Impressive 2-year-old filly Letmecounttheways dominated the Maid of the Mist Stakes at Belmont The Big A on Friday, securing a commanding 6-length victory to remain undefeated in her young career. The Paradise Farms Corp.-owned filly becomes the sixth stakes winner for freshman sire Yaupon.
The overwhelming 2-5 favorite showed no hesitation stretching out to a one-turn mile after her 5 1/2-length debut win at Aqueduct on September 27. Breaking from the widest post position, Letmecounttheways immediately seized command under jockey Joel Rosario.
Setting comfortable fractions of :23.53 and :46.75, the talented juvenile maintained control throughout the race with Rosario sitting motionless around the far turn as the winning margin steadily expanded.
“First time going long, that was impressive,” Rosario said. “She was galloping nice up there. They told me to play the break and see what she wanted to do. It looked like there were one or two others that had speed, but she’s so fast, I just decided to go on with it and let her do her thing. It’s nice to ride those kind.”
Letmecounttheways crossed the finish line eased down without Rosario ever needing to use his crop. The 14-1 longshot Grazie finished second, with Victory Hall completing the trifecta.
Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms, who celebrated a second stakes win on the card, credited the training team for the filly’s development.
“We’ve been blessed to have Mike Maker and his team bring the horses to where they are today,” Proscia said. “Kudos to them–they’re doing a great job. We’re happy about the Yaupons that we have and the New York-bred program–we’re very pleased and blessed.”
Yaupon, who leads all freshman sires with 19 winners to date, will see his stud fee increase dramatically from $25,000 to $60,000 for the 2026 breeding season based on his first crop’s success.
Letmecounttheways, a $190,000 Saratoga yearling purchase, is out of the Dialed In mare Draft, a half-sister to graded stakes winner Time’s Mistress and to the dam of graded stakes winner Dennis’ Moment. Draft’s yearling Central Banker filly sold for $60,000 at Saratoga this year, and the mare produced a Flameaway colt this season before being booked to leading New York sire Bucchero for 2026.
The final time for the mile was 1:35.94 over a fast track.
Maid of the Mist Stakes Results
MAID OF THE MIST S., $200,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-25, (S), 2yo, f, 1m, 1:35.94, ft.
1–LETMECOUNTTHEWAYS, 120, f, 2, by Yaupon
1st Dam: Draft, by Dialed In
2nd Dam: Doyenne, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Seewillo, by Pleasant Colony
($115,000 Wlg ’23 FTKNOV; $190,000 Ylg ’24 SARAUG).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Paradise Farms Corp., JP Racing
Stable, David Staudacher and Zilla Racing Stables; B-Jerry
Bilinski (NY); T-Michael J. Maker; J-Joel Rosario. $110,000.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $154,000.
2–Grazie, 120, f, 2, Modernist–Ascot Walk, by Daaher. ($37,000
Ylg ’24 EASOCT; $310,000 2yo ’25 EASMAY). O-Repole Stable;
B-Michael Slezak & Kaylee M. Platt (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$40,000.
3–Victory Hall, 122, f, 2, Independence Hall–Into Victory,
by Into Mischief. ($30,000 Wlg ’23 FTNMIX; $30,000 Ylg ’24
KEESEP; $45,000 RNA 2yo ’25 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Twin Sports Racing, Cypresshead Racing, LLC and Let’s Go
Racing; B-Stonegate Stables LLC & Everything’s Cricket Racing
(NY); T-John Alexander Ortiz. $24,000.
Margins: 6, 2 1/4, 1. Odds: 0.46, 14.80, 9.21.
Also Ran: Liberty’s Advance, Rina’s Revenge, Belloro, Mobelladream, Angel Gift.
LETMECOUNTTHEWAYS is now 2-for-2 after she dominates the Maid of the Mist Stakes under @JRosarioJockey for trainer Mike Maker. pic.twitter.com/pap2kmjaTM
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA)
LETMECOUNTTHEWAYS is now 2-for-2 after she dominates the Maid of the Mist Stakes under October 25, 2025
