The Estate of Robert J. Amendola’s graded stakes winner Evvie Jets led every step of the way to notch her third career stakes triumph in the $145,500 Perfect Sting Stakes, a one-mile Widener turf test for older fillies and mares July 2 at Belmont Park.
Trained by Mertkan Kantarmaci and piloted to victory by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the daughter of Twirling Candy stayed well in command throughout to land a half-length triumph over pace-pressing post-time favorite Technical Analysis , who, along with Haughty and Customer List, was part of a formidable triad for conditioner Chad Brown.
It was Evvie Jets’ second win in three starts this year, adding to another stakes score in the Plenty of Grace in April at Aqueduct Racetrack. She was purchased by Team D for $75,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale out of the Hidden Brook consignment.
“Unbelievable. She just has so much heart,” said Michael Amendola, son of Evvie Jets’ late owner Robert Amendola. “Put her toe-to-toe with anybody and she fights on. It’s a true test of her being a great racehorse. We have so much trust in her and we were excited to have Javier aboard today. She’s been training great and we had her in a great spot. It was a nice surprise, but it wasn’t a surprise.”
Away from the outermost post 5 at odds of 8-1, Evvie Jets broke sharpest of all with Technical Analysis ranging up to her inside to stay within striking range while Customer List broke a step slow and trailed through an opening quarter-mile in :23.36 over the firm footing.
Technical Analysis, with Jose Ortiz in the irons, preserved her from an inside stalking position down the backstretch with stablemate Haughty giving chase on the outside as the half-mile elapsed in :46.77. Ortiz angled Technical Analysis to the outside of her pacesetting foe approaching the turn to take dead aim at Evvie Jets with Haughty going widest of all under Flavien Prat.
Castellano shook the reins approaching the top of the lane and Evvie Jets responded, finding another gear as Technical Analysis came within a half-length at the eighth pole but was in an all-out drive and unable to make up further ground. A valiant Evvie Jets had enough left in the end to stave off her rival and cross the wire first in a final time of 1:33.99, returning $19.60 for a $2 win ticket.
Bred in Kentucky by Farfellow Farms, Evvie Jets attained graded stakes glory when taking the Noble Damsel (G3T) in October at Belmont at the Big A, which provided Kantarmaci with his first graded victory as a trainer. She boasts a record of 6-6-2 in 20 starts and banked $82,500 for her latest victory.
edited from www.bloodhorse.com
