Nov. 2004 Racing Front News Archives STAKES VIDEOS Track Photo Credits: NYRA Tracks- Adam Coglianese Finger Lakes-Tom Cooley

(11/28) Board Elligible wins by 5 as Montauk topweight VIEW VIDEO
Although she was next-to-last after the opening quarter-mile in Aqueduct's $83,275 Montauk Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, on Sunday, there was never much doubt that Rudina Stable's homebred BOARD ELLIGIBLE would be in contention at the finish, which she reached with a five-length winning margin. Top-weighted and odds-on at .70-to-1 among eight starters in the two-turn mile and an eighth event with jockey Pablo Fragoso race-riding her for the 17th -- and fifth consecutive -- time, the four-year-old filly began quickly advancing past rivals along the rail as the front-end contenders approached the second turn. Fragoso eased her outside on the turn, where she rallied three wide past the only fillies she trailed at the three-eighths pole -- 5.20-to-1 second choice South Wing and front-running 7.10-to-1 third choice Our Tune, who had set fractions of 23.43, 47.13, and 1:11.78 over the sloppy track. At mid-stretch, Board Elligible was two lengths in front of South Wing and pulling away, and she more than doubled her advantage in the final furlong, scoring her second sloppy track victory of the year while spotting four to ten pounds to her competition because of her 122-pound impost.
Board Elligible's second stakes victory of 2004 -- to go along with a tally in Belmont's open (to fillies and mares bred anywhere) White Carnation Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day (June 5) -- increased her earnings by $49,965 to $413,121 and improved her record to 8 - 7 - 0 in 31 starts. It also qualified her owner-breeder, Dr. Bernard Abramovici, who races in the name of Rudina Stable, for an additional $9,993 breeder award. The black filly has been no shrinking violet in terms of taking on tough competition since scoring her latest previous victory against open allowance/optional claiming company by 4 1/4 lengths in the slop at Saratoga on August 12. She subsequently had finished fourth in Grade 1 events at Saratoga and Belmont and then ran fifth -- closing to within a length and a quarter of winner Spite the Devil -- while taking on New York-bred males in Belmont's $250,000 Empire Classic Handicap on New York Showcase Day (October 23).
Following the Empire Classic, trainer James Ferraro had given Board Elligible a couple of easy Aqueduct November workouts going a half-mile and then five furlongs, and after the Montauk he was generous in his praise of the late-blossoming New York-bred: "She is such a nice filly. She's been up against pretty tough company lately, so it was nice to get another stakes win. I was a little bit worried about not being able to blow her out because of the wet track, but it didn't seem to bother her. Pace set up well for us, and Pablo (Fragoso) rode a great race for us. We'll try for the Ladies Handicap (Grade 3, $100,000 added, at a mile and a quarter on Aqueduct's inner dirt track on Saturday, December 18); it would be nice to get some graded stakes."
Board Elligible already has raced 14 times in 2004, but Ferraro had indicated prior to the Montauk that the rugged filly seemed to be thriving on the busy schedule: "She's definitely exceeded our expectations," Ferraro had remarked. "She's turned into an iron horse. Her owners wanted to know if we should give her a break. I told them we'd keep her in training as long as she keeps doing well. She loves it."
Jockey Fragoso, who had first race-ridden Board Elligible when she had broken her maiden at Belmont in May of 2003 as a three-year-old and he was an apprentice rider with a seven-pound allowance, reiterated Ferraro's observations: "She's a nice filly. She ran with some top fillies before coming in here. This looked like it would be a lot easier for her. She gave me a good three-eighths run."
Sired by syndicated New York stallion Goldminers Gold (Crafty Prospector - Miss Secreto, by Secreto), who stands at Metropolitan Stud (managed by Michael and Debra Lischin) in Pine Plains and whose connections qualified for a $3,497.55 stallion award, Board Elligible is out of Double Boarded, by pensioned New York stallion Cormorant. Goldminers Gold, a multiple stakes-winning sprinter as a three-year-old whose progeny earnings are now approaching $900,000, is scheduled to stand for a fee of $2,500, live foal, for the 2005 season. Dam Double Boarded is a full sister to stakes winner Keep It S. S. ($113,394) and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Selective ($309,060) and to the winning dam of stakes-placed winner Listen Sister ($156,130). A Hypo-Mating check of Board Elligible's pedigree reveals that Double Boarded is inbred 3 x 4 to Tudor Minstrel.
Because of her White Carnation victory, Board Elligible is among 31 registered New York-bred winners of open (to horses bred anywhere) stakes races in 2004, and those 31 stakes winners have accounted for 37 open stakes victories this year in ten U.S. states and four countries on two continents. For all of 2003, a total of 20 New York-breds won 23 open stakes events. Brisnet Chart

(11/28) Renamed stretches out to mile for 2nd consecutive victory
Thirty-eight days after breaking her maiden by 3 3/4 lengths going six furlongs at Belmont, Paraneck Stable's homebred RENAMED romped by 4 3/4 lengths going a one-turn mile in Aqueduct's 10th race Sunday nightcap, a $44,000 restricted N1X allowance for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up. Ridden by jockey Alan Garcia, who as an apprentice with a five-pound allowance had guided her to a second-place finish going a mile and a sixteenth at Belmont in May, the three-year-old filly went off as the 7.80-to-1 fourth choice among 12 starters while breaking from the outside post. Renamed was eighth after the opening quarter-mile and fifth at the halfway point, as 15.70-to-1 seventh choice Go See Michelle set fractions of 22.77 and 45.96 in the slop, but she rallied through the muck along the inside and emerged with the lead at the top of the stretch. At the eighth-mile pole, the long-striding and high-headed filly was six lengths in front of second-place pursuer Deedle E Dee, the 7.90-to-1 fifth choice, and she maintained most of her mid-stretch margin all the way to the wire.
A significant purse-earner in most of her outings, Renamed boosted her bankroll by $26,400 to $98,972 while improving her record to 2 - 4 - 4 in 13 starts and also qualified the Paraneck Stallions of her owner-breeder, Ernie Paragallo, for additional breeder ($5,280) and stallion ($1,848) awards totaling $7,128. The dark bay filly is trained by Jennifer Pedersen, who had given her three November workouts at Aqueduct, including "bullet" drills at five and three furlongs, respectively, on November 16 and 22 following her maiden victory at Belmont on October 21.
Owner-breeder Paragallo, a Lloyds Neck, Long Island resident whose businesses include computer software and investment banking, also has raced 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Unbridled's Song and 1999 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and Eclipse Champion Sprinter Artax (Marquetry - Raging Apalachee, by Apalachee), who is the sire of Renamed. Other Paraneck Stable New York homebred three-year-old fillies sired by Artax and sent out recently to victory at Aqueduct by Pedersen are Tax the Queen (by 7 1/2 lengths on November 14) and Say Hey Willie (by 3 1/4 lengths on November 13). Renamed, Tax the Queen, Say Hey Willie, and 2004 Grade 1 winner Friendly Michelle ($399,294) are among 28 New York-conceived winners from the first crop of Artax, who was syndicated following his 2000 season, when he had stood as the property of Paraneck Stallions at Center Brook Farm in Climax. Artax has sired a total of 37 winners from his two-year-old and three-year-old crops through late November and has been moved to stand the 2005 season at Metropolitan Stud (managed by Michael and Debra Lischin) in Pine Plains for a fee of $10,000, live foal.
Originally named Bumbleclaud, Renamed is the first offspring produced from Concealed City, who was bred by Robert and Beverly Lewis and as a two-year-old in 1999 had won Suffolk's six-furlong Mom's Command Stakes for Paraneck Stable. Concealed City is by Carson City and is a half-sister to graded-placed juvenile winner Charming Jim. A Hypo-Mating check of Renamed's pedigree reveals that she is inbred to two popular sire "nicks" -- 3 x 4 to Mr. Prospector and 4 x 5 to Northern Dancer. Brisnet Chart

(11/28) Stonewood beats open claimers for 4th consecutive victory
Scoring his fourth consecutive six-furlong victory within a 69-day span, Gumpster Stable's New York-bred STONEWOOD took command on the turn and rolled to a 3 1/4-length tally in Aqueduct's fourth race on Sunday for three-year-olds with $75,000 claiming prices, covering the distance in 1:10.43 over a sloppy track. The chestnut gelding had New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2003 Jockey of the Year Jose Santos on board for the second consecutive time and was favored at 1.15-to-1 among five wagering interests and six starters, breaking on top and arguing the early pace with 3.15-to-1 third choice Freaky Fast. The latter, who quickly gained the rail position, set brisk fractions of 22.03 and 45.23 over the sealed track surface but yielded to Stonewood on the turn even while coming wide into the stretch and carrying his New York-bred challenger with him. At mid-stretch, Stonewood had a half-length advantage over a tiring Freaky Fast off a five-eighths fraction of 57.56, and in the final furlong he pulled away, as 3.05-to-1 second choice Last Time in Town closed to place second by a neck over 4.40-to-1 fourth choice Charming Jim. It was the second consecutive winning ride of the day for jockey Santos.
Victory in the $43,000 open contest increased Stonewood's earnings by $25,800 to $141,705 while improving his record to 7 - 1 - 4 in 16 starts, and it also qualified his owner, Andrew Berg's Gumpster Stable LLC, for an additional $5,160 open race owner award. Trainer Lake had claimed Stonewood on behalf of Gumpster Stable for $16,000 when the three-year-old gelding had won at Delaware Park on August 10, and 29 days later had sent him out to a third-place finish in an open N1X allowance race at Delaware. Twelve days after that effort (September 20), Stonewood had raced again at that same N1X allowance condition level at Delaware, setting fractions of 22.07, 44.67, and 56.81 en route to winning by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:09.44. Daylight margin victories followed at Belmont on October 16 with a $50,000 claiming price and at Aqueduct -- by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:09.83 -- on November 10 in a $45,000 restricted N2X allowance with Santos in the irons for the first time. Since being claimed in August by Gumpster Stable, which also owned the winners of the first and last races on Aqueduct's Saturday card the day before (including New York-bred Imafavoritetrick), Stonewood has earned $100,560 in purse money and qualified Gumpster Stable for an additional $15,000 in open race owner awards. The chestnut gelding's victory also qualified the estate of his late breeder, John Franks, for a $5,160 breeder award and the members of the Questroyal Stud syndicate that owned his sire, Tomorrows Cat, at the time of Stonewood's conception for a $1,806 stallion award.
Tomorrows Cat (Storm Cat - Tomorrow's Child, by Al Nasr), Stonewood's sire, stands at Metropolitan Stud (managed by Michael and Debra Lischin) in Pine Plains for a 2005 fee set at $7,500, live foal, and Stonewood is among 53 winners in 2004 and 71 winners overall sired by that stallion. Tomorrows Cat's 2004 progeny earnings figure is now over $2.3-million, and his cumulative progeny earnings total is approaching $3.9-million from three crops of racing age. Stonewood, who was sold for $11,000 as a weanling at Keeneland's 2001 November sale in Lexington, Kentucky, is the first offspring produced from Theheartofdixie, who is by Crafty Prospector and is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Arabian Light ($431,944). The gelding's maternal granddam (second dam) is graded stakes winner Heartlight ($194,238), by Majestic Light. A Hypo-Mating check of Stonewood's pedigree reveals that he is the offspring of inbred parents that are relative outcrosses to each other: his sire Tomorrows Cat is inbred 3 x 4 to Northern Dancer, and his dam Theheartofdixie is inbred 3 x 4 to Raise a Native. Brisnet Chart

(11/28) Summerland shines in the slop - gets 2nd win in 3 starts
Having missed by a neck while placing second in Aqueduct's $125,000 New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes three weeks earlier, Michael T. Martin's homebred SUMMERLAND showed marked improvement in Aqueduct's sixth race on Sunday, winning the $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for two-year-olds going six furlongs by 6 1/2 lengths. The bay colt went off as the 1.15-to-1 favorite among six starters with jockey Shaun Bridgmohan on board for the third time in three career starts, breaking from the inside post and quickly gaining a length lead with an opening quarter-mile in 22.70 over the sloppy track. Although 3.10-to-1 third choice Cool Days was only a half-length behind following a half-mile in 46.85, Summerland looked unconcerned racing around the turn with his ears pricked, and by mid-stretch he was 5 1/2 lengths in front while setting a five-eighths fraction of 58.64. The Martin homebred continued pulling away from Cool Days -- who placed second -- through the final furlong, reaching the finish in what was easily his fastest six-furlong time thus far in three outings at that distance -- 1:10.88.
Summerland's second victory in three starts increased his earnings by $25,800 to $75,400 and also qualified his owner-breeder, Martin of Madison Avenue in New York City, for an additional $5,160 breeder award. Trained by Richard Violette Jr., the rapidly-improving juvenile had won his debut by three lengths at Belmont on October 10 and had led most of the way four weeks later in the Great White Way, only to be caught in the final strides. Following that effort, trainer Richard Violette Jr. had given the colt moderate half-mile workouts at Aqueduct on November 19 and 24.
Summerland is among seven winners at Belmont or Aqueduct sired from the first crop of New York stallion Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky Game, by Majestic Light), who stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. As a result of Summerland's victory, the owner of Western Expression, Lizza's Flying Zee Stables, qualified for a $1,806 stallion award. Western Expression's other debut winners include New York-breds Winning Expression, a colt who also has placed second in Belmont's open Flash (Grade 3) and Tremont Stakes, and Square Dancing, a filly who won at Belmont going a mile on turf. The 2005 fee for Western Expression, who missed by only a head from being a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs (in Aqueduct's 2000 Carter Handicap) even though some of his juvenile progeny seem to thrive as the distances stretch out, has been announced as $10,000, live foal.
Summerland is the first offspring produced from owner-breeder Martin's New York-bred mare, stakes winner Laken ($209,655), whom he had purchased privately from W. Alec Martusewicz -- also the breeder and owner of Laken's multiple stakes-winning dam, New York-bred Anniron ($539,476). Laken is by Martin's own Highcliff Farm-based stallion Scarlet Ibis (Cormorant - Fifties Galore, by Cornish Prince), who was the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) Champion Juvenile Male of 1988 while racing for Martin. Laken's dam, NYTB 1986 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Anniron, by Iron Constitution, won 11 New York stakes for owner-breeder Martusewicz from 1986 through 1988 and scored 10 of her 18 career victories in routes and eight in sprints. A Hypo-Mating check of Summerland's pedigree reveals that like New York-bred Eclipse Champion Funny Cide, he is distantly inbred (5 x 5) to Ribot, and he also is inbred 5 x 5 to Bold Ruler, while sire Western Expression is inbred 3 x 4 to Raise a Native. Brisnet Chart

(11/28) Rob's Boy Mat rolls gate-to-wire for maiden score
With more experience and higher earnings than any of the other eight New York-bred maiden two-year-old starters in Aqueduct's $41,000 second race on Sunday, Michael Pascuma's homebred ROB'S BOY MAT was favored at 2.45-to-1 and justified that confidence with a gate-to-wire victory by a length and a quarter. Race-ridden for the first time by jockey Felix Ortiz, the chestnut colt broke on top and set fractions of 22.17, 45.37, and 58.25 over the sloppy track while racing out from the rail through the rain, doggedly pursued throughout by 4.90-to-1 fourth choice Christian X. The latter, whose jockey Pablo Fragoso had ridden Rob's Boy Mat three previous times, slipped through along the inside to gain what might have been a brief lead, but at mid-stretch he was a length and a half behind and could make little headway the rest of the way.
Three weeks earlier, Rob's Boy Mat had finished fourth among nine in Aqueduct's $125,000 New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes, after which trainer Richard Ciardullo Jr. had taken over the colt's conditioning. Sunday's victory increased the earnings for Rob's Boy Mat by $24,600 to $41,218 in five starts, which includes a second-placed effort in a restricted maiden special at Belmont on New York Showcase Day (October 23) and a fourth-place venture at Belmont on October 10. The win also qualified the colt's owner-breeder, Pascuma, for an additional $4,920 breeder award.
Rob's Boy Mat is the 30th winner sired by New York stallion Ormsby (Carson City - Sois Sage, by Broadway Forli), and his victory collectively qualified the owners of that stallion, James Iselin's J.I. Racing, Inc. and Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm, for a $1,722 stallion award. Ormsby, a Grade 2 record-setter, currently has progeny earnings of more than $2,470,000, having been represented by the winners of Aqueduct's first two races on Sunday -- Rob's Boy Mat and New York-bred multiple stakes winner Trial Prep (now $358,067 and with a new owner) in the open claiming opener. Ormsby, whose New York-bred winners also include 2004 multiple stakes winner Top Shoter ($242,400), stands at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, where his 2005 fee has been announced as $3,000, live foal.
Originally named Ormsby Cort, Rob's Boy Mat is the third winner and second New York-bred winner that Pascuma has bred from Ada Cort, a five-time sprint-winning daughter of now-deceased New York-based stallion Ends Well. Ada Cort is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes-placed seven-time winner Father Shea and to Puerto Rican stakes-placed multiple winner Distinguida. A Hypo-Mating check of the pedigree of Rob's Boy Mat reveals a dosage profile of 6-0-10-1-1 that suggests he might be effective as the distances stretch out. Brisnet Chart

(11/28) NY-breds Papua and Uncle Camie finish 2nd and 4th in G3 Fall Highweight
New York-breds Papua and Uncle Camie finished second and fourth, respectively, in Aquduct's $111,600 Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap for three-year-olds and up going six furlongs on Sunday -- each carrying the highest impost (128 pounds) among the first four finishers in that venerable (91st running) event. Papua, Barry Schwartz's homebred, went off as the 6.30-to-1 fourth choice among nine starters with jockey Javier Castellano on board and had to alter course twice in the stretch but now has second-place credentials from the Fall Highweight's last two renewals, having finished behind New York-bred Bossanova in 2003. Uncle Camie, a homebred racing for breeder Carmine Telesca in partnership with John and Marilyn Guerrera, led most of the way as the 24-to-1 seventh choice under jockey Michael Luzzi, blazing 21.45, 44.36, and 56.81 fractions in the slop before finishing two lengths behind fifth choice winner Thunder Touch. Both New York-breds are conditioned by New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2000 Trainer of the Year Michael Hushion and were conceding two pounds to the three-year-old 6.90-to-1 winner (but equally weighted by age scale) and one pound to the four-year-old third-place finisher, Eavesdropper. Favored Medallist (2-to-1), who had been a Grade 2 winner in July and a graded-winning miler in May, finished fifth.
Papua increased his earnings by $22,320 to $425,014 off a record of 9 - 5 - 3 in 28 starts. The five-year-old also qualified owner Schwartz, who bred the son of Louis Quatorze - Bella Ransom, by Red Ransom, in the name of his Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, for open race owner and breeder awards totaling $4,464 ($2,232 each). Uncle Camie, who increased his earnings by $5,580 to $195,420 with a record of 5 - 3 - 2 in 15 starts, also qualified his connections for open race owner and breeder awards totaling $2,232 ($1,116 each). The four-year-old likewise qualified the syndicate owners who had stood his former New York-based sire, Abaginone, for a stallion award of $390.60.

(11/27) Imafavoritetrick scores second consecutive win
Looking even better than he did 34 days earlier while winning a six-furlong restricted maiden special at Belmont by a length and a half, Gumpster Stable's IMAFAVORITETRICK pulled away in Aqueduct's 7 1/2-furlong Saturday opener, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up, scoring by 3 1/4 lengths. The three-year-old gelding again had New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2003 Jockey of the Year Jose Santos on board for his second NYRA outing and was the 3.10-to-1 second choice among nine starters, but this time he raced closer to the pace even though under wraps and took command earlier. Quickly overtaking the 15.20-to-1 sixth choice pacesetter, Le Rock, on the turn, Imafavoritetrick drew off to a six-length mid-stretch advantage over the new second-place pursuer, 4.90-to-1 third choice Smokin' Kelly, after setting a 1:09.52 six-furlong fraction and finished with a 3 1/4-length margin while clocking 1:28.54. Favored Texas Pro (1.30-to-1) finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Smokin' Kelly in third place. It was the first of two winning rides on Aqueduct's Saturday card for jockey Santos, who eight races later would guide Lion Tamer to victory in Aqueduct's Grade 1 Cigar Mile, and it was the first of two Saturday scores for Gumpster Stable LLC, which also owned the nightcap winner.
Imafavoritetrick's second consecutive victory increased his bankroll by $25,800 to $60,560 and improved his record to 2 - 1 - 1 in eight starts while bringing his tally since being claimed -- for $25,000 by Andrew Berg's Gumpster Stable LLC on September 8 -- to two wins in two starts with earnings of $50,400. Trainer Bruce Levine had haltered the gelding on behalf of Gumpster Stable at Arlington Park after Imafavoritetrick had bounced around at four different distances -- four times on dirt, twice on turf -- placing second and third in main track efforts at eight and nine furlongs, respectively, since debuting on May 1. After sending the rangy bay gelding out to victory at Belmont on October 24, Levine had given him half-mile workouts at Belmont on November 12 and 20 -- the first a sharp 48-flat drill and the second a more moderate 49 1/5 breeze.
The victory also jointly qualified Imafavoritetrick's breeders, Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin, for a $2,580 breeder award. Thomas and Lakin, who own Lakland North, LLC in Hudson where Imafavoritetrick was foaled, had consigned the New York-bred as a just-turned yearling through Lakland, agent to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2002 January mixed sale in Florida, where Mac Fehsenfeld, Imafavoritetrick's owner in Illinois, had purchased him for $30,000.
Sired by 1997 Eclipse Champion Horse of the Year Favorite Trick -- one of 52 stakes winners sired by New York stallion Phone Trick -- Imafavoritetrick is the third starter and third winner produced from Colony Rose, a route-winning daughter of Pleasant Colony. Colony Rose, who is a half-sister to stakes-placed winners Ben Ali's Rullah ($175,362) and Tropico Cielo (dam of $1,025,243-earning Japanese stakes winner Ekolu Place) and to 20-time winner Superb Moment ($360,916), was purchased by Lakland Farm for $40,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale when she was carrying Imafavoritetrick. This also is the female family of New York-bred multiple stakes winner Judge Costa ($445,354). Imafavoritetrick's pedigree indicates that he is an outcross (no inbreeding) through five generations, and his dosage profile of 2-0-7-0-1 hints that he might be successful at continuing to stretch out to longer distances. Brisnet Chart

(11/27) Dynamo Hum hustles to 4 3/4-length gate-to-wire maiden win
Breaking on top from the outside post among 11 starters, Red Storm Stable's DYNAMO HUM sprinted to a big early lead while quickly dropping over to the rail in Aqueduct's six-furlong third race on Saturday for New York-bred maiden two-year-old fillies and was unchallenged thereafter, winning by 4 3/4 lengths. The quick-striding speedster drew into the $41,000 contest off the also-eligible list following three scratches among the regularly entered starters and was favored at 1.05-to-1 despite her outside post. With jockey Rafael Bejarano race-riding her for the first time, Dynamo Hum set fractions of 22.01, 45.06, and 57.21, reaching mid-stretch with a seven-length advantage and finishing against an almost direct 15-mph south/southeasterly headwind that was gusting up to 22 mph while clocking a winning time of 1:10.49.
Winning 17 days after a runner-up Aqueduct effort on November 10, which had come 27 days after her initial second-place finish at Belmont, Dynamo Hum increased her earnings by $24,600 to $43,654 in six starts since debuting on July 22 for Anthony Gurino's Red Storm Stable and Gerard Stuchbury. She has campaigned through the fall under the care of trainer Frank LaBoccetta Jr., but had raced during the summer while being supervised by trainer Gary Contessa, who had purchased her as agent for $25,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2004 March sale of two-year-olds in training in Florida. The bay filly had been consigned to that auction by the Sequel Bloodstock, Agent, of her co-breeder, Becky Thomas, who in partnership with Lewis Lakin qualified for a breeder award of $4,920 as a result of Dynamo Hum's Saturday victory. Thomas and Lakin own Lakland North, LLC in Hudson, where Dynamo Hum was conceived and foaled, and Lakland Farm had purchased the New York-bred's dam, Precious Choice, for $50,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale in Kentucky when the mare was carrying future New York-bred winner Hennessy Bay (by Hennessy).
Dynamo Hum is the 12th two-year-old winner of 2004 from the first crop of New York-based stallion Precise End (End Sweep - Precisely, by Summing), who ranks eighth among all North American freshman sires and stands at Lakland North, where his 2005 fee has been announced as $6,000, live foal. Other New York-bred winners by Precise End, whose partnership owners qualified for a $1,722 stallion award as a result of Dynamo Hum's victory, include stakes winners Accurate and Reddy for Rubys, Group 3-placed Seiun Vivace ($199,221 in Japan) and New York stakes-placed Big Apple Daddy and Freddy the Cap. Dynamo Hum is the second offspring and second winner (following half-brother Hennessy Bay) produced from Precious Choice, who is by Jade Hunter (by Mr. Prospector) and is a half-sister to French stakes winner Mendocino and to the stakes-producing granddam of stakes winner Abbey Bridge. A Hypo-Mating check of Dynamo Hum's pedigree reveals that she is inbred 3 x 4 to leading sire Mr. Prospector. Brisnet Chart

(11/27) Galloping Grocer places 2nd in hard-fought G2 Remsen
The 91st running of Aqueduct's Grade 2 Remsen Stakes for two-year-olds came down to a highly-anticipated duel between two stakes-winning juveniles that had come into the $200,000 event with three uncontested wins in three starts: Rockport Harbor and Robert Rosenthal's and Bernice Waldbaum's New York homebred, Galloping Grocer. At the finish, the two were a neck apart in the second-fastest Remsen since the event has been run at a mile and an eighth beginning in 1973 -- the 1:48.88 clocking being second only to Believe It's 1977 time when he beat future Hall of Fame member Alydar. Rockport Harbor, winner of Aqueduct's Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at a one-turn mile on November 2, is still undefeated. Galloping Grocer, who had captured Belmont's restricted Sleepy Holly Stakes -- also at a one-turn mile -- by 7 1/2 lengths on New York Showcase Day (October 23) but had not previously raced over the Aqueduct strip, now has three wins and a second in four starts. These appear to be two exceptionally classy two-year-olds.
Rockport Harbor, the 1.30-to-1 second choice among the six starters, broke on top from the number two post position and gained a length advantage in the opening quarter-mile over the more massive Galloping Grocer, who broke second from the outside post as the narrow 1.20-to-1 favorite. The first quarter went in 23.80, after which Rockport Harbor accelerated his second quarter-mile to 23.40 to open up a length and a half margin over Galloping Grocer, who closed to the front-runner's throatlatch by the time they completed a third quarter-mile in 23.84 for a 1:11.04 six-furlong fraction. Battling stride-for-stride down the stretch into a significant south/southeasterly headwind, both juveniles lurched over to their left leads -- Galloping Grocer doing so first in response to jockey John Velazquez's right-handed urging, but this maneuver seemed to slow Galloping Grocer down more than his nimbler rival. In the deep stretch following a 1:35.58 mile fraction, both two-year-olds were back on their right leads, and at the wire there was an 8 1/4-length gap back to third-place finisher Killenaule, the 9.30-to-1 fourth choice who was coming off two open autumn stakes wins going two turns.
"I thought he (Galloping Grocer) ran a great race," remarked jockey Velazquez. "He needs to learn. We've never really had to squeeze him and spank him or get serious with him. I had to get serious with him early in the race. At the three-sixteenths pole, I said, 'Oh, I'm going to win this.' I spanked him, and he switched back to his left lead. He started looking at the horse (Rockport Harbor) inside again. I was trying to get him back on his right lead. I showed him the whip and hit him on the shoulder. He came back, but it was too late. He just needs to learn."
Trainer Dominick Schettino, who had put Galloping Grocer through two five-furlong "bullet" workouts of under a minute each at Belmont following the gelding's Sleepy Hollow victory, including a 59-flat drill in the mud on November 22, seemed equally pleased: "He ran great. I was real happy with his race. This was a much stiffer test than what he was running against. This race will do him a lot of good. He is only going to get better. We'll see how he comes out of it and go from there."
Galloping Grocer's effort increased his earnings by $40,000 to $150,400 and also jointly qualified his owners for an additional $8,000 open race owner award plus a breeder award -- to co-owner Rosenthal along with the estate of Ira Waldbaum, late husband of co-owner Bernice Waldbaum -- for another $8,000 ($16,000 total). Galloping Grocer is by New York-based syndicated stallion A. P Jet (Fappiano - Taminette, by In Reality), whose connections qualified for a $2,800 stallion award. A. P Jet stands at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, where his 2005 fee has been announced as $5,000, live foal. Galloping Grocer is the fifth New York-bred winner produced from Little Evie, who is by Northrop and won twice on dirt and once on turf and placed third as a three-year-old in two turf stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares: Saratoga's Yaddo and a division of Belmont's Mount Vernon. Little Evie's four other New York-bred winning offspring include nine-time-winning route specialist Little General ($158,675), but Galloping Grocer is the first of the mare's foals to have won as a two-year-old, and according to Rosenthal is also the largest offspring produced from the New York-bred broodmare. Galloping Grocer was foaled at Janet Durrschmidt's Indigo Farm in Clinton Corners, where Rosenthal boards four broodmares.

(11/26) Swinging Ghost captures state-bred allowance
SWINGING GHOST, away from the races since mid-July, closed strongly to capture a NW-2X state-bred condition allowance race, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. Swinging Ghost was the first horse saddled by trainer Gary Gullo after a stint as a jockey's agent. Journeyman jockey Norberto Arroyo, Jr. rode the three-year-old dark bay colt to victory. Track superintendent Jerry Porcelli's crew did a super job getting the track back in shape after yesterday's cancellation of races because of "unsafe" conditions. With the weather cooperating, the track listing was changed from "good" earlier in the card to "fast" for the running of the seventh-race. The race was run at six-furlongs and had a field of 7-horses go to the starting gate. Swinging Ghost went to the post as the lukewarm 2-1-favorite and broke from the outside post-position.
Break The Barrier, apparently trying to live up to his name, took the field through an opening first quarter in a sizzling 21.4-seconds with Special Jet in close pursuit. Swinging Ghost was wisely rated near the back of the field in the run down backstretch and kept on an outside path. Special Jet took command nearing the half-mile pole reached in 45-seconds flat as Swinging Ghost began to advance. Swinging five wide around the last turn, Swinging Ghost drew even with the new leader, My Kinda Town at the sixteenth-pole and while under a strong drive raced to the front to win by a half-length. My Kinda Town finished second and Calculator finally found running room deep in the stretch to finish third. Final time was a snappy 1:10 seconds flat, which was fastest of the four-races run at the six-furlong distance.
Owned by Mrs. E. Paul Robsham of Cochituate, Massachusetts and North Palm Beach, Florida, and bred by Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds, in Stillwater, New York, who qualifies for a $2,700 breeder's award, Swinging Ghost was purchased by the late E. Paul Robsham for $185,000 at the February Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2003 February sale of two-year-olds in training in Florida. Formerly trained by Stanley Hough, who recently shipped to Florida for the winter season, Swinging Ghost has now raced 8-times and with today's purse earnings of $27,000 has topped the century mark at $109,890.
Swinging Ghost was foaled at Becky Thomas' and Lewis Lakin's Lakland North, LLC in Hudson and is by the Mr. Prospector stallion Silver Ghost and the third starter and third winner produced from Lookaway Dixie, a winning Dixieland Band mare that breeder Simon had purchased for $38,000 at Keeneland's 1999 November sale in Kentucky. Lookaway Dixie is a half-sister to stakes-placed winner Brazen Bride ($151,974), and her dam is Oaklawn Park multiple stakes winner Motion in Limine ($233,284). Brisnet Chart

(11/26) Show Ready takes Big A allowance nightcap
SHOW READY, claimed for $18,000 on September 30th and making her second start for new connections, went gate-to-wire against NW-1X state-bred condition allowance, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The final race on the card was run over the main track, listed "fast", at six-furlongs and had a field of 11-fillies and mares go to the starting gate. Trainer Scott Lake named journeyman jockey Mike Luzzi to ride the three-year-old chestnut filly, who was making her 16th ^÷ career start and second for new owners - Evan Gewirtz, Mitchell Klafter and Douglas Kiviat.
Breaking from the one-post, Show Ready was hustled to the lead and after a blistering opening quarter in 21.4 seconds backed off the second quarter to 23.2 seconds arriving at the half-mile pole in 45.1 seconds. Maidez, who moved into second, and Previous Selection bumped repeatedly at the top of the stretch compromising their chances as Show Ready slipped away. Under a heavy drive, Show Ready held off a late charge by Factual Contender by a length with Evening Edition, who was last down the backstretch, finishing a close-up third. Final time was 1:11 seconds flat.
Bred by Carl Lizza, Jr., who qualifies for a $5,160 breeder's award, Show Ready was consigned by Ocala Stud Farms to the 2003 OBS June two-year-olds in-training sales and was purchased by Pink N Blue Stables for $13,000. With today's winner's purse of $25,800, Show Ready boosts her lifetime earnings just above the century mark to $100,011. The late Prosper Fager, whose connections qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,806, stood at Carl Lizza, Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York, which is managed by Lynwood and Suzie O'Cain. Brisnet Chart

(11/26) Dr. Quirk breaks maiden at Big A.
Michael T. Martin's homebred, DR. QUIRK, making his fifth-career start and second at the one-mile distance, broke his maiden against a field of state-bred two-year-olds, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The one-turn affair had a field of 10-colts and geldings go to the starting gate located at the top of the chute on the main track, which was listed "good". The trainer/jockey combo of Rick Violette and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan have been clicking at 50% in the last two weeks and chalked up another victory with Dr. Quirk.
Wonforjodi and Airtogroundcontrol battled head-to-head in the run onto the main track from the chute with Dr. Quirk rating just off the leaders in third-position. Brigmohan moved Dr. Quirk up to take command nearing the half-mile pole reached in 46.1 seconds and raced past the three-quarters in 1:12 seconds flat while under a hand ride. Roused midway through the stretch, Dr. Quirk drew clear of Wonforjodi and held off the even-money favorite Liquid Romance's late challenge by three-quarters of a length. Final time was 1:38.2 seconds.
Bred by Michael T. Martin, who qualifies for a $5,040 breeder's award, the dark bay gelding is by Tomorrows Cat, and the first foal out of the Distinctive Pro mare, Katina K, who finished second in her only start as a two-year-old and broke her maiden as a three-year-old in her only other start. Katina K is a half-sister to stakes-placed allowance winners Father Shea (Talc) and Distinguida (Thirty Six Red). Dr. Quirk is the 72nd winner by Tomorrows Cat, who is completing a "break out" season as a stallion. With three-crops to race,
Tomorrows Cat has 5-stakes winners, which includes West Virginia, winner of the Times Square Division of the New York Stallion Stakes and Albany Stakes; and So Sweet a Cat, winner of the Statue of Liberty Division of the New York Stallion Stakes and New York Oaks. Tomorrows Cat has progeny earnings of over $3-million in 2004 placing him 5th on the active New York-based stallion standings, which are updated weekly courtesy of Blood-Horse Publications. Tomorrows Cat is a Questroyal Stallions managed syndication and stands at Metropolitan Stud in Pine Plains, New York. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/25) Taking the Redeye flies home in Thanksgiving Day opener
Flying Zee Stable's homebred, TAKING THE REDEYE, easily defeated a field of state-bred allowance horses in today's first race on the Thanksgiving Day holiday opener at Aqueduct Racetrack. The NW-1X condition allowance had a field of 9-horses go to the starting gate with Taking the Redeye being the 9-5 bettor's choice. Trainer Philip Serpe named journeyman jockey Stuart Elliott to ride the three-year-old bay gelding, who broke through the starting gate prior to the start of the race.
Taking the Redeye streaked out of the gate at the break and led the field into the first turn of the 9-furlong race, which was run over a "sloppy" main track. Never threatened throughout the run down the backstretch and around the last turn, Taking the Redeye arrived at the top of the stretch with a 3-length lead over Bailie's Band, which he increased to 8-3/4-lengths under the wire. Caroller closed to finish second and Bailie's Band held for third-money. Final time was 1:52.2 seconds.
Carl Lizza, Jr. of Flying Zee Stable, who is currently the meet's leading owner, qualified for a $5,280 breeder's award. Taking the Redeye is by Scarlet Ibis, and is out of the stakes winning Well Decorated mare, Ribboned, who earned $85,150. The winner's purse of $26,400 elevates the filly's earnings to $56,790 in 7-starts.
The sire, Scarlet Ibis, winner of 5 out of 6 starts as a two-year-old including four stakes victories stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York and has lifetime progeny earnings of over $8-million. A check of the Hypo-Mating feature on the homepage of the nybreds.com website reveals that Taking the Redeye is linebred 4 X 4 to Bold Ruler. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/25) My Nina Rose breaks maiden at Big A.
The John Quiles owned and trained MY NINA ROSE, who was beaten a nose in her last outing, closed strongly over a "sloppy" Aqueduct main track to win by a nose. Quiles had the three-year-old filly sharp for her return to the races after a two-month absence and named journeyman jockey Jorge Chavez to ride. The state-bred maiden affair was run at a mile around one-turn and had a full field of 12-fillies and mares go to the starting gate.
Wayward Liz and Nicoise hooked up early and battled head-to-head through sharp fractions of 22.1, 45.1 and 1:12 flat to the three-quarter pole. Little Miss Amanda sat just off the grueling tussle before moving on the tiring leaders at the top of the stretch with My Nina Rose angling off the rail for a clear run through the stretch. Both fillies were resolute through the stretch run but it was My Nina Rose who prevailed at the wire. Final time was 1:39.3 seconds.
Bred by the late Gerald Nielsen and his wife, Joanne Nielsen, who qualifies for a $5,040 breeder's award, My Nina Rose is by the 1998 Hopeful Stakes - Gr. 1 at Saratoga Race Course, and is out of the un-raced Relaunch mare Careful Approach, a half-sister or full-sister to multiple stakes winners Val D'Enchere (Val De L'orne (Fr), Glaring (Known Fact) and Great Escape (Relaunch). The sire stood in New York for the 2000 breeding season at Gus Schoenborn's Contemporary Stallions. Brisnet Chart

(11/25) NOTICE: RACING WAS CANCELLED PRIOR TO THE RUNNING OF THE THIRD RACE

(11/24) Carminooch takes magical mystery stretch tour to victory
Three Amigos Stable's CARMINOOCH, the race-time even-money-favorite, gave his backers plenty of "agita" at the top of the stretch but overcame adversity to score by five-lengths crossing the wire. The NW-1X condition allowance race for state-bred two-year-olds had a field of 8-horses go to the starting gate in a one-turn mile event run over a "sloppy" main track at Aqueduct. Trainer Todd Pletcher named journeyman jockey John Velazquez to ride the son of Tomorrows Cat, who was making his fourth-career start. Carminooch won at first asking in Saratoga before taking on state-bred stakes company in his next two outings where he finished fifth and third, respectively.
Three Amigos Stable is managed by the affable Carmine Sirico, brother to actor Tony Sirico, one of the stars of the popular HBO hit show "The Sopranos," which has given Mr. Sirico new found fame. Even though he has appeared in over 45-films including "The Godfather", "Goodfellas" and many other high profile films, he is now recognized everywhere he goes, which included the Aqueduct winner's circle for today's celebratory photo.
No Allegiance led the field through an opening first quarter in 22.2 seconds with Cherokee Chief and Precision Perfect in close pursuit. In a change of tactics, Carminooch rated behind the field, taking the worst of the slopping offerings provided by horses running ahead of him. No Allegiance continued to run on the lead past the half-mile pole reached in a snappy 45.2 seconds with Carminooch falling back to last. As the field turned for home, Carminooch began to make his move but faced obstacles to his outside and inside as Big Apple Daddy raced strongly down the middle of the track. While bobbing and weaving, Carminooch finally was angled sharply down to the inside rail nearing the eighth-pole and with a powerful kick streaked to the front for the winning score. Big Apple Daddy held for second and Precision Perfect held for third-money. Final time was 1:38.1 seconds.
Mr. Jack Brothers selected Carminooch for the Three Amigos Stable at the 2003 October Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Yearling sales for $5,000 and the talented colt has now earned $64,291 in four-starts.
Bred by Gary Mottola's Glen Gray Farm, who qualifies for a $5,280 breeder's award, Carminooch is out of the Carr de Naskra mare Open Flap, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Catatonic (Big Spruce) whose stakes victories included the Grade 1 - Hempstead Handicap. With three crops to race, which includes 5-stakes winners, Tomorrows Cat has progeny earnings approaching $4-million with 2004 progeny earnings now surpassing $2.3-million. The Grade 2 - winner is a Questroyal Stallions managed syndication, which qualified for a $1,848 stallion owner's award. Tomorrows Cat stands at Metropolitan Stud in Pine Plains, New York. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/24) Lord Langfuhr wins second-consecutive open allowance
New York-bred LORD LANGFUHR, once again, defeated a field of open allowance company horses today at Aqueduct Racetrack. Originally scheduled to be run at 8-1/2-furlongs over the turf, persistent rainfall forced the race to the main track, which was listed "sloppy", and run around one-turn at a mile. After a host of late scratches, only six-horses went to the post. Trainer James Jerkens stayed with journeyman jockey Jorge Chavez to ride the four-year-old bay colt, who was making his 19th career start. The stretch running specialist has now had Chavez on board for eight outings, which has resulted in four visits to the winner's circle..
Overpass took command early and led the field onto the main track from the chute as White Buck and Region of Merit rated in second and third, respectively. The late running Lord Langfuhr was taken back soon after the break and trailed the field in the early going before eventually moving into fourth-position around the last turn. After a half-mile in 46.3 seconds, Overpass continued to lead the field to the top of the stretch as Lord Langfuhr angled off the rail to the middle of the track. While under a strong drive, the New York-bred charged to the front, drawing clear to win by 1-3/4-lengths over Region of Merit with Overpass holding onto third-position. Final time was 1:35.4 seconds.
Campaigned by Howard Whitbred and Christine Brennan, Lord Langfuhr boosted his earnings by $27,000 to $214,468 while improving his record to 6 - 5 - 2 in 19 starts, and he also qualified his owners for an additional $2,700 open owner's award and Whitbred for a breeder award worth another $2,700. Sired by Grade 1 winner Langfuhr, Lord Langfuhr is the second offspring bred from Palace Lady by co-owner Whitbred, of ATOKA Chase Farm in Middleburg, Virginia, being a full brother to NYRA dirt and turf winner Lord Burleigh ($120,516), who also raced for Whitbred and Brennan prior to being claimed. Dam Palace Lady, a Belmont first-out-winning His Majesty mare likewise bred in New York by Whitbred, is a half-sister to two stakes winners that Whitbred bred in New York -- Grade 2 winner Dr. Kiernan ($298,266) and Majesty's Time ($240,790) -- and to the winning New York-bred dam of stakes winner Waupaca. Lord Langfuhr's dosage profile of 3-5-18-0-2 seems to be a significant indicator of the colt's strong stretch-running ability. Brisnet Chart

(11/24) Melodeeman sings a winning note
The Jaime Gutierrez owned and trained MELODEEMAN, cleverly ridden by journeyman jockey Victor Carrero; defeated state-bred horses in a NW-1X condition allowance race run over a "sloppy" main track at Aqueduct. The six-furlong race had a field of 7-horses go to the starting gate with Melodeeman going to the starting gate, as the 2-1-bettor's choice.
Four horses scrambled for the lead before Karakorum Patriot took command nearing the quarter-pole reached in 22.1 seconds. Melodeeman, who broke with the leaders, was wisely taken back to rate in fourth in the run down the backstretch before moving wide around the last turn for clear sailing. As the field turned for home Karakorum Patriot continued to lead the way but was under heavy pressure from a revved-up Melodeeman who began to cut into the lead with every powerful stride before running by inside the sixteenth-pole on his way to a 2-1/2-length victory. Karakorum Patriot held for second and Take Me Out John finished third. Final time was 1:11.2 seconds.
Bred by Willie G. Riley, who qualified for a $2,580 breeder's award, Melodeeman is a four-year-old bay gelding by Wheaton, out of Screamin Melodee, by Phantom Jet. With today's winner's purse of $25,800 Melodeeman boosts his lifetime earnings to $84,667 in 13-career starts. Brisnet Chart

(11/21) Megascape wires field under top weight in G3 Valley Stream romp VIEW VIDEO
Sprinting quickly to the front from her inside post position, Robert Beck's New York-bred MEGASCAPE opened up a clear lead in Belmont's $101,500 Grade 3 Valley Stream Stakes for five juvenile fillies on Sunday and was never threatened, winning the six-furlong event by 2 1/4 lengths under top weight. The quick-striding filly had jockey John Velazquez on board for the third consecutive time in competition and set fractions of 22.16, 45.39, and 57.37 over a "good" track that had been labeled muddy earlier, drawing off to a 3 1/2-length mid-stretch lead and finishing in 1:10.38 under 122 pounds. Odds-on (.70-to-1) and previously unbeaten Alfonsina, who had won by four lengths at Saratoga and by five at Aqueduct, placed second under four pounds less weight than Megascape, and Meadowlands stakes winner More Moonlight, who was equally weighted with Alfonsina and the second choice at 3.35-to-1, finished third. Megascape, the 4.80-to-1 third choice among the five starters, was top-weighted because she twice had won races valued at $40,000 or more -- a $41,000 restricted maiden special at Saratoga on August 2 (her debut) and Belmont's $113,400 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes for New York-bred two-year-old fillies on October 3. Fourth-place finisher Winsome, the 6.30-to-1 fourth choice who had won a Belmont open maiden special by two lengths on October 3 and finished fourth in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Tempted Stakes on November 2, was in receipt of six pounds from the New York-bred winner.
Velazquez, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2002 Jockey of the Year who had ridden winners of the Valley Stream in 1998 and 2002 and had piloted Megascape to a 3 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Joseph A. Gimma, indicated that the dark bay filly was better than ever. "Going three quarters, she was on her game," remarked Velazquez. "Toby (Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steven Asmussen) even told me she was doing very good for this. She really showed it today. She was comfortable the whole time. I came back and said, 'you were right; she was the best she has ever been today.'"
Sheets, one of Asmussen's assistants in a national training operation that on Saturday had broken Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg's record for most victories in one year (previously 496, set in 1976), acknowledged that recent events had been quite favorable: "It was a very nice weekend for us. She (Megascape) worked super a few days ago. She may stay up here this winter because she is a New York bred, but I am not positive. It was very nice getting a stakes win against open company with her. She has done very well."
Megascape's third victory in five starts increased her earnings by $63,900 to $161,740 and also qualified owner Beck for an additional $6,390 open race owner award. In the New York-bred filly's latest previous start on New York Showcase Day (October 23) at Belmont, she had led through three quarters in the $100,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes going a one-turn mile but had faded to sixth when a minor breathing problem reportedly had hindered her. In the interim, trainer Asmussen had given her two easy Belmont workouts on November 3 and November 10 and had followed that up with a half-mile "bullet" drill of 47 1/5 ("worked super") at Belmont on November 17.
An $80,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) March 2004 sale of two-year-olds in training in Ocala, Florida, going to Thunderbolt Racing, Megascape had been a $27,000 "reserve not attained" yearling at the OBS 2003 August yearling sale. She had won her debut by five lengths at Saratoga on August 2 and had placed third against open N1X allowance company at Saratoga on a "good" track prior to scoring her first stakes victory in the Joseph A. Gimma. Bred by the Sez Who Thoroughbreds of Richard Simon of Aventura, Florida, which qualified for a $6,390 breeder award, Megascape is from the first crop of the graded sprint-winning Mr. Prospector stallion, Cape Canaveral, and is a half-sister to stakes-winning sprinter Richest Half ($116,485), by New York stallion Rizzi. Her winning dam, Bigger Half, by Megaturn (by Best Turn), is a half-sister to stakes winners Top Secret (Grade 2 winner of $997,647), Tate ($199,788), and West's Secret ($176,381) and had been purchased for $75,000 by Sez Who Racing at the OBS 1999 October mixed sale in Florida. Bigger Half is inbred 3 x 4 to Turn-to. Breeder Simon owns Sez Who Thoroughbreds North, LLC in Stillwater, which is where Megascape was foaled.
Megascape is the 31st registered New York-bred winner of an open (to horses bred anywhere) stakes in 2004 and the second New York-bred open stakes winner over the weekend following Sensibly Chic's victory in Pimlico's Stefanita Stakes on Saturday. She is the eighth registered New York-bred graded winner in 2004, and the Valley Stream was the 37th open stakes event of the year captured by a runner registered with the New York Breeding and Racing Program. Those 37 open stakes victories -- 10 of them graded -- have been scored in ten U.S. states and four countries on two continents. For all of 2003, a total of 20 New York-breds won 23 open stakes events. Brisnet Chart

(11/21) Seven Come Eleven pulls away to 5 1/4-length N2X allowance score
Returning to competition following a five wide unplaced effort in Belmont's $250,000 Empire Classic Handicap on New York Showcase Day (October 23), when he had broken from the 13th post position, Estrorace Stable's SEVEN COME ELEVEN coasted by 5 1/4 lengths in Aqueduct's nightcap ninth race on Sunday. The three-year-old colt was the 2.95-to-1 second choice among 10 starters in the $46,000 restricted N2X allowance contest for three-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile and had jockey Cornelio Velasquez in the irons for the second time in a race this fall. Although conceding four pounds -- 121 to 117 -- to 1.70-to-1 favorite Work With Me, he left no doubt about the contest's outcome, stalking early leader Runingforpresident through fractions of 23.32 and 46.52 over the "good" track before taking command coming out of the turn and pulling away. Seven Come Eleven set a six-furlong fraction of 1:10.98 en route to his final winning time of 1:35.68, as Work With Me placed second and Runingforpresident -- the third choice in the contest at 3.55-to-1 -- finished third after breaking from the outside post position. For jockey Velasquez, who previously had ridden Seven Come Eleven to a 4 1/4-length victory in a restricted N1X allowance going a one-turn mile and an eighth at Belmont on September 29, it was the second winning ride of the day aboard a three-year-old at Aqueduct.
Campaigned by the Estrorace Stable of Amy Bondon-Peltz of Citra, Florida, a career horsewoman and long time advocate and supporter of women's issues, Seven Come Eleven boosted his earnings by $27,600 to $139,939 for his latest victory, improving his record to 3 - 2 - 1 in 11 starts. Bondon-Peltz had formed Estrorace.com in 2001 to designate a percentage of earnings to regional programs like Riding For A Cure that focus on breast cancer survivors, special needs of women undergoing treatment and recovery, and special events focusing on fundraising for research and development of a breast cancer cure. Five percent of all Estrorace proceeds from sales or purse money are donated to chosen charities that are unique to the tracks or sales grounds where the funds have been generated. At the 2003 Women in Racing held at Arlington Park, Bondon-Peltz received the inaugural Penny Chenery Distinguished Woman in Racing Award. Seven Come Eleven's trainer is Michael Maker, who in addition to the September 29 Belmont allowance victory had saddled the colt for a restricted maiden special tally at Aqueduct in March and a close second to Don Corleone -- beaten a neck -- in Finger Lakes' $164,000 New York Derby in July. After Seven Come Eleven's unplaced effort in the October 23 Empire Classic, Maker had given the colt a sharp half-mile workout (47 3/5) at Churchill Downs on November 6, followed by a more moderate five-furlong drill at the Louisville, Kentucky track a week later on November 13.
Bred by Gus Schoenborn Jr., who qualified for a $5,520 breeder award, and foaled at Schoenborn's Contemporary Stallions in Coxsackie, Seven Come Eleven is from the first crop of New York-bred Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes winner Lucky Roberto, whom Schoenborn had syndicated to stand at Contemporary Stallions. Those original syndicate owners of Lucky Roberto, who had been bred by Dennis and Lorie Mark and raced for Jesse Mack Robinson before standing the 2000 season in New York, qualified for a $1,932 stallion award. Lucky Roberto was sold to South African interests in the fall of 2000. Seven Come Eleven, who had been a $24,000 RNA (reserve not attained) sales two-year-old at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2003 June sale of juveniles in training in Florida, is the third starter and third winner produced from 11-time winner Marypats Secret ($167,671), by Secret Prince (by Cornish Prince). One of his two winning half-sisters is New York-bred Belmont six-furlong allowance winner Soon Soon ($148,101). Seven Come Eleven's dam, Marypats Secret, is inbred 3 x 4 to Bold Ruler and was an "iron mare" during her racing days, starting 84 times and specializing in route racing. Brisnet Chart

(11/21) Sideways Glance looks strong in the stretch in 2 3/4-length MSW win
Two promising young sons of New York stallions hooked up in Aqueduct's second race on Sunday for New York-bred maiden two-year-olds going seven furlongs, and at the finish it appeared that while A Very Young Jet might be quicker, Flying Zee Stable's homebred SIDEWAYS GLANCE was stronger in the stretch. The former, favored at 1.75-to-1 and now second-placed in his last three consecutive starts, broke next-to-last in the nine-horse field but quickly sprinted to the front on the inside, gaining a two-length lead with a 22.70 opening quarter-mile split and setting a 46.29 half-mile fraction over the muddy track. Sideways Glance, the 7.30-to-1 fourth choice, broke sharply under jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr., who was race-riding him for the first time, and was fourth after the opening quarter before launching a three wide move at A Very Young Jet on the turn. The Flying Zee Stable homebred advanced to within a half-length of his front-running rival after a half-mile, and the two entered the stretch almost dead even, both switching leads right on cue and driving down the stretch to set a 1:11.52 six-furlong fraction, with Sideways Glance leading by a head. In the final furlong, Arroyo's mount pulled away to a 2 3/4-length victory, looking as though he was ready to try two turns. A Very Young Jet placed 4 1/2 lengths ahead of his closest pursuer. All nine juvenile starters in the $41,000 restricted maiden special contest were either conceived in New York and/or were sons of current New York-based stallions.
Trained for his NYRA outings by Frank Martin Sr., who had given the chestnut gelding an easy five-furlong Belmont workout on November 16 following a rough fourth-place effort in the open Finger Lakes Juvenile Stakes on October 23, Sideways Glance boosted his earnings by $24,600 to $32,458 in six starts. The victory also qualified the gelding's owner-breeder, the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, for breeder ($4,920) and stallion ($1,722) awards totaling $6,642, since Flying Zee Stable also owns Sideways Glance's New York-based sire, Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky Game, by Majestic Light). Sideways Glance, whose only previous top-three finish had been a second-place effort in an open maiden special at Finger Lakes on October 3 when he had hit the rail and his jockey had lost an iron, is the seventh New York-bred two-year-old NYRA winner sired from Western Expression's first crop. Other winners by Western Expression include Winning Expression, who placed second in Belmont's open Flash (Grade 3) and Tremont Stakes, and Summerland, who missed by a neck while placing second in Aqueduct's $125,000 New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes on November 7. Although Western Expression, who stands at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson and had a 2004 fee of $10,000, live foal, missed by a head from being a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs (in Aqueduct's 2000 Carter Handicap), even his most precocious progeny hint at being routers.
Sideways Glance is the fifth offspring and fifth New York-bred winner that Flying Zee Stables has bred from former juvenile winner Heavenly Glance, who is by Citidancer (by Dixieland Band) and out of a winning Ack Ack mare whose New York-bred dam, Platinum Poster ($175,890), won Aqueduct's 1986 Ticonderoga Handicap. A Hypo-Mating check of Sideways Glance's pedigree reveals distant inbreeding (4 x 5) to Tamerett, who produced Grade/Group 1 winners Tentam and Known Fact and is the maternal granddam (second dam) of New York-based stallion A. P Jet, sire of the runner-up to Sideways Glance, A Very Young Jet. Brisnet Chart

Photo: Jim McCue

Sensibly Chic wins Pimlico's Stefanita S.

(11/20) Slippery Slick pulls off second consecutive win
Saul and Max Kupferberg's three-year-old SLIPPERY SLICK scored his second consecutive Aqueduct victory within 24 days in the Big A's fifth race on Saturday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up going six furlongs, extending his record for his recent new owners to two wins in two starts. With jockey Cornelio Velasquez again on board, the dark bay colt was favored at 3.30-to-1 among 11 wagering interests and 12 starters and broke dead last from the inside post position. Going down the backstretch, Velasquez had to steady his mount, who was in seventh place in the tightly packed field after the opening quarter-mile. Slippery Slick rallied along the inside on the turn, advancing to fourth place at the quarter pole, and then came wide into the stretch, overtaking three rivals in the next furlong while out near the middle of the track and setting a five-eighths fraction of 58.92. In the final furlong, the consistent son of Distinctive Pro pulled away for a length and three-quarter victory over 4.60-to-1 fourth choice Seeking the Glory, who had stumbled badly at the start, clocking a winning time of 1:11.65 under showery skies. For jockey Velasquez, it was the second consecutive winning ride on Aqueduct's Saturday card.
The Kupferbergs, of Flushing, had acquired Slippery Slick privately in October after the colt had placed third three consecutive times at Saratoga and Belmont, and for his new owners and new trainer John Parisella Slippery Slick had broken his maiden by 2 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct on October 27. Parisella subsequently had given Slippery Slick a pair of moderate workouts -- at five furlongs followed by a half-mile -- on Belmont's training track before sending him out for a Saturday effort that increased his earnings by $25,800 to $63,070 and improved his record to 2 - 0 - 3 in six starts. Slippery Slick also qualified his breeder and former owner through his first four starts, Dennis Drazin, for a $5,160 breeder award.
Slippery Slick is among 40 winners in 2004 sired by recently pensioned New York stallion Distinctive Pro (Mr. Prospector - Well Done, by Distinctive) in 2004, pushing that stallion's progeny earnings for the year to almost $1.5-million and his cumulative progeny earnings to well over $35.5-million. Twenty-five-year-old Distinctive Pro resides at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, where his 2004 fee was $10,000, live foal, and his syndicate owners qualified for a $1,806 stallion award as a result of Slippery Slick's second consecutive victory. Slippery Slick is the second offspring and second New York-bred winner that his former owner, Drazin, has bred from stakes-winning sprinter Know B's ($147,198), by Island Whirl, being a half-brother to multiple winner Sunnyridge Sam. Know B's had been purchased for $42,000 by Louis Salerno's Questroyal Stable at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 1998 December mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland when she was a not-bred six-year-old mare right off the track. A Hypo-Mating check of Slippery Slick's pedigree reveals that he is inbred 3 x 4 to Raise a Native and that his dam, Know B's, is inbred 4 x 4 to Native Dancer. Brisnet Chart

(11/20) Storm Boot Gold glitters in front-running maiden win
With the highest previous in-the-money percentage of any of the 11 starters (10 wagering interests) in Aqueduct's Saturday opener for New York-bred maiden three-year-olds and up going six furlongs, Steven Wecker's three-year-old STORM BOOT GOLD led throughout, drawing off to a six-length mid-stretch advantage and winning by three. The bay gelding went off at 1.90-to-1, being only slightly less regarded than an entry that was favored at 1.70-to-1, and with apprentice jockey Eriluis Vaz race-riding him for the second consecutive time, he got in with a 116-pound impost because of Vaz's five-pound allowance. Vaz wasted no time hustling his mount out to get the lead and the rail, as Storm Boot Gold out-sprinted top-breaking 17-to-1 fifth choice Givemesomegoodnews on his outside while setting an opening quarter-mile fraction of 23.24 in the showery weather. Givemesomegoodnews pursued doggedly but never got any closer while Storm Boot Gold clocked the half-mile in 47.06 and then covered his fifth furlong in a brisk 11.98 seconds, drawing off in the upper stretch following a five-furlong fraction of 59.04. In the final furlong, Vaz allowed his mount to coast to the finish on his own accord, and 14.10-to-1 fourth choice Dirty Martini closed on the outside to beat out Givemesomegoodnews by three-quarters of a length for second-place money.
Twenty-four days earlier, Vaz had been on board Storm Boot Gold for the first time in competition and had piloted him to a second-place effort behind Slippery Slick, who later would win Aqueduct's fifth race on Saturday, a $43,000 restricted N1X allowance at six furlongs. In the interim, trainer Gary Contessa had given the gelding a couple of sharp three-furlong November workouts on Aqueduct's main track, including a 35-flat "bullet" drill on November 7. Storm Boot Gold's front-running victory boosted his earnings by $24,600 to $59,158 and improved his record to 1 - 3 - 2 in eight starts, and it also qualified his breeder, the Sez Who Thoroughbreds of Richard Simon of Aventura, Florida, for a $2,460 breeder award. Simon, who owns Sez Who Thoroughbreds North, LLC in Stillwater, had purchased Storm Boot Gold's multiple stakes-winning dam, Shananie's Light ($218,005), for $70,000 at Keeneland's 1999 November sale in Lexington, Kentucky when she was carrying her first foal, a future winning colt by Defrere.
Storm Boot Gold, who is by the Storm Cat stallion Storm Boot, is the second offspring and second winner produced from Shananie's Light, a route-running daughter of Shananie (who was a multiple stakes-winning son of In Reality) and a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed three-time sprint winner Maggie's Mischief ($120,412). Shananie's Light is closely inbred (2 x 3) to major sire In Reality, who was himself inbred 3 x 3 to War Relic. Brisnet Chart

(11/20) Certifiably Crazy places 2nd in G2 Red Smith - nosed out of 1st stakes win
New York-bred Certifiably Crazy led most of the way in Aqueduct's $150,000 Grade 2 Red Smith Handicap for three-year-olds and up going a three-turn mile and three-eighths on turf Saturday, then fought it out through the stretch with 5.60-to-1 third choice Dreadnaught, missing victory by a nose. The four-year-old gelding, who races for a partnership consisting of Joseph Sweedler's Double S Stable, Kenneth Avanzino, and Adam Wachtel's Wachtel Stable, was the 8.30-to-1 fifth choice among 10 starters in the featured event, for which he had jockey Pablo Fragoso on board for the first time in competition. For a mile he showed the way through the showery weather, but when challenged in the stretch by Dreadnaught, who had unseated his rider in the starting gate prior to the break, Certifiably Crazy did not back off. The two covered their final furlong almost dead even in an impressive 11.65 seconds over the "good" grass course, with Dreadnaught narrowly prevailing at the wire.
Among those finishing behind Certifiably Crazy were New York-bred multiple restricted stakes winner Irish Colonial, who was fourth as the 5.70-to-1 fourth choice; Grade 2 turf winner Dr. Brendler, the 3-to-1 second choice; and Grade 1-winning multi-millionaire Evening Attire, the 2.60-to-1 favorite.
Trained by John DeStefano Jr., Certifiably Crazy increased his earnings by $30,000 to $212,639 off a record of 3 - 9 - 1 in 15 starts and also qualified his owners for an additional $3,000 open race owner award. Homebred Irish Colonial (earnings now $396,155) qualified his owner-breeders, Fred Martin and former Senator Howard Nolan's Blue Sky Farm, for additional owner and breeder awards totaling $1,500. The Red Smith marked Certifiably Crazy's second runner-up finish in a graded stakes on turf -- to go along with his second-placing to multiple Grade 2 winner Stroll in the Grade 3 Calder Derby in October of 2003. The dark bay gelding had been a $2,700 Keeneland September sales yearling in 2001 -- selling 12 days after 9/11 -- and was bred by Duane and Roger Kilbride, who qualified for a $3,000 breeder award. Certifiably Crazy is by the last NYRA Handicap Triple Crown winner, Fit to Fight, and is the first offspring produced from Royal Trips, a Summer Squall mare that raced for Duane Kilbride and is a half-sister to three stakes-placed winners, two of them graded-placed: Dynatar ($149,225) and Emley's Hill ($122,133).

(11/20) Then She Laughs places 2nd in Safely Kept S. - missing by a nose
In another example of how contentious the contingent of New York-bred filly and mare sprinters has become, Vincent Papandrea's Then She Laughs rebounded from her unplaced effort in Belmont's $125,000 restricted Iroquois Handicap on New York Showcase Day to miss winning Aqueduct's Safely Kept Stakes by a nose on Saturday. Sent off the 4.60-to-1 third choice among nine starters in the $61,050 six-furlong event, which was open to three-year-old fillies bred anywhere that had not won a race valued at $50,000 or more, the New York-bred closely pursued and finally collared the pacesetter, 9.40-to-1 fifth choice Ambition Unbridled. Slipping through between her and a tiring Ambition Unbridled was 4.90-to-1 fourth choice Storm Minstrel under two pounds less weight than Then She Laughs, and in the upper stretch it briefly appeared that Storm Minstrel would win decisively -- but Then She Laughs hung right with her. The two reached mid-stretch heads apart with Storm Minstrel setting a five-eighths fraction of 58.24 in the showery weather, and in the final furlong Then She Laughs pulled almost even with her inside rival, missing victory by inches in her first effort under jockey Jorge Chavez. There was a two-length gap back to the third-place finisher, multiple stakes-placed Dreamadreamforme.
Then She Laughs boosted her earnings to $151,200 off a record of 4 - 1 - 3 in 13 starts and also qualified owner Papandrea for an additional $1,221 open race owner award. Trained by Ciresa Martin, the bay filly had scored her first stakes victory in Monmouth's completely unrestricted (no conditions) Miss Woodford Stakes at six furlongs on August 22, which she had won by 2 1/4 lengths. On October 2, she had placed third in Pimlico's $143,000 Grade 3 Safely Kept Breeders' Cup Stakes -- also at six furlongs -- prior to a tiring unplaced effort three weeks later against New York-bred fillies and mares in Belmont's seven-furlong Iroquois Handicap on Showcase Day (October 23).
Bred by the Edition Farm in Hyde Park of Henry and Vivien Malloy of Waccabuc, Then She Laughs is a Distorted Humor filly that had not met her $17,000 reserve at Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale and had been acquired privately by Papandrea. She is the fourth offspring and among four winners produced from multiple stakes-placed winner Dances With Quack ($102,947), by Sovereign Dancer. Edition Farm (through Vivien Malloy) had purchased Dances With Quack for $40,000 at Keeneland's 2001 January mixed sale when she was carrying Then She Laughs. Dances With Quack is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed winner Strike It Smart and is out of multiple stakes winner Quack Call.

(11/19) Peter's Puddles remains undefeated in thriller at Big A.
In what could turn out to be the last turf race of the season at NYRA tracks, 8-state-bred horses had a legitimate chance to win in the last fifty yards, but it was Peter Vangelatos' undefeated homebred, PETER'S PUDDLES, who emerged victorious. The state-bred race for NW-2X condition allowance horses was run at 9-furlongs over the Aqueduct turf course, listed "good", and had a field of 10-horses go to the post. Trainer H. James Bond named the country's leading money winning jockey John Velazquez to ride the three-year-old chestnut colt, who broke from the 8-post position.
True Crimson broke fastest of all and led the field into and around the first turn with Unbridled Drive rating in second position. Buff Naked and Peter's Puddles tracked the leaders in third and fourth, respectively, to the three-quarters reached in 1:15-seconds flat. As the field hit the top of the stretch it was still True Crimson leading the way but he had a host of horses advancing to contest the outcome, stretching eight-wide inside the sixteenth-pole, heads apart and digging down for all their worth as the wire drew near. Winning the thriller by a nose was Peter's Puddles over Lukelynn and Gryffindor in 1:51.4 seconds.
The $27,600 winner's purse qualifies Vangelatos for a $5,520 breeder's award, and boosts Peter's Puddles' lifetime earnings to $79,200 in three-career starts. By Thunder Puddles, Peter's Puddles is out of Ionika, a 100% producer, by Steinlen (GB). The sire of multiple graded stakes winner Thunder Rumble, winner of the 1992 Travers Stakes (Gr.1), Thunder Puddles has 2004 progeny earnings of over $400,000 and stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. His connections qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,932 for today's score. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/19) Succesfully Sweet captures open claimer at Big A.
Richard Simon's homebred SUCCESSFULLY SWEET, who broke her maiden by 8-1/2-lengths in her last outing, dropped into a $60-50,000 open claimer for two-year-old fillies emerged with her second consecutive victory after a long hard-fought battle. Trainer Gary Contessa saddled his second winner of the Friday afternoon card at Aqueduct Racetrack naming journeyman jockey Ariel Smith, who's been aboard in her three-lifetime starts, to ride the bay filly. A field of 8-two-year-old fillies went to the starting gate for the six-furlong race, which was run over a "fast" main track. Successfully Sweet was sent off as the even-money favorite.
Gallant Princess streaked out of the gate to take the lead with Successfully Sweet tracking in second through an opening first quarter reached in 22.4 seconds. As the field approached the top of the stretch, Successfully Sweet raced up to take command as Perfectly Quiet moved into contention. While under a strong drive, Successfully Sweet managed to hold off Perfectly Quiet through the stretch to the wire winning by a half-length at the wire. Gallant Princess held for third-money. Final time was a respectable 1:10.4 seconds.
Successfully Sweet has now banked $56,200 in her first three-starts and qualified Richard Simon for a breeder's award of $2,340 for today's effort in addition to a open owner's award of $2,340. Richard Simon owns Sez Who Thoroughbred farms in both Florida and Stillwater, New York, where Successfully Sweet was foaled.
Sired by the multiple Grade 2-winning Valid Appeal stallion, Successful Appeal, Successfully Sweet is the first winner produced from Princess Meadowlak, a Meadowlake mare who is a half-sister to recent (October 17) Keeneland Grade 3 winner Molto Vita ($357,410) and out of graded winner Princess Polonia ($455,213), by Danzig. Simon had purchased Princess Meadowlak for $18,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 1999 April sale of two-year-olds in training in Ocala, Florida. Brisnet Chart

(11/19) What's Your Point makes clear statement in maiden score
Maggi Moss' WHAT'S YOUR POINT making her third-career start and first without blinkers, easily defeated a field of state-bred two-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack. Entered in a 6-1/2-furlong race run over the main track, listed "fast", What's Your Point, the even-money-favorite, was part of the Gary Contessa trained entry along with stablemate Downtownsundown and broke from the 5-post-position in the 10-horse field. The bay filly, who finished third in both of her previous races, had the services of leading jockey Edgar Prado, who's been winning with over 27% of his mounts.
Lauren's Charm and Sydsational battled head-to-head in the run down the backstretch with Prado guiding What's Your Point on an outside path just behind the leaders. After a half-mile posted in 47.3 seconds, Lauren's Charm and Sydsational were still engaged in a duel before What's Your Point glided up to join the fray at the top of the stretch. As the field straightened for home, Sydsational began to fade leaving a softened up Lauren's Charm in the hopeless position of holding off a revved-up What's Your Point who drew off to win by 2-3/4 going away lengths. Two Toed Sloth closed strongly to finish second by a nose over Lauren's Charm. Final time was 1:19.3 seconds.
Bred by Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds, who qualify for a $2,460 breeder's award, What's Your Point is by Wheaton, out of the Sheikh Albadou (GB) mare, Herrenchiemsee, an allowance winner and half-sister to the stakes-placed multiple allowance winner Zacharov (Cool Victor), who earned $421,158. What's Your Point was purchased as a yearling for only $4,500 at the 2003 August OBS Yearling Sales held in Ocala, Florida. Brisnet Chart

(11/19) Golden Blaise rallies to break maiden at Aqueduct
GOLDEN BLAISE, patiently ridden by journeyman jockey Jose Santos, rallied through the stretch to defeat a field of state-bred maidens, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. Owned by the partnership of Double R Stable, managed by Roger Weiss, Robert Kaufman and James H. Iselin, Golden Blaise is a four year-old chestnut gelding who was making only his fourth-career start and first in 9-months. The one-turn mile affair was run over the main track, listed "fast" and had a field of 12-horses go to the starting gate.
T. Mac led the way onto the main track from the chute reaching the half-mile pole in a reasonable 47.2 seconds. Golden Blaise, who broke well, was taken back at the quarter pole to rate in fifth along the rail. T. Mac led the field around the far turn to the top of the stretch while Golden Blaise saved ground before moving inside of T. Mac in mid-stretch. Under a strong drive, Golden Blaise powered to the front on his way to a 1-3/4-length victory crossing the wire. Howard B finished second and Dave closed for third-money. Final time was 1:38 seconds flat.
Bred by J. I. Racing Inc. (James F. Iselin) and Double R Stables (Roger Weiss), who together qualified for a $5,040 breeder's award, Golden Blaise is by Goldminers Gold, and is out of the Strawberry Road (Aus) mare, Fire Opal, dam of Don't Pinch Me (Vendor) winner of $146,370, and Thebigapple (Abel Prospect) winner of $183,221. The sire, Goldminers Gold, is a multiple stakes winning son of Crafty Prospector and stands at Metropolitan Stud in Pine Plains, New York. Goldminers Gold finished first or second in 9 out of his 11-races and entered stud in 1998. His progeny earnings for 2004 season are over $500,000 to date. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/18) Kings Empress captures open claimer
Hardwicke Stable's homebred, KINGS EMPRESS, making her first start since early March, chased a stubborn Electrical Carlita from gate to wire before finally running by in deep stretch. Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens (The Chief) had the filly sharp as a tack with a series of 4-workouts in a 13-day span, and dropped the filly into an open claiming affair ($50-40,000). Riding the four-year-old bay filly for the first time in her 22-race career was journeyman jockey Javier Castellano. The six-furlong affair was run over a "fast" main track at Aqueduct and had a field of seven-fillies and mares go to the post.
Electrical Carlita opened up a two-length lead in the run down the backstretch and led the field through an opening first half-mile in a snappy 45.1 seconds. Kings Empress tracked in second-position from the outset and still had two-lengths to make up as the field turned for home. Put to a drive, Kings Empress dug in during the stretch run and began to close the gap with each powerful stride before running by Electrical Carlita in deep stretch to win by three-quarter lengths. Quppy closed for third-money. Final time was 1:10.4 seconds.
Bred by Mrs. Elisabeth Jerkens (Hardwicke Stable), who qualified for a $4,460 breeder's award and a $4,460 open owner's award, Kings Empress is by Kings Fiction, and out of the Well Decorated mare, Decorated Empress. Mrs. Jerkens, also, bred and raced the sire, Kings Fiction, a multiple stakes winner, who earned $194,544 in 26-starts before retiring to stud duty at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York from 1997 through 1999. Mrs. Jerkens as owner of Kings Fiction qualified for a $1,638 stallion owner's award bringing the total amount of awards (breeder, owner and stallion owner) she'll receive for today's score to $10,558! Brisnet Chart

(11/18) Graceful Pro breaks maiden at Big A.
GRACEFUL PRO, making her fourth career start and first since September 15th when she finished next to last over the turf, defeated a field of state-bred maiden fillies and mares, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trained by Juliane Brida, the three year-old bay filly is owned by the partnership of Easy Green Stables (Frank Maner), David Greco, Lincoln Miller, Margaret Miller and Dennis Brida. Journeyman jockey Pablo Fragoso, currently listed third in the jockey standings, rode Graceful Pro to victory. A field of 10-fillies and mares went to the starting gate for the six-furlong affair, which was run over a "fast" main track.
Alicia's Song and Graceful Pro hooked up soon after the break and led the field through an opening first quarter in 22.2 seconds and continued to duel to the half-mile pole reached in 46.2 seconds. Graceful Pro took command turning for home, opening up by two-lengths at the eighth-pole and while under a strong drive held on to win by a length crossing the wire. Lookin Swell closed to be second with Eye Stopper finished a half-length back in third-position. Final time was 1:13.4 seconds.
Bred by ownership partner Frank Maner, who qualified for a $4,920 breeder's award, Graceful Pro is by Distinctive Pro, and is out of Gracefully Bold, by Nasty and Bold. The sire, Distinctive Pro, who stood at Howard Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm, was recently pensioned after a successful stallion career siring 43 stakes winners and a like number of stakes-placed runners. A successful sprinter who equaled a track record for six furlongs at Hialeah, Distinctive Pro sired New York grade I-winning filly Quick Mischief and nine other graded stakes winners. Quick Mischief won the 1990 Ruffian Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park and the 1992 John A. Morris Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga. Another of Distinctive Pro's daughters, Bodacious Tatas, won the 1989 Molly Pitcher Handicap (gr. II) at Monmouth Park. Bred by Aisco Stable, Distinctive Pro won eight of 13 races and earned $179,187. Distinctive Pro is represented by 43 current 2-year-olds, 26 yearlings, and the career earners of over $35.2 million. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/18) Logical Art Form takes Big A nightcap
Paraneck Stable's homebred, LOGICAL ART FORM, making her second career start and first sporting blinkers, responded when asked at the top of the stretch to defeat state-bred maiden fillies and mares. Trainer Jennifer Pedersen named jockey Alan Garcia to ride the three-year-old bay filly, who is from the first foal crop of Breeder's Cup Sprint Champion Artax, who returns to New York State next season where he'll stand at Metropolitan Stud in Pine Plains. A field of 9-fillies and mares went post-ward for Aqueduct Racetrack's finale, which was run at six-furlongs over a "fast" strip.
Logical Art Form and Randamm raced through an opening first quarter in 22.3 seconds and half-mile in 46.3 seconds. The field was tightly bunched turning for home with Logical Art Form under heavy pressure from all sides but responded willingly when put to a drive and drew off to win by two-lengths under the wire. Vermont Summer finished second and Brassy Kitten finished a nose in front of Rather Bee Good for third-money. Final time was 1:13 seconds flat. Bred by the partnership of Harry L. Landry, John Clarke and Mr. and Mrs. James Weaver, who together qualify for a $4,920 breeder's award, Logical Art Form is out of the Nasty and Bold mare, Labiblica, a stakes-placed multiple allowance winner of $117,557. The sire, Artax, stood at Center Brook Farm in Climax, New York during the 2000 breeding season before moving to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky for seasons 2001 through 2004. Today's score qualifies Mr. Paragallo for a $1,722 stallion owner's award. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart

(11/17) Lycense to Win charges through stretch for maiden victory
Team Five Star Stable's LYCENSE TO WIN, part of the Dominic Galluscio trained entry along with stablemate The Wind Chiller, closed a ton through the stretch to register his first career victory. Facing a field of state-bred maiden two year-old colts, Lycense to Win was ridden by Cornelio Velasquez. The seven-furlong race was run over a fast main strip at Aqueduct Racetrack and had a field of 9-colts and geldings go to the starting gate. Purchased as a yearling for $13,000 by Team Five Star Stable, Lycense to Win was making his fourth-career start. Team Five Star Stable is a racing partnership managed by Herb Oster.
The overwhelming 4-5 favorite Brother Scott, racing for the first time since July 11th, went to the front shortly after the break and led the field through an opening first half-mile in 46.1 seconds. Brother Scott turned for home with a commanding six-length lead as Lycense to Win raced in fifth-position before beginning to cut into the margin through the stretch and caught the tiring Brother Scott in the shadow of the wire for the score. Meet My Buddy was another half-length back in third-position. Final time was 1:26.1 seconds.
Bred by David Cassidy, who qualified for a $4,920 breeder's award, Lycense to Win is by Lycius (Mr. Prospector) and first foal out of Sookloozy, by Avenue of Flags. Sookloozy is out of the stakes winner and stakes producer Regal Air (Olympiad King). The sire, Lycius stands at Anne Morgan and Tim Little's Mill Creek Farm in Saratoga Springs and has progeny earnings of over $1.2-million in 2004 and over $12.5-million lifetime. Lycius' most recent stakes winners include Coney Kitty, winner of the Hillsborough Stakes - Gr.3, and the Omnibus Stakes, and Bourbon N Blues, winner of the Prank Call Stakes. With 10-crops of racing age, Lycius has sired 28-stakes winners, of which 12 were graded stakes races. Hypo-Mating | Brisnet Chart (Notice: Our apologies for errors in previous text. The corrected text reads as follows: Team Five Star Stable is a racing partnership managed by Herb Oster.)

(11/17) Hurricane Hannah prevails in state-bred allowance at Big A.
Barry K. Schwartz' homebred, HURRICANE HANNAH, survived a contentious opening first quarter to beat a field of state-bred fillies and mares in a NW-2X allowance condition race, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. Trainer Mike Hushion named leading jockey Edgar Prado to ride the talented three-year-old bay filly, who was making her 9th-career start. Eight horses went to the post for the six-furlong race, which was run over the main track, listed "fast", with Hurricane Hannah the lukewarm 9-5 betting favorite.
Six horses vied for the early lead with Hurricane Hannah forging to the front after a contentious first quarter reached in 22-seconds flat. Schemer tried to keep pace while racing second and Nevaeh rated in third position but it was Hurricane Hannah who had a neck lead past the half-mile pole reached in a snappy 45.2 seconds. As the field turned for home, Hurricane Hannah opened up by two-lengths but Just Gabi was just beginning to rally down the middle of the track as she cut into the lead. Under solid urging by Prado, Hurricane Hannah managed to fight off Just Gabi's challenge by a desperate neck crossing the wire. Twinkie Zone closed to finished third. Final time was 1:11.1 seconds.
Bred by Schwartz at his beautiful Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, New York, Hurricane Hannah is by Southern Halo, and the third foal out of the graded stakes winning Pentelicus mare, How About Now, winner of the 1996 running of the Schuylerville Stakes - Gr. 3 at Saratoga Race Course. Hurricane Hannah has never been off the board (1-2-3) in her 9-starts and today's purse earnings of $27,000 elevates her lifetime earnings over the century mark to $120,400 and qualified Schwartz for a $2,700 breeder's award. Brisnet Chart

Photo by Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

(11/14) Tax the Queen tallies by 7 1/2 in 9F allowance
Paraneck Stable's homebred TAX THE QUEEN seems to be making a career out of dominating off-the-turf contests, having won twice under those circumstances within the past 46 days, including her latest effort in Aqueduct's seventh race on Sunday, a $44,000 restricted N1X allowance for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up. Sent off the 5.70-to-1 fourth choice among 10 starters in the mile and an eighth contest with jockey Alan Garcia race-riding her for the third consecutive time, the three-year-old filly broke from the inside post and raced in hand and close to the pace until about the three-eighths pole. Leading the way through three-quarters was 23.90-to-1 eighth choice Scarlet Billows, as Tax the Queen rallied next the rail on the second turn and prematurely switched to her right lead, prompting Garcia to pull hard on his left rein to keep his mount from bearing out excessively. Tax the Queen switched back to her left lead while still on the turn, came wide, and once in the stretch was again back on her right lead, easily overtaking Scarlet Billows and opening up a three-length advantage at mid-stretch before drifting out and lurching back to her left lead. Despite all of the lightly raced filly's lead-switching antics and disinclination to maintain a straight course through the stretch, she still was 7 1/2 lengths ahead of second-place-finisher Scarlet Billows at the wire, with the latter placing eight lengths ahead of 2.30-to-1 favorite Lightning Lyla.
The victory was worth $26,400 in purse money, boosting Tax the Queen's earnings in five starts to $56,241, and it also qualified the Paraneck Stallions of her owner-breeder, Ernie Paragallo of Lloyds Neck, for additional breeder ($5,280) and stallion ($1,848) awards totaling $7,128. Tax the Queen's trainer is Jennifer Pedersen, who had given the dark bay filly two workouts at Aqueduct, including a five-furlong "bullet" drill a week earlier on November 7, following the filly's third-place effort going a mile and a sixteenth at Belmont on October 21. Tax the Queen had broken her maiden by 2 1/4 lengths in an off-the-turf one-turn mile restricted maiden special at Belmont on September 30, which had been her second career start.
Paragallo, whose businesses include computer software and investment banking, also has raced 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Unbridled's Song and 1999 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and Eclipse Champion Sprinter Artax (Marquetry - Raging Apalachee, by Apalachee), who is the sire of Tax the Queen. Another Paraneck Stable New York homebred three-year-old filly sired by Artax and trained by Pedersen is Say Hey Willie, who about 23 hours prior to Tax the Queen's Sunday victory had captured Aqueduct's Saturday nightcap allowance (also a restricted N1X contest) by 3 1/4 lengths going six furlongs. Tax the Queen, Say Hey Willie, and 2004 Grade 1 winner Friendly Michelle ($399,294) are among 28 New York-conceived winners from the first crop of Artax, who was syndicated following his 2000 season, when he had stood as the property of Paraneck Stallions at Center Brook Farm in Climax. Artax has sired a total of 36 winners from his two-year-old and three-year-old crops through early November and has been moved to stand the 2005 season at Metropolitan Stud (managed by Michael and Debra Lischin) in Pine Plains for a fee of $10,000, live foal.
Tax the Queen is the first offspring produced from Find the Queen, a turf sprint-winning daughter of Lost Code (by Codex) who is a half-sister to graded-placed five-time route winner Phone the King ($320,587). Her maternal granddam (second dam), Gale the Queen, is a winning daughter of pensioned New York stallion Dr. Blum and a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire King's Swan ($1,924,845). A Hypo-Mating check of Tax the Queen's pedigree reveals that she is inbred 4 x 4 to Dr. Fager; Say Hey Willie, interestingly enough, is inbred 3 x 4 to Dr. Fager, who is the sire of Artax's maternal granddam. Brisnet Chart

(11/14) Connectivity connects off 4-wide rally to break maiden
In his first start off an 87-day layoff with Victor Fernandez race-riding him for the first time, Foxwood's homebred CONNECTIVITY rallied four wide from eighth place to win Aqueduct's Sunday seven-furlong opener for New York-bred maidens, three-year-olds and up, scoring by three-quarters of a length on a "good" track. The three-year-old gelding was the 8.10-to-1 fifth choice among 10 starters in the $41,000 restricted maiden special and had never tried seven furlongs prior to his latest previous start, which had been an unplaced off-the-turf effort at Saratoga on August 19. Although eighth after the opening quarter-mile, Connectivity was only 3 3/4 lengths behind the pacesetter, 6.50-to-1 third choice Quayle, as the tightly-packed field entered the turn, and he advanced four wide approaching the stretch to improve his position from seventh at the quarter pole to third at mid-stretch. In the final furlong, the bay gelding overtook the two remaining rivals ahead of him, 59-to-1 ninth choice Gina's Star and a fading Quayle, and withstood the outside charge of 43-to-1 eighth choice Slow Signal, who closed strongly after surviving a stumbling start and an early outside bumping. Gina's Star finished a nose behind Slow Signal in third place, helping to produce a $2 trifecta that paid $6,442.
Owned by Judith Dunham's Foxwood and trained by Bob Dunham, who had given him six workouts at Aqueduct from September 12 to November 10 in preparation for his return to competition, Connectivity increased his earnings by $24,600 to $51,921 and improved his record to 1 - 1 - 2 in 16 starts. The May-foaled three-year-old also collectively qualified his breeders, Foxwood in partnership with Nick Polydoros, for an additional $4,920 breeder award. Another beneficiary of Connectivity's Sunday victory was the partnership that had owned his formerly New York-based sire, the Danzig stallion Crimson Guard, at the time of Connectivity's conception at Jerry Herron's Cobble Creek Farm in Valatie, since that partnership qualified for a $1,722 stallion award.
Connectivity's New York-bred winning half-siblings include fast-and-wet-track winner Connecting ($109,090 through 2003). His three-time route-winning dam, Interrupta, by Stop the Music, is a half-sister to Brazilian multiple Group 2 winner Kentucky by Eight and to six-time stakes winner River Wild ($350,183). Foxwood and Polydoros have bred all of the offspring produced from Interrupta, whom they had acquired privately following the conclusion of the mare's racing career as a five-year-old in 1995. Brisnet Chart

(11/14) T. M. Frank dons blinkers and takes shortest route to maiden win
Wearing blinkers and race-ridden by Edgar Prado -- both for the first time -- four-year-old T. M. FRANK scored victory in his third start off a layoff in Aqueduct's fourth race on Sunday for New York-bred maiden three-year-olds and up going seven furlongs, leading most of the way from his rail position. Three weeks earlier, the dark bay gelding whose owners are Joan and Cardona Nicholetti and Julia Carmen had finished seventh going six furlongs at Belmont, but 10 days after that effort, trainer Ramon (Mike) Hernandez had given the New York-bred a moderate half-mile workout on Belmont's training track. With that workout indicating continued fitness and the addition of Prado and blinkers also enhancing T. M. Frank's appeal, the wagering public made the gelding the 3.65-to-1 second choice among 11 starters and was not disappointed when he vied for the lead almost immediately from his