February, 2002 Racing Front News Archives Track Photo Credits: Saratoga-Adam Coglianese Belmont-Adam Coglianese • Finger Lakes-Tom Cooley

(2/28) Two straight for As Wicked
Daniel and Donna Harmon's AS WICKED, who has never been worst than second in his four lifetime starts - all over Aqueduct's winterized inner-track, beat state-bred allowance horses today in a non-winner of 1X condition. Javier Castellano, who's been aboard in all of the four year-old gelding's starts had the mount for trainer Philip Serpe as eight horses went to the gate.
Soon after the break several horses vied for the lead with As Wicked in between Bigwinedrinker and Ringo's Star. Intent on getting to the lead, Castellano moved gamely through the hole and rested command by the quarter-pole. Turning for home Watrals Glory, racing three wide, started to mount a challenge but came up short by two and a quarter lengths as Castellano had As Wicked in a strong drive to the wire. Iridium closed strongly to finish third.
Bred by Belvidere Stable, As Wicked is by Anjiz, out of Asadorable, by U.S. Flag, and was purchased as a yearling by the Harmon's at the 1999 August Fasig-Tipton Preferred Sale for $31,000. The dark bay has now earned $66,800 for his owners and Belvidere Stable, as breeder, has earned 20% of his total earnings to date or $13,360 in breeder awards from the New York Breeding and Racing Program.

(2/28) Rodeo James breaks maiden
Flying Zee's homebred, RODEO JAMES, beat maidens today in his first start against state-breds after three maiden claiming races. Nine three year-olds went postward.
Grandstandsuperman, sporting blinkers for the first time and ridden by the leading apprentice Lorenzo Lezcano went to the front with Rodeo James settling in behind the early pace setter. Spurting clear nearing the far turn, Grandstandsuperman had a comfortable lead as Rodeo James, with Juan Pezua aboard moved down along the rail.
As the field straightened for the homestretch, Grandstandsuperman veered over to the inside rail and Rodeo James moved to the his outside, driving past in the final 100 yards to win by three-quarters of a length. Timopocusm making his first start closed strongly to finish third by a nose.
Rodeo James is by Key Contender, out of Templeton, by Hansel.
The sire Key Contender stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. Mr. Carl Lizza and Mr. Joseph Bartone own Highcliff Farm, which is managed by Dr. Lynwood O'Cain, DVM.

(2/28) Mr. Determined lights up the board in opener
Dorothy Demola's MR. DETERMINED, trained by Richard Demola
Easily beat state-bred maiden three year-olds today in the first race on the Thursday card and paid a healthy $50.50. Raced at a distance of six furlongs over the winterized inner-track at Aqueduct, Filiberto Leon had the mount on the first time starter in the eight-horse field.
Several horses battled for the lead with Keep It Karakorum briefly showing the way before relinquishing it to N J's Knight. Mr. Determined was in close pursuit on the far outside and remained four wide around the last turn. Once straightened for home, Mr. Determined ran by High On Madison, who took over at the half-mile marker. Soon after Leon tapped Mr. Determined, the three year-old gray colt drew off by five lengths with plenty of gas remaining in the tank.
Bred by Judith Anchel at Treasure Hill Farm in Middletown, New York, Mr. Determined is by Raja's Revenge, out of the Air Forbes Won mare, Won Scent, a hard-hitting race mare who raced six years and earned $303,110 in a 61-race career including a third-place finish in the 1991 Next Move Breeder's Cup Handicap - Grade III. Mr. Determined is the fourth foal out of the mare with all having raced.

(2/27) Carson City Girl wins Big A. finale
Race-time favorite, CARSON CITY GIRL, rewarded her backers with a gutsy performance in the last race on the Aqueduct card to beat state-bred allowance fillies and mares. The non-winner of 1X condition had a full field of 11 starters, and trainer Faustino Ramos named jockey Shaun Bridgmohan to ride.
Little Lori Lu on the outside and Carson City Girl on the inside battled for the lead in the six furlong affair down the backside and into the far turn. At the top of the stretch Carson City Girl dug in gamely along the rail with an equally game Little Lori Lu not giving an inch until the deep stretch. After a long drive Carson City Girl bested her nemesis by a half length crossing the wire.
The New York-bred chestnut filly was purchased by Joseph Parisi out of the August 1999 Saratoga Select Yearling Sale for $200,000. Bred by Geret Farm, the four year-old chestnut filly is by Carson City, out of the Devil's Bag mare, Devil's Dispute, who also produced New York-bred stakes winner Patent Pending, winner of the 1994 Bertram F. Bongard. Carson City Girl has now earned $61,180 in five lifetime starts.

(2/27) Message Red saves best for stretch run
Three year-old filly, MESSAGE RED, patiently ridden by Robbie Davis, stormed down the stretch to capture a state-bred maiden race at Aqueduct Racetrack. 10 three year-old fillies went to post for the six furlong race.
Several fillies vied for the early lead with Kimry Moor along the rail, and Ring Girl to her outside and Fiorano racing three wide down the backside. Message Red sat well off the early pace down the backside and into the upper stretch before Davis turned her loose. Once underway, the dark bay filly charged down the middle of the track picking off horses one by one before drawing off by two lengths at the wire.
Bred by Tracy Egan and Phil Teinowitz at Egan's Seven Furlong Farm in Ballston Lake, New York, Message Red is by Crytoclearance, out of Redeye Rain, by Instrument Landing and is owned by Lansdon Robbins III.

(2/24) Lilt ($32.80) lights up tote board on late move
Altering course to the outside in mid-stretch, E El R Stable's 15.40-to-1 shot, LILT, put in a late drive that must have left Aqueduct horseplayers shaking their heads after the sixth race on Sunday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for three-year-olds going six furlongs on a crisp, sunny afternoon. Driving past four horses in the final furlong, the New York-bred colt won by half a length over 3.25-to-1 second choice Star Goldminer, as even-money favorite Trial Prep stumbled badly at the start and had to make up considerable ground on a wide trip to salvage a game third. Lilt, ridden for the seventh consecutive time by Michael Luzzi, was the last choice among the six starters, and his winning time of 1:11.59 was 1.75 seconds faster than when he broke his maiden in his last previous start going the same distance at Aqueduct on January 30. He might have benefited somewhat from the front-running tactics of 8.20-to-1 fourth choice Run Away Artie, who ran opening quarter-mile splits of 22.76 and 23.23 and was still leading after five furlongs in 58.55 before fading to fifth.
Trained by Bruce Levine, Lilt earned $25,800 for the E El R Stable racing partnership managed by Richard Balfour, putting his career bankroll after nine starts at $75,176, with a record of 2 - 2 - 1. The chestnut colt, who in four starts at Aqueduct since December 27 has never finished worse than second, was purchased for $41,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2001 selected sale of two-year-olds, prior to which he had been a $30,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2000 Saratoga preferred sale. New York bloodstock agent Harry Landry, who bred Lilt and consigned him to the Saratoga preferred sale, qualified for a $2,580 breeder award as a result of the colt's latest victory.
Sired by Citidancer, Lilt is a full brother to New York-bred stakes-placed winner Lyre ($165,639), who as a two-year-old in 1999 won a six-furlong allowance race on Aqueduct's inner track and later was a seven-furlong allowance winner at Belmont. Lilt and Lyre are out of Landry's homebred Cormorant mare, Lyric Opera, who is a full sister to New York-bred stakes winner Princess Sybil ($256,110) and a half-sister to stakes winners Alannan ($578,086; set seven-furlong track record of 1:20.50 in 2001 Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap) and Never Speaking ($245,998).

(2/24) Bo Bo's Thunder wins debut by 5 3/4 at Aqueduct
As the only first-time starter in a field of eight for Aqueduct's ninth race on Sunday, a $42,000 maiden special for New York-bred three-year-old fillies going a mile and 70 yards, James Edwards' homebred BO BO'S THUNDER was sent off the 7.10-to-1 fifth choice and ran like a veteran. Ridden by Roberto Villafan, whose five-pound apprentice allowance reduced her impost to 115 pounds, the bay filly broke from the seventh post position, was rated outside in fourth place for half a mile, then rallied three-wide on the second turn and drew off to a 5 3/4-length victory. Front runner Realitize, the 2.75-to-1 favorite who broke on top and at one point had a 3 1/2-length lead, stayed on for second. It was jockey Villafan's second winning ride on the day's card.
Conditioned by four-time New York Thoroughbred Breeders Champion Trainer Harold James Bond, Bo Bo's Thunder earned $25,200 for Edwards, who bred the filly in the name of his CBF Corporation and thereby qualified for a $5,040 breeder award. Edwards owns The Stallion Park in Millbrook, where Bo Bo's Thunder's sire, New York-bred Grade 1-winning millionaire Thunder Rumble, stands as the property of Braeburn Farm Corp., which qualified for a $1,764 stallion award. The filly is the second winner produced by Bo Bo's Sister, being a full sister to Belmont turf allowance-winning colt On the Fan ($109,620), who broke his maiden by five lengths on Aqueduct's inner dirt track at a mile and a sixteenth. Dam Bo Bo's Sister, a Talc mare also bred and raced by Edwards, won allowance races on turf at a mile and a sixteenth at Saratoga and Belmont. She is a full sister to two of Edwards' New York homebred multiple stakes winners, Kate's Valentine ($496,629) and Talc's Coventry ($161,485).

The Cool Grape, Feb 2001

(2/24) The Cool Grape win Philadelphia Park feature by 1 3/4
Trainer Norman Follett might have thought he could avoid tough competition by running Lyndon Evans' New York-bred THE COOL GRAPE in Philadelphia Park's eighth race allowance feature on Sunday at a mile and 70 yards, but his horse's five rivals included four earners in six figures and two stakes winners. Heading this contentious bunch of older runners was last October's Maryland Million Classic winner, Sumerset ($248,014), the .90-to-1 favorite, but The Cool Grape broke on top and led all the way, sometimes staying only a head in front of Sumerset through splits of 22.87, 46.40, 1:10.82, and 1:36.84. At the finish, the five-year-old gray, who went off the 10-to-1 fifth choice under jockey Antonio Pena, was leading Sumerset by 1 3/4 lengths with a final time of 1:41.22.
It was the second winning ride on the day's card for Pena, who has ridden The Cool Grape in at least seven races, including allowance scores at Aqueduct (by 7 3/4 lengths) in December of 2000 and at Philadelphia Park (by 3 1/4 lengths) last May. The victory brought the New York-bred's career earnings to $118,760, giving him a record of 6 - 3 - 1 in 28 starts. In addition to two allowance wins at Aqueduct, The Cool Grape has won three times at Philadelphia Park and once at Meadowlands.
Purchased by Evans for $7,500 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 1998 October yearling sale at Timonium, Maryland, The Cool Grape is by The Cool Virginian and was bred by William Snyder as the fifth of six winners -- including stakes-placed filly Gold Times -- produced by winner All Times, a daughter of Al Hattab. All Times is a half-sister to stakes winner Andiamo Bella, who won 13 races.

(2/23) Any Scoop wins another Big A open allowance
Owner-breeder-trainer Joseph Lostritto saddled his homebred four-year-old filly, ANY SCOOP, for her second open Aqueduct allowance win of 2002 in Saturday's seventh race, a $46,000 N2X contest for six older fillies and mares at a mile and a sixteenth, and the New York-bred was no surprise at all. Sent off the 1.70-to-1 co-topweighted favorite for her fourth consecutive outing under jockey Michael Luzzi, the gray filly was unhurried while stakes winner and 3-to-1 second choice Foxy Red tried to steal the race with third choice The Numbers Add Up contesting the early pace. By the time those two entered the backstretch, it was seven lengths back to Any Scoop, but when they reached the second turn, Lostritto's filly had completely closed the gap and was rallying three-wide around the two front-runners. Coming up empty at that point was The Numbers Add Up, a 2002 open Aqueduct allowance winner who had beaten Any Scoop while placing second at a mile on January 25. The subsequent stretch battle between co-topweights Any Scoop and Foxy Red looked like it would go all the way to the wire until the final furlong, when Any Scoop dug in and drew clear, winning by a length and a half.
Any Scoop, who broke her maiden going a mile and an eighth on turf at Saratoga last August, now has three wins this winter on Aqueduct's inner track. She won a restricted allowance race on December 19, an open allowance race on January 5 (her first effort under jockey Luzzi), and open allowance placings (third and then second) on January 25 and February 7. With a record of 4 - 3 - 3 in 17 starts and earnings of $148,960, including $27,600 for her latest victory, she seems to be getting better and obviously likes nine furlongs -- and possibly longer distances. Lostritto also qualified for an open race owner award of $2,760 and a breeder award of $2,760 as a result of his homebred filly's victory.
Sired by French Group 1 winner Torrential, Any Scoop is the third consecutive New York-bred earner of over $100,000 bred by Lostritto from stakes-placed winner Broadway, a Theatrical mare that Lostritto bought for $30,000 at Keeneland's 1995 November sale when she was carrying a colt by Silver Ghost. The colt Broadway was carrying turned out to be Platinum Setting ($107,048), who was a Belmont allowance winner on turf at a mile and a quarter. Broadway's next offspring was Lyndsey Love ($104,620), a Distinctive Pro filly who was an allowance winner on Aqueduct's inner track at a mile and 70 yards. Then came Any Scoop. Broadway's dam is Hollywood Park stakes winner Akamini, by Green Dancer.

(2/23) Stellianos graduates with honors into open company
If there had been any doubts that Athena Kouray's homebred STELLIANOS could handle open allowance company at Aqueduct as effectively as he had dealt with closed competition while winning his last previous start three weeks earlier, they were dispelled completely in Aqueduct's fifth race on Saturday. Sent off the 3.15-to-1 second choice among eight starters for his second career venture into open competition, a $44,000 N1X allowance for four-year-olds and up going a mile and a sixteenth, the four-year-old New York-bred colt went quickly to the front and controlled the pace thereafter. He led by 5 1/2 lengths at mid-stretch and galloped past the wire 3 1/2 lengths in front, while favored Active Cat, who had been reluctant to load into the starting gate and had backed out before the break, finished last. Finishing seventh was Caribbean Code, who had beaten Stellianos while placing second (Stellianos was third) in an open Aqueduct allowance race at a mile on December 27. Stellianos' last two starts -- both victories -- have been front-running efforts. His winning time was 1:43.67.
It was Stellianos' 13th outing under jockey Aaron Gryder, who also rode the winner of the previous race on the card, and it increased his earnings by $26,400 to $186,670, giving the dark bay colt a record of 4 - 5 - 4 in 18 starts. Gryder has piloted Stellianos to all four of his victories as well as to a second place effort in Aqueduct's $100,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes in November of 2000. Trained by Del Carroll II, the New York-bred also qualified his owner-breeder, Kouray, for a $5,280 open race owner award and for a $5,280 breeder award. Stellianos' three-year-old half-brother, Levendis, broke his maiden by 3 1/4 lengths for trainer Carroll at Aqueduct the previous Monday (Presidents' Day) while racing in Kouray's colors.
Sired by former New York stallion Belong to Me, whose connections qualified for a $1,848 stallion award, Stellianos is the first offspring produced by 1996 New York-Bred Champion Juvenile Filly Aristie ($116,249), who raced for Kouray under trainer Carroll's care, setting two stakes records. Prior to her championship season, Aristie had been sold as a two-year-old in training at a Fasig-Tipton sale for $6,000. The daughter of Loustrous Bid also is the dam of a current two-year-old colt, Thanasi, who is by recently deceased New York stallion Dixie Brass.

(2/23) Conman Cunningham gets third Aqueduct winter win
Once he gets loose on the lead, Paraneck Stable's CONMAN CUNNINGHAM can be tough to catch, and that is what happened again in Aqueduct's sixth race on Saturday, a $45,000 restricted N2X allowance race for 10 four-year-olds and up going six furlongs. Sent off the .95-to-1 favorite under jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr., who had ridden him to a fourth place effort in his second start at Belmont last July, the four-year-old New York-bred colt broke on top and raced in hand through opening quarter-mile splits of 23.05 and 22.92. After five furlongs in 57.90, he led second choice Beat the Gate Tony by six lengths, and he won ridden out by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:10.53.
It was Conman Cunningham's third victory in his last four starts at Aqueduct, following restricted maiden special and N1X allowance scores at six furlongs in December, after which he inexplicably tired and placed third in a six-furlong restricted $45,000 N2X allowance on January 21 -- at odds of .40-to-1. His latest victory earned $27,000 for the Paraneck Stable of Ernie Paragallo, who also owns the colt's New York-based sire, graded winner Well Selected, thereby qualifying Paragallo for a $1,890 stallion award. Trained by Richard Lundy, Conman Cunningham has a record of 3 - 0 - 2 in seven starts, with total purse earnings of $86,175.
Bred by Evelyn Schoenborn, who qualified for a $5,400 breeder award, Conman Cunningham is the third winner produced by Apple Danish, a National Zenith mare who was an open allowance winner on Aqueduct's inner track as a three-year-old in 1987 and also finished fourth in Aqueduct's open Ruthless Stakes. Conman Cunningham's sire, Well Selected, stands at Paragallo's Centerbrook Farm in Climax.

Pro Motion Days holds off all challengers

(2/22) Pro Motion Days scores against open allowance company
The six year-old bay mare, PR0 MOTION DAYS, in against non-winner of 1X condition other than Maiden, Claiming, Starter or Restricted fillies and mares continued her winning ways over the inner track at Aqueduct. In 13 career starts over the winterized surface, the New York-bred has been first or second 9 times banking $161,115 of her $259,655 lifetime earnings! Trained by Joseph Imperio, who claimed the mare for $20,000 last November 10th, Pro Motion Days was reunited with jockey C. C. Lopez for today's race. The one mile - seventy yards race had nine go postward.
Breaking alertly, Pro Motion Days was sent to the lead and dictated the pace throughout. Turning for home, the field started to draw close before Lopez put the mare in a full out drive and held on gamely to win by a half-length.
Bred by Frederick and Carmen Militello and owned by Our Metro Stable and Tony Montilli, Pro Motion Days is by Distinctive Pro, out of Marlene's Days, by Olden Times. The owners and breeders both will earn award money from the New York Breeding and Racing Program of 20% of the winner's share of the purse or $5,280, as part of the rich incentives for owning and breeding New York-breds. The sire's connections will collect a 7% stallion award of the winner's share of the purse or $1,848 from the best incentive 'Program' in North America!

(2/22) Our Breadwinner streaks to victory in allowance
Lou Meittinis' OUR BREADWINNER, ridden by Aaron Gryder, beat state-bred allowance company today in a six-furlong sprint over Aqueduct's inner-track. The non winner of 1X condition for three year-old fillies.
Jolie, breaking from the inside post, and Blue's Magee, breaking from the outside hooked up in an early duel with Our Breadwinner sitting back off the early pace. Around the last turn, Gryder moved closer to the lead along the rail and only needed racing room which she found past the eighth pole. Moving around Jolie in deep stretch, the three year-old chestnut filly bounded clear to win by three and one-half lengths.
Our Breadwinner was bred by Woodside Stud, and was purchased as a yearling out of the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Timonium sale for $6,000 by Meittinis, who also trains the talented filly. Our Breadwinner is by Ormsby, out of the Cormorant mare, Amaryllis, who's a full sister to Mr. Angel, a graded stakes winner of $378,661. Our Breadwinner has now banked $74,500 with a Lifetime Record: 10-2-0-3. Ormsby stands at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, New York.

(2/22) Amarettitorumble beats open claimers
New York-bred AMARETTITORUMBLE in for a claiming tag of $35,000 came from off the pace to defeat open claimers today at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trainer Robert Triola gave a leg-up to Mike Luzzi as only six horses went to post.
Sophisticated Man and Czardas Dancer hooked up from the outset of the one and one-eighth mile race, moving as a team down the backstretch. Around the last turn, the early duel took it's toll on the pair as Amarettitorumble moved four wide entering the stretch. Once straightened for home, Amarettitorumble and Badger Gold battled to the wire with the New York-bred prevailing by a length crossing the wire.
Owned by Sugar Bear Stable, and bred by SHHS Partnership, Amarettitorumble is by Thunder Rumble, out of Victoria Lane, by Instrument Landing. The four year-old dark bay gelding has now earned $176,653 with a Lifetime Record: 20-5-5-1. Thunder Rumble stands at The Stallion Park in Millbrook, New York.
The Sugar Bear Stable will earn an owner's award of 20% of the winner's share of the purse or $4,020 for the open company score and the breeder, SHHS Partnership will earn 20% of the winner's share of the purse or $4,020 - all part of the lucrative incentives provided by the New York Breeding and Racing Program.

(2/22) First Impression wires maiden field
Flying Zee Stable's FIRST IMPRESSION cutting back from a two-turn mile race to a six-furlong affair had plenty left down the stretch as she beat state-bred three year-old maiden fillies. Trained by Carlos Martin and ridden by Aaron Gryder, the dark bay filly loaded in the one post-position as eight fillies went postward at the Aqueduct.
Quickest away along the rail, First Impression lead the way over Pocahaba and Willow Bend, who was the odds-on favorite. At the top of the stretch Willow Bend challenged briefly but was no match for the conditioned First Impression, who won by a length.
Bred by Dennis and Deborah Petrisak at their Langpap Farm in Honeyoye Falls, New York, First Impression is by Mr. Greeley, out of the His Majesty mare, Classic Imp, a stakes-placed full sister to the multiple graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes winner Majesty's Imp.

(2/21) Hope's Expectation along in time
HOPE'S EXPECTATION has now started four times at the distance of one mile - seventy yards over Aqueduct's inner-track, with three victories and a second to show for her efforts. Trainer Juan Ortiz used Julio Pezua to ride in today's opener, a non-winner of 2X condition race for state-bred fillies and mares.
Content to sit off the pace set by Southern Promise and But, Pezua patiently waited until the last turn before swinging the four year-old dark bay filly three wide. Once straightened for the homestretch, Pezua turned Hope's Expectation loose and she drew off from the field and coasted under the wire a six and a half-length winner.
Bred by the late John Valentino at his Genegantslet Farm, in Smithville Flats, New York, Hope's Expectation is owned by J and V Stables. The talented filly is by Brocco, out of the He's Bad mare, Restored Hope, a multiple graded stakes winner including the Next Move Breeders' Cup Handicap -G3 and the Rare Treat Handicap -G3. Restored Hope, also, finished third three times in the following Grade I events - Hempstead Handicap, Shuvee Handicap in 1995 and in 1996. Hope's Expectation is the first foal out of Restored Hope and has now earned $93,940 in six lifetime starts. The second foal is a dark bay colt by Atticus, who's a two year-old in 2002.

(2/21) Gunning romps in allowance
Anthony Calabrese's GUNNING, making his 25th start, romped home a twelve and a half-length winner today against state-bred allowance company. Raced at a distance of one and one-sixteenth mile over Aqueduct's inner track, the non-winner of 1X condition had a field of 9 and trainer Edward Barker gave a leg-up to jockey Randi Persaud.
J.T.'s Forcast set the early pace while under pressure from a host of horses as Gunning sat patiently down on the rail. Nearing the far turn, Persaud moved Gunning through a big opening along the inside to gain command and drew off from the field in the last turn increasing the margin with every stride.
Bred by Sue Fackler at her Morning Calm Farm in New Paltz, New York, Gunning is a seven year-old gray gelding by Kinnett, out of Knickers and Jeans, by Prove Out, who beat Secretariat as a three year-old. Gunning has now earned $98,460.

(2/21) Beyond Chance easily breaks maiden
John Michelotti's homebred, BEYOND CHANCE, making his fourth career start easily beat a field of state-bred maiden three year-olds today at the Big A. Raced at a distance of six furlongs over the inner track, a field of seven went postward after Battier scratched.
House of Emiress went to the front after the break and was challenged along the inside by Say Cousin Lenny, a half-brother to millionaire Say Florida Sandy. Filiberto Leon, aboard Beyond Chance, bided his time in third position before engaging House of Emiress in the last turn. At the top of the stretch Beyond Chance easily moved to the lead, holding off Alicias Quick Draw comfortably by almost three lengths with Say Cousin Lenny finishing third after a troubled trip.
Beyond Chance is a three year-old dark bay colt by Obligato, out of the Cormorant mare, M.J. Bean, who is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Scarlet Ibis and a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Claramount (Policeman). Scarlet Ibis and Claramount both stand stud in New York at Highcliff Farm and The Stallion Park, respectively.

(2/18) Levendis capitalizes on fast opening quarter
Sent after front-running long shot Bally Gown in Aqueduct's third race on Monday (Presidents' Day), a $42,000 restricted maiden special for nine three-year-olds at a mile, Athena Kouray's homebred LEVENDIS found himself leading and on the rail leaving the backstretch and remained in command thereafter. Although favored at 1.55-to-1, the race seemed surprisingly easy for him, as a sustained three-quarter-mile challenge from 2.75-to-1 second choice Mister Fizz fizzled in the upper stretch, allowing Levendis to draw off to a 3 1/4-length victory with ears pricked on a bright, crisp, breezy holiday afternoon. Mister Fizz faded to fifth, while 5.70-to-1 fourth choice The Falcon closed well for second but was no threat to the winner.
Ridden in all of his six career starts by Robbie Davis, Levendis earned $25,200 for his first victory, which came off a 15-week layoff that followed his first placing as a two-year-old on November 4, a second-place outside finish in a one-mile restricted maiden special on Aqueduct's outer track. The New York-bred gelding now has earnings of $38,580 since making his first start at Belmont in July. Trained by Del Carroll II, he also qualified owner-breeder Kouray, of Schenectady, for a $5,040 breeder award.
Levendis is the 7th winner from the first crop sired by New York stallion and New York-bred Ormsby, who over the last four days has had three winners at Aqueduct, the others being allowance winner Nypuddles and maiden special winner Katelyn Rose Deane. Winner of Aqueduct's Grade 2 Excelsior Breeders' Cup by 12 lengths with a Daily Racing Form Beyer figure of 121, Ormsby is the property of Woodside Stud and J. I. Racing Inc., which qualified for a $1,764 stallion award, and stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag.
Levendis is the second offspring and second winner produced by 1996 New York-Bred Champion Juvenile Filly Aristie, who also raced for Athena Kouray under the care of trainer Carroll, winning Belmont's Joseph A. Gimma Stakes by 10 lengths and Aqueduct's Maid of the Mist Stakes by eight. The Loustrous Bid filly set stakes records in both of those events, and her Joseph A. Gimma record still stands. The mare's first offspring, stakes-placed New York-bred four-year-old Stellianos ($160,270), by Belong to Me, also races for Kouray under Carroll's care and got his second two-turn allowance win on Aqueduct's inner track on February 2.

Photo: Adam Coglianese

(2/17) Vodka squeezes through by 4 1/2 in Hollie Hughes
Jockey Herberto Castillo Jr. had ridden Joseph W. Gerrity Jr.'s homebred VODKA in 12 of the gelding's 20 starts prior to Aqueduct's $77,725 Hollie Hughes Handicap for New York-bred three-year-olds and up on Sunday, including five of his six previous wins, so he knew the five-year-old's stretch-running ability in sprints. Keeping Vodka in hand in fourth (and last) position early on in the six-furlong Hollie Hughes, Castillo allowed him to advance along the rail on the turn until he appeared to be pinned in behind front-runners Strike the Brass and Kashatreya in the upper stretch. Somehow finding room, Vodka squeezed through to the front and drew off in the final furlong, winning by 4 1/2 lengths over multiple Grade 2 winner and two-time Hollie Hughes victor Kashatreya ($538,470), with Strike the Brass third and .50-to-1 favorite Well Fancied finishing fourth among the four starters. Vodka's winning time over an Aqueduct inner track that is no longer speed favoring was 1:11.10.
The 3.90-to-1 third choice, Vodka picked up $48,075 for his first stakes victory, giving him career earnings of $264,765 and a record in 21 starts of 7 - 3 - 1 for trainer John Hertler. He also qualified owner-breeder Gerrity, of Little Farm in Newtonville, for a $9,615 breeder award. It was the dark bay gelding's third consecutive score at Aqueduct, although his two previous starts (and wins) had been prior to a layoff in seven-furlong open allowances on the Big A's outer dirt track in November and early December. As a two-year-old, Vodka had placed second in Aqueduct's Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes in his second start.
Absent from the Hollie Hughes were such New York-bred sprint standouts as millionaire Say Florida Sandy, who won the 2001 renewal, and multiple graded winner Stalwart Member, but Seymour Cohn's eight-year-old homebred, Kashatreya, who also is trained by Hertler, acquitted himself well under top weight. Favored four-year-old Well Fancied, another Cohn homebred, had been in Hertler's barn when he won his last previous start, an open Aqueduct allowance race by 5 3/4 lengths on December 27, but he subsequently had changed ownership and trainers.
By deceased former New York stallion Double Negative, whose connections qualified for a $3,365 stallion award, Vodka is the second winner produced by Twirlabout, being a half-brother to Gerrity's New York homebred York Harbor ($154,900), who has won two-turn allowance races on turf at Saratoga and Aqueduct. Dam Twirlabout, by Smarten, is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Twixtslusive and to New York-bred graded stakes-placed winner Twixt Appeal ($279,707). Twirlabout's dam is the "iron mare" Twixt ($619,141), a Grade 1 winner who in the early to mid-1970s won 26 races, including 18 stakes, and placed in 19 more stakes.

(2/17) Maddie May confirms her class, wins $52,000 open allowance
In her first start off a short layoff in Laurel's What a Summer Stakes on January 12, So Madcapt Stable's New York-bred MADDIE MAY had finished fifth while New York-bred Bedside Manner had placed second, but it was just a season warm-up, and Big A fans knew this on Sunday. For the Aqueduct's fifth race, a $52,000 six-furlong open allowance for older fillies and mares which had not won $18,000 twice other than maiden, claiming, starter or restricted since August 30 or four races other than maiden, claiming, starter or restricted, she was the 1.35-to-1 favorite among six starters. Despite a stumbling start, the five-year-old mare did not disappoint, racing close up while in hand and then rallying three-wide approaching the stretch and digging in to win by three-quarters of a length over recent Aqueduct open N3X allowance winner Carafe, who was carrying four pounds less weight. New York-bred Cedar Knolls placed third. Time of the race was 1:11.46, with Maddie May setting a five-furlong fraction of 58.93.
It was the second winning ride on the day's card for jockey Javier Castellano, who was aboard Maddie May for the first time even though he had ridden runner-up Carafe in her last three starts, including her allowance win on January 24. The victory earned $31,200 in purse money plus qualified a $3,120 open race owner award for So Madcapt Stable, a racing partnership managed by Michael Joseph Cascio, the name of which (MADCAPT) is an acronym of the first initials of the original partners' names. Trained by 1999 New York Thoroughbred Breeders Trainer of the Year Todd Pletcher, Maddie May now has career earnings of $304,666 and a record of 7 - 2 - 0 in 13 starts. In her second start as a two-year-old, she beat future graded sprint stakes winner Dat You Miz Blue by three lengths in Belmont's $100,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes, and last October she defeated Bedside Manner by 2 1/4 lengths while winning Belmont's $125,000 Iroquois Stakes. The mare missed her entire three-year-old season because of an injury.
Bred by Roger Toffolon of Hartford, Connecticut, who qualified for a $3,120 breeder award, Maddie May was purchased as a juvenile for $47,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 1999 March sale of selected two-year-olds in training in Ocala, Florida. Five months earlier, she had been a $21,000 sales yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's fall yearling sale in Lexington. By Not For Love, also sire of New York-bred stakes winner Shopping For Love ($455,555), Maddie May is the first of three offspring and three winners produced by Lady By Design, a New York-bred Fast Play mare who raced for Toffolon and won by four lengths at two at Aqueduct. Lady By Design, whose second offspring is New York-bred 2001 stakes-placed winner Davy Jones, is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Miss Tawpie ($207,275) and to the dam of Venezuelan champion juvenile filly Bonne Femme.

(2/17) Bella Rouge rewards new owner, NY-breds run 1-2
Claimed from her breeders, John Benzel and Kirk Hazen, for $45,000, New York-bred BELLA ROUGE was reunited by trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. with jockey Julian Pimentel, who as a 10-pound bug rider had piloted her to her first win at Belmont in September of 2000. She had finished fifth the day James Riccio claimed her at Aqueduct, December 12, and the previous month had gone through her New York-bred conditions with consecutive clear margin victories in two Aqueduct restricted allowances races. For her first foray into open NYRA allowance company, a $43,000 N1X contest for older fillies and mares at six furlongs that was the seventh race on Aqueduct's Sunday card, the four-year-old filly was sent off under Pimentel as the 3.90-to-1 second choice among nine starters.
Breaking from the seventh post position, Bella Rouge raced close up on the inside behind six tightly-bunched front-runners, then split rivals in the stretch and dug in, prevailing by three-quarters of a length over 1.30-to-1 favorite Tsuyu, also a New York-bred making her first venture into open allowance competition. It was the second open allowance win on Aqueduct's Sunday card by a registered New York-bred filly or mare.
Bella Rouge's victory earned $25,800 in purse money for Riccio, who also qualified for a $5,160 owner award, and brought her career bankroll to $131,965 while giving her a record of 4 - 0 - 1 in 16 starts. With Tsuyu placing second, registered New York-breds garnered 80 percent the total purse money offered in Aqueduct's seventh race on Sunday.
Although they had lost Bella Rouge because of the claim, breeders Benzel and Hazen still qualified for a $5,160 breeder award. The chestnut filly is from the first crop of New York stallion and group stakes winner A. P Jet ($1,622,369), standing at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag as the property of John Nerud, Kaskel, John Hettinger and Taylor Made Farm, who jointly qualified for a $1,806 stallion award. Bella Rouge is a half-sister to two colts who collectively won 20 races (11 and nine). She is the third named offspring and third winner produced by Aqueduct allowance winner Sea Accord, a D'Accord mare who is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winner Golden Threesome and to the stakes-placed dam of New York-bred stakes winner Overkeyed.

Mister Bravo outduels Stage Three for victory

(2/17) Mister Bravo breaks on top, is never headed
With one of the quickest breaks ever seen at Aqueduct, Heatherwood Farm's homebred MISTER BRAVO burst clear of 11 rivals from the outside post, dropped to the inside and was never headed, winning Sunday's third race, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for three-year-olds going six furlongs, by half a length. Craftily ridden by Robbie Davis, who kept the New York-bred gelding from going too fast once he was clear, Mister Bravo ran even opening quarters of 23.74 and 23.79 and held off his only challenger, 2-to-1 favorite Stage Three, who finished five lengths ahead of third choice Dr. Ormsby. The 2.95-to-1 second choice off a fourth-place debut on a snow-covered track at Aqueduct on January 19, Mister Bravo earned $24,600 for his first victory, bringing his bankroll in two starts to $27,060. It was his first outing under Davis.
Trained by Richard Schosberg, Mister Bravo also qualified his Heatherwood Farm owner-breeders, Edna and Lloyd Bensen of Belleair, Florida, for a $4,920 breeder award. The bay gelding is by syndicated New York stallion Distinctive Pro, who stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag and qualified his syndicate owners for a $1,722 stallion award. Mister Bravo is the first offspring produced by Pollee, a Salt Lake mare who won once in three starts, scoring a 5 3/4-length maiden special victory on Aqueduct's inner track as a four-year-old in February of 1998 while racing under the training care of Schosberg. Pollee was bred to Distinctive Pro less than a month after making her final start at Aqueduct in March of 1998, and the result was Mister Bravo.

(2/16) Golden Contender keeps improving, wins by 2 1/4
Like New York sire Key Contender, a useful two-year-old who eventually became a Grade 1-winning seven-year-old, Flying Zee Stable's homebred GOLDEN CONTENDER just gets better, which he showed in Aqueduct's second race on Saturday, a $46,000 restricted N2X allowance for six older horses at a mile. Although the four-year-old broke on top for the two-turn race, apprentice jockey Roberto Villafan immediately allowed him to drop back to last, after which Golden Contender was moved to the outside and confidently advanced on front-running 1.10-to-1 favorite Salute Him going down the backstretch. A wide outside move on the second turn brought the dark bay colt up to second place entering the stretch, after which he moved past Salute Him and drew clear following a late lead change and intermittent urging from Villafan, who was riding Golden Contender for the second consecutive time.
J S Mosby, the 2.70-to-1 second choice who has now lost to Golden Contender four times, came again on the inside to get past Salute Him for second, 2 1/4 lengths behind Golden Contender, who went off the third choice at 3.75-to-1. It was a commanding performance on a balmy February afternoon over an Aqueduct inner track that seemed not nearly as speed favoring as it had earlier this year. Jockey Villafan, who rides with a five-pound apprentice allowance, also piloted the winner of the ninth race on Saturday's Aqueduct card.
Trained by Luis Barrera, Golden Contender picked up $27,600 in purse money for his latest victory, giving him career earnings of $141,915 and a record of 3 - 3 - 3 in 27 starts. In three previous starts this year under restricted N2X allowance conditions going two turns on Aqueduct's inner track, he had placed second twice and third once, and last year he had broken his maiden going two turns on the Big A inner track in January. He races for his breeder, Carl Lizza Jr.'s Flying Zee Stable, which also qualified for a $5,520 breeder award. Along with Joseph Bartone, Lizza co-owns Highcliff Farm in Delanson, which stands Golden Contender's sire, syndicated Key Contender, whose connections qualified for a $1,932 stallion award.
A half-brother to New York-bred stakes winner Noble Sweetheart and to stakes-placed winner Blondie Logic, dam of stakes-placed winner Sunday Driver (by Key Contender), Golden Contender is the fifth winner produced by Calder allowance winner Golden Sweetheart, by Strike Gold. Golden Sweetheart is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Double No ($337,042).

(2/16) Smokin' John asserts himself in the stretch
West Point Stable's SMOKIN' JOHN was no surprise in his second start on Saturday at Aqueduct as the only New York-bred in the sixth race, an open one-mile $42,000 maiden special for eight three-year-olds. He had placed second while closing well in his debut, a six-furlong open Aqueduct maiden special on January 21, and since then he had registered a three-furlong "bullet" workout (fastest of eight) of 35 2/5 on Wednesday, February 13, at Aqueduct. With jockey Michael Luzzi up for the second time, the chestnut colt was sent off the 1.20-to-1 favorite and ran like a professional, drafting behind the leaders while saving ground in fourth place on the inside, then finding room on the rail and drawing clear by 2 1/4 lengths. Smokin' John was the second winner ridden by Luzzi on Saturday's Aqueduct card.
Smokin' John's first victory earned $25,200 to bring his bankroll in two starts to $33,400, and it also qualified West Point Stable for a $2,520 open race owner award. Based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, West Point Stable is an organization of various racing partnerships, of which Terry Finley is the founder and president. West Point purchased Smokin' John for $40,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2001 selected sale of two-year-olds in training in Ocala, Florida. Bred by Louis Salerno's Questroyal #100, LLC and Barry Ostrager, the Gary Contessa-trained colt was a $20,000 yearling purchase from a Questroyal Stud consignment to Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga preferred sale in August of 2000. He is from the first crop of Eclipse Champion Sprinter Smoke Glacken and is the third winner produced by Suite ($124,900), a multiple stakes-placed winning Graustark mare whose first offspring was an allowance winner at Hollywood Park. Questroyal and Ostrager purchased Suite for $47,000 in December of 1998 at a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland, when the mare was carrying Smokin' John.

(2/16) Katelyn Rose Deane blooms in rough-starting debut
Among three first-time starters in Aqueduct's first race on Saturday, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for 10 three-year-old New York-bred fillies going six furlongs, Carl Buhr's and Mark Deane's KATELYN ROSE DEANE was clearly the most highly regarded, going off the 3.55-to-1 second choice despite training at Pimlico. It was a dauntless debut, as she was roughed up between rivals at the start, had to drop back to eighth place through the first half-mile, then rallied five wide nearing the stretch and passed seven fillies before reaching the eighth-mile pole, drawing off to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
Katelyn Rose Deane's first-out victory under apprentice jockey Neftali Galarza, who rides with a five-pound allowance, earned a $24,600 winner's purse. Trained by Scott Lake, the chestnut filly was bred by James Iselin's J. I. Racing and Sally Bierer's Woodside Stud, who jointly qualified for a $4,920 breeder award. She is the sixth first-crop winner and fourth first-time-out winner sired by New York stallion Ormsby, who is owned by J. I. Racing and Woodside Stud, also qualifying the filly's breeders for a $1,722 stallion award. New York-bred Ormsby ($611,593), who in 1997 won Aqueduct's Grade 2 Excelsior Breeders' Cup and restricted Kings Point Handicaps by 12 and 16 1/2 lengths, respectively, while registering Daily Racing Form Beyer speed figures of 121 and 120, stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag. He also is the sire of Nypuddles, who won a $44,000 restricted allowance at Aqueduct on Friday.
Regency Island, the dam of Katelyn Rose Deane, is a Woodbine allowance-winning Vice Regent mare whom Iselin purchased for $33,000 at Keeneland's 1998 January mixed sale. Katelyn Rose Deane is Regency Island's fifth named offspring and fifth winner and is a half-sister to Road Island ($104,079), who won allowance races on dirt and turf (Churchill Downs and Ellis Park); to Berry Island, a multiple Woodbine allowance winner; and to Shipwrecked, a Hollywood Park turf allowance winner. Regency Island is a sister to stakes winner Society Island and a half-sister to two other stakes winners.

Lupa (inside) gamely holds off Brass and Ring Girl for victory.

(2/16) Lupa is bumped, passed, and still prevails
After tiring from a wide trip and finishing sixth in her November 29 debut at Aqueduct, three-year-old New York-bred filly LUPA was acquired privately by John Lucarelli and turned over to trainer Robert Klesaris, who put her in blinkers and on Lasix for her second start on Saturday at Aqueduct. Sent off under jockey Diane Nelson as the 4.20-to-1 fourth choice among 10 starters in the fourth race, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for three-year-old fillies at six furlongs, Lupa was bumped at the start but still got up to lead after the first quarter-mile. She soon was challenged on the outside by third choice Ring Girl and second choice Altai, but fought back to regain the lead from those two in the stretch and then held off 2.50-to-1 favorite Brass on the outside, prevailing by half a length after a prolonged drive.
Earner of $24,600 for her first winning effort, Lupa also qualified her breeder, the John A. Nerud Revocable Trust, for a $2,460 breeder award. Her first start back in November had been for Nerud, who bred the filly from a stakes-winning mare, Support the Arts ($154,864), purchased for $44,000 at a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky 1998 November mixed sale by the former manager of Sugar Maple Farm (where Nerud stands stallions in partnership), Frankie O'Connor. Lupa, whose sire is Grade 1 winner Birdonthewire, was being carried in utero by Support the Arts at the time of that purchase and is the second offspring and second winner produced by that mare, being a half-sister to Woodbine 2001 allowance-winning filly Leading Role ($112,930). Support the Arts, who is by Taylor's Falls, won the Mata Hari Breeders' Cup at Sportsman's Park by three lengths as a three-year-old in 1995 and is a sister to a stakes-placed winner and a half-sister to another stakes-placed winner.

Nypuddles (outside) edges out Multiple Wins (hidden)

(2/15) Lou Meittinis' Nypuddles takes allowance
The Lou Meittinis bred, owned and trained NYPUDDLES, a three year-old filly out of the sire Ormsby's first crop, beat state-bred three year-old allowance fillys today at the Big A. The $44,000 non-winner of 1X condition was raced at a distance of one mile around two-turns over the winterized inner-track.
Ridden by Aaron Gryder, Nypuddles was taken in hand sitting well off the early pace set by Polish Silk. Gradually moving to the leaders, Gryder opted to stay inside around the second turn before swinging wide as the field straightened for home. Under a strong drive, Nypuddles ran down the leaders in the final strides and crossed the wire first by by a neck over Multiple Wins.
Bred at Meittinis' farm in Mill Neck, New York, Nypuddles is out of the Little Missouri mare, New York Issue, a hard hitting race mare who hit the board in 26 of her 51 lifetime starts. Nypuddles has now earned $81,040 with a Lifetime Record: 7-2-3-1.

(2/15) Northeast Winds takes state-bred allowance
Four year-old filly NORTHEAST WINDS defeated state-bred fillies and mares in a non-winner of 1X condition today at Aqueduct Racetrack. Raced over the inner-track at a distance of one-mile and seventy yards, only six loaded into the gate after Win by Decision was scratched.
Ridden by apprentice Neftali Galarza, Northeast Winds was kept down along the rail throughout the run down the backside and into the last turn. Showing alot of poise, Galarza patiently waited until Ragtime Tune, the front runner, moved toward the middle of the track before asking his filly for some run. Once clear, the four year-old bay filly increased her margin to win by almost two lengths over Irish Ginger.
Trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr., Northeast Winds was bred by Charles Jacobi and is owned by the partnership of Sanford Goldfarb, Hemlock Hills Farm and Steamboat One Stable. Northeast Winds is by Signal Tap, out of the Leo Castelli mare, Northern Meeting, who is a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner, including the Grade III - Canadian Turf, Gay Jitterbug (Northern Dancer). Purchased as a yearling for $8,000, Northeast Winds has now earned $76,870 with a Lifetime Record: 15-2-5-0.

(2/14) As Wicked impressive maiden winner
AS WICKED sent her backers home happy today winning the finale on the Valentine's Day race card at Aqueduct Racetrack. he 8-5 favorite in the 12 state-bred maiden field was ridden by Javier Castellano for trainer Philip Serpe.
A five horse duel for the lead was eventually won by As Wicked, racing in the outside path, nearing the far turn. Once clear, the four year-old dark bay colt continued to open up daylight, winning by six widening lengths crossing the wire.
Bred by Belvidere Stable and owned by Donna and Daniel Harmon, As Wicked is by Anjiz, out of the U.S. Flag mare, Asadorable, who's a stakes winner and a half-sister to Isadorable (Moleous) winner of 16 stakes races earning $415,018 and a full sister to multiple stakes winner My Other Brother.

(2/14) Leave it to Betsy breaks maiden
Robin Barnard's New York-bred, LEAVE IT TO BETSY, beat a field of open maiden claimers and paid a healthy $49.20 in today's fourth race at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trainer R. Kenneth Barnard had to change jockeys after originally having C.C. Lopez aboard, naming Rafael Mojica, Jr. to ride in the ten-horse field for fillies and mares.
French Factor opened a clear lead up the backstretch in the six furlong race with Leave it to Betsy rating close along the inside saving ground throughout. Once straightened for home, Mojica moved to the outside of French Factor and was put into a strong drive managing to hold off Yesterday's Luv by a half-length crossing the wire.
Bred by William Snyder, the four year-old bay filly is by Now Listen, out of Believe in Betsy, by Garthorn and was purchased as a yearling for $12,500.Since the open claiming price for Leave it to Betsy was for $30,000, the owner, Robin Barnard, will collect 20% of the winner's purse or $1,800 and the breeder, Mr. Snyder, will also collect the same amount, $1,800 -- all part of the rich incentives provided by the New York Breeding and Racing Program.

(2/13) Belongs to J D takes allowance
Helene Sweeney's BELONGS TO J D beat state-bred allowance fillies and mares on a blustery day at the Big A. Trainer James Ferraro, racing the four year-old filly for the first time, gave a leg up to Raul Rojas in the eight horse field - a non-winner of 2X condition race going 6 furlongs over the winterized inner-track.
Breaking in mid-pack, Belongs to J D raced in-between horses in the early going before moving in along the rail and to the lead approaching the last turn. Clearing easily, she opened up a three length lead by the top of the stretch and drove to victory holding off So Far So Good by two lengths at the wire.
Bred by Skytop Farm and Quarter Keg Stable, Belongs to J D is by Belong to Me, out of the Afleet mare, Trysail, who's a half-sister to stakes winner Stark Ridge (Lyphard's Ridge). The four year-old dark bay filly has now earned $111,000 with a Lifetime Record: 14-3-2-2.

(2/13) Speedy Mohama wires maiden field
Robert Perez' homebred, SPEEDY MOHAMA, ridden by apprentice Roberto Villafan beat state-bred maiden three year-olds today at the Big A. Unsuccessful in eight previous attempts, trainer Alfredo Callejas decided a switch of jockeys and the five pound allowance would be the necessary ingredients to get the three year-old dark bay colt to the winner's circle and the tactic paid off.
Breaking from the 7 post position, Villafan hustled Speedy Mohama to the front and won the race into the first turn with Gunnery settling in second but well off the pace. Up the backstretch, Speedy Mohama led by three lengths which dwindled to one length around the last turn. At the top of the stretch, Speedy Mohama, once again, opened up daylight on Gunnery and Villafan put him under a strong drive to hold off a fast closing Iron Action by three-quarters of a length crossing the wire.
Bred at Mr. Perez' Haras Lucy Grace in Middletown, New York, Speedy Mohama is by Senor Speedy, out of Tasha, by Siberian Express. Senor Speedy moved from Kentucky to Mr. Perez' farm this year to stand stud.

MUGGLES holds off Jazpiano for victory

(2/10) Muggles goes 2-for-2 in Aqueduct allowance
James H. Stone's MUGGLES had her first test for gameness in Aqueduct's ninth race on Sunday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for older fillies and mares going six furlongs, having to put away a front-runner and then digging in with a late lead change to win by half a length. Ridden for the second time by Michael Luzzi, the four-year-old contested the pace from the outside and gained command in mid-stretch, but unlike her only previous start -- when she won a restricted Aqueduct maiden special by 7 1/4 lengths on March 21 -- this time she never was clear of competition. The winner's purse of $25,800 raised the career earnings for the New York-bred filly, who went off the .80-to-1 favorite among 11 starters, to $50,400 in two starts.
Trained by current fourth-leading Aqueduct trainer Bruce Levine, Muggles was a $105,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland's 1999 September yearling sale, with the sales slip being signed by C T B Stable. She was bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and Martin Zaretsky, who jointly qualified for a $5,160 breeders award, and consigned to the Keeneland sale by Bilinski's Waldorf Farm of North Chatham and Zaretsky's Pine Ridge Farm of Old Chatham through Fred Seitz/Brookdale Farm, agent. The bay filly is by the late record-setting New York sire Cure the Blues -- qualifying the share-holders in that legendary Empire State stallion for a $1,806 stallion award -- and is out of New York-bred open stakes winner Cassette Player, by Talc.
Foaled on Man o' War's 81st birthday (March 29), Muggles comes from one of the great distaff families in New York breeding and racing. Her dam's winning full siblings include black-type winners Video Talc (dam of New York-bred graded winner Double Screen, earner of $624,841) and Audio Cassette and also Video Cassette, dam of two more stakes winners. In fact, since Muggles was sold as a yearling, there have been four more stakes horses descending from her maternal granddam. This also is the family of New York-bred graded winner Farmonthefreeway.

JOY OF MILLBROOK rushes past Must Be Nice (partially hidden on inside)

(2/10) Joy of Millbrook learns fast, loops entire field
In her only previous start back in October at Belmont, James Edwards' homebred JOY OF MILLBROOK ran greenly in a seven-furlong restricted maiden special and finished sixth in a field of 10. Four months later, wearing blinkers for the first time in her initial attempt at two turns in Aqueduct's first race on Sunday, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for eight three-year-old fillies at a mile, she was dead last after the opening quarter-mile despite a leisurely split of 24.10. Rallying four-wide (widest of all) on the second turn, the chestnut New York-bred filly -- who was relatively dismissed as the 12.90-to-1 fifth choice -- weaved into the stretch and looked like she was going to hang at third or fourth position, showing no inclination to switch to her right lead. Finally, after switching to her right lead inside the final furlong and under right-handed urging from apprentice jockey Roberto Villafan, whose five-pound bug allowed him to ride at 115 pounds, Joy of Millbrook closed on .80-to-1 favorite Must Be Nice and got up to win by a nose. It was a length and a quarter from Must Be Nice back to third-place finisher (and third choice) Pareepassoo.
Joy of Millbrook's first victory earned $25,200 for Edwards, who owns The Stallion Park in Millbrook and bred the filly in the name of his CBF Corporation, qualifying for a $2,520 breeder award. Trained by four-time New York Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Trainer of the Year Harold James Bond, Joy of Millbrook is by Crafty Prospector and is a half-sister (three-quarter-sister in blood) to Edwards' New York homebred multiple stakes winner, Queen of Millbrook ($213,540), whom Bond also trained. The two fillies -- both sired by sons of Mr. Prospector -- are among three winners produced from Edwards' stakes-placed New York homebred daughter of Deputy Minister, Lilac's Star ($222,920), whose daughters also include the dam of Edwards' New York homebred stakes-placed colt of 2000-2001, Redding Woods. Lilac's Star's dam is Grade 1 winner Lilac Hill, by Prince John.

(2/10) By My Way proves "bullet" work was no fluke
Coming off a five-furlong "bullet" work (best of the day) at Aqueduct six days earlier, Scott Schwartz's homebred BY MY WAY went off the 4.60-to-1 fourth choice among eight in Aqueduct's third race on Sunday, the second of two $42,000 restricted maiden specials for three-year-old fillies at a mile. Ridden for the first time by Shaun Bridgmohan, who also piloted the winner of Aqueduct's seventh race, she raced close behind front-runner First Impression, then drew clear by 4 1/2 lengths in the stretch and kept driving to win by a length and a half over Caught Cheatin'. The latter, the 4-to-1 second choice, finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead of 2.05-to-1 favorite Bappychew, who had beaten By My Way by 13 1/2 lengths in a restricted maiden special going a one-turn mile on Aqueduct's outer dirt track in November.
By My Way's maiden victory in her two-turn debut earned $25,200 for owner-breeder-trainer Schwartz, who also qualified for a $2,520 breeder award, and it gave the New York-bred bay filly a record of 1 - 1 - 0 in seven starts and total purse earnings of $39,610. Schwartz, who last year saddled 2000 New York-Bred Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Critical Eye for victories in Belmont's Grade 1 Hempstead and Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Handicaps, bred By My Way as the second winner produced by Lotsa Sprinkles ($97,740), a New York-bred Aqueduct allowance-winning Thunder Puddles mare whom Schwartz trained. The other winner out of Lotsa Sprinkles is By My Way's Aqueduct allowance-winning full brother by Northern Prospect, Big Steps, trained by Schwartz for his parents, Herbert and Carol Schwartz, who also are the owners and breeders of Critical Eye.

(2/9) Running Today survives accident-marred allowance
In a bittersweet victory, Robert Perez's homebred RUNNING TODAY rallied inside on the turn and avoided a three-horse pile-up, then came wide into the stretch to draw clear by 2 1/2 lengths and held on to win Aqueduct's ninth race on Saturday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for older horses. Three horses went down on the turn of the six-furlong race, beginning with .55-to-1 favorite Flo's Charm, who broke down contesting the pace while racing three-wide, followed by two horses immediately behind him -- Jettason and Dancing Lou. Dancing Lou and his jockey, Julian Pimentel, escaped serious injury, but Jettason and Flo's Charm had to be euthanized. The rider of Jettason, Raul Rojas, likewise escaped serious injury, but Travis Dunkelberger, who rode Flo's Charm (and also the winner of the fourth race on the card) was hospitalized with pain in his ribs and right arm.
Running Today's neck margin victory over 6.10-to-1 second choice Iridium on a sunny, spring-like afternoon was the second of the day for leading Aqueduct rider Lorenzo Lezcano, who also rode the winner of the second race, a three-year-old son of New York-bred former stakes filly Madder Than Mad. Trained by Alfredo Callejas, Running Today went off the 12.50-to-1 fourth choice among the nine starters. The win was worth $25,800 to owner-breeder Perez, who also qualified for a $5,160 breeder award, bringing Running Today's purse earnings to $89,950 and giving the four-year-old New York-bred colt a record of 2 - 3 - 1 in 13 starts. Running Today broke his maiden going seven furlongs at Belmont in May, and he also has placed second in restricted allowance company on turf at Belmont.
Another award Perez qualified for as a result of Running Today's score was a $1,806 stallion award, since he also owned the colt's now-deceased New York sire, Irish-bred Astudillo, who raced for Perez under the care of trainer Callejas and won Aqueduct's graded Gravesend Handicap in 1993. A stakes winner on turf in France before arriving in North America, Astudillo stood at Perez's Haras Lucy Grace in Otisville. Running Today is the first winner produced from Running All Day, who is by Hamza and out of New York-bred stakes filly Miss Empire ($123,697).

RUN AWAY ARTIE (inside) holds off Beyond Chance (outside) for victory

(2/9) Run Away Artie runs hard and holds on for first win
Although he had been 63.75-to-1 when he placed third despite bearing out on the turn in his first start six weeks ago at Aqueduct, Six Shares and A. Prayer Stable's RUN AWAY ARTIE was favored at 2.05-to-1 three weeks later when he returned to Aqueduct to place second. For the Big A's third race on Saturday, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for 11 three-year-olds at six furlongs, the New York-bred gelding was favored at .70-to-1 in his second effort under jockey Todd Glasser, who had ridden him to his previous second-place finish on January 19. To win, he had to put forth his best effort yet.
Leading at all calls, Run Away Artie had a two-length advantage with a furlong to go in 59.42, then held off John Michelotti's homebred Beyond Chance -- the 7.50-to-1 second choice whom he had beaten by a length and three-quarters in his last previous outing -- to prevail by a neck. It was 7 3/4 lengths back from Beyond Chance to the third-place finisher. Final time was 1:11.66, with Run Away Artie running his final furlong in 12.24.
Run Away Artie's first victory earned $24,600 for the Six Shares and A. Prayer Stable of owner Peter Raskin, giving the gelding career earnings of $37,310. The Martin Ciresa trainee was a $10,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's October 2000 yearling sale in Timonium, Maryland, with the sales slip being signed by Joseph Desaye. Bred in New York by the Glen Grey Farm of Gary Mottola, who resides in Oakland, New Jersey and qualified for a $2,460 breeder award, Run Away Artie is from the first crop of graded turf stakes winner Run Softly. He is a half-brother to at least five winners, including three that are stakes-placed, being out of Irish-bred English winner Artiste, by Artaius.

(2/8) Kawajlain closes to take open allowance at Big A.
Philip Marcantonio's New York-bred, KAWAJLAIN, beat open company allowance fillies and mares in a non-winner of 1X other than Maiden, Claimer, Starter or Restricted condition. The one and one-sixteenth mile race was run around two turns on Aqueduct's inner-track, and trainer Frank Laboccetta, Jr. gave a leg up to jockey Jean Luc-Samyn. Wild Cure was scratched at the gate narrowing the field to seven.
Tomorrow's Angel went out to a commanding lead but was collared by Candy Haze at the top of the last turn with Kawajlain just beginning to make her move. Swinging four wide around the last turn, Kawajlain drew even with her three inside rivals as they straightened for home and was put to a drive by Samyn. The recent 10-length winner was too much for the field and crossed the wire in front by one and a quarter lengths.
Bred by Mr. Marcantonio, Kawajlain is by Claramount, out of the Kris S. mare, Kristening, who also produced stakes-placed winner Beijio (Dr. Blum). Claramount stands at the Stallion Park in Millbrook, New York.
Mr. Marcantonio will receive an owner's award of 20% of the winner's share of the purse or $5,280 for the open company score as well as a $5,280 breeder's award check. Mr. Edwin Wachtel, owner of the sire, Claramount, will receive a 7% stallion award or $1,848 - all part of the lucrative incentives provided by New York Breeding and Racing Program.

(2/8) Y Two J steps up to beat allowance colts
Double S Stable's Y TWO J, a winner of his last outing by five and one-half length returned to the winner's circle today after defeating state-bred allowance company. Raced over the inner-track at Aqueduct Racetrack, trainer John De Stefano, Jr. named Alex Estrada to ride in the small five horse field for three year-old colts and geldings.
Marine Salute outdueled Michael's Temper for the lead with Y Two J sitting third along the rail and Star Goldminer to his outside. As the field straightened for home, Y Two J was hopelessly locked in behind a wall of three horses with nowhere to run before Estrada angled four wide at the eighth pole losing a couple of lengths in the process. Once underway, the talented three year-old gelding charged past his rivals to win by two lengths for his second victory in three lifetime starts. Star Goldminer, who briefly had the lead finished a game second.
Bred by Joseph Sweedler, Y Two J is by the recently deceased Dixie Brass, out of the Lear Fan mare, Anguilla Holiday, who also produced Blue Holiday, a winner of $278,895.
Y Two J, Star Goldminer, Marine Salute and Michael's Temper are all nominated to the Big Apple Triple, a three race series at three different distances raced at three tracks in New York State - Belmont, Finger Lakes and Saratoga. The four year-old series has yet to have one horse sweep them all, which would earn the owner a $250,000 bonus.

(2/8) Jettalyn shocks open maidens at 47-1!!
Dorothy DeMola's JETTALYN who had never hit the board in seven lifetime starts against state-bred company upset an open maiden field today at Aqueduct Racetrack under a rousing ride by Paul Toscano.
Racing close up along the inside rail down the backside of the six furlong affair, the four year-old bay filly seemed to be fading around the last turn but as the field hit the top of the stretch she began to mount a late charge and once in front held off all challengers to win by three-quarters of a length.
Bred by Dorothy and Nunzio DeMola, and trained by Richard DeMola, Jettalyn is by Abel Prospect, out of the Runaway Groom mare Jettaway Jus, who raced a remarkable 97 times in seven seasons earning $182,065. Jettaway Jus is a half-sister to stakes winner Dash of Salt (Salt Lake). Jettalyn is her second foal, her first was Jettason (Dr. Blum), who has earned $75,920 to date.

(2/7) Huntcountrycorner overcomes post position to beat allowance company
Felix J. Nuesch's homebred, HUNTCOUNTRYCORNER,breaking from the far outside post position in a one mile - seventy yards race over Aqueduct's inner track lead at every call to beat state-bred allowance company. The non-winner of 1X condition had a full field of 12 horses.
Breaking sharply from the far outside, Huntcountrycorner hooked up briefly with Anties Boy as they raced into the first turn with Hope to Prosper having to veer to the outside when impeded by Anties Boy. As they raced down the backside, Huntcountrycorner racing on the outside of Anties Boy had a short lead before taking command of the race in the last turn. As the field hit the top of the stretch, jockey Jose Espinoza, aboard Huntcountrycorner, worked feverishly to keep the four year-old gelding on the lead and held off Gunning by a length for the victory.
After the race a steward's inquiry resulted in a disqualification from third to fourth for Anties Boy with Hope to Prosper being placed third.
Huntcountrycorner is by Key Contender, out of Fatherless, by Tarleton Oak, and has now earned $56,850 with a Lifetime Record: 7-2-0-0. As the breeder, Mr. Neusch, has also received 20% of Huntcountrycorner's earnings or $11,370 which are part of the rich incentives provided by the New York Breeding and Racing Program.
Key Contender's owner, Carl Lizza, has earned 7% in stallion owner awards from the 'Program' or $3,979. Key Contender stands at Mr. Lizza and Mr. Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York.

(2/6) She's Got The Beat chases down a game Shawklit Mint
SHE'S GOT THE BEAT and Shawklit Mint were both coming off of huge victories having won by 12 lengths and 10-1/2 lengths respectively, and both lived up to their previous performances today at Aqueduct Racetrack. The state-bred allowance race for three year-old fillies was for non-winners of 1X condition and attracted a field of eight. Trainer P.G. Johnson named Shaun Bridgmohan to ride and Pat Reynolds named Lorenzo Lezcano, who had already won four out of the six previously races to ride Shawklit Mint.
Shawklit Mint went immediately to the lead from the rail position and She's Got The Beat sat second in a stalking position down the backstetch. Around the last turn of the six furlong race, the positions remained the same with She's Got The Beat moving closer to engage Shawklit Mint. Both fillies exhibited courage and determination in the last eighth, but She's Got The Beat, the race time odds-on favorite, was alittle stronger heading her rival in the last few jumps.
Owned by Elizabeth Walsh, the talented three year-old bay filly was bred by JI Racing Inc. and Woodside Stud. She's Got The Beat is the first foal out of the Wavering Monarch mare, Judy's Magic, who's a full sister to stakes winner Rolandthemonarch and a half-sister to stakes placed winner Captain Red (Mr. Greeley).

(2/6) Heart Trick breaks maiden in first outing
Albert Fried, Jr.'s homebred, HEART TRICK, a four year-old dark bay filly, broke her maiden today in her first attempt, beating state-bred fillies and mares in the finale at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trainer Todd Pletcher named Mike Luzzi to ride as a full field of 12 horses went postward.
Dutchess Of Win went to the front in the six furlong race with Heart Trick alongside and Key Situation to her outside flank. Racing in tight quarters, Luzzi moved Heart Trick to the lead at the half-mile pole and confidently held off a late closing Begateful at the wire by two and a quarter lengths.
Foaled at Mr. Fried's beautiful Buttonwood Farm in Rhinebeck, New York, Heart Trick is by Phone Trick, out of the Raja Baba mare, Missy Valentine, who has produced multiple stakes winner Hearts at Risk (Septieme Ciel) a winner of $335,304.
The sire, Phone Trick, who has always been supported by New York breeders while he stood in Kentucky, relocated to Dr. Jon Davis' Milfer Farm in Unadilla, New York for the upcoming season. Phone Trick's progeny earnings for 2001 were $4,609,202.

(2/6) All systems go for Smart Jet
Beaten a combined 56 lengths in her last three outings against the same company, SMART JET turned things around today and beat state-bred maiden fillies today at Aqueduct Racetrack. The only noticeable change for today's race was trainer Jimmy Picou put leading apprentice Lorenzo Lezcano up to ride, as 9 three year-old fillies went to post.
Sitting off the early pace, Lezcano moved to the leaders in the middle of the last turn and had the lead when the field hit the top of the stretch. Smart Jet was hitting on all cyclinders in the homestretch and had two and a half length lead on the field crossing the wire.
Owned and bred by Rocco and Marie Bueti at their Beauty View Farm in Mt. Kisco, New York, Smart Jet is by A. P Jet, out of Marty's Smarty, by Smarten.

(2/4) Showmeitall, Son of New York Stallion All Gone, Wins G2 Hutcheson
John Franks' New York stallion ALL GONE was represented by a third stakes winner from his 1999 crop on Saturday, February 2, when Take Five Stables' Showmeitall held on to capture Gulfstream's $150,000 Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes for three-year-olds at seven furlongs over a drying-out "good" track. The Hutcheson is considered a significant stepping stone for the Triple Crown classics, and Showmeitall's jockey, Jorge Chavez, indicated the Florida-bred might be able to go longer if he learns to relax. "It could be a tough thing to do because he's so competitive," observed Chevez, who also rode three other winners on the card and first rode Showmeitall in the gelding's last previous start, Gulfstream's Grade 3 Spectacular Bid Stakes on January 3, in which he ran four-wide and placed second.
Sent off the 3.70-to-1 third choice among six starters in the Hutcheson, Showmeitall vied for the lead along the rail and led by a head entering the stretch, after which front-runner Royal Lad fell back to third while 3-to-1 second choice Monthir continued closing to a nose margin. "He ran the way we thought he would," remarked trainer Emanuel (Manny) Tortora. "That other horse (Monthir, carrying two pounds less weight than Showmeitall) hooked him pretty good, but he came back again. He waits on horses when he makes the lead too quickly, but today he responded."
Finishing fourth, behind Showmeitall, Monthir, and Royal Lad, was 1.10-to-1 favorite Maybry's Boy, who had beaten Showmeitall by a length and a quarter in the six-furlong Spectacular Bid a month earlier. The Hutcheson victory added $90,000 to Showmeitall's bankroll, giving him career earnings of $178,000 and a record of 4 - 2 - 1 in eight starts. He also placed second in Tampa Bay's Inaugural Stakes on December 15.
Bred by John Franks, Showmeitall was consigned to Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's October 2000 yearling sale in Timonium, Maryland, where Eduardo Ortiz purchased him for $6,000. Take Five Stables, in whose name Showmeitall races, is managed by Michael Kopp of Jupiter, Florida (just north of West Palm Beach), and has members from across the U.S., including New York, New Jersey, California and Tennessee. Showmeitall is the second offspring and second winner produced by Show Legs, a 10-year-old daughter of New York-bred national juvenile colt champion (of 1969) Silent Screen. The mare is currently at Jim Scott's Liberty Stud, LLC, in Ghent, to be bred back to All Gone, who was moved to Liberty Stud in the summer of 2001 and will be standing his first season in New York this year. A Liberty Stud spokesperson confirmed plans to have Show Legs produce her next foal by All Gone, which will be a full sibling to Showmeitall, in New York.
All Gone, a stakes-winning son of Fappiano out of Grade 1 winner and multiple graded stakes producer Squander, by Buckpasser, also has sired 2001 juvenile stakes winners All Gone Queen (a Group 1 winner in Puerto Rico) and Nowyouseeit. The latter is out of a Stage Presence mare, making Showmeitall the second stakes winner sired by All Gone from a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of Prince John. All Gone's 2002 fee is $4,000, live foal.

(2/3) Strike the Brass sets pace under top weight
Karakorum Farm's STRIKE THE BRASS got his third career win on Sunday over the same surface and distance of his two previous victories -- Aqueduct's inner track, six furlongs, where last March he had broken his maiden and where on January 10 he had won a restricted allowance in the mud. Sent off the 2.85-to-1 second choice and 123-pound topweight among seven starters in the fifth race, a $45,000 restricted N2X allowance, the four-year-old New York-bred gelding quickly went to the front, set the pace, and drew clear to win by a length and a quarter in 1:11.51. It was his second career start under jockey Javier Castellano, who had ridden him to victory on January 10 and also rode the winner of the featured eighth race on the day's card.
Strike the Brass's latest score added $27,000 to his bankroll, bringing his career earnings to $143,060 and giving him a record in 23 starts of 3 - 6 - 2. Campaigned by the Karakorum Farm of William Discala, of Staten Island, he has raced 20 times at six furlongs and has registered all of his wins and placings under the care of trainer Jeff Odintz. In his last previous start on January 21, also a $45,000 restricted N2X allowance going six furlongs at Aqueduct, Strike the Brass had shown speed inside but tired, finishing fifth.
Bred by Michael Watral, who qualified for a $2,700 breeder award, Strike the Brass was conceived in Kentucky to the cover of Watral's recently deceased New York stallion, Dixie Brass, who had stood in New York since the 1998 breeding season. He is the first offspring and first winner produced by Strike It Easy, an allowance-winning Easy Goer mare who raced for Watral. Strike It Easy is a half-sister to three stakes winners, including multiple Grade 1 winner On the Line ($1,125,810) and graded stakes winner Regal Remark ($279,879).

(2/3) Jolie is dazzling in her first start
Six of the 12 three-year-old fillies in Aqueduct's third race on Sunday, a $41,000 maiden special for state-breds at six furlongs, were first-time starters, but only one of them had three "bullet" workouts to her credit -- Mine Hill Stable's homebred JOLIE, who went off the 2.10-to-1 favorite. Coming out the 11th post position, the bay New York-bred broke on top and set the pace, then drew off by six lengths at mid-stretch and was ridden out under jockey Richard Migliore to a 5 3/4-length winning margin at the finish.
Jolie's first start earned $24,600 for the Mine Hill Stable of Dr. William Allen, a physician who resides on Mine Hill Road in Fairfield, Connecticut, and also is the breeder of Jolie, thereby qualifying for a $4,920 breeder award. Trained by Mark Hennig, who last year sent out at least five first-time-out winners, Jolie is by Grade 1-winning syndicated New York stallion Crusader Sword, who stands at Louis Salerno's Questroyal Stud, LLC, in Hudson, qualifying the owners of that sire for a $1,722 stallion award. The filly is the fifth winner produced by Pretty Quick, a winning Crafty Prospector mare who is a half-sister to the dam of four stakes winners, including star Ohio-bred Fervent Affair ($316,118).

(2/3) Hillside Express shocks Philadelphia Park fans
Grandview Stable's New York-bred HILLSIDE EXPRESS began 2002 with her first career placing (second or third) in 10 starts on January 7 at Philadelphia Park, finishing second in the slop at six furlongs with apprentice jockey Omar Figueroa at 21-to-1 in her first outing over an off track. Unplaced on a fast track at 6 1/2 furlongs two weeks later under Figueroa, she went off in Philadelphia Park's sixth race on Sunday, an open maiden special for nine older fillies and mares going six furlongs on a drying-out "good" track, as an overlooked eighth choice at 32.40-to-1.
Again ridden by Figueroa, who has a seven-pound apprentice allowance, Hillside Express raced just off the early pace in fifth position while saving ground, then rallied in the stretch and took command in the final sixteenth, winning by a length. Two fillies that had trounced her on fast tracks within the past five weeks finished unplaced. Hillside Express's pari-mutuel win-place-show payoffs on $2 wagers were $66.80, $27.00, and $15.40.
Trained by Victor Collazo, Hillside Express is by former New York stallion Abel Prospect and is the third winner produced by 12-year-old Secret Cure, a daughter of record-setting New York stallion Cure the Blues. The dark bay four-year-old filly is a half-sister to New York-bred open allowance winner Double Cure and to New York-bred 2001 multiple winner Naugatuckian. Peter Mariano and the J M Stables, Inc., of Joseph and John Marino of Saugerties bred Hillside Express, who was consigned to Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's May 2000 sale of two-year-olds in training in Timonium, Maryland, where she was sold for $25,000.

(2/2) Stellianos stretches out, leads at all calls
In six previous starts over Aqueduct's inner track, Athena Kouray's homebred STELLIANOS had won twice and never finished worse than a close fourth, so he deserved his .85-to-1 favoritism among six starters in Aqueduct's fourth race on Saturday, a $46,000 restricted N2X allowance at a mile and an eighth. Ridden for the 12th time by jockey Aaron Gryder, who had been on board for both of Stellianos' winter victories a year ago at a mile and 70 yards on the inner track, the quick-striding New York-bred got the lead within the first quarter mile and never looked back. It was the four-year-old colt's first effort at a distance longer than a mile and a sixteenth, and he won by a length and a half to earn $27,600, giving him a record of 3 - 5 - 4 in 17 starts with a career bankroll of $160,270.
Trained by Del Carroll Jr., who also conditioned the colt's New York-bred champion dam for owner-breeder Kouray, Stellianos as a two-year-old in 2000 had placed second in Aqueduct's $100,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes. He had two extended layoffs last year -- from late January to early May and then from late June to December -- following which he had three placings at Aqueduct: third in a restricted allowance December 13, third in an open allowance December 27, and second in a restricted allowance January 18. Stellianos' latest victory also qualified Kouray, a resident of Schenectady, for a $5,520 breeder award.
Sired by former New York stallion Belong to Me, whose connections qualified for a $1,932 stallion award, Stellianos is the first offspring produced by Aristie, who raced for Kouray, winning Belmont's Joseph A. Gimma Stakes by 10 lengths and Aqueduct's Maid of the Mist Stakes by eight. Voted Champion New York-Bred Two-Year-Old Filly for 1996, Aristie earned $116,249 while winning three of six starts as a juvenile. The daughter of Loustrous Bid set a stakes record in the Maid of the Mist and still holds the stakes record for the Joseph A. Gimma.

(2/2) Rogue Agent rolls to big maiden victory
When he first tried a two-turn mile three weeks ago at Aqueduct, Ted Taylor's ROGUE AGENT missed by only two necks after a game three-wide trip at odds of 54-to-1, after which the winner, Tomahawk Lake, came back to capture a $44,000 allowance at Aqueduct on Wednesday, January 30. For Aqueduct's fifth race on Saturday, a $42,000 restricted maiden special again at a mile, the three-year-old New York-bred no longer had the kind of odds he had carried in November (59.25-to-1 in his first start, when he was bumped and lost his rider), December (71.25-to-1) and January. Sent off the 1.85-to-1 favorite among 10 starters, the chestnut gelding raced close up in fourth place on the inside while in hand, came out wide approaching the stretch and then drew off under a hand ride to score by 5 3/4 lengths over 3.05-to-1 third choice Mesolithic. His jockey, Norberto Arroyo Jr., had first ridden the Carl Domino trainee when he made his initial attempt at a mile on January 13.
Rogue Agent's first victory picked up a winner's purse of $25,200 for Taylor, giving the gelding total earnings of $29,820 and a record of 1 - 0 - 1 in four starts. Bred by Eaton & Thorne, Inc., which qualified for a $5,040 breeder award, he was consigned to Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's eastern yearling sale at Timonium, Maryland, in October of 2000 by Thomas J. and Nadine Gallo, agent, and bought by Spendthrift Farm, which signed the sales slip for $10,000. Rogue Agent's sire is former New York stallion Anjiz, whose New York connections qualified for a $1,764 stallion award. He is the ninth winner produced by Ruler's Storm, being a full brother to one winner and a half-brother to Grade 2 NYRA winner Love That Mac ($864,085) and to the winning granddam of 2001 three-year-old stakes winner Shandra Smiles. Ruler's Storm, a daughter of Irish Ruler, is a half-sister to the dam of French Group 1 winner Escaline and Italian multiple Group 3 winner Esdale and to the granddam of Mexican champion Pensativa.

(2/1) Gary Contessa saddles another winner in Southern Promise
To say trainer Gary Contessa is 'red hot' is almost an understatement as he continues his dominance in recent weeks of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack. SOUTHERN PROMISE, a daughter of the recently departed Dixie Brass, beat state-bred allowance company today in a non-winner of 1X condition run at one and one-sixteenth mile over the inner-track.
Going immediately to the lead, Southern Promise, as part of the Contessa entry, dictated the pace down the backside. Ridden by Paul Toscano, the four year-old filly rated kindly into the last turn and turned back all comers before drawing off to a three length score.
Bred by Michael Watral, and owned by John Moirano and Monty Foss, Southern Promise is out of Promised Relic, by Mehmet. Southern Promise is the first foal out of Promised Relic, who won 8 times in a 41 race career earning $160,504. The four year-old filly has now earned $92,490 in 11 lifetime starts.

Rousing Past streaks by Truly Obliging for maide victory

(2/1) Rousing Past lives up to name
Flying Zee Stable's homebred, ROUSING PAST, a four year-old gelded son of Key Contender, staged a late rally to break his maiden today at Aqueduct Racetrack, which was engulfed with fog. Trainer Philip Serpe named Lorenzo Lexcano, who recently lost his bug, to ride as eight state-breds went postward. The maiden was written for four year-olds and upward going six furlongs over the inner-track.
Sky Wars took command early in the race and showed the way to the top of the stretch before battling with Truly Obliging in the race to the wire. Truly Obliging started to edge his way clear when literally out of the clouds came a charging Rousing Past to run by him by a half-length crossing the wire.
Rousing Past, who started his career very late in his three year-old year, is out of the Nijinsky II mare, Bon Search, who raced only one time before being sent to the broodmare barn at Mr. Carl Lizza's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. Bon Search has also produced stakes-placed winner Twenty Three Red (Scarlet Ibis).
Key Contender, purchased out of Paul Mellon's partial consignment by Mr. Lizza, won the Grade I - Surburban Handicap racing in Flying Zee Stables colors before retiring to stud Highcliff Farm. Key Contender's progeny earned a very respectable $862,339 in 2001.