Ibero Wins NYRA Mile to End Losing Streak

Ibero ended a seven-race losing streak by winning the NYRA Mile at Aqueduct by three lengths Saturday.

Winless since he upset In Excess in the San Antonio Handicap on Feb. 15 at Santa Anita, the 5-year-old Cinco Grande horse was third after six furlongs, took the lead in the stretch under Laffit Pincay and drew away. Trained by Ron McAnally, Ibero paid $9.80 as the 7-2 third choice and was timed in 1:33 4/5.

Irish Swap was second, a neck in front of Nines Wild. Devil His Due, the 5-2 favorite, finished sixth in the field of seven.

“I felt pretty good . . . I knew he had a good chance,” Pincay said. “I knew he’d like this track and the mile. The way the race was going--he broke well, but I couldn’t keep up with the horse in front (Nines Wild), so I laid off. Then, the horse on the outside moved in and I had to wait and wait. Finally, I got room and in the stretch he finished really strong.”

McAnally said Ibero will return to California. “We’d been planning on this race for a while, as much as two months,” he said. “There’s not really another race here for him. The one thing that stood out in my mind was the mile. That’s his distance.”