First winners for King for a Day, Disco Partner, Market Rally
[1]
Soontobeking, King for a Day’s first starter, wins last week at Belmont at the Big A. NYRA Photo.
New York-based sires King for a Day and Disco Partner and former New York stallion Market Rally were represented by their first winners – all in open company and picking up sizable awards for their connections – in late May.
Freshman sire King for a Day, an 8-year-old son of Uncle Mo who stands for $5,000 at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Stillwater, picked up his first winner when his first starter, Soontobeking, won a $90,000 open-company maiden special weight May 24 at Belmont at the Big A.
Bred and owned by Our Blue Streaks Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds and foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater, the 2-year-old out of the winning Freud mare Swayed won his second start by a head over Classic Time. Trained by Mitch Friedman, Soontobeking finished third in his debut against fellow New York-breds May 10.
“We are all really excited that King got his first winner so early in the season,” said Irish Hill Century’s Rick Burke. “The breeders and owners of Soontobeking have always been very high on him. His breeze at OBS was very nice.”
Soontobeking picked up $49,500 for his victory May 24 – boosting his bankroll to $58,500 from his two starts. He also picked up significant awards for his connections with the victory – breeder’s award: $19,800; stallion owner’s award: $4,950; and owner’s award: $9,900.
A stakes winner bred and raced by Stephen P. Brunetti’s Red Oak Stable, King for a Day entered stud in 2021 at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views. He won three of seven starts, including the Sir Barton Stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico Race Course and the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at the expense of Maximum Security at Monmouth Park, during his sophomore season. King for a Day earned $260,550.
“Many breeders loved their first-crop foals,” Burke said. “In King for a Day’s second season, we saw so many book back to him with just one look at their newborn foals. That speaks volumes. King for a Day is thriving in his career at stud. He’s had very solid books and we expect great things from the first crop. We should see a number of them with top connections. Red Oak Stable is very involved with his career and they will continue to support him every step of the way.”
[2]
Miami Twofer wins at Finger Lakes to give her sire Disco Partner his first winner. SV Photography.
World-record setter and multiple graded stakes winner Disco Partner sired his first winner May 22 when the filly Miami Twofer won at Finger Lakes.
Disco Partner, a 12-year-old New York-bred son of Disco Rico out of the Numerous mare Lulu’s Number, stands privately at Rockridge Stud in Hudson. He is the sire of 23 foals.
“Disco Partner is a world-record-holding turf sprinter whose foals were very well-received at auction,” said Rockridge’s Erin Robinson. “We are confident he will have more very competitive horses soon – especially considering the resurgence in turf racing.”
Bred by Moongate Racing LLC, foaled at Nota Bear Farms in Ontario and out of the Archarcharch mare Skippin’ Church, Miamo Twofer improved to 1-1-2 in her seven starts with Wednesday’s victory for owner Timothy Burr, trainer Karl Grusmark and jockey Jackie Davis. She also picked up a breeder’s award of $3,240 and stallion owner’s award of $810 for her connections.
Disco Partner, who raced for his owner and breeder Patricia Generazio, won 11 of 33 starts with six seconds and eight thirds during his six seasons on the racetrack and earned $1,487,560.
Trained by Christophe Clement, Disco Partner won his debut in late October as a 2-year-old and went on to win stakes at ages 4, 5 and 6. His biggest stakes score came in the Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational on the 2017 Belmont Stakes Day undercard, winning the 6-furlong stakes in a world and course record 1:05.67.
Disco Partner also won the 2018 Jaipur, upgraded for that running to a Grade 2 stakes, along with the 2017 and 2018 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational along with back-to-back thirds in the 2017 and 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
[3]
Kantbecc put former New York sire Market Rally in the win column in Tuesday’s first race at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
Grade 3 winner and former New York-based sire Market Rally, who entered stud in 2018 and also stood at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views, sired a pair of winners on Tuesday’s card at Finger Lakes.
Our First Ward Stable’s Kantbecc got things started in the opener, running off to a front-running 6 1/2-length score under Nazario Alvarado in the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight worth $31,280. Bred by Robert Simonick, foaled at Carlland Stables in Avon and trained by Linda Dixon, the 3-year-old filly out of the Kantharos mare Princessmaizekant won in her third start and 15 days after a runner-up finish in a similar open-company maiden.
Kantbecc also picked up significant awards for her connections – breeder’s award: $7,824; stallion owner’s award: $1,956; and owner’s award: $3,912.
[4]
Miss Wobbles made it two wins for Market Rally – and her breeder, owner, trainer and jockey – in Wednesday’s fourth at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
The same breeder-owner-trainer-jockey team came back in the fourth race and won with the Market Rally filly Miss Wobbles, also in her third start and also after a runner-up in a maiden race 15 days prior. The 3-year-old filly out of the Big Brown mare Maizelovesbrownies won her 5 1/2-furlong maiden worth $32,266 by a half-length.
The win by Miss Wobbles, also foaled at Carlland Stables, was also worth a breeder’s award of $7,824, stallion owner’s award of $1,956 and owner’s award of $3,912.
A $210,000 Keeneland September yearling, Market Rally won three of four starts and earned $324,270. A debut winner at 2 in August 2015 at Monmouth Park, Market Rally continued his career at 3 in Dubai and won the Grade 3 UAE Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored by Gulf News and the Al Bastakiya Sponsored by Emirates Skywards for owner Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al Maktoum and trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Soontobeking-1-DSC_5274.jpg
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5-22-24-R2-Miami-Twofer-2.jpg
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5-28-24-R1-Kantbecc.jpg
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5-28-24-R4-Miss-Wobbles.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/29/first-winners-for-king-for-a-day-disco-partner-market-rally/
Jak N Burny scores front-running win in George W. Barker
[1]
Jak N Burny rolls to first stakes win in Monday’s $50,000 George W. Barker at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
Sherry Washburn’s homebred Jak N Burny repelled multiple challenges in the stretch from Flying Emperor to win Monday’s $50,000 George W. Barker Stakes at Finger Lakes.
Off since a runner-up finish in late November, Jak N Burny shook off any rust early and fended off Flying Emperor late to win by 2 lengths as the 7-5 favorite in the field of nine for the traditional Memorial Day feature and first stakes of the season at Finger Lakes.
The 4-year-old gelding by Destin improved to 5-for-7 with the victory – his first in stakes company – for Washburn and trainer Debra Breed. Joel Cruz rode Jak N Burny, who won in 1:10.69. The Institute finished four lengths back in third at 22-1, a head in front of Tra Lad in fourth.
Cruz hustled Jak N Burny away from the gate at the break and established a clear 1-length lead from Flying Emperor with Writer’s Regret and Shipsational chasing another length back. Jak N Burny led through the opening quarter-mile in :22.77.
Jak N Burny continued to lead entering and around the far turn, holding Flying Emperor off by a length before running past the half in :45.71. Flying Emperor and jockey Emanuel De Diego made repeated tries to run down Jak N Burny in the lane, through 5 furlongs in 57.77, but couldn’t get past.
Unraced at 2, Jak N Burny rattled off three wins in open company by a combined 27 1/2 lengths in July, August and September. Sent off as the odds-on favorite in the Leon Reed Memorial going 6 furlongs on a sloppy track in mid-October at Finger Lakes, Jak N Burny hopped and bobbled at the start, never reached the lead and finished fourth behind Allure of Money, Flying Emperor and Lady’s Golden Guy.
Jak N Burny rebounded from his initial stakes foray with a victory in a state-bred allowance November 8 before a runner-up finish behind The Institute to end the season two weeks later.
Breed breezed Jak N Burney four times – including a 6-fiurlong tightener in 1:13.40 May 14 – for his 2024 debut in the Barker. He earned $30,000 for his Barker victory and boosted his bankroll to $102,680.
Jak N Burny is the fifth foal out of the winning New York-bred Duckhorn mare Betty’s Chance. He’s a half-brother to multiple stakes winner, 14-time winner and $495,264-earner Winston’s Chance – a three-time starter in the George W. Barker – and 13-time winner and $423,174-earner Ifihadachance and winner Honest Chance.
Betty’s Chance, bred by Washburn and Michael Haers, went 2-3-0 in six starts for $23,930 in earnings. She’s also the dam of the 2-year-old New York-bred Cloud Computing filly Cloudy Chance, who was also bred by Washburn.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5-27-24-R7-Jak-N-Burny.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/27/jak-n-burny-scores-front-running-win-in-george-w-barker/
New York-breds in demand at Midlantic finale
[1]
Hip 367, a filly by Mitole bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds and Jeff Gardella, sold for $325,000 to highlight Tuesday’s Midlantic May sale finale. Photo courtesy of Grassroots Training and Sales.
The six-figure haul continued Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale, with seven New York-breds bringing $140,000 or more including a pair of juveniles by New York-based sire Honest Mischief that brought $190,000 and $260,000.
Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 42 of the 46 New York-breds through the ring during Tuesday’s final session for a total of $2,777,500, an average price of $66,131 and median of $43,500. Overall, 74 New York-breds sold over the two sessions for $4,589,500, an average price of $62,020 and median of $42,000.
A filly from the second crop of champion Mitole brought the highest price of Tuesday’s session and wound up as the most expensive New York-bred at the sale on a final bid of $325,000. Hip 367[2], who is out of the stakes-placed Tiznow mare Tizjet, sold to KSI.
Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC and Jeff Gardella and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, the filly originally sold out of the McMahon of Saratoga consignment for $25,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Consigned at the Midlantic sale by Grassroots Training and Sales LLC, agent, the filly is the fourth foal out of Tizjet.
McMahon of Saratoga purchased Tizjet, carrying the Mitole filly in utero, for $30,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
[3]
Hip 389, a colt by Honest Mischief bred by Burleson Farms, McKenzie Bloodstock and Sequel Thoroughbreds, sold for $260,000 Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic. Photo courtesy of Sequel Bloodstock.
Hip 389[4], a colt by Honest Mischief out of the unraced Unbridled’s Song mare Vibrato, sold for $260,000 to Clay Scherer, Kerri Radcliffe and Lady Sheila. Bred by Burleson Farms, McKenzie Bloodstock and Sequel Thoroughbreds, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent, the colt is the fourth foal out of Vibrato. She’s the dam of stakes-winning New York-bred Navit and four-time winner and $109,245-earner All the Diamonds.
Hip 432[5], a daughter of Honest Mischief out of the unraced Curlin mare All in Time, sold for $190,000 to Donato Lanni, agent. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Cypress Creek Equine LLC and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York, the filly previously sold for $20,000 at the 2023 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale and for $25,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale. A half-sister to New York-bred winner Stress Reliever and three-time winner and $137,905-earner Libban, the Honest Mischief filly was consigned by Kings Equine, agent.
Honest Mischief, an 8-year-old son of Into Mischief whose first foals are 2-year-olds of 2024, stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.
The highest-priced New York-bred colt Tuesday – and most expensive at the sale – also sold during the final session. Hip 284[6], a son of Volatile out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Scat’s Lassie, went to ABC Racing for $280,000.
Bred by Beals Racing Stable LLC and Saratoga Glen Farm and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm in Schuylerville, the colt is the seventh foal out of Scat’s Lassie and a half-brother to four winners including New York-breds Frat and Shea On a Mission. He originally sold as a weanling for $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale and for $50,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hip367-FTMidlantic2024.jpeg
- Hip 367: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/367.pdf
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hip389-FT-Midlantic2024.jpeg
- Hip 389: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/389.pdf
- Hip 432: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/432.pdf
- Hip 284: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/284.pdf
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/22/new-york-breds-in-demand-at-midlantic-finale/
New York Showcase Day Brunch presented by Thirty Year Farm – Sunday, June 9
[1]
Join NYTB & Thirty Year Farm for a brunch buffet & bar to kick off New York-bred Showcase Day on Sunday, June 9, closing day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga!
Presented by Thirty Year Farm, the brunch will be a wonderful and exciting event and is an opportunity to interact with your fellow breeders, owners, NYTB members, and everyone in the program ahead of our first Showcase Day of 2024 in closing out the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. We look forward to seeing you there!
Purchase tickets by visiting nytbreeders.org/events
[2]
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BelmontFestival_logo-1-e1707584691699.jpg
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/NYTB_Belmont-Brunch_Half-Page_f1.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/21/new-york-showcase-day-brunch-presented-by-thirty-year-farm-sunday-june-9/
Volatile colt, Vino Rosso filly top Midlantic opener
[1]
Hip 136, a colt by Volatile bred by Hidden Lake Farm, brought $250,000 Monday at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale. Photo courtesy of LG.
Four New York-breds led by a colt by Volatile and filly by Vino Rosso sold for six figures to highlight the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale Monday in Timonium, Maryland.
Cash Is King/Alex Zacney went to $250,000 to land the top-priced New York-bred of the day, Hip 136[2], a son of Volatile out of the winning Storm Cat mare Lexington Girl. Bred by and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, the colt is the 13th foal out of the full sister to graded stakes winners Magicalmysterycat and Burmilla.
Consigned by LG, agent, the Volatile colt is a half sibling to 11 winners including stakes winners Whirlin Curlin and Lexington Street. He originally sold for $27,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.
[3]
Hip 23, a daughter of Vino Rosso bred by Christopher Shelli, sold for $190,000 Monday in Timonium. Photo courtesy of de Meric Sales.
Mark Glatt, agent, landed the session’s top-priced New York-bred filly, going to $190,000 for Hip 23[4], a daughter of Vino Rosso out of the unraced Ghostzapper mare Fear This. Bred by Christopher Shelli and foaled at Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds in Fort Edward, the filly is a half sibling to five winners including the New York-bred Violence ridgling and $170,385-earner Gambler’s Fallacy and New York-bred Palace Malice gelding and $105,025-earner Fast N Fearious.
Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent, the Vino Rosso filly originally sold for $45,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 29 of the 41 New York-breds through the ring Monday for a total of $1,653,000, an average price of $57,000 and median of $40,000.
LEB, agent for West Point Thoroughbreds, paid the highest price of the session for a New York-sired juvenile, going to $85,000 for Hip 216[5], a daughter of Solomini.
Bred by Amy Boll and Raymond DeStefano and foaled at Buckridge Farm in Kinderhook, the filly is the fourth foal out of the Americain mare Peeress. A full sister to the winning New York-bred 3-year-old colt Solo in Paris, the Solomini filly was consigned by Grassroots Training and Sales LLC. The filly sold twice prior to going through the ring Monday – for $11,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale and for $20,000 at last year’s OBS winter mixed sale.
Solomini, a 9-year-old son of Curlin who stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, ranks third on the Empire State’s general sire list and topped the 2023 New York freshman and juvenile sire lists.
The sale concludes with Tuesday’s second session at 11 a.m.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hip136-FTM2024.jpg
- Hip 136: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/136.pdf
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hip23-FTM2024.jpg
- Hip 23: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/23.pdf
- Hip 216: https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2024/0520/216.pdf
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/21/volatile-colt-vino-rosso-filly-top-midlantic-opener/
Maple Leaf Mel earns 2023 New York-bred Horse of the Year, multiple divisional honors
[1]
Maple Leaf Mel, a two-time graded stakes winner last year, earned New York-bred Horse of the Year and a pair of divisional honors for 2023. NYRA Photo.
Multiple graded stakes winner Maple Leaf Mel earned New York-bred Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter honors during the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc.’s Annual Awards Ceremony Monday night at Sacred Saratoga on the property of GMP Farm in Schuylerville.
Bred by Joe Fafone and campaigned by Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm, Maple Leaf Mel won the East View Stakes at Aqueduct against fellow New York-bred fillies before back-to-back successes in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico and Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont Park. The daughter of Cross Traffic suffered a fatal injury in the final strides – while on the lead and headed to a certain victory – of the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by Melanie Giddings and Jeremiah Englehart, Maple Leaf Mel won five of six starts overall and earned $399,650.
The 2023 New York-bred Horse of the Year and divisional champions were chosen by a vote of New York turf writers, handicappers, photographers and television and radio hosts and analysts conducted by the NYTB.
A Commemorative Awards Dinner Program was written and produced by ST Publishing (the team behind The Saratoga Special and Thisishorseracing.com) for Monday night’s event and includes profiles of all the finalists. The program is available here[2].
New York’s 2023 honorees:
New York-Bred Horse of the Year, Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Champion Female Sprinter
Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic-City Gift, by City Place)
Breeder: Joe Fafone.
Owner: August Dawn Farm.
Trainers: Melanie Giddings and Jeremiah Englehart.
Foaling farm: Waldorf Farm in Valatie.
Champion Two-Year-Old Male
The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso – Call to Service, by To Honor and Serve)
Breeders: Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker
Owner: Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher
Trainer: Mike Maker
Foaling farm: Sequel Stallions in Hudson
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
Cara’s Time (Not This Time – Zindra, by Macho Uno)
Breeder: Stephen Crestani Jr.
Owner: Richard Greeley
Trainer: Mitch Friedman
Foaling farm: New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls
Champion Three-Year-Old Male
Hejazi (Bernardini – G Note, by Medaglia d’Oro)
Breeder: Chester and Mary Broman
Owner: Zedan Racing Stables Inc.
Trainers: Bob Baffert, Tim Yakteen
Foaling farm: Chestertown Farm in Chestertown
Champion Older Dirt Male
Dr Ardito (Liam’s Map – Delightfully So, by Indian Charlie)
Breeders: Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding
Owners: Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso
Trainer: Chad Brown
Foaling farm: Waldorf Farm in Valatie
Champion Older Dirt Female
Classy Edition (Classic Empire – Newbie, by Bernardini)
Breeders: Chester and Mary Broman
Owners: Robert and Lawana Low
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Foaling farm: Chestertown Farm in Chestertown
Champion Turf Male
Red Knight (Pure Prize – Isabel Away, Skip Away)
Breeder/Owner: Trinity Farm
Trainer: Mike Maker
Foaling farm: Keane Stud in Amenia
Champion Turf Female
Silver Skillet (Liam’s Map – Catcha Rising Star, by Red Giant)
Breeder: Robert Chasanoff
Owners: Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Foaling farm: Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill
Champion Male Sprinter
Bold Journey (Hard Spun – Polly Freeze, by Super Saver)
Breeders: Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding.
Owners: Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber
Trainer: Bill Mott
Foaling farm: Waldorf Farm in Valatie
Steeplechaser
Kiyomori (First Samurai – The Grey Express, by King’s Theatre)
Breeder/Owner: Greg Hawkins
Trainers: Todd Wyatt and Janet Elliot
Foaling farm: River Valley Farm in Gansevoort
Broodmare of the Year: City Gift (City Place – For My Wife, by Not For Love)
New York-Bred Trainer of the Year: Linda Rice
New York-Bred Jockey of the Year: Manuel Franco
New York Breeder of the Year: Stonewall Farm
Click here for the 2023 NYTB Annual Awards Dinner program.[3]
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/maple-leaf-mel-the-victory-ride.jpg
- here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fircs6zf62uenw3hfdoee/NYTB24Final.pdf?rlkey=cvbj5k2s9yh96nftsyz0u4o1x&st=wo9lys3c&dl=0
- 2023 NYTB Annual Awards Dinner program.: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fircs6zf62uenw3hfdoee/NYTB24Final.pdf?rlkey=cvbj5k2s9yh96nftsyz0u4o1x&st=wo9lys3c&dl=0
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/13/maple-leaf-mel-earns-2023-new-york-bred-horse-of-the-year-multiple-divisional-honors/
Tapalo rolls to victory in Lazaro Barrera
[1]
Hronis Racing’s Tapalo and jockey Hector Berrios dominate Sunday’s Lazaro Barrera. Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Benoit Photo.
Hronis Racing’s Tapalo, a 3-year-old son of Tapiture bred by Saratoga Glen Farm, became the latest New York-bred stakes winner in Southern California with a victory in Sunday’s $98,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Tapalo, who earned his first stakes placing two starts back in the El Camino Real Derby, broke best in the 7-furlong Barrera and went straight to the lead. Allowed to set his own pace under Hector Isaac Berrios, Tapalo looked much the best down the backstretch as his rider sat quietly with a loop in his reins. Berrios had plenty of horse left as they entered the turn after setting early fractions of :22.69 and :45.02.
Running just behind the leader for much of the race, fellow New York-bred and 2-5 favorite Ball Don’t Lie was asked to close in the final quarter-mile but never mounted a serious challenge. Tapalo felt the whip a few times early in the stretch, but Berrios put it away in the final furlong to let the ridgling coast home a 7-length winner in 1:21.86. Ball Don’t Lie, a son of Blame bred by River Valley Farm and Hidden Lake Farm, settled for second with Tessuto another 5 1/2 lengths back in third.
“The break was perfect, he was traveling very comfortably,” Berrios said. “At the turn, he was very comfortable. The other horse needed a faster pace. My horse finished well. He has matured since the last time I rode him in October.”
Breaking his maiden in January for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler, Tapalo finished second in the $101,350 El Camino Real Derby in early February. He finished fifth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in early April. The Barrera victory improved his record to 2-2-1 from seven starts with $137,020 in earnings.
Sadler said Tapelo will most likely continue to be seen in middle-distance races in the future.
“He got eliminated in the Santa Anita Derby and I was thinking about giving him a little more time, but he had such a good work last weekend. I said ‘he’s ready to go back,’ ” Sadler said. “I thought this was a good distance for him. Anywhere from 7 to a mile, a mile and an eighth might be OK. He’s kind of a free-running horse. He has a lot of mobility. Hopefully we have a lot more ahead of him.”
Although he’s spent his racing career California, Tapalo has plenty of experience traveling around the country after selling at three sales in two states before making his way to the West Coast.
He sold for $40,000 as a short yearling at the 2022 OBS winter mixed sale before returning to his native state to sell for $20,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Tapalo later sold for $55,000 at last year’s OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training to Martin Anthony.
Foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm in Schuylerville, Tapalo is one of three winners from three to race out of the Empire Maker mare Agent Romanoff. A daughter of Grade 3 winner Bridge Game, Agent Romanoff is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Shalako and six other winners from 11 runners out of her their dam. Tapalo descends from the extended family of Horse of the Year Tiznow and Grade 1 winners Paynter, Oxbow and Sweet Azteca.
After two years without foals, Agent Romanoff foaled a Saratoga Glen Farm-bred colt by Sequel Stallions New York’s Honest Mischief in March.
Tapalo joins two-time graded stakes winner Kinza as California stakes winners hailing from the New York-bred program in 2024.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Tapalo-uts1-200.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/12/tapalo-rolls-to-victory-in-lazaro-barrera/
Owner-breeder Frank Stella Dies at 87
[1]By Reg Lansberry
Frank Stella, an artist of the postwar era whose seminal talent encompassed multiple genres, propelling him to worldwide prominence for more than six decades, and which was abetted by a passion for thoroughbred racing and breeding, died at his home in the West Village of Manhattan on May 4. He was 87.
Stella’s modest racing and breeding operation at his 120-acre Delehanty Stock Farm, located in Dutchess County near Amenia, New York, produced a slew of accomplished New York-breds over several decades. His finest was multiple graded stakes winner Perfect Arc, a daughter of stallion Brown Arc, by the immortal Alleged, who captured the 1977 and 1978 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Stella bred, raced and co-owned the filly with the late Paul K. Sorren (Brazil Stable). Out of the Argentine mare Podeica (Petronisi-Indian Order, by Ovid), who won the 1987 Polla de Potrancas (Arg-G1) (Argentine One Thousand Guineas), defeating 1998 Racing Hall of Fame inductee Bayakoa (Arg), Podeica won at the allowance level in the U.S. before retiring due to injury.
Conceived and subsequently foaled at Delehanty on March 7, 1992, Perfect Arc was trained by Angel Penna Jr. Competing from age two through four, at three she was a perfect 7-for-7, all on turf. With Hall of Fame rider John Velasquez in the irons, Perfect Arc won the 1995 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course, leaving Auriette (Ire) in her wake by two lengths on good turf in 1:49 4/5. At season’s end, she was named 1995 New York-bred Horse of the Year, champion three-year-old filly and champion turf female. Her perfect turf season included triumphs in the Rare Perfume Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park and Diana Handicap (then-Grade 3) at Saratoga Race Course.
In an abbreviated 1996 campaign, Perfect Arc added two wins in four starts, all on grass. She won the Noble Damsel Handicap (G3) at Belmont Park and finished second to champion Possibly Perfect in the Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington International Race Course. At year’s end, Perfect Arc was named 1996 N.Y. champion female. She finished her career with 10 victories in 13 starts (six stakes wins) and purse earnings of $668,230.
Retired to Delehanty, Perfect Arc’s broodmare career produced three winners from seven runners, though nothing remotely approaching her class. She is granddam of 2013 foal Starship Jubilee (Indy Wind—Perfectly Wild, by Forest Wildcat), a Grade-1 winner with earnings topping $1.6 million. Named Canada’s 2019 Horse of the Year and three-time champion female from 2017-2019, her initial eight runners were all winners.
Other homebreds raced by Stella, each of whom were retired to his broodmare band, were Southern Tradition ($379,125), Very True ($329,452), Island Sun ($316,804), and Fortunate Faith ($251,635), by Fortunate Prospect.
Stella was breeder of record for Fortunate Faith’s 2005 foal, Z Fortune, by Siphon (BRZ), who captured the 2008 Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Track. Sold to Big Apple Racing for $80,000 out of the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale by Eaton Sales, agent, Z Fortune was trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen for Zayat Stable (who would realize Triple Crown glory in 2015 with American Pharoah). At odds of 19.20-to-1 with Robby Albarado aboard, the multiple graded stakes-placed runner finished 10th to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby (G1). His stablemate, Z Humor, finished 14th at odds of 63.60-to-1.
Z Fortune raced from age two through five (15-3-2-2) and amassed $432,942 in prize money.
Smitten by the racing bug in the early 1970s during a visit with Sorren to Hollywood Park, fully in keeping with the history of the turf, Stella was resolutely dedicated to breeding and racing on that surface. For that reason, his association with trainer Christophe Clement over the past dozen or so years proved ideal for both.
“Mr. Stella was a great owner and a very simple man. You would never have known that he was this great artist,” Clement said. “In fact, he and my wife shared the same birthday (May 12)! He never put any pressure on his trainer and always put the horse first.”
Delehanty’s newest foal, a colt by the Street Sense stallion Maxfield, out of Tent City, by Desert Party, was foaled on Derby Eve according to farm manager Jim Cassidy, who worked for Stella for nearly 50 years.
In 2009, Stella was among ten recipients of the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony. His renown through the decades and work exhibited in galleries and museums around the globe as well as in private collections aside, however, Stella relished the inherent challenge of studying pedigrees, planning matings for his mares, and naming foals. As he noted in a 1999 interview, despite the vagaries of commercial success and “fashionable opinions” about what constitutes art, he never wearied of the adrenaline-fueled rush unique to the Sport of Kings. He also appreciated that racing’s finish line provides the ultimate arbiter of success.
After saying there is “no level of success in the art world that can compare with success in racing,” Stella added, “There’s a kind of refreshing directness to the finish line, which I like. You don’t have that in the art world.”
Survivors include his wife, Dr. Harriet McGurk, their sons Patrick and Peter, three children from prior relationships, and five grandchildren. As of press time, funeral arrangements had not been announced.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Frank-at-the-Farm-October-2005-05.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/06/owner-breeder-frank-stella-dies-at-87/
Dancing Buck wins NY return in Elusive Quality
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Dancing Buck draws off to win Saturday’s Elusive Quality in his New York return. NYRA Photo.
After a pair of runner-up finishes in graded stakes events at Santa Anita Park, Grade 3 winner Dancing Buck returned to his winning ways Saturday with a victory in the $150,000 Elusive Quality Stakes.
Racing over 6 furlongs on the turf in one of three stakes that highlighted the first Saturday card of the Belmont at the Big A meeting, Dancing Buck broke well and immediately took the lead to control the pace. The 6-year-old son of War Dancer opened more than a length on the field early before the other added pressure through the first quarter in :22.40.
Dancing Buck didn’t have it easy on the front end but kept his lead through the half in :44.60. He turned for home in front, putting away his early arrivals and bracing for a late run from American Monarch. That rival cut the gap but fell short by 1 1/4 lengths. Alogon finished another half-length back in third. Dancing Buck won in 1:07.58 over the firm turf.
“Manny (Franco) gave him a great ride,” said Michelle Nevin, who trains Dancing Buck for his breeders J & N Stables and Diamond M Stable. “He took advantage of (Nothing Better) not breaking and once he had control of the race, the horse was there for him.”
The Elusive Quality was Dancing Buck’s first victory since he took the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint back on Oct. 2, 2022 during the first Belmont at the Big A meet. Dancing Buck improved to 7-for-21 with five seconds in the Elusive Quality and padded his bankroll to $592,920. Included in those 21 starts are two stakes wins and five stakes-placings.
Dancing Buck spent the winter in Southern California with trainer Rick Dutrow before returning to Nevin’s barn in New York after his second in the Grade 3 San Simeon March 9. He also finished second in Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Joe Hernandez in late December.
“Having more recency on the other horses is always going to help,” Nevin said. “He loves this turf course, so we were excited to have him back.
Nevin said Dancing Buck’s next start could come in the Grade 1 Jaipur on the June 8 Belmont Stakes card at Saratoga Race Course.
A third-generation New York-bred, Dancing Buck is out of the multiple stakes-placed Catienus mare Frivolous Buck. That mare has produced four winners from six to race with Dancing Buck’s full sister, Mz Big Bucks, earning her own stakes victory in June 2023. Mz Big Bucks has been working regularly at Belmont Park as she prepares for her 2024 debut.
Frivolous Buck is one of two stakes performers for her own dam Terminal Buck, who produced multiple stakes placed Buck Mountain. Buck Mountain is also the dam of multiple stakes-winning mare Our Last Buck.
Frivolous Buck foaled a War Dancer colt named Shenanigans Buck last year for Elizabeth Jameson and was bred back to the stallion for 2024.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dancing-buck-the-elusive-quality.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/05/dancing-buck-wins-ny-return-in-elusive-quality/
My Mane Squeeze upsets Grade 2 Eight Belles
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My Mane Squeeze keeps big week rolling for her breeder and co-owner Buck Butler in the Grade 2 Eight Belles Friday at Churchill Downs. Coady Media/Churchill Downs Photo.
By Tom Law
William “Buck” Butler won a maiden race Sunday at Aqueduct with homebred Mama’s Dream – who wound up claimed for $30,000 to add to the $19,800 he picked up from the purse – and figured the week couldn’t get much better.
Friday between raindrops at Churchill Downs in front of a packed pink-clad house on Kentucky Oaks Day, Butler went for a revision.
“This is pretty good,” he said after celebrating with new partners from WinStar Farm when My Mane Squeeze scored a mild upset in the Grade 2, $534,340 Eight Belles Stakes. The 3-year-old daughter of Audible won the 7-furlong Eight Belles under Luis Saez by 2 lengths from Impel over the sloppy and sealed track.
Butler, who bred My Mane Squeeze out of his Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, said the Eight Belles ranked as his best win.
“This has got to be it,” he said. “My first graded win. Some of the others with offspring of my mares, with siblings … they were real good, too, but not like this. And it all goes back to my Mama Theresa. She was the only stakes placed horse I had so that’s where I started with her.”
Mama’s Dream, a 3-year-old by Freud claimed Sunday, is out of the Carson City mare Mama Theresa. So is In Spite of Mama, who has now produced a graded stakes winner in addition to the multiple stakes winner Rotknee. About 24 hours before My Mane Squeeze’s victory, Butler and his wife Loretta were on hand at Aqueduct to celebrate Rotknee’s win in the $97,000 Affirmed Success Stakes to open the Belmont at the Big A meeting.
An early-morning flight from New York to Louisville got the couple to Churchill with plenty of time, but when Buck Butler felt the heat and humidity that blanketed the area following overnight, morning and afternoon showers he wasn’t quite sure what to think.
“With the rain and the heat, I said, ‘I’m going home,’ ” Butler said. “But (Loretta) made me stay. We went down and saw her in the paddock and I was overjoyed when I saw her. She wasn’t feeling real good out at Oaklawn. She looked her old self out here.”
Eighth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes March 30 at Oaklawn, a defeat which scrapped any aspirations for a run in Friday’s Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks, My Mane Squeeze went to the post for the Eight Belles as the 6-1 third choice behind odds-on choice Denim and Pearls and 9-2 second pick Impel.
Saez kept My Mane Squeeze in close pursuit of Asternia, Halina’s Forte and R Harper Rose as they scrimmaged through the opening quarter-mile in :22.46.
My Mane Squeeze inched up to third behind Asternia and Halina’s Forte through the half in :45.23. Saez kept her to the outside to that point and around the far turn before taking the lead turning for home.
“My horse handled the off track beautifully,” Saez said. “She traveled great the entire backstretch and was in a very comfortable position. You can tell by my silks that they are still clean and I think that helped her down the lane. We stayed out of all the kickback and she got stronger as we got closer to the wire.”
My Mane Squeeze, winner of the Franklin Square and Maddie May against fellow New York-breds to start her sophomore campaign, opened up a 1-length lead in midstretch and widened it to 2 at the finish.
Juddmonte’s Impel, third in the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland last time out, rallied to finish third and was 4 1/2 lengths ahead of the 28-1 Asternia. My Mane Squeeze won in 1:22.85.
Mike Maker, who trains My Mane Squeeze for Butler and WinStar Farm, said the filly was in season during her trip to Hot Springs last time out. She acted up in the starting gate, dropped back to last of 10 early and finished a non-threatening eighth behind eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna.
“That was out of character,” Maker said of My Mane Squeeze’s antics in the gate at Oaklawn. “We did some schooling and it looks like it paid off. Maybe the outside post helped, she wasn’t in gate too long. But the previous start just wasn’t her.
“I was happy the way she saddled, and then when she loaded in the gate and she was behaving I was happy, and then the way she broke it was like, ‘we’ll see if she’s good enough.’ ”
Maker and Butler, who took on WinStar as a partner after her victory in the February 18 Maddie May, said My Mane Squeeze earned a shot at Grade 1 company in the Acorn Stakes June 7 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
My Mane Squeeze and Rotknee were foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia and they’re two of four winners out of In Spite of Mama.
In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 6-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief colt Lookin for Trouble, was a winner and multiple stakes-placed for Butler and Maker. He earned $170,220. In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 4-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold, a four-time winner in 14 starts with earnings of $172,641; and a New York-bred 2-year-old filly by 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will and a yearling full brother to Rotknee.
In Spite of Mama, a 12-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 five other winners, including Mana’s Dream and 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.
My Mane Squeeze picked up $291,400 for her Eight Belles victory to boost her earnings to $604,110 from a record of 5-0-2 in eight starts.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/MY-MANE-SQUEEZE-The-Eight-Belles-05-03-24-R09-Churchill-Downs-Finish-02-Renee-Torbit.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/05/03/my-mane-squeeze-upsets-grade-2-eight-belles/
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