Congrats’ 2-year-old filly Naked Avenger remained perfect in her two lifetime starts after storming home in the final furlong of the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma S., winning the seven-furlong contest at Belmont Park on Sept. 18 by two lengths under Luis Saez.
The bay filly won her Aug. 21 debut at Saratoga by a similar margin. She races for Headless Horseman Racing (also her breeder) in partnership with Tee N Jay Stable and has earned $125,400.
Naked Avenger was close to the pace as the field made its way down the backstretch, but lost ground on the turn until just outside the quarter pole, when she began her big rally. Full of run the rest of the way, she ran right by Fierce Lady with a furlong to run and finished the distance in 1:23.27.
“She’s really improved dramatically. She’s got a real strong stride,” said winning trainer Tim Hills. “I knew she needed to improve (after her maiden win), and she did just that in her training leading up to this.”
As he is seemingly annually, Congrats is among the top 10 sires of winners this year, with 120 to date. He now has 90 stakes horses lifetime while his progeny earnings are closing in on $60 million.
