Stronach Stable’s Ginger Punch, the champion older mare of 2007, made her 2008 New York debut Saturday afternoon an impressive one as she ran away from five others to easily win the 40th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth.

In making her first starts since running third in the Grade 1 Beldame here last September behind Unbridled Belle and Indian Vale, Ginger Punch had little to worry about in the Ogden Phipps.

As thunder heralded an approaching storm jockey Rafael Bejarano broke the 5-year-old daughter of Awesome Again well from post 7 and quickly settled her into a stalking position, as longshot Moon Catcher broke from post 3 to get the lead. Cowgirls Don’t Cry flashed second as the leader got the first quarter of a mile in 23.53 and the half in 46.56.

Bejarano stayed outside of Moon Catcher, steadily advancing on the turn and then drew even at the quarter-pole. Ginger Punch was then asked to put the race to rest, and did so with a turn of foot that left her rivals in futile chase. She won by 7 ¾ lengths in 1:42.37, avenging a neck loss to two-time Phipps winner Take D’Tour in this race last year.

“Today, I tried to follow the speed,” Bejarano said. “At the five-eighths (pole), I wanted to get into position and by the three-eighths, the race was done.”

Ginger Punch returned $3 to win as the favorite of the on-track crowd of 6,988.

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel has now guided Ginger Punch to a record of 10-5-2 from 18 starts and more than $2.55 million in earnings. And the best still seems ahead.

“They talked about retiring her last year, but I said `She’s pretty sound. Why not keep her in training?,” Frankel said “She’s not the prettiest filly in the world, but she’s got a heart the size of an elephant and that’s what counts. She’s been training really well. She had a quarter crack about three weeks ago, but it came together very well.

“Today, she ran like she trained. I don’t know what’s next. Today, she carried 123 pounds – you want champions to stay around, but then the weight starts piling on.”

The scary part is that Ginger Punch won the Ogden Phipps with no problem.

“Frankel has done a really, really good job with this filly,” Bejarano said. “She’s getting better day by day.”

Golden Velvet got up to complete a $2 exacta worth $7.80.

Mistical Plan, Cowgirls Don’t Cry, Moon Catcher and Spectacular Malibu completed the order of finish.

Spring Waltz, entered by Frankel in case Ginger Punch’s quarter crack became an issue, was scratched.