Maple Forest bounded right out of the gate and never looked back en route to a three-quarter length victory in the $60,000 Red Cross S. May 28 at Monmouth Park. The win kicked off a big day for his sire Forestry, who also had Shackleford win the racing’s marquee race on the Memorial Day weekend; the $750,000 Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park.



Maple Forest looked the part coming into the Red Cross, and the bettors sent the 4-year-old filly as the even money favorite. Joe Bravo put his filly in front right away setting a lively pace of :21.95 for the quarter and :44.53 for the half mile. Despite the quick fractions, Maple Forest held her challengers at bay to stop the clock at 1:09.73.



“It’s great when the gates open and one jump later you’re a length in front of the field,” said Bravo. “She’s fast and tries hard every time. She had her eyeball on that other horse (runner-up My Sunshine Gal) in the stretch. She was never going to catch us.”



Maple Forest raised her record to 4-5-1 from 12 starts and earnings of $222,066. With nine in-the-money consecutive finishes, Maple Forest won the $75,000 Dearly Precious S. at Monmouth Park and finished second in the Grade 3 Victory Ride S. at Gulfstream Park during the streak.



The bay filly is owned by her breeder Blue Heaven Farm LLC. She is out of Maple Syrple, winner of the Clarendon S. and $170,892.