Nothing Better Doubles Up In Turf Sprint Championship

Nothing Better (6g Munnings x One True Love, by Duke of Marmalade) won his second straight Listed Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship Stakes at the track on Saturday.

The gelding wasn’t willing to take a chance that anyone else would control the race, jumping out first in the six-furlong turf race and taking up pacesetting duties. It wasn’t until the turn that the Jorge Durante Jr. trainee had to put real effort into the run.

Asked as they hit the quarter pole, he had to pick it up even more in upper stretch to stay in control. His lead was never under serious threat, however, with Nothing Better racing to a 1 ¾ length victory.

It was the ninth victory in 25 starts for the Colts Neck Stables representative, who was registering his third stakes win. His trainer indicted a trip abroad may be next.

"He's an older horse, but he's doing good. We'll have to talk to the connections - there's still some big money in the Middle East. We'll talk to them and see if that's an option this year. The horse is very sharp right now and looked good out there,” he said.

Bred by Don Alberto and sold as a 2-year-old for $230,000 to his racing owners, Nothing Better is out of the winning One True Love. That mare is a half-sister to Grade I victress Folk Opera, who is also the granddam of this year’s Grade I Cox Plate winner and multiple Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior and Grade I winner Mr. Bailetti.

Nothing Better is stakes winner number 13 for Munnings, who has registered 32 stakes performers this term – both numbers putting him among the best North American sires.