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Naughty New Yorker breaks stakes record in Big A's Alex M. Robb by Rab Hagin
A stakes winner at four different distances in 2006, Fox Ridge Farm's NAUGHTY NEW YORKER capitalized on 1.30-to-1 favorite Accountforthegold's fast pace to win Aqueduct's mile and a sixteenth Alex M. Robb Handicap for New York-breds by 2-3/4 lengths on New Year's Eve Sunday, setting a stakes record 1:42.64. The 28th running of the Robb boasted a field that would rival many graded events, with five six-figure earners that included two graded winners in 2006 -- Naughty New Yorker and Accountforthegold -- plus 2006 graded runner-up Carminooch. Naughty New Yorker, somewhat overlooked as the 4.70-to-1 third choice behind recent one-two Stuyvesant (Grade 3) finishers Accountforthegold and Carminooch, resorted to the stalking style that has now produced six of his seven stakes victories. The Alex Robb unfolded initially the way the wagering public expected -- but concluded differently. Accountforthegold winged off to the front through early accelerating splits of 23.23 and 22.75 but then decelerated through tiring intervals of 24.29 and 25.65. Naughty New Yorker still trailed the field with five-sixteenths of a mile to go while advancing along the inside, but once he cleared the second turn, his long-time jockey, Jean-Luc Samyn, sent him outside for a decisive stretch run that none of his rivals could match. The four-year-old colt's winning time shaved almost a fifth of a second (.15) off the stakes record held since January of 2001 by Grade 2 winner and New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) champion Turnofthecentury ($474,236) -- that Robb renewal having been postponed from December to January because of weather. Boosting his earnings to $653,865, Naughty New Yorker improved his record to 8 - 5 - 5 in 29 starts, which includes stakes victories at seven furlongs, a mile, a mile and a sixteenth (twice), a mile and an eighth (twice), and a mile and a quarter (Aqueduct's Grade 3 Red Smith). He has won more stakes in 2006 than any other New York-bred graded-winning older male of the year in what has turned out to be an exceptionally strong state-bred division -- its other graded winners being Funny Cide ($3,455,603), West Virginia ($1,007,338), and Accountforthegold ($398,667). Samyn, Naughty New Yorker's jockey in 24 of 29 starts and six of eight victories and also rider of the 1990 and 1992 Robb winners, praised the professionalism of his mount -- who runs with a full cup covering his right eye: "Today he behaved just like a gentleman. There was a lot of speed in front of us. He settled nicely. When it was time for him to run, I called on him and he responded." Conditioned by NYTB 1986 Trainer of the Year Patrick Kelly, who had given him five-furlong workouts on Belmont's training track on December 18 and 28 -- the first a "bullet" drill -- Naughty New Yorker races for the Fox Ridge Farm, Inc. of Peter Schiff of Syosset. Schiff, who is president of the private venture and leveraged buyout firm Northwood Ventures, had purchased the bay colt for $145,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2004 March sale of two-year-olds in training. Naughty New Yorker 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 of four winners produced from Naughty Natisha, by Known Fact. Stepwise Farm had purchased Naughty Natisha -- who is a half-sister to stakes winners Victorica ($293,067 and dam of Irish stakes winner King Hesperus) and Noble Minstrel ($133,033) -- for $150,000 at Keeneland's 1998 November sale when the future multiple stakes producer was carrying Pupil as her first foal. The mare has a 2005 colt by Lemon Drop Kid, a 2006 filly by Yes It's True, and is in foal to Songandaprayer. |
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Successful Affair scores top-weighted win in Aqueduct's Gallant Fox by Rab Hagin
Extending his win streak to four straight since late October at yet another new distance in Aqueduct's storied Gallant Fox Handicap at a three-turn mile and five-eighths on Saturday was Winning Move Stable's suddenly-emerging New York-bred routing star, top-weighted SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR, who would not be denied. The blossoming four-year-old shouldered well-deserved top weight in the testing 13-furlong event and was favored at 1.25-to-1 among five wagering interests and six starters with jockey Ramon Dominguez on board for the second consecutive time in the gelding's open stakes competition. Drafting behind pacesetter Park Avenue Prince -- half of an entry that was the 3.20-to-1 third choice -- Successful Affair saved energy and ground until exiting the third turn, where Dominguez quickly sent him three-wide in pursuit of new leader Angliana, the 2.40-to-1 second choice. The pace, which had started quickening after a mile, accelerated to a sixth quarter-mile split in a fastest-of-all 24.84, putting Successful Affair and Angliana heads apart and drawing clear of everyone else. Those two battled through their final furlong in 12.36 -- Successful Affair carrying three more pounds than Angliana -- with the New York-bred prevailing on the outside. Steve Sigler, one of the winning participants in Winning Move Stable, was ecstatic: "For a mile and five-eighths (race) to have two horses battle like that to the end is unbelievable," Sigler exclaimed, almost sounding like a sound-bite for a commercial promoting the fun of owning racehorses. "I made the claim (on October 19, Winning Move Stable claimed Successful Affair for $16,000 at Aqueduct), but Gary (trainer Gary Contessa) was the one who recognized his athletic ability. I wanted to put Taken Not Given in the two-mile race (November 10 allowance at Aqueduct, which Successful Affair won), but Gary said, 'Let's go with the athlete.' His premonition and his intuitiveness have led us to a dual stakes winner. We inherited a good horse, but there's a reason why Gary is the leading trainer here on an annual basis. This horse's athletic prowess was brought out by Gary. We have one (stakes) race left, the Proud Appeal (Sunday, January 28 at Aqueduct), which is a mile and a quarter next month. Of all the races he's won, today was the most rewarding because he was so dogged and so determined. He beat a bona fide stakes-quality horse in Angliana. That horse had us beat at the eighth pole, but Successful Affair just dug in and said, 'No you don't.' To have my wife and friends huddled together in two boxes, screaming together at the top of our lungs, it validates every moment and every dollar you put into horse racing." Since being claimed for $16,000 while placing second, Successful Affair has won at a one-turn mile and two miles on Aqueduct's outer track and at a mile and a half on the inner track in the open Coyote Lakes Stakes 28 days prior to the Gallant Fox -- earning $137,436. His victory in the Gallant Fox -- a venerable event boasting a proud history, with previous renewals having been won by Hall of Fame member Stymie -- increased the bay gelding's earnings to $280,479 and improved his record to 7 - 8 - 5 in 29 starts. Also earning money in the Gallant Fox and qualifying his connections for owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards was New York-bred Win With Beck ($358,072), as the two state-breds qualified for a total of $10,017.97 in New York Breeding and Racing Program awards in addition to purse earnings. Jockey Dominguez, who had two winning rides on Aqueduct's Saturday card, was clearly impressed: "The thing with him (Successful Affair) is he keeps himself cool and collected. You don't see rank horses win mile and a half races. He's got a pretty big turn of foot off the quarter pole, which helps in these races. We had a great trip, but to be honest, I didn't know where I would be in the first half of it. Jose's horse (Angliana) never quit, but my horse gave me an extra surge." Bred by New York Thoroughbred Breeders' 2005 selection as Breeder of the Year, Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds, Inc., Successful Affair was a $40,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2004 April sale of two-year-olds in training. He is a half-brother to four-time stakes-placed and eight-time winner Private Opening ($244,105), being the fifth offspring and fifth winner produced from two-time route winner Private Pouf, who is a half-sister to five stakes winners of over $200K each, including graded course record-setter Foufa's Warrior ($525,170 to date). Simon's New Dawn Stud had purchased Private Pouf for $13,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale when she was carrying her future fourth winner. Successful Affair is among 29 or 30 New York-bred winners of 2006 stakes events outside state-bred company, depending on the outcome of the appeal of the Rahys' Appeal disqualification from first to second in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap on November 24. The Gallant Fox is the 43rd or 44th open (to horses bred anywhere, exclusive of the New York Stallion Stakes series) stakes race in 2006 captured by a New York-bred. |
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| Jingle all the way - NY-breds keep winning
through the holidays by Rab Hagin
Even with no racing at Aqueduct from December 18 through December 26 and Finger Lakes' live racing in hibernation until April, seven New York-breds still found the winner's circles at various tracks during the abbreviated racing week. Two of the seven state-bred winners were already six-figure-earners, and four broke their maidens, including three two-year-olds.
Scoring his first win in 23 months and his first sprint victory since breaking his maiden at Aqueduct 35 months ago was TradeWinds Stable's New York-bred COINED FOR SUCCESS ($299,213), who tallied from the 12th post among 13 starters in a seven-furlong N2X allowance/optional claimer at Laurel Park on Saturday. The open stakes-winning five-year-old gelding was coming off a nine-week mini-layoff and was warily regarded as the 8.40-to-1 fifth choice with jockey Jeremy Rose race-riding him for the first time, competing with a $25,000 tag because he had exhausted his open N2X condition almost two years earlier. Racing well off the rail, Coined for Success stalked in second place, keeping 5.40-to-1 second choice pacesetter Proveyourlove within not more than 4-1/2 lengths despite ambitious fractions of 22.18, 44.93, and 1:10.71 over the muddy but sealed surface. He collared that frontrunner inside the final furlong and drove to a one-length victory, as 11th choice Fine Shine (31.50-to-1) rallied late to edge Proveyourlove for second place. The victory improved Coined for Success's record to 6 - 9 - 4 in 34 starts, which includes a 2-1/2-length top-weighted tally in Delaware Park's mile and a sixteenth Nick Shuk Memorial Stakes in 2004 and a second-placing in Aqueduct's mile and 70-yard Gander Stakes for New York-breds in November of 2005. Saddled for his victory by trainer Hugh McMahon, the bay gelding had been claimed for $35,000 by his current owner through trainer Scott Lake while placing third at Delaware Park last June. The son of the late New York-based Gold Token had raced for his breeder, Steven Peskoff (breeding in the name of Underhill Investment Company), prior to being claimed by TradeWinds Stable. He is the second winner produced from Dingaling, a Phone Trick mare and half-sister to four stakes winners and two stakes-placed winners (one stakes producer) purchased for $38,000 by Questroyal Stable at a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky 1999 February mixed sale while carrying her first foal and first winner. Winning by two lengths on Saturday in a six-furlong Calder contest at odds-on and claimed for $25,000 for the second time in 98 days was New York-bred ENERGICO, who scored from the outside post among six for his third big-margin tally of 2006 and second consecutive romp in 47 days. Never worse than second since a greenly-run unplaced Gulfstream Park debut last April, the three-year-old colt was making his second start for Michael Berry's Acclaimed Racing Stable -- generating that owner a nifty short-term profit -- and improved his overall record to 3 - 3 - 2 in nine starts. Another New York-bred winner that has been claimed twice since Labor Day is DOC'S OPTION ($156,012), who scored on Tuesday evening going six furlongs at Mountaineer Park to improve his record to 7 - 12 - 9 in 51 starts while being claimed for the second consecutive time in 50 days. The six-year-old son of pensioned New York-based stallion Scarlet Ibis raced just once this year for prominent national claiming owner Maggi Moss, but made that effort a winning one -- before being haltered by new owner-trainer Amalia Cox. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Thursday, December 21 through Christmas Eve Sunday, December 24 were: Two-year-old LAUREL WREATH (sired by Catienus) from seventh-to-first out of the eighth post among 10 starters going a two-turn seven furlongs at Charles Town, on Thursday; SPECTACULAR SENOR by 6-1/4 lengths at Laurel Park following three consecutive runner-up efforts in 2006, and two-year-old MAMAS ICECREAM MAN (sired by Well Noted) from last-to-first among nine at Charles Town to win by daylight after advancing four-to-five-wide around two tight turns going seven furlongs -- both on Saturday; and two-year-old TRUE WOOD in his debut at Calder despite racing three-wide most of the way as the only first-time-starter among seven, on Christmas Eve Sunday. |
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NY-breds win 6 recent open allowances - 2 at Big A and 4 out-of-state by Rab Hagin
The following New York-breds captured open allowances during mid-December: LITTLE MISS ZIP and SHADY LANE at Aqueduct, two-year-old THE ZIPSTER in a Sunland Park Riley Allison Futurity Trial, Finger Lakes champion claimer MYSWEETHEARTS GONE at Mountaineer Park, CARLOW at Philadelphia Park, and MARIEVAL in a Tampa Bay Downs turf feature. Another New York-bred, four-year-old filly Samsincharge, placed third under co-topweight in Aqueduct's Gold Beauty Stakes on Saturday, registering the 124th top-three stakes finish by a state-bred outside state-bred stakes company in 2006. Puglisi Stables' and trainer Steve Klesaris's talented but erratic Little Miss Zip ($222,962) set the stage on Wednesday, December 13 by winning her first start off a 53-day layoff, capturing Aqueduct's six-furlong open N2X allowance/optional claiming feature for fillies and mares as the 9.80-to-1 fifth choice among seven starters. The three-year-old filly had to be steadied midway around the turn but rallied along the rail to improve her record to 4 - 2 - 2 in 13 starts, which includes a gate-to-wire victory in Finger Lakes' restricted Lady Fingers Stakes as a 2005 juvenile plus three stakes-placed efforts. Bred by Ralph Paticchio and Nick de Meric and sold for $75,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale, the City Zip filly is the first of two starters, both winners, produced from stakes-placed winner Meadow Dream, being a half-sister to unbeaten (two-for-two) juvenile Phone Home. Meadow Dream, inbred 3 x 4 to Raise a Native and a half-sister to Grade 2 record-setter Forty One Carats ($828,843) and to the winning dam of stakes winner What's Your Edge, appears to be a "dream" private broodmare acquisition for Little Miss Zip's breeders. An intriguing New York-bred open allowance-winning juvenile on Saturday was Patsy Symons' $160,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) March sale of two-year-olds, The Zipster, who beat the stakes-winning odds-on favorite in the faster of Sunland Park's two Riley Allison Futurity trials at 6-1/2 furlongs. Overlooked at 11.40-to-1 (third choice) among seven starters following a fourth-place effort in Aqueduct's bumpy New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes 41 days earlier, the chestnut colt hooked up early with Sir Five Star, winner of Remington Park's six-furlong Clever Trevor Stakes in 1:09.76 on Labor Day. Jockey Jake Barton, aboard The Zipster for the first time in competition, obviously decided that neither 1-to-2 Sir Five Star nor multiple stakes-placed second choice Bold Vow (1.60-to-1) should get an easy trip, sending his mount between them as Bold Vow set the pace along the rail. Bold Vow's first quarter went in 23.48, but his second quarter accelerated to 22.47 before he was overtaken by The Zipster and Sir Five Star, as the latter gained a brief lead on the turn that was subsequently lost to the New York-bred. Those two continued to draw off from the rest of the field thereafter, with The Zipster staying a half-length ahead of Sir Five Star to win in 1:17.44, which was seven-tenths of a second -- somewhat more than three lengths -- faster than the earlier trial. Owner Symons of Arcadia, Florida appears to have a live contender for Sunland Park's $100,000-added Riley Allison Futurity (grossing almost $167,000 in 2005) on New Year's Eve in the City Zip colt bred by Gus Schoenborn Jr. and saddled for his first Sunland Park outing by trainer Suzanne Byrd. The Zipster is the first offspring produced from five-time winner Repast, who is by Formal Dinner and is a half-sister to three-time stakes winner Fortunate Smile ($308,742) and to two stakes-placed winners, including the dam of 2006 multiple turf stakes winner Railroad ($283,704). Becky Thomas -- now of Sequel Stallions New York -- had purchased Repast for $55,000 at the OBS 1998 August yearling sale, and Marylander Charles McGuiness most recently had acquired the mare at the New York Breeders' Sales Company's 2005 Saratoga October mixed sale for a bargain $12,500. Having his best year ever in terms of wins and average earnings per start is Agnes Perdue's New York-bred July 9 claim at Finger Lakes, five-year-old Mysweethearts Gone ($174,514), who won a one-mile starter allowance at Mountaineer Park on Saturday evening by 2-1/4 lengths. Sent off the 6.10-to-1 fifth choice among nine starters with jockey Rex Stokes III race-riding him for the second consecutive time in 12 days, the son of Gone For Real led early and later overtook subsequent pacesetter Fog Buster in mid-stretch to win going away. The victory improved Mysweethearts Gone's impressively-consistent record to 15 - 7 - 5 in 39 starts, with six of his wins coming in 10 starts this year. Owner Agnes Perdue and trainer Edward Perdue comprise the same team that had claimed the amazing New York-bred mare Bewitching Eyes ($267,564 as of March, 2006, with a record of 18 - 17 - 13 in 128 starts) for $12,500 and subsequently earned more than $85,000 with her. Mysweethearts Gone, who recently was voted Finger Lakes' best $9,000-and-up male claimer for 2006, was bred by Dutchess Views Farm of Pine Plains and is the only offspring produced from three-time winner Sanibel Sweetheart, by Gate Dancer. New York-breds Shady Lane ($221,965) and Stolen Star ($116,684) finished one-two in an open Aqueduct N1X allowance/optional claiming contest for fillies and mares going a mile and 70 yards on Sunday, earning 80 percent of the $46,000 purse and qualifying for a total of $7,360 in owner and breeder awards. Shady Lane, a five-year-old four-time stakes-placed homebred for the Majesty Stud of Digby Barrios of Ridgefield, Connecticut, was the 4.20-to-1 third choice among eight starters and scored by a length and a half over 2.20-to-1 favorite Stolen Star, improving her record to 4 - 8 - 3 in 24 starts. In her latest previous start three weeks earlier, Shady Lane had placed second among seven in Aqueduct's mile and an eighth Montauk Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares. Trained by Dominic Galluscio, the daughter of Peaks and Valleys is the second of three winners produced from Distant Dream, a daughter of Rahy and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Roadways and purchased for $20,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale when she was carrying Shady Lane. About 2-1/4 hours following Shady Lane's Sunday Aqueduct victory and some 200 miles southwest, another veteran of Aqueduct's recent Montauk Handicap, Dr. Cary Shapoff's homebred Carlow ($283,584), carried co-topweight to victory in Laurel Park's N4X allowance/optional claiming feature for fillies and mares going a one-turn mile. The four-year-old filly was the 3.60-to-1 third choice among six starters and was fourth at the quarter-pole but appeared to have no difficulty collaring the five-year-old 1.60-to-1 favorite, 2006 multiple stakes winner Debbie Sue, even though the latter was carrying less weight by two pounds. The effort improved Carlow's record to 8 - 2 - 8 in 29 starts, which includes three stakes wins and five stakes-placed efforts. Trained by Karl Grusmark, the daughter of the late New York-based Forever Silver is the fifth route winner bred by a member of the Shapoff family (four were bred by Dr. Cary Shapoff of Fairfield, Connecticut) from Folly Go Rightly, by the late New York-based Distinctive Pro. Dam Folly Go Rightly is a full sister to stakes winners Pro Flight ($330,110) and Jon Dark. John Cummins' New York-bred Marieval has the semi-unique distinction of winning on Mountaineer Park dirt and Saratoga turf in the same summer and on Florida turf the following December, accomplishing the latter with a 3-1/2-length victory in Tampa Bay Downs' N2X allowance/optional claiming feature for fillies and mares on Tuesday. Well-respected as the 3.80-to-1 second choice among 10 starters in the mile and a sixteenth contest but regarded a notch below favored Hawthorne shipper Link to the Past (1.70-to-1) coming off a seven-length allowance score, the three-year-old filly stalked in fourth place through the first half-mile. She then advanced quickly between rivals to gain a length and a half lead at mid-stretch and drew off thereafter, clocking an impressive winning time of 1:42.23 following a final sixteenth-of-a-mile split in less than six seconds (5.93). It was Marieval's first outing under jockey Daniel Centeno, who is the eighth jockey to have race-ridden her and the third that she has carried to victory, improving her record to three wins and a third-placing in 11 starts, with all of her on-the-board efforts coming this year. Bred by Marlene Brody's Gallagher's Stud in Ghent and sold by Gallagher's Stud for $350,000 at Keeneland's 2004 September yearling sale, the Joan Scott-trained daughter of El Prado is the second offspring and second New York-bred winner produced from Gallagher's Stud's New York homebred winner Adorahy, by Rahy. Adorahy is a half-sister to Gallagher's Stud-bred stakes winners Adcat ($435,597) and Adorydar ($231,425) and to the dams of stakes winners Gratiaen ($288,164) and Ruthian ($212,592). Robert Cohen's New York homebred Samsincharge ($244,471) tired late under co-topweight in Aqueduct's mile and 70-yard Gold Beauty Stakes on Saturday for fillies and mares that had not won a 2006 graded race, placing third 15 days after winning an open Aqueduct N3X allowance/optional claiming sprint off a 128-day layoff. In her last start prior to the layoff, the four-year-old filly had captured Saratoga's seven-furlong Rogues Walk Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares, and in May she had gained her first black-type with a third-placing in Belmont's open off-the-turf mile Thirty Flags Stakes. Now with a record of 6 - 4 - 3 in 19 starts, the daughter of the late New York-based Dixie Brass also qualified Cohen for an additional $2,710 in owner's and breeder's awards and the estate of the late Michael Watral for a $474.25 stallion award ($3,184.25 total). She is the fifth starter and fifth New York-bred winner produced from Chilean Group 1 winner Wagers Delight, by Worldwatch, and her half-sisters include stakes-placed winner Sam's In Control ($131,136) and the dam of stakes-placed New York-bred winner Robbie's Rockin ($194,209). Samsincharge's pedigree shows some intriguing inbreeding patters: She is inbred 3 x 4 to Northern Dancer, and her maternal granddam (second dam), Gussie's Chance, is inbred 3 x 3 to Bold Ruler. Winning a restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contest for three-year-olds and up with a six-furlong clocking in 1:10.62 at Aqueduct on Thursday was California Dreamin' Stables' recently-acquired SEEKING THE GLORY ($255,861), who 13 days earlier had been claimed for $30,000 while placing second at the Big A going a mile. For his new owner, the California Dreamin' Stables of Randall Wooster of Beverly Hills, and new trainer Scott Schwartz, the six-year-old rallied from eighth to first as the 4.60-to-1 second choice among nine starters, improving his record to 6 - 8 - 2 in 28 starts. Bred and initially raced by Barry Schwartz's Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs and claimed three times in 2006, Seeking the Glory ran with a $50,000 tag because he had gone through his restricted N2X allowance condition 23 months earlier at Aqueduct. The A. P Indy horse's Thursday victory pushed the total amount earned by first-and-second-generation descendants of his dam, Grade 2-winning mare Seeking Regina, to over $1.05-million. Big-margin gate-to-wire winners of restricted N1X Aqueduct allowances were six-year-old horse RAFFIT ($150,029) by 7-3/4 lengths going a mile and a half on Friday, top-weighted three-year-old colt DANZA by 3-1/2 lengths going six furlongs on Saturday, and three-year-old filly TWO TURN HALO by six lengths going six furlongs on Sunday. Raffit, Tina Marie Bond's homebred son of Raffie's Majesty trained by co-breeder Harold James Bond, carried a $25,000 optional claiming tag because he had completed his restricted N1X condition 15 months earlier, and his second victory in 19 days improved his record to 4 - 3 - 1 in 15 starts. Seaview Farms (Steven Zalkind) LLC's three-year-old Danza conceded actual weight to older rivals in his second big-margin Aqueduct tally in two weeks under new trainer Ramon Preciado's supervision following bumpy and/or greenly-run unplaced efforts in his first two starts at Saratoga and Belmont last August and September. Two Turn Halo, Roddy Valente's $40,000 Hollywood Park claim initially sold for $5,000 at Keeneland's 2004 September yearling sale by Thomas J. Gallo III Sales Agency, clocked 1:09.97 from the ninth post among 12 starters for her third win in 11 starts and has earned back her claiming price. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, December 13 through Tuesday, December 19 included: MY BIG TREASURE by 12 lengths at Laurel Park for his second big-margin win of 2006 in a race in which two starters were claimed, on Wednesday; YELLOW EYES in a front-running effort at Hawthorne for her second win at that track in 33 days and fifth victory of 2006 and claimed for the third time this year, on Friday; CALIFORNIA CATE (sired by Rizzi) under top weight at Aqueduct from the eighth post among 11 starters for her second win in 51 days, and WILD ON GIN at 84.10-to-1 at Philadelphia Park for his third career victory -- both on Saturday; TIFFANY GOLD (sired by Scarlet Ibis) by 6-3/4 lengths at Penn National for his fourth win in 2006 and 17th career victory to boost his earnings to $127,646, on Tuesday. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, December 13 through Sunday, December 17 included: Two-year-old PRESSING ISSUE (sired by Freud) by 7-3/4 lengths at odds-on out of the ninth post among 11 starters, and CHILDREN'S ANNEX by 6-1/4 lengths in his first two-turn effort and first venture beyond seven furlongs and the youngest (foaled June 4, 2003) among 10 three-year-old and up starters -- both at Aqueduct on Wednesday; homebred two-year-old filly MARVELOUS MAY in a front-running effort and third career start, and BRONXDALE (sired by Prime Timber) with a four-wide rally through gathering fog -- both at Aqueduct on Thursday; KATHLEEN'S CHANCE by eight lengths coming out of the ninth post among 10 starters, and two-year-old MONSTER DRIVE at odds-on in his second start after having placed second in his debut and looking well-worth the $120,000 that the half-brother to stakes winner Twice Infallible brought at the OBS sale last March -- both at Aqueduct on Friday; CALLER APPEAL in a front-running daylight-margin debut as the youngest starter (foaled May 20, 2003) among 10 three-year-olds and up, TEAKWOOD (sired by Prime Timber) by 2-1/2 lengths at odds-on for the second named offspring and second winner produced from a stakes-winning dam, and homebred May-foaled two-year-old LOOK OUT AUSTIN (sired by Take Me Out) with an eighth-to-first rally as the youngest among 10 starters despite being bumped on the inside at the break in his third career start -- all three at Aqueduct -- and STORMTASIA by a front-running 2-1/2 lengths at Beulah Park in her second career start despite being bumped in mid-stretch -- all four on Saturday; homebred two-year-old filly MICHELE THE GREAT from the 10th post among 12 starters in her first two-turn attempt and first effort beyond seven furlongs to advance her record to 1 - 2 - 1 in four starts for the fifth offspring and fifth winner produced from her winning dam, and homebred ACCORDINGTOTHECAT (sired by Tomorrows Cat) by a front-running 5-1/2 lengths at odds-on in her third start -- both at Aqueduct -- and two-year-old filly CAJUN CREDIT at Fair Grounds by a length and a half over the odds-on favorite that was claimed, and two-year-old filly CELESTIAL SKY in her debut at Laurel Park from the outside post among 11 starters -- all on Sunday. |
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NY-bred weekend SWs turned in week's best divisional speed ratings by Rab Hagin
Recently-released weekly speed ratings from Bloodstock Research and Information Services (BRIS) confirmed that New York-breds HALF HEAVEN ($277,461) and LAWRENCE THE ROMAN turned in two of the most impressive stakes performances in their divisions this past weekend while winning Turfway Park's My Charmer Stakes and Aqueduct's Damon Runyon Stakes, respectively. Half Heaven, Stronach Stables' $180,000 November purchase at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky, threatened Turfway Park's all-weather mile and a sixteenth track record on Saturday, clocking 1:42.95 to generate the highest BRIS speed rating (96) for a filly or mare in a North American main track stakes during December 4-10. The four-year-old Regal Classic filly is among six or seven 2006 open stakes winners in the New York-bred older female division -- three sprinters and three routers plus pending Grade 2 miler Rahys' Appeal -- that features probable Eclipse Champion Fleet Indian and Grade 1-winning sprinter Behaving Badly. Half Heaven's dam, Canadian-bred seven-time winner Sand Pirate, was acquired privately by television and singing star David Cassidy before producing her first foal and now has three New York-bred winners by different sires for her first three offspring, including two stakes winners. New York Minute(s): Half Heaven is among 29 or 30 New York-bred stakes winners of 2006 outside state-bred company -- pending the Rahys' Appeal disqualification decision -- and among 78 New York-breds to win or place (second or third) in 2006 stakes events outside state-bred company. The My Charmer was the 42nd or 43rd open (to horses bred anywhere, exclusive of the New York Stallion Stakes Series) stakes event won by a New York-bred in 2006, and Half Heaven's victory represented the 123rd top-three finish in a non-state-bred stakes by a New York-bred this year. Lawrence Roman's homebred namesake Lawrence the Roman romped by 11 lengths in Sunday's mile and a sixteenth Damon Runyon for New York-bred two-year-olds, arguably outshining Damon Runyon victories by the brilliant Grey Comet (2002) and future graded winners West Virginia (2003) and Naughty New Yorker (2004). His effort generated the highest BRIS stakes-winning speed rating (101) for a two-year-old during the week of December 4-10 and advanced his record to three-for-three by a total of 25-1/4 lengths. The late Grey Comet also had been three-for-three after winning the 2002 Damon Runyon, presenting a worthy challenge for juvenile supremacy of the New York-bred 2000 crop that featured another formidable two-year-old -- future Eclipse Champion and three-time millionaire Funny Cide. Lawrence the Roman and 2006 Sleepy Hollow Stakes winner Chief's Lake appear to be the most impressive duo of Damon Runyon and Sleepy Hollow winners, respectively, since Grey Comet and Funny Cide four years earlier. New York-breds won open non-claiming races by big margins at three different tracks on Friday and Monday -- two in allowance or allowance/optional claiming contests and one in a starter handicap -- and two of them have earnings well into six figures. Scoring by the biggest margin was Paraneck Stable's homebred FUEGO GRANDE ($185,492), who tallied by 8-1/4 lengths in a $42,000 Aqueduct starter handicap at a mile and 70 yards on Friday for fillies and mares that had raced with claiming prices of $25,000 or less in 2004-2006. The four-year-old daughter of Adonis was the 2.80-to-1 second choice as the only New York-bred among six starters, and she trailed the entire field by a significant margin before rallying to the front on the second turn and drawing off through the stretch for her sixth career victory. Just 12 days earlier, the improving homebred representative of Ernie Paragallo's Paraneck Stable had picked up her first black-type by placing third among seven in her first stakes outing, Aqueduct's mile and an eighth Montauk Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares. Fuego Grande is out of winner Shotanabeer, a daughter of the late record-holding New York-based sire Cure the Blues and a half-sister to Eclipse Champion Sprinter Kona Gold ($2,293,384). Inexplicably making her turf debut in her 28th start and just as inexplicably going off at 25.90-to-1 to cruise by 5-1/2 lengths in a Calder N3X allowance/optional claiming contest on Monday was Thomas Farone Jr.'s New York-bred FACTUAL CONTENDER ($218,448) -- by New York-bred-and-based multiple Grade 2 turf winner Thunder Puddles. The five-year-old mare competed in the nine-furlong race with a $40,000 tag because she had won through her Calder-stipulated N3X condition 17 months earlier at Belmont as a main track sprinter, and her latest previous victory had come in a five-furlong Finger Lakes allowance in May. Farone, of Gansevoort, New York, had claimed Factual Contender for $65,000 from her breeder, Carl Lizza Jr.'s Flying Zee Stable, at Saratoga in 2005, and the mare's latest conditioner, New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2003 Trainer of the Year Barclay Tagg, obviously spotted the sire-turf connection. In her first Florida start as well as her first grass outing, the New York-bred clocked a stakes-caliber 1:47.08 for the mile and an eighth, with 2006 turf stakes-placed winner Praia Da Pipa placing second and German listed stakes winner Burren Rose -- at near even-money -- finishing third. Two other turf stakes-placed winners also were among the eight starters -- six of which were favored ahead of Factual Contender, whose record improved to 6 - 7 - 3 in 28 starts. Factual Contender is the second among the first three named offspring produced from Flying Zee Stable's route-winning New York homebred, Factuallychallenge (by the late New York-based stallion Triocala) -- all winners and one having broken her maiden this past September on Belmont turf. Factual Contender's now-pensioned sire, soon-to-be-28-year-old Thunder Puddles ($791,695), resides at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson and once had been the all-time leading New York-bred money-earner. Thunder Puddles' stakes winners include New York-bred Grade 1 Travers winner Thunder Rumble (see New York-bred Millionaires Club). Winning a non-winners-of-two allowance by five lengths going 5-1/2 furlongs at Beulah Park on Monday was Bivian Hancock's and Ron Hirsch's New York-bred FAMOUS ARTIST, who broke from the outside post as the 1.50-to-1 favorite among five starters and rallied from next-to-last after chasing three-wide. The four-year-old son of the late New York-based Hall of Fame stallion Spectacular Bid had broken his maiden by 3-1/4 lengths two starts and 53 days earlier at Hoosier Park, becoming the second winner among two named offspring -- brother and sister -- produced from two-time winner Miss Lilly Copelan, by Copelan. Miss Lilly Copelan, a half-sister to two stakes-placed winners of 10 races each and from the immediate family of Canadian Horse of the Year Fanfreluche, had been purchased by Famous Artist's breeder, Marvin Markman, for $13,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 1997 June sale of two-year-olds. Winning restricted N2X/allowance optional claiming contests at Aqueduct were four-year-old gelding DRIZZLY ($177,849) by 2-3/4 lengths on Wednesday (December 6), three-year-old fillies MOTOR CITY MAMA ($102,118) by 3-1/4 lengths and BORROWING BASE ($125,336) -- both on Saturday -- and six-year-old gelding KARAKORUM PATRIOT ($269,039) by 2-1/4 lengths on Sunday. Drizzly, Sanford Goldfarb's $30,000 claim while winning at Saratoga on August 27, scored at a mile and 70 yards to improve his record to 4 - 4 - 3 in 22 starts and already has earned back more than his claiming price under the guidance of trainer Anthony Dutrow. Bred by Raymond Roncari and Leslie Roncari-Marconi, the half-brother to New York-bred stakes winner Winloc's Glorious ($246,061) also had been a profitable $40,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2003 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale for Cot Campbell's Dogwood Stable, which had raced the gelding until his claim by Goldfarb. Motor City Mama, William Fuccillo's 2006 stakes-placed allowance winner, boosted her earnings into six figures with her second front-running three-length-plus allowance victory going six furlongs on Aqueduct's inner track since last February, improving her career record to 3 - 1 - 2 in 10 starts. Bred by Gus Schoenborn Jr. and trained by Linda Rice, the daughter of former New York-based sire City Zip is the first offspring produced from a two-time winning Private Terms mare who is a half-sister to super-sound dirt-and-turf-winning stakes winner Sound System ($306,101). Also boosting her earnings into six figures was Klaravich Stables, Inc.'s Borrowing Base, who scored her second consecutive Aqueduct allowance mile victory within 38 days -- going from a one-turn outer main track effort to two turns on the inner -- and improving her record to 3 - 4 - 3 in 12 starts. The former $60,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga sale of New York-bred preferred yearlings was bred by Marlene Brody's Gallagher's Stud in Ghent and has never been unplaced on a fast or "good" main track while being trained throughout her career by Richard Violette Jr. Karakorum Patriot, claimed by trainer Michael Hushion along with Marty Cunningham and Joseph Armellino for $14,000 while placing second at Aqueduct just 36 days earlier, ran with a $30,000 tag in his Sunday six-furlong victory because he had gone through his restricted N2X condition almost 23 months earlier. Now with a stakes-placed record of 6 - 7 - 11 in 49 starts that includes an open allowance score at Belmont, the durable Rainbow Stable-bred sprinter is by the same sire as the aforementioned Borrowing Base -- the late New York-based soundness-siring stallion Personal Flag. Three-year-old winners of restricted N1X allowances going a mile and 70 yards at Aqueduct were stakes-placed colt BUILDING NEW ERA by 3-1/2 lengths on Saturday despite hitting the gate at the start and getting bumped and improving filly SCATKEY by two lengths under a hand ride on Sunday. Rolando Cabral's odds-on Building New Era was the youngest starter in his contest (foaled May 25, 2003) and was making his second start off an 11-month layoff since placing second in Aqueduct's 2005 Damon Runyon, improving his record to two wins and four seconds in seven starts. Scatkey, a homebred for the Backwards Stable of Edward McEneaney of Mt. Kisco, advanced from sixth-to-first and is a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed winner Key Event ($144,582), being the third offspring and third winner produced from winning New York-bred Sugarkey, whom McEneaney had purchased for $18,000 as an OBS yearling. The most impressive New York-bred open claiming winner during December's first full week was Bonnie Jo Wooster's two-year-old SMASH 'EM SAMMY (sired by Rizzi) with a $40,000 tag in Aqueduct's Friday six-furlong opener, which he won by 4-1/2 lengths despite having to be steadied on the backstretch. Bred by Sez Who Thoroughbreds and a first-out winner at Saratoga last August, the dark bay colt was one of four New York-breds that earned 76 percent of the seven-starter contest's total purse and qualified for an aggregate of $12,480 in owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards. Other New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, December 6 through Tuesday, December 12 included: REMORSE (sired by Regal Classic) by a front-running 2-1/4 lengths at Aqueduct for his second win of 2006 and third career victory, on Wednesday; homebred LADY ELAINE by a front-running 5-1/2 lengths at Aqueduct for her third career win by more than four lengths, on Thursday; homebred LIGHT CLASSIC (sired by Regal Classic) with a $30,000 tag at Aqueduct for her second NYRA win of 2006 despite being bumped after the start and the first offspring produced from a multiple stakes winner of $244,163, and TOMMYS JET (sired by A. P Jet) at Beulah Park for her second win in 46 days and third victory of 2006 and sixth career tally -- both on Friday; homebred-and-trained PATRIARCH POPS (sired by Artax) by 3-1/4 lengths over the six-figure-earning favorite while under top weight at Aqueduct for his second big-margin win at the Big A in 38 days, and southern California stakes winner MANHATTAN EXPRESS ($212,649) at Hollywood Park for his second consecutive win at that track in 16 days and sixth career victory -- both on Saturday; FIERCE STORM by two lengths under top weight for his second consecutive daylight-margin win in 22 days and fourth daylight-margin victory of 2006, and homebred KEY AVENGER for his third win of 2006 and fourth career victory -- both at Philadelphia Park on Sunday; MALIBU BEAU at Mountaineer Park for his second win of 2006 and third career victory, on Tuesday. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, December 6 through Tuesday, December 12 included: Homebred two-year-old filly ROSIE'S ATTITUDE by 2-1/4 lengths from sixth-to-first in the third start for the first offspring out of a graded-winning dam that earned $763,022, and RAISIN' SILVER (sired by Halissee) by 6-1/4 lengths -- both at Aqueduct on Wednesday; semi-homebred two-year-old FRESH EPISODE (sired by Freud) in a front-running effort from the eighth post among nine starters despite being bumped at the start in his third outing and first venture beyond a mile, HONEY LOVE (sired by Prime Timber) by 5-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire from the seventh post among eight starters for the half-sister to earners of $418,966 and $208,736, and ICANROLL from the ninth post among 10 starters -- all at Aqueduct on Thursday; homebred two-year-old filly SMART HALORY by six lengths with a three-wide rally on the second turn as half of an odds-on entry than finished one-two and the first effort beyond a mile for the sixth offspring and sixth winner produced from her stakes-placed winning dam, two-year-old filly FULL OF CLASS by a front-running eight lengths from the sixth post among seven starters for the half-sister to stakes winner Reddy for Rubys, ACCREDITING (sired by Scarlet Ibis) by a front-running 6-1/4 lengths from the outside post among eight starters to become the seventh winner produced from NYTB 1986 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Anniron ($539,476), and two-year-old STOPBLUFFING by a front-running 3-3/4 lengths -- all at Aqueduct on Friday; two-year-old GANSEVOORT by 6-1/4 lengths "going away" in his debut at Aqueduct despite being reluctant to load into the starting gate beforehand, and late-foaled (May 18) two-year-old CITY AVENGER by a front-running 6-1/4 lengths at odds-on at Charles Town -- both on Saturday; homebred two-year-old filly MARGIES SMILE (sired by Wheelaway) by three lengths gate-to-wire in her debut at Aqueduct while breaking from the seventh post among eight starters and the second offspring and second winner produced from a six-figure-earner, on Sunday; PARALLEL LINES gate-to-wire, and two-year-old filly ROLL THE DI (sired by Adios My Friend) by 2-3/4 lengths with blinkers on in her third career start -- both at Philadelphia Park -- and two-year-old filly EMERALD BELLE by 4-1/4 lengths from seventh-to-first among eight starters at Mountaineer Park going a mile and a sixteenth in her second start and first main track outing and despite being brushed leaving the starting gate and racing five-wide down the backstretch -- all three on Tuesday. |
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Lawrence the Roman romps by 11 in Damon Runyon - stays unbeaten by Rab Hagin
Now three-for-three by 25-1/4 lengths, Lawrence P. Roman's homebred namesake LAWRENCE THE ROMAN stretched out to his longest distance to date and won by his biggest margin to date, taking Aqueduct's $72,060 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York-bred two-year-olds at a mile and a sixteenth on Sunday by 11 lengths. The smoothly-striding colt broke from the seventh post as the odds-on (.65-to-1) choice among eight starters in the two-turn event and aggressively grabbed the lead before reaching the first turn, opening up a three-length advantage with a first quarter-mile in 23.65. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who was riding Lawrence the Roman for the first time in competition, allowed him to relax while racing slightly off the rail, enticing 6.70-to-1 third choice Premier Perfection to challenge from the inside going down the backstretch. Subsequent even quarter-mile splits went in 24.46 and 24.49, following which Smith's mount had his margin back up to three lengths and was extending it with every stride, leading by eight lengths at mid-stretch and by 11 at the wire. Fourth choice Fahrenheit Wild recovered from a bumping on the backstretch to place second, and 21.80-to-1 sixth choice Your Hour's Up chased three-wide throughout but managed to place third to become the 12th top-three stakes performer from Freud's first two crops. Twenty-four days earlier, Lawrence the Roman had won a restricted N1X allowance going a one-turn mile on a "good" Aqueduct outer main track, and 50 days prior to that the powerful two-year-old had scored first-out at Belmont by 4-1/4 lengths going six furlongs. Two-turn route racing appears to offer considerable promise for the muscular bay, and jockey Smith confirmed as much: "He's a big good-looking horse, and he carries a lot of flesh," Smith pointed out. "I think he is still a little green. He wasn't blowing hard at the end. I think he's got a lot of room for improvement. He's bred to run all day. I think he's going to be a real nice horse." Lawrence the Roman is the fourth Damon Runyon winner ridden by Smith, who first rode to victory in the event in 1990 when it was a mile on turf and he was aboard a future Irish classic-winning colt named Fourstars Allstar (see New York-bred Millionaires Club). Now with earnings of $94,236 in three starts, Lawrence the Roman also qualified his owner, Roman, for a share of the $4,323.60 breeder award that results from the Damon Runyon victory. Roman and the other two breeders of Lawrence the Roman, Edward English and Jeff Levine, had consigned and sold the colt at Fasig-Tipton's 2005 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale. Apparently, it was a decision Roman had not whole-heartedly endorsed: "I had originally sold him out of a partnership; we lost the horse for $22,000 (to Becky Thomas, owner of Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson), and I was freaking out," Roman recalled. "The other people I owned the horse with didn't really want to own horses. When I saw him back in a sale (the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2006 March sale of two-year-olds in training, consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent), I was willing to pay $200,000 for him, but I got him back for $35,000. From the day we had him, I was high on him. I think this horse is really getting better. I talked to Mike (Smith, jockey), and he said he was looking around for horses. It seems that he doesn't even know what he's doing yet. He's still green. This is the only horse I have in training. Everybody knows you don't name a horse after yourself. We had submitted four names, and each one was rejected. Finally, the horse was ready to race, and we needed a name. I said, 'All right, Lawrence the Roman. No one else is going to have it.'" Actually, the colt had a name -- Any Given Moment -- when he worked a quarter-mile in a worthy 22 3/5 seconds 11 days before Roman bought him back at the Ocala sale, but that name apparently was later rejected. Conditioned by New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2002 Trainer of the Year Richard Dutrow Jr., who sent out two New York-bred two-year-old winners on Aqueduct's Sunday card, Lawrence the Roman is from the second crop of Horse of the Year Point Given. He is the second offspring and second New York-bred winner by that sire produced from allowance winner Carly Lee ($117,650), a four-time main track route-winning Broad Brush mare who also raced for Roman. Lawrence the Roman's three-year-old full brother, Dastard Lee, has won three times in 2006 after having placed third in one start as a juvenile, so Lawrence the Roman figures only to get better as he matures. |
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Half Heaven scores 2nd successive stakes win in Turfway's My Charmer by Rab Hagin
Six weeks after pulling a 42.10-to-1 shocker in Woodbine's River Memories Stakes when that event was switched from turf to the all-weather track, Stronach Stables' recently-acquired New York-bred HALF HEAVEN advanced her synthetic surface record to two-for-two in Turfway Park's My Charmer Stakes for fillies and mares on Saturday. This time she was no surprise, going off as the 2.70-to-1 favorite among 10 distaff starters, three-year-olds and up, in the mile and a sixteenth evening contest with jockey Miguel Mena riding her for the first time in competition and a career-high 124 pounds on her back. Stalking a slightly accelerating pace (24.36, 23.47, 23.98 splits) set by 5.80-to-1 fourth choice Ella Belle, the four-year-old filly collared the pacesetter in the upper stretch and drew clear before withstanding a late challenge from 4.30-to-1 second choice My Chickadee under seven pounds less weight. Brazilian Group 3 stakes winner Moon Berry, the 5-to-1 third choice and carrying six pounds less than Half Heaven, placed third in an unusually well-predicted contest. Half Heaven's winning time, an impressive 1:42.95 for the eight and one-half furlongs, almost equaled Turfway Park's all-weather track record, falling short by less than a fifth (.16) of a second. It was the fourth winning ride on Turfway Park's Saturday card for Mena, who is the 10th jockey to have race-ridden Half Heaven and the fifth rider that she has carried to victory. Half Heaven's new trainer since her purchase by Stronach Stables, Dale Romans, took no credit for the New York-bred filly's near-record performance: "That's the way I got her," Romans explained. "She won so easy at Woodbine that (owner Stronach Stables) decided this would be a good spot to try to race her this winter. They sent her in, and all we had to do was breeze her a couple of times and run her. She showed a lot of grit there at the end." Half Heaven's second consecutive stakes victory increased her earnings to $277,461 while improving her record to 6 - 6 - 1 in 20 starts, which includes placed efforts in four state-bred restricted stakes on turf at Belmont and Aqueduct prior to her River Memories win at Woodbine. The bay filly had raced for her breeder, actor and singer David Cassidy of television's The Partridge Family, in partnership with Edward Lipton through her River Memories win and had been sold for $180,000 to Frank Stronach at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's November 5 selected mixed sale to dissolve that partnership. Both Cassidy and Lipton are residents of South Florida. The 50th stakes winner sired by syndicated Canadian champion and New York-based stallion Regal Classic, Half Heaven is a half-sister to three-year-old 2006 Niagara Stakes winner Doll Baby ($151,144), being the second of three offspring of racing age through 2005 -- all winners -- produced from seven-time winner Sand Pirate. Cassidy has bred all of the registered offspring produced from Sand Pirate, a Desert Wine mare who is a half-sister to the dam of Grade 2-winning millionaire Continental Red ($1,363,788) and is a complete outcross (no inbreeding) through five generations. Sand Pirate descends from a strong California family and is herself an outcross to most of the popular North American sire lines, having no Northern Dancer, Raise a Native, or even Bold Ruler ancestry in her pedigree. Half Heaven is among 29 or 30 New York-bred winners of 2006 stakes events outside state-bred company, depending on the outcome of the appeal of the Rahys' Appeal disqualification from first to second in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap on November 24. The My Charmer is the 42nd or 43rd open (to horses bred anywhere, exclusive of the New York Stallion Stakes series) stakes race in 2006 captured by a New York-bred. |
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NY-breds shine in Big A features Nov. 29-Dec. 3 by Rab Hagin
New York-breds captured every Aqueduct feature race during the span of Wednesday, November 29 through Sunday, December 3, winning all three of the Big A's stakes outside state-bred company in addition to Sunday's restricted East View and also winning three open allowances at Aqueduct and one at Hollywood Park. Open Aqueduct stakes victories on Saturday by MAGNOLIA JACKSON ($433,679) and SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR ($238,593) established their breeder, Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds (with a New York division in Stillwater), as "Breeder of the Week" according to the Thoroughbred Times Today. The top-weighted winner of Aqueduct's semi-restricted Flat Fleet Feet Stakes on Thursday for three-year-old fillies bred anywhere that had not won a 2006 graded stakes (a condition allowing open 2006 stakes winners) was New York-bred HOMERETTE ($225,152). Looking like a future routing star in Aqueduct's mile and a sixteenth East View Stakes for New York-bred two-year-old fillies on Sunday was the rapidly-improving MY KITTY ($112,567), who headed a tight three-way fight to the wire in which the first two finishers were both also New York-conceived. Ted Taylor's four-year-old filly Magnolia Jackson -- described by New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2004 Trainer of the Year Gary Contessa as being "mean as a junkyard dog" -- recalls to memory another distaff descendant of the legendary Dr. Fager: 1975 Eclipse Champion juvenile filly Dearly Precious. Never worse than fourth in 14 starts with a record of 9 - 2 - 1, Magnolia Jackson seems able to beat fillies that are significantly faster on paper without hanging up dazzling times. The latest rival to succumb to a case of the slows after going eyeball-to-eyeball with the feisty New York-bred was 2006 Grade 2 Saratoga sprint winner Stormy Kiss in Aqueduct's open Garland of Roses Handicap at six furlongs on Saturday. Somewhere after the opening quarter, Stormy Kiss appeared to toss in the towel even though she placed third without mishap, allowing top-weighted Magnolia Jackson to cruise to a two-length tally. Magnolia Jackson's four previous stakes victories -- all in 2006 and three of them open -- include Aqueduct's Grade 2 Bed o' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap at seven furlongs in April despite a bobbled start. Since minor surgery early last summer for removal of a bone chip, the bay filly has been training "off the charts" according to Contessa. The latest (29th or 30th pending appeal of Rahys' Appeal's disqualification in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Top Flight on November 24) New York-bred stakes winner outside state-bred company in 2006 is Winning Move Stable's Successful Affair, who won Aqueduct's open Coyote Lakes Stakes on the same Saturday card with Magnolia Jackson. The four-year-old gelding's effort in the three-turn mile and a half Coyote Lakes earned him North America's highest Bloodstock Research Information Services (BRIS) speed rating (97) of the week for a main track performance at beyond a mile. It was his third consecutive Aqueduct victory in 66 days, following wins on the outer track at one mile and two miles -- the latter by eight lengths -- but unlike his eight rivals in the Coyote Lakes, this was Successful Affair's stakes debut. With his record of 6 - 8 - 5 in 28 starts having been enhanced considerably as a result of his newly-discovered long distance talent, Successful Affair campaigns for Brian Sigler's Winning Move Stable, which also is part-owner of recent (November 18) New York-bred Grade 3 Stuyvesant Handicap winner Accountforthegold. Unlike the Stuyvesant, in which New York-breds ran one-two-three, state-breds in the Coyote Lakes finished first and third, as three of them among a total of nine starters earned 73 percent of the event's purse money. New York Minute: Placing third behind Successful Affair in the Coyote Lakes was Stewart Hoffman's homebred Win With Beck ($354,581), who became the 78th New York-bred to win or place (second or third) in a stakes event outside state-bred company in 2006. Another newly-discovered talent is Fox Ridge Farm, Inc.'s homebred Homerette, who last summer showed a proclivity for two turns on turf when she won Saratoga's restricted Irish Linnet Stakes but on Thursday captured Aqueduct's two-turn Flat Fleet Feet Stakes at a mile and 70 yards on the inner track. It was Homerette's first stakes victory on dirt, her first win outside state-bred company, and it improved her record to 4 - 6 - 4 in 19 starts while boosting her earnings over the $200K mark. A three-way photo-finish in Aqueduct's East View on Sunday highlighted the competitiveness of the New York-bred juvenile filly division, with Darlene Bilinski's and Martin Zaretsky's My Kitty edging the rival that had beaten her for second-place in New York Showcase Day's one-mile Maid of the Mist, Laurentide Ice ($144,634). My Kitty became the 10th stakes winner from three racing-age crops sired by New York's leading sire and North America's seventh-leading third-crop sire, Catienus, who is owned by My Kitty's breeders, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, and stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. My Kitty and Camelia Casby's homebred Laurentide Ice had both closed from off the pace in the October 21 Maid of the Mist, and Laurentide Ice scored her first stakes victory 15 days later in Aqueduct's six-furlong New York Stallion Fifth Avenue Stakes. Scoring a front-running length-and-a-half victory in Aqueduct's open N1X allowance/optional claiming feature race on Wednesday, November 29 for fillies and mares was Hardwicke Stable's homebred GREAT LADY K ($240,652) as the 1.60-to-1 favorite among seven starters going six furlongs. The four-year-old filly had placed second in restricted stakes at Saratoga this past summer and at Belmont in the fall after having gone through her restricted N2X allowance condition on Aqueduct's inner track last March. Placing second in Wednesday's feature as the 9.30-to-1 fifth choice was another stakes-placed New York-bred, Henry Waring's Waytotheleft ($134,567), as the two state-breds picked up 80 percent of the contest's purse and qualified their connections for another $9,630 in owner, breeder, and stallion awards. Great Lady K's latest win improved her record to 4 - 9 - 3 in 29 starts for the Hardwicke Stable of her breeder, Elisabeth Jerkens of Bellrose. She is a half-sister to Hardwicke Stable's New York homebred graded winner and two-time Empire Classic winner, Spite the Devil ($849,011). Going gate-to-wire to tally by 6-1/4 lengths in Aqueduct's Friday (December 1) open N3X allowance/optional claiming feature for fillies and mares at six furlongs was Robert Cohen's New York homebred SAMSINCHARGE ($237,696) in her first start since capturing Saratoga's restricted Rogues Walk Stakes by 3-1/2 lengths 129 days earlier. The four-year-old filly broke from the outside post as the 6.50-to-1 fourth choice among seven starters and improved her record to 6 - 4 - 2 in 18 starts, which includes a third-placing in Belmont's open off-the-turf Thirty Flags Stakes at a mile for her first black-type effort last May. Placing third in Friday's feature was New York-bred Gold Like U ($282,883), and also earning money was New York-bred Fighting Speedy ($228,970), as state-breds collected 73 percent of the race's purse and qualified their connections for a total of $16,121 in owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards. Samsincharge is the fifth starter and fifth New York-bred winner produced from Chilean Group 1 winner Wagers Delight and is a half-sister to stakes-placed winner Sam's In Control ($131,136) and to the dam of stakes-placed New York-bred winner Robbie's Rockin ($194,209). Winning an open N1X allowance/optional claiming contest for two-year-old fillies on the same card with Samsincharge -- and actually racing above her condition level -- was Paraneck Stable's GOLDEN DREAMER by a front-running 4-3/4 lengths as the 1.15-to-1 favorite and only New York-bred among six starters going six furlongs. A $25,000 weanling purchase at Keeneland's 2004 November sale, Golden Dreamer had won her 5-1/2-furlong Belmont debut by 4-1/4 lengths on October 13 but had been ill-prepared to go a mile in Belmont's Maid of the Mist eight days later on New York Showcase Day. She had rebounded from that overly ambitious unplaced venture to win a restricted N1X allowance going six furlongs in the slop at Aqueduct on November 8 despite an awkward start and has the breeding to develop into a possible turf router for the Paraneck Stable of Ernie Paragallo. Bred by Jeffry and Stuart Morris's Highclere, the first-crop daughter of graded turf winner Malabar Gold is the first offspring produced from West Indian, an Indian Charlie mare that had been purchased for $10,000 at Keeneland's 2003 November sale when she was carrying Golden Dreamer. How many horses within a 74-day span have won on conventional dirt, a synthetic main track, and on turf -- and accomplished these feats at three different distances? Donald Blahut's and Robert Giammarino's New York-bred MISS SILVER IMAGE, who won a $44,458 N1X allowance for fillies and mares going six furlongs on turf at Hollywood Park on Sunday, might possibly be the only one, and if not, she is certainly among a tiny and exclusive minority. Narrowly favored at 2.50-to-1 among eight starters, the four-year-old filly improved her never-worse-than-fourth record to three wins and a second-placing in six career starts since debuting in late July at Del Mar. She had broken her maiden by 7-1/4 lengths going about a half-mile around Fairplex Park's five-furlong dirt bullring on September 20, then had placed a close second coasting 6-1/2 furlongs "down the hill" on Oak Tree/Santa Anita turf just nine days later. Miss Silver Image had followed those efforts with a 6-1/2-furlong starter allowance victory on Hollywood Park's synthetic surface on November 3 -- again employing the gate-to-wire style that had produced her maiden victory and which she almost had negotiated successfully in her down-the-hill grass effort. For her winning performance on Hollywood Park's lawn, the New York-bred successfully employed close stalking tactics. Bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and sold for $85,000 by Thomas's Sequel Bloodstock to her trainer, Michael Machowsky (as agent) at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2004 March sale of two-year-olds in training, Miss Silver Image is by Gilded Time and out of Excellence, by Cozzene. Excellence, who is a half-sister to four-time turf stakes winner Glenbarra ($330,985) and out of three-time turf stakes winner Supreme Excellence ($118,120), had been purchased by her breeders' Lakland for $35,000 at Keeneland's 2002 January sale when she was carrying Miss Silver Image. Getting his 12th career victory but first win in more than 14 months was Paul Pompa Jr.'s recently-claimed New York-bred seven-year-old, three-time sprint stakes winner PAPUA ($638,585), who prevailed in a starter allowance for New York-bred three-year-olds and up going a two-turn mile and 70 yards at Aqueduct on Sunday. The conditions were for state-breds that had started for any claiming price -- no matter how high -- at any time, allowing for a seven-horse field (six wagering interests) in which no starter had less than $120,000 in earnings and two were stakes winners. Sent off the 2.80-to-1 second choice behind an even-money entry that included stakes winner Lord Langfuhr ($312,433), Papua improved his record to 12 - 9 - 7 in 43 starts, boosting his earnings to $60,300 for latest owner Pompa, who had claimed the horse 17 weeks earlier for $50,000 at Saratoga. Papua, who was bred by Barry Schwartz's Stonewall Farm and had raced for Schwartz until being claimed, won three consecutive renewals (2003, 2004, 2005) of Aqueduct's six-furlong Hollie Hughes Handicap on the inner track and has eight stakes-placed efforts on his resume -- three in graded events. He has a total of seven wins in a dozen starts over the Big A's inner track. Winning restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contests by big margins at Aqueduct on Friday, December 1 while running with claiming tags because they already had gone through their restricted N2X conditions were homebred geldings RYAN IS FLYING ($185,996) in an off-the-turf mile and BOGOTA BILL ($187,390) at 5-1/2 furlongs. Both are sons of deceased former New York-based sires -- Ryan Is Flying being by Dixie Brass and Bogata Bill being by Gold Token. Ryan Is Flying, Teresa Maher's six-year-old, was the 5.60-to-1 fourth choice among eight wagering interests and nine starters and scored by 3-1/2 lengths with a $30,000 tag in a contest boosted from $46,000 to $55,200 in purse value as an inducement after coming off the turf. Now with four wins, including allowance victories on dirt and turf in 2006, the durable and versatile gelding is the first of two six-figure-earners produced from New York-bred multiple stakes winner and Grade 2-placed Tiffany's Taylor, being a half-brother to Aqueduct allowance-winning filly Tiffany's Rodeo ($123,537). Bogota Bill, Barry Schwartz's six-year-old, scored by an even wider margin -- six lengths -- in his sprinting victory while running with a $50,000 tag, improving his record to 6 - 3 - 4 in 23 starts with his second big-margin allowance tally since mid-July. The stalking sprinter is among five winners and two New York-bred six-figure-earners produced from juvenile turf stakes winner Lucky Lauren, by Red Ransom. Winning restricted N1X allowances at Aqueduct were three-year-old filly WILLI'S SWEET GIRL (sired by Williamstown) and two-year-old colt PHONE HOME on Wednesday (November 29), two-year-old filly MEGAN'S WORLD on Thursday, and three-year-old filly SHEA D'LADY and three-year-old gelding MR. BOURBON STREET (sired by Ormsby) on Sunday. Willi's Sweet Girl, claimed 108 days earlier at Saratoga for $35,000 by Brian Sigler's Winning Move Stable and Harold Lerner (also owners of recent New York-bred Grade 3 Stuyvesant Handicap winner Accountforthegold), scored her first turf win and first two-turn tally and has earned back her claiming price. Phone Home, Zayat Stables LLC's $190,000 purchase at the OBS Calder sale of two-year-olds last February and a half-brother to New York-bred stakes-winning (in 2005) three-year-old filly Little Miss Zip ($194,762), was nearly even-money among eight starters going six furlongs and is now two-for-two at Aqueduct within 18 days. Megan's World, Paul Keating Sr.'s $85,000 purchase at the OBS 2006 March sale of two-year-olds, was half of a 2.40-to-1 favored entry among nine wagering interests and 11 starters going six furlongs and improved her record to two wins and three runner-up efforts in seven starts. Shea d'Lady, Lawrence Goichman's homebred, went gate-to-wire from the seventh post at odds-on (.55-to-1) among eight starters going 5-1/2 furlongs in her second outing off a layoff of almost 16-1/2 months, bringing her record to two wins and a close runner-up effort (on November 12) in three starts. Mr. Bourbon Street, Sugar Maple Farm's and H. Lewis Rappaport's homebred, broke from the 10th post among 11 starters as the 2.45-to-1 favorite and won by 3-1/4 lengths going six furlongs for his second big-margin victory, bringing his record to 2 - 2 - 1 in seven starts. New York-bred open allowance winners at Finger Lakes on Friday and Saturday, December 1 and 2 were: SURVIVING by 5-1/2 lengths "ridden out" at a mile and 70 yards for her second big-margin win but first tally going two turns, and homebred LEAP TO FAME (sired by Lycius) in a non-winners-of-four feature for her third win in 66 days and improving her career record to 4 - 2 - 2 in 15 starts exclusively in 2006 -- both on Friday; MISTER MCGATH by 8-1/2 lengths "ridden out" from the outside post among nine starters, and PROLIFIC APPEAL closing fast under top weight from last-to-first among seven starters in the feature after being checked at the start and scoring his third win in 2006 while improving his career record to 3 - 5 - 6 in 25 starts -- both on Saturday. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, November 29 through Sunday, December 3 included: BROOKLYN BOBBIE (sired by Deputy Cat) by 3-3/4 lengths from sixth-to-first at Aqueduct for her second win of 2006, on Wednesday; homebred-and-trained ONE DAY SOON by 3-3/4 lengths at Aqueduct with a $30,000 tag, on Thursday; JEWELED VICTORY by 9-3/4 lengths going a three-turn mile and an eighth at Charles Town despite breaking from the eighth post among 10 starters for her first nine-furlong win and second big-margin victory in 85 days and third tally of 2006, TORRENTS OF FIRE from last-to-first among 12 starters with an eight-wide advance on the turn for her second consecutive win in 24 days and third victory of 2006 and fourth career tally, NAOMI'S HOPE for her second win in 46 days and third career victory, NICK THE VEST ($145,831) from seventh-to-first "going away" for his third daylight-margin win since early August and ninth career victory, HORRIBLE JEAN for her second consecutive daylight-margin win in three weeks and third daylight-margin victory in 81 days, and BEEBE'S FAMOOSE (sired by Scarlet Ibis) by 4-3/4 lengths "ridden out" as half of an odds-on entry that finished one-two and scoring his second big-margin win in 18 days and third victory in 89 days to bring his total number of career tallies to six -- all on Friday, and the last-named five at Finger Lakes; ROCK N ROLL BEAT (sired by Rock and Roll) at Fair Grounds for her second win since early August, homebred WINLOC'S MAJESTY (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by three lengths from fifth-to-first to improve his record to 8 - 5 - 10 in 46 starts with earnings of $118,771, TORRENTIAL LADY from fifth-to-first for her second consecutive win in 29 days and third victory of 2006 as well as fifth career tally, and JUDGE JOHN B. from last-to-first among nine starters despite being checked at the quarter-pole after breaking from the eighth post for his fourth win since late June -- all on Saturday, and the last-named three at Finger Lakes; and COLBERT STREET (sired by Artax) by a front-running 2-1/2 lengths under top weight at Philadelphia Park for his second consecutive big-margin pacesetting win in 33 days, on Sunday. New York-bred maiden breakers from Wednesday, November 29 through Sunday, December 3 included: NEW YORK MOON by 6-1/2 lengths at Aqueduct under a hand ride for the three-year-old gelding inbred 3 x 3 to Mr. Prospector, two-year-old filly TANKS by a front-running 3-1/2 lengths going a mile at Laurel Park in the third start and first effort beyond six furlongs for the mid-May-foaled juvenile, and HOWARD'S CREEK from ninth-to-first among 10 starters at Turfway Park -- all on Wednesday; two-year-old colt SON OF SABATO by a front-running 2-1/4 lengths at odds-on at Aqueduct in his third start, on Thursday; two-year-old filly BROWN EYED BELLE by a front-running six lengths in her debut and the only first-time-starter among the first five finishers out of a total of eight starters, and two-year-old filly CIZI by four lengths in her debut -- both at Aqueduct on Friday -- and homebred two-year-old filly CITY ZIPPER in a front-running daylight-margin effort with blinkers on for the first time, at Finger Lakes on Friday; two-year-old colt CITY DEALER by a front-running 2-3/4 lengths in his first two-turn effort, and DAZA by 2-1/2 lengths in his third start -- both at Aqueduct on Saturday -- and SLICED BANNANAS (sired by Slice of Reality) with a four-wide rally at Mountaineer Park after breaking from the outside post among 10 starters, two-year-old ANOTHER CRASH by 2-1/4 lengths "handily" at odds-on, and homebred LUNAR CHIP from the eighth post among 10 starters -- all on Saturday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; and two-year-old filly BLACK VELVET BAND by a front-running 6-3/4 lengths at Charles Town on Sunday. |
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My Kitty pounces to 1st stakes win in East View by Rab Hagin
Capitalizing on ideal conditions for her newly-preferred stalking style, Darlene Bilinski's and Martin Zaretsky's MY KITTY prevailed in a three-way photo at the conclusion of a fiercely-fought stretch drive in Aqueduct's two-turn mile and a sixteenth East View Stakes for New York-bred two-year-old fillies on Sunday. It was the first stakes victory for the improving daughter of Catienus, who was the 3.90-to-1 third choice among six starters in the $70,070 event, with New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Jockey of the Year John Velazquez on board for the third time -- second consecutive -- in competition. Allowed to settle after breaking from the inside post, My Kitty advanced from fifth to fourth in the opening half-mile while 11.50-to-1 fifth choice Visual Candy set the pace, but on the second turn she obviously was moving most easily among the three main contenders. The bay filly fanned out three wide in the upper stretch and by the final furlong had almost collared Visual Candy as well as that front-runner's next closest pursuer, 2.15-to-1 second choice Laurentide Ice, from which point those three fought it out to the wire. Less than two feet separated them at the finish, as My Kitty won on the outside, with Laurentide Ice second in the middle and Visual Candy third on the rail. "We had a good trip," acknowledged jockey Velazquez, who had ridden the East View winner in 1994 and had two winning rides on Sunday aboard New York-breds. "She really doesn't like to be hit; she kind of resented the whip a little. I thought she was going to go right by, but those other two really put up a good fight." My Kitty's conditioner, NYTB 2004 Trainer of the Year Gary Contessa, has had a rather busy weekend. In addition to being the trainer of all three stakes winners at Aqueduct on Saturday and Sunday -- New York-breds Magnolia Jackson and Successful Affair in the open Garland of Roses and Coyote Lakes Stakes, respectively, on Saturday -- his wife Jennifer went into labor on Sunday. Speaking by phone, Contessa complimented Velazquez's ride and observed that My Kitty is coming into her own as a route-runner: "Johnny (Velazquez) rode her to perfection. She's a true one-run, two-turn horse. So few horses want to go two turns, and when you have one that's a filly and a New York bred, that's great. We've had her dance every dance and she's been rock solid. She's getting good at the right time. I don't know when she'll run next." Bidding as agent, Contessa had gone to $40,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2006 May sale of two-year-olds in training in Timonium, Maryland to acquire My Kitty for owners Bilinski of Waldorf Farm in North Chatham and Zaretsky of Pine Ridge Stable Ltd. in Old Chatham. The East View victory boosted My Kitty's earnings by $42,042 to $112,567 and improved her record to two wins and two seconds in nine starts, which includes a close runner-up effort in New York Showcase Day's Maid of the Mist Stakes at a one-turn Belmont mile on October 21. She had placed second in a two-turn mile on Aqueduct's inner track while racing in a restricted N1X allowance contest just 15 days prior to the East View. My Kitty's East View victory also qualified nationally-prominent breeders Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey of Kentucky for a total of $11,351.34 in breeder and stallion owner awards, since they also own her sire, Catienus, who stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. My Kitty is the 10th stakes winner from three crops of racing age by Catienus and his second stakes-winning representative within 15 days, following Precious Kitten, who edged New York-bred J'ray in Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes for three-year-old fillies on turf on November 18. My Kitty is the second winner produced from stakes-placed six-time winner Private Stash, an Ohio-bred router who raced for the Ramsey couple, winning on dirt and turf and placing in stakes on both surfaces. Private Stash is out of Ohio-bred routing icon Tougaloo ($583,030), who won 11 stakes and is a half-sister to the multiple stakes-winning granddam of New York-bred graded winner and NYTB champion Dat You Miz Blue ($806,291). |
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NY-breds again sweep both Big A stakes as Magnolia Jackson and Successful Affair win by Rab Hagin
Just three weeks after New York-breds had swept both open (to horses bred anywhere) Saturday stakes at Aqueduct and state-bred MAGNOLIA JACKSON had won a Meadowlands stakes, they did it again -- only this time Magnolia Jackson won at Aqueduct following a similar Big A open stakes score by SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR. Both New York-breds were bred by the Sez Who Thoroughbreds of Richard Simon, were foaled at Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds North in Stillwater in 2002, were ridden by jockey Ramon Dominguez, were trained by Gary Contessa, and were coming off impressive victories three weekends earlier. Magnolia Jackson's four 2006 stakes victories prior to Saturday's score in the Garland of Roses Handicap for fillies and mares include Aqueduct's Grade 2 Bed o' Roses Handicap, but Successful Appeal was making his stakes debut -- open or restricted -- in the Coyote Lakes. Both Saturday stakes events at the Big A were completely unrestricted. Magnolia Jackson's gate-to-wire tally under top weight in the six-furlong Garland of Roses prompts the question: How much stronger can the New York-bred distaff sprint sub-division get? Sent off at almost even-money (1.05) despite the presence of 2006 Grade 2-winning sprinter Stormy Kiss (at 1.10-to-1) while breaking from the outside post among four starters, Magnolia Jackson and her nearly co-favored rival went right at each other through an opening quarter in 22.62. Rounding the turn, Stormy Kiss seemed to become demoralized from dueling with the competitive New York-bred, whom trainer Contessa has admiringly described "as mean as a junkyard dog." At the quarter-pole, Magnolia Jackson was a length and a half in front, and by mid-stretch her advantage was up to 4-1/2 lengths, after which Dominguez let the four-year-old filly gallop to the wire while looking back twice. Stormy Kiss, who in Belmont's Grade 2 Genuine Risk Breeders' Cup Handicap at six furlongs last July had placed a length and three-quarters behind New York-bred Grade 1-winning sprint mare Behaving Badly, finished 3-1/2 lengths behind Magnolia Jackson in third place. "Gary (Contessa) told me to do what I needed to do," reported Dominguez, who had four winning rides on Aqueduct's Saturday card and has ridden Magnolia Jackson in four races (three stakes) for three victories and a second -- all in 2006. "My filly broke extremely sharp. The '2' (Stormy Kiss) missed the break a little bit. The '2' pressed us a little on the inside, but my filly was in hand the whole time. She's very professional. She never runs a bad race." Contessa, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2004 Trainer of the Year who has confessed that he loves to watch Magnolia Jackson race, could not have been more complimentary: "She's a great mare and she loves this track. She can adapt to anything. Today, she showed speed and she didn't have to. I was afraid (Eibar) Coa might shake loose with Stormy Kiss, but the way our horse broke, she took Ramon (Dominguez) right into the race. It was like a match race." The victory increased Magnolia Jackson's earnings by $41,895 to $433,679 and improved her never-worse-than-fourth record to 9 - 2 - 1 in 14 starts, which includes five 2006 stakes victories -- four of them open. Following a third-place effort in Belmont's Grade 2 Vagrancy Handicap at 6-1/2 furlongs early last June, she had minor surgery for a "small (bone) flake on her ankle," according to Contessa. "It was nagging her a little, so we took it out," but the powerfully-striding filly returned from that procedure to win Meadowlands' six-furlong Montclair University Stakes gate-to-wire under top weight just hours after two other New York-breds had won both stakes on Aqueduct's Saturday, November 11 card. Contessa indicated that Magnolia Jackson next would be pointed for Aqueduct's six-furlong Interborough Handicap on New Year's Day. Owned by Ted Taylor of Birmingham, Alabama, who had purchased her for $51,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2004 May sale of two-year-olds in training, Magnolia Jackson is among two New York-bred winning half-sisters owned by Taylor, who bought three-year-old Magnolia's Sister for $38,000. Those two are among three starters, all winners, produced from stakes-placed winner Just a Bullet, whom breeder Simon's New Dawn Stud had purchased for $20,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale when she was carrying her first winner. Successful Affair makes successful stakes debut in open Coyote Lakes by Rab Hagin
As the only starter among nine making his stakes debut, Winning Move Stable's Successful Affair beat five stakes winners -- two of them graded/group winners -- for his third consecutive victory in 66 days, capturing Aqueduct's mile and a half Coyote Lakes Stakes for three-year-olds and up by a length and three-quarters. Since being claimed for $16,000 by Brian Sigler's Winning Move Stable while placing second on October 19, the four-year-old gelding has won at a mile and two miles on Aqueduct's outer track and at 12 furlongs on the inner track, earning $95,550 of his $238,593 career bankroll. He broke from the eighth post in the Coyote Lakes as the 4-to-1 co-second choice and raced in fifth and fourth place before rallying three-wide on the third turn to gain command at the top of the stretch and then drew off from multiple stakes winner Angelic Aura. New York-bred stakes winner Win With Beck ($354,581) placed third, and also earning purse money was New York-bred Delta Sea ($281,845), as the three state-breds captured 73 percent of the total purse and qualified their connections for an additional $11,230.75 in owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards. It was Successful Affair's first race under jockey Ramon Dominguez. His conditioner, Gary Contessa, was Aqueduct's leading trainer the previous winter with 61 wins and had given the versatile gelding an easy five-furlong workout at Aqueduct six days prior to the Coyote Lakes. A $40,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2004 April sale of two-year-olds in training, Successful Affair improved his record to 6 - 8 - 5 in 28 starts, with all his wins coming at a mile or longer. Winning Move Stable managing owner Sigler of Great Neck also is part-owner of recent (November 18) New York-bred Grade 3 Stuyvesant Handicap winner Accountforthegold ($391,648). Successful Affair and Garland of Roses winner Magnolia Jackson in Aqueduct's next race were both bred by the NYTB 2005 Breeder of the Year, Sez Who Thoroughbreds, Inc. of Richard Simon of Aventura, Florida. Successful Affair is a half-brother to four-time stakes-placed and eight-time winner Private Opening ($244,105), being the fifth offspring and fifth winner produced from two-time route winner Private Pouf, who is a half-sister to five stakes winners of over $200K each, including graded course record-setter Foufa's Warrior ($525,170 to date). Simon's New Dawn Stud had purchased Private Pouf for $13,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale when she was carrying her future fourth winner. Successful Affair is the 29th or 30th New York-bred winner of a 2006 stakes outside state-bred company, depending on the outcome of the appeal of the Rahys' Appeal disqualification from first to second in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap on November 24. The Coyote Lakes is the 40th or 41st open (to horses bred anywhere, exclusive of the New York Stallion Stakes series) 2006 stakes captured by a New York-bred; the Garland of Roses 27 minutes later is the 41st or 42nd open 2006 stakes won by a New York-bred -- pending appeal. Successful Affair and Coyote Lakes third-place-finisher Win With Beck are the 77th and 78th New York-breds, respectively, to win or place (second or third) in an open 2006 stakes, and their efforts represented the 120th and 121st top-three finishes in non-state-bred stakes competition by New York-breds this year. Magnolia Jackson's Garland of Roses victory was the 122nd top-three finish in a non-state-bred stakes by a New York-bred this year. |
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