Champions Make Mischief, Somelikeithotbrown score in off-the-turf stakes

By Tom Law

Mark Casse wants to give Make Mischief a run on the turf. Seriously, he does. 

He said as much this week, in the days leading up to the Yaddo Handicap. He said it again Friday with 15 minutes to post for the $200,000 stakes for older New York-bred fillies and mares. 

“I really want to try her on the grass sometime, but I’ll take this,” Casse said, this being a rained-off and scratch-laden field of five going 1 mile for a $110,000 first-place check. 

Casse said it again after Make Mischief powered to an 8 1/2-length victory over Ice Princess in 1:37.63 over the muddy and sealed main track. A week removed from being crowned champion New York-bred 3-year-old filly, Make Mischief won for the seventh time in 20 starts and boosted her bankroll to $746,150 for owner Gary Barber. 

“I actually wanted to run her on the grass,” Casse said in the winner’s circle. “She worked really well on the grass. The mare is 4-for-4 to produce (winners on the grass). We’ll wait for another day.

“As soon as they said it was off-the-turf my confidence rose. I wasn’t sure how many had scratched but I knew there would be a few.”

Friday’s late-morning rainstorm moved the Yaddo to the main track and shortened it from 1 1/16 miles to 1 mile out of the Wilson Chute. Only four fillies and mares showed up in the paddock to take on Make Mischief, who went to the post 3-5 under Dylan Davis. 

Wasp, the 5-2 second choice who drew in as a main track only runner, took the early lead from Make Mischief under Flavient Prat and led through splits of :24.63 and :47.50. Davis was content to led Wasp clear from the outside, give up his inside position and stalk from the outside. 

“I broke sharp and after that I was going to take an easy lead,” Davis said. “Flavien opted to come to me early. I just let her have it. I wanted to be comfortable and she was comfortable on the outside.”

Make Mischief took the lead on the far turn with little argument from Wasp and opened up. She and Davis led by 6 in midstretch and cruised from there as Ice Princess edged Wasp for the place spot by three-quarters of a length. 

Mario and Dawn Martinez of Avanti Stable, who bred Make Mischief out of their Speightstown mare Speightful Lady, were on hand for the filly’s latest victory. 

“She’s a nice filly. It was an easy race for her,” Mario Martinez said. “After getting 3-year-old filly for New York, she’s just been doing better and better.” 

Foaled at Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Mechanicville, Make Mischief improved to 3-for-5 this season. She opened the season with an allowance win in April at Aqueduct and won the Critical Eye Handicap on Big Apple Showcase Day in May at Belmont.

Make Mischief is one five winners out of Speightful Lady, who was purchased in foal to Uncle Mo by Martinez for $75,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Speightful Lady delivered her first foal a few weeks later, the Uncle Mo colt later gelded and named Motown Rhythm. He was her first winner, along with $220,450-earner Speightful Kitten, the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling Jody’s Song and the $115,000 Saratoga select yearling Crescent Lady. Speightful Lady is also the dam of an unraced 2-year-old filly by Union Rags named Speightful Lily, who turned in her first 3-furlong breeze in :38.66 Friday at Saratoga. She’s the dam of a Goldencents colt named Speightful Storm bred by Avanti and Song Hill born Feb. 19. She was bred to Mendelssohn in 2022.

 

Somelikeithotbrown scores first victory on dirt in West Point

Somelikeithotbrown also picked up a New York-bred championship last Friday night – his fourth – and added another stakes to his resume with a victory in the rained-off $174,000 West Point to close the stakes portion of the Showcase Day card. 

The 6-year-old son of Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions’ Big Brown was voted New York-bred champion at 2 and 3 and as turf male the last two seasons and he won for the first time on dirt Friday over two opponents in the 1-mile West Point. The longest price on the board at 5-2 behind odds-on favorite and recent Evan Shipman winner Bankit and 8-5 second choice Jerry The Nipper, Somelikeithotbrown won by 6 lengths under Jose Ortiz in 1:37.68. Bankit finished second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Jerry The Nipper. 

Somelikeithotbrown came into the West Point with 20 of 26 starts on the grass, along with four on synthetic tracks. He’d raced just once on dirt and that run gave trainer Mike Maker plenty of confidence. 

“It [coming off the turf] didn’t bother me,” Maker said. “I knew it would be a short field. He ran fourth as a 3-year-old in the Blue Grass. A mile and an eighth was probably a bit too far for him. We figured we’d give it a shot. I talked to the ownerships and they said, ‘If you feel he’s doing well enough, let’s run.’ ”

Bred by Hot Pink Stables and Sand Dollar Stables and campaigned by Skychai Racing and David Koenig, Somelikeithotbrown won his seventh stakes in the West Point. 

“It’s been a while since he ran on the dirt,” Ortiz said. “He’s shown tremendous ability over the turf. Mike has done a tremendous job with him since he was a 2-year-old. … He’s got great form on turf and he ran good today on dirt, but it’s a three-horse race. It’s nice to know that if you’re going in on turf, and if it rains, which happens a lot, you can run on the dirt.” 

Somelikeithotbrown, a three-time graded stakes winner and multiple Grade 1-placed, earned $110,000 for the West Point and padded his bankroll to $1,316,248.

Foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, Somelikeithotbrown is one of two New York-bred stakes winners for the Tapit mare Marilyn Monroan. She’s also the dam of Jolting Joe, who is 3-7-6 in 28 starts for $180,590 in earnings. Marilyn Monroan is also the dam of the 2-year-old Hard Spun filly Varsity Blond and a filly by Mendelssohn born Feb. 22 in Kentucky.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/26/champions-make-mischief-somelikeithotbrown-score-in-off-the-turf-stakes/

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Heavy favorites Maple Leaf Mel, Andiamo a Firenze deliver Showcase victories

By Paul Halloran

Jeremiah Englehart was struggling with how to break the news to Bill Parcells that he would not be at Saratoga Race Course August 10 for the debut of Parcells’ filly, Maple Leaf Mel.

“This is his locker room,” Englehart said of the Hall of Fame coach. “When I missed her run the first time, I was watching a Mets game with my kids. He said, ‘I could see myself telling Mr. (Wellington) Mara, I’m not going to be able to make the NFC Championship game this week because I gotta take my kids to a Mets game.’ ”

Parcells actually took the news in stride and it was all good when Maple Leaf Mel rolled to a 5-length win in the maiden special weight for New York-breds. It was even better Friday when the daughter of Cross Traffic made it 2-for-2 – this time with the trainer front and center – with a 3 1/2-length score in the slop in the $194,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes to kick off Saratoga Showcase Day.

“We knew she was a talented filly,” Englehart said. “She handled another test, coming back on short rest and she handled the off track. I thought Joel (Rosario) put her in a super spot. When you ask her, she goes.”

Maple Leaf Mel, who was bred by Joe Fafone and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, is the fourth foal and now third multiple winner out of City Gift. She battled with Song Parody early Friday before taking the lead going down the backstretch of the 6 1/2-furlong stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Longshot Lady Mine took over second on the far turn and appeared as if she might pose a serious threat, but Rosario had plenty of horse left, something which was obvious to the astute Parcells.

“I know Joel pretty well,” Parcells said. “I’ve seen what he does and how he behaves. He’s worked the horse, he’s been on the horse. I knew he had horse left.”

Parcells, who celebrated his 81st birthday Monday, was pleased to be back in the Saratoga winner’s circle.

“It’s the best,” he said, when asked to compare winning a horse race with his myriad of gridiron accomplishments. “It’s nice to be my age and have something like this to get you as excited as this.”

Englehart said he was smitten when he saw Maple Leaf Mel, an $18,000 yearling at Keeneland last September, at the Fasig-Tipton Midtlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale.

“You want to have those horses that when they come out of the stall and they show them to you, you get stars in your eyes,” he said. “Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but she was one of those horse that gave you that good feeling.”

Robbie Medina, who buys a lot of horses for Parcells, and trainer George Weaver were all on board and they went to $150,000 to add her to Parcells’ August Dawn Farm roster.

They named her for Englehart’s assistant, Ontario native Melanie Giddings, which Englehart figured might give him a leg up in getting the horse into his barn. The plan worked and Maple Leaf Mel is doing her namesake, a Stage 4 cancer survivor, proud.

“I talked her into coming up here last year just to live again, to get going again,” Englehart said. “She probable hated me for it because it was a lot of work. We’re like brother and sister. You can have an argument but you still love ’em. I trust her more than anyone.”

After the impressive debut win, open company was a consideration for the second start, but the connections were looking for Maple Leaf Mel to get more of a stern test before taking that leap.

“The first race wasn’t a contest,” Parcells said. “We wanted her to be in a little better scuffle. We’ll talk about the next one.”

It will be yet another conversation with the coach that Englehart values, even if they are not all cordial.

“I tell anyone, you haven’t been yelled at until you’ve been yelled at by a two-time, Super Bowl-winning, Hall of Fame football coach,” he said. “I’m a better person for knowing him and being able to work with him. In the last four years of our friendship the life lessons I’ve gotten from him is like having another dad.”

 

Mr Amore Stable’s homebred Andiamo a Firenze rolls in Funny Cide

When you have horses coming into a state-bred race off an open stakes in which they were very competitive, the result is often predictable. That was the story of Friday’s $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes.

Andiamo a Firenze, a homebred younger brother of nine-time graded stakes winner and $2,730,350-earner Firenze Fire, rebounded from a third in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes July 16 and rolled to an easy victory as the odds-on favorite in the race named for the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness champ.

“He ran great today,” said owner and breeder Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stable. “The last race was a little disappointing. He got tired. Kelly got him back to where he needed to be and I think today he showed what he’s all about.”

Trainer Kelly Breen said the ability to run in a state-bred stakes race such a big purse was the perfect opportunity for the son of Speightstown and the fourth winning foal out of the Langfuhr mare My Every Wish.

“We increase our purse and get to run against New York-breds, so it’s a win-win for us,” Breen said. “This gives him great experience and is maybe a confidence booster. He did run hard the last time and he was tired after that race.”

I’m Wide Awake set a blistering pace, completing the first quarter-mile in :21.29. Belt Parkway tracked him in second and it is no coincidence that the pair finished fifth and sixth in the six-horse field. Irad Ortiz Jr. had Andiamo a Firenze a close third heading into the far turn of the 6 1/2-furlong race, took the lead as they straightened for home and the horse showed his class in winning by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:18.72.

“They went very fast, :21.1,” Lombardi said. “Irad knew he had the horse and when he asked him to go by, he put them away quite easily.”

If all goes well, Andiamo a Firenze will try to follow in his brother’s footsteps by winning the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes Oct. 1 in the Belmont at the Aqueduct fall meeting.

“We’ll celebrate today and hopefully he comes out of this well and the Champagne is in our  sights and we’ll move him forward,” Lombardi said.

Breen thinks his colt can build off of Friday’s performance.

“This is a great steppingstone,” he said. “The timing was great, everything about it. We nominated to the Hopeful as a back-up plan if this race didn’t fill. Today he ran fast early and just kept on going.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/26/heavy-favorites-maple-leaf-mel-andiamo-a-firenze-deliver-showcase-victories/

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Bossmakinbossmoves, Fingal’s Cave shine in sophomore Showcase Day stakes

By Paul Halloran

If the East Avenue Racing people thought they were a lock for Most Raucous Winner’s Circle at Saratoga Race Course this year, the Clear Stars Stable folks would like a word.

Two weeks after East Avenue turned up the volume in their celebration of Vallelujah’s state-bred allowance win, Michael Sternklar and his group from Clear Stars raised the roof when Bossmakinbossmoves overcame a terrible start to win the Albany Stakes for 3-year-olds on Saratoga Showcase Day.

“One time in the paddock another trainer came up to me and said, ‘If I don’t win I hope you guys do because there’s nothing like watching your team celebrate,’ ” Sternklar said.

Hopefully, that trainer was around Friday.

By Laoban out of the Bernardini mare Marshtini and owned by Clear Stars Stable, Mitre Box Stable and trainer Rick Schosberg, Bossmakinbossmoves hopped at the start of the 1 1/8-mile Albany and was immediately trailing the four-horse field by 2 lengths. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. allowed the gelding to get into his stride while not losing touch with the field down the backstretch.

“He jumped at the break,” Ortiz said. “Our plan was to let the speed go and make the last move, so I don’t panic. I let the horse get his stride and let him do his thing. He was moving on his own and doing good.”

Ortiz had Bossmakinbossmoves, who was bred by McMahon of Saratoga and Spruce Lane Farm and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, about 5 lengths behind the triumvirate of Price Discipline, Barese and Montebello, who were all 2-1 odds or less, down the backstretch. He made an inside move on the turn, then swung wide and powered past Barese and Montebello at the sixteenth-pole to win by three lengths in 1:51.29 and ignite the mayhem.

Bossmakinbossmoves, a $52,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale, was bought by Clear Stars for $75,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midtlantic May 2-year-old sale. The third winning foal out of Marshtini, he broke his maiden in the mud at Aqueduct last December, but lost seven straight heading into the Albany. Schosberg removed the blinkers for the previous race, resulting in a second behind Price Discipline, giving the connections some confidence.

“We took the blinkers off,” Schosberg said. “We took a lot of the equipment off of him and he’s settled down. We’ve been training him at Clare Court and he’s really relaxed over there. I think he’s matured and his last race showed it, but this was a wonderful surprise.”

Sternklar started Clear Stars 17 years ago on a suggestion from his best friend and University at Albany roommate Rich Honen.

“We were splitting $5 bets and Rich said, ‘some day, we’ll be able to own horses,’ ” Sternklar said. “In 2004 or 2005 he calls me up and says, ‘you know, we’re not poor anymore. We can actually do this.’ I guess we can.”

Equine artist Michael Geraghty introduced Sternklar to Schosberg and they have been together since. Their first win was with Zippy Shannon in the Schenectady Stakes at Belmont Park in 2006 and they won the inaugural Seeking the Ante Stakes in 2014 with Myfourchix. Last year, A Bit o’Irish Sass brought home the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes.

Nothing, however, compares to what occurred on Union Avenue Friday.

“Of all of them this is the best,” Sternklar said, “because this is Saratoga and it’s a horse that, frankly, no one thought was going to win. “These people around me, this community we’ve built at Clear Stars, I love them all.”

Clear Stars has 14 horses in training, all New York-breds.

“What isn’t appealing about the NY program?” said Sternklar, a Saratoga Springs resident and CEO of a healthcare benefits company. “If you’re going to race in New York, financially there are such benefits. You can race for purses that are bigger than stakes races in 47 states around the country. This is a friends and family group. If you’re into a community of people who like to feel like you’re an owner and not just an investor, That’s who we are. We’re about having fun.”

That was evident Friday.

 

Fingal’s Cave stays perfect in Fleet Indian

David Donk has given John Velazquez a leg up on many a winner, so he was feeling pretty anxious when the Hall of Fame jockey aboard Let Her Inspire U led the field into the stretch of the Fleet Indian Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies Friday.

“She had to work for it today,” said Donk, wearing his customary New York Jets hat in the winner’s circle. “That’s a Hall of Famer in front.”

Jose Ortiz is pretty good in his own right and he had enough horse underneath him to catch the frontrunner and keep Fingal’s Cave’s record a perfect 4-for-4 in the Fleet Indian.

“You don’t plan on them being undefeated,” Donk said. “We know she is a nice horse. She’s got a lot of class.”

By Carpe Diem out of the Mineshaft mare Barbie On a Budget, Fingal’s Cave was bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown. Alifyfe Racing bought her privately for $85,000 after she was bought back for $75,000 at the 2021 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale.

“I worked with bloodstock agent Marette Farrell,” said Alistair Fyfe, who owns the racing partnership. “She thought she was a very nice mover.”

Fingal’s Cave had some minor issues and was sent to Kentucky to Becky Maker, who recommended giving her time to develop. She won a state-bred maiden special at Belmont in May and an allowance in June by a combined 17 1/2 lengths. Donk stretched her to 1 1/8 miles to win an open allowance at Saratoga July 29, setting her up for the Fleet Indian start.

“David still thinks there is a lot to come,” said Fyfe, who has been in the ownership game for about 20 years and won his first stakes Friday. “We haven’t been really pushing her. We’ll probably take a little swing for fences next time and see where we can go.”

Let Her Inspire U set honest fractions of :24.19, :48.15 and 1:12.34 while maintaining a half-length lead over Fingal’s Cave down the backstretch. Velazquez extended the lead to a length around the turn as Ortiz took aim and favorite Venti Valentine drooped back. Fingal’s Cave finally got a head in front at the sixteenth pole and won by a half-length in 1:15.59.

“When we hit the three-eighths pole, things started getting serious,” Ortiz said. “ The other filly kept engaging with me. Every time Johnny asked her she kept on giving it. Finally, I got head-to-head with the other horse. My filly had run a mile and an eighth, the other one hasn’t. So, I rode her with a lot of confidence from the eighth pole to the wire and she got the job done.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/26/bossmakinbossmoves-fingals-cave-shine-in-sophomore-showcase-day-stakes/

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Stars out for Saratoga Showcase Day

By Joe Clancy

New York-breds take center stage during Friday’s Saratoga Showcase Day featuring 11 races – all for horses bred in the Empire State – and six stakes.

The stakes lineup starts early at 1:05 p.m. with the $200,000 Seeking The Ante for 2-year-old fillies. The group features two $360,000 purchases – Song Parody and Miracle. The first sold at Fasig-Tipton July, joining the ownership group of Runnymede Farm, Peter Callahan and Paul Goodrich. The daughter of Practical Joke makes her first start for trainer Christophe Clement after winning her debut by 5 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park June 25 for Kelly Breen. Miracle, trained by Rodolphe Brisset for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, won her debut by 6 lengths here July 27. Other Saratoga winners Lady Mine and Maple Leaf Mel join the field.

The $250,00 Albany for 3-year-olds goes as the third race. New York Derby winner Barese seeks his fifth win for trainer Mike Maker. The Laoban colt was fourth in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby before that and will have to deal with Price Discipline, who is a head from being undefeated in three starts.

Three-year-old fillies tangle in the $200,000 Fleet Indian, led by the 3-for-3 Fingal’s Cave from the David Donk barn. The daughter of Carpe Diem won her debut by 8 1/2 lengths and her second start by 9, both at Belmont, before winning an open-company allowance here July 29. That was her first start around two turns and she returns at the 1 1/8-mile distance Friday. Todd Pletcher counters with Let Her Inspire U, a $500,000 purchase last year who has won her last two including a state-bred allowance here July 22.

New York Oaks winner Galaxiana goes out for trainer Jim Bond while Venti Valentine gets some class relief after making three consecutive starts in graded company.

The $200,000 Funny Cide lured six 2-year-olds headed by Andiamo A Firenze, who was third in the Grade 3 Sanford here July 16. The lineup also includes Saratoga maiden winners Donegal Surges and Acoustive Ave.

The $200,000 Yaddo attracted a crowd of 11, plus one on the also-eligible list. Marvelous Maude rides a two-race winning streak into her stakes debut while Classic Lady looks to improve two spots on her third in the Yaddo’s last two runnings. She won the Dayatthespa here last summer for Clement. Make Mischief has never raced on the turf, but owns six wins including a score two back in the Critical Eye at Belmont.

Turf males meet in the $200,000 West Point, which drew Therapist, who has placed in the last three runnings of the race. Graded winner Somelikeithotbrown brings a $1,206,248 bankroll into his first West Point as Maker removes blinkers. Maker also entered fellow millionaire Cross Border, whose Saratoga record includes wins in the Lubash Stakes and Grade 2 Bowling Green in addition to three victories at the 2019 meet. Last year’s West Point winner City Man drops out of a win in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple here July 15 for Clement.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/25/stars-out-for-saratoga-showcase-day/

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Legendary NY-breds to be honored on Saratoga Showcase Day

[1]The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. will honor a quintet of the greatest New York-breds to compete and represent the program at Saratoga Race Course on Saratoga New York Showcase Day Friday, August 26.

Connections from all-time New York greats Fio Rito, Commentator, Fourstardave, Funny Cide, and Tiz the Law will each be honored following Friday’s fifth race at 3:21 p.m. on the day with a certificate of achievement for their racing career representing the New York-bred program.

The quintet was chosen by a distinguished panel of New York turf writers and represent the first class of honorees recognizing their importance in setting forth the New York-bred program.

Fio Rito: Two-time New York-bred Horse of the Year best known for his upset victory in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in 1982. He won 16 stakes overall, including the Grade 2 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap at Detroit Race Course. Bred and owned by Ray LeCesse, a bowling alley owner in Rochester, Fio Rito retired with 28 wins in 50 starts and earnings of $584,142 for trainer Michael S. Ferraro.

Commentator: Voted New York-bred Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2008 – the same seasons he won the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga Race Course. Bred by Michael Martinez and campaigned by Tracy Farmer, who purchased him for $135,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale, Commentator won 14 of 24 starts with five other placings and $2,049,845 for trainer Nick Zito. In addition to his Whitney victories he won the Grade 2 Richter Scale Sprint Handicap in 2008 at Gulfstream Park.

Fourstardave: Nicknamed the “Sultan of Saratoga” for his penchant for winning at the Spa, Richard Bomze’s homebred Compliance gelding won at least one race in upstate New York annual from 1987 to 1994. The victories included the 1987 Empire Stakes on the dirt as a 2-year-old, three straight editions of the Grade 3 Daryl’s Joy Stakes from 1990 to 1993 and the 1989 and 1991 West Point Handicap. He retired with 21 victories in 100 starts, along with 34 placings, and $1,636,737 in earnings for trainer Leo O’Brien.

Funny Cide: Sackatoga Stable’s Distorted Humor gelding put the New York breeding program in worldwide headlines with his victories in the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He was named New York-bred divisional champion three straight years and New York-bred Horse of the Year during his Eclipse Award-winning season in 2003. Foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs and trained by Barclay Tagg, Funny Cide also won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2004 at Belmont Park and Grade 3 Excelsior Breeders’ Cup Handicap in 2004 at Aqueduct. He retired in 2007 with 11 wins in 38 starts – including nine stakes – and earnings of $3,529,412.

Tiz the Law: Named New York-bred Horse of the Year in 2019 and 2020, Tiz the Law racked up victories in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at 2 at Belmont Park and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont and Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga at 3. Foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and purchased for $110,000 by Jack Knowlton of Sackatoga Stable, the son of Constitution also won the Grade 1 Florida Derby and Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes – both at Gulfstream – and finished second in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. He retired with six wins in nine starts and $2,735,300 for trainer Barclay Tagg.

Friday’s Saratoga New York Showcase Day, a racing card complete with exclusively New York-bred restricted races, includes six stakes – the $250,000 Albany for 3-year-olds, $200,000 Fleet Indian for 3-year-old fillies, $200,000 Funny Cide presented by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for 2-year-olds, $200,000 Seeing the Ante for 2-year-old fillies, $200,000 West Point Handicap presented by Trustco Bank for 3-year-olds and up on the turf, and the $200,000 Yaddo Handicap for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up on the turf.

The 2022 season at Saratoga Race Course continues through Labor Day, Monday, September 5. For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit NYRA.com.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/21/legendary-ny-breds-to-be-honored-on-saratoga-showcase-day/

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Spendarella wins Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Making her first start since an eye-catching second in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, Gainesway Stable’s homebred Spendarella returned to her winning ways Saturday with impressive win in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.

Looking to take her record to four wins in five starts, Spendarella settled comfortably in fourth just behind the leaders in the 1 1/8-mile stakes. Angled to the rail soon after the break by Tyler Gaffalione, that’s where Spendarella stayed down the backstretch in the spaced-out field with the eventual winner about 5 lengths off the leader for much of the run.

Spendarella swung a few paths wide around the turn and didn’t take long to show why she was the 6-5 favorite favorite as she cruised past the leader at the top of the stretch. The race was over from there with the only question being how many lengths she would win by. Spendarella  provided that answer – 4 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:47.09.

“We’ve always known that she’s going to grow into a beautiful filly and just get bigger and stronger as she goes and that’s what she showed today,” said Alice Clapham, assistant to Graham Motion. “I think [Gaffalione] had her in the perfect spot, he got tucked in coming off the chute and he said she was just waiting for him to say go and he said she still has another gear.”

The Del Mar Oaks marked the third graded stakes win for the 3-year-old, who won both the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream and Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland.

Foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd., Spendarella is the first Grade 1 winner for Gainesway’s Breeders’ Cup Mile and French classic winner Karakontie.

Offered at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale, Spendarella was reported sold for $220,000 to Ballyfair Bloodstock out of the Gainesway consignment but has raced for her breeder in all five of her starts.

She is out of the winning Unusual Heat mare Spanish Bunny, who also produced Grade 1 American Oaks winner Spanish Queen and the Spendarella’s stakes winning and multiple graded stakes placed full sister Spanish Loveaffair from her three runners.

Spanish Bunny had a Kentucky-bred Uncle Mo colt this year and visited both Karakontie and Quality Road in 2022.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/20/spendarella-wins-grade-1-del-mar-oaks-2/

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Golden Rocket shocks NYSS Statue of Liberty

By Tom Law and Timothy Littau

The biggest achievements of Alpha’s racing career came at Saratoga Race Course – to the tune of four wins in six starts including the Grade 1 Travers at 3 and Grade 1 Woodward at 4.

The former New York-based stallion played a role in another huge moment Thursday when his 3-year-old daughter Golden Rocket sprang a 33-1 upset in the $150,000 Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes. Claimed out of a Monmouth Park turf race this spring, Golden Rocket closed from sixth of eight under apprentice jockey Jose Gomez as the longest price in the field of eight.

“I feel great, it feels awesome,” said Gomez, who won his first stakes and race on the grass at Saratoga aboard the filly for the first time. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Owners Robert Lambe and Chad Anshelewitz were hoping for that feeling when they and trainer Patricia Farro claimed the chestnut filly for $16,000 June 3 at Monmouth.

Anshelewitz said looking at Golden Rocket’s speed figures played a role in the claim, along with watching her half-brother Matty’s Express win a New York-bred allowance at Saratoga last summer for Lambe.

“I know her very well and I know she’s going to finish,” Anshelewitz said. “We thought she’s going to give whatever her 100 percent is. If it’s good for third or fourth, or if she’s going to win, she’s going to give 100 percent. The 100 percent got her to the winner’s circle.”

Golden Rocket improved to 3-for-8 and boosted her bankroll to $117,135 with the $82,500 first-place check for the Statue of Liberty victory. She defeated Royal Dancer by a half-lengh with 9-5 favorite Busy Morning another 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Dream Central, bidding for her second stakes win of the meet after taking the Suzie O’Cain July 20, finished fourth. Golden Rocket won in 1:36.22 over the firm turf softened up just a touch after rain overnight Wednesday and periodically Thursday.

Bred by Ballybrit Stables and out of the Touch Gold mare Taty’s Gold, Golden Rocket started her career last September at Monmouth Park. She finished third in a 6-furlong maiden claimer, then resurfaced two months later and finished fifth in a similar 7-furlong maiden at Tampa Bay Downs.

Trainer Mike Dini switched Golden Rocket to the grass for her next start and she hasn’t raced on the main track since. She won a 1-mile maiden claimer on the grass in early January, finished second the day she was claimed and won a starter allowance July 3 at Monmouth. Golden Rocket came into the Statue of Liberty off a seventh in an open allowance July 23 at Monmouth.

“We knew she was New York-bred,” Anshelewitz said. “We got her in the barn, we saw she was all right and ran her in the starter. … We wanted to see if she was this caliber (and) she proved that obviously.”

Taty’s Gold won nine of 44 starts with 11 placings for $213,460 in earnings. Her first foal, the New York-bred Admiral Kitten gelding Matty’s Express, is 4-3-4 in 27 starts with $147,269 in earnings. He won a 1 1/16-mile allowance on the grass last summer and is entered as an also-eligible in a 1-mile claiming race Saturday at Monmouth.

Taty’s Gold is also the dam of Golden Oldie, a full sister to Golden Rocket who has won two of 17 starts and $43,721 for Ballybrit Stable and Dini. She’s entered in a 5 ½-furlong claiming race Monday at Colonial Downs.

Golden Rocket is from the fourth crop of Alpha, a son of Bernardini who started his stud career for Darley/Godolphin Racing at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson. Alpha won six of 22 starts and earned $1,815,667. A dead-heat winner of the Travers with Golden Ticket, Alpha also won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga, a maiden race in his first start as a 2-year-old in 2011 and the Grade 1 Woodward in 2013.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2022/08/18/golden-rocket-shocks-nyss-statue-of-liberty/

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Dakota Gold rolls to front-running win in Cab Calloway

By Timothy Littau

Dakota Gold gave Reeves Thoroughbred Racing its fifth stakes and eighth victory overall at the 2022 Saratoga Race Course meeting in Wednesday’s Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series.

“Eight winners all together. I remember the days when I begged for just one win up here, and that wasn’t that far back,” Dean Reeves said with a laugh after Dakota Gold scored a gate-to-wire win in the Cab Calloway. “It’s been unbelievable, but there was a lot of work done by a lot of good people on our team before we got here.

“They’ve done a lot of work preparing these horses, they gave them a lot of time off and then when they got here, our trainers just did a great job of getting them ready for these races and we were really gunning for Saratoga. That’s when I’m going to be here, and we want to run and win some races here.”

Dakota Gold, a son of Freud ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., led the field of eight every step of the way in the $150,000 mile stakes on the inner turf. Second by a head in the $125,000 Rick Violette Stakes July 21, Dakota Gold avenged that with a 1-length win in 1:37.20 over the firm turf.

“We played around with the field last time and it got me beat,” winning trainer Danny Gargan said. “I couldn’t take that chance today. He’s a little better if he stalks, but I didn’t want to take any chances today. Let’s just go and get it out of the way – that was our plan and it worked out. Next time, we’ll try the open company and I probably won’t send him [to the lead], it depends on the pace scenario.”

Dean Reeves is thrilled with the New York-bred program and the success that he has had in it, and is investing for the long-run.

“We think this is a great program and we will continue to buy New York-breds,” he said. “We bought a lot of nice ones at this past sale (Aug. 14-15), and we bought some as weanlings a year ago that we’re excited about. So, we should be pretty tough next year.”

In the short-term, Gargan is excited for Dakota Gold’s next start.

“There’s a race at Keeneland (Grade 3 $300,000 Bryan Station Oct. 29) that I’m looking at,” he said. “There’s a race at Aqueduct (Grade 2, $300,000 Hill Prince Oct. 22). There’s a couple of different options. He could show up at Keeneland going a mile for straight 3-year-olds. I’ll get with the team and think of our next plan. We’ll try something a little different, but I think he’s better at a mile.”

After that, lofty goals – Grade 1 goals – are in store for Dakota Gold.

“The Hollywood Derby (in November) is where we’re going to end the year,” Gargan said. “We’ll go to there, a straight 3-year-old race. He’s only 3, we’ll see where he ends up in his 4-year-old career. But this year we’re only going to keep him against 3-year-olds and after that Hollywood Derby he’ll go back to the farm in Ocala like we did last year, give him a couple months off and try to keep doing this again for another year.”

Freud, a full brother to Giant’s Causeway and 24-year-old son of Storm Cat, stands for $5,000 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.

An $83,000 purchase by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale, Dakota Gold boosted his earnings to $575,000 with Wednesday’s.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ron Bowden, Dakota Gold was foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls and consigned by that operation when he sold for $83,000 as a weaning at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Dakota Gold is one of three 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. He finished sixth in his debut for Gargan, Reeves Thoroughbred Partners and Peter and Patty Searles Aug 11 at Saratoga. 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/2022/08/17/dakota-gold-rolls-to-front-running-win-in-cab-calloway/

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