Eye Witness cruises in Animal Kingdom

Eye Witness ran to his lofty purchase price, odds and recent training with an authoritative victory in the $180,000 Animal Kingdom to kick off the stakes portion of Saturday’s Jeff Ruby Steaks Day card at Turfway Park.

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the field of five reduced by a trio of scratches, Eye Witness tracked early and took command of the 6-furlong stakes with less than a quarter-mile to run en route to a 5-length victory under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trained by Wesley Ward, the 3-year-old son of City of Light improved to 2-for-3 in the Animal Kingdom, adding to his New Year’s Day victory at Turfway after starting his career with a third sprinting on the grass during the Belmont at the Big A meeting in September. Eye Witness earned $93,000 for the win to boost his bankroll to $123,240 for the Coolmore-affiliated ownership group Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor.

Eye Witness, who breezed a bullet 5 furlongs in :59.20 over the main track at Keeneland Race Course March 16, came away first at the break before conceding the early lead to Olazabal and jockey Gerardo Corrales. Ortiz put Eye Witness just off the leader through the sharp opening quarter-mile in :22.26 over the synthetic surface.

Olazabal, an 11-length winner in his most recent start at Turfway in mid-January, continued to lead Eye Witness by 1 1/2 lengths through the half in :46.54. Eye Witness drew on even terms turning for home and drew off from there, widening his 1-length advantage in midstretch to 5 at the wire. Olazabal held second, 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Brazen Boy in third. Eye Witness won in 1:11.76.

Eye Witness was the top-priced New York-bred at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale[3] on a bid of $650,000 from Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier during the auction’s third session as Hip 723[4]. Bred by Anlyn Farms and foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater, Eye Witness originally sold as a weanling to Brady Bloodstock for $235,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

A half-brother to New York-bred stakes winner More Mischief and stakes-placed winner Myawaya, Eye Witness is the eighth foal out of the Mr. Greeley mare Gracilia. A half-sister to New York-bred champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old and Grade 2 winner Sharp Humor, Gracilia is also the dam of New York-bred winners Scalpeen, Decorator Jenn and Killala Bay.

Gracilia’s New York-bred daughter of Practical Joke sold for $190,000 at this week’s OBS March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training. She is also the dam of a yearling New York-bred filly by Game Winner.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/25/eye-witness-cruises-in-animal-kingdom/

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Maple Leaf Mel dominates East View Stakes

August Dawn Farm’s Maple Leaf Mel picked up where she left off – albeit almost seven months ago – with a convincing victory in Friday’s $100,000 East View Stakes at Aqueduct.

Off with shin issues since winning the Seeking the Ante Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day August 26, the 3-year-old daughter of Cross Traffic improved to 3-for-3 in the 6-furlong East View. Joel Rosario, in from Gulfstream Park for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, rode Maple Leaf Mel to her 7 3/4-length victory.

“That was super,” said Englehart, who prepped Maple Leaf Mel for her comeback at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Florida. “Joel has worked her the last couple of times down in Florida and I was happy that he wanted to come up and ride her; that gave me a lot of confidence. It seems like she’s made the transition from 2 to 3 and hopefully she can continue to get better.”

Maple Leaf Mel, named for Englehart’s longtime assistant and Canadian Melanie Giddings, showed no signs of rust in her comeback victory. Englehart breezed her nine times between Jan. 6 and March 16, and bettors hammered the filly down to 1-5 for her comeback against six opponents led by multiple stakes winner Les Bon Temps.

Maple Leaf Mel went to the front from the start and led Les Bon Temps, Security Code, Banterra and Little Linzee through the opening quarter-mile in :23.15.

Rosario gained confidence through the half in :47.41 as Maple Leaf Mel opened up by 1 1/2 lengths from Les Bon Temps. They continued on from there, widening the advantage through the lane to win in 1:12.75. Security Code, second to Maple Leaf Mel when they made their respective debuts last August at Saratoga, finished second at 26-1 with Les Bon Temps another 2 lengths back in third. Little Linzee, Banterra, Queens Masterpiece and Lady Mine completed the lineup.

“She was nice and comfortable and she was always there for me,” Rosario said. “She was just waiting for somebody to challenge her. It looked pretty easy for her today. She’s very talented. She had a lot of speed and it was a great race for her coming back off the layoff. She seems like she’s a little more mature and focused. It looks like she’s grown up the way she’s supposed to.”

Englehart said he left all the decisions up to Rosario, who also rode Maple Leaf Mel to her prior to victories. Maple Leaf Mel won those on the front end, too, but her trainer wasn’t worried if another filly wanted the early lead in the East View.

“I don’t think it matters with her,” Englehart said. “I’ve worked her plenty of times as a 2-year-old behind horses and let her tip out and make a run. She’s just a racehorse. If you put her there, she’s going to try and repel everyone that comes to her. She likes to run. It’s as simple as that. She likes to do what she’s doing.”

Englehart and August Dawn’s Bill Parcells – the Hall of Famer who coached the New York Giants to a pair of Super Bowl victories – hope Maple Leaf Mel continues her winning ways down the road.

Englehart said the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day May 29 at Belmont Park is an option, and possibly more lucrative spots.

“Coach wants to win a Grade 1 and my goal is to win a Grade 1 with her for him,” Englehart said. “We’ve talked about a couple different spots. The Bouwerie is an option, but it’s a little further away than we wanted coming off this race. We’ll see how she comes out of it and I’ll have a nice, long talk with Coach on the way back up to Saratoga today and see what he wants to do.”

Parcells, working with Englehart and Robbie Medina, purchased Maple Leaf Mel for $150,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training. She picked up $55,000 in the East View for her connections to boost her bankroll to $213,400.

Bred by Joe Fafone, foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham and out of the winning City Place mare City Gift, Maple Leaf Mel originally sold for $18,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale. She’s the sixth foal out of City Gift, who is also the dam of the stakes-placed eight-time New York-bred winner Eddie’s Gift.

City Gift sold in foal to Brody’s Cause for $4,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. She delivered a colt by that sire in March 2021 in Ontario.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/24/maple-leaf-mel-dominates-east-view-stakes/

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Solomini filly shares top spot at OBS finale

A filly from the first crop of New York-based sire Solomini sold for $200,000 to share top honors as the most expensive New York-bred of the final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training Wednesday.

Five Fools Racing purchased Hip 760[2], who is out of the Rockport Harbor mare Passeporta, from the Top Line Sales LLC consignment. The filly, bred by Torie Gladwell and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, is the seventh foal out of Passeporta.

Passeporta is the dam of three winners led by $110,949-earner Cold Snack Thirty and $88,443-earner Kris’ Wild Kat.

Solomini, a Grade 1-placed son of Curlin out of the Storm Cat mare Surf Song, stands for $6,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. He was the state’s leading first-crop yearling sire by average price and number sold in 2022.

Five juveniles sold for $100,000 or more during the final session, bringing the total haul of New York-breds to bring that price to 14 for the sale.

Hip 576[4], a colt by Tapiture out of the City Zip mare Just Cat, also commanded a $200,000 bid Wednesday. Winchell Thoroughbreds purchased the colt, who was bred by Davie Bloodstock LLC and Paradise Farms Inc., foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park and sold for $20,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.

The colt, who was consigned at OBS by Fast Horses, is the second foal out of Just Cat. Her first foal, the 3-year-old New York-bred Freud filly Ma Mi Jo Dreams, has made four starts after selling for $120,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training.

OBS reported sales on 13 of the 18 New York-breds through the ring Wednesday for a total of $1,134,000 and an average price of $87,230. Overall, 42 of the 54 New York-breds offered over the three days sold for $4,922,500, an average price of $117,202.

The most expensive New York-bred sold Tuesday, when Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida went to $1.05 million to purchase a full-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Cave Rock. Sold as Hip 489[5] by Tom McCrocklin, agent, the Arrogate colt is out of the graded stakes-winning Bellamy Road mare Georgie’s Angel. He finished as one of five seven-figure juveniles and the third most expensive horse sold at the sale.

Bred by Kathleen Schweizer and foaled at her Longford Farm in Elmira, the colt topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale on a bid of $700,000 from McCrocklin on behalf of Champion Equine. That sale came two days after Cave Rock blitzed a field of maidens at Del Mar in his debut. Cave Rock went on to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park before a second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Race Course.

Cave Rock’s younger brother is the sixth foal out of 2011 Schuylerville Stakes winner Georgie’s Angel, who is also the dam of winners Take Charge Angel, Frosted Angel and Rue de l’Ange. Longford Farm purchased Georgie’s Angel, carrying Wednesday’s seven-figure seller in utero, for $75,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Georgie’s Angel is also the dam of a New York-bred yearling filly by Improbable. She was bred to Connect in 2022.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/23/solomini-filly-shares-top-spot-at-obs-finale/

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War Dancer gelding among Aiken Trials’ winners

Kimberly Smith’s Sinful Dancer, last seen in a sanctioned race winning at Aqueduct in early December, was among the winners Saturday at the 80th renewal of the Aiken Trials.

The 5-year-old War Dancer gelding won the City of Aiken Trophy, the featured event run on the Aiken Training Track, for trainer David Figueroa.  He won the 4 1/2-furlong event from off the pace by less than a length under Makaia Paige Carpenter over He Is Bonafide in :55, according to a report in the Aiken Standard.

“When we came around the turn, my horse just started to pick it up,” Carpenter told the Standard. “He understood his job. And when I asked him for a little bit more, he did the rest. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity.”

Bred by Wes Carter, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and out of the unraced Purge mare Sensationista, Sinful Dancer was purchased by Thomas E. Brockley for $50,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale. He finished second in his first two starts in 2021, including the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes.

Sinful Dancer won his most recent two starts at Aqueduct – taking a maiden claiming event at Aqueduct Nov. 13 and a $16,000 open claiming race Dec. 4. He was claimed in the latter.

“It was just what he needed,” Figueroa told the Standard. “This was a horse that we were giving a little bit of time off from the races, and this was the perfect place to start him back.”

War Dancer, a 13-year-old son of War Front who stands for $7,500 at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Stillwater, finished third on New York’s general sire list in 2022 with progeny earnings of more than $2.8 million.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/20/war-dancer-gelding-among-aiken-trials-winners/

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Looms Boldly sharp in Damon Runyon score

Manny Franco knew Looms Boldly could do it all on the lead and wasn’t about to take his mount out of his game after the break of Sunday’s $97,000 Damon Runyon at Aqueduct. He’d ridden the big Goldencents colt to victory on the front end before – namely in a maiden win in mid-November – and didn’t change a thing in the 6-furlong Runyon.

“I took advantage of the break,” Franco said after Ten Strike Racing’s Looms Boldly won by a half-length. “He broke so sharp and I went with him because I won on the lead with him before. That’s what I did and he took me all the way to the wire.”

Looms Boldly, coming off a third in a state-bred allowance-optional Feb. 20 off a more than three-month break, improved to 2-for-4 in the Runyon for trainer Brad Cox. He also became the second stakes winner for Marshall Gramm’s and Clay Sanders’ Forestry mare See the Forest, who is also the dam of 2019 champion New York-bred 2-year-old filly and $303,795-earner Critical Value.

Sent off as the 5-1 fourth choice in the field of five, Looms Boldly came away quick from the gate and led stakes winner Andiamo a Firenze by a half-length through the opening quarter-mile in :22.39.

Looms Boldly continued on around the far turn, holding that half-length edge and to the half-mile split in :46.42. Franco let him out in the lane and Looms Boldly opened up 2 1/2 lengths on Andiamo a Firenze in midstretch with What’s Up Bro trying to make a belated run on the outside. Looms Boldly held it together inside the final furlong and won in 1:13.73.

“In the stretch, my horse was getting a little tired in the end, but at the same time he was giving me all he had,” Franco said. “I’m glad we got it done today.”

Andiamo a Firenze, winner of last year’s Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and the second choice at 9-5, held second and was 4 1/4 lengths clear of 9-5 favorite What’s Up Bro in third. D’ont Lose Cruz and Bobby Ride completed the field, reduced by the scratch of East Coast Girl.

Looms Boldly added the Damon Runyon to his Nov. 12 maiden victory also at 6 furlongs at Aqueduct. He finished second in his debut – after opening up a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch before falling short by three-quarters of a length – and third in his comeback Feb. 20.

Dustin Dugas, Cox’s New York-based assistant, said Franco’s familiarity with the colt played a key role in the victory.

“I expected him to be on the lead or near it, but I didn’t expect it to be that quick,” he said. “Manny was really confident in the horse and has breezed him a bunch of times. He knows him really well. He rode him last time and he needed the race a bit off the layoff. He wasn’t that comfortable sitting off the pace, so Manny made sure to be really aggressive today and it panned out.

“I was a little bit nervous down the backside with the fast fractions, but when he turned for him he just looked as confident as he did and was striding out very comfortable. I was confident then.”

Looms Boldly is one of six winners out of See the Forest, who is out of two-time champion New York-bred, multiple graded stakes winner and $1,060,984-earner Critical Eye. See the Forest was claimed by Gramm for $12,500 out of a victory in early October 2010 at Philadelphia Park. See the Forest retired with six wins in 24 starts and $126,313.

In addition to Critical Value, See the Forest is the dam of Grit’n’grind, a 10-time winner in 80 starts who earned $449,584; three-time winning New York-bred Backstretch George, five-time winning New York-bred winner Steam Engine; and the 4-year-old New York-bred Midnight Lute colt Whittington Park, a three-time winner currently in training for Ten Strike Racing. See the Forest did not produce a foal in 2021 or 2022 before delivering a colt by Constitution in New York Feb. 6.

Foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Looms Boldly earned $55,000 for the victory to boost his bankroll to $117,540.

“He’s always been a big, chunky boy and we always thought he was unfit, but he’s shown us that he just is [this way],” Dugas said. “He never lost his baby fat and he’s just this big boy. He’s definitely grown mentally and physically. His whole family is happy-go-lucky and they love to race and train.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/19/looms-boldly-sharp-in-damon-runyon-score/

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Downtown Mischief stays unbeaten in Cicada

Like mother, like daughter.

Downtown Mama, a $440,000 2-year-old in training purchase for Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable, started her career with three straight wins in 2017. She retired with those three wins from seven starts in 2018 and now her first foal, the 3-year-old Into Mischief homebred filly Downtown Mischief, is off to a 3-for-3 start to her career.

The latest came in her first try in a stakes and against open company in Saturday’s $100,000 Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct, where Downtown Mischief overcame what her trainer called a “complicated situation” to defeat five foes in the 6-furlong event.

“She worked her way through it,” winning trainer Linda Rice said. “I was really proud of her as well. She doesn’t need the perfect trip to get there.”

Rice said she expected Downtown Mischief and Lezcano to track the early speed of Hot Little Thing early in the Cicada. That plan went out the window when Hot Little Thing, a stakes winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis last fall, came away last at the break. Fabulously Funny broke well and took the early lead, just ahead of Musicmansandy before Downtown Mischief asserted herself to take the lead.

“It totally went upside down,” Rice said. “(Hot Little Thing) doesn’t break and then she comes rushing up through, but Jose is such a pro and he never loses his cool. When he needed to hold his ground, he did. That makes a difference.”

That advantage also didn’t last long with Hot Little Thing and Alex Achard rushing up to lead through the opening quarter-mile in :22.89. Downtown Mischief retook the advantage between the first and second quarters and led by a head over Fabulously Funny through the half in :47.19.

Downtown Mischief widened her lead from there, clicking past 5 furlongs in 1:00.02 and up 2 1/2 lengths. Lezcano stayed busy down the lane without asking too much and Downtown Mischief hit the finish in 1:13.72. Tappin Josie, coming off 11 days’ rest and a win in the Society Hill Stakes at Parx Racing, rallied for second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Fabulously Funny in third.

“She broke a little slow; she didn’t break that sharp,” Lezcano said. “(Hot Little Thing) didn’t break either, so I had to go for my position. When I asked her, she gave me a good run. I stayed in my position when I saw the two on the outside. I asked her at the quarter-pole and she ran on like the good horse that she is.”

Rice bought Downtown Mama as agent for Lady Sheila at the 2016 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. She earned $78,100 in her seven starts before heading to the breeding shed. She produced Downtown Mischief in 2020. Downtown Mama is the dam of a yearling filly by Maclean’s Music, also bred by Lady Sheila, and was bred to Violence last season.

Foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park, Downtown Mischief didn’t start at 2 and made her debut going 6 furlongs Jan. 14 at Aqueduct. She won that day by 7 3/4 lengths before a 1 1/4-length tally in a state-bred allowance-optional Feb. 17.

Downtown Mischief earned $55,000 for the Cicada victory to boost her earnings to $133,100.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/03/18/downtown-mischief-stays-unbeaten-in-cicada/

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