Fuzzy Britches and Ramon Dominguez celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Dearly Precious win

Feb. 14 2010

Ramon Dominguez and assistant trainer, Juan Rodriguez

It was a sweet Valentine’s Day for New York’s leading jockey, Ramon Dominguez. He won Dearly Precious Stakes aboard Fuzzy Britches and he finished in the top three in four other races he started at Aqueduct race track.

It could have been an even sweeter day had he not lost close contests in the first two races of the day. Dominguez led both races, aboard Stungbythestorm in the first, and Wildcat Skier in the second, but lost in the finish both times.

But in the fourth race, it was the Venezuelan jockey who made a comeback. Riding the race favorite Fuzzy Britches, they won the $65,000 Dearly Precious Stakes for three-year-old fillies. Fuzzy Britches earned her first stakes victory with a time of 1:11.88 on the fast track.

“She was pretty settled and she showed a little more tactical speed today,” said Dominguez at the post-race press pool. “She’s one of those who will relax, but when you ask her to go, she gives you her run.”

For the first half of the six furlong race, Wild News led the race in front of Judge Sonya and Fuzzy Britches. Fuzzy Britches, the daughter of Pollard’s Vision, bumped at the start, was in third place while riding along the rail. It looked like it would be another no-winner for Dominguez. Until the turn.

Getting in striking position around the turn, Fuzzy Britches launched her attack from the outside. Wild News still had a clear lead, but Fuzzy Britches ran her drum through the strech. She steadily gained ground on the leader, took over and held off a late move by Judge Sonya to win the race by only half a length.

“The last time she ran with only three days in between races,” said Juan Rodriguez, the assistant to winning trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. “With the time off, I expected her to run much better today.”

Ramon Dominguez on Fuzzy Britches after wining the Dearly Precious Stakes

Lansdon B. Robbins, III’s horse now holds a 3-2-2 record including a second place in the January 9 one-mile, 70 yards Busanda Stakes. Rodriguez said that Dutrow had decided to run her in a six furlong because they thought that she was better at sprinting than going long.

“She has been back and forth between routes and sprints and she runs well no matter what,” said Dominguez. “I guess that’s a good problem to have – a filly that can do both.

Fuzzy Britches returned $3.80 as the 4-5 choice. Dominguez finished second in the fifth race and third in eighth. He did not run in the ninth after his mount was scratched.