Golden Rocket shines in Staten Island

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Ballybrit Stables-bred Golden Rocket gave trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci his first stakes victory in the United States in the $120,000 New York Stallion Series Staten Island Stakes at Aqueduct Saturday.

Golden Rocket took advantage of her inside post to settle on the rail early in the 7-furlong stakes over a sealed dirt track. After the field got sorted in the first sixteenth of a mile, Manny Franco put his mount at Sunday Girl’s tail through a :23.26 first quarter followed by a :46.77 half with pressure coming from right behind her from the eventual leader and Lisa’s Vision at her hip on the outside.

The longtime leader left a hole for Golden Rocket to challenge for control and by the top of the stretch, they were head-to-head. Sunday Girl wasn’t willing to give in that easily and Golden Rocket had to deal with her sticking close until they entered the final furlong.

At that point, Sunday Girl grudgingly started to drop back, and Golden Rocket raced to a 3 1/2-length win in 1:25.13. Sunday Girl kept anyone else from passing her and finished second, 2 lengths clear of Lisa’s Vision in third. The victory was Franco’s fourth on the Aqueduct card.

“I’m super happy,” Kantarmaci said. “Under my name, this is my first stakes in the United States. We used to do everything with Mertkan [his brother]. Now he is on vacation. I’m so emotional. Life is so good. She ran very good last time and today was the perfect trip for her. It was excellent. She got the job done. Manny gave us a perfect ride.”

Both Kantarmacis are natives of Turkey and they have long worked together. Mertkan trained the bulk of the stable in the U.S. from 2016 through Oct. 5, finding success with Grade 2 winner Evvie Jets among others, when he handed full training duties to his brother.

Golden Rocket has registered two wins and one other top three finish in seven starts this year for owners John Witte and Morris Kernan. In all, the mare has won six of 27 starts with 10 other top three finishes for $413,262 in earnings. The mare’s first stakes victory came in the 2022 NYSSS Statue of Liberty as a 3-year-old, when she was part of the Patricia Farro barn. Kantarmaci and Witte claimed her for $45,000 out of a win Oct. 10.

Golden Rocket is out of the Touch Gold mare Taty’s Gold, who also produced Golden Rocket’s full-sister Golden Oldie, a winner of three races. In all, the mare has produced four winners from as many to race, including the seven-time winning New York-bred Admiral Kitten gelding Matty’s Express.

Taty’s Gold was also a successful racemare. She won nine of 44 starts with 11 placings for $213,460 in earnings. She is one of nine winners from 10 runners out of Broad Brush’s Eyes Aglow. The extended family also includes champion Gilded Time and Grade 1 winner Hardest Core.

Golden Rocket’s Grade 1 winning sire Alpha started his stud career at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, who stood him on behalf of Darley. Exported to stand at Haras Bagé do Sul in Brazil in 2019, the stallion returned to the U.S. at the end of last year and is pensioned at Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/11/23/golden-rocket-shines-in-staten-island/

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