Therapist lands Grade 1 victory in United Nations

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Therapist and Javier Castellano roll to victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 United Nation Stakes at Monmouth Park. Nikki Sherman/EQUI-PHOTO.

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Therapist, a consistent stakes competitor since he burst onto the scene as a juvenile in 2017, took things to the next level with a victory in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes on the Haskell Day undercard at Monmouth Park.

Claimed for $50,000 by Michael Dubb and trainer Mike Maker out of a third-place finish in a Jan. 20 Gulfstream Park turf race, Therapist won the 1 3/8-mile United Nations by 1 ½ lengths as the 12-1 fifth choice in the field of eight. Javier Castellano rode the 8-year-old son of leading New York sire Freud, who picked up $360,000 for the victory to pass the seven-figure mark in earnings.

Therapist, bred by Oak Bluff Stable LLC and Christophe Clement, moved into the 30^th spot on the list of all-time leading New York-bred earners at $1,353,815 after the United Nations.

Castellano kept Therapist toward the back early in the United Nations as 58-1 longshot So High raced away from the field to set the pace 5 lengths in front through early fractions of :24.76, :49.32 and 1:14.26.

Therapist and multiple New York-bred graded stakes winner Red Knight raced in two of the last three positions in the stretched-out field to that point.

Therapist started closing from the outside as the field entered the far turn, just behind the leaders at the top of the stretch. Catnip was the first to steal the lead from the pacesetting So High but he was quickly confronted by Therapist, who rolled past as they entered the final sixteenth. Therapist built his margin in the closing strides to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Catnip in 2:14.50 over the firm turf. Red Knight gave New York two of the top three finishers by finishing another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Therapist won for the 13th time in 42 starts, including 10 stakes. He’s finished on the board in 26 of his races and has three wins in six starts this year for Dubb and Maker. Therapist also won the Grade 2 Pan American Stakes presented by Rood & Riddle April 1 at Gulfstream.

The $50,000 Dubb paid to claim Therapist in January has quickly paid off with two graded stakes wins and $524,620 in earnings since the claim. Dubb also celebrated his third straight United Nations victory, following Tribhuvan in 2021 and Adhamo in 2022.

“I followed this horse throughout his career,” Dubb said after Therapist’s victory. “I knew the ability he had and that’s why I claimed him. When he got a little older they put him in claiming races so we tried to claim him for $25,000 and got out-shook. When they put him back in for $50,000, I knew he was worth that and quite a bit more.”

Therapist was named New York-bred champion 2-year-old male in 2017. Foaled at Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, Therapist is out of the two-time winning Smart Strike mare Lady Renaissance.

Lady Renaissance is the dam of three winners, including Therapist’s stakes-winning full-sister Fresco. Lady Renaissance was sold the year after Fresco was born, bringing $52,000 at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale from Dennis Yokum, agent. Her youngest foal is a 3-year-old unraced Carpe Diem colt named Seize The Derby.

Therapist is the second New York-bred Grade 1 winner of the year after Red Knight won the Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes in May at Belmont Park.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/07/22/therapist-lands-grade-1-victory-in-united-nations/

Weekend Hideaway colt Itsallcomintogetha upsets NYSS Cab Calloway

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Itsallcomintogetha improves to 2-for-7 with upset victory in Thursday’s Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Nolan Clancy

Like father, and mother, like son. 

Itsallcomintogetha completed a family trifecta of Saratoga winners with a gate-to-wire win in the $150,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes Thursday at Saratoga Race Course.

The bay colt collected his first stakes victory in the day’s final race for trainer Phil Serpe, also the trainer of his sire Weekend Hideaway and dam Ladywell Court.

“They’re all runners … It’s great to do that. It is,” Serpe said, on training both sides of the colt’s bloodline. “I’m just really happy for the people that own him.”

Weekend Hideaway collected five wins at Saratoga, including scores in the John Morrissey Stakes in 2014 and 2018. Ladywell Court won at the Spa in her final start in 2012. 

The Hilly Fields Stable homebred broke strongly from the two post and found the rail early under Jose Gomez, splitting the opening quarter-mile in :24.18 and opening a length lead as the six-horse field entered the backstretch. 

From there, Itsallcomintogetha relaxed into a 49.25 half-mile on the lead, while favorite Ramblin’ Wreck found himself four lengths from the lead under Irad Ortiz Jr. The Danny Gargan-trained Redesdale gelding got the best of Itsallcomintogetha in the Spectacular Bid division of the NYSSS at 7 furlongs at Belmont June 18.

The 3-year-old colt held off a late charge from Ramblin’ Wreck, completing the mile over Saratoga’s inner turf course in 1:36.62.

“Last time, we went a little shorter and he rode competitive. He likes to fight,” said Gomez, who collected his first win of the Saratoga meet. “But when he’s out there on his own, he relaxes a little more and me and Phil thought the mile would be perfect for him.”

“I think the two turns is more important than anything, because he’s quick and he can get through the turns pretty quickly,” Serpe said. 

The trainer also attributes some success to Itsallcomintogetha’s growth and maturation into his 3-year-old season.

“He’s easily 200 pounds heavier than he was as a 2-year-old,” Serpe said.

Vacation Dance, a The Lieutenant colt, stayed on to finish third under Kendrick Carmouche, while Superestrella gelding Willintoriskitall finished fourth. Twenty Six Black and Mama Banned Me completed the field.

Itsallcomintogetha is the sixth foal out of Ladywell Court, also the dam of stakes winners Lady Joan and Goodbye Brockley. Serpe trained Lady Joan, winner of the 2017 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the NYSS; and Goodbye Brockley, winner of the 2018 Statue of Liberty division of the NYSS.

Itsallcomintogetha collected the first win by a son of the now-pensioned Weekend Hideaway, a 1-mile maiden race on the turf at Belmont May 6. 

Additional reporting by Alec DiConza.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/07/20/weekend-hideaway-colt-itsallcomintogetha-upsets-nyss-cab-calloway/

Freud filly Orange Freeze rolls in NYSS Statue of Liberty

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Orange Freeze and Joel Rosario fly to the finish of Wednesday’s NYSS Statue of Liberty at Saratoga Race Course. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Bill Morey didn’t claim Orange Freeze with the intent to run the Freud filly back in any specific spot. But he certainly gave Wednesday’s $150,000 Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Saratoga Race Course a thought.

“I wouldn’t say it was the reason for the claim, but it’s always in the back of your mind,” Morey said. “If you do claim a New York-sired horse, you know you have this option.”

The option proved a winner as Orange Freeze, making her first start since being claimed for $40,000 June 23, rolled to a powerful victory over eight opponents in the Statue of Liberty. Joel Rosario rode the winner of Morey, who also owns the filly out of the Birdstone mare Hoopskirt.

Orange Freeze, who won her state-bred maiden claiming event by 3 ¾ lengths for Christophe Clement and owner Madaket Stable when Morey dropped the claim slip, won the Statue of Liberty by 1 1/2 lengths over Bernt Again in 1:37.75 for the mile on good inner turf course.

“She had consistent form and it looked like maybe she was on the improve a little bit,” said Morey, who owns the filly. “Going down the backside, I was pretty confident. Both of my fillies started moving and I thought those fillies [Queens Over Threes and Mz Big Bucks] were going to come back. I saw one go inside, one go outside and it was perfect.”

Bernt Again, a daughter of Honorable Dillon coming off back-to-back wins, finished 3 lengths ahead of the War Dancer filly Mz Big Bucks with the Morey-trained Redesdale filly Red Moon third. Little Linzee, Bea Bea Kaz, Clover Street, Camp Akeela and Queens Over Threes completed the field.

Bred by Thummp’s Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Orange Freeze originally sold for $112,000 to Smokestack Lightning at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She’s one of three winners out of Hoopskirt, who won six of 40 starts with 10 seconds and three thirds for $158,028.

Hoopskirt is also the dam of the winning New York-bred Afleet Alex gelding Farragut, who earned $104,220; and the winning New York-bred Majestic City mare Dutchess of N Y.

She is also the dam of Orange Freeze’s unraced 2-year-old full brother Clinical Decision, who sold as a weanling to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing for $100,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. Clinical Decision breezed 3 furlongs Tuesday in :39.83 on Saratoga’s main track.

Hoopskirt is also the dam of two other full brothers to Orange Freeze – a yearling and a weanling foaled May 10. Sequel Thoroughbreds and Thummps Racing Stable bred the yearling and Thummps Racing Stable bred the weanling.

Freud, a 25-year-old son of Storm Cat and full brother to Giant’s Causeway, stands privately at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson. He came in Wednesday fifth on the New York general sire list, a table he topped six times including a run from 2016 to 2019.

Morey celebrated a pair of victories Wednesday at Saratoga, the first two of his career that features 1,815 through Wednesday. He also won the third race with Golden Dagger and finished second in the ninth with Cadencia.

The win off the claim made in the Statue of Liberty was worth $90,000 and boosted Orange Freeze’s earnings to $131,730 from a record of 2-1-1 in six starts.

“We did win a shake [to claim Orange Freeze],” Morey said. “I was in a 14-way shake the other day, I was in a nine-way today. It’s a part of the claiming game, there’s a lot of luck involved. But the good thing is with these New York-breds and New York-sired specifically, you have the chance to catch one like this and we got lucky.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/07/19/freud-filly-orange-freeze-rolls-in-nyss-statue-of-liberty/

Allure of Money upsets New York Derby

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Allure of Money (inside) fends off odds-on favorite Maker’s Candy to win Monday’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Happy Face Racing Stable’s Allure of Money fended off odds-on favorite Maker’s Candy through the stretch to win Monday’s $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

The 3-year-old son of leading New York sire Central Banker won the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby by a neck over 1-9 favorite Maker’s Candy. Luis Perez rode the winner for trainer Michael Ferraro. Allure of Money won in 1:46.82 over the fast track.

Maker’s Candy shipped in from trainer Mike Maker’s barn at Saratoga Race Course, fresh off a victory in the Mike Lee Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day in late May at Belmont Park. Jose Ortiz also made the trip from Saratoga to ride Maker’s Candy, who stumbled at the start and found himself last of seven past the finish the first time.

Allure of Money came away well and conceded the lead to Tacony Road through the stretch and around the first turn. Tacony Road led by a length through the opening quarter-mile in :24.09 before Allure of Money took over to the half in :48.93. Maker’s Candy recovered from his bobble and rushed up into third to that point.

Allure of Money continued to lead around the far turn as Tacony Road dropped back, Mo Trump inched into contention from the inside and Maker’s Candy pressed from the outside. Allure of Money held a half-length advantage into the stretch, saw it reduced to a head by midstretch but dug in enough to win by a neck. The first two were 13 lengths clear of Mo Trump in third, with Freudmein, Wynn Giant, Tacony Road and Tiz Lucky completing the field.

Sent off as the 7-1 third choice, Allure of Money improved to 4-for-6 and boosted his earnings to $146,737 with the $90,000 first-place check.

Bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan and foaled at their Shamrock Hill Farm in Fort Edward, Allure of Money is the first foal out of the unraced Shackleford mare Alana’s Allure. Co-bred by Prudhomme, Gallivan and Darby Dan Farm, Alana’s Allure is out of the Chilean-bred Dancing Groom mare Bella Madame.

Consigned as a weanling to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale through the Vinery Sales consignment, Allure of Money did not meet his reserve on a final bid of $6,500.

Allure of Money helped Central Banker clinch his second straight New York leading sire title in 2022 with a pair of victories in three starts, including the Tin Cup Chalice Stakes at Finger Lakes. Central Banker, a 13-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. Central Banker came into the day the clear leader on the New York general sire list with progeny earnings of more than $2.1 million.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/07/17/allure-of-money-upsets-new-york-derby/

Farewell Champ: Dual classic winner Funny Cide dies at 23

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Funny Cide, here winning the 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, won three New York-bred Horse of the Year titles and multiple divisional crowns in a career highlighted by his Kentucky Derby and Preakness victories. NYRA Photo.

By Sean Clancy and Joe Clancy

A good racehorse can change everything, and Funny Cide sure did that. The New York-bred gelding, who retired in 2007 as the program’s career earnings leader with $3,529,412 and died Sunday at age 23, sent waves of influence through the lives of scores of people and – in reality – an entire state’s Thoroughbred industry.

“It was life-changing for all the 10 partners and from the business perspective, it put the New York-bred program on a plateau where it had never been before,” said Jack Knowlton, co-founder and operating manager of owner Sackatoga Stable. “And it hasn’t gone away. Once you win the Derby, people see that anything is possible with a New York-bred and the program has only gotten better and better. All of the things we got to do around his Triple Crown run, the Today Show, all of that. If that horse doesn’t come along, would Sackatoga Stable still be around? Who knows? He touched an incredible number of lives, he had a fan base that continued right up until today. I can’t begin to count the number of texts, calls, emails that I’ve gotten. People sharing pictures they have with him at the Horse Park. He was such a fan favorite.”

Foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for breeder WinStar Farm in 2000, Funny Cide sold to Tony Everard for $22,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s New York-bred yearling sale in Saratoga.

“Tony Everard was an old friend of ours and we had to push him to buy him,” Joe McMahon said Sunday. “He was a beautiful-walking horse, he was a smart-looking horse but he had long, slopey pasterns, so be careful of the horses you knock for that.”

Via trainer Barclay Tagg, Everard sold the chestnut son of Distorted Humor to Sackatoga as a 2-year-old the following year. Funny Cide won all three starts (two stakes) in New York-bred company as a 2-year-old. At 3, he hit the big time – placing in three preps for the 2003 Kentucky Derby before landing the nation’s most famous Thoroughbred race in a 13-1 upset of the favored Empire Maker.

Sackatoga and its horse were instant news.

“Part of it was the human story, us guys being ordinary guys, going to the Derby in a school bus, people saw us as the every-man kind of story,” Knowlton said. “There have been others somewhat like it afterward but we were in the right place at the right time. It was a difficult time for the country, with a war going on and all kinds of stuff. And, in Saratoga, he was born here, that just embellished the whole story. The local horse. Being a New York-bred, once he won the Derby, all of New York embraced him as theirs.”

Two weeks after the Derby, Funny Cide dominated the Preakness, winning by 9 3/4 lengths to set up a Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont Stakes. Empire Maker got his revenge there, winning over Ten Most Wanted with Funny Cide third.

“Anne and I sat in the box with Robin (Smullen) and Barclay when he won the Derby. It was like, ‘This stuff doesn’t happen.’ It changed a lot of lives and it changed the face of the business, for a New York-bred to win the Derby and the Preakness, that was huge. It gave New York a little credibility that they could raise a good horse. It changed the partnership business, the idea that for a small amount of money you could get a classic horse. It gave great exposure to inexpensive horses and multiple participation for not a lot of money. He did change the game.”

At 4, he won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct in April and the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in October. As a 6-year-old, Funny Cide won two more stakes (topped by Woodbine’s Grade 3 Dominion Day). In his final start, July 4, 2007, he won the Wadsworth Memorial at Finger Lakes. Racing in six seasons, 2002-07, Funny Cide won 11 races, finished second six times and was third eight times. He was the New York-bred Horse of the Year three times, also collecting divisional trophies as champion 2-year-old, 3-year-old and older horse.

In retirement he was the Tagg stable lead pony for a bit and then moved to the Kentucky Horse Park, where he proved a popular attraction with visitors to the Hall of Champions. He died due to complications of colic and will be cremated and buried at the Horse Park. Saratoga hosts a stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds in his honor (this year’s is Aug. 27) and he appeared in the paddock as a retiree in 2015.

Twenty years since he won the Kentucky Derby, and five since Mind Your Biscuits claimed the New York-bred earnings lead with $4,279,566, Funny Cide is still a measuring stick for the state’s Thoroughbred industry.

“Funny Cide was arguably the most popular and most accomplished New York-bred thanks to his memorable performances on track including his unforgettable victories in the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “He helped to elevate the New York-bred program to national prominence, and I am thankful we were able to honor Funny Cide and his connections last year at Saratoga. On behalf of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. we offer our sincere condolences to everyone directly involved in his life and all who cheered for him during his career.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/07/16/farewell-champ-dual-classic-winner-funny-cide-dies-at-23/

Waitwaitdonttellme in time to win Niagara Stakes

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Waitwaitdonttellme edges Warsaichi late to win Tuesday’s Niagara Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Waitwaitdonttellme worked against a day-long speed bias and ended a seven-race losing streak with her first stakes victory in Tuesday’s $50,000 Niagara Stakes to highlight the Independence Day program at Finger Lakes.

The 3-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man tracked a quick early pace and wore down the pacesetting Warsaichi inside the final furlong to improve to 2-for-11 in her career with a second and five thirds. Luis Perez rode the winner for M. Anthony Ferraro, who co-owns the bay filly with Gags Racing Stable LLC.

Warsaichi, winner of the Lady Finger Stakes and Shesastonecoldfox Stakes last year at Finger Lakes, took the early initiative from the gate under John Davila Jr. and ripped through the opening quarter-mile in :22.98 just ahead of Lockbox. Waitwaitdonttellme and Isabel Luvs Gold tracked behind those two up the backstretch.

Warsaichi continued to lead around the far turn as 6-5 favorite Waitwaitdonttellme moved into second approaching the half-mile split in :46.35. The early leader held the lead by 1 ½ lengths past the eighth pole as Waitwaitdonttellme cut into the lead approaching the final sixteenth.

Waitwaitdonttellme took over from there and went on to win by a half-length in 1:11.57 over the fast track. Warsaichi held second, 6 lengths clear of Lockbox with Fancypants, Tumbles and Isabel Luvs Gold competing the lineup.

Bred by Mulholland Springs, Waitwaitdonttellme is out of the winning Silver Deputy mare Yolie’s Choice and was purchased as a short yearling by Grade One Investments for $45,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Waitwaitdonttellme is one of 10 winners out of Yolie’s Choice and the mare’s first stakes winner. Yolie’s Choice is also the dam of New York-bred winners Bud White and Farmers Choice, and the unraced New York-bred 2-year-old Solomini colt Stanley Rough, who sold for $50,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, and a yearling colt by Thousand Words. The yearling and weanling colt were both bred by Hidden Lake Farm LLC.

Yolie’s Choice is also the dam of Southern Blessing, a $230,000 purchase at 2013 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training who was a three-time winner and runner-up in the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes in 2013 at Saratoga Race Course.

Out of the Group 3-winning Southern Halo mare Old Star, Yolie’s Choice originally sold as a yearling for $110,000 at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. She’s since been sold for six figures three more times, including in foal to Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags for $105,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Waitwaitdonttellme earned $30,000 for the Niagara victory, boosting her bankroll to $67,835. She finished third in her last three starts – all at Finger Lakes – after starting the season with three runs at Tampa Bay Downs. Waitwaitdonttellme’s last victory came in an open-company maiden special weight, when she won by 10 1/2 lengths in her third start after finishing behind Warsaichi and Isabel Luvs Gold in her first two outs.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/07/04/waitwaitdonttellme-in-time-to-win-niagara-stakes/