Streaks are extended as 3 new NY-bred open '06 stakes horses emerge by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese

FLEET INDIAN #5

North America's longest current winning streak was extended to seven on Friday as Paul Saylor's New York-bred FLEET INDIAN captured Saratoga's Grade 1 Personal Ensign for fillies and mares, and another streak was extended to four when Hampshire Farm's state-bred GIMME CREDIT took the Equalize Stakes on the same card. Fleet Indian ($1,344,513), who won the mile and a quarter Personal Ensign by 4-1/4 lengths over a Grade 1 winner to whom she was conceding weight, supposedly had an easy race because no rival would run with her early. In comments to The Blood-Horse's Amanda Duckworth, owner Saylor even conceded as much: "As she went by the first time, I said they (the opposition) must be looking for a place to stop and have a beer because no one went with her. They should have pressed her a little bit, but I don't think they could have pressed her enough to take her game away from her."

Pressed early, Fleet Indian might have won by more. Her preferred quarter-mile cruising speed is near 24 seconds -- meaning the long-striding mare conserves little energy running 25.62 and 25.05 -- and when she finally shook free of jockey Jose Santos's stranglehold, she rambled her final three quarters more than a fifth of a second faster than Bernardini in Saturday's Travers. Despite descriptions to the contrary, Fleet Indian is not a speed mare. She does not have to be on the lead; the lead frequently falls to her by default. It is a rare distaffer that can put together three successive 24-and-change quarter-mile splits at the end of a nine-or-ten-furlong contest, and Fleet Indian's ability to pull off such a feat is what sets her apart.

New York Minute: Fleet Indian's Personal Ensign performance earned the best BRIS speed rating (101) among all older runners -- males or females -- going a main track mile or longer during the seven-day span from August 21 through August 27. She also had the best BRIS class rating (125.2) for fillies or mares at a mile or longer on either dirt or turf.

Gimme Credit ($146,893), a former $70,000 sales yearling at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2004 October auction who races for James Dinan's Hampshire Farm, was making his first start outside state-bred competition and his first stakes outing in the one-mile Equalize on turf for three-year-olds that had not won a stakes on grass. He scored his fourth consecutive NYRA victory in 62 days and third turf tally, becoming the 19th New York-bred stakes winner outside state-bred competition and the second grass stakes winner in August from the third crop of Eclipse Champion Sprinter Artax, who never raced on turf. Other stakes winners sired by Artax (Marquetry - Raging Apalachee, by Apalachee), who stands at Metropolitan Stud (managed by Anya Sheckley and Michael Lischin), include New York-conceived Grade 1 main track winner Friendly Michelle and three-year-old Diabolical, who has won two-turn stakes on dirt and turf this summer.

New York Minute: Gimme Credit's Equalize performance earned the best BRIS speed rating (100) for a three-year-old on turf during August 21-27 and bettered the BRIS rating of four-year-old Ashkal Way when he won Saratoga's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch on turf under three pounds less weight (prevailing by a neck) the next day.

Reaffirming that sweeping The OTBs' Big Apple Triple for New York-bred three-year-olds is a formidable task was Donald Flanagan's INDIAN HAWKE ($175,190), a $140,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale who captured the third leg of the Triple, Saratoga's Albany Stakes, on Wednesday. The winner of the first two legs, Ferocious Won ($261,297), was the 2.80-to-1 second choice behind unbeaten and 1.60-to-1 favorite Run Red Run, but Indian Hawke got the lead and controlled the pace in the mile and an eighth event. The striking gray gelding won the Albany by a length and a half as the 19.80-to-1 sixth choice among seven starters to register his first on-the-board stakes finish and fourth victory in 10 starts and clearly is getting better with maturity.

Also scoring a stakes victory by controlling the pace was Scott Solar's New York homebred JUDY SODA ($350,780), who captured Saratoga's mile and an eighth Saratoga Dew Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares for the second year in a row on Monday. Sent off at odds-on (.95-to-1) for her third start off a 9-1/2-month layoff following her 2005 Saratoga Dew tally, the five-year-old mare beat a field of four six-figure-earners that included Belmont open main track stakes winner Cayuga's Waters ($192,862), who placed third in a troubled trip under top weight.

Three New York-breds placed in open stakes: Steeplechase Farm's homebred five-year-old mare, Wild Berry ($215,132), third in Saratoga's Grab the Green Stakes (Thursday); Gallagher's Stud's homebred four-year-old filly, Rahys' Appeal ($249,659), second in Monmouth's Eatontown Handicap (Saturday); and three-year-old Quick Witted, second in Assiniboia Downs' Harry Jeffrey Stakes (Sunday). Wild Berry, whose record is 5 - 5 - 6 in 31 starts for the Steeplechase Farm of John Gorham of Westford, Massachusetts, broke from the outside post among eight starters as the 18.60-to-1 sixth choice in the 5-1/2-furlong Grab the Green on grass and pressed the pace while three-wide. She has multiple wins on dirt and turf and now has placed in open stakes on both surfaces. Rahys' Appeal also has won on both surfaces for Marlene Brody's Gallagher's Stud in Ghent and remained in Monmouth's former Grade 3 Eatontown when it came off the turf, finishing less than a length behind three-time stakes winner Brunilda despite being bumped late by favored Prop Me Up. Rahys' Appeal had won Belmont's $150,000 off-the-turf Ticonderoga Handicap by 8-1/2 lengths on New York Showcase Day in 2005 and has placed in two nine-furlong turf stakes for state-bred fillies and mares -- Saratoga's 2005 Yaddo Handicap (second) and Belmont's June 18 (2006) Mount Vernon Handicap (third). Quick Witted, who races for Emile and Aime Corbel, Sharon Campbell, and L. Carter under the care of part-owner and trainer Emile Corbel, has won or placed in all six of his 2006 starts following an initially promising but eventually sputtering NYRA juvenile season. He captured Assiniboia Downs' six-furlong Golden Boy Stakes by two lengths on June 3 and subsequently has placed in three stakes at that track, with his runner-up effort after leading most of the way under co-topweight in the mile and an eighth Harry Jeffrey being his latest stakes-placing.

New York Minute: Rahys' Appeal was the 48th New York-bred to win or place (second or third) in a 2006 stakes outside state-bred competition; Quick Witted's second-placing in the Harry Jeffrey was the 81st on-the-board finish (first, second, third) in an open (to horses bred anywhere) 2006 stakes event.

New York-breds METRO METEOR ($135,418) and Bogota Bill ($155,710) finished one-two as the only state-breds in Saratoga's open N1X turf allowance for three-year-olds and up going 5-1/2 furlongs on Monday, earning $40,000 of the $50,000 purse and qualifying their connections for an additional $18,700 in owner, breeder, and stallion awards. Both lawn-lovers are also New York-conceived. Metro Meteor, a three-year-old gelding who races for the Obviously NY Stable of Richard Benas, broke from the outside post among nine starters and made a four-wide move to win by 4-1/4 lengths as the 4-to-1 second choice in the near course record time of 1:01.80. Co-top-weighted Bogota Bill, a five-year-old homebred gelding racing for Barry Schwartz of Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, gained the lead in the upper stretch but faded after prompting a blistering pace of 21.39, 44.52, and 56.01. Metro Meteor had gone through his restricted N1X and N2X allowance conditions with back-to-back turf wins at Belmont in May and July, prior to which he had placed second outside state-bred company as a 2005 two-year-old in Saratoga's mile and a sixteenth With Anticipation Stakes on turf for non-stakes-winning juveniles. Bred by Gus Schoenborn Jr., the bay gelding who had zipped seven furlongs on Belmont turf in 1:21.98 two starts earlier on July 1 now has four wins and two seconds in nine starts.

Winning at the restricted N2X allowance level in $53,000 optional claiming contests at Saratoga were Tina Marie Bond's homebred four-year-old gelding, TOMMASI ($123,965), going a mile and an eighth on Wednesday (August 23), followed by Oak Cliff Stable's homebred five-year-old mare, SYMPHONY OF PSALMS, going a turf mile on Thursday. Tommasi, a son of Raffie's Majesty bred by the wife-husband team of Tina Marie Bond and trainer Harold James Bond, was bumped after breaking dead last among nine starters but got through to win by almost two lengths as the 6.80-to-1 fifth choice among eight wagering interests. The bay gelding whose record is now 3 - 4 - 1 in 10 starts had won back-to-back one-turn mile contests at Aqueduct in April by 6-1/2 and 5-1/2 lengths, but his speed figures seem to improve at distances beyond a mile. Symphony of Psalms, bred by Dr. Douglas Koch's Berkshire Stud and Tom Tatham's Oak Cliff Stable and campaigned under Oak Cliff Stable's colors, has scored back-to-back restricted turf allowance victories in 43 days, having won a six-furlong Belmont grass contest by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:08.89 on July 12. The half-sister to New Thoroughbred Breeders champions and open stakes winners Private Emblem ($783,152) and Rhum ($306,234) had broken her maiden in France and got her restricted N2X tally with a five-wide move as the marginal 3.05-to-1 favorite among 10 starters.

Winning restricted N1X allowances at Saratoga were two-year-old filly WIN WITH A WINK on Thursday (August 24) for her second victory in two starts, three-year-olds OEDIPUS O'NEAL (sired by Freud) and TOUGH AND EASY on Saturday, and four-year-old gelding DRIZZLY and three-year-old filly SUMMER PALACE (sired by Freud) on Sunday. Win With a Wink, purchased for $400,000 by Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation at Fasig-Tipton's 2005 Saratoga select yearling sale, collared the front-running odds-on favorite to win her six-furlong second start 40 days after breaking her maiden at Belmont by 4-1/2 lengths. Oedipus O'Neal ($109,402), who races for Anthony Grey's Winter Park Partners, covered a mile and an eighth on turf in 1:47.49 for his 6-1/2-length victory and now has two wins and three seconds (most recently in Saratoga's $150,000 New York Stallion Cab Calloway Stakes on August 6) in eight starts. Tough and Easy ($122,940), who races for Mladen Pavlovich's Nick-Mike Stables, is suddenly coming into his own, having broken his maiden by four lengths 31 days earlier and getting his second six-furlong victory by 4-1/4 lengths for a record of 2 - 4 - 4 in 18 starts. Drizzly ($145,495), a $40,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2003 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale by the Dogwood Stable that Cothran Campbell manages, advanced from last-to-first in his mile and three-sixteenths main track optional claiming contest -- originally scheduled for a mile and a half on turf -- and was claimed for $30,000. Summer Place, a $300,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Florida's 2005 early March Calder sale of selected two-year-olds by John Fort of Camden, South Carolina (Peachtree Stable), romped by 5-3/4 lengths at odds-on (.45-to-1) as the only participant in her contest with fewer than five previous starts.

New York-bred open allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, August 25 through Tuesday, August 29 were:

Homebred LONG LOST PAL by a front-running four lengths for his third win of 2006, and homebred SCARY BOB ($202,717) by 6-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire under top weight for his second consecutive big-margin win in three weeks and improving his open stakes-winning record to 6 - 5 - 7 in 23 starts, on Friday; BROCCO VALLEY gate-to-wire for his second allowance win of the summer and third career victory, HOOSICK FALLS ($112,954) by 9-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on for her second consecutive win in five weeks and sixth victory in her last seven starts and boosting her overall record to 7 - 3 - 0 in 15 starts, and LEAR JET SET (sired by A. P Jet) by 2-3/4 lengths for her second big-margin open allowance win in 55 days and third career big-margin victory -- all on Sunday; HOLD YOUR PATIENCE in a come-from-behind performance that may signal that this former first-out-winning juvenile at Belmont is regaining his form, and BLONDE BOMBSHELL by a front-running six lengths at odds-on for her third big-margin win in 44 days and advancing her never-unplaced career record to 3 - 2 - 1 in six starts since early June -- both on Monday; homebred DYNAMIC LASS for her second gate-to-wire win in 51 days, on Tuesday.

New York-bred restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, August 25 through Tuesday, August 29 were:

SAY I DO (sired by Western Expression) as the only three-year-old facing five older rivals for his second consecutive daylight-margin win in 17 days and fifth daylight-margin victory in six starts this summer, on Friday; homebred MT. MAJESTY (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by 7-1/2 lengths at near even money for his third win of the summer in four starts and improving his overall record to 7 - 5 - 1 in 18 starts with earnings of $116,986, on Saturday; LIVE BY REQUEST (sired by Regal Classic) and homebred TOO MANY BUBBLES ($118,871) in a dead heat -- the former scoring her third allowance win in four outings this summer and improving her overall record to 5 - 2 - 2 in 14 starts and the latter also getting her third win of 2006 and fifth career victory -- and HOSTILE WITNESS ($136,943) by 2-3/4 lengths going last-to-first with a six-wide turn move under top weight of 124 pounds for his third consecutive allowance win in 29 days and advancing his stakes-winning record to 6 - 3 - 4 in 26 starts -- all three on Tuesday.

New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, August 23 through Tuesday, August 29 included:

ABOVE THE DEVIL ($194,423) by 3-1/4 lengths at Monmouth Park for her second consecutive big-margin win in 25 days and ninth career victory, on Wednesday; SMART MOVE at Charles Town for her second win of 2006, and TUNDRAS TOKEN by 8-3/4 lengths at Retama Park despite being caught five-wide on the first turn -- both on Thursday; YASTRZEMSKI by a front-running two lengths at odds-on for his third daylight-margin win in 2006 and second tally in 39 days, homebred LIVELY AMERICAN by a front-running six lengths for her second win in 54 days and fifth career victory in 10 starts, and homebred SLUGGISH (sired by Aristotle) from ninth-to-first for her second win of the summer -- all at Finger Lakes on Friday; TODDLER ($423,389) by 7-1/4 lengths at River Downs for his fourth consecutive runaway win in 51 days by margins totaling 24-1/4 lengths to advance his multiple stakes-winning record to 17 - 11 - 12 in 71 starts, TACTICAL STAN at Suffolk Downs after being steadied into the first turn and making a three-wide move on the second turn, ME ME ANNA ($152,305) at odds-on and under co-topweight for her second consecutive win in 20 days and fourth victory of 2006 and enhancing her record to 17 - 13 - 6 in 53 starts, homebred BUTTONWOOD IDA for her seventh career victory, homebred GLORY BE TO WINLOC ($173,372) under co-topweight for his second consecutive win in 19 days and third victory of the summer and improving his record to 8 - 4 - 9 in 44 starts, and homebred TWISTED KEY (sired by Key Contender) at even money for her second consecutive daylight-margin win in 13 days and third daylight-margin victory of 2006 in six career starts despite having to be checked after going a quarter-mile and claimed -- all on Saturday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; WIND JET (sired by A. P Jet) by 4-3/4 lengths at odds-on at Mountaineer Park in his first start off a nine-month layoff and third big-margin win in his last four outings and claimed, homebred LILYBABE in a front-running performance at Delaware Park for her second consecutive win in 13 days and fourth victory of 2006, ALONG CAME ROSIE by a front-running four lengths for her second big-margin win of 2006, and PRECISE NIGHT despite breaking from the seventh post among eight starters for her second daylight-margin win -- all on Sunday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; LONE SMITTEN (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by a front-running 5-3/4 lengths at Calder Race Course for her second big-margin win of 2006 and third career victory, PEAK INTEREST ($130,920) from last-to-first with a four-wide move at Columbus (Nebraska) to improve his dirt-and-turf-winning record to 19 - 12 - 19 in 98 starts, CAPTAIN DEAN ($100,096) by three lengths for his eighth career victory and boosting his earnings into six figures, homebred PERSONAL HALF MAST by 8-1/2 lengths at odds-on for her sixth career victory, ONLINE INTIME ($186,835) for his second win in 45 days and improving his overall record to 13 - 21 - 13 in 96 starts, and homebred CASH ME OUT (sired by Take Me Out) at almost even money for his third win in four starts over a 48-day span and claimed -- all on Monday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; OKIE ZIP by 2-1/2 lengths at Remington Park for her second big-margin win of 2006, THERMOPYLAE ($217,576) by 3-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire at Mountaineer Park for his 10th career win, homebred MILLIBROOK (sired by Millions) by two lengths despite a five-wide trip, and homebred SMART CHANCE by a front-running 2-1/4 lengths at odds-on for his third big-margin win in a 57-day span and fourth career victory in eight starts and claimed -- all on Tuesday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes.

New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, August 23 through Tuesday, August 29 included:

IMELDA BLUE (sired by Regal Classic) from last-to-first in her debut despite having to be check on the first of two turns, and two-year-old colt SMASH 'EM SAMMY (sired by Rizzi) in a front-running debut despite breaking from the outside post -- both at Saratoga on Wednesday; two-year-old colt AL BASHA in his second start despite being bumped off stride in the upper stretch, at Saratoga on Thursday; two-year-old colt QUICK AND EASY in his debut despite breaking dead last and having to be steadied at the start and looking well worth his $150,000 OBS March sale purchase price, two-year-old filly STORM DIXIE (sired by Catienus) with a three-wide move in her debut, and homebred MEESES TWO PIECES despite being shuffled back on the turn -- all at Saratoga on Friday -- and homebred BASOOF'S PAL by 2-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire despite breaking from the eighth post among 10 starters, and LA BELLE SUZINE by eight lengths gate-to-wire -- both at Finger Lakes on Friday; MANA'S MAGIC (first winner sired by New York-based stakes-winning stallion Watch the Bird) by 6-1/4 lengths, and FASHION ARREST in front-running fashion -- both at Finger Lakes on Saturday; homebred SCATKEY by 10-1/4 lengths on turf at Saratoga, homebred GARDEN PARTY (sired by A. P Jet) at River Downs to become the ninth winner among nine starters and three stakes winners (one Grade 1 winner) produced from Damerelle, DRIVING SEA in his third start and first two-turn effort, and FLAG OVER NEW YORK (sired by Ormsby) by a front-running 16-1/4 lengths in her first two-turn effort despite breaking from the 10th post among 11 starters -- all on Sunday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; BACK DOOR DEAL by 4-1/4 lengths, two-year-old filly WYNSOME WESLEY by daylight in her second start and looking well worth her $130,000 purchase price at Keeneland's 2005 September yearling sale, and two-year-old filly WHATDREAMSRMADEOF by 9-1/2 lengths in her debut -- all at Saratoga on Monday -- and ORMSBY'S IMAGE (sired by Ormsby) by 4-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire easily, at Finger Lakes on Monday; NAP by 7-1/4 lengths at odds-on at Delaware Park, and REASON TO BELIEVE by 6-1/2 lengths at odds-on at Finger Lakes -- both on Tuesday.

Judy Soda stays in front - wins 2nd Saratoga Dew by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese

JUDY SODA #4

When she can dictate the pace, Scott Solar's homebred JUDY SODA is tenacious on the lead, and she again demonstrated this ability in her second annual victory in Saratoga's mile and an eighth Saratoga Dew Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares on Monday. Jockey Garrett Gomez, who 33 days earlier had race-ridden the five-year-old mare for the first time in a third-place effort in Saratoga's seven-furlong Rogues Walk Stakes for state-bred distaff competitors, allowed Judy Soda to gain a length-and-a-half first-quarter advantage in 24.78 and slowed the pace down thereafter. Stalking the front-running favorite in second place was 3-to-1 third choice Shady Lane, who after three-quarters of a mile with four pounds less weight (118 pounds to 122) was at Judy Soda's saddle girth, but that was as close to the lead as she ever advanced. At the wire, Gomez's pace-setting mount held a three-quarter-length margin for the sixth win in her latest 10 starts, improving her overall record to 8 - 4 - 4 in 27 career outings and boosting her bankroll by $43,050 to $350,780. Judy Soda went into the Saratoga Dew as the leading money-earner among the five starters and demonstrated why she held that distinction and why she was odds-on (.95-to-1).

The event unfolded in accordance with the plans of Gomez, who along with winning trainer Thomas Bush apparently had been most concerned with the one open stakes winner in the contest, top-weighted and 2.40-to-1 second choice Cayuga's Waters, a three-time winner on dirt and once on turf. Gomez had feared that Cayuga's Waters might vie for the lead, but traffic problems prevented that: "My idea was to break there running, and if the 'one' (Cayuga's Waters) went with me, I would go to plan B. I really wanted this filly on the lead, but without going too fast. I was able to dictate things from the quarter-pole; she picked it up and got more aggressive. Turning for home, she finished up well."

Gomez had three winning rides on Saratoga's Monday card -- all aboard New York-breds, including a pair of two-year-old filly maiden-breakers later in the day.

Trainer Bush acknowledged that Cayuga's Waters had encountered problems, beginning with her being trapped behind the casual pace set by Judy Soda and getting rank on the first turn: "With the 'one' (Cayuga's Waters), I never saw a horse get into so much trouble. Judy Soda gets pretty brave when she gets to the lead. Garrett (Gomez) did the right thing bouncing her out of there. You want the jocks to take over, because you can blame them when things don't work out. She's a very strong filly on the lead."

Following her victory in the 2005 Saratoga Dew, Judy Soda had been away from competition for 9-1/2 months, and her venture into the 2006 Saratoga Dew marked her third start of the year and the summer. Bush had given her two five-furlong workouts over Belmont's training track following her third-place effort in the Rogues Walk on July 26.

Placed in four NYRA stakes (including the Rogues Walk plus one outside state-bred-or-conceived competition) in addition to her Saratoga Dew tallies, Judy Soda is the first offspring produced from Nikki Tootsie, who is a half-sister to a winning stakes-placed filly and out of a multiple stakes-winning mare. Her owner-breeder, Solar, who qualified for a breeder award of $8,610, also has raced New York-bred Belmont and Aqueduct allowance winner Wild Cure ($169,040).

Fleet Indian romps in G1 Personal Ensign as 2nd NY-bred SW on card by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese

FLEET INDIAN #5

In track and field, it's called "running negative splits," and only the most talented runners even try it under unique circumstances. In horseracing, it can be confused with "stealing" a race, but what Paul Saylor's New York-bred FLEET INDIAN did in Saratoga's Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at a mile and a quarter on Friday requires far more ability -- and a certain measure of jockey confidence -- than does simple theft. It means running succeeding quarter-mile splits progressively faster until the competition becomes demoralized, and although the tactic is sometimes seen in turf racing where speed tends to hold up longer, it is extremely rare in main track competition. In the $400,000 Personal Ensign for fillies and mares, Spa fans saw one of its best demonstrations.

Unchallenged for the early lead, Fleet Indian was allowed by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2003 Jockey of the Year Jose Santos to cruise through her opening quarter in 25.62, followed by 25.05, followed by 24.54, followed by the fastest quarter-mile split in the race -- 24.30. At no point did any rival get a nose in front of Fleet Indian's tail, and the big mare's final quarter of 24.36 increased her margin over Grade 1 winner and 1.70-to-1 second choice Balletto from a length and a half at the quarter-pole to 4-1/4 lengths at the wire.

The slow early pace apparently had been somewhat unnerving to winning trainer Todd Pletcher: "Sometimes, you can go too slow," the two-time Eclipse Award winner and NYTB 1999 Trainer of the Year explained. "That was my only concern. When she got into that rhythm, Balletto put in a run, but she had a lot left. I thought it was a pretty solid finish going a mile and a quarter. I hate to back her up; the Beldame (Grade 1, $600,000 guaranteed, a mile and an eighth at Belmont on Saturday, October 7) will probably make the most sense."

Santos, who has ridden Fleet Indian to all five of her victories this year, appeared to have had more confidence than Pletcher regarding the lack of pace: "We knew we were the lone speed in the race. She broke sharply like she has always done. She was asking me with her head to let her go. I kept her together until the half-mile pole, when I let her go (resulting in the fastest quarter-mile split in the race). When Balletto came within a length of us, I hit her once, and she kept going."

Top-weighted Fleet Indian's seventh consecutive victory and fifth consecutive 2006 stakes score (by a total of 31 lengths this year alone) increased her earnings by $240,000 to $1,344,513 and advanced her record to 12 wins and one third-placing in 17 starts. She was odds-on at .65-to-1 among five starters in the Personal Ensign, even though one Daily Racing Form handicapper picked her to finish third, and a BRIS handicapper picked her to place second. The five-year-old mare also qualified her owner, Atlanta investment banker Saylor, for the maximum $20,000 owner award, and her breeders, Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin of Lakland North, LLC in Hudson (where Fleet Indian was foaled), for the maximum $10,000 breeder award. Fleet Indian scored her first stakes victory nine months ago in Aqueduct's Montauk Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares.

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, Fleet Indian initially had raced for Stan Fulton before being purchased by Saylor for $290,000 at Keeneland's 2006 January sale. 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.

Gimme Credit extends win streak to 4 straight in Saratoga's Equalize S. by Rab Hagin

GIMME CREDIT #3

Rather than try open N1X allowance competition is his first effort outside state-bred company, Hampshire Farm's New York-bred GIMME CREDIT captured Saratoga's $72,450 Equalize Stakes at a mile on turf for three-year-olds that had never won a grass stakes, extending his summer win streak to four in a row. The versatile son of Artax has been on a tear since three days after the solstice, reeling off successive victories by four lengths in Belmont slop at a mile and by 3-1/2 and 2-1/4 lengths, respectively, at a mile and a sixteenth on Belmont and Saratoga turf. Those wins set the stage for Gimme Credit's first stakes outing in Friday's Equalize, for which the May 13-foaled gelding was the youngest starter in the event. He went off as the 5.60-to-1 fourth choice among nine starters with jockey Edgar Prado on board for the fourth consecutive time in competition and fourth victory.

The beginning was inauspicious. Gimme Credit at the break bumped with 8.10-to-1 fifth choice River City Rebel on his outside but came out of that collision more favorably than the latter, getting next to the rail and securing third place to the second turn, as Grade 2-placed second choice Tahoe Warrior set the pace. The dark bay gelding swung out four-wide exiting the turn and was quickly in command at mid-stretch, from which point he held off the outside charge of 2006 grass Grade 2-placed Storm Treasure, the 5-to-1 third choice. Gimme Credit's first stakes outing increased his earnings by $43,470 to $146,893 and improved his record to 4 - 1 - 1 in 10 starts and also qualified his owner, James Dinan's Hampshire Farm, for an additional $4,347 owner award. The New York-bred had been a $70,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2004 October yearling sale in Timonium, Maryland.

Winning trainer Timothy Hills, who had given Gimme Credit two workouts on Saratoga's main track following the gelding's latest previous victory at Belmont on July 31, was exceptionally modest regarding his own input: "This didn't happen by design. It just happened that they have come around this time of the year. He's matured a lot, and he's gotten better and is relaxed. Against state-breds (his three previous wins this summer), there hasn't been that much pace. It's getting hard to go wire-to-wire here; eventually, there is another horse that will go faster than yours for the lead. We're going to look at a state-bred race ($100,000-added Ashley T. Cole Handicap at Belmont, mile and an eighth on turf, Sunday, September 17) in three weeks. If we have to go outside of state-breds, we can do that, too."

Prado seems to have a particular rapport with Gimme Credit: "This horse and I get along pretty good. He runs on anything, turf or dirt. Everything on the inner turf has been coming from off the pace, so I played my cards right and waited on him. He's the type you can put anywhere you want. He has speed, but he rated beautifully today. He just exploded for me at the end."

Bred by Dr. Douglas Koch's Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains (where he was foaled) in partnership with Tom Tatham's Oak Cliff Stable, Gimme Credit is a half-brother to Italy's high-weighted three-year-old sprinter for 2005, New York-bred stakes winner Golden Stravinsky ($233,722), being the second offspring produced from winner Shagadellic. Co-breeder Tatham had bid $150,000 at Keeneland's 1998 September yearling sale to purchase Shagadellic, who was a main track winner going a route distance as a three-year-old but never scored on turf.

Gimme Credit is the 19th New York-bred to win a stakes outside state-bred competition in 2006, and among those 19 is leading Eclipse Champion contender Fleet Indian ($1,344,513), who captured Saratoga's Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes in the next race on Saratoga's Friday card.

45 NY-breds have won or placed 76 times in '06 non-state-bred stakes by Rab Hagin

Photo:BENOIT PHOTO

BEHAVING BADLY #4 winning Del Mar's Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap

Patti and Hal Earnhardt III's BEHAVING BADLY ($734,224) set the tone and highlighted the glittering New York-bred 2001 crop when she cruised to her fifth open stakes victory of 2006 in Del Mar's Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap on Friday, winning by 3-1/4 lengths as the odds-on and top-weighted favorite. The next day, Nyala Farm's homebred FINLANDIA ($215,055) scored her first stakes victory and enhanced the New York-bred distaff turf division, running her final furlong in 11.44 in Belmont's mile and an eighth Yaddo Handicap for state-bred fillies and mares to register an excellent 1:48.70 clocking. On Monday, another five-year-old sprinting mare (from same crop as Behaving Badly), Vincent Scuderi's and Sullivan Lane Stable's co-top-weighted GOLD LIKE U ($275,420), scored her first stakes victory in Saratoga's six-furlong Union Avenue for New York-bred fillies and mares that had not won a 2006 graded stakes.

New state-bred standouts also emerged at Finger Lakes on Saturday, as Zayat Stable's $230,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2006 March sale of two-year-olds in training, recent Saratoga graded-placed CHIEF OFFICER ($111,765), scored her first stakes victory with a 6-1/4-length romp in the $126,725 Lady Fingers Stakes. Beverage company CEO Ahmed Zayat of Hackensack, New Jersey apparently admires this female family so much that he paid $310,000 for Chief Officer's New York-bred half-sister, Gullible Gal (by New York stallion Hook and Ladder), at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's July 17-18 selected yearling sale. Chief Officer is whittling away at her $230,000 purchase price but already has far higher residual value: She is a stakes winner and graded-placed, and her only named half-sibling of racing age, three-year-old Ready to Please, won Oaklawn Park's Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes by three lengths on April 14. When Zayat purchased Chief Officer, she was just the second offspring out of an unraced mare that would not be represented by a winner until the following year. Chief Officer appears to be significantly further along in her development at this stage than was her Grade 2-winning half-sister, who did not break her maiden or hit the board in a stakes until she was a three-year-old.

Breaking his maiden in Saturday's $127,638 non-female-restricted counterpart to the Lady Fingers, Finger Lakes' six-furlong Aspirant Stakes for New York-bred two-year-olds, was Francis Paolangeli's $85,000 purchase at the OBS 2006 April sale of two-year-olds, ENDLESS CIRCLE, who won by 6-1/2 lengths from the outside post among seven starters. The dark bay Precise End colt had finished a weakening fifth among 12 in his debut at Saratoga 19 days earlier but still went off as the 3.20-to-1 second choice among six wagering interests. Bred by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2005 Breeder of the Year, Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds, Endless Circle is the second starter and second winner produced from four-time winner Inside Circle (by Pentelicus), who is a full sister to a stakes winner. Simon's New Dawn Stud had purchased Inside Circle for $5,000 at the OBS 2000 October mixed sale when she was carrying her first foal and first winner.

New York-breds finished first and third in Finger Lakes' open Proud Puppy Handicap for distaff runners on Saturday, as RUBY'S ROCKET ($221,965) scored her first open stakes tally to accompany 2005 victories in Finger Lakes' restricted Jack Betta Be Rite (mile and a sixteenth) and six-furlong Susan B. Anthony Handicaps. The six-year-old daughter of Polish Pro was the 7.20-to-1 fourth choice among six starters in the six-furlong Proud Puppy, which was completely unrestricted and offered significantly more than enough purse money to qualify for black-type, and she won going away by 2-1/4 lengths. Owned by her trainer, Timothy Murphy of Shortsville, New York, in partnership with Dave Brown of Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, Ruby's Rocket has a record of 11 - 11 - 4 in 42 starts, and her three stakes-placed efforts -- one in 2006 -- include a runner-up performance in the 2005 Proud Puppy. She was bred by the late Einar Paul Robsham and is among four winners produced from turf winner Secret Ruby (by Secreto), who is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winners Ruby Hill ($243,154) and Ruby Friday ($211,927) and to two New York-bred stakes-placed winners, including Ruby's Pro ($170,717).

Placing third in the Proud Puppy -- and gaining her first black-type to enhance a two-season record of 8 - 2 - 3 in 14 starts -- was Paul Barrow's homebred Mighty Annie R., a four-year-old daughter of New York-based stallion Mighty Magee. Mighty Annie R.'s eight decisive wins in 2005-2006 have been by margins totaling 33-1/2 lengths.

New York Minute: Ruby's Rocket was the 18th New York-bred winner of a stakes event outside state-bred competition in 2006 and the 44th New York-bred to hit the board (finish first, second, or third) in open stakes company this year. Mighty Annie R. was the 45th New York-bred to win or place in an open stakes in 2006, and her third-placing in the Proud Puppy was the 76th on-the-board finish by a New York-bred in an open (to horses bred anywhere) 2006 stakes.

Winning an off-the-turf five-furlong allowance by 3-1/4 lengths at Calder on Sunday was Thomas Moore's $135,000 New York-bred purchase at the OBS 2006 February select sale of two-year-olds at Calder, FIVE TOWNS, who was bumped at the start and chased the pace three-wide but pulled clear in the final furlong. Moore, who races as Waterford Farm and has a Broadway address, went to almost double Five Towns' $70,000 price at Fasig-Tipton's 2005 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale to acquire the chestnut colt, who six weeks prior to Sunday had broken his maiden by 12 lengths at Calder. The son of Three Wonders - Arden Village, by Miswaki, was bred by the Hidden Point Farm, Inc. that is managed by Barry Long in Ocala, Florida and was foaled at Jo Ann Finley's Fawn Ridge Farm in Hudson. His dam, who is out of graded winner Summer Matinee ($277,870), had been purchased for only $5,000 at Keeneland's 2002 November sale before her first starter had won.

Daylight-margin winners at the restricted N2X allowance level on Saratoga turf were Flying Zee Stable's homebred five-year-old INCREDIBLE SPEED ($111,982) going a mile and an eighth on Friday and Paul Pompa Jr.'s four-year-old MACKLENIN ($173,274) going 5-1/2 furlongs in an allowance optional claiming contest on Monday. Incredible Speed, a son of New York-bred multiple graded-winning juvenile and former state-based sire Incurable Optimist, was coming off a 64-day break with blinkers back on following an unplaced blinker-less experiment and led all the way to clock an excellent nine-furlong time of 1:47.39 off a 1:34.88 mile fraction. His three-length tally as the 1.60-to-1 favorite among 10 wagering interests and 11 starters bumped his bankroll into six figures for Carl Lizza Jr.'s Flying Zee Stable and improved his record to 3 - 2 - 2 in 14 starts. Macklenin, a $30,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2003 Saratoga sale of preferred New York-bred yearlings, was reunited with jockey Eibar Coa and got his second victory with that rider aboard, going gate-to-wire as half of an entry that was the 6.50-to-1 third choice among eight wagering interests and 10 starters. Bred by Sez Who Thoroughbreds, Inc., the chestnut colt now has turf wins at all three NYRA facilities as well as a pair of two-turn tallies on Aqueduct's inner and outer main tracks and an overall record of 5 - 3 - 2 in 24 starts.

Winning restricted N1X allowances at Saratoga from Monday, August 16 through Sunday, August 20 were PRINCE RAFFIE (mile and a sixteenth, turf) Wednesday, STORM N LIGHTNING (5-1/2 furlongs, turf) Thursday, MOHEGAN SKY (5-1/2 furlongs, turf) Friday, MARIEVAL (mile and an eighth, turf) Saturday, and MAKE US HAPPY (5-1/2 furlongs) Sunday. Prince Raffie (sired by Raffie's Majesty), a three-year-old colt and $5,000 weanling purchase by managing partner Neal Galvin of Our Blue Streaks Stable bred by Majesty Stud LLC, scored by a front-running length-and-three-quarters as the 2.80-to-1 favorite among 11 starters and has wins on dirt and turf. Storm N Lightning, Albert Fried Jr.'s homebred four-year-old gelding, also led at all calls and likewise now has NYRA wins on both dirt and turf. Mohegan Sky, a four-year-old filly and $180,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, races for William Bianco III's Sunset Stables and broke from the outside post as the 3.60-to-1 second choice among nine starters to score her second daylight-margin turf win in two months. Marieval, John Cummins' three-year-old filly and a $350,000 purchase at Keeneland's 2004 September yearling sale, scored her second consecutive daylight-margin victory following a 68-day "mini-break" and now has wins on dirt and turf as the second offspring and second winner bred by Gallagher's Stud from New York homebred winner Adorahy. Make Us Happy, a three-year-old filly purchased by E El R Stable (Richard Balfour, manager) for $35,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2004 October yearling sale, tallied by 2-1/4 lengths about 26 hours before her five-year-old half-sister, Gold Like U (above), got her initial stakes victory in Saratoga's Union Avenue.

Notable New York-bred open claiming winners were Francis Paolangeli's four-year-old filly, HEAVENLY ANNA, who won with a $35,000 tag at Saratoga on Wednesday, August 16 and Tolland Farms' stakes-placed five-year-old mare, GOLD FLINGER ($194,750), who captured a Philadelphia Park N3X allowance/optional claimer the following Tuesday and was haltered for $32,000. Heavenly Anna, a daughter of Tomorrows Cat, carried top weight going 5-1/2 furlongs on turf and registered her second daylight-margin grass win in 32 days as the 3.35-to-1 second choice among 10 starters -- possibly earning a ticket to try restricted N1X allowance competition. Gold Flinger had graduated from open N3X competition two years earlier and was almost even money under co-topweight for her seven-furlong contest, which she completed in an impressive 1:22.82 before going to her new owner, Andrew Berg's Gumpster Stable LLC, under the care of trainer Scott Lake. The durable stakes-placed mare's record is now 7 - 12 - 2 in 39 starts.

New York-bred open allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Saturday, August 19 through Tuesday, August 22 were:

Homebred GEBB'S POWER (sired by Lycius) for his second win of 2006 and first main track victory despite engaging in a bumping duel in the late stretch, on Saturday; VILLANUEVA (sired by Western Expression) by a front-running 2-1/4 lengths despite breaking from the outside post among seven starters, on Monday; WATRALSOUTHERNCURE ($124,795) in a starter allowance for his second consecutive daylight-margin win in 29 days and improving his record to 8 - 4 - 8 in 37 starts, on Tuesday.

New York-bred restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Saturday, August 19 though Tuesday, August 22 were:

OFFICE AT NIGHT by two lengths under top weight at odds-on for her second consecutive win in 12 days and third 2006 tally as well as sixth career victory, and homebred VIVA JULIA (sired by Williamstown) for her third consecutive allowance win in 39 days and fourth career victory -- both on Saturday; homebred A ROSE FOR CHRIS by 5-1/4 lengths despite breaking from the outside post among six starters, on Monday; homebred SIDEWAYS GLANCE (sired by Western Expression) with a five-wide move on the turn under top weight for his second consecutive win in 23 days and fifth career victory and boosting his earnings to $146,982, on Tuesday.

New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, August 16 through Tuesday, August 22 included:

THAT BELONGS TO ME ($123,998) by 2-1/2 lengths from last-to-first with a four-wide move at Suffolk Downs for her first turf victory and improving her multiple stakes-placed record to 8 - 7 - 8 in 45 starts, on Wednesday; YELLOW EYES (sired by Goldminers Gold) by two lengths at Arlington Park for her third daylight-margin win at that Illinois track in 85 days and claimed for the second time in 2006, on Thursday; THORETTES COOL CAT by two lengths at Laurel for his third win of 2006 and claimed, NEVER TAKE RISK (sired by A. P Jet) in a front-running performance at River Downs for his second win in 41 days and ninth career victory, SHIREE AMOUR in an easy gate-to-wire romp at Thistledown for her second daylight-margin win in 2006, homebred SMART CHANCE by 7-1/2 lengths at odds-on for his second big-margin win in 46 days and third career victory, and STRIDER'S COMET ($176,905) under top weight and at even money for his second consecutive favored win in 12 days and 13th career victory -- all on Friday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; IRIDIUM ($173,386) by 3-1/4 lengths at Mountaineer Park for his fourth victory, ELEGANT PARADOX (sired by Artax) by 10-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at Philadelphia Park for her fifth victory, SHOALIHS TALE ($142,374) by 2-1/2 lengths at odds-on at Thistledown for his second daylight-margin win of the summer and seventh career victory, homebred FLIP A COIN (sired by Western Expression) by a front-running 10-1/4 lengths at odds-on for his second consecutive big-margin win in 13 days and third big-margin victory of 2006, JUDGE JOHN B. for his second daylight-margin win of the summer and first two-turn victory -- all on Saturday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; EXACTAMENTO by a front-running 13 lengths at Delaware Park at even money for his second big-margin win in 39 days and in his first start since being claimed 29 days earlier and scoring his third daylight-margin victory of 2006, GOLD CLARA (sired by Goldminers Gold) by a front-running 3-3/4 lengths despite breaking from the outside post among seven starters for her third big-margin win of 2006 and seventh career victory, ARTISTIC AWARENESS (sired by A. P Jet) by a front-running 2-3/4 lengths at almost even money to improve his stakes-placed record to 5 - 7 - 1 in 29 starts with earnings of $141,531, ATLANTIS CRUSADER (sired by Crusader Sword) for his fourth daylight-margin win of 2006 and second consecutive tally in one week and improving his overall record to 18 - 5 - 4 in 32 starts with earnings of $137,308 and one of two horses claimed out of the contest, and homebred INFINITE JUSTICE ($191,504) by two lengths for his second win of 2006 and fifth victory in his stakes-winning career -- all on Sunday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; GOLD RAIDER by 4-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at Remington Park for his second big-margin win of 2006 and third career victory, MARLIN BAY (sired by Badge) by 8-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on at Suffolk Downs for her fourth win in five starts over a 30-day span and improving her overall record to 8 - 7 - 5 in 40 starts, TRADING HOURS at Great Lakes Downs for his fifth career victory despite stalking the pace four-wide for most of the way, BOB'S TRIUMPH at Thistledown, PROWLING WOLF by three lengths, JET TO ROME (sired by A. P Jet) in a front-running performance, CROOKED WOMAN by 5-3/4 lengths for her third consecutive big-margin front-running win in 59 days and fifth career victory, and STAGE THREE ($176,538) by 2-3/4 lengths despite breaking from the outside post among 11 starters for his second win in 31 days and improving his overall record to 15 - 14 - 5 in 58 starts -- all on Monday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; homebred JUST GABI ($173,698) in a front-running performance at Delaware Park for her second consecutive win in four weeks and sixth victory in 2006 and improving her overall record to 6 - 10 - 2 in 32 starts, NAPOLEON SOLO ($135,326) by 2-3/4 lengths at Delaware Park for his second big-margin win of 2006 and fifth career victory, IAM A DIXIECHIC by 2-3/4 lengths despite having to be checked at the start, and homebred BEFORE TODAY (sired by Western Expression) by a front-running 2-1/2 lengths for his second daylight-margin win of 2006 -- all on Tuesday, and t he last-named two at Finger Lakes.

New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, August 16 through Tuesday, August 22 included:

Homebred two-year-old filly TRE' BON PRO by 3-1/2 lengths in a front-running third-start performance after having placed second in her first two outings, and KISS THE DICE (sired by Rock and Roll) in his first turf outing and despite having to be steadied repeatedly while coming from far back among 12 original starters -- both at Saratoga on Wednesday; two-year-old filly ELUSIVE FOX by 6-1/2 lengths in her front-running debut despite breaking from the outside post among nine starters and looking like a worthy first offspring produced from NYTB 2001 Juvenile Filly Champion Shesastonecoldfox, and KARAKORUM ELLA by 2-1/4 lengths -- both at Saratoga on Thursday; STEVIE RAY GONE (sired by Gone for Real) despite breaking from the eighth post among nine starters and with blinkers on, and homebred STARCASTIC by 10-1/2 lengths in his debut despite being bumped at the start and the only first-time-starter in the contest -- both at Saratoga -- and homebred two-year-old filly CHINA BLACK by 6-3/4 lengths in her debut at Calder, PERFECT TAKE (sired by Take Me Out) from ninth-to-first among 10 starters at Mountaineer Park in his first six-furlong effort after having competed mostly in routes, homebred BE LONG GONE (sired by Carry My Colors) in a gate-to-wire daylight-margin performance at odds-on, homebred MYGOLDENEXPRESSION (sired by Western Expression) by two lengths, CRYALETHA by 5-1/2 lengths, and BOOT THE BULL by 7-3/4 lengths despite his jockey losing his whip at mid-stretch -- all on Friday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; two-year-old ORNA at Woodbine in his second start and first turf outing despite breaking dead last among 12 starters, homebred two-year-old filly LA MURE (sired by Regal Classic) by 2-3/4 lengths in her debut at Laurel, FOXY FOYT by six lengths at Suffolk Downs in her second start despite being bumped in the upper stretch, and homebred SHARP BOOTS (sired by King's Arrow) at Finger Lakes despite breaking from the outside post among 10 starters -- all on Saturday; two-year-old filly CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC by a front-running four lengths in her second start, NEHANTIC KAT (sired by Tomorrows Cat) by 3-1/2 lengths in her debut, and homebred TREASURED SONG by 3-1/2 lengths in her second start despite breaking from the 10th post among 11 starters -- all at Saratoga on Sunday -- and two-year-old STAR OF STATE by two lengths in his second start as half of an odds-on entry despite ducking out after breaking from the outside post among nine starters and racing wide most of the way, homebred two-year-old filly PASS THE SWEETS (sired by Prime Timber) by a front-running 3-1/2 lengths in her debut, LITTLE CAMMIE (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by 6-1/2 lengths with blinkers off -- all at Finger Lakes on Sunday; homebred two-year-old MOTOR WEST (sired by Western Expression) by 2-1/2 lengths in his second start despite having to be steadied on the backstretch and later blocked behind a wall of rivals, and SPEAKING OUT with a four-wide move with blinkers off after breaking from the 10th post among 12 starters -- both at Saratoga on Monday -- and homebred AARDVARK (sired by Adonis) despite breaking from the seventh post among eight starters, at Finger Lakes on Monday; THE GIN MAN by six lengths in his third start despite breaking in the air from the outside post among seven starters and with blinkers on for the first time, and homebred VIDEO CHIP by five lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on in his second start -- both at Finger Lakes on Tuesday.

Indian Hawke flies gate to wire in $150K Albany by Rab Hagin

photo: Adam Coglianese

INDIAN HAWKE

Running the way he likes to run, Donald Flanagan's INDIAN HAWKE captured Saratoga's $150,000 Albany Stakes for New York-bred three-year-olds -- third leg of the 2006 OTBs' Big Apple Triple -- cruising comfortably on the front end in the mile and an eighth Wednesday feature to score his first stakes victory. It was the gray/roan gelding's seventh outing and fourth victory under New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2003 Jockey of the Year Jose Santos, who displayed a masterful ability in controlling the pace and is the only rider the Flanagan standard-bearer has ever carried to victory.

Almost overlooked as the 19.80-to-1 sixth choice among seven starters, Indian Hawke almost immediately gained the lead and the rail position while covering his first quarter-mile in 24.50, as undefeated 1.60-to-1 favorite Run Red Run stalked closely behind following a stumbling start. After backing the second quarter off to 25.06, Santos's mount held a length and a half advantage, but when Run Red Run launched a challenge on the second turn, Indian Hawke eased out to his fastest quarter-mile split in the contest -- 24.14 -- to maintain a half-length margin. Another sub-25 quarter (24.49) put Indian Hawke two lengths in front of a drifting-out Run Red Run at mid-stretch, and he reached the wire with a length and a half advantage over Shuffling Madness, who closed on the outside on his left lead and brushed with Run Red Run.

photo: Adam Coglianese

INDIAN HAWKE

Second choice Ferocious Won (2.80-to-1) was making a bid to sweep the OTBs' Big Apple Triple series and earn a $250,000 bonus -- a feat still never accomplished -- but he switched to his right lead far too early on the second turn and faded under top weight of 124 pounds.

Winning jockey Santos pointed out that Indian Hawke has been getting better with experience and maturity (sort of like another New York-bred by Indian Charlie -- Fleet Indian): "He's had a couple of problems in his last couple of races. I've been working with him here in the mornings the last couple of weeks, and in each work, he was progressing nicely. Here, he made the lead really easily and was just galloping along for the first half-mile. At the half-mile pole, I let him go a little bit and he responded. In the last two furlongs, he was so full of speed, no one was going to catch him."

Santos, who also rode the winner of the 2003 Albany, Traffic Chief, had back-to-back winning rides on Saratoga's Wednesday card.Winning trainer George Weaver, who had given Indian Hawke workouts of four, five, and six furlongs following the gelding's unplaced New York Derby effort, confirmed that the three-year-old had encountered some difficulties: "He's a little bit of a nervous horse, and the ship to Finger Lakes may have bothered him. He's been an all-or-nothing horse, and fortunately, today it was an 'all.' I think this horse does his best when he relaxes. I couldn't make up my mind whether to go or stalk. When I got to the paddock, I said, 'Jose, do what you want to do.' He set a moderate pace, and they couldn't catch him."

Indian Hawke's first stakes victory more than doubled his earnings (by $90,000) to $175,190 and improved his record to four wins -- two at Aqueduct and one each at Belmont and Saratoga -- in 10 starts, with no placed performances. Owner Flanagan, a resident of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, had purchased the striking gray for $140,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Indian Hawke was bred by Theresa and Joseph Mangine and was foaled at Joseph and John Marino's JM Stables, Inc. in Saugerties. He is the first winner produced from Georgialina, who is by Affirmed and is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed winner Turner's Hall ($205,268).

Gold Like U strikes gold with Union Avenue win by Rab Hagin

photo: Adam Coglianese

GOLD LIKE U

Back in December of 2004, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. made one of the all-time shrewdest claims when for $50,000 on behalf of Sullivan Lane Stable he haltered GOLD LIKE U, who on Monday scored her first stakes victory in Saratoga's six-furlong Union Avenue Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares. Since that holiday season claim during the darkest days of Aqueduct's winter season, Gold Like U has earned $179,770 of her $275,420 career bankroll and become a stakes winner, and except for a brief drop-off in form during the spring of 2005, she has progressed steadily upwards. The five-year-old mare was odds-on (.65-to-1) among six despite being co-top-weighted and breaking from the outside post as the only starter in the Union Avenue with no previous winning-or-placed black-type on her racing resume. She also was the only starter that had never raced at Saratoga, with all of her previous victories having been scored at Aqueduct. Despite all those possible causes for concern, Gold Like U did not disappoint her backers.

Jockey Edgar Prado, who was riding Gold Like U for the third consecutive time in competition, kept her well off the rail through the opening quarter-mile and in second place through a half-mile, as 2.15-to-1 second choice and co-top-weighted Sweet Sweet ran accelerating splits of 22.91 and 22.55. By mid-stretch, Gold Like U had collared Sweet Sweet, and in the final 50 yards she pulled away to win by a length, giving Prado his second winning ride of the day aboard a five-year-old mare and his second win in the Union Avenue.

Prado seemed to understand the mare's personality and apparently had confidence in her ability to take the Union Avenue: "She broke well. I wanted to keep her in second position because the track was playing to speed today. I kept her out wide because I didn't want to fight with her. By doing that, I allowed her to settle, and she didn't kick her head about. She won real easy; I didn't really have to ask her."

Dutrow, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Trainer of the Year who had sent out the winner of the inaugural (2004) Union Avenue, NYTB 2004 Co-Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Sugar Punch (ridden by Prado), had been more skeptical than Prado: "Rudy (Rodriguez) said she breezed awful the other day. I just figured it was maybe just a bad day for her. I don't like when my horses breeze bad going into a race, and that's exactly where we were. She ate up everything, and I just jogged her into the race."

After being claimed, Gold Like U scored back-to-back open N1X and N2X allowance victories in early 2005 before finishing fifth in her next two outings, Aqueduct's restricted six-furlong Broadway Handicap in March and a mile and a sixteenth venture at the open N3X level at Belmont in May. Dutrow subsequently gave her almost 10 months off and equipped her with blinkers, and in her next five starts -- all in 2006 -- Gold Like U has won three times and placed second twice, improving her record to 8 - 2 - 4 in 19 starts.

Owned by Vincent Scuderi in partnership with Kenneth Page's Sullivan Lane Stable, Gold Like U was bred by Questroyal Crusader LLC and was a $6,000 sales weanling at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2001 October mixed sale. The daughter of recently-deceased New York-based stallion Gold Token is the first offspring and first of three winners produced from winner Wee Like U, being a full sister to Belmont allowance-winning filly R B's Token ($128,555). Gold Like U also is a half-sister to 2006 two-time winning three-year-old filly Make Us Happy, who had gone gate-to-wire in a restricted N1X allowance at Saratoga the day before (Sunday), taking that 5-1/2-furlong contest by 2-1/4 lengths.

Finlandia gets 1st stakes win in 2nd Yaddo effort by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese

FINLANDIA

A narrow runner-up in two previous heartbreaking stakes efforts and a closing third after being steadied on the first turn of Belmont's restricted Irish Actress Stakes five weeks earlier, Nyala Farm's homebred FINLANDIA finally got a smooth trip in Saratoga's $113,100 Yaddo Handicap on Saturday and won by a length. The four-year-old filly was well-regarded in her second annual crack at the mile and an eighth Yaddo on turf, going off under showery skies as the 3.95-to-1 second choice among 11 starters, with the 2004 Yaddo winner, Sabellina, favored at 1.75-to-1 as the 120-pound topweight. Jockey Kent Desormeaux, who had piloted Finlandia to a second-place neck loss to Sabellina in Belmont's $114,700 Mount Vernon Handicap at nine furlongs on grass on June 18, kept his mount right behind the leaders in a ground-saving third place through pedestrian fractions of 24.17, 49.02, and 1:13.62. After angling the dark bay filly outside at the top of the stretch, Desormeaux sent her past front-running open stakes winner Cayuga's Waters at mid-stretch, where Finlandia launched a final furlong sprint in 11.44 with ears pinned to win by a length in 1:48.70. Sabellina closed late to take second after having been far back for most of the contest and blocked behind rivals a quarter-mile from the wire.

Two of the starters in the event -- 2005 Yaddo winner On the Bus ($333,718) and recent open stakes-placed Little Buttercup -- were competing while pregnant with 2007 foals.

Finlandia's first stakes victory was long overdue, and winning trainer Thomas Bush acknowledged that everything came together for the Yaddo, including Desormeaux's tactical ride: "She has run well for us all year. It's all about trips on the turf; today, she got the perfect trip and got the job done. She sprinted clear coming for home off that slow pace. Kent (Desormeaux) did a great job by not having her too far back. The ride was a big difference."

Desormeaux still cannot figure out why he is not two-for-two aboard the smooth-striding filly: "She just ran huge today. Tom (Bush) has done a great job with her. I still don't know how Sabellina beat me last time (in the Mount Vernon). I rode her the same way today, and when I asked her turning for home, she just exploded. When Tom gets them good, they stay that way."

Finlandia races for the Nyala Farm of Ruth Bedford of Greens Farms, Connecticut and Kathleen O'Connell of Easton, Connecticut, and her breeders are listed as O'Connell and Nyala Farm -- also qualifiers for a $6,786 breeder award. A winner on dirt and turf, she had placed second -- missing victory by a head -- to On the Bus in the 2005 Yaddo and had placed a closing third among 10 behind On the Bus and Half Heaven (also in the Yaddo) in the July 15 Irish Actress. Victory in the Yaddo increased Finlandia's earnings by $67,860 to $215,055 and improved her record to 4 - 3 - 3 in 14 starts.

Finlandia is by U.S.-Canadian-English Grade/Group 1 turf winner Royal Anthem and is the second of three winners produced from O'Connell-Nyala Farm's New York homebred It's a Gherkin, who won three times on turf at Belmont -- twice in restricted allowance races. Her three-year-old half-brother, Banrock, also races for Nyala Farm under trainer Bush's care and has two turf wins in 2006, including a restricted N1X tally at Belmont on June 16. Dam It's a Gherkin, who is by deceased New York sire Ends Well, is a full sister to two stakes-placed winners, including New York-bred Bien Sucre ($124,206), who is the dam of stakes winner Dulce de Leche ($150,026) and Saratoga open allowance winner Le Bourget ($183,967).

Behaving Badly "keeps getting better" in G3 Rancho Bernardo win by Rab Hagin

Photo:BENOIT PHOTO

BEHAVING BADLY #4 winning Del Mar's Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap

Obviously improved from last year when she had scored her first stakes victory in Del Mar's Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap, Patti and Hal Earnhardt III's New York-bred BEHAVING BADLY romped by 3-1/4 lengths in Friday's 6-1/2-furlong Rancho Bernardo, clocking a 1:15.04 top-weighted tally -- the event's fastest in seven years. The five-year-old mare was odds-on (.60-to-1) among six starters -- five stakes winners and four graded winners -- for her fifth stakes victory this year and led through fractions of 22.20, 44.68, and 1:08.65, as recent Hollywood Park Grade 2 sprint winner Somethinaboutlaura tried fruitlessly to challenge her early. Behaving Badly finished under a hand ride, with jockey Victor Espinoza putting away his whip after the mare had lurched to her left lead in mid-stretch response to brief right-handing urging from the rider, who confessed later that the sunset had obscured his view of the opposition. It was Espinoza's second winning ride aboard a filly or mare on Del Mar's Friday "twilight" card, while trainer Bob Baffert had his 75th stakes victory at Del Mar, breaking the record held by the late Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham.

A year ago, Behaving Badly had won the Rancho Bernardo by a gamely-fought length and a quarter under 113 pounds (nine less than she carried in the 2006 Ranch Bernardo) in the time of 1:15.32 (somewhat more than a length slower). Her 2006 stakes victories have included Santa Anita's Grade 1 Santa Monica by 4-1/2 lengths in January and Grade 3 Las Flores by 4-3/4 lengths in February and Belmont's Grade 2 Genuine Risk Breeders' Cup in July (beating subsequent Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners Swap Fliparoo and Stormy Kiss). As retired Hall of Fame jockey and TVG television racing analyst Gary Stevens observed: "She just keeps getting better and better."

Stevens also pointed out that Behaving Badly was "one of the best turn runners" he had seen, noting that her second quarter-mile split in 22.48 "pretty much decided the race." Victory in the $200,000 Rancho Bernardo increased the big bay mare's earnings by $120,000 to $734,224 and improved her record to nine wins and two runner-up efforts in 12 starts. She has won more 2006 stakes (five) than any other New York-bred and also more graded 2006 stakes (four). Behaving Badly is among eight New York-bred graded winners in 2006, and the Rancho Bernardo was the 13th graded event captured by a state-bred this year.

Bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and foaled at her breeders' Lakland North, LLC, in Hudson, Behaving Badly was sold for $50,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale. Nine months later, after she had worked the fastest of all pre-sale quarter-miles (21 2/5 seconds), the Earnhardts bought her for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2003 May sale of two-year-olds in Timonium, Maryland. Hal Earnhardt -- a Queen Creek, Arizona native and owner of southwestern-based Earnhardt Auto Centers -- deflected questions in the winner's circle about possibly pointing Behaving Badly for the $2-million TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (six furlongs) at Churchill Downs on November 4, replying, "We're just taking one race at a time."

Behaving Badly is the sixth starter and sixth winner -- five of them New York-breds -- produced from Timeleighness. The swift daughter of Pioneering is a half-sister to New York-bred Lavish Numbers ($105,727), who set a stakes record in Belmont's 1997 Maid of the Mist Stakes at a mile, and her other six-figure-earning half-siblings include multiple stakes-placed eight-time winner Light Up the Town ($259,751). Dam Timeleighness, by Sir Raleigh, is a full sister to stakes winner Timelessleigh and is out of a New York-bred mare.

Latest West Point added to its rich Spa tradition by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese

CERTIFIABLY CRAZY #1

Among Saratoga's restricted stakes for New York-breds, the West Point Handicap for three-year-olds and up at a mile and an eighth on turf has arguably the most glittering tradition, and its 2006 version -- won on Sunday by Double S Stable's CERTIFIABLY CRAZY ($493,535) in 1:46.24 -- lived up to that tradition. The six-year-old top-weighted gelding turned in one of the best two-turn turf performances of the weekend, registering his second triple-digit Daily Racing Form Beyer figure while winning by a length and three-quarters over the 2005 West Point winner, Three Colleeens and Partingglass Stables' Dave. Certifiably Crazy has placed second in graded grass stakes in each of his last three seasons, with narrow misses in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Red Smith in 2004 and Belmont's Grade 2 Knickerbocker in 2005, and he currently appears to be at the top of his game. Previous graded winners of the West Point include the legendary Fourstardave ($1,636,736-- see New York-bred Millionaires Club), multiple Grade 1 winner Naskra's Breeze, Group 1 and Grade 2 U.S. winner Claramount, multiple Grade 2 winner Thunder Puddles ($791,695), near-millionaires Wanderkin ($937,517) and Excellent Tipper ($924,992), and Grade 2 winner Finality.

Other recent New York-bred Saratoga restricted stakes winners were Henry Gregory's homebred four-year-old GOLD AND ROSES ($588,254) in Thursday's John Morrissey Stakes, Fox Ridge Farm's homebred HOMERETTE ($164,362) in Sunday's Irish Linnet Stakes for three-year-old fillies, and Fox Ridge Farm's four-year-old NAUGHTY NEW YORKER ($450,375), in Monday's Noble Nashua Stakes. Gold and Roses scored his fifth stakes victory in the 6-1/2-furlong John Morrissey under co-top weight, but it was his first tally at less than a mile since breaking his maiden at Aqueduct early in 2005 as a three-year-old. The dark bay gelding has finished on the board (first, second, or third) in 13 stakes events during 2005 and 2006.

New York Minute: Four of the five starters in the John Morrissey Stakes were New York-conceived, including the first three finishers.

Homerette, the first of two Saratoga stakes winners on Sunday and Monday for Peter Schiff's Fox Ridge Farm and conditioned by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 1986 Trainer of the Year Patrick Kelly, scored her first stakes victory in the Irish Linnet at a mile and a sixteenth on turf. A winner on dirt and turf, she also registered her first two-turn tally in the Irish Linnet and appears to get better as the distances lengthen. Naughty New Yorker, Fox Ridge Farm's second Saratoga stakes winner, overcame an outside post among eight starters, a dead last break from the gate, and getting strung out five-wide on the first turn to win the mile and an eighth Noble Nashua by 3-3/4 lengths under co-top weight. The Noble Nashua marked the bay colt's second nine-furlong stakes win at Saratoga, where last year he captured the $150,000 Albany Stakes to become the first horse ever to win the shortest (seven-furlong Mike Lee Stakes) and longest (Albany) legs of the OTBs' Big Apple Triple.

There were three New York-bred open turf allowance winners on Wednesday, August 9, with the most predictable being Invictus Farm's three-year-old SILVER TIMBER ($116,535) in a 2-1/2-length tally going 5-1/2 furlongs at Saratoga for his third consecutive daylight-margin NYRA lawn victory since his 2006 seasonal debut on July 8. The second win in that series -- on July 26 -- broke Saratoga's 5-1/2-furlong course record, and the Prime Timber colt's move into open N1X allowance competition produced a similar result and enhanced respect from the wagering public, which favored Silver Timber at his shortest odds ever (1.70-to-1). Now with four wins in seven starts and three-for-three on grass, the gray/roan colt has earned back his $110,000 purchase price at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2005 April sale of two-year-olds, where Danny Logsdon's Invictus Farm of Wixom, Michigan had bought him through trainer/agent Linda Rice.

Other New York-bred Wednesday open turf allowance winners were One and Won Stable's four-year-old HERE COMES ART going a mile and an eighth at Delaware Park for his second consecutive win in 30 days and Dresden Farm's homebred five-year-old MASTER BEN going a mile and a sixteenth at Penn National. Here Comes Art, who now has four career victories, started off racing for his breeder, William Ammann, at Churchill Downs before being claimed (while breaking his maiden by 3-1/2 lengths) at Colonial Downs in July of 2005. Master Ben, another recent homebred turf allowance winner for the Dresden Farm of James Wilson of Middleburg, Virginia and sired by Dresden Farm's New York-based King's Grant, broke from the outside post among 12 starters and stalked a blistering pace before rallying to a 2-1/2-length victory.

New York-bred restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming winners going seven furlongs at Saratoga were Nyala Farm's homebred five-year-old HEATHROW ($168,516), who scored by 3-1/4 lengths on Friday, August 11, and Puglisi Stables' and trainer Steve Klesaris' three-year-old filly LITTLE MISS ZIP ($184,945), who tallied by 2-1/2 lengths on Monday, August 14. Neither ran with a claiming tag. Heathrow was the bigger surprise, going off as the 15.30-to-1 fifth choice among seven wagering interests and eight starters to score his first victory in 13 months and improving his record to 3 - 4 - 5 in 26 starts for the Nyala Farm of Ruth Bedford of Greens Farms, Connecticut. The gelded son of A. P Jet was bred by Kathleen O'Connell of Easton, Connecticut, who also is affiliated with Nyala Farm. Little Miss Zip, who in her third start in August of 2005 had won Finger Lakes' $132,575 Lady Fingers Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies, ran without blinkers for the first time since November and scored her first victory since her blinker-less front-running Lady Fingers tally, again leading gate-to-wire. The chestnut filly was bred by Ralph Paticchio and sales prep agent/consignor Nick de Meric and had been a $75,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale.

Three-year-old restricted N1X Saratoga allowance winners were trainer Scott Schwartz's homebred HERBERT T ($104,460) by 4-3/4 lengths going a mile and an eighth on Wednesday, August 9 and Christopher Hall's $30,000 OBS 2005 February purchase, HE'S A LUMBERJACK, who tallied by 2-3/4 lengths going seven furlongs on Saturday, August 12. Herbert T, whose record is now 2 - 3 - 4 in 16 starts, was three-wide on both turns after breaking from the seventh post as the 3.40-to-1 second choice among eight starters. He's a Lumberjack (sired by Prime Timber), the 2.20-to-1 favorite among 10 wagering interests and 11 starters and a juvenile winner in Florida last year, broke from the outside post and pulled away after about five furlongs to improve his record to 2 - 2 - 3 in 13 starts.

New York-bred open claiming winners at Saratoga were three-year-old filly MAMA THERESA going six furlongs on Wednesday, August 9, three-year-old colt D MONEY going seven furlongs on Sunday, August 13, and four-year-old filly SHEER SILK ($145,711) by a length and three-quarters going 6-1/2 furlongs on Monday, August 14. Mama Theresa races for William Butler, who had purchased her for $65,000 at the OBS 2005 April sale of two-year-olds and campaigns the bay filly in partnership with Timothy Twomey. D Money, Daniel Monosson's homebred 32.50-to-1 sixth choice among seven starters, had broken his maiden by 3-1/2 lengths going a two-turn mile on Aqueduct turf in April and now has NYRA wins on grass and dirt, at one and two turns. Sheer Silk (sired by Western Expression), owned by Maureen Paternoster and claimed 26 days earlier from her breeder, Flying Zee Stables, has won at five different distances from 4-1/2 furlongs to beyond a mile, and her sixth 2006 victory improved her record to 7 - 3 - 2 in 22 starts.

New York-bred open allowance/overnight handicap winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, August 11 through Tuesday, August 15 were:

NORWELLIAN in a front-running performance, and homebred MAD BOB CAT by 10-1/4 lengths under top weight at odds-on for his third big-margin win in his latest four starts this summer and improving his overall record to 5 - 7 - 1 in 16 starts -- both on Friday; homebred DISTINCTIVE JULIA under co-top weight for her second daylight-margin win in 48 days, and homebred KIKI B (sired by Williamstown) -- both on Saturday; INVESTIGATOR by 2-1/2 lengths despite breaking dead last among 10 starters for his second daylight-margin win of 2006 and third career victory, and NEW YORK GOLD ($151,241) from last-to-first with a five-wide move in the handicap feature to improve her stakes-placed record to 11 - 7 - 5 in 36 starts -- both on Sunday; SMARTTHINKIN'TONY by a front-running 8-1/4 lengths under co-top weight for his second consecutive big-margin open allowance win in 16 days and fourth big-margin win of 2006, and homebred FLY TO ME ($133,770) by eight lengths gate-to-wire handily to improve her stakes-winning record to 3 - 2 - 2 in nine starts -- both on Monday; C SENOR by 3-1/2 lengths at even money for his second daylight-margin win of 2006 despite running five-wide on the turn, and homebred BEHRLY MINE under co-top weight -- both on Tuesday.

New York-bred restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes from Friday, August 11 through Tuesday, August 15 were:

Homebred CITRINE by five lengths at almost even money in a front-running performance for her third daylight-margin allowance win of 2006 in four starts this year and fourth career victory, and stakes winner HOSTILE WITNESS ($123,683) by 3-3/4 lengths under top weight for his second consecutive allowance win in 11 days and improving his stakes-winning record to 5 - 3 - 4 in 25 starts -- both on Friday; TOORA LOORA MUKORA ($127,750) from last-to-first under co-top weight for his fourth win of the spring-summer and fifth career victory, on Saturday; LETHIMTHINKHESBOSS ($268,726) by 9-1/4 lengths at odds-on for his second consecutive big-margin win in 43 days and third 2006 victory and improving his overall record to 6 - 9 - 10 in 35 starts, on Monday; CONEY ISLAND BABY by 11-1/4 lengths at odds-on to improve her record to 6 - 3 - 2 in 17 starts, and TIME TO RAP (sired by Silver Music) by seven lengths at odds-on for his third win of 2006 in four starts this year and improving his overall record to five wins (four at Aqueduct) and two seconds in 10 starts with earnings of $116,300 -- both on Tuesday.

New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, August 9 through Tuesday, August 15 included:

RAJA'S JET (sired by A. P Jet) by 4-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire at Evangeline Downs for his third big-margin win of 2006 in five starts this year and boosting his earnings into six figures at $104,614 while improving his exceptionally-consistent record to 12 - 5 - 5 in 36 starts, on Wednesday; PURE DESIRE by six lengths at Monmouth Park despite racing five-wide most of the way for her sixth career victory and the only runner claimed out of the contest, NICK THE VEST ($134,525) by 9-1/4 lengths easily to improve his record to 7 - 4 - 8 in 40 starts, homebred ARBORWAY DREAM in a front-running performance for her second win of the summer, BEARMINT by 2-1/4 lengths for his third win by two or more lengths in six career starts within 103 days, and homebred NEILS RE' ENTRY in a front-running performance for his second daylight-margin win of 2006 and improving his overall record to 5 - 4 - 4 in 26 starts -- all on Friday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes; IRISH LAUGHTER in a front-running performance at Mountaineer Park for his second win of 2006 and sixth career victory, USPINMERITEROUND (sired by Aristotle) by 2-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on to bring her record to three daylight-margin wins and two close seconds in five career starts since Memorial Day weekend, and SKEE LOVE (sired by Manlove) by 3-1/2 lengths under top weight for her third consecutive win in 36 days -- all on Saturday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; TODDLER ($419,669) by 3-1/4 lengths at River Downs for his third victory in 38 days by margins totaling 17 lengths and advancing his multiple stakes-winning record to 16 - 11 - 12 in 70 starts, POKER JOE (sired by Danzatame) for his third win of 2006 and fourth career victory, SISSAY by 5-1/2 lengths from last-to-first at odds-on for her second big-margin win of 2006 and fifth career victory, homebred TWISTED KEY (sired by Key Contender) by 4-1/2 lengths for her second big-margin win of 2006, WATRAL'S SENOR under co-top weight for his fourth win since Memorial Day weekend and fifth career victory, ATLANTIS CRUSADER (sired by Crusader Sword) by 2-1/4 lengths at even money for his third daylight-margin win of 2006 and improving his overall record to 17 - 5 - 4 in 31 starts with earnings of $128,728 and claimed -- all on Sunday, and the last-named five at Finger Lakes; homebred LILYBABE by 8-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire at Delaware Park for her third win of 2006, RED BOA (sired by Regal Classic) gate-to-wire at Mountaineer Park for her third win and claimed, BIGGY LIMOUSINE from last-to-first at Fort Erie with blinkers off for his second win in 37 days and third career victory, MISSIONARY LADY by 3-1/2 lengths at Thistledown for her fifth career victory despite breaking from the outside post among nine starters, WATRAL FOOL MICHEL by 4-1/2 lengths for her seventh career victory, and MYSWEETHEARTS GONE (sired by Gone for Real) by 2-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire under top weight for his fourth consecutive victory since July 1 and improving his overall record to 14 - 6 - 5 in 36 starts with earnings of $159,428 -- all on Monday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; CARGO SHIP (sired by A. P Jet) by three lengths under co-top weight in a front-running performance at Mountaineer Park for his second big-margin win since Memorial Day weekend and improving his record to 6 - 7 - 5 in 24 starts with earnings of $170,087, J B OF THE SEA under top weight and five-wide around the turn for her second win in one week and third score in 59 days and fourth career victory and the first of two New York-bred-and-conceived four-year-old filly winners at Suffolk Downs on Tuesday, MARLIN BAY (sired by Badge) by four lengths at Suffolk Downs for her third win in 24 days and improving her overall record to 7 - 7 - 5 in 39 starts, homebred GRAND KIDS by 3-1/2 lengths under co-top weight and at near even money for his second three-length-plus win in six weeks and fifth career victory, MIGHTY DAWN (sired by Mighty Magee) in a front-running performance at near even money for her ninth career victory, and homebred GOLDENROD KISSES despite breaking dead last and having to be checked at the start before scoring her second win of the summer and third career victory -- all on Tuesday, and the last-named three at Finger Lakes.

New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, August 9 through Tuesday, August 15 included:

PATH OF PERFECTION on Saratoga turf with a four-wide move on the second turn and PRECISE LADY sprinting 5-1/2 furlongs on the Spa's main track while breaking from the eighth post among nine starters in her first start of 2006 -- both by Precise End, both inbred 3 x 4 to Mr. Prospector, and both on Wednesday; two-year-old ADMIRAL BIRD from last-to-first among nine in his debut at Saratoga and looking well worth his $250,000 sales price at Keeneland's 2006 April auction of two-year-olds in training, on Thursday; homebred two-year-old filly ICY CITY in her third start despite hitting the side of the starting gate and then ducking out, and homebred two-year-old BAD BOY RISING (sired by Freud) by 4-1/4 lengths in his second start despite having to be checked at the half-mile pole before getting through on the rail -- both at Saratoga on Friday -- and two-year-old TEMPLETON going 6-1/2 furlongs at Emerald Downs in his first venture beyond 5-1/2 furlongs -- also on Friday; homebred SAY REVAIN by 5-3/4 lengths at Saratoga in a front-running second-start performance to become the second winner produced from 1997 NYTB Horse of the Year Dancin Renee, TAPPED in a front-running performance at Del Mar in his second career start, and SHE'S SO SMART by 2-3/4 lengths at Finger Lakes -- all on Saturday; homebred MONTAUK DAISY (sired by Regal Classic) by 5-1/2 lengths in her debut at Saratoga despite breaking dead last and racing greenly as the only first-time-starter in her contest, two-year-old filly NO CAMERAS PLEASE (sired by Thunder Rumble) by 5-1/4 lengths at Charles Town with blinkers on for the first time and the first of two New York-bred maiden-breakers on the card, homebred HEARTBREAK KID at Charles Town despite breaking dead last among 10 competitors and being bumped at the start, homebred L C TORNADO at odds-on at Delaware Park and claimed, and BRONZESGIRL by 6-1/4 lengths from last-to-first among 10 starters at Finger Lakes with a six-wide move -- all on Sunday; two-year-old HOLD THAT THOUGHT (sired by Freud) by daylight in her debut on Saratoga turf, and homebred RUGGED AMERICAN in a front-running second-time-out performance -- both at Finger Lakes on Monday; and SECOND STREET in her third start, at Finger Lakes on Tuesday.

Naughty New Yorker reasserts himself in Spa's Noble Nashua by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese

NAUGHTY NEW YORKER #9

Becoming the second New York-bred Saratoga stakes winner in two days for Peter Schiff's Fox Ridge Farm, Inc., four-year-old NAUGHTY NEW YORKER reached mid-stretch of Saratoga's mile and an eighth Noble Nashua Stakes on Monday with a narrow advantage before pulling away decisively to a 3-3/4-length victory. The bay colt's relentless stretch-prevailing performance was not unexpected, resulting in his 2.35-to-1 guarded favoritism among eight state-bred starters, but this was only the second time in 23 starts that he competed without the services of jockey Jean-Luc Samyn, who because of injury had been replaced with Edgar Prado.

Breaking last from the outside post, Naughty New Yorker was carried five-wide on the first turn but orbited to a brief early lead on the backstretch before Prado eased him back into fourth place after a half-mile. The stalking colt entered the second turn four-wide and hooked up in a three-abreast duel with the event's almost equally-regarded third and second choices, Chowder's First (2.70-to-1) and Organizer (2.40-to-1). By mid-stretch, Naughty New Yorker had a head in front of three-time stakes winner Chowder's First, who led Organizer by a half-length, and in the final furlong the Fox Ridge Farm standard-bearer pulled away with longer strides than his rivals to score his fourth stakes victory.

New York Thoroughbred Breeders 1986 Trainer of the Year Patrick Kelly knows Naughty New Yorker's peculiarities and had alerted Prado about what to expect: "I told Edgar that he was a little quirky; if they go slow, he's probably going to be close. They walked into the first turn, and there was no way to save any ground from that post, so he put him up there. He made his usual run at the end. He's a nice horse who likes it up here (at Saratoga). Who knows? Maybe we'll put him in the Woodward (Grade 1 $500,000 guaranteed at a mile and an eighth, to be run at Saratoga for the first time ever on Saturday, September 2)."

Photo: Adam Coglianese

NAUGHTY NEW YORKER #9

Prado acknowledged that he pretty much allowed Naughty New Yorker to run his own race: "I wasn't planning on having him close to the pace. When I saw no one going after the lead, I decided to send him up there. I gave him a breather going down the backstretch, then I let him go around the far turn, and then he took off at the eighth-pole."

Although occasionally labeled as lacking speed, Naughty New Yorker had worked a quarter-mile in 21-4/5 prior to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2004 March sale of two-year-olds in training, where owner Schiff had purchased him for $145,000, and his other three stakes wins include Belmont's seven-furlong Mike Lee Stakes. Victory in the $73,000 Noble Nashua increased the four-year-old's earnings by $43,800 to $450,375 while improving his record to 5 - 5 - 5 in 23 starts, with wins in Aqueduct's Damon Runyon Stakes as a juvenile and Saratoga's Albany Stakes last year also on his resume. Owner Schiff of Syosset, whose homebred filly, Homerette, had won Saratoga's Irish Linnet Stakes for New York-bred distaff three-year-olds on Sunday under Fox Ridge Farm's colors, grew up riding and showing horses and is president of Northwood Ventures, a limited liability corporation involving private venture capital and leveraged buyouts.

Naughty New York was bred by the husband-wife veterinarian team of Dr. William Wilmot -- a member of the board of directors of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corporation -- and Dr. Joan Taylor and was foaled at his breeders' Stepwise Farm in Saratoga Springs. The son of Quiet American is a half-brother to stakes-winning filly router and Grade 2-placed Pupil ($204,280), being the third winner produced from Naughty Natisha. Stepwise Farm had purchased Naughty Natisha -- who is a half-sister to stakes winners Vi