Second US Stakes-Win for Greenwich Village – Son of Aussie Sprint Star Houtzen

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday Feb 24

A brilliant winner of the MM 2YO Classic in 2017, I Am Invincible filly Houtzen is beginning to make her mark at stud with her talented three year-old colt Greenwich Village landing his second stakes win at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Greenwich Village was having his fourth start and stepping out to 1m for the first time in the $100,000 Listed Pasadena Stakes.

Ridden quietly by Juan Hernandez, Greenwich Village settled back in the field and unwound a brilliant finish.

The Quality Road colt hit the line hard to win by a head and has three wins from four starts.

Greenwich Village was a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase for SF Bloodstock/Starlight Racing/Madaket Stables and is the second foal to race and second winner for Houtzen.

While Houtzen was very much a short course sprinter, Bob Baffert believes there are more wins in store for Greenwich Village now he has stretched out to the mile.

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A Group III winner in Australia, Houtzen was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park.

She had three runs in the UK and Ireland in 2019 with her best effort a second in the Group II King Goerge Stakes at Goodwood and was subsequently offered at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale where she sold for $1.5million to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.

Houtzen has two year-old colt by Charlatan and yearling colt by boom sire Not This Time, so is not lacking for opportunity.

I Am Invincible mares have already produced Group I winners Asfoora and Kimochi as well as this season’s stakes-winners Incognito, Dance to the Boom and Grand Prairie.

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