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Accountforthegold leads throughout under top weight in Kings Point by Rab Hagin
Now with nine-furlong stakes victories on Aqueduct's outer and inner tracks, Winning Move Stable's and Harold Lerner's top-weighted ACCOUNTFORTHEGOLD led throughout in the 27th Kings Point Handicap for New York-bred three-year-olds and up on Sunday, winning by 6-1/4 lengths over a field that included Eclipse Champion Funny Cide. The top-weighted five-year-old went off favored at 1.15-to-1 among five starters -- two others also multiple stakes winners in addition to Funny Cide -- setting even splits of 23.82, 23.18, and 23.82 while 2.45-to-1 second choice Who What Win stalked him relentlessly under five pounds less weight. By mid-stretch, Accountforthegold was in front by 5-1/2 lengths even though his fourth quarter decelerated to 24.67, and he extended his advantage to 6-1/4 lengths in the final furlong, winning in 1:48.41 as Who What Win held on to edge Funny Cide by a neck for second place. The front-running bay's third stakes victory boosted his earnings by $41,910 to $461,487 and improved his record to 6 - 5 - 3 in 18 starts. Winning jockey Michael Luzzi, who has now ridden Accountforthegold in seven consecutive races -- all wins or placed efforts -- including three victories, indicated that a relaxed opening quarter was the key to victory: "That first quarter helps," pointed out Luzzi, who had two winning rides on Aqueduct's Sunday card. "He wants to run, but if you can gauge it, then you're pretty cool because he relaxes. The first turn is the key with him. Not that he should have won last time (in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap 22 days earlier, when Accountforthegold had placed third), but he was too keyed up that I didn't get that first turn." Winning trainer Gary Contessa, who one race later would send out the winner of Aqueduct's Grade 3 Fort Marcy Handicap in a close finish over New York-bred Golden Commander, implied he initially thought the pace was too fast: "I was actually thinking that the fractions were a little quick. I was happy with everything; I knew the horse was coming into the race good. When I saw Espinoza (the jockey on board Who What Win) go to the whip on the middle of the turn, I said, 'This race is over.' This is probably the easiest he's won so far. He really needed the race in the Excelsior. I trained him for a mile allowance the day before the Excelsior, but it didn't go. I don't know what's next for him," concluded Contessa, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2004 Trainer of the Year who a week prior to the Kings Point had given Accountforthegold a five-furlong "bullet" workout. Among three New York-bred winners on Aqueduct's Sunday card bred by Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds of Stillwater, Accountforthegold in his last four starts has raced for the Winning Move Stable of Brian and Steve Sigler (et al) and Harold Lerner. Winning Move Stable also is part-owner of Fort Marcy winner Woodlander as well as New York-bred multiple stakes-winning router Successful Affair ($322,199), who was entered in the Kings Point but was scratched -- probably to be pointed for longer events. In his first start for his current owners on November 18, Accountforthegold had won Aqueduct's Grade 3 Stuyvesant Handicap at a mile and an eighth on the inner track -- a graded event in which New York-breds ran one-two-three. The son of Grade 2 winner Successful Appeal had scored his first front-running stakes victory in Finger Lakes' 2005 New York Derby, winning by three lengths. Accountforthegold is the first of two New York-bred winners bred by Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds from Accountess, whom Simon -- the NYTB 2005 Breeder of the Year -- had purchased for $55,000 at Keeneland's 2000 November sale. Accountess is a half-sister to graded winner New Deal and to the winning dam of Grade 2-placed winner Tappin' Ginger. The dam of Accountess and the maternal granddam (second dam) of Accountforthegold is multiple stakes winner Count Pennies. In Aqueduct's next race, the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth on turf, Flying Zee Stable's New York homebred Golden Commander ($363,828) placed a closing second after overcoming a horrendous start, missing by a neck to Woodlander, who was carrying two pounds less weight. Following a third-placing by Nyala Farm's New York homebred Finlandia ($326,015) in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Beaugay Handicap on turf the day before, the number of New York-breds that have won or placed (second or third) in open black-type stakes in 2007 is now at 21. Empire State-breds have registered a total of 35 top-three finishes in open black-type stakes events through the first 17 months of 2007. |
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DQ of NY-bred Rahys' Appeal from 1st-to-2nd in G2 Top Flight overturned by Rab Hagin
Gallagher's Stud's New York homebred RAHYS' APPEAL ($442,009) is now what many observers expected her to become anyway -- a graded winner (actually, a Grade 2 winner) -- and the 2006 season for New York-breds has just received a retroactive boost. At the monthly meeting of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board on Thursday, the board unanimously overturned the Aqueduct stewards' decision to disqualify Rahys' Appeal from first to second in the Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap on November 24. That widely-criticized disqualification ruling had been determined because the jockey on Rahys' Appeal, Alan Garcia, had inadvertently struck second-place finisher Malibu Mint in the face with his whip as he and his mount were driving past that rival in the upper stretch of the one-turn main track mile event. Malibu Mint, already a 2006 Grade 1 winner and ridden by Eibar Coa, was drifting out slightly towards the oncoming Rahys' Appeal when the incident occurred, and she easily held for second place while the New York-bred drew off to a three-length margin at the wire. Both Garcia and Coa agreed that the whip-striking was unintentional, and Coa even tacitly implied that the incident had no effect on the order of finish: "I was very lucky (because of the stewards' ruling). His horse (Rahys' Appeal) was going by me." Although a whip to the face can be automatic grounds for disqualification, the rule stipulates that the whip-striking must be intentional for the disqualification to be implemented automatically. The stewards had indicated that the incident was not willful, but apparently had surmised that it affected the race's outcome -- despite no definitive corroboration from the jockeys to support that conclusion. The decision to overturn a stewards' ruling is still rare under any circumstances, and the trainer of Rahys' Appeal, Thomas Bush, was admittedly flabbergasted: "That rocked me back," remarked Bush to David Grening of Daily Racing Form in reference to the decision. "That is the most unbelievable news I ever heard in my life." The reversal has a wide range of consequences and value enhancements
that go far Rahys' Appeal, a five-year-old daughter of Rahy, was among 30 New York-bred stakes winners outside state-bred competition in 2006 and among a dozen Empire State-bred graded winners last year. New York-breds won 44 open (to horses bred anywhere, exclusive of the New York Stallion Stakes series) stakes races in 2006 and captured 19 graded events -- three Grade 1, five Grade 2, and 11 Grade 3 contests. |
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NY-bred 3yo standouts make strong statements in Stallion Stakes events by Rab Hagin
Anytime two young three-year-olds run seven furlongs in 1:22-and-change in their second starts while cruising to big-margin stakes victories the day after a Grade 2 seven-furlong event on that same (fast) track had been slower, handicappers take notice, meaning New York-breds MIGHTY EROS and BUSTIN STONES are on the radar. The filly Mighty Eros scored her 6-1/2-length New York Stallion Park Avenue Stakes victory under wraps in 1:22.56; May-foaled colt Bustin Stones clocked 1:22.33 in his 4-1/4-length New York Stallion Times Square tally -- both on Sunday at Aqueduct, 17 days prior to Bustin Stones' chronological three-year-old birthday. The day before, Ted Taylor's Grade 2-winning New York-bred five-year-old mare, Magnolia Jackson ($518,798), led most of the way under co-topweight in Aqueduct's seven-furlong Grade 2 Bed o' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap before being overtaken by Big A seven-panel specialist mare Carmandia, who won in 1:22.98. Magnolia Jackson advanced her record to 10 - 3 - 2 in 18 starts with her fourth top-three finish in a Grade 2 stakes, which also qualified her connections for a total of $6,276 in owner and breeder awards. New York Minute: Magnolia Jackson's runner-up effort in Saturday's $156,900 Bed o' Roses was the 33rd top-three finish by a New York-bred in a black-type stakes outside state-bred company in the first 16 weeks of 2007. Earlier on Saturday, a new state-bred open stakes filly emerged in Alfiya Shaykhutdinova's Elusive Flash, who set the pace in England's Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes (registered as the Fred Darling Stakes) at Newbury and stayed on to place third among 13 classic-contending three-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and foaled at Lakland North (now Sequel Stallions New York) in Hudson, the Freud filly had been purchased through her trainer, Paul Cole, for $300,000 at Fasig-Tipton Florida's February 2006 selected sale of two-year-olds at Calder. As a yearling at Keeneland's 2005 September sale, the bay New York-bred had been sold for $82,000 to the consignor that later pin-hooked her for a $218,000 profit. Elusive Flash was making her three-year-old debut as the 66-to-1 next-to-last choice in the Dubai Duty Free following a winning juvenile season and seems dramatically improved, with her beaten rivals on Saturday including a Group 2 winner, a Group 3 winner, and two Group 1-placed winners. Along with Mighty Eros plus Times Square third-place finisher Market Psychology, she is among 15 offspring from Freud's two crops to race that have won or placed in black-type stakes -- four in 2007. Elusive Flash is a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed 12-time winner Sweeping Analysis ($330,425), being the sixth winner produced from stakes-placed winner Giana, whom Lakland had purchased for $20,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2002 January mixed sale. New York Minute(s): Elusive Flash is the 19th New York-bred to win or place (second or third) in an open stakes outside state-bred company in 2007; her Dubai Duty Free third-placing was the 32nd top-three finish by a New York-bred in an open (to horses bred/conceived anywhere) black-type stakes event this year. Showing her class under top weight in a $42,000 open one-mile starter handicap at Aqueduct last Wednesday was Paraneck Stable's New York homebred-and-conceived FUEGO GRANDE ($272,472), who advanced from last out of the outside post among seven fillies and mares to win by three lengths at odds-on (.95-to-1). It was the third win of 2007 and ninth career victory for the five-year-old daughter of Adonis, who 10 months earlier had raced twice with a $25,000 claiming price at Belmont -- winning one of those efforts -- and thus was eligible under the contest's starter conditions. Fuego Grande also qualified her owner-breeder-sire-owner connections, the Paraneck Stable/Stallions of Jennifer and Ernie Paragallo, for an additional $11,844 in owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards. The stakes-placed Alan Klanfer-trained mare is out of winner Shotanabeer, who is a daughter of the late record-setting New York-based sired Cure the Blues and is a half-sister to Eclipse Champion Sprinter Kona Gold ($2,293,384). Coming off a nine-week layoff following a four-length gate-to-wire February win in a Charles Town N1X allowance feature, owner-trainer Steve Klesaris' New York-bred SPEED OF SOUND ($115,100) successfully advanced to the open non-winners-of-three allowance level, winning Charles Town's 4-1/2-furlong Saturday evening co-feature for four-year-olds and up. The four-year-old gelding was almost even-money (1.10-to-1) among eight starters and scored by a length and a half in his first effort at 4-1/2 panels, boosting his earnings into six figures and improving his multiple stakes-placed and graded-placed record to 3 - 3 - 1 in 12 starts. Klesaris had given Speed of Sound a pair of sharp workouts on the Fair Hill Training Center all-weather track in Elkton, Maryland on March 30 and April 10. The son of Phone Trick was bred by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) President Barry Ostrager and Steven Mukamal -- both of New York City -- and had been sold for $550,000 at the OBS 2005 February sale of two-year-olds at Calder after working a pre-sale "bullet" quarter-mile in 21-2/5. Speed of Sound appeared to be on track for major events prior to an 11-month layoff between his two-year-old and three-year-old seasons -- after which he was not quite the same -- but he now seems to be regaining his earlier form. Another New York-bred out-of-state feature allowance winner, Dusty Rose Ranch LLC's OKIE ZIP, captured a one-mile non-winners-of-three for fillies and mares at Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma on Monday, going off as the 2-to-1 favorite among 10 starters and improving her record to 3 - 3 - 2 in 14 starts. This was the four-year-old filly's second effort at open allowance competition, coming 22 days after a close-finishing runner-up effort at Will Rogers Downs, in which she had been edged by a more lightly-weighted rival that she beat by three lengths in Monday's outing. Trained by Mark Lee and among three winners ridden on Will Rogers Downs' Monday card by Nena Matz, who also had been on board for the filly's latest previous outing, Okie Zip was bred by Lere Visagie, farm manager for Becky Thomas's Sequel Stallions New York. The daughter of City Zip had been sold for $9,500 as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 2003 December mixed sale and for $15,000 at the OBS 2005 April sale of two-year-olds. Okie Zip's dam, Alydara, by Alydeed, is inbred 3 x 4 to Damascus and had been purchased by Visagie for $5,000 at Keeneland's 2001 November sale while carrying her first foal. Okie Zip's third dam is 1975 Kentucky Oaks winner Sun and Snow. Scoring front-running big-margin victories in one-turn restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contests at Aqueduct were four-year-old filly SCATKEY ($131,738) going 7-1/2 furlongs on Friday and four-year-old gelding R CLEAR VICTORY going a mile on Saturday. Scatkey, a homebred for the Backwards Stable of Edward and Dorothy McEneaney of Mt. Kisco, New York and conditioned by NYTB 1986 Trainer of the Year Patrick Kelly, was the 2.15-to-1 favorite among six distaff competitors, which included stakes-placed What's Your Point ($261,525) with an optional $30,000 tag. Scatkey's 3-3/4-length tally improved her record to 3 - 3 - 2 in 16 starts, putting her within one win of surpassing her multiple stakes-placed New York-bred half-brother, Key Event ($144,582), in career earnings. R Clear Victory, a $100,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 2005 May sale of two-year-olds by the Coastal Racing Stable of Chris Jean of Pearl River, Louisiana and bred by Terry and Donna Ernst of Okeechobee, Florida, romped by 7-1/4 lengths for his second consecutive big-margin win in 65 days. The Steven Asmussen-trained gelding -- foaled at Dr. Jonathan Davis's Milfer Farm in Unadilla and the 10.90-to-1 fourth choice among nine wagering interests and 10 starters for his Saturday score -- has won on Aqueduct's inner and outer dirt tracks and on Belmont's and Lone Star Park's turf courses. Winning restricted N1X allowances at Aqueduct were three-year-old filly GUTS GAME going a mile and four-year-old filly LAUREN'S TIZZY going six furlongs -- both on Friday -- and five-year-old gelding P. J. INDY going six furlongs on Saturday. Guts Game, a $165,000 purchase at Keeneland's 2006 April sale of two-year-olds by Little Red Feather Racing, whose members include New York Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca watching his first on-site win as an owner, led throughout to improve her record to two victories and three seconds in five starts. Lauren's Tizzy, a $250,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga selected yearling sale racing for Danny Wiginton's Sarah Lyn Stables LLC, returned from a layoff of more than 13-1/2 months and overcame some early stumbling to win under co-topweight as the 8.10-to-1 fourth choice among seven starters. P. J. Indy, a late-running sprinter bred by the Templin Thoroughbreds of Paul Henderson of Lake Orion, Michigan and Jan Ledford of Hudson Falls, New York and owned by the Pons family's Country Life Farm of Bel Air, Maryland, advanced from sixth-to-first among eight to win by 3-1/2 lengths. Is open unrestricted $30,000-to-$40,000 claiming company at Aqueduct easier than restricted N1X allowance competition? That might be the conclusion reached by connections of New York-bred STOPBLUFFING following that state-bred's length-and-a-half victory in a one-mile off-the-turf Aqueduct contest on Wednesday for three-year-olds with claiming prices of $40,000-to-$30,000 and no condition restrictions. Making his first start for new owner Our Eyes Wide Open Stable of Joseph Cacciolfi of Schenectady following a 52-day layoff, the chestnut gelding was dismissed as the 18-to-1 eighth choice among nine wagering interests and 10 starters and had to be steadied after breaking dead last. He then rallied from last-to-first in the second half-mile, overtaking the 1.40-to-1 front-running favorite and the 2.50-to-1 second choice in the final furlong to score his second daylight-margin Aqueduct victory (but first win of 2007) with jockey Channing Hill again on board. In three previous 2007 starts at Aqueduct during January and February in restricted N1X allowance competition while under current trainer Del Carroll II's supervision despite the switch in ownership, Stopbluffing had failed to place. His win in Wednesday's $49,200 contest also qualified Our Eyes Wide Open Stable for an additional $2,952 open race owner's award and leaves the gelding eligible for restricted N1X allowance competition. Bred by Barbara Cross Graham, Stopbluffing is by Preakness winner Pine Bluff and is the first offspring produced from winner Shortstop, who is by Allen's Prospect and is a half-sister to two winning stakes-placed females, including the dam of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Henny Hughes ($1,124,820). Another intriguing New York-bred open Aqueduct claiming winner surfaced a day later (Thursday) when veteran mare ANGEL DANCER ($241,570) scored her first-ever victory at six furlongs in her second consecutive attempt at that commonplace distance, advancing from eight-to-first among nine fillies and mares with claiming prices of $22,500-to-$25,000. Racing with a $22,500 tag for Peter O'Connor's Sunny Meadow Farm and trained by Mitchell Friedman, the six-year-old mare was the 19.30-to-1 seventh choice while scoring her sixth career victory by a length and a half in her fourth outing under apprentice jockey Jesus Ponce. An open allowance-winning miler on Aqueduct's inner track, where she also had broken her maiden going a mile and an eighth, Angel Dancer was claimed four times within less than a six-month span in 2006. The daughter of NYTB 1998 Horse of the Year Incurable Optimist was bred by Vivian Amriati of Garden City and is among two winners of five or more races produced from five-time route winner Cotuit Bay ($101,423), by Waquoit. New York-bred open (not restricted to state-breds) allowance winners at Finger Lakes on Saturday, April 21 and Monday, April 23 were: RUN ALONG SONNY ($176,730) in a starter allowance to improve his record to 8 - 6 - 7 in 41 starts, and AUNTIE LIZ from the eighth post among nine starters at odds-on for her second daylight-margin win in five starts along with two third-place efforts, on Saturday; VILLANUEVA (sired by Western Expression) by two lengths gate-to-wire in her first outing since mid-November to improve her record to 3 - 2 - 2 in 11 starts, in Monday's open non-winners-of-three feature race. New York-bred restricted allowance winners at Finger Lakes on Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday, April 20, 21, and 24, were: SHE'STENONTOP ($122,608) by a front-running 3-1/2 lengths "ridden out" at odds-on for that stakes-placed mare's sixth career victory, on Friday; GIRL IN UNIFORM ($106,437) off an 80-day layoff to improve her record to four wins and two seconds in 10 starts and boost her earnings into six figures, on Saturday; THATSWHYWEBOUGHTTO ($121,257) from the outside post among six starters off more than an eight-month layoff for his fourth win in a year and sixth career victory, and PRINCE O' PRANKS with a five-wide turn move at even-money for his fifth career victory -- both on Tuesday. Twice romping gate-to-wire within four days at Finger Lakes, TONY'S GIRL ($107,856) won by five lengths on Friday -- boosting her earnings into six figures -- and by eight lengths "ridden out" under top weight of 124 pounds at odds-on on Tuesday, improving her record to 8 - 5 - 5 in 36 starts. Other New York-bred open claiming winners from Thursday, April 19 through Tuesday, April 24 included: WOOD WINNER (sired by Prime Timber) with a four-wide rally to score his second Aqueduct win of 2007 and fifth career victory while boong his earnings into six figures at $108,905 in a contest that saw two starters claimed, on Thursday; FIGHT ON by a front-running 5-1/2 lengths for his second big-margin win in 10 weeks, and CHEQU'ER ALIBI from sixth-to-first with a three-wide rally after breaking from the outside post among eight starters for her second daylight-margin win -- both with $25,000 tags at Aqueduct -- and LOW CEILING by four lengths from the 11th post among 12 starters at Pimlico for her second win by more than two lengths, STORMTASIA at Fairmount Park despite a bumpy start for her second consecutive win in four weeks and third daylight-margin victory in her last four starts (with one second) over a 125-day span, and DRIVING MS. MAIZEY by a front-running two lengths from the outside post among nine starters at Finger Lakes for her second multiple-margin win -- all on Friday; homebred BRAG BAG by 4-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on for her fourth career win, at Finger Lakes on Saturday; MISTY PEARL (sired by Smokin Mel) from the sixth post among seven starters at Philadelphia Park, and homebred HEARTBREAK KID "drew off" by three lengths at Charles Town after prompting the early pace three-to-four-wide -- both on Sunday; HAY MATT by 2-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire under co-topweight of 124 pounds at Beulah Park for his second daylight-margin win in four weeks and fifth career victory, on Monday; KING'S LASSIE by 3-1/4 lengths "going away" from the outside post among six starters at Philadelphia Park for her eighth career win following four consecutive runner-up efforts dating back to late December, CHEROKEE J. D. by three lengths "ridden out" for his second big-margin win, homebred BETTOR TO RECEIVE (sired by Regal Classic) by a front-running 5-1/4 lengths "ridden out" under top weight at odds-on from the outside post among seven starters for his second consecutive daylight-margin win in 10 days and fourth career victory, and TALE OF WONDER (sired by Tomorrows Cat) by three lengths gate-to-wire and "ridden out" from the outside post among six starters for his second win in 24 days and fifth career victory -- all on Tuesday, and the last-named three at Finger Lakes. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, April 18 through Tuesday, April 24 included: CLEVER MUSE in a front-running debut at Aqueduct, on Wednesday; homebred CHERNOBYL'S HERO from sixth-to-first out of the sixth post among seven starters to improve his never-worse-than-fourth record to 1 - 2 - 2 in six starts, ASTRO STAR by a front-running two lengths as the 34.50-to-1 last choice among eight starters, and SHOW OF COLORS (sired by Carry My Colors) in a front-running performance following consecutive runner-up efforts sprinting and routing on the Big A's inner track in late January and early March -- all three at Aqueduct on Thursday; YOU GO WEST GIRL by 3-1/2 lengths from seventh-to-first "going away" among 12 starters at Keeneland 36 days after the Gallagher's Stud-bred three-year-old filly had placed second in her debut and looking worth every dollar of her $145,000 sales price at the OBS April 2006 sale of two-year-olds, R C LISP by four lengths from last-to-first among nine starters with a four-wide rally at Aqueduct after stumbling at the start and being bumped, FRONTIER SKY (sired by A. P Jet) by 14-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at Pimlico with a $25,000 tag going a mile and a sixteenth in his first effort beyond seven furlongs, ADIOS MY LADY (sired by Adios My Friend) going a three-turn mile and an eighth at Charles Town in his first effort beyond seven furlongs, LAKE BUTLER (sired by Key Contender) by 8-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire "ridden out" at near even-money under top weight of 122 pounds, and homebred EXPRESS CHECK IN (sired by Aristotle) from ninth-to-first "going away" out of the outside post among 10 starters -- all on Friday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; homebred SMOKIN SARAH (sired by Smokin Mel) from the seventh post among eight starters in her debut at Aqueduct, homebred LAKE ISLE DRIVE with a five-wide turn move, homebred GATA BE THE ONE by 3-1/2 lengths in her fourth career start after having placed second three consecutive times, and PATRICK'S BIRTHDAY under a new trainer's supervision -- all on Saturday, and the last-named three at Finger Lakes; DANEMEI by 2-1/2 lengths from fifth-to-first among seven starters despite having to be steadied early in his second start after having placed third in his debut 29 days earlier, and homebred SPURRED by three lengths from eighth-to-first out of the ninth post among 10 starters at even-money "under a hand ride" in his second career effort and first outing of 2007 -- both at Aqueduct -- and R. B.'S AGENDA from ninth-to-first out of the ninth post among 11 starters at Philadelphia Park with blinkers off for the first time, and FIVEFIVEFIFTYFIVE from fifth-to-first among nine starters at Charles Town following four consecutive placed efforts since mid-December -- all four on Sunday; MY SIS STEFFIE by 9-1/4 lengths at Turf Paradise after having placed third in four of her six previous career starts, NAVY MISS (sired by Carry My Colors) by 6-1/4 lengths at even-money in her third career start, and homebred BARB'S FIRST DRAW (sired by Key Contender) under a new trainer's supervision -- all three on Monday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; ADULTENTERTAINMENT (sired by Rizzi) by 6-1/2 lengths "drawing away" at Mountaineer Park, homebred REMOTE VIEW "proved best" off a two-month layoff following a runner-up effort in his latest previous outing, and homebred SCOURGE from sixth-to-first by two lengths among eight starters in his debut despite having to be checked at the quarter-pole -- all on Tuesday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes. |
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Mighty Eros and Bustin Stones set stakes records in dominating 2nd-start NY Stallion Stakes wins by Rab Hagin
A pair of second-time starters -- filly MIGHTY EROS and colt BUSTIN STONES -- scored dominating front-running victories while breaking the seven-furlong stakes records in Aqueduct's New York Stallion Park Avenue and Times Square Stakes for New York-conceived three-year-olds on Sunday, winning the former in 1:22.56 and the latter in 1:22.33. Neither winner was headed during their performances that produced substantial victory margins, although Bustin Stones had to overcome a stumbling start before out-dueling the 1.85-to-1 favorite into defeat in the Times Square by setting blistering early fractions. Both were the only starters in their respective events with fewer than four previous outings, but neither was a surprise even though both faced competition that included three previous stakes winners and/or stakes-placed winners. Bustin Stones' 4-1/4-length romp in the Times Square as the 2.45-to-1 second choice among seven starters was not an obvious outcome until the May-foaled three-year-old had reached the stretch, and even then he ran greenly while jockey Ramon Dominguez concentrated on keeping him on a straight course. Following his stumbling start, Roddy Valente's homebred colt got into a serious speed duel with 1.85-to-1 favorite Market Psychology, zipping through fractions of 22.10 and 44.72 before a six-furlong clocking of 1:08.97 put him comfortably ahead at mid-stretch. Bustin Stones' winning time, 1:22.33, lowered the Times Square stakes record -- established a year earlier when the event was run at seven furlongs for the first time -- by more than half (.58) a second. Jockey Dominguez, who had four winning rides for the day and had piloted Bustin Stones to a seven-length winning Aqueduct debut going six furlongs 29 days earlier, knew his mount was pushing the envelope early on: "He's got a lot of speed and he does it so easy. I was confident, but at the same time, I knew we were going pretty quick. I didn't know how much longer the other horse (Market Psychology) would be running with us. Once he came off the turn, I realized the other horse couldn't keep up with us. He dug in pretty good."
New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2005 Trainer of the Year Bruce Levine, who had given Bustin Stone a pair of workouts over Belmont's training track on April 10 and 14, is aware of the chestnut colt's speed and speculative about his distance ability: "This is a nice horse. He's quick, but I don't know how far he'll go. His mother was a sprinter. It looked like if I ran him a mile today, it wouldn't have been a problem. We'll stretch him out a little bit and go from there," concluded Levine, who indicated Belmont's $75,000 New York Stallion Spectacular Bid Stakes (June 3) and $100,000-added Mike Lee Stakes (first leg of The OTBs' Big Apple Triple) for New York-bred three-year-olds going seven furlongs (June 24) as potential goals. Bred and owned by Roddy Valente of Troy, New York, who owns and operates R. J. Valente Gravel Inc. and has campaigned racehorses since the mid-1990s, Bustin Stones is the seventh stakes winner sired by City Zip -- one of North America's top half-dozen third-crop sires in lifetime progeny earnings. City Zip owes his illustrious North American standing exclusive to his New York-conceived progeny, which have earned almost $4.1-million. Bustin Stones, who is inbred 3 x 4 to Mr. Prospector, is the third offspring and third New York-bred winner that Valente has bred from Shesasurething, a three-time-winning Prospectors Gamble mare who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Ryan's Moment ($134,669). In the Park Avenue, Hedgewick Stable's Mighty Eros did what was expected -- at odds-on (.85-to-1) among six starters -- but with perhaps more flare than even her strongest supporters anticipated, breaking from the fifth post and scoring by 6-1/2 lengths in 1:22.56 while lowering the stakes record by 1.35 seconds. After setting fractions of 22.86, 45.80, and 1:09.70, she was under wraps when she reached the wire. Winning jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr., who had been on board for the Freud filly's 11-1/4-length winning debut going six furlongs on Aqueduct's inner track six weeks earlier and had piloted the Park Avenue winner of 2002, was unreserved in his praise of Mighty Eros: "She's very talented. She had worked super for this race. She's not going to go backwards. She is going to keep improving. I had so much horse at the end. I think she is pretty exciting."
Winning trainer Thomas Bush indicated some reluctance towards stifling Mighty Eros' free-running talent at this stage of her career: "We didn't know whether Margie's Smile would really want the lead. We probably could have settled a little bit, but she (Mighty Eros) broke on her toes. You know the filly has a lot of talent, so you don't want to fight her. Honestly, I haven't thought about her next start one bit. We'll just have to see how she comes out." Bush has described Mighty Eros as, "a real big filly, but she's athletic and she gets herself into stride quickly." Mighty Eros is the second consecutive Park Avenue winner -- following No Reason in 2006 -- bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and foaled at Lakland North (now Sequel Stallions New York) in Hudson, where Freud has stood since entering stud in 2002. Purchased for $55,000 by Joseph Appelbaum of Hedgewick Stable at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2006 February sale of two-year-olds in training at Calder from Thomas's Sequel Bloodstock, agent, she had been "not sold" at $38,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2005 Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale. Mighty Eros is the fourth winner and third New York-bred winner produced from stakes winner Mighty Emy, who is a half-sister to stakes winners Mop Squeezer ($143,038) and Jacksrbetter and had been purchased by Lakland Farm for $18,000 at Keeneland's 2002 January sale while carrying her second winner. It was an eventful weekend for New York-based Freud, as that stallion picked up a new stakes winner in Mighty Eros and a new Group 3 stakes filly in three-year-old Elusive Flash, who on Saturday had placed third among 13 in England's Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury. Freud now has 13 runners that have won or placed in black-type stakes from two crops to race, pushing his cumulative progeny earnings to over $2.4-million. Also on Saturday, a New York-bred juvenile filly by Freud cataloged as Hip No 1314 at the OBS April 24-27 two-year-olds in training sale had an under tack show furlong workout in 10-1/5 seconds -- which was unsurpassed at that show. |
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NY-breds win 5 open allowances prior to and south of storm closings by Rab Hagin
Despite Aqueduct closing for most of Thursday and all of Sunday along with other eastern racetracks because of mid-April nor'easter storms, Aqueduct winners WAYTOTHELEFT ($238,271) and HER ROYAL NIBS ($205,192) were among four New York-bred open allowance victors on Friday, and state-bred ACQUIRED CAT captured Gulfstream Park's Sunday allowance feature. New York-breds dominated the Big A's Friday card, winning five of nine races, including two of three open allowance/optional claiming contests, and within another six-plus hours they scored two more open allowance tallies -- one of them more than 2,000 miles westward. Waytotheleft, who races for Winning Move Stable (Brian and Steve Sigler, et al) in partnership with recent new part-owners Island Wind Racing (Robert Teeman) and Celebrity Group Stables, extended her Aqueduct winning streak to three in a row in a 61-day span -- all by daylight margins. Top-weighted under 123 pounds as the 2.45-to-1 second choice among six fillies and mares in Friday's seven-furlong N3X allowance/optional claiming feature, the five-year-old mare rallied three-wide on the turn and drew off in the final furlong from the 1.75-to-1 favorite that was carrying five pounds less weight. Placing third was New York-bred Towering Escape ($174,846), followed by New York-bred Gold Like U ($325,175), as state-breds qualified for a total of $15,949.50 in owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards. Waytotheleft, who was bred by Questroyal Stables Inc., had been claimed by Winning Move Stable for $30,000 last January prior to embarking on her winning streak, which includes her first stakes victory in Aqueduct's six-furlong Broadway Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares 40 days prior to Friday's allowance score. The Gary Contessa-trained distaff sprinter -- a winner on both dirt and turf -- has earned $100,104 since being claimed for $30,000 and now has a record of 6 - 3 - 3 in 25 starts. Five races prior to Waytotheleft's victory, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's $65,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 2002 October yearling sale, Her Royal Nibs, boosted her earnings over the $200K mark by regaining command and prevailing in a six-furlong open N2X allowance/optional claiming contest for fillies and mares. Favored at 2.40-to-1 among five starters, the six-year-old mare improved her record to 5 - 4 - 1 in 15 starts, which includes an open N1X allowance/optional claiming tally at Aqueduct on January 31 and a close second-placing in Belmont's restricted Schenectady Handicap at six furlongs last September. Her Royal Nibs has found open allowance competition somewhat easier than restricted stakes company against fellow New York-bred distaff rivals but appears fully capable of becoming a stakes winner, having recorded a 99 Beyer rating while winning a restricted N1X allowance at Saratoga last August. The Charlton Baker-trained mare was bred by Steven Peskoff's Underhill Investment Co. and is the first offspring produced from New York-bred multiple stakes-placed eight-time winner Slews Majesty, who was equally adept at sprinting or routing. While storms lashed the Northeast on Sunday, John Cay III's New York-bred ACQUIRED CAT displayed dazzling speed on Gulfstream Park turf, winning the featured five-furlong N1X allowance/optional claiming contest for three-year-old fillies in 56.20 off more than a five-month layoff despite breaking from the eighth post among nine starters. The gray/roan filly had never tried a distance shorter than six furlongs previously and is bred more for routing than sprinting, but she still was favored at 1.70-to-1 and improved her record to two wins and a second (all on turf) in five starts (three on turf). Bred by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Breeder of the Year Patricia Staskowski Purdy of Ivy League Farm in Ithaca and purchased by trainer Frank Alexander for $85,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2006 March sale of two-year-olds, Acquired Cat already had shown stakes-type turf ability. She had won first-out by six lengths going six furlongs on Belmont turf last July and had missed by only a neck while placing second in an open N1X allowance mile (in 1:34.71) on the Big Sandy's grass course in September. Sunday's victory marked Acquired Cat's first outing under jockey Elvis Trujillo, who earlier on the card had ridden another three-year-old filly to victory on turf -- a daughter of NYTB two-time Champion Turf Male Adcat. Acquired Cat is by Grade 1 winner Tactical Cat and is the second New York-bred winner produced from Dr. Purdy's New York homebred Acquired Taste, a winning daughter of pensioned state-bred-and-based stallion Scarlet Ibis. Acquired Taste, who is inbred 3 x 4 to stamina sire Ribot, is a half-sister to graded grass winner Cozy Blues ($365,638), being out of a Tom Rolfe mare that Dr. Purdy had shrewdly purchased for $7,000 at Keeneland's 1994 November sale when Cozy Blues was a weanling. New York Minute: Another recent super-swift New York-bred turf filly at Gulfstream Park, Sunset Stables' four-year-old Mohegan Sky ($138,465), had zipped five panels in 55.24 while winning an open $50,000 allowance on the South Florida track's grass course on March 31. Later on Friday evening, Beth Sellitti's New York-bred DEADWOOD DAME broke on top and led most of the way in Mountaineer Park's co-featured non-winners-of-two allowance for fillies and mares going six furlongs, beating favored Keeneland winner Ima Hogg by a half-length at equal weights. Trained by Gary Johnson and overlooked as the 11.60-to-1 sixth choice among eight starters, the four-year-old daughter of City Zip was bred by Gus Schoenborn Jr. and is the second New York-bred winner that Schoenborn has bred from stakes-placed eight-time winner Dakota Woman, by Explosive Wagon. Dakota Woman is a half-sister to aptly-named six-figure-earning stakes winner Steel Man Mike, who started 120 times in 11 seasons. About a half-hour after Deadwood Dame's Friday evening victory and some 2,000 miles to the northwest, Waymor Holdings, Ltd.'s New York-bred FREUD'S CURE captured a non-winners-of-two allowance for three-year-olds and up going a two-turn six furlongs at Stampede Park in Alberta, Calgary, Canada, clocking 1:10.80. The April-foaled three-year-old son of Freud was one of only two sophomores among eight starters (the other three-year-old starter finished last) and was returning from a 28-week layoff but still went off as the 2.15-to-1 favorite. The win improved his record to two wins and two seconds -- including a runner-up effort among nine in Northlands Park's Edmonton Juvenile Stakes in his second career outing last year -- in five starts. Bred by Summer Colon and Tony Grey -- the latter of Winter Park, Florida -- and a $3,200 purchase out of the New York Breeders' Sales Company's Saratoga premier yearling sale in August of 2005, Freud's Cure is trained by Rob Chabot. He is the first offspring produced from New York-bred multiple route winner Bebop Blues, who is by the late record-setting New York-based sire, Cure the Blues. Scoring by two lengths in a restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming sprint for three-year-olds and up at Aqueduct on Saturday was EXECUTIVE SEARCH ($149,448), who rallied four-wide from ninth-to-first among 10 starters while carrying co-topweight of 123 pounds. The four-year-old Regal Classic colt's winning time, 1:10.12 for six furlongs, would have put him in a near photo-finish for first in an open allowance for four-year-olds and up on Aqueduct's same Saturday card even though he shouldered five more pounds than the open allowance winner carried. Owned by Gregory Burns' Lake Star Stable, Peter Cosgrove, Michael McMahon, and John Veitch and bred by Harry and Nancy Stanyon of Bretton Brook Thoroughbreds in Castleton, Vermont, Executive Search boosted his noticeably-improving record to 3 - 4 - 5 in 25 starts with his second daylight-margin Aqueduct win of 2007. He is inbred 3 x 4 to Northern Dancer. Four-year-old winners of restricted N1X Aqueduct allowances -- both going one-turn miles and both odds-on -- were Sanford Goldfarb's and Michael Dubb's $110,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland in September of 2004, the filly STARSHIP CRUISER, on Friday, and Tina Marie Bond's homebred gelding, RUFFINO (sired by Raffie's Majesty), on Saturday. Starship Cruiser, who had won her six-furlong debut by eight lengths at Aqueduct 33 days earlier and overcame an upper stretch bumping while top-weighted among seven older females, was bred by Gibraltar Trans-Continental Assurance Company and was foaled at Beverly and Gary Least's Foggy Bottom Farm in Geneseo. Ruffino, who was coming off an 18-week layoff following a second-placing in a restricted N1X Aqueduct allowance after winning his Aqueduct debut in November, scored a front-running 3-1/2-length tally and may be better than his six-figure-earning state-bred half-brothers, stakes winner Undaunted Mettle and Watrals Rodeo Bob ($197,015). Winning Finger Lakes' opening Saturday restricted allowance feature was Mike Robinson's and Anna Schouten's Regal Classic gelding, CLASSIC EXPLORER, who broke from the sixth post among seven and went five-wide on the turn to score off a six-month layoff, improving his record to 5 - 3 - 3 in 22 starts. New York-bred open claiming winners from Wednesday, April 11 through Tuesday, April 17 included: GEORGIOS B. with a three-wide rally from fourth-to-first under top weight among five at Penn National for his second consecutive win in two weeks, on Wednesday; CITY AVENGER under co-topweight to improve his record to 3 - 2 - 1 in 11 starts, and homebred GOOD TIME GIRL under co-topweight for her second consecutive win in three weeks following almost a nine-month layoff and improving her record to 3 - 1 - 3 in 13 starts -- both at Charles Town on Thursday evening; MARYKAYSANDPIT from 10th-to-first among 14 starters at Evangeline Downs, on Friday; IRISHAMERICANDREAM by 7-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on for the second win by that exact margin within 34 days, and TEN SHADES OF RED ($156,988) from seventh-to-first among 10 starters for the 12th career win for the indestructible son of pensioned New York sire Scarlet Ibis -- both at Mountaineer Park -- and homebred BETTOR TO RECEIVE (sired by Regal Classic) for his third daylight-margin victory, and PASSING SHIPS ($341,949) to improve his hard-hitting record to 11 - 18 - 17 in 75 starts -- all on Saturday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; SPEEDER ($105,519) from seventh-to-first among 10 starters on Tampa Bay Downs turf for his third daylight-margin win in nine months and ninth career victory and boosting his earnings into six figures, PEGASUS PROSPECTOR (sired by Deputy Cat) gate-to-wire at odds-on for her second daylight-margin win in 48 days, and homebred G T JOE by 3-3/4 lengths under co-topweight despite being bumped soundly and taken up shortly after the start to register his second consecutive multiple-margin win in 16 days -- all on Monday, and the last-named two at Mountaineer Park; DIDTHETEST rallied from fifth-to-first among eight starters at Philadelphia Park for his first two-turn win, MT. VERNON RD. went gate-to-wire at Mountaineer Park for his fourth career victory, COMMISSIONER CHRIS advanced from last-to-first, JOE'SDANCING ANGEL tallied by 3-1/2 lengths for his fifth career victory, FEELIN' THE BLUES by 5-1/2 lengths from the outside post among nine starters, and WHO'S LIVIN BETTOR by 2-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire at almost even money off a 164-day layoff for his fifth career victory -- all on Tuesday, and the last-named four at Finger Lakes. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, April 11 through Tuesday, April 17 included: Homebred PAYS TO DREAM by 2-1/2 lengths in his first effort on turf or going two turns and five weeks after having placed second sprinting on dirt, PREMIUM WINE (sired by Prime Timber) by a front-running 7-3/4 lengths "ridden out" at odds-on three weeks after the late-foaled (May 23, 2004) three-year-old half-brother to Grade 2 winner Magnolia Jackson had missed by a nose in his debut, and TY'S RIDGE on turf despite having to alter course to the outside in the deep stretch -- all three at Aqueduct -- and MY RAMBLING T by 3-1/4 lengths gate-to-wire going a mile at Penn National in her first two-turn effort and first venture beyond seven furlongs -- all on Wednesday; semi-homebred MAJESTIC LORI (sired by Gold Fever) "drew away when asked" by 3-1/4 lengths with blinkers on for the first time, and PASTEL GAL "drew away under wraps" by 13 lengths after advancing from fifth-to-first in the third career start and first outing on dirt (off the turf) for the former $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling and half-sister to multiple stakes winner Lyracist ($589,955) -- both at Aqueduct -- and SHE'S GOT THEFEVER (sired by Gold Fever) by a front-running six lengths from the seventh post among eight starters at Lone Star Park in her first start off almost a 7-1/2-month layoff -- all on Friday; KARAKORUM KNOCKOUT by a front-running 5-1/4 lengths 20 days after having placed second for the seventh time for the half-sister to stakes-placed earners of $274,413 and $135,197, and LA DAINIAN from seventh-to-first out of the 11th post among 12 starters despite being bumped at the start -- both at Aqueduct -- and MIKE'S HONEY BUNNY by a front-running seven lengths at Oaklawn Park in her first venture beyond a mile, TONY LIP by 2-1/4 lengths from seventh-to-first out of the eighth post among nine starters at odds-on at Charles Town, FINALMENTE by a mostly front-running 2-3/4 lengths at odds-on in her debut from the sixth post among seven starters at Fort Pierre in South Dakota, KITTEN'S TALE gate-to-wire at almost even-money in her debut, and PURE PRO by a front-running 7-3/4 lengths "easily" at odds-on and claimed -- all on Saturday, and the last-named two at Finger Lakes; homebred EARTHLING by 2-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at odds-on at Finger Lakes, on Tuesday. |
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NY-breds win 2 opening day races at Keeneland - run 2-3 in G3 Excelsior Breeders' Cup by Rab Hagin
Two New York-bred winners on Keeneland's opening-day Friday included $56,375 allowance winner LOVELY DREAM ($132,757); on Aqueduct's outer-track first Saturday, state-breds Naughty New Yorker ($709,669) and Accountforthegold ($419,577) placed two-three in the graded Excelsior Breeders' Cup following a third-placing by Successful Affair ($322,199) in the open Pleasant Colony Stakes. State-bred activity over that 26-hour span revealed a four-year-old filly beating four stakes winners in Kentucky (following earlier wins in New York and Florida), plus three five-year-olds -- all open stakes winners already and one carrying co-topweight of 126 pounds -- continuing to maintain stakes-class form. The Empire State-bred crops of 2002 and 2003 might eventually reach the same lofty level that the 2001 crop (four Grade 1 winners, three millionaires, an Eclipse Champion) already has attained. The second consecutive allowance win in 40 days for John Oxley's Lovely Dream -- at the shortest distance (six furlongs) she has ever raced but in a time (1:09.81) indicating sprint speed in addition to proven miler ability -- elevated the talented Freud filly into six-figure earnings and serious stakes consideration. Sent off the 4.40-to-1 third choice among eight starters that included a previously unbeaten Argentine Group 2 winner, a three-time stakes winner, a Dubai listed stakes winner, and a five-length sprint stakes winner, Lovely Dream broke from the seventh post and prevailed over recent stakes runner-up Ocean Current. The John Ward Jr.-trained filly improved her record to four wins and two seconds in 10 starts, which includes dirt victories at Belmont (twice) and Gulfstream Park plus a runner-up allowance effort on Saratoga turf in addition to her Friday score on Keeneland's all-weather track. Purchased by Oklahoma oilman Oxley for $220,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) 2005 February sale of two-year-olds at Calder, Lovely Dream was bred by Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin and was foaled at Lakland North, LLC (now Sequel Stallions New York), where Freud stands. She is the second winner produced from multiple stakes-placed winner Saralil, who is from the direct female line of 1961 Champion Handicap Filly/Mare Airmans Guide and had been purchased by Lakland for $13,000 at Keeneland's 2002 January mixed sale. New York-bred five-year-old graded winners Naughty New Yorker and Accountforthegold met for the fourth time in competition -- all in stakes -- in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap at a mile and an eighth on Saturday and finished a neck apart, with the former now holding a three-to-one edge. Of the two, the wagering public preferred the front-running Accountforthegold, sending him off as the 8.90-to-1 fourth choice among six starters with Naughty New Yorker overlooked as the 22.40-to-1 last choice. Accountforthegold, who races for Winning Move Stable and Harold Lerner, set front-running quarter-mile splits of 23.78, 22.84, and 23.72 before that second split took its toll, after which eventual winner Magna Graduate overtook him in the upper stretch and Naughty New Yorker gained second-place at the wire. Naughty New Yorker, who races for Peter Schiff's Fox Ridge Farm, Inc. and was bred by the husband-wife veterinarian team of Drs. William Wilmot and Joan Taylor, qualified his connections for a total of $8,364 in owner and breeder awards in addition to earning $41,820. Accountforthegold, who was bred by Richard Simon's Sez Who Thoroughbreds, qualified his connections for $4,182 in owner and breeder awards, as the two New York-breds earned a combined $62,730 in purse money and qualified for awards totaling $12,546 for placing second and third in the Excelsior. New York Minute(s): Accountforthegold is the 18th New York-bred to win or place (second or third) in a stakes outside state-bred competition in 2007; his third-placing in the Excelsior Breeders' Cup was the 31st top-three stakes finish by a New York-bred outside state-bred competition this year. Naughty New Yorker's Excelsior runner-up effort was the 30th top-three open (to horses bred anywhere) stakes finish by a state-bred in 2007. Four races prior to the Excelsior in the three-turn mile and three-quarters Pleasant Colony, Winning Move Stable's New York-bred Successful Affair carried co-topweight of 126 pounds to a third-place finish. For the record, the other co-topweight in the event was eased. Successful Affair, who was half of an odds-on (.40-to-1) entry among five wagering interests and six starters while spotting six-to-eight pounds to his four un-eased rivals, broke from the outside post and encountered tight quarters between the eventual two top finishers (one of them his entry-mate) in the upper stretch. His third-placing -- which was his fourth top-three finish in an open Aqueduct stakes since early December -- brought his record to 8 - 9 - 6 in 32 starts and also qualified his owner plus his breeder (Sez Who Thoroughbreds) for a total of $1,574 in owner and breeder awards. Since being claimed by Winning Move Stable (Steve and Brian Sigler et al) for $16,000 last October, Successful Affair has earned $179,156 of his $322,199 career bankroll. New York Minute: Successful Affair's third-placing in the Pleasant Colony was the 29th top-three finish by a New York-bred in a stakes outside state-bred company in 2007. In addition to the aforementioned Lovely Dream, other New York-breds also won allowance races outside state-bred competition -- all by big margins -- at Aqueduct and Fonner Park on Friday and at Turf Paradise on Monday. Heading a one-two New York-bred finish in an open N1X Aqueduct allowance for fillies and mares going a one-turn mile on Friday was Lansdon Robbins III's and Kevin Callahan's ICE COOL KITTY ($127,876), who led Karakorum Starlet ($110,735) by 3-1/2 lengths, with New York-bred Morning Gallop ($134,091) finishing fourth. The three-starter state-bred contingent among the overall field of seven picked up 85 percent of the contest's total purse money and qualified their connections for a total of $15,272 in owner, breeder, and stallion awards (of which Ice Cool Kitty was responsible for $12,972). Ice Cool Kitty, a four-year-old daughter of Tomorrows Cat bred by William Garbarini of Quarter Keg Stable in Westfield, New Jersey, was the 3.40-to-1 third choice while scoring her first victory beyond seven furlongs and fourth overall win -- all by daylight margins -- in eight starts. The chestnut filly's record also includes a close runner-up effort behind future 2007 Grade 2 winner Oprah Winney in Belmont's 2006 Bouwerie Stakes for state-bred three-year-old fillies. Ice Cool Kitty is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes-placed current three-year-old filly Icy City, being out of former two-time juvenile winner Icy Chris, who is a full sister to stakes winner Cold Snap and a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Plenty of Light ($510,420). Later on Friday at Fonner Park in Nebraska, owner-trainer Don Ladd's New York-bred SCENTUAL broke from the outside post among eight mares in a two-turn six-furlong starter allowance and won by four lengths as the 9-to-1 seventh choice, improving her record to 6 - 4 - 12 in 33 starts. The five-year-old daughter of Distinctive Pro was bred by the Flatbird Stable of Louis Milazzo and is among six winners produced from graded-placed 11-time route winner Won Scent ($303,110), by Air Forbes Won. Her multiple-winning New York-bred full-and-half-siblings include five-time stakes-placed winner Mr. Determined ($305,192) and recent (March 21) Santa Anita mile and a sixteenth starter allowance winner Smelling Salts. Scentual's stakes-placed dam, Won Scent, is a full sister to stakes winner Unforbesgettable. It is possible that Scentual's current owner-trainer is unaware of the mare's first-and-second-dam black-type. Registering by far the best clocking of his career on Monday at Turf Paradise in Arizona was Andy Spitalny's New York-bred SANDYNECK, who broke from the outside post among nine starters in a six-furlong N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up and scored a front-running 4-3/4-length victory in 1:08.53. The five-year-old son of Personal Flag was the 2.70-to-1 second choice and set relentless fractions of 22.11, 44.26, and 55.97, getting his fifth career tally to add to three daylight-margin victories going two-turn miles and a maiden-breaking score at about 6-1/2 furlongs. A year earlier, Sandyneck had placed third in Turf Paradise's non-black-type Claim the Throne Starter Handicap at a mile and an eighth. Bred by Joseph DiRico and a former $800 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2003 September sales yearling, Sandyneck has most of the big-name stamina sires within his pedigree's first five generations (he is distantly inbred -- 5 x 5 -- to Ribot) despite also clocking the fastest six furlongs for a New York-bred in 2007. New York Minute: All four aforementioned New York-bred allowance winners on Friday and Monday were also New York-conceived -- Lovely Dream and Ice Cool Kitty to sires currently standing in the Empire State, and Scentual and Sandyneck to now-deceased sires that both stood the majority of their careers in New York. Now three-for-three following a front-running 4-1/4-length score in a seven-furlong restricted N2X Aqueduct allowance for three-year-olds and up last Wednesday is impressive three-year-old BELLY RUB, who for the first time was not favored (he was the 3.40-to-1 second choice among seven) and was making his initial venture beyond six furlongs. The son of Buddha and half-brother to New York-bred six-time stakes winner Princess Dixie ($513,289) was bred by Elaine Peck's Rhapsody Farm in Plymouth, which sold him for $70,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2005 Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale. Belly Rub races for Alvin Akman, trainer Dove Houghton, and Andrew Eisenberg and is the 12th offspring and 12th winner produced from Princess Halo, a Halo mare that Rhapsody Farm had purchased for $22,000 at Keeneland's 2004 January sale when she was carrying Belly Rub. An Aqueduct seven-furlong starter allowance last Thursday for New York-bred four-year-olds and up that had started for a claiming price -- no matter how high or when -- drew five six-figure-earners with combined bankrolls exceeding $1.4-million going in, among which the eight-year-old "senior citizen" was Paul Pompa Jr.'s PAPUA ($680,458). The multiple graded-placed three-time winner of Aqueduct's six-furlong Hollie Hughes Handicap for New York-breds was the 3-to-1 co-second choice and won by a length and quarter, improving his record to 13 - 9 - 10 in 48 starts. Bred by Barry Schwartz's Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs and claimed from Schwartz last August for $50,000, Papua in eight months since being claimed has earned $102,173 for Pompa, a resident of Warren, New Jersey and owner of a Brooklyn-based trucking company. New York-bred three-year-old winners of restricted N1X allowance races at Aqueduct were colt GRAND REFER going six furlongs last Wednesday, filly WESTERN SWEEP going six furlongs on Thursday, colt MARKET PSYCHOLOGY going 7-1/2 furlongs and filly TALKING TREASURE going seven furlongs -- the last-named two on Saturday. Grand Refer, who races for Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister and was bred by the Gibraltar Group LP of Michael Mollica of Bristol, Connecticut, was even-money among six starters -- including older rivals -- and scored his second consecutive daylight-margin victory in 39 days and three career outings. Western Sweep, Flying Zee Stable's homebred-and-conceived daughter of Western Expression foaled at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, also faced older company and advanced from seventh-to-first among eight starters, improving her never-worse-than-second record to two wins and three runner-up efforts in five outings at Aqueduct and Belmont. Market Psychology, a Freud colt and the youngest three-year-old (foaled May 12, 2004) facing older rivals, broke from the outside post among 10 starters at odds-on (.85-to-1) and went gate-to-wire to win by 2-1/4 lengths for Seth Klarman's and Jeff Ravich's Klaravich Stables, Inc. and co-owner William Lawrence. Talking Treasure, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's homebred-and-conceived daughter of Catienus, shouldered top weight of 122 pounds and won by 3-1/4 lengths as the 1.55-to-1 favorite among 10 three-year-old fillies, advancing her record to two wins and two seconds in four starts -- all at Aqueduct in 2007. New York Minute: Market Psychology's New York-bred juvenile half-sister -- also a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winner Two Sixty Four ($183,485) -- is cataloged as Hip No. 1377 for the upcoming OBS April 24-27 sale of two-year-olds in training in Ocala, Florida -- and is scheduled to sell on Friday, April 27. New York-breds comprised four of seven starters in a one-mile open claiming contest last Wednesday at Aqueduct for three-year-olds and up with $25,000 tags that had not won three races, and two of those state-breds finished one-two, led by even-money favorite and 3-3/4-length winner NOT ON MY TURF ($120,428). Purchased for $60,000 by Cathy and Bob Zollars of Dallas from Thomas J. Gallo Sales Agency at Keeneland's 2004 September yearling sale, the four-year-old colt improved his record to 3 - 4 - 4 in 15 starts, which includes wins on Belmont turf and Aqueduct's inner track (going two turns). Not On My Turf was bred by Mia Gallo, Sandra Sanborn, and Hilbert Thoroughbreds, Inc.
CHOPPING WOOD at a mile for her third win and first victory beyond six furlongs and one of seven New York-bred older females comprising the seven-starter field in an open claiming contest, homebred-and-trained INDECISIVE MISS "drew clear" by 2-1/2 lengths following a three-wide turn move for her second daylight-margin win of 2007 and the youngest three-year-old filly facing three-and-up distaff competition as well as one of five New York-breds finishing first-through-fifth among six starters, and homebred TAKING THE REDEYE ($298,604) by 7-3/4 lengths for the 10th career win and third big-margin victory of 2007 for the son of pensioned New York stallion Scarlet Ibis and one of two New York-bred earners of over $200K claimed out of the restricted contest -- all at Aqueduct on Thursday; homebred CAT'S LAD ($116,095) in 1:09.85 for six furlongs with a $25,000 tag to push his earnings above his stakes-winning and $107,450-earning full sister's bankroll, and semi-homebred MAX CAM ($109,526) by 3-3/4 lengths from seventh-to-first among eight starters with a three-wide rally at odds-on -- both at Aqueduct -- and BLACK VELVET BAND by a front-running 6-3/4 lengths under top weight from the eighth post among nine starters at Charles Town for her second consecutive win in five weeks and third big-margin victory to go along with three third-place efforts in eight career starts -- all on Friday; GO BLUE by a mostly front-running 2-3/4 lengths at Woodbine off a five-month layoff for his second consecutive Woodbine win and improving his record to three career victories and four second-place efforts in 12 starts, on Easter Sunday; BRASS ARROW ($151,621) by 3-3/4 lengths gate-to-wire at Mountaineer Park to improve his record to 6 - 11 - 9 in 46 starts, and homebred BREEZE ON ($101,968) by 5-1/2 lengths under top weight at Penn National for his second consecutive big-margin win in 20 days and fourth career victory -- both on Tuesday. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, April 4 through Monday, April 9 included: Homebred AL'S LARK "drew clear" in his second start at odds-on for the half-brother to New York-bred stakes winner Marc's Rainbow ($164,303), VICTORIOUS AFFAIR with blinkers on in his second start despite being bumped after the break and then stumbling, and homebred FIDDLERS PRINCESS from last-to-first out of the eighth post among nine starters for the three-year-old half-sister to six-time winner and multiple stakes-placed filly Speed Bag ($251,959) -- all at Aqueduct -- and homebred VALID RECORD by a front-running 6-3/4 lengths going seven furlongs at Laurel Park with blinkers on for the first time and making his first effort beyond 5-1/2 furlongs, LONE SIOUX by 3-1/2 lengths at odds-on from the outside post among five starters at Beulah Park in her first effort off a 192-day layoff, and BURNIN FEVA with blinkers off at Evangeline Downs -- all on Wednesday; homebred-and-trained LEAVEITINTHERING by 6-1/4 lengths "ridden out" from the outside post among seven starters and the second Joseph Lostritto-owned-bred-trained female winner on Aqueduct's card, and SILVER BLUE GHOST by 3-1/4 lengths with blinkers off at Turfway Park following a 68-day layoff -- both on Thursday; TIME SQUARED with blinkers on for the first time at Keeneland for the colt that topped Keeneland's 2006 April sale of two-year-olds in training when he brought a $1,050,000 final bid and the first offspring out of New York-bred stakes winner Indy Glory ($283,422), homebred LAURA'S FURY (sired by Wheelaway) from last-to-first among six starters, CLEARLY DIPLOMATIC by 2-1/2 lengths for the full brother to New York-bred multiple stakes winner Diplomatic Corps ($319,833), and SO SMASHLEY by a front-running 5-1/4 lengths in her second start -- all on Friday, and the last-named three at Aqueduct; homebred AUTOMATIC APPEAL by a front-running three lengths at Aqueduct from the eighth post among 10 starters in her second start following a third-place debut among 11 starters 27 days earlier, semi-homebred CLEVER LIKENESS at Charles Town in his third career start and first effort off a six-month layoff, and ZIP N' ZAP regained her lead in the stretch at Stampede Park to improve her record to 1 - 2 - 2 in 10 starts -- all on Saturday; SAMMY'S TOY at Gulfstream Park in his second start and first outing on turf and from the outside post among 11 starters, and SCARED MONEY from the outside post among 10 starters at Sunland Park at near even-money -- both on Easter Sunday; and homebred PEPPAS AND ONIONS by five lengths at Beulah Park, on Monday. |
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NY-bred 2001 crop gets 3rd millionaire multiple graded winner by Rab Hagin
The only horse currently in training to finish in the top-five in the world's two richest equine dashes, the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint and the Dubai Golden Shaheen, is Anstu Stables' New York-bred FRIENDLY ISLAND ($1,369,714), who placed second in both events and is the 19th New York-bred millionaire. The winner of the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen by a shrinking half-length, Kelly's Landing, had finished 6-1/2 lengths behind Friendly Island in the 2006 TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint, which had been won by Eclipse Champion Thor's Echo, who finished five lengths behind Friendly Island in Dubai. Confirming that Friendly Island's 2-1/2-length victory in Santa Anita's Grade 2 Palos Verdes on January 20 was no cakewalk against easy company, the Palos Verdes runner-up, Harvard Avenue, finished fourth among 16 in the Dubai Golden Shaheen -- two lengths behind Friendly Island. New York Minute: The New York-bred crop of 2001 has produced three multiple graded-winning millionaires, including an Eclipse Champion -- each with different racing styles and talents and representing different divisions. With four wins and one second-placing in her last five consecutive starts -- all stakes on all-weather tracks -- Stronach Stables' New York-bred HALF HEAVEN ($349,461) quite possibly has more all-weather track stakes victories on her resume than any other horse in training -- especially among fillies and mares. She also has four Belmont-Aqueduct turf wins and has placed in four restricted grass stakes, and her trainer, Dale Romans, has indicated plans to point the five-year-old mare for Belmont's mile and an eighth Mount Vernon Handicap for state-bred fillies and mares on turf on June 10. From June 10 through Labor Day, NYRA offers four graded grass stakes for fillies and mares going two (or more) turns and one two-turn turf event (Saratoga's Yaddo Handicap) for New York-bred distaff competition. Half Heaven, whose record is now 8 - 7 - 1 in 23 starts, is the 50th stakes winner sired by Regal Classic and is among four winners -- two of them stakes winners, one stakes-placed, all by different sires -- bred by singer-actor David Cassidy from seven-time winner Sand Pirate. New York Minute(s): Friendly Island and Half Heaven are among eight New York-bred 2007 open stakes winners; Half Heaven's Fairway Fun victory at Turfway Park on Saturday was the 11th open 2007 stakes win by a New York-bred and the 28th top-three stakes finish by a New York-bred outside state-bred competition this year. Winning what might turn out to be her only six-furlong stakes outing was Gabrielle Farm's homebred MARGIES SMILE, who on Thursday at odds-on led at all calls to capture Aqueduct's Ruby Rubles Stakes for New York-bred three-year-old fillies that had never won a stakes. Now with three wins in four starts, the daughter of New York-based Wheelaway and second offspring produced from 11-time-winning New York-bred mare Milliondollarsmile ($115,871) is a half-sister to a New York-bred seven-year-old mare, Just Gabi, who scored four of six career wins in 2006 and has earned $183,818. Owning a pedigree that suggests both stamina and soundness, Margies Smile has a plethora of attractive stakes opportunities -- for either three-year-old daughters of registered New York stallions or three-year-old New York-bred fillies -- in her near future. The New York Stallion Stakes Series offers the Park Avenue (seven furlongs at Aqueduct, April 22), Cupecoy's Joy (mile at Belmont, June 3), and Statue of Liberty (mile and an eighth at Saratoga, August 9) divisions, and for state-bred three-year-old fillies there is Belmont's seven-furlong Bouwerie Stakes on May 6. Going short on turf and long on dirt, New York-breds scored allowance victories in Florida and Texas on the same Saturday that Friendly Island and Half Heaven were earning stakes money in Dubai and Kentucky -- both coming off victories earlier in the month. The first of these state-bred standouts was Sunset Stables' MOHEGAN SKY ($138,465), who won a $50,000 non-condition allowance (almost the equivalent of an open overnight stakes) for fillies and mares, zipping five furlongs on Gulfstream Park turf in a blistering 55.24 and seemingly getting faster. Sent off the 3.30-to-1 second choice among nine starters, the four-year-old filly prevailed over the runner-up favorite, three-time stakes winner Flying Circle, plus Argentine Group 2 winner Star Prize, improving her record to four wins and three seconds in 10 starts for William Bianco III's Sunset Stables. Mohegan Sky was bred by James and Michaelyn Scott and Adam Staple and was foaled at Liberty Stud, LLC in Ghent. The daughter of Straight Man and half-sister to stakes-winning filly Vous ($227,905) was sold for $180,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 New York-bred preferred yearling sale and has the running style and breeding that suggest she could extend her speed to longer distances. The New York-bred Texas allowance-winning router was Evangelos Vozikakis' REGINA'S MON ($101,515), who may lack Mohegan Sky's speed but has considerable grit, capturing a three-turn mile and a half starter allowance at Sam Houston for four-year-olds and up that had run for $5,000 tags or less in 2006-2007. Now a six-figure-earner with a 9 - 11 - 11 record in 48 starts, the six-year-old gelding previously had never raced longer than a mile and an eighth (once) and had not won at longer than a mile and a sixteenth, but he had seven wins beyond a mile. The New York-bred was the 1.30-to-1 favorite among eight wagering interests and nine starters in the off-the-turf contest over a muddy track and registered his sixth wet track victory. In a scenario that might have been planned but was perfectly legal, Regina's Mon had become eligible for starter allowance competition by running with a $5,000 tag at Sam Houston on March 2, when he had placed second and was claimed. His new owner had run him back for $5,000 two weeks later, with the dark bay gelding winning and being re-claimed by previous owner Vozikakis, under whose colors he returned to the winners circle 15 days later. A $6,000 purchase at Keeneland's 2003 April sale of two-year-olds, Regina's Mon was bred by Betty and Len Powell's Hi Tail Farm in Saratoga Springs in partnership with Peter Venaglia of Flushing and has won at five different tracks in four states. Winning a restricted N2X allowance/optional claiming contest for four-year-olds and up going six furlongs at Aqueduct on Saturday was the only starter among six participants with fewer than a dozen previous outings, West Point Stable's MR COMPONENT, whose record improved to three wins and one second in six starts. Dismissed as the 10.90-to-1 fifth choice and youngest starter, the May-foaled four-year-old son of Tomorrows Cat caught a six-year-old son of Tomorrows Cat, front-running and odds-on Stonewood ($348,915), in the final furlong, as those two finished a neck apart in 1:10.65. Mr Component, who is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, was bred by the Fiddlers Green Stable LP of Joan Simpson of Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts and had been purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds for $55,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale. A front-running five-length Aqueduct winner last Wednesday at odds-on (.65-to-1) among six starters (all with six-figure earnings) in a mile and 70-yard starter allowance for New York-bred four-year-olds and up that had run for any claiming price -- no matter how high -- was Irving Kalensky's recently stakes-placed GO FERNANDO GO ($160,615). The effort improved the five-year-old's record to 4 - 4 - 3 in 22 starts, which includes a third-placing in Aqueduct's Champagneforashley Stakes for state-bred four-year-olds and up going a mile and 70 yards on February 16. Since returning from a year's layoff last September to campaign under trainer Scott Volk, Go Fernando Go has won or placed in seven of eight starts, running six furlongs in 1:09.33 on an off track and zipping through his restricted N1X (seven furlongs in 1:22.22) and N2X allowance conditions. He was bred by and initially raced for Robert Perez and is a half-brother to New York-bred stakes-placed winner J's Happy Holiday. Winning restricted N1X Aqueduct allowances were three-year-old filly SALT WATER REIGN going six furlongs on Wednesday, four-year-old filly KATHLEEN'S CHANCE going a two-turn mile and four-year-old gelding KARAKORUM THUNDER ($106,218) going 5-1/2 furlongs -- both on Thursday -- and three-year-old filly JUNKANOO PARTY going a mile and 70 yards on Friday. Salt Water Reign, a $57,000 purchase by Michael Oliveto's Hibiscus Stables at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2006 April sale of two-year-olds and bred by John Hettinger, scored by 4-3/4 lengths to improve her never-worse-than-fourth record to two big-margin Aqueduct wins and a third in four starts. Kathleen's Chance, a former $37,000 Keeneland September sales yearling in 2004 who races for James Buckley and was bred by Barry Ostrager and John Stuart, won by 4-3/4 lengths from the seventh post among eight starters and now has two wins and four seconds in nine starts. Karakorum Thunder, a $7,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton's 2004 Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale bred by the partnership of Dr. Jerry Bilinski of Waldorf Farm and Martin Zaretsky and owned by Karakorum Farm, advanced from seventh-to-first among eight starters as the 21.60-to-1 sixth choice. Junkanoo Party, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's homebred daughter of Catienus, won by 8-1/4 lengths under top weight of 122 pounds while breaking from the outside post among seven starters and now has two wins and a second in her latest three Aqueduct outings over a 57-day span. Boosting her earnings over $200K by capturing a one-mile open claiming contest for fillies and mares at Aqueduct last Wednesday was Jonathan Kaufman's New York-bred and open stakes-placed PRETTY PARTISAN ($219,910), as that five-year-old daughter of Badge improved her record to 9 - 2 - 3 in 25 starts. Racing with a $25,000 tag and breaking from the sixth post among seven starters as the 5-to-1 fourth choice, Pretty Partisan prevailed by three-quarters of a length over the 2.05-to-1 favorite, Hapid Ralo, who was claimed. The bay mare, whose winning dam, August, is inbred 3 x 3 to Northern Dancer, was bred by James Vena and had been claimed by current owner Kaufman for $30,000 while placing third at Aqueduct two starts earlier on January 24. Other New York-bred claiming winners from Wednesday, March 28 through Tuesday, April 3 included: CAT DE JOUR (sired by Tomorrows Cat) at Delta Downs despite being brushed at the start, on Wednesday; TOUGH TO FOLLOW ($106,808) "won with something left" by 8-3/4 lengths at odds-on at Aqueduct off a 75-day layoff to improve his record to 4 - 3 - 1 in 12 starts and one of three runners claimed out of his contest, SPECTACULAR SENOR by two lengths from sixth-to-first among nine starters with blinkers off for the first time in eight starts to improve his record to 2 - 3 - 1 and claimed, and DON'T TELL JOEY (sired by Take Me Out) by 4-1/2 lengths under co-topweight over the odds-on and lesser-weighted claimed favorite to improve his record to 3 - 1 - 1 in 10 starts -- both at Laurel Park -- and GOLDEN CONTENDER (sired by Key Contender) by 9-1/2 lengths at Penn National to boost his earnings to $323,491 while improving his record to 10 - 14 - 11 in 78 starts -- all on Thursday; GOLD AND BLUE BOX ($111,429) from fifth-to-first for his second consecutive Aqueduct win in 16 days to improve his record to 4 - 1 - 1 in nine starts and claimed for $35,000, TALE OF WONDER (sired by Tomorrows Cat) gate-to-wire from the outside post among seven starters at Mountaineer Park off a 131-day layoff for his fourth career victory, and WESNIAK by a front-running 10-3/4 lengths at Philadelphia Park to improve his record to 8 - 3 - 6 in 28 starts -- all on Saturday; JUST JACK N' WATER "proved best" in his third career victory by a front-running 7-3/4 lengths from the outside post among seven starters going a mile and a sixteenth at Philadelphia Park following a six-furlong sprint tally at Aqueduct just 31 days earlier, on Sunday; DOT''SBRUSH in a mostly front-running effort at Philadelphia Park to give him daylight-margin victories at a one-turn seven furlongs as well as a two-turn mile and 70 yards, on Monday; TREASURE SONG gate-to-wire at Mountaineer Park for her third two-turn tally following previous victories at Aqueduct and Pimlico, on Tuesday. New York-bred maiden-breakers from Wednesday, March 28 through Sunday, April 1 included: NICK ON THE BOX by 3-3/4 lengths from the fourth post among five three-year-old fillies with a three-wide move in the third start for the half-sister to a multiple stakes-placed filly/mare, homebred FULL OF RAGE from sixth-to-first among seven starters in his second start, and NANTASKET by 6-3/4 lengths as the youngest starter (May-foaled three-year-old filly) facing older rivals and despite being bumped after the start and going wide in the stretch to become the sixth winner produced from a multiple stakes winner of $415,400 -- all three at Aqueduct -- and GEORGIOS B. "eagerly pulled away" by 7-1/4 lengths from seventh-to-first among eight starters at Laurel Park -- all on Wednesday; homebred BIG BAD MONSTER from fifth-to-first with a three-wide rally, and HUMERUS ALEX (sired by Raffie's Majesty) by 5-1/2 lengths with a three-wide rally -- both at Aqueduct -- and SWIFTY by 2-1/4 lengths from the fifth post among six starters at Oaklawn Park, CRAFTY CALLER by a front-running 3-1/4 lengths from the eighth post among nine starters, and homebred PRESSAWAY (sired by Wheelaway) gate-to-wire going a two-turn mile in her second start following a 5-1/2-furlong debut -- all on Thursday, and the last-named two at Penn National; GREG'S LASSY (sired by Millions) by a front-running 14-1/4 lengths "ridden out" at odds-on 19 days after having placed second among 11 in her debut, homebred STUNT MAN (sired by Western Expression) by a front-running eight lengths "under wraps" with blinkers off following a two-start hooded experiment and claimed, and WHEELIT (sired by Wheelaway) by 3-1/2 lengths from last-to-first among 11 starters "while racing greenly" in the debut for the three-year-old filly who is inbred 3 x 3 to Damascus -- all three at Aqueduct -- and JUST A NIBBLE by 3-1/2 lengths at odds-on "in sharp fashion" at Oaklawn Park 20 days after having placed second among nine in his debut and looking well-worth his $190,000 sales price at Keeneland in September of 2005, and AMERICAN HIT "drew out" to win by 3-1/2 lengths at Laurel Park after having to be steadied leaving the starting gate -- all on Friday; THAT''LL DO (sired by Freud) in a front-running performance from the outside post among eight starters going a mile and a sixteenth at Aqueduct with blinkers on for the first time in his third start and first effort beyond six furlongs, homebred G T JOE by two lengths from the ninth post among 10 starters after going six-wide down the backstretch, and BY THE HOUR (sired by Western Expression) from seventh-to-first with an eight-wide move among nine starters -- both at Mountaineer Park -- and homebred MAJER B by 6-1/2 lengths out of the eighth post among nine starters at Philadelphia Park with blinkers on in her third career start despite being forced out twice in the early going and bumped entering the first turn in her first effort at two turns -- all on Saturday; MAPLE SUGAR by 8-1/2 lengths gate-to-wire at Philadelphia Park following three runner-up efforts (one disqualification from first) in four previous starts, on Sunday. |
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