Challenged early by sprint-type splits in a two-turn event, Turtle Bird Stable's New York-bred HAYNESFIELD rallied through the stretch in Aqueduct's mile and 70-yard Count Fleet Stakes for open three-year-olds on the first Saturday of 2009, winning by 3-1/2 lengths at odds-on (.50-to-1) under top weight. The long-striding colt was the only New York-bred among five starters in the venerable (34th running) contest and easily its youngest competitor (foaled May 12, 2006), but 27 days earlier he had registered the highest Daily Racing Form Beyer figure for a 2008 juvenile going two turns. That was enough to convince the wagering public of his class, and Haynesfield did not disappoint.

Although Haynesfield had won Aqueduct's December 7 Damon Runyon Stakes for state-bred juveniles at a mile and 70 yards by 5-1/4 lengths while registering his 101 Beyer, the Count Fleet had a former $525,000 sales yearling with a routing pedigree and a jockey instructed to go for broke. The furious front-runner was Shadwell Stable's Aswaaq, a gate-to-wire winner going nine furlongs at Aqueduct on December 3 and urged to try the same tactic in the Count Fleet by running his first two quarter-mile splits in 23.02 and 23.66. Haynesfield, breaking from the fourth post with ears pinned and clearly climbing as he entered the first turn, was settled by jockey Ramon Dominguez into fourth place for a half-mile, after which Aswaaq -- the 8.50-to-1 fourth choice who eventually finished last -- quickly faded. Taking over after pursuing in second place was 6.70-to-1 third choice Mike From Queens, and advancing on the outside was Haynesfield, who dueled with Mike From Queens around the second turn and was about even with him as the pair turned for home. Haynesfield, who obviously had not relaxed completely off the fast early pace, was somewhat slow to switch to his right lead in the upper stretch and drifted in slightly, but once he was on his right lead he pulled away. Fifth choice Jess Not Jesse (10.10-to-1), a homebred whose dam is a New York-bred, rallied after swerving five-wide into the stretch and edged Mike From Queens for runner-up honors. ...for complete coverage, see "New York-breds in the News" Page