Miss Leslie chalked up her fifth career stakes win on Sunday at Monmouth Park, rolling to a four-length win in the $100,000 Serena’s Song S.
Miss Leslie, who placed earlier this year in the Ladies’ S. at Aqueduct, is one of Paynter’s seven stakes horses in 2022.
After tracking the pace through the first half-mile, Miss Leslie made her presence felt with a three-wide move to contend for the lead. She arrived at the top of the stretch on even terms with Flight to Shanghai, and after dueling for a furlong, shook clear and won going away in 1:42.14 for the 1 mile and 70 yards on a fast track.
“[Trainer] Claudio [Gonzalez] told me to sit off and save some ground, but then I had an open look, so I put her on the outside and she relaxed,” said winning rider Angel Cruz. “It was better for her because she relaxes on the outside. Then at the top of the stretch, she just went on and she got the job done.”
Miss Leslie has gotten the job done quite often in her career, posting a record of 8-3-2 in 20 and earning $475,650 for her owner BB Horses. The dark bay 4-year-old was bred in Kentucky by Maxis Stable.
