FLASHY two-year-old filly Brooklyn Hustle booked herself a spot in the Blue Diamond Stakes with her amazing debut win in the Buildsafe Plate at The Valley.
Despite missing the start by two lengths and being well back before the turn, Brooklyn Hustle mowed down the frontrunner Oh So Rewarding, who looked set for victory, to win running away.
She recorded a time of 58.79 seconds, running her last 200m in 10.96 seconds. Trainer Jason Warren said the daughter of Starspangledbanner was the best two-year-old he had trained.
“I haven’t had heaps of two-year-olds so I can’t benchmark her against anything I’ve had but I can from when I was with Lee Freedman,” Warren said. “I’m not going to say she’s an Alinghi but she’s a lot better than anything I’ve had.”
Jockey Beau Mertens said Brooklyn Hustle has the wow factor.
The other impressive aspect of the win, according to Warren, was that she wasn’t wound up to win. The trainer was surprised Brooklyn Hustle missed the start but pointed out she started from barrier one, which she was in for some time due to the start being delayed.
Warren said he would send Brooklyn Hustle to Rosemont Stud, who bred and own the filly, for a brief freshen up.
“She’ll be in a paddock each day and tick along on the water walker,” he said. “Mark Young will look after her for a couple of weeks.”
Warren said he expected Brooklyn Hustle would have one run before the Blue Diamond Stakes. “I don’t have to panic as she’s in the race,” he said.
Warren also trained a winner for Rosemont Stud at Cranbourne on Friday night with Miss Toorak Flyer.
Mertens said Brooklyn Hustle had become too relaxed in the stalls due to the delay and bounded in the air at the start. Brooklyn Hustle ($ 5) defeated Yes Yes Yes ($ 6) by two lengths, with Oh So Rewarding ($ 8) a half length away third.
Meantime, South Australian three-year-old Behemoth will also be set for bigger races in the autumn after an impressive win at The Valley.
Trainer David Jolly said Behemoth could be back for the Melbourne autumn carnival or the Adelaide carnival.
“He’s showed us for a long time he’s a good galloper,” Jolly said. “I’ve seen him do things at home against good horses which are quite astonishing against horses which have won in Adelaide.”
Behemoth sat off the speed in the five horse field but rounded his rivals up to win by three and a half lengths over Social Spin ($ 6.50) with a half head away third Smart Elissim ($ 4.60).
Behemoth was sold for $ 120,000 as a weanling and Grand Syndications bought him for $ 6000 as a yearling a year later.
Jolly said he believes Behemoth is a horse who will become a miler and will be at his best next spring. “He’s a big raw talent at this stage of his career.”
