Avery Island made a successful start to his three-year-old campaign with an impressive two-length victory in the G3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.
It was the second Graded Stakes win for the son of Street Sense, who captured the G2 Nashua and was second in the G2 Remsen over the same racetrack last fall. Additionally, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Breaking alertly under jockey Joe Bravo, Avery Island raced in second, just off the flank of outsider Coltandmississippi through the early stages of the race. As the swept through the far turn, Avery Island made his move, and easily cruised past Coltandmississippi to take the lead.
In the stretch it was all Avery Island, as he easily turned back bids from Firenze Fire and Marconi to post a two-length victory.
Avery Island was bred in Kentucky and races as a homebred for Godolphin. He is out of the winning A.P. Indy mare, Kinda Spicy, and hails from the family of Chilean Horse of the Year Isola Piu Bella, and Miss Ella, winner of the G2 Adena Springs Beaumont Stakes and G3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes.
Street Sense has sired over 50 career Stakes winners, including multiple G1 winners Sweet Reason and Wedding Toast along with the outstanding Australian colt Hallowed Crown. In addition to Avery Island, Street Sense is also the sire of the talented three-year-old McKinzie, winner of the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity at age two and recent winner of the G3 Sham Stakes.
Street Sense will stand the 2018 breeding season for $35,000, Stands and nurses, at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky.
