Victory Hall digs in to upset $135K Maddie May

In her first start for trainer Tom Morley, Victory Hall found enough late to edge clear of the favored pacesetter Galinda and notch her first black type stakes victory in Saturday’s $135,000 Maddie May, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Campaigned by Twin Sports Racing, Cypresshead Racing and Let’s Go Racing, Victory Hall turned the tables on familiar foes Galinda and Rina’s Revenge at odds of 17-1. Previously trained by John Ortiz, she landed a distant third behind those rivals with a pace-pressing trip in the state-bred East View last out on February 14 here. The Independence Hall bay has never finished off-the-board in seven outings, including a win in Finger Lakes Racetrack’s Shesastonecoldfox in November.

Morley said the addition of a hood during the post parade and warm-ups helped the filly stay collected under Ricardo Santana, Jr., who was aboard for the seven-furlong East View.  

“She’s very honest and battle hardened. She has excellent energy levels every day,” Morley said. “She loves training. She eats like a big horse and with the race under her belt last time and Ricardo knowing her today, I think the hood made a big difference in the prelims. She wasn’t as high-energy or goofy as before – she was high energy, but not stupid. She’s very game, and tries very hard.”

Victory Hall emerged from post 4 to settle just behind the early fray, keeping to the inside as Galinda marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.48 seconds over the good footing while tracked by Purple Divine, Blue Note and Velocity Girl stacked three across the track.

“Today, I decided to take her back,” Santana, Jr. said. “I like to ride for Tom – he gives me confidence. I said to him I wanted to change something - last time I rode her I put her too close, so today I’ll take her back. You can tell she likes to run like that.”

Blue Note was shuffled back entering the turn and Galinda began to pull away from her rivals with Jaime Rodriguez keeping her close to the rail through the half-mile in 46.68, but Victory Hall had the leader in her sights as Santana, Jr. angled her out for the stretch run.

Galinda marked three-quarters in 1:11.85 and charged strongly into the lane, but Victory Hall crept closer with every stride as Galinda was asked for her all at the eighth pole. The two battled on gamely before Victory Hall proved best in the shadow of the wire to edge clear by a neck over a stubborn Galinda in a final time of 1:39.39.

Purple Divine finished another two lengths back in third with Rina’s Revenge completing the superfecta. Velocity Girl, Mathea and Blue Note rounded out the order of finish, and the Morley-trained Irish Fortune was scratched.

Morley praised the ride from Santana, Jr.

“He executed the ride beautifully,” Morley said. “We said let’s just try and follow Galinda around there and see if we’re good enough to get to her at the end of the race and he absolutely nailed it.”

Santana, Jr. said Victory Hall was much more relaxed on Saturday than she was for the East View.

“Today, you could see the difference – Tom did an amazing job with the filly," Santana, Jr. said. "Today, I breezed a horse for Tom, and I saw her in the barn, and she was so kind. She was a different filly today. She was ready to run. I said to Tom, ‘If we get the trip I’m thinking about, she’s going to be tough to beat.’ She ran her ass off today.”

Bred by Stonegate Stables and Everythings Cricket Racing, Victory Hall sold for $30,000 as both a weanling and yearling before being a $45,000 RNA at last year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She is out of the winning Into Mischief mare Into Victory, a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Blue Wings, while her second dam Rhineshark is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Behrens.

Into Victory banked $74,250 in victory while improving her lifetime record to 7-4-1-2 and returning $37.16 for a $2 win ticket.

Rodriguez said the Miguel Clement-trained Galinda gave a respectable effort after stretching out by one furlong from her East View score.

“She ran good. I think the half-mile in 46 might have kicked her pretty good first time going long, but she dug in,” Rodriguez said. “She gave me everything today.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

America's Day at the Races presents live coverage and analysis of every day of the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.