Despite being badly bumped between rivals coming out of the starting gate, causing her to trail the field early, Five Bars came with a furious rally in the stretch to split horses nearing the wire to get the victory in a maiden special weight contest at Saratoga Aug. 23.
The exciting two-year-old filly, who was named a 'TDN Rising Star', became the eighth winner for her freshman sire, Maxfield, and his second so far at Saratoga.
Breaking from post four, Five Bars was bumped by rivals on both sides of her and pinched back at the start, forcing her to race near the rear of the field through the opening stages of the race. Favored Tam Tam went to the front to set the pace and was soon joined by Bet the Grey (Essential Quality) as the pair set a swift early pace of :22.22 and :45.37 through the opening half mile.
Five Bars had made some progress and advanced but still had plenty to do as the runners hit the top of the stretch, with Tam Tam still holding onto the lead. Accelerating sharply under jockey Joel Rosario, Five Bars made rapid progress in the final furlong, closing strongly to split Tam Tam and Icecreamforevryone nearing the wire to win by a half-length. Icecreamforevryone prevailed by head for second over Tam Tam in a photo.
Five Bars was bred in Kentucky by her owner, Stuart S. Janney III. She is out of Secure Connection, a winning daughter of Data Link that is a half-sister to Graded Stakes winner, Scarlett Sky and Stakes-placed Concord Green.
Maxfield's seven other winners are showing their talents all around the country and include Lilies N Paradise, winner at Churchill Downs (and now Stakes-placed at Delaware Park), Max Ciao, a six-and-a-quarter-length victor at Del Mar, Rock It Rob, a wire-to-wire winner at Saratoga, Max Vegas, a debut winner at Canterbury Park, and Just Asap, a seven-length debut winner at Ellis Park.
