Comacina comes home a winner in Interborough

Comacina started her year off well, holding on to capture the Interborough  (Deborah Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Making her first start for trainer Carlos Martin, and her first at Aqueduct,

Flying Zee Stable's COMACINA (Dixie Union) posted a determined wire-to-wire

score in Sunday's $70,955

Interborough H. With Pablo Fragoso aboard, the now

four-year-old finished the six-furlong event in 1:10 3/5 on the muddy and sealed

inner track.

Comacina seized the early initiative along the inside, battling through

fractions of :22 2/5 and :45 3/5 while being pressured by Welcome Home

(Dixieland Band), who was lapped onto her outside a half-length behind. When

Welcome Home threw in the towel, Comacina opened up a clear 2 1/2-length lead

into the stretch, rattling five furlongs in :57 4/5. The only danger appeared to

be Fast Laner (Mutakddim), as she uncorked a purposeful rally inside the final

furlong. Although falling a half-length short of catching Comacina, Fast Laner

spurted 2 3/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Schemer (Concern).

Bank Audit (Wild Rush), the 6-5 favorite and defending Interborough queen,

checked in a non-threatening fourth. Welcome Home faded to fifth, followed by

Amazing Buy (High Yield) and So Sweet a Cat (Tomorrows Cat). Traci Girl (Quiet

American) scratched.

Ignored at 10-1, fifth choice in a seven-horse field, Comacina rewarded her

believers with $23, $11.80 and $8.

"She broke really fast," Fragoso said. "That was good because very few

closers have been winning. She fought on gamely. I'm very proud of her."

"She trained super leading up to this," Martin said. "I am very happy that we

have her for the winter," he added.

Comacina had made all of her previous starts for horseman Patrick Biancone,

capturing the Blue Sparkler S. at Monmouth in September. Her last effort was a

fifth in Keeneland's Raven Run S. (G2).

"When she ran in the Raven Run, she got grabbed and got a big gash in her

ankle," Martin said. "She had a hole the size of a half dollar in her leg. It

took three weeks to heal up. I didn't think we were going to make this race, but

she worked so good that she showed me she was ready."