Sky Mesa got his latest stakes winner on a foggy Sunday afternoon at Aqueduct when Eyeinthesky went gate-to-wire to take the $100,000 Mizdirection S. by three-quarters of a length.
The victory in the six-furlong turf affair marked the first stakes win for the 3-year-old filly, who was previously stakes-placed on the dirt at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old and also two weeks ago at Tampa Bay Downs.
The naturally speedy Eyeinthesky was allowed to set the pace from the outset Sunday, and took advantage, clicking off solid fractions of :23.14 and :46.02 before finishing up in 1:09.92 on the “good” turf.
“It wasn’t our plan to go to the front coming in, but the way she broke, I just took advantage and went to the lead,” jockey Manny Franco said. “She responded very well. At the quarter pole, when I got at her, she responded and was there. I felt good we were going to hit the wire first.”
Eyeinthesky now has a record of 3-1-2 from 10 starts, and has earned $162,536 for owner Gary Barber. The bay filly was bred by Rusty Kindratiw.
Sky Mesa is the sire of four champions and more than 125 black type horses world wide and is the leading sire of his crop by black type winners. He’s standing this year at Three Chimneys Farm for $15,000 stands and nurses.
