. “The weather didn’t help. It was like 100 degrees out. I know that people are going to say, ‘Everybody’s hot. Everybody’s going to run under the same sun.’ But some horses don’t handle it well and she’s one of those horses. I’m hoping for a better climate this weekend. I think she can get the distance fine. It’s just a matter how the weather plays out that day.”
By Ocala Stud’s leading Florida first crop sire Win Win Win, Win N Your In is out of Hello Rosie, by Yes It’s True and was bred in Florida by Marion G. Montanari. With a record of two wins and two thirds in four starts, Win N Your In has earned $98,950 for owners Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston.
Johnson purchased Win N Your In for $12,000 out of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield consignment at the 2023 OBS Winter Mixed Sale.
Win N Your In gets regular rider Miguel Vasquez and they will break from post three. They are the 7-2 second choice on the morning line.
Kathleen O’Connell, the all-time leading female trainer with more than 2,500 career wins, looks for a record-tying third victory in the Susan’s Girl with Don’t Fool With Me. O’Connell won the Susan’s Girl with Ivanavinalot and Scandalous Act in 2013.
Trainer Stanley Gold holds the record with three Susan’s Girl victories after winning with Awesome Feather (2010), Ballet Diva (2015) and Cookie Dough (2018).
Fifth in the Desert Vixen, Don’t Fool With Me has since won a maiden special weight for Florida-bred fillies by nearly five-lengths on Sept. 29.
“She’s one I think will improve with every start. For some, it just takes a while for things to go together and click. She’s been progressing very nicely,” O’Connell said. “I think she can handle the seven furlongs. I think it will actually be easier on her as far as it wouldn’t be as much of a rush, and she has a very nice stride.”
Don’t Fool With Me is by Journeyman Stud’s leading Florida sire Khozan out of About a Dream, by Bodemeister and was bred by owner Stonehedge LLC.
Set at 6-1 on the morning line, Don’t Fool With Me will be ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo and they will break from post four.
Wiggle An’ Wine looks to snap a streak of two second-place finishes to Susan’s Girl rivals after finishing four lengths behind Win N Your In in the Sharp Susan and five-and-a-half lengths behind R Morning Brew in the Desert Vixen.
Trained by Jose Pinchin, who co-owns the filly with Christian Maingot, Wiggle An’ Wine has earned $85,850 from a win with two seconds in three starts. She is by Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew out of My Rolex, by Proud Accolade and was bred in Florida by Tracy Pinchin.
Emisael Jaramillo will ride Wiggle An’ Wine from the inside post one and they are 5-1 in the program.
Others set for the Susan’s Girl are Rogue Diamond with Leonel Reyes taking the call, I’malwaysthinking and jockey Luca Panici and Jonathan Ocasio will be in the irons on Kip the Distance.
