Ellen Jay (f, 3, Constitution–Covfefe, by Into Mischief) planted her flag as the first of her famed dam's offspring to the races and now the first to claim black-type as she kicked home determinedly to win the Glen Cove Stakes.
Unveiled to a fourth-place effort in May at Churchill Downs, she steadily improved and really jumped forward on paper with the swap to turf two back at Ellis Park when breaking her maiden July 15 by a nose. Remaining in turf sprints and against first-level allowance company last out Aug. 10, she never gave that field a chance en route to a 5 3/4-length win, earning a 92 Beyer.
Making her black-type debut in this rescheduled running of the Glen Cove Stakes after maintenance issues forced NYRA to abandon the card last Friday, Ellen Jay broke a step slow but showed enough foot to join Ready to Jam (More Than Ready) on the lead. Keeping that one honest through :22.21 and :44.43 opening splits, she loomed the clear danger through the turn and had taken command entering the upper stretch as the longtime leader tried valiantly to muster a response. Shaking clear outside the furlong marker, she had put a safe margin on the field by the time Agra (Blame) got rolling late to claim second and Ready to Jam had to settle for third.
ELLEN JAY takes the Glen Cove Stakes, securing her third consecutive win. Flavien Prat was in the saddle for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/ZNvbXIeiSL
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) October 18, 2024
“She has been special from the beginning. She trained like a really good horse when Brad [Cox] first got her,” said Jamie Roth of LNJ Foxwoods. “So, the first two races were a little disappointing but she's more than made up for it. She obviously has a lot of ability.”
“I just saw her mom [Covfefe] on Wednesday when I was in Lexington and now to be standing here in the winner's circle next to her first baby–that doesn't happen. I'm so lucky to experience that. Being here at Aqueduct–this is home and to be here with my dad–he thinks he's a jinx, but he wasn't today [laughs].”
Two-time champion Covfefe has produced two of racing age thus far, namely Ellen Jay and her unplaced half-brother Rothko (Tapit). She can claim a 2024 filly by Gun Runner and went to Olympiad for 2025. Said dam is a two-time Grade I-winner with a visit to the Breeders' Cup winner's circle on her resume when she won the Filly and Mare Sprint in 2019. Covfefe also set a new track-record in her scintillating victory in the GIII Miss Preakness Stakes.
The female family can also boast Group success abroad as the dam's half-sister Albiano (Harlan's Holikday) was multiple Group 1-placed, as well as a multiple group winner, in Japan before going on to produce group winning Avverare (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). This is also the family of GISW Acoma (Empire Maker), GISW Arch, and UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
GLEN COVE S., $139,500, Belmont The Big A, 10-18, 3yo, f, 6fT, 1:07.38, fm.
1–ELLEN JAY, 120, f, 3, by Constitution
1st Dam: Covfefe (Ch. Female Sprinter, Ch. 3-year-old Filly, MGISW, $1,110,025), by Into Mischief
2nd Dam: Antics, by Unbridled
3rd Dam: Aurora, by Danzig
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, $184,848.
2–Agra, 120, f, 3, Blame–Field, by War Front. ($190,000 RNA 2yo '23 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-William I. Mott. $30,000.
3–Ready to Jam, 120, f, 3, More Than Ready–Third Dawn, by Sky Mesa. ($320,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Barber, Gary and D. J. Stable LLC; B-John Gardiner (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $18,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.85, 4.40, 6.90.
Also Ran: Time to Dazzle. Scratched: Golden Degree, Kairyu (Ire), Moonlit Lady, Progeny, Twirling Queen.
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