Rotknee overwhelms field in Ontario County

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Rotknee destroys his opposition in Wednesday’s Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

William “Buck” Butler’s second generation homebred Rotknee made quick and easy work of the field in Wednesday’s $48,500 Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes.

Despite being forced in at the start from Gimmedaymoney, whose inward beginning affected all five of the Ontario County starters, Rotknee recovered quickly and found an open early lead. The 3-year-old son of Runhappy cruised to a 12 ¾-length victory from there under John Davila Jr.

Rotknee improved to 5-for-7 with the victory, his third in a stakes to go with the Damon Runyon in March at Aqueduct and the Mike Lee in his most recent start on Memorial Day at Belmont Park.

Sent off 1-20 in the field of five reduced by three with the scratches of Mister Larry, Moped Dennis and Never Ever Home, Rotknee picked up $30,000 for Butler and trainer Mike Maker to pad his earnings to $256,600.

Rotknee took control after his bothered start and opened up a 2-length advantage over Gimmedamoney through the opening quarter mile in :22.51. He stretched the lead to 6 lengths through the half in :45.20, then poured it on in the lane to win going away. Gimmedamoney held second, 3 lengths clear of My Last Mission. Persistent Danger and Waheel completed the field. Rotknee won in 1:10.04.

Bred by Butler and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Rotknee is the second foal out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama.

In Spite of Mama’s first foal, the 4-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief colt Lookin for Trouble, is a winner and multiple stakes-placed for Butler and Maker. He’s earned $168,120 through his most recent start, a third in allowance company at Aqueduct in late April. In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 2-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold, who is in training at New Haven Farm, and a yearling filly by Audible. She also delivered a New York-bred daughter of 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will in May.

In Spite of Mama, a 10-year-old out of the Carson City mare Mama Theresa, went 3-2-2 in 17 starts for Butler and Maker from 2014 to 2016.

Butler bought Mama Theresa for $65,000 at the 2005 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. She won six of 25 starts, placed in two stakes and earned $240,898 for Butler and Timothy Twomey and the late trainer Dominic Galluscio. In Spite of Mama is Mama Theresa’s second foal and a half-sister to four other winners, including stakes winner A Freud of Mama, an earner of $399,818 who also finished third in the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in 2019 for Butler and Maker.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/06/29/rotknee-overwhelms-field-in-ontario-county/

Bank Sting back to winning ways in Dancin Renee

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Bank Sting collects her fifth stakes victory in Sunday’s Dancin Renee at Belmont Park. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

John Terranova succinctly summed up Bank Sting and what he and his team need to do keep the Central Banker mare at the top of her game now at age 5.

“She’s a runner,” Terranova said on NYRA’s America’s Day at the Race broadcast a few minutes before the featured $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes Sunday at Belmont Park. “We just try to keep her happy and stay out of her way.”

Nobody showed up in Bank Sting’s way Sunday and just like in seven of her prior 11 starts she came out on top, winning the 6-furlong Dancin Renee under Joel Rosario. Bank Sting broke well and tracked the early speed of the comebacking The Important One up the backstretch and around the turn before taking over in the stretch on the way to a 5 1/2-length victory. Bank Sting won in 1:10.82.

“She’s a bit antsy at times in the gate, but she was very good today,” Terranova said. “You never know what you’re going to get race-to-race with her. She has her little fits, but you just have to go with her. You can’t fight with her. Joel got to know her really well last time and they get along great; as everyone that’s ridden her has.”

Bank Sting became a five-time stakes winner in the Dancin Renee for her co-owners Joe and Anne McMahon and Hidden Brook Farm. Bred by and foaled at the McMahon’s McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, Dancin Renee boosted her bankroll to $582,050.

The Dancin Renee also marked Bank Sting’s first start at 6 furlongs. She’s run 7 furlongs on four prior starts and came into the Dancin Renee off three straight races at 1 mile, including a second last time out in the $200,000 Critical Eye Handicap on Big Apple Showcase Day in late May at Belmont.

Rosario rode Bank Sting in the Critical Eye, where she finished 4 lengths behind Make Mischief. With no Make Mischief in the field and despite meeting open-company stakes winner Time Limit and recent graded-stakes competitor Kept Waiting, bettors hammered Bank Sting down to 4-5 for the Dancin Renee.

The Important One, making her first start since a third behind Bank Sting in the Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Series Dec. 5 at Aqueduct, lost her footing a bit at the start but recovered enough to take the lead through the opening strides. She led by a length from Bank Sting through the opening quarter-mile in :22.50, with Time Limit and Kept Waiting not far behind.

Bank Sting and Rosario applied more pressure to The Important One through the half in :45.85, drew on even terms turning for home and took the lead at about the 3/16ths pole. Bank Sting drew off from there, by a length from The Important One at the eighth pole and through 5 furlongs in :57.96 and eventually by daylight at the finish. The Important One held second by 1 1/2 lengths from Kept Waiting, who was a neck clear of Secret Love.

“She broke really well and she put herself more in the race today than last time,” Rosario said. “She was happy up there. Last time, she broke and everyone got away and she had a lot of dirt in her face the first furlong. Today it helped her that she was more in the race and in the clear. I learned a little bit last time and now I know a little better for the next one.”

Terranova said the new $125,000 Johnstone Mile Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares out of the new Wilson Chute Aug. 12 at Saratoga Race Course would most likely be next for Bank Sting.

“She’s a beautiful filly and we’re grateful to have her,” he said. “We’re looking forward to Saratoga. … There’s good spacing in between, so that’s next on our radar.”

Bank Sting already owns two stakes wins at a mile, including her most recent victory prior to the Dancin Renee against open company in the Heavenly Prize Stakes March 6 at Aqueduct. She also won last year’s Critical Eye at Belmont.

Raised at McMahon of Saratoga, Bank Sting continues to fly the flag for New York’s leading sire Central Banker. He came into the day well clear on the Empire State’s general sire list with progeny earnings of nearly $2.3 million and potentially on the way to his second straight leading sire crown.

Bank Sting is the fifth foal out of the stakes-placed New York-bred Precise End mare Bee in a Bonnet. She’s a half-sister to four other winners – including the stakes-placed Liberty Island and her full 4-year-old sister Lot of Honey. Bee in a Bonnet is also the dam of an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Central Banker and a yearling colt by the late Laoban. She was bred to McMahon’s Solomini last season.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/06/26/bank-sting-back-to-winning-ways-in-dancin-renee/

Dream Central upsets NYSS Cupecoy’s Joy

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Dream Central slips through between rivals to win Sunday’s Cupecoy’s Joy division of the NYSS. Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Dream Central became the latest success for the breeder-owner-trainer combination that produced stakes-winning full brothers Chowda and Lobsta with an upset victory in Sunday’s $150,000 Cup’coy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Belmont Park.

The 3-year-old daughter of 2021 leading New York sire Central Banker upset the 7-furlong restricted turf stakes at 39-1, giving breeder John Jayko’s Fedwell Farm, owner Eddie Fazzone’s Eddie F’s Racing and trainer Gary Sciacca plenty to celebrate on Father’s Day. Dream Central split rivals late to win by Cupecoy’s Joy by a neck under Jose Lezcano, returning $81.50 to her backers by winning for the first time in seven starts.

Dream Central led a 1-2-3 finish for maidens in the Cupecoy’s Joy, outrunning Robyn and Eli and pacesetting Royal Dancer late to trigger a $320.50 exacta for a $1 wager and a $1,333 trifecta for a 50-cent bet.

Dream Central came into Sunday’s race off a third in a 6-furlong turf maiden and a seventh in another at 7 furlongs this spring, both at Belmont. Sciacca said the filly trained well in recent weeks but still didn’t expect her winning performance.

“Eddie really wanted to run here,” Sciacca said. “Two months ago, he picked this spot out. He wanted to run here no matter what. We had a couple of bad breaks with her. A couple of times, things didn’t go right. But she got it all together today.”

Fazzone and Sciacca teamed to win the Thunder Rumble division of the NYSS late last year and the Say Florida Sandy Stakes in January with the 4-year-old Emcee gelding Lobsta. They also campaign the 5-year-old gelding Chowda, winner of the 2020 Gander Stakes. Chowda, Lobsta and Dream Central were all bred by Jayko’s Fedwell Farms in Saratoga Springs.

“I knew she was a decent filly. She was training well,” Fazzone said. “We tried her on the dirt when she first came up, and she hated the dirt. She was doing really well when we brought her back. The maiden race last time, she wasn’t paying attention. She was looking around. The first time on the turf this year she ran a nice third, so we knew she’d love the grass. Seven furlongs I thought would be her best distance, too. I saw the race and said, ‘This is the race right here.’ ”

“I love it [the New York-bred program], it’s great. … It’s the best racing going, the horses are great. The sire stakes here are nice.”

Dream Central and Lezcano raced sixth early while Royal Dancer set the pace, clicking off splits of :22.36 and :45.50 to the opening half-mile. Lezcano saved around around the turn and gradually inched up.

Dream Central cut the corner turning for home, just as Royal Dancer opened up a 2-length lead in the lane. Robyn and Eli, the 4-1 third choice in the field of 11 under Manny Franco, also advanced in the lane while on the outside of the leader. Dream Central split Royal Dancer to her inside and Robyn and Eli to her outside inside the final sixteenth to get up in time in 1:21.57.

“My filly didn’t get out when I needed and then the other horse [Robyn and Eli] tried to hold me over there. [Franco] did his job. But my filly, when I asked her, she really responded and finished the job. She picked it up real good and the other horse was fighting back at the same time.”

Robyn and Eli were a half-length ahead of Royal Dancer, who finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of stakes winner and 3-1 favorite Howdyoumakeurmoney in fourth.

Dream Central earned $82,500 for the win to boost her bankroll to $95,917. She’s is the fourth foal out of the stakes-placed winning Deputy Wild Cat mare Dreamed to Dream, who was purchased by Jayko in foal to Point of Entry for $7,500 at the 2018 OBS winter mixed sale. She produced the New York-bred gelding Dreampoint from that mating and he’s placed five times from 16 starts and earned $70,393 for Eddie F’s Racing and Sciacca.

Dreamed to Dream’s first foal, the Treasure Beach mare Beach Dreaming, was a five-time winner of $108,280. She’s also the dam of stakes winner Dreamalildreamofu, who is graded-stakes placed and the earner of $289,403. Dreamalildreamofu sold for $235,000 at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Dreamed to Dream is also the dam of an unraced 2-year-old New York-bred filly by Klimt named Secessionist and a colt by Speightster born in New York Feb. 20.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/06/19/dream-central-upsets-nyss-cupecoys-joy/

Dakota Gold returns with NYSS victory

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Dakota Gold edges past Surprise Boss late to win the Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Series Sunday at Belmont Park. NYRA Photo.

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Dakota Gold, last seen finishing fifth and just 2 1/4 lengths behind Modern Games in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Del Mar, returned to the winner’s circle for the third time in four starts Sunday with a victory in the $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Belmont Park.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ron Bowden, the 3-year-old son of Freud was sent off as the 3-5 favorite in his sophomore debut, but the 7-furlong restricted turf stakes wasn’t going to be an easy effort.

Dakota Gold broke a step behind the leaders but quickly caught up to take his spot just off Surprise Boss’ flank. Surprise Boss raced on the lead through fractions of :23.66 and :48.40 for the opening half-mile, not looking like he was feeling any pressure from the eventual winner until Dakota Gold started to make his challenge in the stretch.

Dakota Gold ranged up the outside of the leader but Surprise Boss wasn’t going to lay down and dug in gamely for the stretch duel. Dakota Gold finally got his nose in front inside the final sixteenth. Surprise Boss grudgingly finished three-quarters of a length back with Marinara Sauced another 3 1/4 lengths back in third. Dakota Gold won in 1:21.50 over the firm Widener Turf under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“Irad said he had a lot of horse and he was just playing with the others,” said Danny Gargan, who trains the winner for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. “I was hoping (Buckortwo) would get out at some point, but he got stuck down in there. I wanted two of them in front of us. I thought they’d go 1:09 and change. They came home in 11. I’ve only had two or three horses in my life run that fast.”

Gargan said a return to Saratoga Race Course – where Dakota Gold prepped for his 2022 debut on the Oklahoma Training Track – for the Cab Calloway division of the NYSS is likely next for the winner.  A victory there would give him three stakes victories in four starts at that level.

An $83,000 purchase by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale, Dakota Gold boosted his earnings to $467,5000 with Sunday’s victory. He earned back nearly his whole purchase price in the Spectacular Bid – taking home a $82,500 first-place check.

Dakota Gold was foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls and consigned by that operation when he sold at Saratoga. He is the second stakes winner of the month for his sire, who also saw I’m Listening winning the Smart N Classy Handicap June 5 at Monmouth Park. Freud’s son Freudian Sip also placed third in a stakes at Chippewa Downs in North Dakota Saturday.

Dakota Gold is one of two foals to run out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Dakota Kid, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Dakota Phone and stakes-placed Black Hills Goldie. Each of Dakota Gold’s first five dams are stakes producers with his third dam also winning four career stakes races.

Dakota Kid has a New York-bred juvenile colt by Redesdale named Ramblin’ Wreck, who was purchased by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing for $140,0000 from The New Hill Farm at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She foaled a New York-bred Mucho Macho Man colt in May 2021 and wasn’t bred in 2022.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/06/19/dakota-gold-returns-with-nyss-victory/

Ny Traffic reroutes to Penn National for victory

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Ny Traffic and Edwin Gonzalez (center) fend off Beren (right) to win Friday’s $100,000 Chocolate Town Stakes at Penn National. Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.

Worth the wait.

Ny Traffic, originally pegged for the Commentator Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day late last month, made a winning return to Pennsylvania and collected his second stakes victory in Friday’s $100,000 Chocolate Town at Penn National Race Course.

The 1-2 favorite in the field of nine, Ny Traffic stalked early before taking the lead on a four-wide run approaching the quarter-pole of the 6-furlong stakes. He shook clear into the lane, idled a bit as eventual runner-up Beren rallied on the outside and responded to jockey Edwin Gonzalez late to win by a half-length at the finish. Ny Traffic won in 1:09.64.

Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. originally planned to run the 5-year-old son of Cross Traffic in the Commentator on Memorial Day but that race didn’t go because of insufficient entries. Joseph rerouted and pegged the Chocolate Town, which was Ny Traffic’s first race in the Keystone State since the horse’s 2-year-old campaign at Parx Racing with former trainer Harold Wyner.

Runner-up in the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes as a 3-year-old during the pandemic-delayed run-up to the Triple Crown, Ny Traffic finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby and ninth in the Preakness Stakes that season.

Ny Traffic found his niche as a 4-year-old in 2021, winning two of five starts including the Hudson Handicap on Empire Showcase Day to end the season. He returned this year with fifth in the Grade 2 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes before returning to his native state to win the Affirmed Success Stakes at Aqueduct.

Owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King LLC, LC Racing LLC, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley, Ny Traffic improved to 6-for-19 with four seconds and two thirds Friday night and boosted his bankroll to $873,340.

Bred by Brian Culnan and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Ny Traffic is the first foal out of the winning New York-bred Graeme Hall mare Mamie Reilly. Mamie Reilly’s second foal, the 4-year-old Normandy Invasion gelding Purple Hearted, is 2-4-2 from 14 starts with a bankroll of $144,100. He also finished to eventual New York-bred Grade 1 winner Americanrevolution in last year’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

A $27,000 RNA at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training, Ny Traffic started his career at Parx Racing with Wyner before being transferred to Joseph’s South Florida string in early 2020.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/06/17/ny-traffic-reroutes-to-penn-national-for-victory/