Soloshot, a 2-year-old daughter of New York-based freshman sire Solomini, cruises to victory Monday’s Lady Finger at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
Soloshot didn’t wow trainer George Weaver when he worked the filly on the Oklahoma Training Track’s turf course this summer at Saratoga.
Weaver works most or all of his young prospects on the grass, “just to see,” and saw enough in Soloshot’s moves to keep her in a 5 ½-furlong maiden race late in the Saratoga meet when it came off the grass. The daughter of leading New York-based freshman sire Solomini walloped her seven rivals that day, running off to a 7 3/4-length win to validate Weaver’s opinion of the filly.
She took it a step further Monday at Finger Lakes, again taking the lead from the break on the way to a 2-length win in the $103,159 Lady Finger Stakes. Manny Franco rode Soloshot, the first stakes winner for her sire that stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.
A $290,000 purchase by owners Bregman Family Racing, Jackpot Farm and Swinback Stables at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, Soloshot won the 5 ½-furlong Lady Finger in 1:05.98. Bred by Rhapsody Farm and out of the Twirling Candy mare Sweet Queen, Soloshot improved to 2-for-2 with Monday’s victory.
Soloshot also added $61,895 to Solomini’s progeny total, which sat just shy of $350,000 to start the day. Solomini, an 8-year-old son of Curlin who stands for $6,500, came into the day 18th on New York’s general sire list and tops on its freshman sire list. He’ll wide that advantage thanks to the Lady Finger victory.
The even-money favorite in the field of seven, Soloshot took the lead from the start and led Redwineandwhiskey by a length through the opening quarter-mile in :23.31. She extended that advantage to the half in :46.98 while running down along the rail.
Soloshot led by 3 lengths in midstretch and held off Redwineandwhiskey at the finish by 2 lengths. Unicorn Cake, the 7-5 second choice and a debut winner at Saratoga Sept. 1, finished another three-quarters of a length back in third with Lika Rolling Stone fourth. Maggy’s Palace, Ixodes and Moon Chariot completed the field.
Soloshot is the third foal out of the stakes-placed Sweet Queen. A half-sister to Grade 3 winner Queen of the Castle, Sweet Queen is the dam of the two-time winning Practical Joke New York-bred filly Banterra.
Rhapsody Farm purchased Sweet Queen, carrying Banterra in utero, for $52,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Sweet Queen is also the dam of a yearling full sister to Soloshot that sold for $27,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. – Tom Law
Canigetaloan outfinishes his foes in Monday’s Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.
• Jeremiah Englehart thought he might have something after his 2-year-old colt Canigetaloan ran second in a maiden special weight for New York-breds at Saratoga Race Course in August. A workout on the Oklahoma Training Track two weeks later confirmed it.
Canigetaloan breezed 4 furlongs in :47.20 August 29, earning the bullet and giving Englehart the confidence to run him in a stakes for his second start. After considering Sunday’s Bertram F. Bongard at the Belmont at the Big A meet, Engelhart opted for Monday’s $99,388 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes.
Good choice.
Deftly steered through an opening between horses in the stretch by jockey Kendrick Carmouche, Canigetaloan took the lead at the sixteenth pole and prevailed in a three-way photo to add black type to his first win.
“That was a good horse race,” Engelhart said after watching the son of Leofric out of Diva’s Delight outduel Trust Fund, who had beaten him at Saratoga, and even-money favorite Tall Paul.
The winning margin was a head over Trust Fund, who edged Tall Paul by the same amount. Pacesetter Antonio of Venice was another length back in fourth. The final time was 1:05.
“He was a nice horse all spring,” Englehart said. “I thought he ran very well in his first race. He overcame some adversity. He was stuck down on the inside and I don’t think he wanted to be there. He was doing some things I like in the morning, so I didn’t feel like it was a big shot to put him in this race.”
Tall Paul and Trust Fund broke best, but Antonio of Venice rushed up the rail to take the early lead through a quarter-mile in :22.55. Tall Paul sat right off him, with Trust Fund and Canigetaloan also within 2 lengths of the lead heading into the turn. Antonio of Venice opened up a bit after they straightened out, and when Tall Paul moved to the middle of the track, with Trust Fund outside of him, Carmouche pounced.
“I wasn’t sure if he was going to go in between (Tall Paul) and (Trust Fund) or stay where he was,” Engelhart said. “It just opened up enough and Kendrick pushed him through.”
A $40,000 Legion Bloodstock purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale, Canigetaloan is jointly owned by Legion Racing, Peter Dorsman Racing, Spa City Stables and Christopher Dunn. Bred by Shaun Bridgmohan, she was foaled on Valentine’s Day in 2021.
“Their plan was to race and sell and they sold some pieces after the first race,” Engelhart said.
Leofric started his stallion career at Rockridge Stud in Hudson before being moved to Darby Dan Farm in Lexington last year. Canigetaloan is the third foal out of Diva’s Delight. Avid Sucinori, by Ironicus, has won three times in 24 starts. Devious Delight, by Alternation, ran second in her only start and died at age 2. Diva’s Delight has also produced an unnamed filly by Leofric and an unnamed colt by Unified. – Paul Halloran
