Daisy blossoms in Tempted romp

Fox Hill Farms Inc.’s Daisy led the way in Friday’s $150,000 Tempted Stakes (G3) on Aqueduct’s opening day of the fall meet to score an easy 4 3/4-length victory under jockey Kendrick Carmouche.

The John Serivs-trained daughter of Blame was making her stakes debut in this spot after capturing her maiden bow at Parx Racing on October 9 by eight lengths. Despite that, the bay miss was sent off the 5-2 second choice to Navajo’s 2-5 favoritism.

Daisy quickly asserted herself when the gates opened, setting the pace through the half-mile in :22.83 and :46.39 before Oldfashioned Style, who was pressing on the outside, took over through six furlongs in 1:11.18. Daisy wrested control back from that rival and proceeded to pull away in the stretch to finish a mile on the fast main track in 1:37.13.

"John just told me to ride her right out of the gate," Carmouche said. "She broke real sharp. With the inside being a little deep, I just wanted to get outside a little.

"At the quarter-pole, I hit her and she reacted right away and just leveled off. She responded real good when I asked her at the top of the lane. Thanks to (trainer) John Servis and Mr. (Rick) Porter (of woner Fox Hill Farm), it looks like they have a good one."

Oldfashioned Style was best of the rest, 5 1/2 lengths up on Sweet Candy Dance in third. Navajo followed another two lengths behind in fourth, while One Last Cast and Lady Freedom completed the order of finish.

Daisy paid $7 for this win, which moved her record to a perfect two-for-two with $127,800 in lifetime earnings.

The juvenile filly, who was bred in Pennsylvania by Jonathan Sheppard, is the second registered foal out of the Flower Alley mare Lovely Stay. Her granddam is the Grade 2-winning Caveat mare Ratings, who also produced Grade 3 heroine Recording. That half-sister to Lovely Stay is responsible for Grade 2-scoring millionaire Smart Bid.