July, 2003 Racing Front News Archives Track Photo Credits: Saratoga-Adam Coglianese Belmont-Adam Coglianese • Finger Lakes-Tom Cooley

(7/30) Hometown girl, Stand On Top, scores at Spa
John Jayko's homebred, STAND ON TOP, won at first asking beating state-bred two year-old maiden fillies at Saratoga Race Course. Jayko, who lives in Saratoga, bred the dark bay filly at his Fedwell Farm, which is located about two miles from the Spa. Trained by Teresa Pompey at Monmouth Park, Stand On Top was ridden to victory by Cornelio Velasquez. The six-furlong race was run over the main track and had a field of 8-horses go to the starting gate.
Favorite Star Celebrity, breaking from the 3-post and Stand On Top, breaking from the 4-post were sent winging at the break and raced as a team through fractions of 22.2 and 45.3 seconds to the half-mile pole. The entry of Fait Accompli and High Peaks raced to the leaders around the last turn but it was in vain. Star Celebrity on the inside and Stand On Top on the outside battled head-to-head throughout the stretch run with Stand On Top beginning to edge away in the final few yards to win by a half-length.
John Jayko, as breeder, qualified for a breeder's award of $2,460. By Peaks and Valleys, out of Stand From Under, by First Albert, Stand On Top is a half-sister to two stakes winners, Liver Stand (Mt. Livermore), winner of the Evan Shipman Handicap, who earned $248,118; and to Endsaseeket (Ends Well), winner of the Mike Lee Handicap, who earned $149,605.

(7/28) Love Less captures open claimer at Spa
New York-bred LOVE LESS making his first start for new connections beat $50,000 open claimers today at the Spa.
Claimed for $45,000 in his last outing by trainer Scott Lake for owner John Rotella, Love Less has now changed hands four times since last October and the handy five year-old gelding has now banked $206,835 in twenty-six career starts. John Rotella has done very well claiming New York-breds, his most notable claim being Say Florida Sandy, winner of over $2,000,000! The race was run over Saratoga's main track at seven-furlongs and had a field of six-horses go to the starting gate. Lake, who had been on a bad run before this race, named Edgar Prado to ride.
Dancing Missile fired out of the gate to take command going down the backstretch followed by Source and Cool Luke, while Love Less rated down on the rail in fourth. Dancing Missile continued to lead the way after reaching the half in 46 seconds flat as the field started to tighten around the last turn. Drifting wide coming out of the turn, Dancing Missile left a huge gap for Love Less to run through as Source and Cool Luke floated out to the middle of the track. Once clear, Love Less opened up on the field to win by four-lengths crossing the wire. Final time was 1:24.3.
Bred by Robert Barlow, who qualified for a breeder's award of $2,340, Love Less is a bay gelding by Not For Love, out of Evie's Roll, by Rollicking. Sold as a yearling for $25,000 by Thomas J. and Nadine Gallo, agent, at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 1999 October yearling sale in Timonium, Maryland. Love Less is the fourth offspring and fourth New York-bred winner bred by Bartow from Evie's Roll, a daughter of Rollicking, and his three half-sisters preceding him include Finger Lakes open multiple allowance winners Evie's Appeal and Evie's Thunder, who each have won five races. Dam Evie's Roll is a half-sister to stakes winner High Justice ($216,995), and her dam is stakes winner Regal Evie, by Lord Avie. Mr. Rotella qualified for a $2,340 owner award from the lucrative incentives provided by the New York Breeding and Racing Program.

(7/28) Mischieviously romps in Spa finale
Padua Stable's MISCHIEVIOUSLY, under leading rider Jerry Bailey, easily defeated state-bred NW-1X allowance fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, today at the Spa. Run as the last race at six-furlongs over the main track, a full field of 12-horses went to post with Mischieviously going off at even money and breaking from the 10 post position.
It was a cavalry charge down the backstretch with no less than six-horses vying for the lead. Eventually, Rescue Five emerged, as the leader followed closely by She's a Sweetheart, Doctor America and Burnt Bush. Mischieviously tracked in seventh to the turn before racing between foes angling out five wide for the run through the stretch. Once underway, Mischieviously blew by the field and won going away by six-lengths.
Mischieviously is now two for two over the Saratoga Race Course having broken his maiden last year for trainer Dallas Stewart. The bay filly was turned over to Steven Asmussen for her three year-old campaign. Bred by Sugar Maple Farm, who qualified for a breeder's award of $5,160, Mischieviously is by A. P Jet, out of Mrs. Filio, by Eastern Echo. Mrs. Filio is a half-sister to stakes-placed winners Saratoga Madame (Mr. Prospector) and It's Chemistry (Private Account). The sire, A. P Jet stands at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, New York, and is currently second in progeny earnings amongst stallions that were based in New York at time of conception. Thus far, A. P Jet progeny has earned $1,232,067.

(7/28) Golden Commander takes Spa opener
Flying Zee Stable's GOLDEN COMMANDER charged down the middle of the track to capture today's first race at Saratoga. The state-bred MSW race for three year-olds and upward was run at a distance of a mile and an eighth over the Mellon turf course and had a full compliment of 12-horses go to the starting gate. Golden Commander, who is trained by Phil Serpe, was the luke-warm favorite at 2-1 and was ridden today by last year's leading jockey at the Spa, Edgar Prado.
Unhurried in the early going, Golden Commander tracked in eighth as Watrals Brass Hood led the field through fractions of 24.4 and 49.4 seconds to the half-mile pole, followed closely by Warning Signal, Tactical Stan and Topsoil King. Moving steadily on the outside, Golden Commander moved five wide around the last turn and once straightened for home, powered past the early leaders inside the eighth-pole won going away by 2-1/2 lengths. Warning Signal held on for second money. Final time was 1:51.1.
Bred by Carl Lizza (Flying Zee Stable), who qualified for a breeder's award of $2,520, Golden Commander is by Deputy Commander out of the Strike Gold mare, Golden Sweetheart, producer of three year-old stakes winner Noble Sweetheart (Noble Nashua) and Blondie Logic (Thunder Puddles) along with the hard knocking Golden Contender (Key Contender) winner of $162,275.

(7/27) Dazzling Spirit dances clear for 1st turf win
Recent Belmont meet-leading trainer Todd Pletcher had everything wired for Donald and Mary Zuckerman's homebred DAZZLING SPIRIT in Saratoga's 10th race nightcap on Sunday, a $44,000 restricted N1X for three-year-olds and up going a mile and a sixteenth on turf, and a 4 1/2-length victory was the result. In the three-year-old gelding's third start off a 141-day layoff, Pletcher put blinkers back on for the third time in the New York-bred's career and gave a leg up to John Velazquez for that jockey's seventh ride -- and third consecutive trip -- aboard him. Even with a full field of 12 starters that included seven previous winners on turf, the wagering public clearly saw that Dazzling Spirit was ready for a top effort despite the fact that his previous win had been on dirt, sending him off as the 2.75-to-1 favorite. They were not disappointed.
After racing close behind the leaders in fourth and then third place through fractions of 23.64 and 47.62 under showery skies over a course still labeled firm but continuing to absorb water, Dazzling Spirit rallied three wide on the second turn and gained a length and a half mid-stretch lead. He continued to draw clear through the final furlong, with Velazquez keeping after him, setting a mile fraction of 1:36.44 and reaching the finish with a 4 1/2-length advantage in 1:42.58 even while switching back to his left lead in the last sixteenth. It was the third winning ride of the day -- and second aboard a New York-bred -- for Velazquez, who for 2002 was named by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) as Jockey of the Year. Pletcher was selected by the NYTB as Trainer of the Year for 1999.
Although he had broken his maiden on Aqueduct's main track as a two-year-old under Velazquez in November, Dazzling Spirit in his previous start had shown an impressive effort while finishing third on Belmont turf with blinkers on for the first time. He is by Glitterman, whose gelded sons also include recent Grade 1 United Nations Handicap winner (on turf at Monmouth) Balto Star ($1,630,446), whom Pletcher trains for the Anstu Stables of Anita and Stuart Subotnick, owners of Anstu Farm in Millbrook. Dazzling Spirit's three outings since returning from his layoff have all been on turf and spaced fairly close together: a sixth-place effort at Belmont on June 26 when he was bumped in the stretch, a second-place performance 13 days later at Belmont, and his Sunday score following another 18 days. His first grass victory increased his earnings by $26,400 to $66,440 and improved his record to 2 - 1 - 1 in nine starts, and it also qualified his owner-breeders, Fort Lauderdale (Florida) residents Donald and Mary Zuckerman as Tenants by the Entireties, for a $2,640 breeder award.
Dazzling Spirit is the second offspring and second multiple winner produced from Canvas Spirit, a Broad Brush mare that the Zuckermans purchased for $23,000 at Keeneland's 1999 November sale when she was carrying Dazzling Spirit. Canvas Spirit is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Truth and Nobility ($255,594) and to the dam of stakes winner Sadler's Sarah ($145,530), and her dam is stakes winner Commonsensical ($174,852). Canvas Spirit's 2002 New York-bred colt by New York-based stallion Tomorrows Cat has been consigned to Fasig-Tipton's 2003 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sales through Paramount Sales, Agent XXXIII, scheduled to sell Monday evening, August 11, as Hip No. 461.

(7/27) Karakorum Kiss kisses competition goodbye to break maiden
Ridden for the first time by Shaun Bridgmohan, Karakorum Farm's three-year-old KARAKORUM KISS finally got a bump-free trip and was fit enough to make the most of it in winning Saratoga's second race on Sunday, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, going seven furlongs. She was something of a surprise, going off the 16.70-to-1 sixth choice among 11 starters -- 10 of them three-year-old fillies -- while breaking quickly from the outside post-position, but Bridgmohan hustled her forward to engage front-running Aviatress, the 4.30-to-1 second choice, in a head-to-head duel for half a mile. In the upper stretch, the chestnut filly took command from a fading Aviatress and then spurted out to a 3 1/2-length lead at mid-stretch after being challenged briefly by 5.90-to-1 third choice Puma's Pride. At the finish, Karakorum Kiss still held a 2 1/2-length margin over Puma's Pride following intermittent left-handed urging from Bridgmohan, with odds-on (.95-to-1) favorite Gata Be Patient finishing third and Aviatress coming in fourth. The weather was showery, but the track was labeled fast.
Owned by one of the racing partnerships of Karakorum Farm, which was founded by William DiScala of Staten Island in 1994, and trained by Jeff Odintz, Karakorum Kiss increased her earnings by $24,600 to $56,850 for her first victory while improving her record to 1 - 1 - 3 in 15 starts. DiScala had purchased the filly for a song -- considering her pedigree and previous sales price ($30,000) as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky weanling nine months earlier -- buying her at Fasig-Tipton's 2001 Saratoga preferred yearling sale for only $6,000. Karakorum Kiss's breeders are Saratoga Springs bloodstock agent Harry Landry and Park Place Stable, who jointly qualified for a $2,460 breeder award.
Sired by Belmont's Grade 2 Boojum Handicap winner Lord Carson, who currently stands in California, Karakorum Kiss is the first offspring produced from Res Miranda, who is by Vilzak (by Green Dancer) and is a half-sister to six-time stakes winner Western Trader ($723,789). Landry, the co-breeder of Karakorum Kiss, also is the co-breeder of the filly's dam, Res Miranda, whose own dam is stakes winner Distant Doll ($196,758). Landry sold Res Miranda as agent when she was a yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 1996 October sale.

(7/27) Y Two J beats open claimers by 2 1/2 and gets another new owner
New York-bred Y TWO J appears to have gotten too popular at the $35,000-to-$40,000 claiming level to remain there, changing owners for the third time in 101 days after winning Saratoga's $34,000 third race on Sunday for three-year-olds and up with $35,000-to-$30,000 tags going seven furlongs. Entered for $35,000 -- along with five of the other six starters -- as the obviously stronger half of an odds-on entry (.85-to-1), the four-year-old gelding drafted close behind the dueling early leaders, 5.80-to-1 third choice Homem Ra and 9.40-to-1 last choice Brightest Ice, for half a mile. As the field rounded the turn and rotated away from a diagonal 15-mph westerly and showery wind that was gusting up to 21 mph, he angled outside under guidance from jockey John Velazquez and gained a length lead on Brightest Ice through the upper stretch. In the final furlong following a 1:11.18 six-furlong fraction, Y Two J open up a winning 2 1/2-length margin while racing out towards the middle of the track, and he returned to a new trainer, Dominic Galluscio, who haltered him on behalf of Peter Canzone of New York City.
For Velazquez, who was riding Y Two J for the third time and second victory at a NYRA track, it was the first of three winning rides on Saratoga's Sunday card, culminating with a victorious trip aboard New York-bred Dazzling Spirit in the 10th race nightcap. Also picking up purse money in the third race was New York-bred Tomahawk Lake (now $111,830), who was the only starter entered with a $32,500 claiming price.
Owned in his latest start by the Sullivan Lane Stable of Kenneth Page of Boca Raton, Florida and by Vincent Scuderi, Y Two J earned $20,400 in purse money for his one-time owners, who also qualified for a $4,080 open race owner award, bringing his total purse earnings to $163,060. The win -- coming six weeks and a day after 2002 New York Thoroughbred Breeders Trainer of the Year Richard Dutrow Jr. had claimed Y Two J at Belmont for $35,000 on behalf of Page and Scuderi -- improved the chestnut gelding's record to 5 - 2 - 2 in 20 starts. Dutrow clearly had the New York-bred cranked up for what turned out to be his only start under the trainer's care, sending him out for a five-furlong "bullet" workout of 1:00 3/5 (fastest of nine) at Aqueduct on July 14. Y Two J previously had been claimed for $40,000 from his breeder, the Double S Stable of Joseph Sweedler of Westport, Connecticut, on April 17 at Aqueduct, when he had finished fourth with Velazquez in the irons. Three starts prior to dropping into the claiming ranks, he had won an open N1X allowance at Aqueduct while racing six furlongs on a muddy inner track in early January.
Y Two J is from the first New York-conceived crop of the late New York stallion Dixie Brass, who currently ranks as New York's leading sire -- living or dead, recent arrival or long-term resident -- for 2003, having achieved that status mostly on the earnings of New York-conceived progeny. In Y Two J's previous start on June 14 when Dutrow had claimed him, he had placed third behind winner Handsome Gent -- another New York-bred four-year-old son of Dixie Brass. As a result of Y Two J's Sunday score, Dixie Brass's owner, Michael Watral of Central Islip, Long Island, qualified for a $1,428 stallion award.
Although breeder Sweedler lost Y Two J through the claiming ranks more than three months ago, he still qualified for a $4,080 breeder award. Y Two J is the fourth offspring and fourth New York-bred winner bred by Sweedler from Anguilla Holiday, a Lear Fan mare who raced for Sweedler's Double S Stable and won twice at Aqueduct. Among Y Two J's three winning half-siblings is Blue Holiday ($303,170), who has won open allowance races at both Belmont and Aqueduct.

(7/27) She's Got the Beat places 2nd in G1 Go for Wand Handicap
Elizabeth Walsh's New York-bred She's Got the Beat converted her first Grade 1 outing into a productive second-place finish behind odds-on (.15-to-1) Grade 1 winner Sightseek in Saratoga's $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap for fillies and mares on Sunday, earning $50,000 for her runner-up effort. Ridden for the eighth consecutive time by Jean-Luc Samyn and sent off the 20.90-to-1 fourth choice among six starters in the mile and an eighth event, the four-year-old filly was rated in fourth place for half a mile and then closed three wide on the second turn. She first overtook Grade 1 winner Forest Secrets before entering the stretch and then collared multiple Group 1 and Grade 1 winner Miss Linda -- the 9.50-to-1 front-running second choice -- in the upper stretch while extending her margin over third-place finisher and Grade 1 winner Nonsuch Bay to five lengths.
She's Got the Beat increased her earnings to $328,296 for her second consecutive graded-placing, advancing her record to 6 - 6 - 2 in 18 starts while also qualifying Walsh and breeders J. I. Racing (James Iselin) and Woodside Stud (Sally Bierer) for open race owner and breeder awards of $5,000 each. Hall of Fame trainer Philip "P.G." Johnson, who conditions the bay New York-bred daughter of Sultry Song - Judy's Magic, by Wavering Monarch, was clearly pleased with her effort: "Somewhere along the line, she will win a Grade 1. We have no direct plans with her yet. That will all come next week. Sightseek has been very impressive, and we didn't think we would beat her. But second in a Grade 1 isn't bad."
Jockey Samyn echoed Johnson's sentiments: "We thought my horse ran a great race at Monmouth Park (a second-place effort in the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup Handicap at a mile and an eighth on June 28), and I thought she ran a better race here. We'll eventually win our fair share of races."

(7/26) Traffic Chief controls pace to win NY Derby VIEW VIDEO
Under a masterful ride by three-time leading Finger Lakes jockey John Davila Jr., Barry Schwartz's homebred TRAFFIC CHIEF controlled the speed in Finger Lakes' $142,200 New York Derby for New York-bred three-year-olds, leading gate-to-wire to win by three lengths over 2003 graded winners Spite the Devil and Go Rockin' Robin. It was Davila's first race aboard the bay colt, who had indicated he was ready to fire with a five-furlong "bullet" workout of 59 4/5 (fastest of 30) at Belmont 12 days earlier, and Davila had only learned that he had the mount on the morning of the race. The workout and Traffic Chief's game second place effort while running wide in Belmont's Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes on June 14 were sufficient reasons for him to be favored at .65-to-1 among the five starters, with Grade 2 winner Go Rockin' Robin the second choice at 2.65-to-1.
In accordance with his name, Traffic Chief controlled the speed in the mile and a sixteenth contest, breaking on top from the number one post-position and running the opening quarter-mile in an easy 25.12 -- although this was against a 12-mph westerly headwind that was gusting up to 26 mph. Tracking him from the three path in second place was Go Rockin' Robin, who got to within a half-length of Traffic Chief on the backstretch following a second quarter in 24.56. After a third quarter in an almost identical (to the second quarter) 24.53, Davila let his mount pick up the pace slightly while racing out from the rail, running a 24.30 split to shake free of Go Rockin' Robin in the upper stretch. Go Rockin' Robin eventually was overtaken by Spite the Devil -- the 5.70-to-1 fourth choice -- who had advanced from third along the four path while on the second turn. In the final furlong, Traffic Chief extended his length and a half margin over Spite the Devil to three lengths at the wire, covering his final sixteenth in 6.23 to finish in 1:44.74, which shaved .17 of a second off Image Maker's 2000 stakes record. Go Rockin' Robin finished third.
"I knew I had the speed horse," pointed out Davila in explaining his strategy of gradually accelerating, "and what was the point in running fast at the beginning when nobody else had that kind of speed? I knew I could be by myself at the front, just take it easy, and let him roll at the end. At the quarter pole, he exploded like a race car," continued Davila, who had piloted Carr Tech to victory in the 1996 New York Derby and whose free time hobby is working on sports cars.
Traffic Chief's conditioner, New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2000 Trainer of the Year Michael Hushion, expressed satisfaction with the way the New York-bred has been developing over the spring and summer: "He came around real nice for this race," observed Hushion. Four years ago, Hushion had sent out Schwartz's homebred David to win the 1999 New York Derby. In Traffic Chief's last previous outing six weeks earlier in Belmont's Grade 2 Hill Prince, he had been noticeably rank before the start, and Hushion had acknowledged that running him back two weeks after a 4 1/4-length Belmont allowance victory might have been cutting his schedule a little close. "It will probably be a month before he runs again," Hushion had predicted, but the time between races turned out to be six weeks -- followed by yet another victory by yet another margin of at least three lengths. Traffic Chief has not left much to chance when he has won, which has now been four times in five starts.
With $85,320 in first-place purse money for his New York Derby score, Traffic Chief increased his earnings to $187,740 and also qualified his owner-breeder, NYRA Chairman and CEO Schwartz of Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, for a $8,532 breeder award. The front-running New York-bred is by 1993 Belmont Stakes winner Colonial Affair, who currently stands in Japan, and he is the first offspring produced from Schwartz's New York homebred stakes-placed winner, Ms. Forte ($139,539), by Sewickley. Ms. Forte broke her maiden against open company as a three-year-old going a mile and a sixteenth on turf at Belmont and as a four-year-old won allowance races at Santa Anita and Del Mar and placed third in Fairplex Park's E. B. Johnston Stakes -- all on dirt. She is a full sister to the winning dam of 2001 Canterbury Oaks winner Savannah Canon and a half-sister to Schwartz's New York homebred four-year-old filly, Gulfstream stakes-placed Sparkling Ava ($129,360), who has won four times at Belmont and Aqueduct -- twice on dirt and twice on turf.
The dam of Ms. Forte and Sparkling Ava is Carolina Chant, a winning Linkage mare that Schwartz purchased for $30,000 (through Robert Courtney, agent) at Keeneland's 1993 November sale as a seven-year-old when she was carrying Ms. Forte. Six years later when Carolina Chant was 13, she was sold for $52,000 (a $22,000 profit) at Keeneland's 1999 November sale.

(7/26) Say Florida Sandy places 3rd in Delaware's $100K Vincent Moscarelli Memorial
Edging resolutely closer to the winner through the final sixteenth of a mile, John Rotella's New York-bred Say Florida Sandy placed third in Delaware Park's $100,000 Vincent Moscarelli Memorial Handicap at six furlongs on Saturday, increasing his earnings by $11,000 to yet another record for a New York-bred: $2,085,409. Favored at 1.50-to-1 among the five starters and ridden by Anthony Black, who a year earlier had piloted him to a 3 1/2-length tally in a six-furlong Delaware classified allowance, the durable nine-year-old closed off a scorching pace (21.45, 44.04) set by 1.80-to-1 second choice Crossing Point. Despite drifting out, Say Florida Sandy overtook Crossing Point in the final furlong but fell short of catching the new leader and eventual winner, 3.40-to-1 third choice Sing Me Back Home, and could not withstand the late charge of 6.80-to-1 fourth choice Deer Run -- both carrying less weight.
Currently conditioned by John Pregman -- his seventh trainer in a storied career that began more than seven years ago with a first-out 4 3/4-length victory at Belmont under the colors of his breeder, Sanford Bacon -- Say Florida Sandy now has a record of 33 - 17 - 12 in 97 starts. Saturday's outing in the Vincent Moscarelli Memorial was his first effort off a 2 1/2-month layoff, and Black is among 20 different jockeys that have ridden the muscular dark bay stallion. The son of New York stallion Personal Flag ($1,258,924) out of 1998 New York Broodmare of the Year Lolli Lucka Lolli, by Venezuelan champion Sweet Candy ($1,257,932), is a half-brother to five winners, including Grade 3 winner Dancin Renee ($497,546) -- 1997 New York-Bred Horse of the Year and two-division champion.

(7/25) Rb's Glitter flashes speed to break maiden
Returned to competition following a favored fourth place effort in his slow-starting debut at Belmont on July 6, E L R Corp's two-year-old RB'S GLITTER got Lasix medication and a good start in Saratoga's fourth race on Friday for New York-bred maiden two-year-olds -- and a front-running victory was the result. An additional sixteenth of a mile for the $41,000 contest -- to six furlongs -- also seemed to give the Bruce Levine-trained colt an extra edge, since he had closed fairly well in his 5 1/2-furlong first start after having trailed the field in the early stages.
Again ridden by Michael Luzzi and sent off the 4.10-to-1 third choice among nine starters, Rb's Glitter broke from the seventh post position and had a half-length lead after a 22.71 opening quarter, with 2.90-to-1 second choice Unbuckle challenging outside and seventh choice Sicilian Boy challenging inside. For most of the race, Rb's Glitter and Unbuckle seemed locked in combat, going head-to-head all the way to mid-stretch with a five-furlong fraction of 59.06 before the former began pulling ahead, reaching the finish with a length and a half victory margin in the excellent two-year-old time of 1:11.85. In what appeared to be a result of their competitive zeal, both colts came off the turn into the stretch somewhat out from the rail. First-time-starter Calculator, the 11.70-to-1 sixth choice, nosed out 2.60-to-1 favorite Webejamminmon, who had placed second at Churchill Downs in his debut a month earlier, to take third place.
The victory was worth $24,600, raising Rb's Glitter's total earnings in two July starts to $27,060 for the E L R Corp of Richard Balfour of Springfield, New Jersey, who had purchased the tenacious New York-bred juvenile for $80,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March selected sale of two-year-olds. As a yearling, Rb's Glitter had been consigned by his breeders, Michael and Debra Lischin's Dutchess Views Farm, Inc., in Pine Plains, to Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga preferred New York-bred sale, where Florida pin-hooker Gabriel Dixon, agent, had bought him for $12,000. As the breeder of Rb's Glitter, Dutchess Views Farm qualified for a $2,460 breeder award.
Sired by Glitterman, Rb's Glitter is the second offspring and second winner produced from New York-bred Grasping At Straws, who is by pensioned New York stallion D'Accord and was a 6 1/4-length allowance winner at Philadelphia Park as a three-year-old going a mile and 70 yards in the slop. Grasping At Straws, whose first offspring -- a current three-year-old filly -- broke her maiden by 7 1/2 lengths on July 4, is a half-sister to the dam of six-figure-earning West Coast stakes winner High School Grad, and her dam is Grade 2-placed winner Rose of Ashes. Rb's Glitter is inbred 3 x 4 to eight-time leading sire Bold Ruler.

(7/25) Bond Arbitrage closes deal early in front-running maiden special
Breaking from the sixth post position in a field of seven, Klaravich Stables' 1.05-to-1 favorite BOND ARBITRAGE gained an early half-length lead, then pulled away in the stretch and coasted to victory in his debut in Saratoga's second race on Friday, a $41,000 five-furlong restricted maiden special for two-year-olds. His only challenger for three furlongs was 2.50-to-1 second choice I'am a Red Sox Fan -- the contest's only starter with racing experience and previously second in a Belmont open maiden special -- but that colt stumbled badly coming out of the number one post position and raced outside the winner. By mid-stretch, Bond Arbitrage was in front by 5 1/2 lengths while running easily with his distinctly-quick, wide-tracking strides, and from that point jockey Richard Migliore hand rode him to the wire, which he reached in the time of 59.32. Closing fast to place second -- just a length and a quarter behind the winner -- after breaking last and racing greenly down the backstretch was 4.40-to-1 third choice Saratoga Episode, whose maroon and silver diamond Sackatoga Stable silks have become internationally recognizable from being aboard Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner Funny Cide. It was the first of two winning rides on the card for Migliore, who later piloted the winner of Saratoga's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap.
Trained by Richard Violette Jr., Bond Arbitrage earned $24,600 in his debut for the Klaravich Stables, Inc. of Seth Klarman of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, who had purchased the New York-bred for $130,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sales. The chestnut colt had been one of 11 New York-bred yearlings at that two-session auction to bring six-figure prices, and Violette has brought him along judiciously, giving him nine Aqueduct workouts since May -- including a half-mile "bullet" drill of 48 1/5 on July 1 -- prior to his Saratoga debut. Bond Arbitrage's breeders are New York Thoroughbred Breeders President Gerald Nielsen and wife Joanne of Darien, Connecticut, who jointly qualified for a $2,460 breeder award, and he was foaled at his breeders' Sunnyfield Farm in Bedford.
Sired by Forest Wildcat and inbred 4 x 4 to Northern Dancer, Bond Arbitrage is the second offspring and second winner produced from Deputy Dear, a Deputy Minister mare that the Nielsens also bred in New York. His four-year-old New York-bred half-sister, the Nielsens' homebred Near and Dear, last year broke her maiden by three lengths at Saratoga in her second start -- just six hours before Bond Arbitrage went into Fasig-Tipton's sales ring to bring a $130,000 bid from Klarman. Near and Dear is a grass specialist and scored her second Belmont turf allowance victory on May 16, when she won by three lengths. The third offspring produced from Deputy Dear is a yearling New York-bred colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Cat Thief ($3,951,012) consigned by Sunnyfield Farm through Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, as Hip No. 179 at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga select sales, scheduled to sell Thursday evening, August 7.
Deputy Dear is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Without Feathers ($499,866) and New York-bred multiple stakes winners Currency Arbitrage ($343,902) and Copper Mount ($251,871) and to the dam of New York-bred stakes winner Compelling World ($227,085). Currency Arbitrage and Copper Mount both were bred by Gerald Nielsen, who purchased the dam of those stakes winners (and the dam of Deputy Dear), Damerelle, for $165,000 through Bedford Hills, agent, at Keeneland's 1988 November breeding stock sale.

(7/24) Wild Berry impressive in Spa debut
John Gorham's homebred, WILD BERRY, made her first lifetime start a winning one and was impressive in the manner in which she handled the odds-on favorite Hurricane Hannah after a gate to wire battle. Trained by Michael Gorham, who stables at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware, and ridden by Cornelio Velazquez, Wild Berry is a two year-old daughter of Wild Event, out of the Deehound mare, Deer Berry. A field of 9-horses went to the starting gate for the state-bred maiden affair, which was run over Saratoga's main track, listed sloppy.
Breaking from the five and six post, respectively, Wild Berry and Hurricane Hannah hooked up early and raced head-to-head through swift fractions of 22.1 and 45.3 seconds to the half-mile pole. The balance of the field raced well behind of the leaders. With neither filly giving an inch, they hit the top of the stretch as one and dueled the length of the stretch with Wild Berry gaining the advantage in the late stages, drawing off by 3-1/4 lengths for the score. Wild Berry paid $30.80 and stopped the timer in a respectable 1:05.1.
John Gorham's Steeplechase Farm bred Wild Berry, thus qualifying for a breeder's award of $2,460. Wild Berry is the first foal out of her dam; a hard-hitting racehorse that hit the board in 11 out of her 20-career starts earning $100,774.

(7/23) Mistical Fastness takes season opener at Spa
Kathleen DeMasi's MISTICAL FASTNESS opened the 135th meet at Saratoga Race Course by upsetting the 1-2 odds-on favorite Seeking the Glory. The state-bred six-furlong race was run over a muddy main track and had a field of ten-horses. Trained by Ms. DeMasi, the three year-old gray colt was making his seventh-career start and was ridden to victory by Eibar Coa.
With prompting from track announcer Tom Durkin, the race-goers all yelled out "And, they're off at Saratoga!" as the gate opened. Mistical Fastness and Watral Dixie Ridge vied for the early lead with Seeking the Glory sitting just behind the leaders in the run down the backstretch. Dueling head to head the leaders past the half-mile pole in 46 seconds flat and continued battling to the head of the stretch before Mistical Fastness began to edge clear, only to face a new challenge by Seeking the Glory, who was putting in a strong run in the middle of the track. Even with Coa dropping his whip in deep stretch, Mistical Fastness held off the challenge, and splashed under the wire, a three quarter length winner. Final time was 1:12 flat.
Bred by Dr. Enio Felicotti, who qualified for a breeder's award of $2,460, Mistical Fastness is by Fastness (Ire), out of Mistical Mirage, by Miswaki.
Mistical Mirage was a multiple stakes-placed winner and a half-sister to stakes winners Tea Box (Fit to Fight) and Fly Love (Rahy).
Ms. De Masi purchased the colt out of the 2001 December Fasig-Tipton mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland for $6,000 and now has now earned over $42,000 including a winner's circle photo at the Spa - priceless!

(7/23) Our Tune whistles at Spa
Our Sugar Bear Stable's OUR TUNE repeated his July 11th victory in style and outcome. The only difference was the distance change from one-mile around one-turn in his previous race to a mile and eighth around two turns today. The NW-1X condition race state-bred fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, was moved from the turf to the main track, which resulted in six scratches. Seraphic Too, who won her last start by 11-lengths over the slop at Belmont, drew in off the also-eligible list and was sent off as the race-time favorite in the 9-horse field. Trainer Michael Brice named Aaron Gryder to ride.
Gryder gunned Our Tune out of the gate and won the race into the first turn. As she hit the backstretch, Our Tune opened up by two lengths over My Lady Roanne, La Pro and Seraphic Too, reaching the half-mile pole in 48.1 and three-quarter pole in 1:13.4. As the field straightened for home, My Lady Roanne took a run at Our Tune but faltered midway in the stretch, however the other half of the Dominic Galluscio entry, Raffie's Storm, took up the chase and was gaining with every stride before running out of racetrack to Our Tune by a half length crossing the wire. Final time was 1:55 flat.
William Terrill, Jr. manages Our Sugar Bear Stable and also bred Our Tune, thus qualifying Mr. Terrill for a breeder's award of $2,640. Our Tune is a three year-old bay filly by Concorde's Tune, out of Uppa Hughie, by Secret Prince. Uppa Hughie won $117,129 on the racetrack in a 30-race career. With today's victory, Our Tune has raised her earnings to $78,920 with a Lifetime Record: 9-2-3-0.

(7/23) Shamrock Blues wins Spa nightcap
Peter Sinetos' SHAMROCK BLUES won his second in a row taking the last race on opening day at Saratoga Race Course. After beating $35,000 open claimers going six-furlongs, Shamrock Blues was dropped in for a tag of $25,000 going seven-furlongs. Surprisingly, he was overlooked by the crowd and paid a very nice $19.20. Aaron Gryder won his second race of the day aboard Shamrock Blues.
Heavy rains marred the racing surface and the conditions of the main track were switched to sloppy during the race card. Shamrock Blues sat close to the pace in the early going as Seasonal Change set the fractions of 22.3 and 46.1 to the half-mile pole. Turning for home, Gryder moved Shamrock Blues outside of the leaders and raced to the front, gradually drawing off to win by four lengths.
Trained by Peter Bazeos, Shamrock Blues is a five year-old bay mare by deceased record-setting New York stallion Cure the Blues, whose syndicate connections qualified for a $1,134 stallion award. Bred by Einar P. Robsham, Shamrock Blues is the first offspring produced by Sunny Shamrock, a stakes-winning daughter of New York stallion Distinctive Pro. Sunny Shamrock, who won Belmont's six-furlong Joseph A. Gimma Stakes as a two-year-old in her third start, was bred by Robsham from Calder two-turn turf stakes winner Sunny Issues, whom Robsham purchased for $125,000 as a two-year-old in training at Fasig-Tipton Florida's 1987 February sale. Mr. Robsham, who owned Shamrock Blues prior to being claimed, qualified for a breeder's award of $3,240. Mr. Robsham qualified for a breeder's award of $3,240.

(7/20) Well Fancied flies home by 4+ in Evan Shipman VIEW VIDEO
Twice during Belmont's spring-summer closing-day card on Sunday, jockey Edgar Prado showed how to steal a race aboard a New York-bred, accomplishing it the second time aboard favored WELL FANCIED in the $113,100 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-bred three-year-olds and up at a one-turn mile and a sixteenth. Although an accomplished sprinter with victories in Belmont's 2002 Hudson and General Douglas MacArthur Handicaps, the four-year-old gelding had never raced beyond seven furlongs previously, but his talent was so obvious that Belmont horseplayers made him the 1.80-to-1 first choice among 10 starters under second highweight of 119 pounds. Sent off as the 3-to-1 second choice under top weight of 124 was the gallant Grade 2-winning gelding Gander ($1,664,250), who had not raced in seven weeks but is always considered formidable, having won the Evan Shipman in 2000.
Prado wasted no time sending his mount to the front with superior tactical speed, opening up a length and a half advantage over Gander after a first quarter in 23.27 and allowing Well Fancied to accelerate his second quarter to 22.70 to maintain a half-length margin following four furlongs. After six furlongs, Well Fancied's lead was a length and a half off a sizzling fraction of 1:09.98, and he reached mid-stretch with six-length advantage in 1:34.66 for the mile and hit the wire with a 4 1/2-length cushion over strong-finishing fifth choice Compelling World (10.70-to-1) in 1:40.94. Sherpa Guide, the 6.80-to-1 fourth choice who had won the 2002 Evan Shipman by three lengths, stumbled at the start but still got up to finish third.
"This was an easy ride," pointed out Prado, who had three winning rides -- two aboard New York-breds -- for the day and had first ridden Well Fancied in the gelding's previous June 13 start at Belmont, when he had won a seven-furlong open classified allowance at by 2 1/2 lengths. "He ran a good race last time, and the only question today was the mile and a sixteenth. He proved he could handle it."
Well Fancied's conditioner, 2002 New York Thoroughbred Breeders Trainer of the Year Richard Dutrow Jr., was impressed but not actually surprised: "I don' t think we were worrying about anything coming in. All he had to do was prove he could get the distance. I'm real impressed. He killed off the other speed and finished up strong."
Dutrow, who saddled two winners at Belmont on Sunday -- both ridden by Prado -- also indicated that he planned to give a brief breather to Well Fancied even though the gelding has only raced four times since early April: "I don't think I'm going to take him to Saratoga. I freshened him up last summer, and that worked. Maybe we'll point for the (General Douglas) MacArthur (September 5 at Belmont). He ran big in that race last year. It looks like we have some options now. I'd consider the Empire Classic ($250,000, mile and an eighth, October 18 at Belmont) too."
Well Fancied, who races for Sanford Goldfarb of Old Westbury in partnership with Stewart Hoffman and Jonathan Flesig, earned $67,860 for his third stakes victory, boosting his career bankroll to $412,846 and improving his record to 8 - 4 - 4 in 24 starts. He also qualified his breeder and former owner (prior to 2002), Seymour Cohn of New York City, for the maximum $10,000 breeder award. The bay gelding is among five stakes winners sired by New York stallion Prosper Fager (Mr. Prospector - Princess Fager, by Dr. Fager), who stands at and as the property of Diane Szymczak's Meadow Hill Lane Farm in Pine Bush. Prosper Fager's owners at the time of Well Fancied's conception, the Billings Partnership of Robert and Michele Billings of Naples, Florida, qualified for a $4,750.20 stallion award. Well Fancied is the only offspring produced from Patty's Fancy Tric, a Tricky Creek mare who placed once at Aqueduct in two starts as a two-year-old for breeder Cohn. Well Fancied's second dam is Elpaso Patty, who won three stakes at Suffolk Downs.

(7/20) Dynamic Lisa romps by 4 1/4 for second turf mile allowance win
Although bred to be a router, Herbert and Carol Schwartz's four-year-old DYNAMIC LISA has proven unequivocally to be an excellent turf miler, winning Belmont's seventh race on Sunday, a $46,000 restricted N2X allowance at a one-turn mile on grass for fillies and mares, by 4 1/4 lengths. She was no surprise, going off as the 1.55-to-1 favorite among 10 starters, three-year-olds and up, with Shaun Bridgmohan on board for the second consecutive time. In the dark bay filly's previous start -- a restricted N2X allowance on July 5 at Belmont going a mile and a sixteenth on turf for her first outing off an eight-month layoff -- Bridgmohan had guided her to a strong-closing second place finish. She had won her only other attempt at a mile, capturing a two-turn restricted N1X allowance contest at Saratoga by a length 11 months ago.
Bridgmohan did not rush his mount, allowing her to settle in seventh place after the opening quarter and keeping her wide and trouble-free, and Dynamic Lisa responded by advancing to fifth after a half-mile and then to second -- trailing only longshot pacesetter Sea of Hope -- with a quarter-mile to run. By mid-stretch, the late-running filly -- who actually had broken on top from the eighth post position -- was in front by two with a six-furlong fraction of 1:10.79, and at the finish she led by 4 1/4 with a final time of 1:35.34. The victory increased Dynamic Lisa's earnings by $27,600 to $133,460 and improved her record to 3 - 3 - 2 in 12 starts and sets her up well for venturing into open company, which she already has faced four times, including a mile and a quarter maiden special Belmont victory last year.
Trained by Herbert Schwartz's son, Scott Schwartz, Dynamic Lisa also qualified her breeders, Joe and Anne McMahon's McMahon Thoroughbreds of Saratoga Springs, for a $2,760 breeder award. The New York-bred filly is by noted turf sire Dynaformer, whose now-retired New York-bred daughter, Critical Eye ($1,060,984), won five graded stakes for the Schwartz couple, including two Grade 1 events. She is the second offspring and second winner bred by McMahon Thoroughbreds from the mare Ashley Lindsey, being a half-sister to New York-bred Belmont turf allowance winner Collaborate. As a yearling, Dynamic Lisa did not bring her $60,000 reserve price at Fasig-Tipton's 2000 Saratoga preferred sale and was later acquired privately by the Schwartz couple. Dam Ashley Lindsey, by Eclipse Champion Older Male Turkoman, is a half-sister to black-type winner Cause She's a Lady, who is the granddam of stakes winner Earl Who.

(7/20) Then She Laughs leads all the way to take 2YO debut by 3 1/4
Last time a New York-bred two-year-old by Distorted Humor looked this good debuting at Belmont, his name was . . . Funny Cide . . . but this time it is a "she", THEN SHE LAUGHS, gate-to-wire winner by 3 1/4 lengths in Belmont's fifth race on Sunday, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for juvenile fillies. As one of six first-time starters among a total of nine participants in the 5 1/2-furlong contest, Then She Laughs was the 3.95-to-1 third choice off eight creditable workouts beginning in early April, the last five of which had been at Belmont during June and July. Trainer Leah Gyarmati obviously had the bay filly cranked up and ready to roll, because she broke on top out of the number one post position under jockey Heberto Castillo Jr. and was in front by six following an opening quarter mile in a jaw-dropping 21.91. Drawing off eventually by eight lengths at mid-stretch, Then She Laughs set fractions of 45.57 and 58.50 and reached the finish under a hand ride with a 3 1/4-length margin over 4.40-to-1 fourth choice Lightning Lyla, who had pursued in second place throughout the race, winning in 1:05.44.
The first start for Then She Laughs earned $24,600 for owner Vincent Papandrea, who acquired the filly privately, and also generated a $2,460 breeder award for the Edition Farm of Henry and Vivien Malloy of Waccabuc and Annette Orlando of Hyde Park. Sire Distorted Humor, who stands in Kentucky, also has sired New York-bred Go Rockin' Robin ($283,138), six-length winner of Belmont's Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes on May 24.
Then She Laughs, who did not meet her $17,000 reserve at Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale, is the third winner produced from multiple stakes-placed winner Dances With Quack ($102,947), who is a daughter of Sovereign Dancer. Edition Farm (through Vivien Malloy) purchased Dances With Quack for $40,000 at Keeneland's 2001 January mixed sale when she was carrying Then She Laughs, who arrived two months later on March 13. Dances With Quack, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed winner Strike It Smart and out of multiple stakes winner Quack Call, has a yearling New York-bred filly by Canadian champion and New York stallion Regal Classic. That filly, cataloged for Fasig-Tipton's 2003 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale as Hip No. 488, is scheduled to sell Monday evening, August 11.

(7/20) Handsome Gent guts out another open claiming win at Belmont
After struggling with Belmont's sloppy track on June 21 and less-than-firm turf course for his grass-and-routing debut on July 12, Robert Terrill's and Stephen Camus' New York-bred HANDSOME GENT returned to the winner's circle following Belmont's Sunday opener, a six-furlong open claiming contest on a fast main track. Ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Rudy Rodriguez, the four-year-old colt was among four of five starters carrying $18,000 claiming tags -- all four-year-olds and up although the race was open to three-year-olds -- with the other starter entered in the contest for a $16,000 price. As the 3.80-to-1 third choice, he broke slowly from the inside post position, but Rodriguez allowed him to gain momentum on his own accord, drafting close behind front-running 1.25-to-1 favorite Threat of Victory around the turn and into a 10-mph southerly headwind. Following a 45.71 half-mile, Handsome Gent eased outside Threat of Victory approaching the stretch, and from there the battle began. Changing leads while still on the turn, the New York-bred pinned his ears and pushed his head in front, but Threat of Victory fought back, forcing Handsome Gent to set a five-furlong fraction of 57.58 en route to the wire, which he reached in 1:10.09 with a half-length victory margin.
Keeping in perspective the fact that the previous day's Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks winner, Spoken Fur, is a daughter of multiple New York-bred champion Notebook, the sires of four of the five starters in Belmont's Sunday opener all had connections to New York breeding. Handsome Gent is by deceased New York stallion Dixie Brass, whose 2003 progeny earnings already have reached almost $2-million based mainly on his New York-conceived progeny, and Handsome Gent's win qualified Dixie Brass's owner, Michael Watral of Central Islip, Long Island, for a $840 stallion award. Threat of Victory is by multiple New York-bred champion and millionaire Victory Speech ($1,289,020). Third-place finisher Sharp Little Boy, who was claimed out of the contest, is by deceased New York stallion and multiple New York-bred champion Claramount. Also earning purse money in the contest was stakes-placed Max O Max, who is by the New York-based Mr. Prospector stallion, Manlove.
Handsome Gent's second Belmont victory within four outings over 36 days following a year and a half layoff increased his earnings by $12,000 to $64,310 and improved his overall record to 3 - 0 - 1 in six starts, and it also qualified co-owner and breeder-trainer Terrill for a $2,400 breeder award. As a two-year-old in 2001, Handsome Gent had won his debut at Aqueduct in December and 18 days later on New Year's Day of 2002 had placed third in a restricted N1X Aqueduct allowance, after which he was laid off until this past June, when he won at 26.75-to-1. The bay colt is a half-brother to multiple allowance-winning New York-bred Ruby Princess ($112,190 to date), whom Terrill also bred, being the second offspring and second winner produced from winner Ftnoflivingwaters, who raced for Terrill and is by Fountain of Gold -- a full brother to New York stallion Distinctive Pro.

(7/20) To Go goes gate-to-wire to win 10-furlong turf allowance by 4
After four consecutive rides aboard Leonard Leveen's homebred TO GO, Edgar Prado knew the three-year-old's tactical speed and class against open company, and for Belmont's fourth race on Sunday, a $44,000 restricted N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up going a mile and a quarter on turf, he capitalized on both. The wagering public expected To Go to dominate, sending him off as the 1.05-to-1 favorite among eight betting choices (nine starters), but it probably did not anticipate the front-running ease with which that victory was accomplished.
For three-quarters of a mile, Prado nursed his mount along through relaxed quarter-mile splits that averaged 25.80 seconds while maintaining a consistent 2 1/2-length lead over 12-to-1 sixth choice Hristoforos. When 6.60-to-1 third choice Steve's Thunder started to challenge, Prado urged To Go through a fourth quarter-mile in 24.11, keeping the same 2 1/2-length margin. For the fifth and final quarter, Prado finally allowed To Go to level out, and the dark bay colt covered the distance in 23.42 seconds to reach the finish with a four-length lead. It was the second of three winning rides on Belmont's closing-day Sunday card for Prado, who four races later guided Well Fancied to victory in the featured $113,100 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-breds.
The victory was worth $26,400 in purse money, boosting To Go's earnings to $78,170 and improving his record to 2 - 2 - 2 in seven starts, and it also qualified owner-breeder Leveen, of Boca Raton, Florida, for an additional $5,280 breeder award. Trained by Randy Schulhofer, the colt who broke his maiden in an off-the-turf mile and an eighth contest at Belmont two starts earlier on May 29 is the third winner that Leveen has bred and raced out of New York-bred Dana's Wedding ($120,708), by deceased New York stallion Compliance. To Go's two Saratoga turf-winning half-brothers, multiple allowance winner Ham Sandwich ($187,420) and On Rye, also are trained by Schulhofer. Dam Dana's Wedding likewise raced for Leveen, winning two-turn allowance races on turf at Belmont and on the main track at Aqueduct, and is a full sister to stakes-placed winner Henny B. and a half-sister to another black-type-placed winner.
To Go is by former New York stallion Chilito, a son of Strawberry Road who won the 1998 Grade 3 Flamingo Stakes and stood at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag as the property of James Iselin's J. I. Racing, John Nerud, Sugar Maple Farm, and Lazy Lane Farm. To Go's victory jointly qualified that partnership for a $1,848 stallion award.

(7/19) Raise an Emblem raises visions of 2YO debut
After seven frustrating efforts to recapture the brilliance he had shown winning his debut by 3 3/4 lengths at Keeneland 15 months ago, three-year-old RAISE AN EMBLEM looked back on track in Belmont's sixth race on Saturday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for seven three-year-olds and up going six furlongs. Ridden for the first time by "bug" jockey Shannon Uske, whose apprentice allowance is seven pounds, the dark bay colt seemed unintimidated by 1.05-to-1 favorite Limone Forte's front-running opening fractions of 22.68 and 46.14, racing on the outside of that stakes-placed rival while in hand around the turn. Pulling even with the favorite at the head of the stretch, he appeared to make contact with Limone Forte, but it was "no harm no foul", and from there Raise an Emblem drew away, setting a five-furlong fraction of 58.24 and reaching the finish with a 2 1/2-length advantage. Placing second with a game outside rally but posing no threat to the winner was 6.90-to-1 fourth choice Reride, as Raise an Emblem -- the 13.20-to-1 fifth choice among the seven starters -- covered the distance in an impressive 1:10.68.
Owned by Our Blue Streaks Stables, Julie Levine, Maria DeVille's Pre K Stable and U-Ham Stables, Raise an Emblem has been saddled for six of his nine starts by trainer Carl DeVille, who had purchased the colt for $15,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2001 Saratoga preferred yearling sale. The New York-bred also has retained most or all of his current owners, although Our Blue Streaks and U-Ham Stables were not listed among his owners when he blew away his Keeneland competition in April of 2002 -- a feat which earned him front page coverage in the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader. Whatever brilliance he had then might have been re-kindled in July, since he followed a fifth-place effort at Monmouth on June 29 with a three-furlong "bullet" workout of 36 1/5 over Saratoga's deep track on July 14. Raise an Emblem's Saturday victory increased his earnings by $25,800 to $56,510 and improved his record to 2 - 0 - 0 in nine starts.
Bred by Dr. William Wilmot and Dr. Joan Taylor and consigned by his breeders' Stepwise Farm in Saratoga Springs to the Saratoga preferred yearling sale through Craig Bandoroff's Denali Stud, agent, where trainer DeVille bought him, Raise an Emblem jointly qualified Drs. Wilmot and Taylor for a $2,580 breeder award. The colt is by Our Emblem, who also has sired 2002 New York-Bred Champion Three-Year-Old Male Private Emblem ($681,490), and is the third New York-bred winner produced from New York-bred Tahila, a Belmont-winning Slew the Knight mare bred and trained by Dr. Wilmot and raced by Dr. Taylor. Raise an Emblem's four-year-old full sister, Running Witch, won her third start by 11 lengths at Aqueduct as a two-year-old. A half-brother, Playasultrytune, won his second start by 3 1/4 lengths as a two-year-old at Saratoga, placed second in Finger Lakes' New York Breeders' Futurity, and has won seven races through his five-year-old season. Dam Tahila is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winners Background Artist ($206,752) and Dr. Billy B. ($134,313) and to New York-bred stakes-placed winner All Tango ($169,176).

(7/19) Theconfidenceman confidently draws off by 6 in 2YO debut
As one of seven debuting starters among 10 participants in Belmont's Saturday opener, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for two-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs, THECONFIDENCEMAN attracted no special attention before the race, going off as the 9.70-to-1 fifth choice, but he was six lengths in front at the finish. Ridden by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Jockey of the Year John Velazquez, the chestnut colt broke from the third post position and raced close behind the leaders in fifth place while in hand for three-eighths of a mile, as 7.90-to-1 third choice Joe'sdancing Angel set the pace. The front-running contenders fanned out four wide on the turn, and Theconfidenceman rallied wide right with them entering the stretch, advancing from fifth to first within three-sixteenths of a mile and setting a five-furlong fraction of 59.48 even though he was drifting in and still running on his left lead. Once the New York-bred colt switched to his right lead, he stopped drifting in, straightened away, and drew off to a six-length margin at the wire, winning in 1:05.69.
Owned by the Literary Lion Farm of Helen Brann of Bridgewater, Connecticut in partnership with Suzann Bobley and Joan O'Brien and conditioned by three-time NYTB Trainer of the Year Leo O'Brien (husband of part owner Joan O'Brien), Theconfidenceman picked up $24,600 in purse money for his first start. Prior to the colt's debut, trainer O'Brien had put him through four solid though not sensational Belmont workouts (three were among the fastest half of all works for the day at their distances) beginning 22 days earlier on June 27. Theconfidenceman's victory also qualified his breeders, Richard and Jeanette Powers of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for a $4,920 breeder award.
Theconfidenceman is the second six-length maiden special two-year-old winner at Belmont this summer sired from the first crop of 1998 New York-Bred Horse of the Year and Champion Two-Year-Old Male Incurable Optimist, who in a two-month span won open turf stakes at Meadowlands, Belmont, and Hollywood Park. Two of those events -- Belmont's Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes and Hollywood's Grade 3 Generous Stakes -- Incurable Optimist won by 4 1/2 and nine lengths, respectively. The New York-bred champion raced for John and Theresa Behrendt of New York City and stood as the Behrendts' property for the 2000 season at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson before subsequently going to Argentina -- but still qualifying the Behrendts for a $1,722 stallion award. The breeders of Incurable Optimist (Cure the Blues - Miss Turlington, by Seattle Slew) were Dr. Joan Taylor and Dr. William Wilmot of Stepwise Farm in Saratoga Springs, who also bred the New York-bred winner of the sixth race at Belmont Saturday, three-year-old Raise an Emblem.
Theconfidenceman is the first offspring produced from The Midnightrobber, who raced for co-breeder Jeanette Powers, winning nine races from ages two through seven, including five open allowance six-furlong sprints at Suffolk and Rockingham Park. The Midnightrobber is by Talinum, a Grade 1-winning son of Alydar, and she is a half-sister to stakes-placed winner Chervy ($107,827). Theconfidenceman might relish stretching out in distance, and trainer O'Brien is famous for noticing that impressive New York-bred juvenile winners on dirt sometimes become bona fide superstars (Fourstardave, Fourstars Allstar, etc.) going long on turf.

(7/19) Running Today runs from last to first in open claimer
Twice previously Robert Perez's homebred RUNNING TODAY had won sprints at double-digit odds while coming off layoffs, but never from as far off the pace or with odds as long as he had for Saturday's 10th race nightcap, a seven-furlong open contest for three-year-olds and up with $14,000 claiming prices. Sent off the 25.50-to-1 eighth choice among 12 starters with jockey Tony Farina race-riding him for the first time, the five-year-old New York-bred broke almost last from the number one post position and was obviously last -- trailing the 11th-place runner by six lengths -- following the opening quarter-mile. While Running Today was spotting everyone a seemingly insurmountable head start, stakes-winning 1.15-to-1 favorite Friday's a Comin' darted out to an eight-length lead with a scorching 21.93 first quarter, then set a 44.84 half-mile fraction in order to maintain a six-length advantage over 13.90-to-1 fifth choice Heroic Sight.
On Belmont's big sweeping turn, Running Today circled seven wide, advancing from 11th to third within just a quarter-mile to challenge the new leaders, Heroic Sight and 2.75-to-1 second choice Rich Coins a head back in second place, as the six-furlong fraction clicked off in 1:10.68. Even before Perez's homebred had overtaken either of those two rivals, the outcome was hardly in doubt, with the stretch-running New York-bred bay drawing off to win by a length and a quarter in 1:23.17. Rich Coins (now $283,837), a multiple stakes-winning son of New York stallion Rizzi, edged out Heroic Sight to place second.
Trained by Alfredo Callejas, who had brought him up to Saturday's contest off five Belmont workouts, Running Today in his first start off a 111-day layoff boosted his earnings to $158,260 and improved his record to 4 - 5 - 3 in 25 starts. Two of his victories -- both at seven furlongs -- have come at Belmont, and the other two have been scored at Saratoga (mile and an eighth restricted N2X allowance) and Aqueduct (six-furlong restricted N1X allowance).
Running Today also qualified owner-breeder Perez for a total of $2,592 in breeder ($1,920) and stallion ($672) awards, since Perez also owned the horse's now-deceased New York-based 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 and also sired Perez's New York homebred Sweet Ricky ($245,376), who won Finger Lakes' New York Derby and Aqueduct's Alex M. Robb Handicap in 2001. Running Today is out of Perez's New York homebred Running All Day, who is by the Northern Dancer stallion Hamza and out of New York-bred multiple stakes-placed winner Miss Empire ($123,697).

(7/18) Singasongforme coasts to allowance victory
Roddy Valente, Jr.'s SINGASONGFORME easily defeated NW-2X state-bred allowance horses today at Belmont Park. The one-turn mile and an eighth race was run over the main track and had a field of six-horses, three year-olds and upward. Mike Luzzi rode the three year-old chestnut gelding for trainer Bruce Levine. Singasongforme raced for a tag of $45,000 in his previous start finishing fifth after stumbling and bumped at the start.
Moon Spinner led the way down the backstretch as Singasongforme rated kindly in second, while Sea Squirrel and Manhattan Express sat off the leaders by two-lengths. After a half in 47.3 and three quarters in 1:12 flat, Singasongforme started to edge his way clear and opened up by four at the top of the stretch and continued unchallenged to the wire. Manhattan Express ran well in the late going to finish second.
Singasongforme made his debut in early January, placing third while going six furlongs at Fair Grounds under the colors of David Beard, who had purchased him for $4,200 at Fasig-Tipton's March 2002 Texas sale of two-year-olds in training. By February, the New York-bred was at Aqueduct racing for new owner Valente. Bred by Betty Powell of Hi-Tail Farm in Saratoga Springs, who qualified for a $5,520 breeder award, Singasongforme is by New York-bred-and-based stallion Ormsby (Carson City - Sois Sage, by Broadway Forli), who stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag. Five-time stakes winner Ormsby, who captured Aqueduct's Grade 2 Excelsior Breeders' Cup by 12 lengths in a still-standing stakes record 1:47 3/5 for a mile and an eighth, is the property of Sugar Maple Farm and James Iselin's J.I Racing, Inc., which jointly qualified for a $1,932 stallion award. Singasongforme is the fifth winner produced from Aqueduct "iron mare" Classical Ballad ($167,400), an allowance-winning daughter of Run Dusty Run who scored all eight of her victories -- from six furlongs to a mile and an eighth -- on Aqueduct's inner and outer main tracks. Singasongforme's allowance-winning half-brothers include 14-race winner Beau Coup ($210,130), who won on dirt and turf and started 107 times. Dam Classical Ballad, who arrived in New York in the late 1990s, is a half-sister to stakes winners Color Me Speed ($369,282) and Classical Band (dam of multiple stakes winner Affirmed Classic and granddam of graded winner Mystery Storm) and to the dams or granddams of two more stakes winners. Singasongforme has now earned $94,135 with a Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-1.

(7/18) Irish Rail in turf shocker
Peter O'Reilly's IRISH RAIL pulled off a stunning upset today to break his maiden at Belmont Park. Racing on the turf for only the second time in her 14-race career, the four year-old daughter of Compliance bested a field of 10-horses, including the odds-on favorite, Anabeltaylor, by four-lengths and paid a very happy $101 for a $2 win ticket! Trainer Michael Nevin rested the bay filly over the winter months before racing her last Friday, the 11th, a race that was taken off the grass at a mile. Irish Rail finished fifth and Nevin used it as a tightener because she was fit as a fiddle for today's state-bred maiden race. A couple of other changes made by Nevin included adding blinkers, once again, and he removed the front bandages. Apprentice jockey Petro Cotto, Jr., who qualifies for a 7lb. weight allowance, had the mount. The race was run at a mile and an eighth over the inner turf course, which was labeled firm.
Off Track Firstcat and Irish Rail, who broke from the 9 and 10 posts, respectively, went out for the lead with Crafty Nat racing in third. After a half-mile pole in 48.4 seconds, Off Track Firstcat still maintained the lead as Irish Rail raced just off her rival's flank, while in hand. The field started to bunch around the last turn, but Cotto had Irish Rail perfectly placed and danced clear at the top of the stretch to open up a three-length lead, which he increased to three and three-quarters crossing under the wire. Anabeltaylor, in a bit of road traffic around the last turn and through the stretch finished second. Final time was 1:50.2.
Bred by the partnership of Michael McPoland, Peter O'Reilly and Richard Bomze, who together qualified for a breeder's award of $5,040, Irish Rail is the sixth-foal out of the stakes-producing Caro (Ire) mare, Yankee Doodle Lady. The dam sired Top C Jim, winner of the 1999 running of the Mohawk Handicap on Showcase Day, who was also trained by Nevin. The syndicate members of Compliance qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,764.

(7/18) Little Buttercup breaks maiden on turf
Lawrence Goichman's homebred, LITTLE BUTTERCUP, making her second career start, broke her maiden to at Belmont Park. After finishing third in her over the turf in her debut, beaten only 2-1/4 lengths, Little Buttercup was sent off as the race-time favorite. Trainer Todd Pletcher, who broke Frank Martin's training record for the Belmont Spring/Summer meet on Wednesday, saddled Little Buttercup and named leading jockey, John Velazquez, to ride the three year-old bay filly. The race was run over the inner turf course at a mile and an eighth, and a field of 10-horses went to the starting gate.
Longshot (99-1) Rapido Too left strongly intent on the lead, which she had before the clubhouse turn. Rockin Rachel Anne and I. B. Hansie tracked close behind in second and third, respectively. After leading to the half-mile pole, reached in 47.1, Rapido Too was overtaken by Rockin Rachel Anne who took the field around the last turn with Irish Princess close on her heels and Little Buttercup beginning to make her move, while four-wide. Irish Princess and Little Buttercup arrived at the eighth-pole together and staged a fierce head-to-head battle to the wire, with Little Buttercup forging to the front by a head under the wire. Final time was 1:49 flat.
Mr. Goichman qualified for a breeder's award of $2,520 for Little Buttercup's victory. The talented filly is by Labeeb (GB), out of the multiple stakes-placed Dom Alaric (Fr.) mare, Emily's Charm, and a half-sister to Cool Halo (Halo), who finished second in the 1986 running of the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racetrack.

(7/17) Board Elligible charges to victory
BOARD ELLIGIBLE returned to allowance company today after finishing sixth in the inaugural running of the $250,000 Statue of Liberty. The NW-1X condition allowance for state-bred fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, was run at a distance of a mile and sixteenth around one turn on Belmont's main track and had a field of eight-horses go to the gate. Rudina Stable, which is managed by Dr. Bernard Abramavici, who bred the three year-old black filly. The talented filly is trained by James Ferraro and was ridden to victory by leading apprentice rider Pablo Fragoso.
Amaretto was quickest out of the gate and led the way by two-lengths down the backstretch setting fractions of 23.3 and 47.2 seconds to the half-mile pole. Raffie's Dream sat second as followed by Sea Life and Ave's Princessa. Board Elligible sat an unhurried sixth. At the top of the stretch, Raffie's Dream took a short lead as shipper Routine Panic began to move. Fragoso had Board Elligible down on the rail behind a wall of horses before angling to the outside in mid-stretch. Once straightened, Board Elligible charged to the lead and drew off to win by five lengths over race time favorite Raffie's Dream, who finished a head in front of Routine Panic. Time was 1:46.2.
As breeder, Dr. Abramavici qualified for a breeder's award of $5,280 and the syndicate members of the sire, Goldminers Gold, qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,838. Goldminers Gold stands at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains, New York. A son of Crafty Prospector, out of Miss Secreto, Goldminers Gold won the 1996 Breeder's Cup Sprint at Detroit Race Course and the 1996 Kennedy Road Stake at Woodbine in Toronto, Canada. Out of the Cormorant mare, Double Boarded, Board Elligible is a sister to Keep It S.S. and a half-sister to stakes winner Selective (Mi Selecto). Board Elligible has now earned $72,520 with a Lifetime Record: 10-2-2-0.

(7/17) Distinctive Kitten captures allowance
William Bloom's homebred, DISTINCTIVE KITTEN, took advantage of a contentious battle for the lead to take the second race on the Belmont Park Thursday card. The one-turn mile and sixteenth race was run over the main track for state-bred NW-1X fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward. Trainer David Donk named Javier Castellano to ride the three year-old gray filly in the 8-horse field.
A four-horse scramble for the lead ensued in the run down the backstretch as Castellano rated Distinctive Kitten in fifth-position. As Banker's Mint left the fray, Cajun Kelly, Autistic Girl and David's Dilemma continued to battle past the half-mile pole reached in 46.4 seconds. Distinctive Kitten ranged up to the leaders on the outside in the turn before swinging four-wide at the top of the stretch to take the lead. Under a drive, Distinctive Kitten opened up by three lengths under the wire with Raffie's Storm and Gallant Angel finishing second and third, respectively. Final time was 1:46 flat.
Mr. Bloom qualified for a breeder's award of $5,280 for today's score and the syndicate members of Distinctive Pro qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,838. Distinctive Kitten is out of the Jovial Turn mare, Jovial Kitten, who's a half-sister to Jovial Dancer, a stakes-placed winner of $141,564. Distinctive Pro stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, New York and has been among the leading sires since entering the state in 1989. Last season, Distinctive Pro's progeny earned $2,303,835. The stakes-placed Distinctive Kitten has now earned $81,551 with a Lifetime Record: 10-2-1-3.

(7/17) Blarney Stream likes the green
Larry Gladysz' BLARNEY STREAM made his first start over the turf today and showed a distinct liking to the surface as he closed strongly to defeat state-bred maidens in the opener at Belmont Park. Racing over the inner-turf course at a distance of a mile and an eighth, 12-horses went to the gate. Trainer James Kettell, who shipped in from his stable at Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington, New York, named Nazario Alvarado to ride. Alvarado has raced the four year-old bay gelding in all of his previous three starts at the "Lakes".
Kildare Dancer won the race into the first turn followed closely by Life At Sea, who moved to the front at the half-mile pole reached in 48.2 seconds. Life At Sea rated just behind Kildare Dancer as Sir Manfred and First You Dream, the race favorite, raced up on the outside. Alvarado rated Blarney Stream in eighth up the backstretch before swinging to the outside in the far turn. As the field straightened for home, Blarney Stream was seven-wide, and had a tough assignment ahead of him as Life At Sea and Ninety Nine Mack had already set down for the stretch-drive. Under strong urging, Blarney Stream gained on the leaders and just managed to put his head in front of Ninety Nine Mack at the wire. Life at Sea was third and the time of the race was 1:50 flat.
Bred by artist Frank Stella at his Delahanty Stock Farm in Millbrook, New York, Blarney Stream is by Irish River (Fr.), out of the European G3 winner and U.S. graded stakes-placed Garendare (GB), by Vacarme. Blarney Stream was sent to Great Britain as a two year-old before returning to the states to race at Finger Lakes as a three year-old. Mr. Stella qualified for a breeder's award of $2,520.

(7/17) Pro Motion Days battles to victory
Seven year-old PRO MOTION DAYS battled every step of a six-furlong race run over Belmont Park's main track to beat open claimers. In for a tag of $20,000, Pro Motion Days was making her 48th career start and this marked her 11th career victory. The winner's purse boosted her lifetime earnings to $339,005. Bred by Frederick and Carmen Militello, who qualified for a breeder's award of $2,760, Pro Motion Days is by Distinctive Pro, out of the Olden Times mare, Marlene's Days. The bay mare is owned by the partnership of Our Metro Stable and Tony Montilli.

(7/16) Longingtobeme takes open claimer
New York-bred LONGINGTOBEME rallied strongly through the stretch to capture an open claiming race run over the inner turf course, labeled firm, at Belmont Park. Claimed from the Very Un Stable, for $35,000 two races prior, Longingtobeme finished second by a neck in his first race, a seventy thousand claimer, for the new owners, Bill Hayes and Tom O'Grady and today was in for a tag of $50,000. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart named Richard Migliore to ride the six year-old dark bay mare. Run at a mile and sixteenth, 10-horses loaded into the starting gate, which was positioned at the top of the Clubhouse turn.
Migliore gunned Longingtobeme out of the gate and the mare had the lead coming out of the first turn before relinquishing it to a head strong Everybottiwins as they raced down the backstretch. Just past the half-mile, reached in 49.2 seconds, Bay Dragon raced up to the head of Everybottiwins as Longingtobeme sat two-lengths behind in third-position. Migliore moved Longingtobeme three wide around the last turn as the leaders battled head to head, continuing their duel to the top of the stretch. Everybottiwins gamely fended off the pesky Bay Dragon by the eighth-pole and had a two-length lead on the strong moving New York-bred, who was charging down the middle of the course. Gaining on the leader with every stride, Longingtobeme put her head in front just as they passed under the wire for a thrilling victory. Final time was 1:43.4.
Although the Very Un Stable lost Longingtobeme, they still continue to earn breeder's awards from the New York Breeding and Racing Program. For today's score, they earned $4,800 and the syndicate members of the sire, Belong To Me, qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,680. Belong To Me stood in New York at Questroyal Stud before being sold for $8.5 million dollars to connections in Kentucky. Longingtobeme is out of the hard-hitting I Enclose mare, I'm So Agreeable, who won ten of her 45-lifetime races, earning $187,600. The multiple stakes-placed Longingtobeme has surpassed her dam in earnings with today's victory. She now has earnings of $206,919 in 31-career starts. The partnership of Hayes and O'Grady, together qualified for an open owner's award of $4,800 and have recouped their initial investment.

(7/16) Beyond Chance captures allowance
John Michelotti's homebred, BEYOND CHANCE, rallied to win a state-bred NW-2X condition allowance today at Belmont Park. Making his first start for trainer Joe Orseno, Beyond Chance went off at 7-1 odds in the seven-furlong race run over the main track. Only six-horses went to the gate, with Jorge Chavez aboard Beyond Chance.
Air Base, with Mike Luzzi aboard, led the field down the backstretch closely tracked by Beyond Chance on the rail and Mister Bravo to his outside. Reaching the half-mile pole in 46 seconds, Air Base continued on the lead to the top of the stretch as the field began to tighten. Joshua's Jet drew closer after making a four-wide move around the turn and My Legal Alien moved into contention, as well. Chavez, who held Beyond Chance on the rail just off the speed, moved to an opening between a drifting Air Base and the rail at the top of the stretch. Once under way, Beyond Chance shot to the lead by the eighth-pole and drew off to win by four-lengths over My Legal Alien. Final time was 1:24.1.
Michelotti, who bred Beyond Chance at his Four Seasons Farm in Bullville, New York, qualified for a breeder's award of $5,400. Beyond Chance is a four year-old dark bay colt that placed second in the New York Stallion Stakes Park Avenue Division as a three year-old. By Obligato, out of the Cormorant mare, M. J. Bean, Beyond Chance is brother to stakes-placed Mich's Pitch and a half-brother to open stakes-placed Citizen (Citidancer). Obligato stood at several farms in New York State including Highland Farm in Montgomery and Waldorf Farm in North Chatham. Beyond Chance has now earned $139,050 with a Lifetime Record: 20-3-4-1.

(7/16) Winloc's Sunshine equipped for victory
After finishing third, beaten five-lengths in her last start, trainer Mike Miceli, a former jockey, decided to fit blinkers to WINLOC'S SUNSHINE. Three respectable breezing works had the four year-old dark bay filly on the bit as she broke her maiden in her fourth-career start. Nine fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, went to the post in the state-bred maiden race, which was run around one-turn at a mile over Belmont's main track. Winloc's Sunshine, ridden by Richard Migliore, was sent off as the race-time favorite at odds of 3-2.
Breaking sharply, Winloc's Sunshine raced between horses to gain the lead and led the field past the half-mile pole in 46.3 seconds, followed by Grantmeatrophy and Gone For The Roses. At the top of the stretch, Migliore set the filly down to a drive and she responded by opening up by four-lengths on the field. Jules At Four made in interesting nearing the wire but ran out of racing room by a length. Final time was a pokey 1:41.
Owned and bred by Raymond Roncari and Leslie Roncari-Marconi, Winloc's Sunshine is by Distinctive Pro, out of the stakes winner Cherokee Chill, by Cherokee Fellow. Cherokee Chill won the Jameela Stake at Monmouth Park and placed third in two other stakes. Winloc's Sunshine is a half-sister to stakes winner Winloc's Glorious. The breeder's qualified for a breeder's award of $5,040 for today's victory and the syndicate members of Distinctive Pro qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,764. Distinctive Pro, perennially near the top of the New York-based stallions by progeny earnings stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm located in Poughquag.

(7/13) Karakorum Crusader is game victor in N2X test
A six-figure earner in her initial racing season as a three-year-old in 2001, Karakorum Farm's five-year-old KARAKORUM CRUSADER won for the first time in almost 19 months with a gutsy performance in Belmont's fifth race on Sunday, a $45,000 restricted N2X allowance for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up. Ridden for the 15th -- and second consecutive -- time by Raul Rojas, the New York-bred mare was sent off as the 8.20-to-1 fifth choice among six starters and raced in fifth place through the opening quarter-mile of the six-furlong contest. She rallied four wide on the turn, losing more ground at that juncture than any other starter in the race, then overtook front-running 3-to-1 third choice Cologny before pulling almost even with the new leader, 4.20-to-1 fourth choice Hussy, on the outside at mid-stretch. Through the final furlong, Karakorum Crusader and Hussy fought it out, but the former got her head in front and kept it there even though that head was tilting right as the dueling pair neared the finish, eventually prompting Karakorum Crusader to lurch back to her left lead. This maneuver did not seem to compromise her momentum, allowing the durable bay to score her first win at Belmont by a head, with five lengths separating Hussy from third-place finisher Cologny.
Although winless in 24 outings following her 14-start and two-victory three-year-old season, Karakorum Crusader still had picked up checks in almost two-thirds of those efforts, and her latest tally increased her earnings by $27,000 to $223,100 while improving her overall record to 3 - 11 - 9 in 39 starts. The mare, who won at Saratoga and Aqueduct as a three-year-old, races for the Karakorum Farm that was founded by Staten Island native and resident William DiScala in 1994, and her conditioner is Karakorum Farm's primary trainer, Jeff Odintz. Other members of the Karakorum team are Pat Hoppel (yearling trainer), Josh Bauman (head of sales), and Linda Rice (trainer and buying consultant).
Bred by Satish Sehgal, who qualified for a $5,400 breeder award, Karakorum Crusader is the 17th winner of 2003 sired by Crusader Sword (Damascus - Copernica, by Nijinsky II), who stood the 2003 season at Louis Salerno's Questroyal Stud in Hudson, qualifying that stallion's syndicate owners for a $1,890 stallion award. Karakorum Crusader is out of multiple allowance winner Yasuo, who is by Jade Hunter and is a full sister to Del Mar stakes winner Penne ($189,714). Karakorum Crusader's maternal granddam (second dam) is Argentine multiple Group 1 winner Pero Yo Se.

(7/13) Medieval Salute breaks maiden by 2 1/2 with dramatic stretch move
Unplaced in four previous starts but showing obvious improvement with a fourth-place effort in her Aqueduct turf debut on April 30, Thomas Kelly's homebred MEDIEVAL SALUTE was outfitted with blinkers for the first time in Belmont's sixth race on Sunday, and an explosive 2 1/2-length victory was the result. Since the three-year-old filly's owner-breeder, Kelly (of Miami Springs, Florida), is a Hall of Fame trainer, and since her owner's son, Patrick Kelly, is her current trainer, the blinkers might have been construed as a shrewd move. Belmont horseplayers seemed to think so, making Medieval Salute the 3.15-to-1 second choice among 10 starters in the $42,000 restricted maiden special for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up (although all were three-year-olds), going a turn-and-a-half mile and a sixteenth on turf. The fourth, fifth, and sixth choices in the contest all had earned more money than Medieval Salute, but all were making their first starts on grass.
Ridden for the fifth consecutive time by Heberto Castillo Jr., Medieval Salute broke awkwardly from the outside (10th) post position at the middle of the first turn and was in eighth place through the first half-mile before rallying three wide going into the second turn. With five-sixteenths of a mile to run, the black filly had five ahead of her and was being carried wide, but entering the stretch she quickly began passing rivals, prompting Castillo to angle her over sharply towards the rail so that she could overtake front-running Rototiller and strong-closing Katies Danza. At the wire, Medieval Salute was 2 1/2 lengths in front and drawing away, giving jockey Castillo -- who has ridden the New York-bred filly in all of her starts -- his first of two winners on Belmont's Sunday card. The victory increased Medieval Salute's earnings in five starts beginning in December by $25,200 to $30,210 and also qualified owner-breeder Thomas Kelly for a $5,040 breeder award.
Medieval Salute is the 11th winner from the 2000 crop of New York stallion Sea Salute (Danzig - Glowing Honor, by Seattle Slew), pushing her sire's 2003 progeny earnings over the $800,000 mark and elevating his cumulative progeny earnings to more than $3.1-million. Sea Salute is owned by Roger Toffolon of Hartford, Connecticut, who qualified for a $1,764 stallion award, and stands at Jim and Michaelyn Scott's Liberty Stud in Ghent. Although Sea Salute is a dark bay, and Medieval Salute's dam, Medieval Tina, is a chestnut, Medieval Salute herself is one of the few racehorses nowadays officially designated as black. She is the second winning New York-bred Sea Salute filly produced from Medieval Tina, who also was bred by Thomas Kelly and won at Calder and Churchill Downs before scoring a five-length open allowance victory at Arlington Park as a five-year-old. Medieval Tina is by Medieval Man and is a half-sister to New York-bred multiple stakes-placed winner Atrebla ($167,792), whom Kelly also bred. The dam of Medieval Tina and Atrebla is Monmouth stakes winner La Cavatina, whom Thomas Kelly trained in the mid-to-late-1980s.

(7/13) Mr Hilarious comes through on inside to break maiden on dq
Although winless in 26 previous starts, trainer Louis Meittinis' homebred MR HILARIOUS had picked up checks in almost two-thirds of those efforts, including seven outings against open NYRA competition, and in Belmont's third race on Sunday, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for three-year-olds and up, he became a winner. At the contest's mile and a sixteenth distance, which for Belmont is one turn, he had registered four of his eight placings, but there still was sufficient skepticism against Mr Hilarious to make him the 7.90-to-1 fifth choice among eight starters. Meittinis named apprentice jockey Pablo Fragoso to ride the five-year-old New York-bred for the fourth consecutive time, and Fragoso's five-pound "bug" (which had been seven pounds just a month earlier) allowed Mr Hilarious to get into the race at equal weights (118 pounds) with six three-year-old competitors.
Mr Hilarious was seventh following the opening quarter, but through the next two quarter-mile splits he advanced to fifth place, rallying inside on the turn and finally slipping through along the rail to take command with a half-length lead over 2.50-to-1 second choice Lord Commando at mid-stretch. The latter, a much larger animal than Mr Hilarious, had prematurely switched to his right lead while still on the turn and consequently had drifted out under left-handed whipping, interfering with 2.20-to-1 favorite Devil's Vintage and 5.50-to-1 fourth choice Voir Dire. As a result, Lord Commando -- who in the final furlong had used his enormous strides to reach the wire a half-length in front of Mr Hilarious -- was disqualified to fifth, giving Mr Hilarious his first career victory and jockey Fragoso his second winning ride on Belmont's Sunday card. Mr Hilarious increased his earnings by $25,200 to $86,630 and advanced his record to 1 - 3 - 5 in 27 starts, and he also qualified his owner-breeder-trainer, Meittinis, for a $5,040 breeder award.
Even though the sire of Mr Hilarious, the late New York stallion Ends Well, died in 2000, the syndicate owners of that stallion at the time of Mr Hilarious' 1997 conception still qualified for a $1,764 stallion award. Mr Hilarious is among three New York-bred offspring, all winners, produced from I Fooled Em, by Broad Brush, being a full brother to Belmont maiden special winner (by 11 3/4 lengths) Improver and a half-brother to 2002 multiple stakes winner Trial Prep ($262,034). Meittinis, who has bred all three of I Fooled Em's offspring, purchased the mare as a three-year-old filly for $8,000 at a Fasig-Tipton paddock sale shortly after she had broken her maiden by 8 1/2 lengths with a $30,000 claiming tag at Aqueduct in 1992. For Meittinis, the Broad Brush filly/mare won four more times at Aqueduct in two-turn races ranging up to a mile and a quarter, retiring with earnings of $107,075.

(7/12) Whitmore's Conn again wins G2 Bowling Green VIEW VIDEO
With a devastating outside charge, Michael and Lynn Shanley's New York-bred WHITMORE'S CONN became the first two-time winner of Belmont's Grade 2 Bowling Green Handicap, completing a double which not even such turf routing standouts as Hall of Fame member Fort Marcy or Drumtop were able to accomplish. In contrast to his victory in the 2002 Bowling Green, this time he had to come off a slower early pace, carry four more pounds, and score under a jockey -- Jean-Luc Samyn -- who was riding him for the first time. Even so, Belmont horseplayers assessed Whitmore's Conn as having a slightly better chance in the 2003 Bowling Green than in the 2002 running -- but not much, making him the 11.80-to-1 fifth choice among nine starters compared to his being the 14.90-to-1 seventh choice among eight in 2002.
"This was the race we were pointing for; this is pretty exciting," enthused winning trainer Randy Schulhofer, who had saddled the dark bay New York-bred for his first Bowling Green victory a year ago. "Jean-Luc (Samyn) knows what he's doing -- I just told him to warm the horse up good. I thought his last race was good; they went 23 and change for the last quarter, and he made up four or five lengths. I guess a mile and three-eighths at Belmont Park is his thing."
Breaking from the inside post-position, Whitmore's Conn trailed the field in the early going but advanced outside on the second turn of the turf contest, getting up to seventh place with three-eighths of a mile to run, as even-money favorite State Shinto set a sluggish 1:39.13 fraction for a mile. Swinging four wide into the stretch, he overtook three rivals in the next quarter-mile and three more in the final furlong, winning by half a length over 5.70-to-1 third choice Quest Star, a multiple Grade 2 turf winner. Finishing third was 5.40-to-1 second choice Macaw, whose jockey, Shaun Bridgmohan, had ridden Whitmore's Conn in seven of the horse's nine previous starts, including the 2002 Bowling Green. Prior to the event, Schulhofer had acknowledged that, "a good pace helps" Whitmore's Conn, but this time the pace was obviously no help.
"This was a very pleasant surprise," remarked Samyn, the fourth jockey to ever ride Whitmore's Conn and also the winning rider over Belmont's "good" turf course in the fourth race on the Saturday card. "I'm very pleased. He's a very nice horse to ride. I knew I would take my time during the first part of the race and then make one big run. At the top of the stretch, he looked tough, and I really thought I would get through."
The second consecutive victory in the $150,000 Bowling Green for Whitmore's Conn increased the five-year-old's earnings by $90,000 to $440,426 while improving his record to 6 - 4 - 5 in 26 starts, which includes five stakes-placings -- Belmont's Grade 3 Lawrence Realization Handicap and Grade 3 Lexington Stakes being among them. The win also qualified owners Michael and Lynn Shanley for a $9,000 open race owner award. Trainer Schulhofer revealed that Grade 1 aspirations for the strong-closing stretch runner are being seriously considered: "We'll take a look at the Sword Dancer (Grade 1, $500,000, mile and a half on turf, three-year-olds and up, at Saratoga on Saturday, August 9th). He only got beat 3 1/2 lengths there last summer."
Bred by Bud Wolf of Saratoga Springs and Joe D'Agostino, who jointly qualified for a $9,000 breeder award, Whitmore's Conn was a $150,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 1999 July sale of selected yearlings, to which Wolf and D'Agostino had consigned the Kris S. colt through agent Harry L. Landry Bloodstock. Whitmore's Conn is among six winners produced from Albonita, being a half-brother to five winning fillies/mares, including stakes-placed Capotiva ($129,932) and Tiva's Little Sis. His dam, a two-time dirt-winning daughter of Deputed Testamony, is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Au Printemps, whose winning offspring include Canadian champion Charlie Barley ($922,943), Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Success Express ($835,359), and Grade 1 Champagne Stakes winner Greenwood Lake ($430,620). Albonita's other stakes-producing half-sisters include the dams of Group 1 winner and Italian-German champion Air Express ($634,463) and Grade 2 winner Mud Route. Bud Wolf purchased Albonita for $80,000 from the Atwood Richards dispersal at Keeneland's 1997 November sale when she was carrying Whitmore's Conn.
The Bowling Green tally by Whitmore's Conn brought the number of New York-bred winners of open (to horses bred anywhere) stakes in 2003 to 15, the number of 2003 open stakes won by New York-breds to 16, and the number of graded victories by New York-breds in 2003 to seven. These figures equal the totals for number of New York-bred open stakes winners and graded victories by New York-breds for all of 2002.

(7/12) Native Rhythm gets up in N2X allowance for first turf win
Given a two-month layoff last winter, Chester and Mary Broman's homebred NATIVE RHYTHM rebounded with a 3 1/4-length restricted N1X Aqueduct allowance victory on April 4; returning from a 79-day layoff following one more start, the five-year-old scored his first turf victory in Belmont's eighth race on Saturday. Clearly, trainer John Kimmel, who sent out two winners on Belmont's Saturday card, is figuring out what it takes to get the chestnut horse into the winner's circle.
The wagering public was understandably skeptical and sent Native Rhythm off as the 8.60-to-1 fifth choice among 12 starters in the $46,000 restricted N2X allowance for three-year-olds and up going a virtual one-turn mile over "good" turf. Ridden -- as in all of his previous starts -- by Richard Migliore, the regally bred stallion broke from the number one post-position and dropped back to seventh place halfway through the race. Migliore then swung Native Rhythm wide into the stretch, where he ran down his opposition, collaring 2.65-to-1 second choice Foreverness just before the eighth pole to occupy second place and then pushing his head in front of 2.55-to-1 favorite Acceptable Venture at the wire, winning in 1:36.12. The race marked the second winning ride of the day for Migliore, who earlier had piloted another Kimmel-trained winner.
Native Rhythm's first grass score in four attempts on turf increased his earnings by $27,600 to $138,719 and improved his overall record to 3 - 4 - 2 in 17 starts while also qualifying the Bromans, who reside in West Babylon and own Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, for a $2,760 breeder award. He had broken his maiden by 5 1/2 lengths at Belmont going seven furlongs in his second start as a two-year-old but had not won again until his April 4 tally at Belmont, which had been at six furlongs. Native Rhythm is by Irish champion and multiple Eclipse Champion sire Woodman and is the first of three New York-bred offspring, all winners, bred and raced by the Bromans from Grade 2 winner Igotrhythm ($415,666), by Dixieland Band. He is a half-brother to Aqueduct inner track allowance-winning filly Gone Musical and to three-year-old colt Gone to War, who broke his maiden by three lengths going a mile and an eighth on "good" turf at Belmont on June 25. Dam Igotrhythm, who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner (and Grade 1-placed) Slew Gin Fizz ($210,994), was purchased by the Bromans' Chestertown Farm for $710,000 as a just-turned five-year-old not-bred broodmare prospect at Keeneland's 1997 January mixed sale.

(7/12) Atticus Star shines on turf to win maiden special by 4
In his third start and coming off a half-mile Belmont "bullet" workout of 47 4/5 on July 5, James F. Edwards' homebred ATTICUS STAR was an odds-on (.30-to-1) standout in Belmont's Saturday opener, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for 12 three-year-olds and up going a mile on turf. Race-ridden for the first time by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Jockey of the Year John Velazquez and saddled by four-time NYTB Trainer of the Year Harold James Bond, the three-year-old gelding loaded like a veteran into the 11th post position starting stall for the virtual one-turn contest. Although he broke with the leaders, he was in sixth place on the outside behind the first flight of runners through the opening quarter-mile while in hand under Velazquez, then rallied wide to take command after three-quarters and switched to his right lead before coming out of the turn. Through the final quarter-mile, Atticus Star pulled away, leading by 2 1/2 lengths at mid-stretch and by four lengths at the finish, giving both Velazquez and Bond their first of two winners each (though different horses) on Belmont's Saturday card.
The victory increased the earnings for Atticus Star by $25,200 to $42,000, giving him a win and two strong-finishing seconds in three starts beginning on May 14, and it also qualified Edwards, who bred the gelding in the name of his CBF Corporation, for a $2,520 breeder award. In his debut on Belmont turf at a mile, Atticus Star had advanced four wide and missed by only a head, and in a Belmont off-the-turf contest at a mile and a sixteenth on June 12, he again had placed second while leaving his next closest competitor 27 lengths behind.
Sired by Grade 1 dirt and Grade 2 turf winner Atticus ($1,205,933), who is by Nureyev, Atticus Star is the fourth winner produced from Edwards' New York homebred stakes-placed Lilac's Star ($222,920), by Deputy Minister, being a half-brother to Edwards' New York-bred multiple stakes winner Queen of Millbrook ($213,540). His unraced nine-year-old half-sister, Distinctive Star, is the dam of stakes-placed winner Redding Woods ($137,306), whom Edwards' CBF Corporation also bred. Dam Lilac's Star is a half-sister to the dams of stakes winners Princess Dixie ($405,681 and a New York-bred), Classic Olympio ($336,578), Claramount Hill, and Mr. Felipe.

(7/12) Belongs Fast draws clear against open claimers for 9th win
Scoring her second win in three starts since being claimed for $25,000 at Belmont on May 9, Richard Schosberg's six-year-old BELONGS FAST proved again in Belmont's second race on Saturday -- a $36,000 one-turn mile for fillies and mares with $40,000-to-$30,000 claiming prices -- that she is a tenacious front-runner. Sent off by her owner-trainer with a $30,000 tag as the 3.35-to-1 third choice among five wagering interests (six starters), three-year-olds and up, and ridden for the second consecutive time by apprentice jockey Pablo Fragoso, the New York-bred mare gained a short opening quarter advantage while racing three wide. Speeding up her second quarter-mile by virtually a full second to 23.28, she put away one of her two early competitors -- three-year-old Veri Light, who was half of an entry favored at 2.05-to-1 -- but still had 4.10-to-1 fourth choice Scarlet Gilia right at her throatlatch after a half-mile. Following three-quarters of a mile, Belongs Fast had a half-length margin over Scarlet Gilia on her inside, but then that rival came back at her, narrowing her lead down to only a head at mid-stretch. In the final furlong, Schosberg's hard-hitting mare dug in and eked out a length and a quarter victory, with Scarlet Gilia hanging on to place second by a nose over 7.80-to-1 fifth choice Sugg Walker, who closed on the outside.
In her previous start on June 20 going a muddy mile at Belmont with a $35,000 tag, Belongs Fast had placed third under Fragoso, who at that time had a seven-pound apprentice allowance but rode on Saturday with a five-pound "bug". By dropping the mare's claiming price $5,000, Schosberg again got her in with only 111 pounds, even though the big chestnut has twice won with 120 pounds or more. She had scored her first victory for New York native Schosberg -- a Muttontown resident and Cornell University graduate with degrees in business and animal science -- while front-running a mile and a sixteenth contest through Belmont mud with a $35,000 claiming price on June 5. Belongs Fast's latest tally increased her earnings by $21,600 to $265,480 and improved her record to 9 - 8 - 1 in 50 starts and also qualified owner-trainer Schosberg for a $4,320 open race owner award. The mare now has won six times at Belmont -- three times going a one-turn main track mile and three times going a mile and a sixteenth, one of which (a restricted N1X allowance) was on turf. She has won three times on Aqueduct's winterized inner track -- twice at six furlongs and once at a mile and 70 yards.
Bred by Louis Salerno's Questroyal Stable, James Murray, Fiona O'Sullivan, and Fred Militello, who jointly qualified for a $4,320 breeder award, Belongs Fast is by former New York stallion Belong to Me, whose syndicate shareholders when he was standing in New York qualified for a $1,512 stallion award. The durable and versatile distaff runner is among six winners produced from multiple stakes winner Encoder, a Smarten mare that Questroyal Stable purchased for $16,500 as a six-year-old at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 1992 December mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland. Belongs Fast is a full sister to two winners, including Belmont multiple allowance winner Alarm Code ($185,476), who scored his eighth career victory on May 12 at Philadelphia Park, and her four winning half-siblings also include another six-figure earner, 15-race winner Private Code ($146,733).

(7/11) Beau Tie takes open claimer
New York-bred BEAU TIE, in for a tag of $50,000, defeated $50-$40, 000 claimers today in a one-turn mile and a sixteenth race run over Belmont Park's main track, rated "good" after an morning downpour. Beau Tie was making his third start of the year and was ridden by Edgar Prado for trainer David Donk. Six-horses, three year-olds and upward, went to the gate.
Gram's Folly quickly went to the front chased by Quatre Dix Neuf, Act of Reform and Whitewaterspritzer. Beau Tie rated in fifth position down on the inside, along the rail. Quatre Dix Neuf took over the lead at the quarter-pole reached in 22.4 seconds but gave it up to Whitewaterspritzer at the half in a swift 45.3 seconds. Advancing steadily around the last turn, Beau Tie took over the lead at the three-quarter pole and drew clear at the top of the stretch. Under a steady drive, Beau Tie opened up a clear lead, which he maintained to the wire, winning by 1-1/2 lengths over Act of Reform. Final time was 1:43.3.
Bred by Gary and Sue Lundy's Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains, New York, Beau Tie is by Distinctive Pro, out of Self Image, by Caro Bambino (Ire). The six year-old gelding finished second in the New York Stallion Stakes Times Square Division as a three year-old and is a brother to stakes-placed winner First Rodeo. Beau Tie has now earned $318,761 for his owners, John Behrendt and William Bloom, who together qualified for an open owner's award of $4,800. The Lundy's as breeders of Beau Tie, qualified for a breeder's award of $4,800 and the syndicate owners of Distinctive Pro qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,880. Distinctive Pro stands at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, New York.
Gary and Sue Lundy, who together qualified for a breeder's award of $4,800, own Cedar Ridge Farm.

(7/11) Cape Pogue - game in allowance victory
Peter Rosbeck's CAPE POGUE upset a state-bred NW-1X conditional allowance race today at Belmont Park in a 1-1/16th mile affair run over the main track, labeled "good". Ridden by Jorge Chavez for trainer Joseph Imperio, Cape Pogue was sent to the post at odds of 11-1. Eight horses, three year-olds and upward went to the post in the one-turn event.
A scramble for the lead found four horses contesting the lead as they past the quarter-pole in 23.2 seconds. Rosie's Big Boy, between horses, put his head in front, challenged by Sea Cloud on the outside and Cape Pogue along the rail. Reaching the half in 46.3 seconds, Cape Pogue drew even with Rosie's Big Boy and the pair raced as a team around the last turn. At the top of the stretch, Rosie's Big Boy began to fade as Cape Pogue opened up a two-length lead but a fresh challenger, Duke's Crossing, had dead-aim as they raced down the stretch. As Duke's Crossing drew alongside of Cape Pogue, Chavez went to work and his mount responded to win by 1-1/4 lengths under the wire. Final time was 1:45.3.
Hidden Point Farm, which is managed by Barry Long, qualified for a $5,280 breeder award as a result of the victory by Cape Pogue. Cape Pogue is by A. P Jet, who stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag and whose syndicate owners (headed by John Nerud, Kaskel, John Hettinger, and Taylor Made Farm) qualified for a $1,848 stallion award. Cape Pogue is the third winner produced from Kahlua 'n Coffee, by Dr. Carter, and is a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed filly winner Conlua. Dam Kahlua 'n Coffee is a half-sister to stakes winner Pavarotti and to the granddam of stakes winner Jeb's Honor. The three year-old bay colt has now banked $91,800 in 12-career starts.

(7/11) Dixie Can Can ships in to win
Phyllis Kruger and Jerry Kil's DIXIE CAN CAN shipped east, 370 miles, from Farmington, New York, home base of trainer Jonathan Buckley, and promptly broke her maiden in her first career start. A series of six-furlong workouts over Finger Lakes Racetrack had the three year-old bay filly fit as a fiddle for her debut over the main track at Belmont Park. The state-bred maiden race for fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, was run at six-furlongs and Shaun Bridgmohan had the mount, as 10-horses went to the starting gate.
Hope Anew, breaking from the rail, went to the front in the run down the backstretch with Zat Darn Cat in hot pursuit. The pair reached the half-mile pole in a quick 46 seconds with Miss Rodeo on the move, three-wide. Rating perfectly in the early going, Dixie Can Can raced into contention around the last turn and charged down the middle of the track picking off her rivals one by one and drew off in deep stretch to win by 4-1/2 lengths over Zat Darn Cat. Final time was 1:11.1.
Bred by Andrew Kruger, who qualified for a breeder's award of $4,920, Dixie Can Can is by the late New York-based stallion Dixie Brass, out of the hard-hitting Secret Prince mare, Patsy McCann Can, who won 10 races in a 42-race career, earning $143,472. Dixie Can Can is a sister to consistent performer One N Three, who finished second in the 2002 running of the Ontario Stake at Finger Lakes. One N Three has hit the board in all of his 10-career starts.

(7/11) Our Tune breaks maiden in nightcap
Our Sugar Bear Stables OUR TUNE defeated state-bred maiden fillies and mares in the last race on the Belmont Park twilight card. For three year-olds and upward the race was run at one-mile around one-turn over the main track, which was switched to "fast" after the seventh-race. The race was originally carded for the turf but was moved to the main track by the stewards after a heavy early morning downpour. Trainer Michael Brice took the blinkers off for today's race and named jockey Aaron Gryder to ride the three year-old bay filly.
Breaking alertly, Our Tune battled with Outlet and Kooka Munga for the lead. Edging her way to the front, Our Tune set brisk fractions of 22.4 and 46.1 seconds to the half-mile pole. Still pressured by Kooka Munga around the last turn, Our Tune reached the three-quarter pole in 1:12.1 seconds as Zukinikiki raced into third-position. As the field turned for home, Our Tune still had some run in reserve and danced away from her two challenges to win by 2-1/2 lengths. Kooka Munga nosed out Zukinikiki for second money. Final time was 1:39.3.
William Terrill, Jr. manages Our Sugar Bear Stable and also bred Our Tune, thus qualifying Mr. Terrill for a breeder's award of $2,520. Our Tune is by Concorde's Tune, and is the first foal out of Uppa Hughie, a $117,129 winner, by Secret Prince. Our Tune has now banked $52,520 in eight starts.

(7/10) Letthefreedomroar takes allowance in Belmont Park finale
Nick Siounis' homebred, LETTHEFREEDOMROAR, beat state-bred fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, today at Belmont Park. The NW-1X condition allowance was run over the inner-turf course at a mile and an eighth. The three year-old bay filly had broken her maiden over the turf two races back and then finished fourth in her last outing over the turf, which was labeled "good". Both those efforts were run at a mile and trainer Mike Miceli decided it was time to stretch the filly out around two-turns. The surface was listed as firm for the final race on the Thursday card and a field of 10-horses went to the post. Herberto Castillo, Jr. was aboard the talented filly.
Fiji Rascal was sent winging as the gate opened quickly opening up a three-length lead, followed by Letthefreedomroar, Tiger's Reign and Seraphic Too. Letthefreedomroar was sent up to challenge up the backstretch and took the lead at the half-mile pole reached in 48 seconds flat. Running free and clear, Letthefreedomroar opened up by six-lengths around the last turn and hit the top of the stretch on top by five-lengths. Castillo kept the good-looking filly in a drive through the stretch run and held off a late charging Lady Bi Bi by 1-1/2 lengths. Archers Gal finished third. Final time was 1:49.4.
Letthefreedomroar, bred by Mr. Siounis, who qualified for a breeder's award of $2,649, is by Roar, out of Champagne Patti, by Lear Fan. Champagne Patti, has produced four foals of racing age, all who raced, including $116,205 winner World of Wonder (Abel Prospect).

(7/10) Thesecondwarrior breaks maiden at first asking
John and Mary Labagh's homebred, THESECONDWARRIOR, making his career debut beat state-bred maidens today at Belmont Park. Overlooked in the betting, Thesecondwarrior paid a healthy $54.50 to win. Trainer John Quiles named Dale Whittaker to ride the three year-old bay colt in the 8-horse field, three year-olds and upward, which raced over the main track, labeled fast, at seven-furlongs.
Karakorum Patriot and Scags broke on top and battled for the lead down the backstretch reaching the half-mile pole in 47 seconds. Thesecondwarrior also broke sharply but was taken back by Whittaker and rated three-lengths off the pace in third-position. Moving aggressively around the last turn, Thesecondwarrior collared the leaders at the top of the stretch and drew off by two-lengths, however first time starter Marked For Ransom was just beginning to put in his run and had the length of the stretch to catch Thesecondwarrior. Whittaker worked feverously through the late stages and through his efforts Thesecondwarrior managed to stave off a determined Marked For Ransom by a half-length crossing the wire. Final time was 1:27 flat.
The Labaghs qualified for a breeder's award of $4,920 to go along with the $24,600 purse money they received for the victory. Thesecondwarrior is by Personal Flag, out of the Commemorate mare, Regal Writ, who hit the board in five of her ten lifetime starts, which included two victories. Personal Flag stands at McMahon's Farm of Saratoga and is perennially near the top of the stallion standings with progeny earnings.

(7/9) Dark Whisper wins second straight on turf
John Wieczorek's DARK WHISPER defeated state-bred NW-1X condition allowance horses in a race run over the inner turf course at Belmont Park. H. James Bond, once again, named Edgar Prado to ride the three year-old son of Dynaformer, who had broke his maiden on the grass in his previous race in mid-May. The race was run at a mile and an eighth and Dark Whisper was sent off as the race-time favorite in a field of 10-horses.
Kinjet led the way into the first turn and up the backstretch. Hurricane Devin raced close on the pace while on the outside of Kinjet and Dazzling Spirit rated close to the pace in third-position. Prado kept Dark Whisper well off the pace in seventh-position as they ran down the backstretch and at the half-mile pole, reached in 48.1 seconds, was nine-lengths behind the field. As the field turned for home, Kinjet was still on the lead but Dazzling Spirit had moved to within striking distance along with I'llruinya, as Dark Whisper ranged up closer to the leaders. Swinging off the rail, Dark Whisper was full of run past the sixteenth-pole and charged to the front in the shadow of the wire to win by a length over Dazzling Spirit with I'llruinya finishing third.
Bred by Joseph DiRico, who qualified for a breeder's award of $2,640, the dark bay colt was sold at the August 2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred sale for $110,000. Dark Whisper out of the Stately Don mare, Rosalie's Treat, a half-sister to stakes performer Prince Daniel (Sharpen Up), winner of the 1986 Japan Racing Association Handicap, and a full sister to stakes winner Rosalie's Charm. Dark Whisper has now earned $51,600 in three starts.

(7/9) Shamrock Blues takes open claimer
Pete Sinetos' SHAMROCK BLUES battled every step of the six-furlong race to beat open claimers, fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, today at Belmont Park. Claimed two races back by trainer Peter Bazeos for Mr. Sinetos for $50,000, Shamrock Blues was in for a tag of $35,000 in the seven-horse field. Bazeos named Raul Rojas to ride the five year-old dark bay mare, who was making her 27th career start.
Silver Magic bounced out to the lead soon after the break but was quickly challenged on the outside by Shamrock Blues, who changed tactics today opting to race close to the pace. The two mares raced head to head through a half in 47.2 seconds with Trueytoo tracking in third-position. As they straightened for home, Shamrock Blues edged her way clear and was kept under a strong drive to the wire, managing to hold off a late challenge by Gem's Wager by a half-length crossing the wire. Final time was 1:13.3.
Sired by deceased record-setting New York stallion Cure the Blues, whose syndicate connections qualified for a $1,428 stallion award, Shamrock Blues is the first offspring produced by Einar P. Robsham's New York homebred Sunny Shamrock, a stakes-winning daughter of New York stallion Distinctive Pro. Mr. Robsham who owned Shamrock Blues prior to being claimed, qualified for a breeder's award of $4,080. Sunny Shamrock, who won Belmont's six-furlong Joseph A. Gimma Stakes as a two-year-old in her third start, was bred by Robsham from Calder two-turn turf stakes winner Sunny Issues, whom Robsham purchased for $125,000 as a two-year-old in training at Fasig-Tipton Florida's 1987 February sale. Aside from the winner's purse of $20,400, Mr. Sinetos qualifies for an open owner's award of $4,080. Owner, breeder and stallion owner awards are part of the lucrative incentives provided by the New York Breeding and Racing Program.

(7/9) Rodeo Spirit wins accident-marred finale
Wayne Ewald's RODEO SPIRIT broke his maiden today in Belmont Park's last race on the Wednesday afternoon card. The one-mile race for state-breds, three year-olds and upward was run over the Widener turf course and had a field of 12-horses go to the starting gate. An accident occurred at the top of the stretch when Midnight Summit, with Luis Chavez aboard clipped heals with the horse in front and fell creating a chain reaction causing A. P. Junior and Valatie to fall, when they couldn't avoid the fallen horse. Jockeys Shannon Uske aboard A. P. Junior was taken to the hospital complaining of abdominal pains along with Chavez who suffered a cut on his right hand. Javier Castellano aboard Valatie was shaken but not injured. The three horses appeared uninjured and were quickly gathered up by the excellent horsemanship of the NYRA outriders.
Sovereign Salute took the lead early on while under outside pressure by Affliction. Tracking closely behind was Safari and Bang Bang Rosie. Reaching the half in 46.4 and the three-quarters in 1:11.4, Sovereign Salute opened up a short lead. After sitting eighth in the early going, Jose Espinoza, aboard Rodeo Spirit fortuitously moved off the rail and by doing so avoided falling over Midnight Summit. Swinging out into the sixth-path, Rodeo Spirit gained ground with every stride and grabbed the lead at the eighth-pole. Under a strong drive, Rodeo Spirit drew off to win by six-lengths over Sovereign Salute with Safari another four-lengths behind in third. Final time was 1:37.
Rodeo Spirit is a three year-old chestnut gelding by Rodeo, out of the Vice Regent mare, Visionneuse, who has produced three-turf winners including Perfect Energy (Signal Tap) winner of three races over the grass, with earnings of over $102,000. Bred by Ms. Elaine Peck's Rhapsody Farm in Plymouth, New York and Peter Trapp, who together qualified for a breeder's award of $5,040, Rodeo Spirit was purchased for $32,000 at the 2001 Saratoga Fasig-Tipton Preferred Yearling Sale. Rodeo Spirit is from the first crop of Rodeo (Gone West ^÷ Wewarrenju, by Damascus) and stands at Gus Schoenborn's Contemporary Stallions in Coxsackie, New York.

(7/6) Beau's Fantasy swings wide and draws clear
Earning a return to the winner's circle for the first time in 2 1/2 years, Edwin Wachtel's homebred BEAU'S FANTASY captured Belmont's eighth race on Sunday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up going seven furlongs, by overtaking six rivals within a quarter-mile. Ridden for the second consecutive time by Jean-Luc Samyn and sent off the 7.90-to-1 sixth choice among 11 wagering interests (12 starters), the five-year-old gelding lagged in ninth place after the opening quarter but rallied inside on the turn before Samyn swung him out wide for the stretch drive. By mid-stretch, Beau's Fantasy had his head in front of 2.60-to-1 favorite Elyon after advancing from seventh within the previous quarter-mile, and in the final furlong he drew clear to win by a length and three-quarters over the favorite, who placed nine lengths ahead of third-place finisher Personal Prince.
For Samyn, who had to dismount Beau's Fantasy prior to the start so the bay gelding could be loaded into the gate, it was the second consecutive winning ride of the day aboard a New York-bred, with Samyn having piloted No White Flags to victory in the preceding contest. Samyn first had ridden Beau's Fantasy to a second-place finish at Belmont on June 7 going the same distance and under the same conditions as Sunday's race, and that had been the New York-bred's second start off a five-month layoff and his sixth career second-place finish. Samyn is the 12th jockey to have ridden Beau's Fantasy, who increased his earnings by $25,800 to $134,190 and improved his record to 2 - 6 - 2 in 25 starts.
Trained by John DeStafano Jr., Beau's Fantasy had won his career debut by 2 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct on New Year's Day (2001) of his three-year-old season, and although he did not win again until Sunday, he still has picked up checks in 80 percent of all his starts. His victory also qualified owner-breeder Wachtel, of Suffern, New York, and Boca Raton, Florida, for a total of $6,966 in breeder ($5,160) and stallion ($1,806) awards, since Wachtel owned Beau's Fantasy's now-deceased New York-based sire, Group 1 and Grade 2 winner Claramount, the 1988 New York-Bred Horse of the Year.
Beau's Fantasy is among three winners bred by Wachtel from Bay Meadows 10-length winner Mona's Fantasy, who also raced for Wachtel, being a full brother to New York-bred Online Intime ($110,159), who got his seventh win on July 4 with a gate-to-wire 3 3/4-length Finger Lakes allowance score. The gelding's three-year-old half-brother, Z Z's Fantasy, got his second victory on June 21 with a 3 1/2-length tally at River Downs. Dam Mona's Fantasy, who is by Vigors, is a half-sister to Panamanian multiple champion El Catedratico.

(7/6) Smokin' Kelly smokes rivals by 4 in 2YO debut
Seven Aqueduct workouts beginning in mid-May, including a four-furlong "bullet" drill of 48 flat from the gate on June 6 (fastest of 18), suggested potential in two-year-old SMOKIN' KELLY, who won Belmont's sixth race on Sunday, a $41,000 restricted juvenile maiden special, by four lengths after leading at all calls. Ridden by John Velazquez and sent off the 2.90-to-1 second choice among eight starters for the 5 1/2-furlong sprint, the quick-striding colt broke from the outside post and dueled early with the contest's only participants that had previously started, Ro Day Scious and I'am a Red Sox Fan. The three initially were abreast and only heads apart on the turn, but Smokin' Kelly put his head in front while racing widest of all, setting an opening quarter-mile split of 22.79, and he was a length and a half in front after a half-mile in 46.67. That margin allowed Velazquez to angle the chestnut colt over towards the rail while entering the stretch, where Smokin' Mel drew off to a 3 1/2-length lead at mid-stretch following a five-furlong fraction of 59.31 and extended his advantage to four lengths at the wire. I'am a Red Sox Fan, the 7.60-to-1 co-fourth choice, did not give up, holding on to place second.
It was the first of two winning rides for Velazquez, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders' 2002 Jockey of the Year who later that afternoon piloted Strong Hope to win Belmont's Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes, and Smokin' Kelly was the second winner on Belmont's Sunday card saddled by trainer Joseph Imperio. The colt's winning debut earned $24,600 for Dan Schmidt's Our Metro Stable of East Rockaway in partnership with Tony Montilli and James Dinapoli.
Bred in the name of NAC Distributors, Inc., of Norwood, New Jersey, by Nejhla, Darien, and Charles Shaw, who jointly qualified for a $2,460 breeder award, Smokin' Kelly was foaled at Rudy Santopietro's Pond View Farm in Pine Bush. Trainer Imperio purchased the colt for $25,000 out of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April 2003 sale of two-year-olds in training. Smokin' Kelly is by the Valid Appeal stallion, Kipper Kelly, whose best son to date is multiple Grade 2-winning record-setter Kelly Kip ($1,157,142) -- a New York stallion. He is the fifth named offspring and fifth winner produced from Delaware Park sprint and two-turn winner Center City Miss, by North Pole. Center City Miss, who was sold for $9,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's October 2000 sale while carrying Smokin' Kelly, is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Ms. Gold Pole ($261,589) and stakes-placed Gold N' Ship ($105,974) and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Greed Is Good ($312,068).

(7/6) NY-breds No White Flags and High On Madison run 1-2 in open claimer
Having faced some of the best New York-bred grass runners in training, NO WHITE FLAGS might have been an overlay as the 4.40-to-1 third choice in Belmont's seventh race on Sunday, a $35,000 open mile and a sixteenth turf test for four-year-olds and up with $35,000 claiming prices. That assessment proved retroactively obvious near the conclusion of the turn-and-a-half contest, which had 10 starters (nine wagering interests), with the only question being whether the five-year-old gelding would overtake the one other New York-bred in the race, 40-to-1 seventh choice High On Madison, in time to win. To beat his fellow New York-bred competitor, No White Flags had to make one of the most dramatic closing finishes of his career.
Race-ridden for the first time by Jean-Luc Samyn -- his 10th career jockey -- No White Flags was unhurried in sixth place along the inside through three-quarters of a mile, which were covered in 1:10.19 by 50.75-to-1 eighth choice I Know Broadway in an obvious attempt to steal the race. The bay gelding rallied wide approaching the stretch but still was sixth with only five-sixteenths of a mile to run. In the final furlong, I Know Broadway finally faded after forcing a mile fraction of 1:34.95, and seizing the lead in the deep stretch was High On Madison -- only to be overtaken in the closing strides by No White Flags, who won by a length in 1:41.10. High On Madison placed a length and three-quarters ahead of third-place finisher Assmar, who was half of an entry that was the 2.55-to-1 second choice. For jockey Samyn, the race marked the first of two winning rides aboard New York-breds on Belmont's Sunday afternoon card.
Owned by Daniel Toomey, Gary Locicero, and Robert Urrutia and trained throughout his career by Richard DeStasio, No White Flags boosted his earnings by $21,000 to $195,367 in his second start off a 24-week layoff, improving his record to 4 - 4 - 8 in 33 starts. In addition, the stretch-running gelding also jointly qualified Toomey, Locicero, and Urrutia for a $4,200 open race owner award, while High On Madison qualified his connections for $1,400 in open race owner and breeder awards. All of No White Flags' victories have been scored on Belmont's grass courses, but in his only previous 2003 outing and first start off the layoff, he had been unplaced in Belmont's $113,600 Kingston Handicap for New York-breds at a mile and an eighth on soft turf on May 25. No White Flags' record also includes a third-place finish in Aqueduct's $100,000 Cormorant division of the New York Stallion Stakes on turf last November.
Bred by Nancy Trotta of Millerton, who qualified for a $4,200 breeder award, No White Flags was sold as a weanling for $14,500 by Thomas J. and Nadine Gallo, agent, at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 1998 December mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland. He is by graded-winning New York stallion Signal Tap (Fappiano - South Sea Dancer, by Northern Dancer), who stood the 2003 season at Louis Salerno's Questroyal Stud in Hudson and whose syndicate connections qualified for a $1,470 stallion award. Also among Signal Tap's 2003 winners is New York-conceived Grade 1 winner Got Koko ($470,946). No White Flags is among two winners, both New York-breds, produced from New York-bred multiple Aqueduct allowance winner Dyna Mite Mollie ($186,685), an Explodent mare who won 11 races at Belmont and Aqueduct.

THEBIGAPPLE winning last October.

(7/5) Thebigapple shortens up to win open allowance
After 11 consecutive outings going a mile or longer, Robert Levine's four-year-old THEBIGAPPLE was laid off for 12 weeks by trainer Bruce Levine and sharpened with four Belmont workouts -- two "bullets" -- prior to capturing Belmont's fourth race on Saturday, a 6 1/2-furlong open N2X allowance for three-year-olds and up. Although the New York-bred had not sprinted in almost a year and had scored his three previous NYRA allowance victories at beyond a mile during 2002, he was made the even-money favorite among six starters for the $47,000 contest, with New York-bred Le Bourget the second choice at 3.95-to-1. Trainer Levine also gave jockey Jorge (Chop Chop) Chavez a leg up for his first race aboard the dark bay gelding, who broke from the outside post position looking like he had never forgotten how to sprint.
Pressing the pace of 25.75-to-1 last choice Favorite Sweep from the outside, Thebigapple raced two wide on the turn and seized command with authority, drawing off to a 2 1/2-length lead at mid-stretch while setting a six-furlong fraction of 1:10.46. Never seriously threatened, he reached the finish with a length a quarter margin over 4-to-1 third choice Mighty Gulch, getting a perfect stalking trip that was an obvious result of his superior tactical speed. For jockey Chavez, it was the first of two winning rides on Belmont's Saturday card.
Thebigapple's second open NYRA allowance victory by a daylight margin (he had won an open N1X allowance by 2 1/4 lengths in the mud at Aqueduct as a three-year-old last November) increased his earnings by $28,200 to $176,025 and improved his record to 5 - 2 - 3 in 15 starts. The solidly-performing New York-bred has picked up checks in all but two of his starts, and one of those was his first stakes outing, when he went against Gander et al in Belmont's $250,000 Empire Classic on New York Showcase Day (October 19) of 2002. Owner Robert Levine also qualified for an additional $5,640 open race owner award, and Thebigapple's breeder, the J. I. Racing Inc. of James Iselin of Wanamassa, New Jersey, qualified for $7,614 in breeder ($5,640) and stallion ($1,974) awards, since Iselin owned the gelding's sire, former New York stallion Abel Prospect.
Thebigapple is a case study in the pinhooking potential of New York-breds, having sold for $1,400 as a weanling, for $4,500 as a yearling and for $23,000 in 2001 as two-year-old in training. Breeder Iselin, who also stood sire Abel Prospect's full brother, Double Negative, in New York, acquired Thebigapple's dam, Fire Opal, in the late 1990s after she had produced Don't Pinch Me ($146,370), who won two open Aqueduct allowances by 2 3/4 lengths each and two more allowance races at Monmouth. Thebigapple's New York-bred five-year-old full sister, Un Ochio, scored a 2 1/2-length allowance victory at Finger Lakes on June 8. Dam Fire Opal, who was a three-year-old winner at Meadowlands, is by Australian champion Strawberry Road, another of whose daughters is the dam of New York-bred 2002-2003 stakes winner Cheap Talk ($452,881), also sired by Abel Prospect and bred by J. I. Racing with two partners.

(7/5) Ma Femme steals another Belmont turf victory
Once loose on a big lead, Peggy Vandervoort Kumble's homebred MA FEMME can be tough to catch, which she proved again in Belmont's 10th race on Saturday, a $46,000 restricted N2X allowance for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, going a turn-and-a-half mile and a sixteenth on the inner turf. Sent off the 9-to-1 fifth choice among 10 starters and ridden for the 11th time by Julio Molina Pezua, who twice had guided her to Belmont grass victories last summer, the five-year-old mare broke on top from the inside post and led by six lengths after the opening quarter. Various rivals alternately led the charge to close the gap: 1.85-to-1 favorite Senora Poppy got to within five lengths after a half-mile, 7.10-to-1 fourth choice Easter Liturgy advanced to within 3 1/2 after three-quarters, and 5.30-to-1 third choice Irish Glory fought to a half-length deficit at mid-stretch. In the final furlong, Ma Femme -- who had switched leads early on the second turn when competition was looming menacingly on all sides -- pulled away to win by a length and three-quarters over strong-closing outside finisher Dynamic Lisa, the 3.05-to-1 second choice.
Winning time for Ma Femme, who ran her opening quarter in a controlled 24.15 but then accelerated her second quarter to 23.66 to preserve most of her big early lead, was 1:42.41 off fractions of 47.81, 1:11.65, and 1:36.12. In previous outings, the bay mare had finished behind Dynamic Lisa, Irish Glory, and Easter Liturgy, but she was clear of all of them on Saturday.
Trained by John Hertler and coming off a 50-day layoff following a fourth-place effort going a mile and a sixteenth over Belmont turf on May 16, Ma Femme picked up $27,600 in first-place purse money for owner-breeder Kumble, of Wilton, Connecticut, who also qualified for a $5,520 breeder award. The New York-bred mare now has total purse earnings of $96,000 and a record of 3 - 0 - 1 in 14 starts.
My Femme is by former New York stallion Husband, a Grade 1 turf-winning Diesis stallion who had stood at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag and whose former New York connections (John A. Nerud Revocable Trust) qualified for a $1,932 stallion award. The front-running mare is among 11 New York-bred winners (of 47 races to date) produced from New York-bred Jazzerciser, who won at two and three and is by the Northern Dancer stallion, Tarleton Oak. Jazzerciser is inbred 3 x 4 to Native Dancer.

(7/5) Seaquarius splits rivals to break maiden in first turf outing
Given his first racing opportunity on grass in his second start off a 190-day layoff, Flying Zee Stable's homebred SEAQUARIUS scored a three-quarter-length victory in Belmont's Saturday opener, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for 10 three-year-olds and up going a two-turn mile and an eighth on the inner turf. Relatively dismissed as the 10.50-to-1 fifth choice and ridden for the second consecutive time by Tony Farina, the three-year-old gelding raced in hand just behind the early leaders, who were paced by front-running 6.10-to-1 third choice Captain Smith. Going into the second turn, Seaquarius and 1.65-to-1 favorite First You Dream began closing in on Captain Smith, but the Flying Zee homebred maintained his two-path position, keeping First You Dream on the outside while running into a 20-mph southwesterly headwind. First You Dream, who had been forced five wide on the first turn, appeared to have gained the lead between calls, but Seaquarius split rivals to take command at mid-stretch with a mile fraction of 1:36.47 and then utilized his long strides to edge ahead, winning in 1:49.02.
Trained by Carlos Martin, Seaquarius earned $25,200 for his first victory in five starts, bringing his total bankroll to $29,710 and also qualifying his owner-breeder, the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, for a $2,520 breeder award. Unplaced as a two-year-old in three Aqueduct outings over three different distances late in 2002, the chestnut gelding came off his between-the-seasons layoff looking noticeably revitalized, getting his first on-the-board finish with a third-place effort under jockey Farina going seven furlongs in the slop at Belmont on June 19. As a juvenile, he twice had tried two turns -- unsuccessfully -- at Aqueduct.
Sired by Kentucky Derby-Travers-Champagne winner Sea Hero ($2,929,869), who now stands in Turkey, Seaquarius is the first winner produced from New York-bred Keri Island, who is by deceased New York stallion Roman Reasoning and also was a Flying Zee Stable homebred. Flying Zee Stable proprietor Lizza, who owns Highcliff Farm in Delanson in partnership with Joseph Bartone, also bred graded New York-bred winner Ruby Rubles ($475,546) out of a winning half-sister to dam Keri Island, whose own dam is three-time winner Reality Island, by In Reality. Ruby Rubles won Aqueduct's Grade 3 Bed o' Roses Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths and restricted Broadway Handicap by 6 1/2 lengths in a stakes record 1:22.22 for seven furlongs -- both in April, 2000 -- after her purchase the previous November at Keeneland for $75,000 by Rick Pitino's Celtic Pride Stable.

(7/4) Kings Empress hangs on by a head in nightcap
Hardwicke Stable's homebred KINGS EMPRESS ran wide out of the 10th post position in Belmont's 11th race nightcap on Fourth of July Friday, a six-furlong $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for 12 fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, gaining a big mid-stretch lead and then hanging on determinedly to win. Ridden for the fifth -- and second consecutive -- time by Shannon Uske, whose apprentice allowance is seven pounds, the late-foaled (June 10, 2000) three-year-old filly raced just outside of front-running 2.50-to-1 favorite Charm Appeal through an opening quarter-mile in 22.46. She then took command and drew off on the turn, entering the stretch with her head turned right and still on her left lead, but by mid-stretch her margin over 5.50-to-1 fourth choice Lady Libby in second place was 5 1/2 lengths following a five-eighths fraction of 58.20. In the final furlong, Lady Libby launched a serious outside challenge to Kings Empress, who eventually made a late switch to her right lead and held on even as her strides noticeably shortened, winning by a head in the time 1:11.54. For jockey Uske, it was the second winning ride of the day at Belmont aboard a New York-bred.
When Kings Empress, who went off in the nightcap as the 6.10-to-1 fifth choice, had broken her maiden at Aqueduct back in February, she also was reluctant to switch leads in the stretch but still won by four lengths even though her jockey lost his whip in the stretch. In her last previous start at six furlongs, she had placed second at Belmont on May 16 in her first effort against older fillies and mares, and her Independence Day victory has improved her record to 2 - 2 - 3 in 11 starts while boosting her earnings by $25,800 to $80,250. Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Allen Jerkens, who also sent out House Party to win the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes two races earlier on Belmont's card, Kings Empress campaigns for the Hardwicke Stable of her trainer's wife, Elisabeth Jerkens of Bellrose. In addition to purse earnings, Elisabeth Jerkens qualified for another $6,966 in breeder ($5,160) and stallion ($1,806) awards, since she owned the now deceased sire of Kings Empress, Kings Fiction, and stood him at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson.
Kings Empress is the sixth winner and second New York-bred winner bred by Elisabeth Jerkens from Decorated Empress, a winning Well Decorated mare that Allen Jerkens purchased for $3,500 as a four-year-old broodmare prospect at a 1990 Fasig-Tipton paddock sale shortly after that mare had made her final start. Kings Empress' five winning half-siblings have captured a total of 20 races, and her eight-time winning maternal granddam (second dam) is a daughter of leading sire Mr. Prospector.

(7/4) Tiger's Halfmoon stalks from far back to break maiden
In Belmont's July Fourth Friday opener, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, going a turn-and-a-half mile and a sixteenth on turf, Mark Lansing's and John Desmond's four-year-old TIGER'S HALFMOON regained her Belmont 2002 summer-fall form and broke her maiden as a result. The four-year-old filly had been unplaced on turf and slop (off the turf) at Belmont on May 15 and June 1 following a five-month layoff and was the 11.50-to-1 fourth choice among eight wagering interests (nine starters) in the opener with jockey Jose Espinoza up for the first time.
Last after the first quarter and eighth after a half-mile, Tiger's Halfmoon rallied along the inside on the far turn, angling over to the rail at the top of the stretch and quickly advancing past rivals. At mid-stretch, she was 5 1/2 lengths behind the leader, 2.50-to-1 second choice Dillye, but overcame that deficit despite staying on her left lead, getting up on the inside to win by a neck over Dillye, who beat .80-to-1 favorite and first-time starter Little Buttercup by two lengths. Tiger's Halfmoon was the first of two New York-bred winners on Belmont's Independence Day card saddled by trainer Keith O'Brien.
Tiger's Halfmoon's first victory in 11 starts increased her earnings by $25,200 to $42,520 -- prior to which her best efforts had been third-place finishes in her second and third starts on Belmont turf going a mile and a quarter and a mile and an eighth in July and September, 2002. She also qualified her breeder and co-owner, John Desmond of Charlton Thoroughbred in Charlton, for a $5,040 breeder award. The May-foaled filly who did not race as a two-year-old is by deceased New York stallion Ends Well, whose syndicate connections at the time of Tiger's Halfmoon's 1998 conception qualified for a $1,764 stallion award. The chestnut filly is the fourth named offspring and fourth winner bred by Desmond from stakes-placed New York-bred winner Tiger's Burn, and her two Belmont turf-winning full sisters include Belmont multiple open allowance winner Tiger Babe ($168,970), who also races for Lansing and Desmond.
Dam Tiger's Burn, who placed in two stakes as a juvenile before winning three times as a three-year-old in 1988, is by Big Burn and was acquired privately by Desmond in the 1990s. A producer of two open allowance winners on grass, the mare is a half-sister to the winning dam of multiple stakes-placed winner Mi Mi Mine ($142,645).

(7/4) Autistic Girl prevails in tough stretch battle to break maiden
In her second start off a 69-day layoff, Ruby Rose Stable's three-year-old AUTISTIC GIRL was the 2.80-to-1 second choice among 10 starters for Belmont's third race on July Fourth Friday, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, going seven furlongs. Ridden for the second consecutive time by Pablo Fragoso, whose seven-pound apprentice allowance got her a 111-pound assigned impost even though the lowest Fragoso could go was 113, the three-year-old filly stumbled at the start and then bumped with favored Gata Be Patient (also 2.80-to-1) on her inside. Gata Be Patient seemed unaffected by the bumping, holding third place before rallying three wide approaching to the stretch, while Autistic Girl raced in fifth place through half a mile before launching her own rally from the four path. At mid-stretch, they were together again, with Autistic Girl leading by a head on the outside, but Gata Be Patient would not relent, and the two three-year-old fillies reached the wire almost dead even for a head-bob decision that was decided by a nose in favor of Autistic Girl. With identical odds, they were virtual co-favorites. Autistic Girl was the second consecutive winner ridden at Belmont on Friday by Fragoso.
Trained by Patrick Kelly, Autistic Girl boosted her earnings by $24,600 to $44,920 and improved her record to 1 - 1 - 1 in seven starts -- all in 2003 -- which includes three money-earning fourth-place efforts at Aqueduct in February and March. She had finished third going a two-turn mile and an eighth at Aqueduct on April 3, then did not race again until June 11, when she had placed second going seven furlongs at Belmont with Fragoso on board for the first time. Campaigned by the Ruby Rose Stable of Michael Lynch of New York City, Autistic Girl was bred by Bernardo Mongil III's Monhill Farm, LLC, of Millbrook, which qualified for a $4,920 breeder award. Ruby Rose Stable acquired the gray/roan filly privately.
Both the sire and dam of Autistic Girl are 20-somethings. Autistic Girl is sixth starter and sixth winner from the 2000 crop of New York stallion American Standard (In Reality - Too Bald, by Bald Eagle), who is owned by and stands at Michael and Debra Lischin's Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains, qualifying that farm for a $1,722 stallion award. Also among American Standard's winners in 2003 is Grade 2 winner Bluesthestandard ($536,910), who has won four of five starts in 2003 with one second. Autistic Girl is the eighth winner produced from 26-year-old nine-time stakes winner Sober Jig ($247,823), by Jig Time, and her winning half-siblings include the dam of stakes winners Associate (Grade 2 winner of $300,083), Sharkio ($125,226), and stakes-placed Flaming Sky ($105,565). Sober Jig arrived in New York after being purchased for $42,000 at Keeneland's 1987 November sale, and six of her eight eventual winners have been produced following her taking up residency in the Empire State.

(7/4) Rose Esther romps by 6 1/2 for second consecutive Belmont win
A four-length winner on Belmont turf with a $35,000 claiming price on June 11, Richard Bomze's seven-year-old ROSE ESTHER returned 23 days later on Fourth of July Friday with the same claiming tag and won by 6 1/2 lengths as the 1.60-to-1 favorite among 10 older fillies and mares. Ridden for the third consecutive time by Shannon Uske, whose apprentice allowance is seven pounds (but 10 pounds for the two previous starts), the chestnut mare was racing at a distance (a two-turn mile and an eighth) over which she had won three previous times on Belmont turf. Her main competition in the contest (the fifth race on Belmont's Friday card), in which all the starters had $35,000 tags, figured to be another New York-bred mare, five-year-old 3.40-to-1 second choice Spectaculaireontap, who -- like Rose Esther -- prefers to race from well off the pace.
Through three-quarters in a lively 1:10.39 set by 5.50-to-1 third choice Caramel Queen, the two New York-bred mares seemed joined at the hip and out of contention in seventh and eighth place, but then Rose Esther quickly advanced four wide on the second turn. She seemed to explode at the head of the stretch after switching leads, and within a mere quarter-mile passed seven rivals to assume a five-length lead at mid-stretch before drawing off by another length and a half, winning by 6 1/2 lengths in the impressive time of 1:48.29. Spectaculaireontap, who was rated along the inside, had to be steadied on the second turn along with 12-to-1 sixth choice Earth Shaker but rallied on the rail to place second, as three New York-breds picked up checks and earned 83 percent of the race's total purse. Rose Esther was the first of two winning New York-breds ridden by Uske on Belmont's Independence Day card, and she was the second New York-bred winner saddled at Belmont that day by trainer Keith O'Brien, whose father, Leo, previously had trained the mare.
Rose Esther's second consecutive win on Belmont turf increased her earnings by $21,000 to $178,440 and improved her record to 6 - 2 - 1 in 32 starts -- with all of her wins and placings having come in her 19 career starts on grass. She also qualified owner Bomze for a $4,200 open race owner award and Bomze's wife, Diane, for a $4,200 breeder award plus the syndicate that owned Rose Esther's deceased New York-based sire, Compliance (in whom the Bomzes were shareholders), for a $1,470 stallion award. Spectaculaireontap (now $164,015) likewise qualified her connections for a total of $3,290 in owner, breeder, and stallion awards. Richard Bomze, a sports publisher with residences in New York (Long Beach) and Florida, bred and raced (in partnerships) a couple of other New York-breds sired by Compliance -- millionaire brothers Fourstardave ($1,636,736) and Fourstars Allstar ($1,600,048).
A full sister to New York-bred stakes-placed winner Wootie ($173,814) and three other daughters of Compliance -- all winners -- Rose Esther is among five named offspring and five winners produced from Laurel turf allowance winner Montana Anna, a Bailjumper mare that raced for Diane Bomze. Montana Anna is a half-sister to stakes winner Sonic Gray ($187,141).

(7/2) Sea Trade victorious in first turf effort
Roger Toffolon's homebresd, SEA TRADE, making her initial foray over the turf, went wire to wire to beat state-bred NW-1X allowance horses, three year-olds and upward. The final race on the Belmont Park card was run at a distance of a mile and sixteenth over the inner turf course, rated firm. Trainer Linda Rice named Jean Luc Samyn to ride the three year-old son of Sea Salute and a field of 10-horses went to the starting gate, which was positioned at the top of the first-turn.
Breaking alertly, Sea Trade took command from the outset and led the field down the backstretch reaching the half-mile pole in 48.4 and the three-quarter pole in 1:13.3. Tracking behind Sea Trade was Snoopy Blues and Lost In The Woods. Snoopy Blues made a run at Sea Trade in the far turn but was turned away easily as Samyn set Sea Trade down for the stretch run. Kept to a steady drive, Sea Trade opened up two-lengths through the stretch, holding off a late move by Lost In The Woods by 1-1/2 lengths crossing the wire. Final time was 1:42.3.
Sea Trade has now banked $76,290 in eight starts. For owner-breeder Toffolon of Hartford, Connecticut, the victory was worth an additional $5,280 in breeder award and $1,848 in stallion owner awards. Mr. Toffolon stands Sea Salute (Danzig - Glowing Honor, by Seattle Slew) at Jim and Michaelyn Scott's Liberty Stud in Ghent.
Sea Trade is the first winner produced from nine-year-old Corporate Desire, a Corporate Report mare bred by William T. Young's Overbrook Farm in Kentucky and acquired privately by Toffolon in the late 1990s. Corporate Desire is a half-sister to stakes-placed winners Arabic Treasure and Something Young. Sea Trade is distantly inbred, 4 x 5, to strong stamina influence stallion Graustark.

(7/2) Beautiful America runs second in Gaviola Stakes
Three year-old New York-bred Beautiful America, making her first start over the turf and first in an open stakes race, finished a strong second today in the inaugural running of the Gaviola Stakes. The Chester and Mary Broman homebred tracked close to the pace in the run down the backstretch of the mile and sixteenth race run over Belmont Park's inner turf. Under a strong hold, Beautiful America lost positioning coming out of the far turn and had to angle five wide down the stretch, rallying to finish second by two-lengths to three-time open stakes winner Ocean Drive.
Beautiful America was the 2002 New York-bred Two Year-old Filly Divisional winner and having won the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes, Maid of the Mist Stakes and Fifth Ave Division of the New York Stallion Stakes. The gifted Dixie Brass filly was the recent winner of the inaugural running of the $250,000 Statue of Liberty Division of the New York Stallion Stakes. Today's second-place finish raises her lifetime earnings to $419,013 with a Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-2.
The Broman's qualified for both a breeder's award and owner's award of $2,630 and the late Dixie Brass' owner, Mike Watral, qualified for a stallion owner's award of $920.

(7/2) Pierian Spring first-out winner
Old Brookside Farm and Acqua Nova Stable's two year-old filly, PIERIAN SPRING, broke her maiden in her career debut today at Belmont Park. The five and one-half furlong affair for state-bred fillies had a field of seven after Lookn Boldn Brassy was scratched. Trainer Russell Mueller named Edgar Prado to ride the bay filly. Prado is currently the second leading jockey at the Belmont Spring/Summer meet.
Clarksburg Queen and Money Trust hooked up from the break and distanced themselves from the field by eight-lengths. Pierian Spring sat third around the last turn letting the leaders battle their way in submission and took command at the top of the stretch. Under a drive, Pierian Spring crossed the wire a four-length winner over Nurse Culkin and Brassy Kitten, who finished second and third, respectively. Final time was 1:06.3.
Old Brookside Farm, who qualified for a breeder's award of $4,920, bred Pierian Spring. Sired by Signal Tap, the talented filly is the second foal out of the Runaway Groom mare, Country Blue, who raced won 3 races and $75,923 in fifteen lifetime starts.
Signal Tap, sire of 2003 Grade I winner Get Koko, stands at Questroyal Stud, which recently moved to Pine Plains, New York and merged part of their stallion operations with Silvernails Farm and Dutchess Views Farm. The unique farm arrangement is named Metropolitan Stud.