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Ranks of NY-bred older runners and 3yos both have strength and depth by Rab Hagin
The last-to-first victory on Belmont's meet-closing Saturday (July 22) by Hardwicke Stable's homebred SPITE THE DEVIL ($841,919) in the $110,700 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-breds highlighted the strength of the state-bred older divisions, but July's third full week also showcased several emerging New York-bred three-year-olds. Graded winner Spite the Devil, who has now won five stakes over four successive seasons for the Hardwicke Stable of his breeder, Elisabeth Jerkens, recorded one of the nine highest Bloodstock Research Information Services (BRIS) stakes-winning speed ratings of the week. His 1:43.79 nine-furlong clocking on Belmont mud produced a 109 figure that exceeded the ratings posted by Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo while winning Del Mar's Grade 2 San Diego Handicap and Union Avenue in Arlington Park's Grade 2 American Derby -- even though the latter two both fought to close-margin victories. The day before (Friday, July 21) at Colonial Downs, David Johnson's and Greg Pyle's New York-bred three-year-old filly, HEATHERSDADDYSBABY, successfully moved into open allowance competition with her fourth victory of 2006, capturing a N1X contest for fillies and mares going a mile and an eighth on turf. Sent out by trainer David Rose and ridden for the first time in competition by jockey Luis Garcia, the dark bay had never gone as far as nine furlongs previously and had not won at longer than seven furlongs and was the overlooked 14.50-to-1 fifth choice among six starters. Her decisive drawing-clear one-length victory improved her overall record to five wins (three on dirt and the most recent two on turf) by a total of more than 20 lengths plus three third-place efforts in 12 starts. Heathersdaddysbaby had been purchased by trainer Rose for $3,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2005 April sale of two-year-olds in training. Bred by James Vena, she is by New York-based stallion Badge and is the third multiple winner produced from Bonzo's Baldski, who is by Baldski and is a half-sister to Grade 2 NYRA winner Dice Dancer ($404,492). Three-year-old winners of restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming races going a one-turn mile at Belmont (dirt or turf) on Wednesday and Thursday, July 19 and 20, were turf filly REWRITE and main track colt ALWAYS ALBERT on Wednesday and main track filly KARAKORUM STARLET on Thursday. Rewrite, a homebred for Kathy Johnson's Amherst Stable trained by Christophe Clement, romped to her third victory by more than two lengths on Belmont turf and under jockey Mike Smith in 75 days, winning by 2-3/4 lengths at odds-on (.65-to-1) among nine wagering interests and 10 starters. The daughter of Editor's Note and Amherst Stable's winning graded-placed Fickle Friends ($254,130 and half-sister to Amherst Stable's 2002 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Volponi) is unbeaten in 2006 and undefeated on turf, having started just once as a juvenile in an awkward, unplaced off-the-turf effort. Always Albert, a homebred for the My Meadowview Farm of Louise Riggio conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Nicholas Zito, scored his second consecutive Belmont victory under jockey Kent Desormeaux in 32 days, improving his record -- all in 2006 -- to three wins and one third-placing in six starts. The son of $3-million-plus-earner Albert the Great -- by New York-conceived Kentucky Derby winner Go for Gin -- was the 3.15-to-1 second choice among seven wagering interests and eight starters in his winning effort. Karakorum Starlet, another Desormeaux-ridden back-to-back Belmont winner in a 32-day span, cruised home by 8-1/4 lengths at odds-on (.95-to-1) among nine starters to improve her record to three wins and two seconds in eight starts for the Karakorum Farm of racing partnerships managed by William DiScala of Staten Island. Bred by Jim Jam Thoroughbreds and Marvin Little Jr. and purchased for $13,000 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 2004 October yearling sale, the Jeff Odintz- trained filly is the fifth offspring and fifth winner produced from her sprint-and-route-winning New York-bred dam, Amaryllis, by Cormorant. Her three victories -- all at Belmont over a 10-week span -- have been scored by margins totaling 25-1/2 lengths. Daylight-margin filly/mare winners of restricted N1X allowance races at Belmont on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were three-year-old LOVELY DREAM going 6-1/2 furlongs on Thursday, five-year-old INTER GALACTIC ($168,663) going a mile and an eighth on turf on Friday, and three-year-old TOWERING ESCAPE going a one-turn mile on Saturday. Lovely Dream, a $220,000 purchase at the OBS 2005 February sale of two-year-olds at Calder by Oklahoma oilman John Oxley, scored gate-to-wire by 2-3/4 lengths at odds-on (.25-to-1) despite a stumbling start, as the Lakland North-foaled filly successfully came off a 16-3/4-length Belmont maiden special win 32 days earlier. Inter Galactic, a homebred racing for Dr. Zacarias Aragon and Frank Vicari's Canolli Stables, rallied from last-to-first to win by 2-1/2 lengths as the 21.40-to-1 seventh choice among eight wagering interests and nine starters, improving her record to 4 - 3 - 4 in 34 starts. Towering Escape, Albert Fried Jr.'s odds-on (.55-to-1) homebred, coasted to a 21-3/4-length "laugher" in an off-the-turf contest that had six scratches and marked her first effort beyond six furlongs since her debut on turf 11 months earlier, improving her never-worse-than-fourth record to 2 - 1 - 2 in seven starts. Another favored New York homebred three-year-old filly winner at Belmont was Lewis Lakin's INTERPRETATION, who won a mile and a sixteenth turf contest by daylight on Wednesday and was claimed for $40,000 by trainer John DeStefano Jr. on behalf of the Double S Stable of Joseph Sweedler of Westport, Connecticut. The only runner -- all three-year-old fillies -- claimed out of the contest, Interpretation was bred by Lakin in partnership with Becky Thomas and was foaled at her breeders' Lakland North, LLC in Hudson. The daughter of Lakland North-based stallion Freud improved her record to 3 - 1 - 2 in 10 starts, which includes a restricted maiden special victory going a main track mile at Belmont last September and an open N1X allowance score going a mile and a sixteenth on Calder turf in December. Interpretation also had placed third in Belmont's open off-the-turf Miss Grillo Stakes at a mile and an eighth last October, so she already has stakes-placed black-type as well as eligibility for a plethora of opportunities (restricted N2X allowance, New York Stallion Stakes series, etc.) in the future. New York-bred open allowance winners at Finger Lakes on Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22 were: MOST DARING for her second career win in two starts within just 10 days, and JACKIES DREAM (sired by Rizzi) under top weight, both on Friday; and FRANKIE PEPPERS gate-to-wire, on Saturday. Restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, July 21 through Monday, July 24 were: TOORA LOORA MUKORA ($114,790) under top weight for his third win in 76 days and fourth career victory, on Friday; DOCSTAR by eight lengths for her fourth victory as half of an odds-on entry that ran one-two, on Saturday; HOOSICK FALLS in a front-running effort at odds-on for her second win in six weeks and sixth career victory in 14 starts, on Sunday; and homebred-and-trained MIIGHTY ANNIE R. (sired by Mighty Magee) by 4-1/2 lengths at odds-on to improve her already-impressive record to 7 - 2 - 2 in 12 starts and increasing her cumulative winning margins to 35-3/4 lengths, on Monday. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 25 included: SPEEDER at Suffolk Downs for his seventh career victory, on Wednesday; SECOND TIME CLEVER from last-to-first by two lengths at Northlands Park to improve his record to 4 - 2 - 3 in 15 starts, TONY'S GIRL at Mountaineer Park for her second win of 2006 and improving her record to 6 - 4 - 5 in 28 starts, STAGE THREE ($171,653) to improve his already durable record to 14 - 14 - 5 in 56 starts, and homebred RIVERVALE -- all on Friday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; MARLIN BAY (sired by Badge) at Suffolk Downs for her fifth career victory, VERMONT SUMMER gate-to-wire under top weight despite a bobbled start for her second consecutive win in 22 days and fourth career victory, homebred NATIVE RHYTHM ($173,653) for his second win of 2006 and improving his record to 6 - 7 - 3 in 40 starts, WORLD DIPLOMAT by two lengths, WOODMAN COPY by five lengths for his second big-margin win in 12 days and claimed -- all on Saturday and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; POLISH JEWEL (sired by Polish Pro) by 4-1/2 lengths at Charles Town for his third win of 2006 and improving his stakes-placed record to 10 - 17 - 6 in 53 starts with earnings of $260,799 and one of three starters claimed, FORTH READING by 2-1/4 lengths at Philadelphia Park for his second daylight-margin win of 2006, GOLDMART GEM (sired by Prime Timber) by 3-1/4 lengths at Fort Erie for her second consecutive big-margin win in 27 days, AMARETTO (sired by Ormsby) by 4-1/4 lengths for her fifth win, homebred CASH ME OUT (sired by Take Me Out) for his second consecutive win in 12 days, ETERNAL GLITTER for his fourth win, stakes winner RB'S GLITTER ($148,013) at odds-on, HELLO KARAKORUM ($148,425) at odds-on for her second consecutive win in two weeks and improving her record to 8 - 3 - 4 in 26 starts -- all on Sunday and the last-named five at Finger Lakes; TOUGH TO FOLLOW regaining a late lead at Delaware Park to score his second win of 2006, CAPTAIN SMITH ($116,239) at Mountaineer Park for his first tally on turf, KICKS ARE FOR KIDS coming from far back at odds of 30.50-to-1 at Thistledown to score his first sprint victory, GAME LADY by three lengths gate-to-wire for her second win in seven weeks and fifth career victory, MOSTVALUABLEPLAYER by 2-1/4 lengths for his second big-margin win in 57 days, WATRALSOUTHERNCURE ($117,235) by 12-1/4 lengths easily at odds-on, and QUAYLE for his second win in two weeks and third career victory -- all on Monday and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; JUST FINE from last-to-first by three lengths going four-wide at Assiniboia Downs, JUST GABI ($163,498) at Delaware Park for her third daylight-margin win of 2006 and fifth career victory and claimed back by her breeder for whom she had most recently won on May 16, CHEQ'S A COMIN at Suffolk Downs for his second win in seven weeks and third career victory, STRIDER'S ROCKET ($128,311) by 5-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire to improve his mostly route-running record to 18 - 4 - 10 in 60 starts, and SKEE LOVE (sired by Manlove) by 3-3/4 lengths under co-topweight for her second win by three or more lengths in 18 days and third career victory -- all on Tuesday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 25 included: Homebred two-year-old SMOKIN LU by 3-1/2 lengths in his debut despite breaking from the outside post among 10 starters and getting off slowly to go four wide, two-year-old ALRIGHT NOW (sired by Freud) by 6-3/4 lengths at odds-on in his debut despite being bumped at the start and having to rally four-wide on the turn and looking well worth his $175,000 yearling sales price at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky in July of 2005, and GULCH FEVER in his third career start -- all at Belmont on Wednesday; two-year-old filly ACQUIRED CAT by six lengths leading at all calls in her debut going six furlongs on turf -- but out of a route-winning dam who is inbred 3 x 4 to stamina stalwart Ribot -- and ONE GOODKNIGHT with blinkers on for the first time -- both at Belmont on Thursday; homebred WILDMAN WESLEY by 3-1/4 lengths at odds-on, homebred DO IT NOW MISSY by seven lengths in her third start, and COUNTRY SMART by 5-1/2 lengths after having placed second three consecutive times in May and June -- all at Finger Lakes on Friday; CATS ME LATER by 2-1/2 lengths at Finger Lakes on Saturday; two-year-old FREUD'S CURE (sired by Freud) in his debut at Northlands Park and the first of two New York-bred maiden-breakers at that track on Sunday, GINNYSEA at Northlands Park on Sunday, homebred SWEET RIZZI (sired by Rizzi) in her second start despite being slow to load into the gate and homebred I L BRODY -- both at Finger Lakes on Sunday; two-year-old STORM'S A COMIN (sired by Gold Fever) in a front-running debut at Mountaineer Park, homebred LYCEUM (sired by Lycius) at Philadelphia Park, and MAYOR FREDDIE in a Colonial Downs turf sprint despite breaking from the outside post among 11 starters and having to race at least three-to-four-wide around the turn -- all on Monday; MIDNIGHT VICE from last-to-first by four lengths at Fort Erie with blinkers on for the first time, two-year-old MYSTERIOUS KEY (sired by Key Contender) in her debut while racing mostly in the four-path, and homebred SHORT WAVE in a front-running performance -- all on Tuesday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes. |
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Samsincharge shows her speed in Rogues Walk by Rab Hagin
In only the third sprint of her 17-start career and her first outing at less than a mile in 13 months, Robert Cohen's homebred SAMSINCHARGE scored a front-running 3-1/2-length victory in Saratoga's seven-furlong Rogues Walk Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares on the Spa's opening-day Wednesday card. The June-foaled four-year-old filly was coming off two frustrating efforts in restricted nine-furlong turf races at Belmont and was dismissed as the 11.70-to-1 fifth choice among eight starters in the $72,500 Rogues Walk with jockey Pablo Fragoso on board for the second time in 11 days. She broke quickly from the sixth post and flashed sufficient early speed to gain the lead and the rail position in the opening quarter-mile and thereafter simply refused to give up either advantage even though 2.35-to-1 second choice Judy Soda pressured her through at least a half-mile. Fragoso, who had never ridden Samsincharge in competition prior to her latest previous outing on July 15, acknowledged that he simply recognized an advantageous situation and capitalized on it, pointing out that he, "wasn't instructed to go to the front, but I watched the earlier races. "They gave me the inside, and I took it," continued Fragoso. "She did it easily, and went (when) I asked her; she gave me everything she had." Samsincharge's crucial first stakes victory boosted her earnings by $43,500 to over $200K at $208,296 and improved her record to 5 - 4 - 2 in 17 starts, which includes a third-placing against open stakes company in Belmont's one-turn mile (off-the-turf) Thirty Flags Stakes three starts earlier on May 17. Trained by Heriberto Cedano, the New York-bred also qualified her owner-breeder, Cohen, for an additional $8,700 breeder award, and Cohen indicated that the bay filly's connections now have a better assessment of her talents: "She's a really nice filly," Cohen confirmed. "We thought she was going to be more of a distance filly rather than a sprinter, based on some of her previous races. But we were wrong. It was nice to see her sprint out there and open up at the end. Also, being that she was bred by my own mare (Wagers Delight) makes this more special. Right now, we are going to keep her sprinting against open company." Sired by the late New York stallion and Grade 1-winning miler Dixie Brass, Samsincharge is a half-sister to four New York-bred winners, including stakes-placed filly Sam's In Control ($131,136), and she also is a half-sister to the unraced dam of New York-bred stakes-placed winner Robbie's Rockin ($194,209 through 2005). Her dam, Chilean Group 1 winner Wagers Delight, by Worldwatch (by Nijinsky II), has spent her entire breeding career in New York, having arrived in the Empire State in the early 1990s. The opening day of Saratoga's six-week 2006 season -- with a record all-sources handle of more than $15.5-million, a record opening day on-track handle of $3,789,795 on Saratoga races, and an enthusiastic crowd of 27,346 -- featured excellent efforts by a couple of other New York-breds as well. In the fourth race on the card, a restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contest for three-year-olds and up, Invictus Farm's three-year-old SILVER TIMBER broke the turf course record for 5-1/2 furlongs, clocking 1:01.34 to better the record that had been set in 2005 by a five-year-old under less weight. In the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes for two-year-old fillies going six furlongs, Zayat Stables' New York-bred Chief Officer led early in her first stakes outing and held on to place third among eight in that $111,300 opening day feature. |
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Spite the Devil again makes outside closing charge in Evan Shipman by Rab Hagin
(7/22) Going a one-turn route at Belmont in a nearly-full field with a decent early pace assured and substantial purse money available, Hardwicke Stable's homebred SPITE THE DEVIL cannot be overlooked, and in Saturday's $110,700 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-breds going a mile and a sixteenth, he showed why. Somehow allowed to slip off as the 9.70-to-1 sixth choice among nine starters with his favorite jockey, Javier Castellano, on board for the 11th -- and fourth consecutive -- time, the six-year-old gelding broke from the outside post and dropped back to last while five-wide after a half-mile. Exiting the turn, he launched his patented outside charge that carried him to within a length and a half of mid-stretch leader and 2.50-to-1 favorite Organizer with a furlong to go on the muddy and sealed track, and at the wire the late-running gelding was a length in front. It was Spite the Devil's fifth stakes victory in four consecutive stakes-winning seasons, boosting his earnings by $66,420 to $841,919 and improving his record to 8 - 6 - 6 in 43 starts. The durable campaigner had won the 2004 Evan Shipman and since then has also captured the 2004 and 2005 renewals of Belmont's $250,000 Empire Classic on New York Showcase Day -- both times under Castellano and coming from far back with relentless outside charges. Castellano had first ridden the Hardwicke Stable standard-bearer to victory in a restricted N1X allowance at Belmont in November of 2002. As a three-year-old in 2003, Spite the Devil had been the first of the top-three finishers from the 2002 New York Showcase Day's Sleepy Hollow Stakes to win a graded stakes, overcoming a stumbling and bumpy start to win Aqueduct's Grade 3 Withers (mile) Stakes. An hour later, future Eclipse Champion Funny Cide -- to whom Spite the Devil had placed second by a hard-fought neck in the 2002 Sleepy Hollow (under Castellano) -- had won the Kentucky Derby, and within three weeks Go Rockin' Robin had won Belmont's Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes by six lengths. Funny Cide ($3,432,628), whose graded victories after the Derby included the Grade 1 Preakness and Jockey Club Gold Cup (at Belmont in 2004), won Woodbine's Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes on July 1, making this July another banner month for the first two finishers in the 2002 Sleepy Hollow. Spite the Devil was bred by Elisabeth Jerkens of Bellrose, who races under the banner of Hardwicke Stable and whose husband, Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens, conditions the New York-bred and also had sent out the winner of the 1995 Evan Shipman, Patsyprospect. Allen Jerkens, who had given Spite the Devil a pair of solid five-furlong workouts 10 days apart at Belmont on July 8 and 18, last fall had dismissed the dark bay gelding's ability on wet tracks, saying, "He's never been much of a mud horse." Two of Spite the Devil's five stakes victories -- in the 2005 Empire Classic (sloppy and sealed) and the 2006 Evan Shipman -- have been scored on wet tracks. Sired by five-time Grade 1 winner Devil His Due, whom Allen Jerkens also trained, Spite the Devil is the first of four consecutive winners -- three of them six-figure earners -- produced from Samantha D, a Cryptoclearance mare and Philadelphia Park winner at a two-turn mile and 70 yards as a three-year-old. Samantha D's half-sisters include the dams of stakes winners Tempus Fugit ($344,471) and Scootin' Girl ($147,103) and multiple stakes-placed winner Chippewa Trail ($195,316 through 2005). The seven-time stakes-winning dam of Samantha D is Mid-Atlantic five-furlong turf specialist and record-setter Cuca's Lady ($350,460). Prior to breaking her maiden, future graded stakes producer Samantha D had been claimed by Hardwicke Stable for $10,000 at Delaware Park as a three-year-old in June of 1998. Spite the Devil was foaled and raised at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. |
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NY-breds won/placed in stakes around the globe during mid-July frenzy by Rab Hagin
The 5-1/2-length gate-to-wire romp under top weight by Paul Saylor's FLEET INDIAN ($1,104,513) in the $1,001,200 Delaware Handicap on Sunday put her photo on the cover of The Blood-Horse's July 22 edition after she already had graced Daily Racing Form's July 16 front page in anticipation of her victory. For other New York-breds, there was a slew of on-the-board stakes finishes during mid-July in 10 additional stakes from Italy to New York to Minnesota and to Manitoba, Canada -- half of those stakes being outside state-bred company. In Naples, Italy a few hours prior to Fleet Indian's sixth consecutive win, Scuderia Quattro Mori's New York-bred five-year-old DREAM IMPACT (about $260,000) set a course record of 56-flat in the five-furlong Premio Citta di Napoli -- an event which he also had captured in 2005. At Belmont on Wednesday, July 12, Tracy Farmer's Grade 1-winning COMMENTATOR ($750,412) returned to action following a 10-month absence because of shin problems to win Belmont's 6-1/2-furlong Mugatea Stakes for New York-breds by 6-1/4 lengths and appears to have a whole range of opportunities -- sprinting or routing -- ahead of him. At Finger Lakes on Saturday, Sanford Goldfarb's, Ira Davis's, Michael Glassberg's, and William Vidro's FEROCIOUS WON $259,797) showed he was the real deal by winning the $177,600 New York Derby -- second leg of The OTBs' Big Apple Triple -- by a convincing length and three-quarters. No horse has ever swept the Triple (Belmont's seven-furlong Mike Lee on June 25, the mile and a sixteenth New York Derby, and Saratoga's mile and an eighth Albany on August 23) -- for which a $250,000 bonus is payable to the owner of the three-year-old that can pull it off. Ferocious Won's suspected distance limitation now seems to be less of an impediment to sweeping the series. On the same Saturday card as the New York Derby, owner-trainer Charlton Baker's JOHNIE BYE NIGHT ($176,285) boosted his winning streak to four (the last three in stakes) and his record to 6 - 1 - 0 in nine starts with a 2-1/4-length top-weighted tally in the six-furlong Leon Reed Memorial Handicap. Twenty-seven days earlier, the versatile four-year-old gelding had captured Finger Lakes' mile and an eighth Wadsworth Memorial Handicap by 6-1/4 lengths against open company. New York Minute: Three of the 16 highest Bloodstock Research and Information Services (BRIS) speed ratings for last week's stakes races were registered by New York-breds. Commentator (113) was tied among two for first, Fleet Indian (109) was tied among three for third, and Johnie Bye Night (103) was among the top 16. Also on Saturday, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's New York homebred ON THE BUS ($333,341) won Belmont's restricted Irish Actress Stakes at a mile and an eighth on turf by a length and three-quarters as the 14.70-to-1 fifth choice among 10 fillies and mares, impressively covering her final furlong in 11.98. On Sunday, New York Thoroughbred Breeders' (NYTB) 2005 Champion Turf Male CERTIFIABLY CRAZY ($423,875) won Belmont's restricted Draw Shot Stakes at a mile and an eighth on turf for the Double S Stable of Joseph Sweedler of Westport, Connecticut, which apparently is now his sole owner. New York-breds placing in open (to horses bred anywhere) stakes events over the July 15-16 weekend were the following: Ervin Rodriguez's Big Apple Daddy ($398,756), third in Belmont's Grade 2 Tom Fool Handicap; Tom Pearson's Nooligan ($169,983), second in Canterbury Park's $100,000 Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes on Saturday; Emile and Aime Corbel's, Sharon Campbell's, and L. Carter's 2006 stakes winner Quick Witted, second in Assiniboia Downs' Derby Trail Stakes under co-topweight on Sunday; and Encore Stables' still-maiden (but placed in both her starts) two-year-old filly Out for Glory, third in Assiniboia Downs' Debutante Stakes on Saturday. New York Minute: 41 New York-breds have won or placed (second or third) in 2006 stakes events open to horses bred anywhere through July 16 -- registering a total of 68 on-the-board stakes finishes through that date. New York-bred open allowance winners from Saturday, July 15, Sunday, July 16, and Tuesday, July 18 included: Suzann Bobley's and Joan O'Brien's THECONFIDENCEMAN ($154,532) under top weight in an open N1X allowance at Belmont on Sunday, covering six furlongs on turf in 1:09.14 and improving his record to 4 - 3 - 3 in 20 starts; Ben Mondello's and John Toscano III's WHATATROPHY RACK going gate-to-wire in N1X competition at Charles Town on Sunday for her third consecutive win and fourth career victory; Lois Roth's EIGHT MADISON ROAD (sired by Reign Road) as the 70.90-to-1 last choice among 10 fillies and mares in a one-mile N1X turf allowance at Philadelphia Park on Saturday -- and among three New York-bred winners on that card -- with New York-bred Lick the Spoon (sired by Lycius) placing third; and William Hackney's SNOWMAN coming off a 6-1/2-month layoff to score his second gate-to-wire victory in four starts in a non-winners-of-two allowance at Mountaineer Park on Tuesday evening, July 18. When New York-bred ODESSA STAR was introduced to Wolverhampton's all-weather track in England on June 9 in her first 2006 outing, she won decisively and was claimed for 10,000 pounds sterling, and at Kempton on Wednesday she tallied by 2-1/2 lengths to boost her record on all-weather tracks to two-for-two. In her Wolverhampton maiden-breaking victory, the three-year-old filly had raced for her breeders, Howard Kaskel of Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag and Deln Ltd., but her Kempton score at a mile and a quarter came under the colors of new owner Pump Technology Ltd. The daughter of English Group 1 record-setting sprinter Stravinsky is out of Sugar Maple Farm's New York homebred Cryptocari ($132,286), a route-running Cryptoclearance mare that had won allowances on Aqueduct dirt and Belmont turf and had broken her maiden by five lengths in the mud at Saratoga. Jockey Oscar Urbina has ridden Odessa Star in both of her victories and in a third-placing -- in a total of three outings aboard the gray filly, whose overall record is 2 - 0 - 1 in seven starts. The New York-bred is currently trained by J. G. Portman and has been described glowingly by the British racing press, which reported that she had "romped away after widest of all (among 11) from back off the home turn" in her Kempton win. Further comment about Odessa Star: "strong filly who looks to be progressing, certainly enjoying the extra two furlongs here (at Kempton)." Odessa Star's dam, Cryptocari, is a half-sister to Eclipse Champion Itsallgreektome ($1,994,618) and Grade 2 winner Big Stanley ($378,224) and to the winning granddam of Australian Group 3 winner Natural Woman. Winning a restricted N2X allowance on Friday going a mile and an eighth on Belmont turf -- where almost exactly two years earlier he had won a restricted N1X allowance -- was Teresa Maher's homebred RYAN IS FLYING ($150,289), who as the 2.45-to-1 second choice among 10 starters beat the 1.80-to-1 favorite. The six-year-old gelding improved his dirt-and-turf-winning record to 3 - 4 - 3 in 31 starts under the care of three-time NYTB Trainer of the Year Leo O'Brien, whose son-in-law, two-time Eclipse Award winner John Velazquez, was in the irons. O'Brien also had trained Ryan Is Flying's New York-bred multiple stakes-winning dam, Tiffany's Taylor ($581,862), for owner Maher, and the homebred bay gelding is the first of two six-figure-earners produced from that mare, being a half-brother to Tiffany's Rodeo ($111,819). One of the more impressive N1X allowance winners at Belmont was Carmine Telesca's and John and Marilyn Guerrera's homebred GINFORTHEWIN, who on Sunday won a 6-1/2-furlong sprint by 4-1/2 lengths as the odds-on (.95-to-1) favorite among nine starters for his second consecutive big-margin Belmont sprint win in 71 days. Trained by Michael Hushion, the fleet three-year-old has something of a route-running pedigree, being by New York-conceived Kentucky Derby winner Go for Gin and out of New York-bred turf stakes-placed winner Madame Jumel, by D'Accord. Also capturing restricted N1X allowances at Belmont were five-year-old mare SYMPHONY OF PSALMS going six furlongs on turf on Wednesday to score her first grass sprint victory and five-year-old gelding BOUNDARY BAY ($170,077) going a mile and an eighth on Thursday in an optional claiming contest and claimed for $30,000. Symphony of Psalms, a homebred for Tom Tatham's Oak Cliff Stable co-bred by Dr. Douglas Koch's Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, overcame a bumping in the stretch to tally by 2-1/4 lengths as the 1.60-to-1 favorite among eight starters. A winner in France as a three-year-old (in 2004) in her second start, the Robert Frankel-trained half-sister to NYTB champions Private Emblem ($783,152) and Rhum ($306,234) and to two other stakes-placed winners improved her record to 2 - 1 - 1 in 10 starts. Boundary Bay, who had gone through his restricted N1X and N2X allowance conditions at Belmont in July of 2004 and 2005 (when he had won by 20-1/2 lengths) respectively, was half of an odds-on (.80-to-1) entry among five wagering interests and six starters. The gray/roan gelding scored by two lengths in an off-the-turf contest that originally was to be a mile and a quarter on grass, and he was claimed from the owner who had him through two starts since April, Iowa attorney Maggi Moss, by Robert Lipka's Aj Stables (Dominic Galluscio, trainer). Bred by the Glen Gray Farm of Gary Mottola of Oakland, New Jersey and now with a record of 4 - 5 - 3 in 23 starts, Boundary Bay more than recouped the $25,000 that former owner Moss had invested when she claimed the gelding on April 22. Open allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Sunday, July 16 through Tuesday, July 18 were: THE WIND CHILLER in front-running fashion on Sunday; LUNAR RULER from last-to-first in a non-winners-of three contest for her second open allowance victory of the summer, on Monday; and homebred MORGANATIC by 4-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire for her second big-margin win of 2006, on Tuesday. Restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, July 14 through Tuesday, July 18 were: WATRAL'S DAHLIA ($105,219) by 5-1/2 lengths at odds-on for her third allowance win in 38 days and improving her 2006 stakes-placed overall record to 7 - 7 - 3 in 21 starts, on Friday; MYSWEETHEARTS GONE (sired by Gone for Real) for his third win in July to improve his record to 13 - 6 - 5 in 35 starts with earnings of $145,748, on Saturday; homebred MT. MAJESTY (sired by Raffie's Majesty) under top weight at near even-money for his third consecutive win and second victory in July to improve his record to 6 - 5 - 1 in 16 starts with earnings of $101,289, on Monday; and homebred BOGOTA BILL ($145,710) by 3-1/2 lengths to improve his record to 5 - 2 - 3 in 19 starts, on Tuesday. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, July 12 through Tuesday, July 18 included: EXACTAMENTO by 10-1/2 lengths at odds-on at Delaware Park for his second daylight-margin win of 2006 and claimed and SHESAHOTTAMMLE (sired by Badge) by 3-1/2 lengths under top weight at Penn National for her second daylight-margin win in 15 days and improving her overall record to 4 - 2 - 5 in 21 starts -- both on Wednesday; YELLOW EYES (sired by Goldminers Gold) by 3-1/2 lengths going a mile at Arlington Park in his first effort beyond six furlongs and scoring his second daylight-margin win of 2006 and BROADWAY SCARLET at Penn National -- both on Thursday; ONLINE INTIME ($179,970) by a front-running 3-3/4 lengths to improve his "iron horse" record to 12 - 20 - 13 in 93 starts, LANDING GEAR by 4-1/2 lengths, homebred BRAG BAG gate-to-wire, and FIVE STAR GOLD (sired by Goldminers Gold) in front-running fashion for his second win in 40 days -- all at Finger Lakes on Friday; homebred KEY AVENGER at Philadelphia Park and SINNERS ACCEPTED by 4-1/2 lengths for her second consecutive big-margin win of 2006 and improving her record to 9 - 0 - 3 in 17 starts and WAR PAINT ($244,332) for his second win of 2006 and improving his record to 12 - 7 - 4 in 41 starts -- all on Saturday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; 2006 stakes-placed SONG DANCER ($252,747) by 3-3/4 lengths on Lone Star Park turf despite having to be steadied leaving the second turn, LADY CAREN ($204,065) for her 10th career win, homebred ROYAL CLIFF HANGER (sired by Williamstown) for his second win in nine days and third career victory, I'MMEANONTHEGREEN under top weight for his seventh career victory, homebred HEATED EXPRESSION (sired by Western Expression) for her second daylight-margin win despite having to alter course in mid-stretch, and DALOVALY LINDA under top weight and from the outside post among nine starters -- all on Sunday and the last-named five at Finger Lakes; PURE AMAZEMENT ($127,500) in front-running fashion at Great Lakes Downs to improve his record to 12 - 10 - 3 in 41 starts, WANDI by 8-1/4 lengths at Suffolk Downs for her sixth career win, YASTRZEMSKI by six lengths at odds-on for his second daylight-margin win of 2006, GOLD END in front-running fashion, homebred GONE TO WAR by 3-3/4 lengths, and BAY DRAGON ($225,188) by 2-1/4 lengths for her 11th career victory -- all on Monday and the last named four at Finger Lakes; SASSY MADDY (sired by Western Expression) for her second win of 2006 and with blinkers on for the first time and EXPENSIVE LOVER from first-to-last by two lengths for her second win of 2006 -- both at Suffolk Downs on Tuesday -- and TIGER'S REVENGE for her second win of the summer, WATRAL'S SENOR for his third win since Memorial Day and fourth career victory, and BOLD JUBILATION for her fourth career win -- the last-named three at Finger Lakes on Tuesday. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, July 12 through Tuesday, July 18 included: CRISPY LIGHTS in her first start off a nine-month layoff and first turf outing to improve her never-worse-than-fourth record to 1 - 1 - 2 in five starts and suddenly looking well worth her $160,000 purchase price as an OBS 2005 select February two-year-old and JUDY LINER S. by 8-1/2 lengths -- both at Belmont on Wednesday -- and LOW CEILING by 2-3/4 lengths in her second start on a rainy Wednesday night at Charles Town before half the evening's card was cancelled because of weather conditions; CONRAD CROSSING by two lengths on turf, STORM PROSPECTOR at odds-on off-the-turf, and S. S. CRAFTY by 5-1/4 lengths -- all at Belmont on Thursday -- and EDY M by five lengths at Charles Town on Thursday evening; homebred DR. JESS JR at Belmont as yet another New York-bred maiden winner at the Big Sandy inbred 3 x 3 to Mr. Prospector, PREACHER'S PRIZE (sired by Preacherman) at Mountaineer Park, CHERISHED TIES in her third career start in 41 days, and MIXED NUMBERS in his second start of 2006 -- all on Friday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; two-year-old WIN WITH A WINK by 4-1/4 lengths from last-to-first in her debut despite an awkward and bobbling start and looking well worth her $400,000 purchase price for Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation at Fasig-Tipton's 2005 Saratoga select yearling sale and HEAVENLY ANNA (sired by Tomorrows Cat) by four lengths in her first six-furlong turf sprint -- both at Belmont on Saturday -- and homebred ALLEY FLASH by 2-1/4 lengths at Philadelphia Park despite stumbling at the start, BLONDE BOMBSHELL by 24-1/4 lengths (that is not a typo) in her third start of the summer, and PAPARAZZI PRINCESS (sired by Ormsby) by 7-1/4 lengths -- all on Saturday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; W'TONIA in front-running fashion at Yavapai Downs in her third career start and claimed, and DANGEROUS DAN by 14-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at near even-money at Finger Lakes in his second career start -- both on Sunday; homebred GONE FOR RAINBOWS (sired by Gone for Real) in her third start of the summer and SIZZLING SAINT by 2-1/4 lengths -- both at Finger Lakes on Tuesday. |
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Fleet Indian scores 6th straight in rich Delaware
Handicap - becomes 17th NY-bred millionaire by Rab Hagin
(7/16) For the sixth consecutive time it was the same old story, but on this occasion the contest was a million-dollar event, as Paul Saylor's New York-bred FLEET INDIAN went gate-to-wire under top weight to win the storied Delaware Handicap at a mile and a quarter by 5-1/2 lengths. The big mare was odds-on (.40-to-1) among nine starters and had command almost from the get-go, breaking from the inside post and setting quarter-mile splits that never slowed to 25 seconds even when she was drawing away under a hand ride through the final furlongs. After an opening quarter in 23.94, Fleet Indian was in front by a head; through 24.27 and 24.34, she stayed in front by a length; after 24.57, her competition began to wither, and after 24.96, no one was even close. Fleet Indian's effort over a Delaware Park main track that has never been speed-favoring produced the fastest Delaware Handicap (2:02.08) in 10 years, and she was the first winner of that 10-furlong distaff event to carry more than 118 pounds in 17 years. The Grade 2 victory -- her third graded score this year -- more than doubled the five-year-old mare's earnings to $1,104,513 while improving her record to 11 - 0 - 1 in 16 starts and established her as the 17th New York-bred millionaire (see New York-bred Millionaires Club). Fleet Indian owns the longest win streak (six), highest 2006 earnings, and highest Daily Racing Form Beyer figure (112) of any North American filly or mare currently racing. Curiously, none of the ballyhooed leaders of the older female division inexplicably rated ahead of Fleet Indian -- Happy Ticket, Oonagh Maccool, Round Pond, Take D' Tour, Spun Sugar, Dubai Escapade, Star Parade -- showed up to face her despite a total purse offering of $1,001,200. Previous winners of the Delaware Handicap include Hall of Fame member Susan's Girl and champions Late Bloomer, Relaxing, Old Hat, Open Fire, and Straight Deal. In her last four outings, Fleet Indian has been ridden by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2003 Jockey of the Year Jose Santos while being conditioned by two-time Eclipse Award winner and 1999 NYTB Trainer of the Year Todd Pletcher, who considers the match-up ideal: "He (Santos) knows her well." Santos sees the Delaware Handicap victory as a potential turning point: "There are not many million-dollar races," Santos understated. "It is a great thrill to win a race like this." Fleet Indian's owner, Saylor, is managing director of the investment banking firm Chadwick, Saylor and Company in Atlanta and Los Angeles and a former part-owner of two-time Eclipse Champion filly Ashado. Saylor had purchased Fleet Indian for $290,000 through Mike Akers' Dapple Bloodstock, agent, at Keeneland's 2006 January sale. Bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and foaled at her breeders' Lakland North, LLC in Hudson, Fleet Indian had been a $40,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga New York-bred preferred sale and a $230,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2003 March sale of two-year-olds in training. Her previous owner, Stan Fulton, owns Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino in New Mexico. The daughter of Indian Charlie is the third offspring and third winner produced from now-deceased Hustleeta, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Cherokee Wonder ($284,010 and dam of graded winner and $969,886-earner Cherokee's Boy) and to the winning dam of multiple stakes winner Annika Lass ($221,795). Lakland Farm had purchased Hustleeta for $39,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale when she was carrying Fleet Indian. Fleet Indian is among 16 New York-bred open stakes winners in 2006, and the Delaware Handicap was the 23rd open stakes event captured by a New York-bred this year. Dream Impact breaks record in Italy - is 17th NY-bred 2006 open SW by Rab Hagin (7/16) Taking command with a quarter-mile to go, New York-bred DREAM IMPACT drove to a length and three-quarters victory in the listed Premio Citto di Napoli in Naples, Italy on Sunday, July 16, setting a new five-furlong course record of 56-flat. The five-year-old, who races for Scuderia Quattro Mori under the care of trainer Luigi Riccardi, was well-regarded at 1.30-to-1 among 10 starters and had won the 2005 running of the Premio Citta di Napoli by a length in 56.70 when it was a Group 3 event. Dream Impact seems faster than ever in 2006, having also won his most recent previous outing on June 25, and his latest victory increased his earnings by the U.S. equivalent of about $40,500 to almost $260,000 while improving his record to 12 wins and 11 placed efforts in 32 starts. He was among two winners on the Sunday card at Naples ridden by jockey Germano Marcelli. Bred by and foaled at Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds North, LLC in Stillwater, Dream Impact had been sold for $26,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) August 2002 yearling sale in Ocala, Florida. The son of English/Irish champion and Breeders' Cup Mile winner Royal Academy is the first starter produced from juvenile winner One Fit Cat, a Storm Cat mare that Simon had purchased for $27,000 at Keeneland's 1999 November sale. One Fit Cat is a half-sister to stakes winner Health Farm ($125,550) and to three stakes-placed winners, and her half-sisters include the dams of three more stakes winners. Dream Impact is the 17th New York-bred open stakes winner of 2006, and the Premio Citto di Napoli is among 24 open stakes events won this year by New York-breds. Those 24 stakes victories have occurred in New York, California, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina -- plus Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, and Italy. |
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| Ferocious Won nails down 2nd leg in
$177,600 New York Derby by Matt Church Ira Davis, Sanford Goldfarb, Michael A. Glassberg and William Vidro's FEROCIOUS WON nailed down the second leg of the $250,000 Big Apple Triple by capturing the $177,600 New York Derby by just under two lengths. Next is the Albany Handicap at Saratoga and if Ferocious Won captures that race it will be the first time ever that any horse has won The Mike Lee Handicap at Belmont Park, The New York Derby at Finger Lakes and The Albany Handicap at Saratoga Racecourse.
Johnie Bye Night scores in $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial
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| Commentator Gets Back in the Game
By Francis LaBelle Jr.
Tracy Farmer's COMMENTATOR, the hero of last year's Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Race Course, returned to action at Belmont Park on Wednesday afternoon, drawing off for a 6*-length victory in the $67,200 Mugatea, an overnight stakes at six and a half furlongs for New York-breds.
Plagued by chronic shin problems, Commentator had not raced since a third-place finish in the Woodward here last September 10. That ended a season in which he won two of four starts, including a neck victory over eventual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Saint Liam in the Whitney. In Wednesday's race, Commentator only had to face three rivals with the scratches of Freddy the Cap and Trading Pro. Still, his effort was matter-of-fact, as he borke cleanly under jockey Eibar Coa, and set a pace of :22 18; :44.82; 1:09.15 and won in 1:15.76. He got pressure from Gold and Roses, but put that one away at the head of the lane. "I rode against him before," Coa said. "I thought he was going to be very aggressive. He surprised me with the way he went. He broke fast and relaxed for me. When I pushed him, he just gave me that next gear, which again was very surprising to me the way he did it. This year, he might be more professional." Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito stated that he just wanted to get by this race, conjecture is that the 79th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney for three-year-olds and up at nine furlongs on Saturday, August 5 is possible, as are the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward or the Grade 1, $250,000 Forego Handicap, both at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, September 2. The nine-furlong Woodward, usually run at one turn at Belmont Park, was moved north to bolster the Spa's Labor Day Weekend card. The Forego is a seven-furlong race. "I thought he was impressive," Zito said. "The track didn't seem particularly fast to me. Considering the weather, the heat, he was coming back off a long layoff and was in against a good horse (Gold and Roses), I thought it was an impressive race and he galloped out good. "Good horses like him have a way of training themselves. I'm not going to run him back too quick. I would love to look at the Woodward with him, but there's nothing wrong with the Forego and races like that." A 5-year-old Distorted Humor gelding, Commentator was foaled 21 miles from Saratoga Race Course at Mia and Tom Gallo's Blue Stone Farm in Cambridge, N.Y. Commentator returned $2.20 to win. Bold Decision was third and Karakorum Patriot was last. |
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Some NY-bred divisions overflowing with talent by Rab Hagin
Saturday's last-to-first daylight-margin victory by Gallagher's Stud's New York homebred BESTOWED in Colonial Downs's unrestricted Da Hoss Stakes for three-year-olds and up going a two-turn turf mile added another contender to the surprisingly-strong state-bred turf male division -- but other divisions look equally strong or stronger. The four-year-old son of Gallagher's Stud's now-deceased New York homebred stallion Repeal was the 2.10-to-1 favorite among seven starters in the Da Hoss by virtue of an impressive 2005 turf season from May through July: three consecutive Belmont wins followed by a placing in Woodbine's Toronto Cup. In his May 29 seasonal debut following a nine-month layoff, Bestowed had placed a closing third among nine in a restricted N3X allowance/optional claiming contest at a mile and an eighth on Belmont grass, finishing behind Chestertown Slew and Emotrin. He is the second New York-bred male to capture an open turf stakes in 2006, following the winner of Aqueduct's graded Fort Marcy Handicap, Foreverness, in April. New York Minute: Bestowed was the 16th New York-bred winner of an open stakes event in 2006; through the comparable period (mid-July) in 2005, there had been 14 New York-bred open stakes winners for that year. Other talent-laden state-bred divisions are Sprinter (six 2006 open stakes-winners, including graded winners Behaving Badly, Magnolia Jackson -- both older females -- and Friendly Island plus record-setting Big Apple Daddy), Older Male (graded winners West Virginia and Funny Cide), and Older Female (three-for-three multiple graded winner Fleet Indian plus Capeside Lady). New York-bred open 2006 stakes winners also include -- but are not limited to -- Grade 2 winner Sharp Humor (Three-Year-Old Male), J'ray (Turf Female), and I'm Hit Sarge (Steeplechaser). Looking to be back in form and on track for an excellent season is Our Canterbury Stables' stakes-winning RETRIBUTION ($223,511), who cruised gate-to-wire while mostly in hand in his first outing under jockey Fernando Jara to win a one-mile restricted N2X Belmont turf allowance by six lengths on Saturday. The four-year-old gelding had captured Aqueduct's $100,000 New York Stallion Cormorant Stakes at a two-turn mile on turf last November but was unplaced in four subsequent starts. Now with a record of 5 - 5 - 1 in 19 starts for Our Canterbury Stables -- a collection of racing partnerships managed by Thomas Daly of New Fairfield, Connecticut -- Retribution went into Saturday's contest with the biggest bankroll among eight starters but was dismissed as the 18.70-to-1 sixth choice. The John Hertler-trained son of former New York stallion Rob 'n Gin had been purchased by Canterbury Stables for $30,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) April 2004 sale of two-year-olds in training in Florida. He was bred by the Sabine Stable of Joseph Greeley Winifred of Micanopy, Florida, which had stood Rob 'n Gin in New York, and is a half-brother to stakes-placed winner Major Adonis, being out of winner Adonara, whom Questroyal Stable had purchased not-in-foal for $13,000 at Keeneland's 2001 January sale. Winning a restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contest at Belmont on Friday with a $25,000 tag because she had gone through her restricted N2X condition almost 17 months earlier was recent claiming acquisition NEVAEH ($227,179), who despite a stumbling start and bumpy beginning scored by 2-3/4 lengths. Race-ridden for the third consecutive time by Garrett Gomez, the five-year-old campaigner was overlooked as the 10.20-to-1 fifth choice among eight fillies and mares in the 6-1/2-furlong contest that followed her third-place Belmont outing by only 16 days, but she improved her record to 5 - 6 - 4 in 34 starts. The effort finished covering her $30,000 claiming price from April 22 at Aqueduct, when trainer Anthony Dutrow had haltered the chestnut mare on behalf of Michael Dubb and other owners Alvin Akman, Sanford H. Robbins LLC, and Steven Speranza. The daughter of Honor Grades is the first of two offspring, both multiple-winning females, produced from dirt and turf winner Hanyah, who is by former state sire Hansel and had been purchased for $30,000 by Becky Thomas's and Lewis Lakin's Lakland Farm at Keeneland's 2000 November sale while carrying Nevaeh. Scoring big-margin Saturday and Sunday wins on Belmont turf in restricted N1X allowances for three-year-olds and up were two three-year-olds by current New York-based sires: SILVER TIMBER (sired by Prime Timber) going six furlongs on Saturday and GIMME CREDIT (sired by Artax) going a mile and a sixteenth on Sunday. Both were among the youngest starters (foaled in April and May) in their respective contests, both broke from near outside posts in big fields, and neither was particularly well-regarded beforehand by the wagering public. Silver Timber, a $110,000 OBS April 2005 purchase by the Invictus Farm in Wixom, Michigan of Danny Logsdon and bred by Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds (North) of Stillwater where Prime Timber stands, tallied by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:09.97 as the 17.70-to-1 fifth choice among 12 starters. It was the Linda Rice-trained colt's first start of 2006 off a 191-day layoff and his first outing on turf, and it boosted his record to two wins (at Belmont by a combined total of 6-1/2 lengths) and a third-placing in five starts. Gimme Credit, a $70,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2004 October yearling sale who races for James Dinan's Hampshire Farm, rallied to a 3-1/2-length victory just 15 days after having won a one-turn mile sloppy track off-the-turf Belmont maiden special by four lengths. Bred by Dr. Douglas Koch's Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains and Tom Tatham's Oak Cliff Stable and overlooked at 6.30-to-1 (fourth choice) among 10 starters in his first effort beyond a mile, the May-foaled Timothy Hills-trained gelding is a half-brother to New York-bred 2005 Italian sprint highweight Golden Stravinsky ($233,722). Like Golden Stravinsky, Gimme Credit is inbred 3 x 4 to Mr. Prospector. Returning to the winner's circle for the first time in almost two years despite breaking dead last was One Pond Stable's homebred DIANA ROSE, who rallied to a daylight-margin victory in a six-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares with $35,000 claiming tags. Sent off by New York Thoroughbred Breeders 1992 Trainer of the Year Gary Sciacca as the 8.40-to-1 fifth choice among 11 starters, the five-year-old Runaway Groom mare is out of late-developing stakes-placed seven-time winner Out By Noon ($210,191), a router who won on both dirt and turf. She races for her breeder, Anthony Piazza, who campaigns under the name of One Pond Stable, and had broken her maiden by a length and three-quarters going a two-turn mile on Saratoga turf in August of 2004. New York-bred open allowance winners at Finger Lakes on Monday and Tuesday, July 10-11, were: CLERY'S CONTENDER (sired by Key Contender) by 2-1/2 lengths at odds-on in his second two-turn outing and second two-turn win to improve his recent stakes-placed record to 2 - 1 - 2 in eight starts, on Monday; homebred VIVA JULIA (sired by Williamstown) by two lengths with a five-wide rally, on Tuesday. Recent restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes were: FAETON to improve his record to 8 - 4 - 10 in 68 starts and DARE TO BE GREAT ($164,446) from last-to-first under top weight for his second consecutive win in 15 days and improving his stakes-placed record to 8 - 13 - 8 in 60 starts -- both on Monday, July 10. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, July 5 through Tuesday, July 11 included: Homebred END AROUND by 5-3/4 lengths at Suffolk Downs for her second daylight-margin win of 2006 and BOBBIE'S PRIDE by 4-1/2 lengths at Penn National for his second consecutive win by more than four lengths in 47 days and third victory of 2006 -- both on Wednesday; TODDLER ($412,829) by 7-1/2 lengths to improve his multiple stakes-winning record to 14 - 11 - 12 in 68 starts and AFFAIR IN THE AIR (sired by A. P Jet) by 4-3/4 lengths despite a stumbling start to improve his record to 7 - 9 - 7 in 60 starts with earnings of $239,023 -- as these two indestructible geldings put on a New York-bred show of dominance at River Downs on Thursday; QUICK LOOK (sired by King's Grant) at Mountaineer Park for his fourth career win, homebred DR SILVER PACKET (sired by Artax) by 2-1/2 lengths for his second win in 38 days and third career victory, GATES AVENUE ($171,026) by 4-3/4 lengths to improve his record to 7 - 4 - 6 in 34 starts, homebred ROYAL CLIFF HANGER (sired by Williamstown) by three lengths, SKEE LOVE (sired by Manlove) by three lengths, DADS DESTINY (sired by Ormsby), and SENECA POINT -- all on Friday and the last-named six at Finger Lakes; GIVEMESOMEGOODNEWS at Monmouth Park, ELYON (sired by Polish Pro) at Mountaineer Park in his second start off a 13-month layoff to improve his record to 6 - 5 - 7 in 29 starts with earnings of $164,107, BIGGY LIMOUSINE in a front-running performance at Fort Erie, NEVER TAKE RISK (sired by A. P Jet) gate-to-wire from the ninth post at Thistledown at odds-on to improve his record to 8 - 4 - 4 in 38 starts and claimed, homebred KNOCK IT OFF to improve her record to 7 - 5 - 10 in 49 starts, homebred POWER LINK by 2-3/4 lengths for his third consecutive win in 40 days and fourth career victory, homebred SAY I DO (sired by Western Expression) by 2-1/2 lengths despite having to be steadied at the quarter-pole for his third consecutive win by more than two lengths in 29 days, UNRULY SAINT at almost even money and claimed, and homebred THIS TRICK'S A PRO for her second win in 47 days and third career victory -- all on Saturday and the last-named five at Finger Lakes; TALE OF WONDER (sired by Tomorrows Cat) at Delaware Park for his second daylight-margin win of 2006 and third career victory, MUGEE by 5-3/4 lengths for his eighth victory, MYSWEETHEARTS GONE (sired by Gone for Real) gate-to-wire by 2-1/2 lengths for his third win in five starts since early May and improving his overall record to 12 - 6 - 5 in 34 starts with earnings of $133,208 and also claimed, HELLO KARAKORUM ($142,605) at odds-on to improve her record to 7 - 3 - 4 in 25 starts -- all on Sunday and the last-named three at Finger Lakes; HERE COMES ART from the outside post among nine starters on Colonial Downs turf with a $25,000 tag in his second start off a seven-month layoff and covering a two-turn mile in 1:35.60, RODEO GIRL by six lengths gate-to-wire at Mountaineer Park in her first start off an 11-month layoff to bring her record to two wins and a third-place debut in three career starts, EASTSIDE JET (sired by A. P Jet) by 5-1/2 lengths at Philadelphia Park for his second win of 2006 and fourth career victory, I'LLRUINYA by six lengths at odds-on for his second two-turn win of 2006 and fourth career victory, RAFFIE'S STORM (sired by Raffie's Majesty) to improve her record to 6 - 5 - 4 in 37 starts with earnings of $117,739, homebred MUSTANG RANCH by 4-1/2 lengths, and QUAYLE from the outside post among 10 starters -- all on Monday and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; SUE ME by 5-3/4 lengths under top weight at Suffolk Downs for her second win in 27 days and third career victory, BRASSY KARAKORUM ($106,989) by two lengths for his seventh career victory, CROOKED WOMAN by 2-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on for her second two-length-plus win in 18 days and fourth career victory, JUSCAUZ from last-to-first for her second win of 2006 to improve her overall record to 6 - 7 - 9 in 40 starts, and SAM'S VALENTINE (sired by Slice of Reality) from last-to-first under co-topweight despite breaking from the outside post among 10 starters -- all on Tuesday and the last-named four at Finger Lakes. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Thursday, July 6 through Tuesday, July 11 included: SOARING JET (sired by A. P Jet) from the outside post among 11 starters in her second start off a year-long layoff, at Penn National on Thursday; homebred FAIRYTALE STORY (sired by Western Expression) and NOT ON MY TURF to improve his never-worse-than-fourth record to 1 - 3 - 3 in eight starts -- both at Belmont on Friday -- and homebred HE'S GOT THE MOVES (sired by Regal Classic) in his third career start within 24 days following two placed efforts, and KEEN NANA (sired by River Keen) by 15 lengths at odds-on -- both at Finger Lakes on Friday; homebred DIXIE BAGHDAD by 2-1/4 lengths on Belmont turf despite breaking from the outside post among 10 starters and HELL HATH NO FURY (sired by Western Expression) by 4-3/4 lengths at Finger Lakes -- both on Saturday; two-year-old FIVE TOWNS by 12 lengths at Calder at odds-on and looking well worth his $135,000 purchase price at the OBS sale of juveniles at Calder last February, WE'RE SAILING by 4-3/4 lengths on Colonial Downs turf, homebred JOSIE'S BOY, and homebred DYNAMIC LASS gate-to-wire with blinkers on following an eight-week layoff -- all on Sunday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; WOODMAN COPY by 6-1/2 lengths in his first two-turn effort on dirt and homebred PRETTY BABY by 8-1/4 lengths at odds-on -- both on Monday at Finger Lakes; homebred T V FAN (sired by A. P Jet) by six lengths on Suffolk Downs turf (another New York-bred closed from next-to-last to place second), LITTLE MOISHE at almost even money, homebred CASH ME OUT (sired by Take Me Out) despite being bumped at the start, and MOST DARING by 2-3/4 lengths in her debut despite being blocked along the rail exiting the turn -- all on Tuesday and the last-named three at Finger Lakes. |
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| NY-bred Bestowed goes from last to first
to win Colonial's Da Hoss S. by Rab Hagin
Making a five-wide move at the top of the stretch, Gallagher's Stud's New York homebred BESTOWED charged from last to first to win Colonial Downs' Da Hoss Stakes for three-year-olds and up at a mile on turf on Saturday, becoming the 16th state-bred open stakes winner of 2006. The four-year-old gelding was favored slightly at 2.10-to-1 over 2.50-to-1 second choice and 2005 Jersey Derby turf winner Touched by Madness among the seven starters, and the latter was his final rival to overtake at about the sixteenth poll for his length and a quarter tally. It was Bestowed's first outing under jockey Joseph Rocco Jr., under whom he trailed for most of the event -- although approaching the second turn the New York-bred appeared to try to advance along the inside before being blocked and dropping back again. The victory -- Bestowed's first stakes win -- increased the bay gelding's earnings by $36,000 to $136,331 and improved his record to four wins and two third-place efforts in seven starts, which includes a third-placing last year (disqualified from second) in Woodbine's $132,096 (U.S. funds) Toronto Cup Handicap.
Trained by the iconoclastic Michael Dickinson, who in the 40 days since a Memorial Day third-placing on Belmont turf had given the gelding five workouts (four on turf; one on a synthetic surface) at Tapeta Farm in Maryland, Bestowed was making his second start off a nine-month layoff. As a three-year-old in May and June of 2005, he had won his first three starts on Belmont turf before making his first stakes venture in the Toronto Cup, where he had been dropped from second to third for lugging in through the stretch. Trainer Dickinson also had conditioned the namesake for the stakes that Bestowed won, two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner (1996 and 1998) Da Hoss. A homebred for the Gallagher's Stud in Ghent of Marlene Brody, Bestowed is one of two offspring sired by Gallagher's Stud's homebred Repeal, a Rahy stallion that died as a result of a paddock accident in the summer of 2001. He is the first offspring produced from Gallagher's Stud's wet-main-track-winning homebred Blond Lady, by Rubiano. Blond Lady is a half-sister to one of the best New York-bred international runners ever, Gallagher's Stud's homebred Allez Milord ($673,273), who was a champion and Group 1 winner in Germany, a Grade 1 winner in the U.S., a Group 3 winner in England, and Group 1-placed in Japan. Blond Lady also is a half-sister to two stakes-placed winners, including the graded-placed dam of Japanese stakes winner Keiai Guard. Bestowed was conceived about three months prior to the May, 2001 death of Gallagher's Stud founder Jerome (Jerry) Brody. Bestowed's Da Hoss victory added Virginia to the states in which New York-breds have won open stakes in 2006 -- along with New York, California, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. The 16 New York-bred 2006 open stakes winners through July 8 have won a total of 22 stakes events outside state-bred company this year. |
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| NY-breds have 60 open stakes wins or placings
in 2006 through July 4 by Rab Hagin
Led by graded winners BEHAVING BADLY and FUNNY CIDE, New York-breds over the extended Independence Day weekend hit the boards in five open stakes, bringing to 37 the number of state-breds that have won or placed a total of 60 times in stakes events outside state-bred company in 2006. New York-bred fillies SWEET SWEET and DOLL BABY scored popular six-furlong victories in Finger Lakes' restricted Arctic Queen Handicap and Niagara Stakes on July 4, and three state-breds -- five-year-old mares Capeside Lady and Sabellina and two-year-old colt Gonzo Bonzo Beans -- placed second in $100K-plus stakes in three states.
New York-breds finished first or second in seven stakes (five open, two restricted) in New York, Canada, Iowa, and Pennsylvania during the four-day Independence Day weekend span. Best North American filly or mare up to 6-1/2 furlongs -- or seven furlongs under certain conditions -- is arguably Patti and Hal Earnhardt III's Behaving Badly ($614,224), whose record improved to 8 - 2 - 0 in 11 starts with her top-weighted Monday victory in Belmont's Grade 2 Genuine Risk Breeders' Cup Handicap. The six-furlong Genuine Risk marked Behaving Badly's fifth stakes win and third graded victory, but it was her first tally outside of southern California, where she has pretty much ruled the distaff sprinters. The big, powerful New York-bred five-year-old bay mare (there seems to be a pattern here -- Fleet Indian, etc.), bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and foaled at her breeders' Lakland North, LLC in Hudson, proved that she does not have to be on the lead to win. Behaving Badly also has shown ability on turf, so there is a variety of opportunities available to her in the coming months. It seems that Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner and 2003 Eclipse Champion Funny Cide ($3,432,628) has been written off more times than the ghost of Richard Nixon, but he keeps coming back to win here or hit the board there. The gelding's dismissal is particularly fascinating considering he had a Grade 1-winning million-dollar season the year after winning the two classics and an Eclipse championship, and on Saturday, July 1 he added Woodbine's Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes at a mile and a quarter to his resume. Under the right conditions -- away from hot, humid weather (and smoke), going two turns at nine furlongs and up, and allowed to roll along at his preferred cruising speed whether rivals are in front or behind (i.e., the Kentucky Derby) -- Funny Cide rarely runs a bad race. That was the case in Saturday's Dominion Day contest. Foaled and raised in New York at Joe and Anne McMahon's McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, sold at a New York yearling sale, and owned by the mostly New York-populated Sackatoga Stable, Funny Cide improved his record to 10 - 6 - 6 in 31 starts, with eight stakes victories. Favored filly winners in Finger Lakes' six-furlong Arctic Queen Handicap and Niagara Stakes -- both on July 4 Tuesday, with the former for fillies and mares three-and-up and the latter for three-year-old fillies -- were Barry Schwartz's homebred Sweet Sweet ($176,459) and E El R Stable's Doll Baby ($149,374). Sweet Sweet, whose record is 4 - 1 - 2 in eight starts, had won Belmont's restricted Bouwerie Stakes as a three-year-old in 2005 and had placed second to 2006 Grade 2 winner Magnolia Jackson in Aqueduct's restricted Broadway Handicap in March and third in Aqueduct's open Fickle Fanny Stakes in April. She was odds-on (.80-to-1) among seven starters in the Arctic Queen and won by two lengths. Doll Baby, bred by television and singing star David Cassidy and purchased for $55,000 by E El R Stable manager Richard Balfour at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale, got her crucial first stakes victory in the Niagara as the 1.35-to-1 favorite among six starters. The half-sister to Cassidy's multiple stakes-placed four-time winning New York-bred filly Half Heaven ($165,377) improved her record to 4 - 2 - 2 in 11 starts, which includes a third-placing among 12 in Finger Lakes' Lady Fingers Stakes as a juvenile in 2005. Placing second in open six-figure stakes on Saturday were New York-bred five-year-old mares Capeside Lady ($789,540) and Sabellina ($345,391) at Prairie Meadows and Philadelphia Park respectively, and on Tuesday at Belmont two-year-old Gonzo Bonzo Beans became the 37th New York-bred to hit the board in an open stakes in 2006. Capeside Lady, purchased for $700,000 at Keeneland's 2005 November sale by the Dapple Stable that is managed by Kentucky-based bloodstock agent Mike Akers and bred by the aforementioned Thomas and Lakin, is a multiple Grade 2 winner with seven stakes victories on her resume. Her record is now 8 - 2 - 3 in 20 starts following her hard-fought neck loss under top weight of 123 pounds in Prairie Meadows' $110,000 Iowa Distaff Breeders' Cup at a mile and a sixteenth. Jay Lieberman's Sabellina, winner of Belmont's $114,700 Mount Vernon Handicap on turf against a sterling New York-bred distaff field 13 days earlier, placed second to recent graded turf winner Pommes Frites in Philadelphia Park's $100,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth on grass. The John Valentino-bred mare's record is now 6 - 3 - 4 in 25 starts, with two stakes victories and two stakes-placed efforts. Gonzo Bonzo Beans, who placed second to the odds-on favorite in Belmont's open $101,200 Tremont Stakes at 5-1/2 furlongs on Tuesday, looks like a steal at $1,700, which is the price John Salzman Sr. paid for him as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2004 December mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland. Campaigned by Kenneth Taylor and Salzman, who also qualified for a $2,136.40 owner award, and trained by Timothy Salzman, the colt has a win and three seconds in four starts (at Pimlico, Belmont, and Delaware Park), having broken his maiden by 13-1/2 lengths at Belmont on May 18. The son of Grade 2 sprint winner Prospect Bay was bred by Richard and Kay Zwirn of Rainbow Fields in Gansevoort, New York, who qualified for a $2,136.40 breeder award as a result of the juvenile colt's runner-up effort in the Tremont. His dam, a two-time route-winning daughter of Rubiano inbred 3 x 3 to Nijinsky II, had been purchased for $1,900 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2003 December mixed sale when she was carrying Gonzo Bonzo Beans. Twice placed in recent New York Stallion Stakes events (April 30, June 4), Chester and Mary Broman's homebred ARTISTIC EXPRESS ($153,859) finally went through her restricted N2X condition in her first turf outing at Belmont on Thursday, romping by 7-3/4 lengths in a seven-furlong optional claimer for fillies and mares. The three-year-old daughter of Western Expression was favored at 1.80-to-1 among eight wagering interests and nine starters and improved her record to 3 - 1 - 1 in eight starts in her third consecutive outing under jockey Cornelio Velazquez. New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 1979 Trainer of the Year Ramon (Mike) Hernandez had surmised Artistic Express could succeed at longer distances after she had won Belmont's $113,500 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at seven furlongs for state-bred juvenile fillies in her second start last year. Now he knows she can succeed on turf. The chestnut filly is the second starter and second winner produced from the Bromans' New York homebred Nureyev mare, Dancing Marylee, Another New York-bred stakes-placed distaff competitor who added an allowance win to her resume was Tolland Farms' five-year-old GOLD FLINGER ($176,350), who out-fought her foes in a one-mile N3X/optional claiming contest at Philadelphia Park on Sunday to improve her record to 6 - 11 - 2 in 37 starts. Race-ridden for the fourth consecutive time by jockey Harry Vega and sent off by trainer Herman Kinchen as the 3.30-to-1 third choice among six fillies and mares, Gold Flinger ran with a $32,000 claiming tag because she had gone through her N3X allowance condition some 22 months earlier. As a two-year-old in 2003, she h ad placed second in Aqueduct's East View Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies. The dark bay daughter of recently-deceased New York stallion Gold Token was bred by Kiki O'Quinn and was a $2,000 weanling purchase at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2001 December mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland. Gold Flinger races for the Tolland Farms that was founded by the late Anthony Russo of Tolland, Connecticut, a professor who established an equine student scholarship at SUNY Cobleskill. Taking a restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contest with a $25,000 tag because she had gone through her restricted N2X condition 40 days earlier was Paraneck Stable's homebred FUEGO GRANDE ($114,254), who won her first effort at beyond a mile (mile and a sixteenth) by 3-1/2 lengths at Belmont on Wednesday. Somehow overlooked as the 22.80-to-1 last choice among six female starters, the four-year-old daughter of Adonis improved her record to four wins in 11 outings for the Paraneck Stable of Ernie Paragallo of Lloyds Neck, Long Island while making her first start under jockey Rudy Rodriguez. Fuego Grande, who is currently trained by Alan Klanfer, is out of a winning daughter of the late leading New York sire Cure the Blues, Shotanabeer, whose six-figure-plus earning half-siblings include 2000 Eclipse Champion Sprinter Kona Gold ($2,293,384). Paraneck Stable's other New York homebred distaff winner under jockey Rodriguez at Belmont on Wednesday, five-year-old TAX THE QUEEN ($162,103), returned to the winner's circle for the first time in more than 15 months following her one-turn mile victory with a $16,000 claiming price. The daughter of Artax was somewhat overlooked as the 5.50-to-1 fourth choice among seven starters -- possibly because she had faded to last in a six-furlong restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contest just a week earlier -- but her successful effort improved her record to 5 - 2 - 5 in 21 starts. A 2005 open Aqueduct allowance winner, Tax the Queen is the first offspring produced from Find the Queen, a turf sprint-winning daughter of Lost Code who is a half-sister to graded-placed five-time route winner Phone the King ($320,587). Restricted N2X allowance winners at Belmont in early July were three-year-old gelding METRO METEOR ($104,668) in a seven-furlong optional claiming contest on turf on Saturday and four-year-old gelding SOULSHINE ($106,695) in a seven-furlong optional claimer on the main track on Tuesday. Metro Meteor, who races for the Obviously NY Stable of Richard Benas under the care of trainer Linda Rice, zipped seven panels in 1:21.98 for his second consecutive Belmont turf sprint victory in 33 days -- following an eight-month layoff -- as the 2.25-to-1 favorite among 11 wagering interests and 12 starters. Bred by Gus Schoenborn Jr., the bay gelding improved his record to three wins and two seconds in seven starts, which includes a second-placing outside state-bred company in Saratoga's mile and a sixteenth With Anticipation Stakes on grass as a two-year-old in 2005. Soulshine, Brendon and John Williams' $50,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2004 March sale of two-year-olds in training, might be regaining his 2005 spring-summer form, winning as the 15.80-to-1 seventh choice among nine starters and improving his record to three wins and two seconds in 15 starts. Tuesday's victory marked the second start in 26 days following an almost 10-month layoff for the son of Take Me Out, who was bred by the Edgewood Organization of Manhattan resident Lewis Friedman and the Milfer Farm Inc. of Dr. Jonathan Davis and is trained by Timothy Hills. Now a winner on dirt and turf, May-foaled three-year-old KING GLACKEN was the youngest among eight starters in a restricted N1X allowance outing for three-year-olds and up going seven furlongs over Belmont grass on Thursday, but he rallied four wide to prevail over odds-on Mr Sam I Am. The gray/roan gelding, whose record improved to 2 - 1 - 1 in 10 starts, was the 4.80-to-1 second choice while racing for the S J B Stable of Stephen Barberino Jr. of Bristol, Connecticut in partnership with John Marrone and under NYTB 2004 Trainer of the Year Gary Contessa's care. S J B Stable had purchased King Glacken for $95,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2005 May sale of two-year-olds in training in Timonium, Maryland. Bred by Barbara Bongard's Rojan Farms of Schuylerville, the son of Eclipse Champion Sprinter Smoke Glacken is the second winner produced from six-time winner Lingquoit ($109,581), who is a full sister to the stakes-placed dam of seven-time stakes winner Bronze Abe ($520,564). Lingquoit had been purchased for $28,000 by Ellen Bongard at Keeneland's 2002 November sale while she was carrying King Glacken. The longer the better might be the key for Maggi Moss's recent claiming acquisition (June 1st at Belmont for $35,000) LADY JOVE, as that three-year-old filly led throughout at Belmont to win a one-turn mile by 2-1/2 lengths at the restricted N1X allowance level on Friday. Bred and initially raced by William Bloom of Fort Lee, New Jersey, the gray/roan filly had romped by 11-1/2 lengths with a $35,000 tag in a six-furlong restricted maiden claimer two starts back when Contessa claimed her on behalf of Iowa attorney Moss. Lady Jove -- saddled and ridden by NYTB champions (trainer Contessa, jockey Jose Santos) for her victory -- is a half-sister to Bloom's New York homebred multiple stakes-placed Distinctive Kitten ($260,427), who excelled at routing, and her New York-bred one-start-winning dam is a full sister to stakes-placed three-time route winner Jovial Dancer. Restricted N1X allowance winners at Belmont in the first four days of July were QUESTIONING on Saturday, ALL ABOUT ALLISON ($101,050) on Sunday, DETERMINATOR and NOW MORE THAN EVER on Monday, and CLASSIC MARILYN ($107,659) and TOUGH SHIPMATE on Tuesday. Questioning, owner-trainer Roy Lerman's four-year-old gelding, surprised at a mile and an eighth on turf as the 17.70-to-1 sixth choice among nine wagering interests and 10 starters and now has Belmont wins on both grass and dirt. All About Allison, Bonnie Jo Wooster's three-year-old filly bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, was favored at 1.20-to-1 among seven wagering interests and eight starters in her front-running tally at 5-1/2 furlongs, improving her never-worse-than-fourth record to 3 - 1 - 3 in 10 starts. Determinator, Gary and Mary West's $180,000 purchase at Keeneland's 2004 September yearling sale bred by Dr. Patricia Staskowski Purdy, scored his second win in four starts (he had won a maiden special at Lone Star Park in May) with a last-to-first effort going a one-turn mile. Now More Than Ever, Caesar Kimmel's and Philip Solondz's homebred three-year-old filly, got her second consecutive Belmont turf win in 38 days with her 2-1/2-length gate-to-wire performance at a mile and an eighth, improving her record to two wins and three seconds in six NYRA starts. Classic Marilyn, Summer Wind Stable's (Michael Francessa) homebred five-year-old mare, cruised to a three-length score going a mile and a sixteenth on turf and is the first of two winners produced from a mare Summer Wind Farm/Stable had purchased for $60,000 at the OBS 1997 March sale of two-year-olds. Tough Shipmate, Heatherwood Farm's (Edna Bensen) homebred three-year-old son of Good and Tough, scored a front-running 2-1/2-length victory at 5-1/2 furlongs following a three-length Belmont maiden special win on May 13, which had been his first start since a second-place juvenile debut at Belmont in July of 2005. Winner of Belmont's restricted Ormsby Stakes three weeks earlier, Steven Wecker's STORM BOOT GOLD ($343,153) has run twice with claiming tags -- for $100,000 and $75,000 in May -- making him eligible for Belmont's Thursday opener, a one-mile starter allowance for New York-bred three-year-olds and up. The top-weighted five-year-old gelding was the 2.10-to-1 second choice among six starters that included two stakes winners (one graded winner) and two stakes-placed winners (one multiple graded-placed), against whom he led at all calls for his third consecutive Belmont victory in 41 days -- the last two under jockey Michael Luzzi. Now with a record of 9 - 8 - 3 in 27 starts under trainer Contessa's care, Storm Boot Gold was bred by the NYTB 2005 Breeder of the Year, Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds (North) of Stillwater. He is the second offspring and second winner produced from multiple stakes winner Shananie's Light ($218,005), whom Simon had purchased for $70,000 at Keeneland's 1999 November sale when she was carrying her first foal. Hard-knocking New York-bred LETHIMTHINKHESBOSS ($255,166) was back in the winner's circle following a 3-1/2-length win with a $35,000 claiming price going a one-turn mile at Belmont on Sunday, which improved his dirt-and-turf-winning record to 5 - 9 - 10 in 34 starts. Bred and initially raced by Carl Lizza Jr.'s Flying Zee Stable and foaled at Highcliff Farm in Delanson that Lizza owns in partnership with Joseph Bartone, the five-year-old gelding had been claimed by his current owner, William Hirsch's Trackmen Golf Club Stable, at Aqueduct on April 15. Another solid New York-bred five-year-old gelding is Sheryl Scott's FULLY VESTED ($116,656), who carried co-topweight to a gate-to-wire victory in a starter handicap at Charles Town on Saturday evening for his third win in four starts at that West Virginia track since April 23 (69 days). Bred by James Herbener and Paul Paternostro and trained by Lloyd Scott, the son of Artax was the 1.30-to-1 favorite among seven wagering interests and eight starters going a two-turn 6-1/2 furlongs. New York-bred open allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, June 30 through Tuesday, July 4 were: BROCCO VALLEY at a mile and a sixteenth for his first win around two turns, on Friday; homebred MAD BOB CAT by four lengths at odds-on under top weight for his second big-margin win in two weeks, on Saturday; ONE EL OF A LADY for her second win of 2006 and third career victory, on Sunday; BEARMINT by 2-1/4 lengths under co-topweight for his second daylight-margin win in three career starts in the past 64 days, LEAR JET SET (sired by A. P Jet) gate-to-wire by 9-1/4 lengths at odds-on in her second start off an almost 17-month layoff since arriving from California, and SCHIFTY'S PROSPECT (sired by Good and Tough) under co-topweight in the open non-winners-of-three feature for his second win of 2006 as well as third career victory and first sprint tally -- all on Monday; and REGALLY (sired by Regal Classic) by 2-1/4 lengths for his second daylight-margin win of 2006, on Tuesday. Restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Saturday, July 1 through Tuesday, July 4 were: Homebred MT. MAJESTY (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by 2-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire in his first start off a 218-day layoff for his second consecutive win and fifth career victory, and SLIPPERY SLICK ($100,986) for his second consecutive win in three weeks to improve his record to 5 - 2 - 3 in 20 starts -- both on Saturday; HOWYALIKEDEMAPPLES under top weight for his second win of 2006 and improving his record to 7 - 5 - 4 in 20 starts, on Monday; and YANKEE TRICK ($139,545) by a front-running 2-3/4 lengths for his third two-length-plus win of 2006 and seventh career victory, on Tuesday. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, June 28 through Tuesday, July 4 included: SHARE THE LOVE (sired by Adonis) at almost even money at Delaware Park on Wednesday, and BRASS DIXIE ($129,995) in his third start of 2006 to improve his record to 12 - 14 - 12 in 67 starts and JELLY ROLL JOURNEY by 2-1/4 lengths for her second win of 2006 and seventh career victory -- both at Great Lakes Downs on Wednesday; M LEE (sired by A. P Jet) by 2-3/4 lengths at Arlington Park in his second start of 2006 and ASPEN EDGE by 2-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at Fair Meadows in Oklahoma for his second win of 2006 -- both on Thursday; RAJA'S JET (sired by A. P Jet) gate-to-wire by 3-1/2 lengths at Evangeline Downs for his fourth daylight-margin win in his latest six starts since early December and improving his record to 11 - 5 - 5 in 35 starts, VERMONT SUMMER by 7-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire at almost even money, and LORD BUCKLEY ($179,953) by 3-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire to improve his record to 18 - 12 - 10 in 63 starts -- all on Friday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; SUMMERLAND (sired by Western Expression) in a front-running performance at Colonial Downs for his fourth career win to boost his earnings to $126,351 and claimed, BURNT BUSH by 2-1/2 lengths at Thistledown for her sixth career win, RED HOT ROSE by two lengths for her second win of 2006 and third career victory, MYSWEETHEARTS GONE (sired by Gone for Real) by 2-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire for his second win of 2006 and improving his record to 11 - 6 - 5 in 33 starts with earnings of $125,048, homebred TARRYTOWN (sired by A. P Jet) by 2-3/4 lengths under co-topweight for his third daylight-margin win in four starts since early May, and homebred PETERS BLUE WAY for his first two-turn victory and second win of 2006 -- all on Saturday and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; PRETTY PARTISAN (sired by Badge) at Delaware Park for her third consecutive victory in 25 days at three different tracks and improving her record to 7 - 1 - 2 in 16 starts with earnings of $163,233, homebred MAJESTIC SIGHT at odds-on, homebred LIVELY AMERICAN for his fourth victory in seven starts, and GOLDEN GODDESS -- all on Sunday and the last-named three at Finger Lakes; GENERAL HOWZE gate-to-wire by 2-1/2 lengths at Prairie Meadows and homebred SMART CHANCE by 2-3/4 lengths off a nine-month layoff for his second win by more than two lengths in four starts despite being fractious in the gate, STORM BAY for her sixth career win, DALOVALY LINDA, and BAY GUARD with blinkers off and coming off a 290-day layoff -- all on Monday and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; homebred URBANE HUSTLE ($144,409) on Monmouth Park turf to improve his record to 4 - 4 - 2 in 21 starts, LIQUID ROMANCE ($103,304) by a front-running 2-1/4 lengths at Suffolk Downs for his second win of 2006 and fourth career victory and pushing his earnings into six figures, SCARLET BILLOWS at Charles Town for her second win of 2006 and fourth career victory, homebred RAF'S SOCIETY GIRL (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by a front-running 15-1/4 lengths at odds-on for her third consecutive win by more than 13-length margins in 51 days and improving her record to 7 - 4 - 1 in 24 starts, and homebred GRAND KIDS by 3-3/4 lengths for his fourth career victory -- all on Tuesday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, June 28 through Tuesday, July 4 included: Homebred SHINING BULL from last-to-first at Belmont in his third career outing and first effort beyond a mile, on Wednesday; homebred LITTLE ORPHAN LUCY (sired by Lycius) from last-to-first in one furlong to win by 2-1/2 lengths and homebred YANKEE THUNDER by 3-3/4 lengths in his debut -- both running six furlongs over Belmont turf on Thursday; two-year-old CHIEF OFFICER by 10 lengths in her debut at Belmont and looking well worth the $230,000 price that Ahmed Zayat (Zayat Stables) of Hackensack, New Jersey paid for her at the OBS March sale of selected juveniles, SULTRY CITY by 10-3/4 lengths at Belmont in his first attempt at seven furlongs, PINT GLASS at Colonial Downs, homebred MALIBU MOUSE in a front-running debut performance, homebred LI'L HENRY by 2-1/2 lengths despite having to be checked at the top of the stretch, and BOZEMAN by 3-1/2 lengths -- all on Friday and the last-named three at Finger Lakes; homebred GHOSTLY MUSIC (sired by Silver Music) in his second start at Belmont on Saturday, EVEN NUMBERS, and WHATABEAUTIFULGAL (sired by A. P Jet) by 5-1/2 lengths at even money -- all on Saturday and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; front-running THUNDERING CREEK as yet another recent New York-bred Belmont winner inbred 3 x 3 to Mr. Prospector and CHARMING JILL in her first effort on grass -- both on Belmont turf on Sunday -- and R CLEAR VICTORY at Lone Star Park and homebred A BAG OF HONEY at Finger Lakes in his third start and first two-turn effort -- both also on Sunday; two-year-old SOLID STRIKE by 2-1/4 lengths in his debut and homebred LIGHT CLASSIC (sired by Regal Classic) -- both at Belmont on Monday -- and SHILEE at Mountaineer Park on Monday; homebred STORMY ORANGE (sired by Adonis) on Philadelphia Park turf and homebred NEW YORK PRIZE (sired by Preacherman) in a front-running debut at Finger Lakes as the only first-time-starter among nine contestants -- both on Tuesday. |
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Behaving Badly is Better than Good in
Genuine Risk By Francis LaBelle Jr.
Owned by Hal Earnhardt III and Patti Earnhardt and trained by Bob Baffert, Behaving Badly broke from the rail under jockey Garrett Gomez and was taken to the outside to target front-running Stormy Kiss and Khalila through a quarter mile of :22.50 and a half of :45.58 on the fast main track. Behaving Badly had only Swap Fliparoo beat as they hit the turn, but soon pulled to within the leaders. Stormy Kiss was reluctant to give up the lead, but Behaving Badly took it just the same. She appeared clear, although a late run by Swap Fliparoo made the outcome interesting. Still, Behaving Badly prevailed by a half-length in 1:09.96. "She sat off the pace before," Gomez said. "It looks like she is always on the lead, but she sat off a bit. She is very tractable. She's a pure class filly who does everything right. My job is to make her most comfortable. When I found those other two had out-footed her a little bit, I asked her to pick it up a little bit. She wasn't real happy, so I let her re-coup herself and took her outside for a clear run." Behaving Badly returned $2.50 for her eighth win in 11 career starts. "I just left it up to (jockey) Garrett Gomez," said Baffert from California. "You need to help her for the first few jumps out of the gate, and after that you can do what you want with her. I hated her in the one-hole, but it worked out because he was able to get her outside. It was an exciting race and she's a beautiful mare. I'm going to see how she comes out of it before we find a spot. She loves Del Mar. It's a pleasure to train for her owners (Hal and Patti Earnhardt). There's no pressure with them. They're in the game to enjoy watching their horses run." |
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Funny Cide rolls to G3 Dominion Day victory by Rab Hagin
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