Photo:

Adam Coglianese / NYRA

Glenn Hill Farm’s Kentucky homebred Ocean Club joined the graded stakes-winners club with a gate-to-wire score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Noble Damsel, a one-mile inner turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Jack Sisterson, the 4-year-old Curlin chestnut was previously dual Grade 2-placed, including a last-out third in the 6 1/2-furlong Ladies Turf Sprint on August 31 at Kentucky Downs. On Saturday, she successfully stretched back out in distance to earn the elusive score versus graded company in her sixth attempt.

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. engineered the winning trip from post 1, also notching his fourth win on the day after capturing the early double with Comes a Time and Twenty Six Black, in addition to Smile Mon in race 6. Santana picked up the mount on Ocean Club from Frankie Dettori, who is recovering from a shoulder dislocation earlier this week.

“Ricardo watched her replays and we both thought that drawn the rail, just let her jump and go forward and allow her to be comfortable whether going 46 (seconds) for the half – just give her her head,” said Sisterson. “It paid off perfect this afternoon.”

Ocean Club broke alertly from the inside and took early command while tracked by Midnight Mile who broke from the outermost post 7. Five Towns settled behind the front pair with Ocean Club holding a clear advantage through an opening quarter-mile in 23.93 seconds over the firm turf.

Through the first turn and onto the backside, Ocean Club held a half-length lead over Midnight Mile as Five Towns saved ground under Jorge Ruiz along the rail. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to Breath Away in fourth position as the half-mile elapsed in 47.87 seconds.

The complexion up front remained unchanged entering the far turn as Elounda Queen and Breath Away geared up for runs at the front trio. Around the turn, Midnight Mile faded from her tracking position with Five Towns taking up the opening to commence her rally after three-quarters in 1:11.52.

Ocean Club held a one-length cushion at the stretch call over the oncoming Five Towns with Breath Away gaining momentum down the center of the track. Ocean Club looked Five Towns in the eye as she drew up alongside and would not settle for another graded placing, winning by a head in a final time of 1:34.71.

Five Towns was a nose in front of Breath Away for place-honors, with Alluring Angel rounding out the superfecta. Poca Mucha, Midnight Mile, and Elounda Queen completed the order of finish. Edict and Saffron Moon were scratched, along with main track-only entrants Movie Moxy and Signal From Noise.

“She’s a hardy filly and I’d be more worried that being two or three lengths in front she might have idled,” said Sisterson of the game stretch run. “I liked a bit of pressure coming down the outside, it makes her re-engage a bit and it worked out well.”

Ocean Club is no stranger to stakes success, capturing the 1 1/16-mile Monroe in May at Gulfstream Park for trainer Bethany Baumgardner, adding to a victory there in the Martha Washington going the same distance on Tapeta last June for conditioner Thomas Proctor.

“I’d have to thank Craig (Bernick) of Glen Hill Farm and Bethany who had this filly at Gulfstream – they took extreme care of this filly, and they allowed us to let this filly run when she was ready to run,” said Sisterson. “Considering we shipped her all the way to Kentucky Downs; she came out of that race well and came back to Saratoga bouncing out of her skin. When horses are doing well, I think you have to listen to them and run them. It worked out.”

Santana said Ocean Club showed heart to maintain the lead over the closers.

“She’s really classy and a really good-acting filly. She broke really sharp today, I let her be on her own, and she was much the best today. She fight really well. I thought I was beat in the (last) sixteenth,” he said. “But when she feel the other one on her side, she come back to fight.”

Ruiz, who was aboard Graham Motion-trained Five Towns for two wins this year, including the Dahlia in April at Laurel Park, said the filly was game in defeat.

“She’s very impressive. Every race she’s been better and better. The race had the lone speed. She ran OK. There was no high speed in the race. She did a good job,” said Ruiz.

Ocean Club, out of the dual graded stakes-placed War Front mare Theatre Star, banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 15: 5-3-2. She returned $6.80 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.