Storm Changer and Jose Gomez emerge between rivals to win the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series Sunday at Aqueduct

Peter Kazamias’ homebred Storm Changer, one of 13 foals from the first crop of Name Changer, came between rivals in the lane to upset Sunday’s $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct.

Jose Gomez rode the filly, making her first start for trainer Carlos Martin after previously running for the suspended Dimitrios Synnefias. Dismissed at 12-1 in the field of eight reduced by the scratches of Fedupwiththefed and Lazy Y Legacy, Storm Changer improved to 2-for-5 with the victory.

Storm Changer finished second two starts back in the 7-furlong East View Stakes February 8 at Aqueduct and a distant fifth last time in the 1-mile Maddie May Stakes March 7 at Aqueduct. Martin admitted he didn’t do much to get the filly ready for the 6 ½-furlong Park Avenue.

“Jose, we’ve had some luck together with Patricia Ann and some other horses. He always tries hard for us,” Martin said. “He had worked her the other day, she went an easy half in :49 (April 5 on the Belmont Park training track). She came in great shape from Dimitrios, we didn’t want to re-invent the wheel too much. I thought cutting her back would be pretty good for her.”

Howling Wind hustled to the lead ahead of 9-5 favorite Bam’s Bliss Kiss early and led that foe through the opening quarter in :22.40 over the muddy and sealed surface. Bam’s Bliss Kiss inched up within a half-length of the leader midway around the turn, just ahead of Forever to Go and Decree and Declare through the half in :46.37.

Gomez kept Storm Changer in the clear on the outside in fifth around the bend.

“I wasn’t worried,” Gomez said. “That was the game plan; just save some ground and everything has seemed to be running well in the middle of the racetrack.”

Dylan Davis took another route aboard Disco Star, coming up the inside approaching the stretch and took the lead turning for home. Gomez countered that move on the outside while Eric Cancel did similar Princess Mischief even wider out from the rail.

Storm Changer emerged from the three-way battle for the lead inside the sixteenth pole to win by a half-length over Princess Mischief, who nosed out Disco Star for the runner-up spot. Decree and Declare, Howling Wind, Bam’s Bliss Kiss, Royal Event and Forever to Go completed the field. Storm Changer won in 1:18.39.

“She ran great first time out [to win on debut in November],” Gomez said. “Last time I rode her [two starts back in the East View], it might have been a bit long for her, but Bernieandtherose is a pretty decent horse. After that they gave her to Mr. Martin and from then she’s been a different type of horse. She’s a lot more calm.”

Storm Changer picked up $110,000 to boost her bankroll to $183,750.

Grade 3 winner Name Changer, a 12-year-old son of Uncle Mo out of the Northern Afleet mare Cash’s Girl, stands for $2,500 at Kaz Hill Farm in Middletown. The sire of 29 foals of racing age, including a group of 16 current 2-year-olds, Name Changer finished third on the New York freshman sire list in 2024 thanks to two winners from five starters.

Storm Changer is the sixth foal out of the unraced Stormy Atlantic mare Stormin Sistas, who was purchased in foal to classic winner Palace Malice for $27,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Stormin Sistas is the dam of seven-time winner Atlantic Princess, three-time winning New York-bred Kaz Palace and the 4-year-old New York-bred Bank Heist filly Stormin Heist. Kaz Hill Farm also bred Storm Changer’s full brother, the 2-year-old Name Changer colt Hurricane Kaz, out of Stormin Sistas.

Prince Valiant skips over the mud en route to victory in Sunday’s NYSS Times Square. Coglianese Photo.

Red Oak Stable’s Prince Valiant kept it simple and maintained his winning ways with a front-running victory in Sunday’s $194,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old won his first stakes and also became the second stakes winner for his sire King for a Day, a son of Uncle Mo who stands for $5,000 at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Stillwater. King for a Day’s first stakes winner – Soontobeking, who took the March 8 Gander at Aqueduct – finished second in Sunday’s Times Square.

Dylan Davis rode Prince Valiant for trainer Todd Pletcher, scoring by 3 1/2 lengths in the 6 1/2-furlong restricted stakes.

“He’s a really cool little horse,” said Pletcher’s assistant Stu Hampson. “Both in his works in the mornings and in the afternoons, he just seems to keep progressing and getting a little bit better every time. His last two months, his works have steadily improved, and his efforts in the afternoons have also.

“It’s a pleasure to have a horse like this for Red Oak and it’s nice when what we see in the mornings adds up to good performances in the afternoon.”

Bred by Sugar Maple Farm and the second foal out of the D’Funnybone mare Lizzy’s Fun, Prince Valiant sold to Red Oak Farm for $50,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Unraced at 2, Prince Valiant finished third in his debut behind eventual stakes winner and Grade 3-placed Sand Devil in early December. He rattled off back-to-back victories by a neck in a January 11 maiden and February 23 allowance-optional before making his stakes debut Sunday.

Sent off the narrow 7-5 second choice behind the 6-5 National Identity, Prince Valiant went to the front from the start and controlled the terms by a length over Soontobeking through the opening quarter in :22.67 over the muddy and sealed track.

“I saw us as main speed. Just didn’t really know about the break,” Davis said. “He broke well with me, was able to get to the lead comfortably and he was doing it well. He drifted out a little bit down the backside, but I was able to straighten him up into the turn, and then he just started getting on.”

Prince Valiant stayed up by 1 1/2 lengths over Soontobeking through the half in :46.28 and turned for home with a widening advantage. Davis stayed busy in the stretch and Prince Valiant opened up by 2 lengths at the eight pole. Soontobeking maintained his spot in second and finished 5 1/2 lengths clear of National Identity. Huggy and In the Chase completed the field. Prince Valiant won in 1:16.73.

“I knew he was a fighter so if anyone were to challenge him late, he’d fight on again for me,” Davis said.

Prince Valiant earned $110,000 for the win to boost his bankroll to $201,500.

“He’s naturally finding himself on the front end of races and he’s doing it that way, but he’s such a fighter,” Hampson said. “Any time a horse eyeballs him, he just wants to put his head back in front. As he’s matured, he’s relaxed a little bit and depending on what we do with him, that could reflect in the afternoons as well. He’s running great, so we’re just trying to stay out of his way.”

Lizzy’s Fun is also the dam of the 3-year-old Tonalist colt Rafa’s Dream, who sold for $57,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. He made five starts last season in Puerto Rico. She’s also the dam of two other New York-breds – a 2-year-old filly by leading New York sire Central Banker and a filly by Mind Control born February 7.

Bank Frenzy collects his third straight stakes win – and fourth overall – in Sunday’s Haynesfield at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

LSU Stables’ Bank Frenzy stretched his win streak to four – including three stakes scores – with a victory in Sunday’s co-featured $125,000 Haynesfield at Aqueduct.

The 5-year-old Central Banker overcame another ever-so-slight hesitation at start, took over after the opening quarter-mile and held off another son of Central Banker, General Banker, to win the 1-mile stakes by 2 1/4 lengths. Manny Franco rode the winner for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who continues to marvel at the gelding bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman.

“He’s as game as they come,” Rodriguez said. “You put him in the right spot, he shows up. He doesn’t need to take his track with him. He can run in the slop, on fast dirt maybe even on the grass, who knows. He’s a solid horse.”

Bank Frenzy, a finalist for champion New York-bred older dirt male honors in 2024, added the Haynesfield to his victories in the Alex M. Robb Stakes in late December and the Stymie Stakes March 1. He also improved to 8-for-16 and earnings of $575,420.

“He can be a little challenging in the morning, but you have to put the work in,” Rodriguez said. “We’re very blessed that Mr. Larry and Randy [Sarf of LSU Stables] put that horse in our barn.”

Bet down to 1-2 in the field of seven, Bank Frenzy chased early leader Just Step On It through the opening quarter in :24 before taking over from that foe.

Franco led Bank Frenzy open up after he seized the lead and they were 1 1/2 lengths in front at the half in :47.10. Radio Red took up the chase while Just Step On It started to retreat on the far turn. Bank Frenzy sailed past 6 furlongs in 1:10.97, still up 1 1/2 lengths as the field turned for home.

“He’s not the quickest out of there,” Franco said. “He’s getting better every race, and I saw he’s cruising there with the field, I thought they were going to give some separation from me, but I was on the best horse. I just let him pass the chute and I ended up on the lead. It was easy enough. He was doing it the right way, so I was happy where I was.

“Like I said, when I broke, the field was bunched up. Everybody was together. My horse was doing it so easily, the right way, I let him go. We ended up on the lead and he was happy after that.”

Bank Frenzy stayed in command through the stretch, passed the eighth pole 2 lengths in front while drifting out slightly inside the final furlong. He won in 1:35.83 over the muddy and sealed track. General Banker finished a neck in front of Locke and Key for the runner-up spot, with Radio Red, Sheriff Bianco, Wynstock and Just Step On It completing the field.

Foaled at the Bromans’ Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Bank Frenzy is out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. The Bromans purchased Storm Now for $110,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Storm Now is the dam of two other winners – the Into Mischief gelding City Mischief ($131,830) and the Awesome Again gelding Broadway Joe ($15,228). She’s also the dam of the 4-year-old Practical Joke filly Funny Forecast, who made three starts last year and returned to the worktab at Belmont Park Saturday; and the 3-year-old Instagrand filly Farm House, a $100,000 purchase by Final Furlong Racing Stable at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Farm House finished second, third and second in her first three starts, the latest in a maiden-optional March 28 at Aqueduct. She’s already earned $38,480.

The Bromans bred all of those runners in New York, along with Storm Now’s 2-year-old Instagrand filly named In Snows Way. Storm Now also delivered a colt by Jackie’s Warrior March 20 in New York.

Sterling Silver surpases the seven-figure earnings mark with victory in Sunday’s Biogio’s Rose at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

By Paul Halloran

Sterling Silver, who sold for $13,000 as a pandemic-era yearling, eclipsed $1 million in earnings Sunday with a workmanlike win in the Biogio’s Rose Stakes at Aqueduct.

Making the 29th start of her career, and the seventh since being moved to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the 6-year-old grey mare sat behind a speed battle between Khali Magic and Bernietakescharge then ran down Sweet Brown Sugar to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The $68,750 winner’s share brought her earnings to $1,006,051.

“She’s very classy, a professional horse. We’ve had a lot of success together. I know her so well,” said jockey Javier Castellano, who has six wins in 14 starts aboard the daughter of Cupid. “She fit perfect today. It was a small field with a lot of speed and she came from behind and got it done.”

Sweet Brown Sugar and Bernietakescharge broke together, but Khali Magic rushed up the rail to take the lead. She and Bernietakescharge ran in tandem into the turn, with Sweet Brown Sugar, Caldwell Luvs Gold and Sterling Silver chasing through a quarter mile in :23.01 and a half in :45.63. Sweet Brown Sugar made the first move, looming on the outside through the far turn as Sterling Silver also hit her stride.

Sweet Brown Sugar took the lead at the quarter pole, but Sterling Silver had her in her sights and it was clear it was a matter of time before she went by, which happened inside the eighth pole. The winning time for the mile on the muddy track was 1:35.70.

“She’s a super cool horse – very consistent,” said Leana Willaford, Mott’s assistant. “I thought she ran really well today. They went pretty quick the second quarter, which was helpful, and she finished like she was supposed to.”

Sterling Silver, who was bred by Mallory and Karen Mort, became the 65th New York-bred millionaire. She was foaled and raised at Marlene Brody’s Gallagher’s Stud, where Mallory Mort serves as farm manager. Sterling Silver would have been in the ring at the 2020 Saratoga New York-bred sale but Fasig-Tipton held its yearling sales in Kentucky due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sterling Silver was an RNA and was later purchased privately by Mark Anderson for $13,000.

Sterling Silver is the fourth foal out of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor, whom Mallory Mort bought in foal to Midnight Lute for $14,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. The foal, Midnight Comedy, sold for $45,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Sheet Humor is also the dam of the winning Central Banker mare Helene Jacqueline, who brought $35,000 at the 2018 Saratoga New York-bred sale; and Ortiz, an unraced son of Speighster that sold for $210,000 at the 2019 Saratoga New York-bred sale.

The Morts sold Sheet Humor, in foal to Central Banker, for $3,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. Sterling Silver won her debut at Aqueduct and became a stakes winner in her second start in taking the 2021 Franklin Square Stakes. She has run in 10 graded stakes in her career, including the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. She crossed the line first in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom in 2023, but was disqualified and placed second.

Not surprisingly, Sterling Silver has been a force to be reckoned with in races restricted to New York-breds, with a career line of 6-3-2 in 11 starts, all stakes except for her maiden score.

The last foal the Morts bred out of Sheet Humor was Rhetorical, a 3-year-old gelding by Not This Time who sold for $320,000 at the 2022 New York-bred yearling sale. He had a maiden win and ran third in an allowance at Saratoga last summer for owners Siena Farm and WinStar Farm and trainer Will Walden.

Gatsas Stable’s Five G rolls to victory in Saturday’s Gulfstream Park Oaks. Coglianese Photo/Lauren King.

Mike Gatsas knew it was going to be a good day at Gulfstream Park Saturday when he ran into old friend John Assimakopoulos, a retired  trainer from New England and the son of legendary conditioner Charlie Assimakopoulos, who is responsible for Gatsas’ entry into horse ownership more than 25 years ago.

The elder Assimakopoulos bought the first two horses Gatsas owned, in partnership with his brother, Ted – the ageless New York-bred Gander, who earned more than $1.8 million in a 60-race career, and Shadow Caster, who won the 2020 Forego Stakes at 50-1. John was his father’s assistant for many years and finished his career in Florida in 2018.

“There’s no better luck than that,” Gatsas said of the chance meeting, and the results proved him right.

Five G, a 3-year-old Gatsas homebred filly, was a gate-to-wire winner in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks, punching her ticket to next month’s Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Five G is by Vekoma, Gatsas’ best horse ever, whom he owned in partnership with R.A. Hill Stables, out of Triumphant, a broodmare he bought for $57,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale.

“Racing is a lot of fun when you win,” said Gatsas, who still lives in his native New Hampshire. “When you have one who is your own and by a stallion you raced, it’s like having a little kid grow up to be a professional baseball player.”

Gatsas hit a home run with Five G, who was foaled at Rhapsody Farm in Plymouth, New York. After she ran seventh in a maiden special weight at Saratoga last August, trainer George Weaver moved her to the turf, where she broke her maiden at Aqueduct and ran second in the Tepin Stakes in November.

Weaver took her to Florida for the winter and, despite the success on the grass, told Gatsas he wanted to try her on dirt one more time. Gatsas’ son Matt suggested they do it as soon as possible, so they ran in the Fasig-Tipton Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream on New Year’s Day, a race she won by 9 lengths.

That put her on the road to the Oaks and earned her a trip to Oaklawn for the Grade 2 Honeybee Stakes February 23. Breaking from the far outside in a 13-horse field, Five G led for more than half of the 1 1/16-mile race, and when she was collared by Quietside, she yielded only after putting up a battle, finishing second by a length. That performance was flattered when Quietside came back to win the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Saturday.

“That was a great effort,” Gatsas said of the Honeybee. “She got beat by a real nice filly. We were excited coming out of that race.”

Weaver considered waiting for the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland this Friday, but preferred the spacing of the Gulfstream Park Oaks, on both ends.

“Five weeks since her last race and five weeks to the (Kentucky) Oaks,” Gatsas said. “We thought we had a real big shot in the Gulfstream Oaks.”

After jockey Tyler Gaffalione broke his ankle in a freak accident during a post parade three days before the Oaks, Weaver called on Manny Franco to pinch-hit and he could not have made a better decision.

“Manny rode her perfectly,” Gatsas said. “When I saw her on the backside with her ears pricked, I knew she was going to be a monster coming home.”

Five G – named for Gatsas’ grandchildren Calla, Adra, Matthew, Harper and Brody – broke alertly and made the lead without any serious urging from Franco. She was pressed by Anna’s Promise through moderate fractions (23.63, 47.11) and The Queens M G chased in third. It was a two-horse race around the far turn, but when Franco asked Five G for run as they straightened out, she responded and cruised to a 2¼-length win, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

“We’re right there,” Gatsas said. “The filly runs every time we put her on the track. She runs like her father. She didn’t give it up easy in the Arkansas race. I think she has that fight in her.”
As Gatsas brings a horse to the Kentucky Oaks for the first time, it is fitting he is doing it with a New York-bred, as a longtime supporter of the breeding program.

“Everything we breed, we drop in New York,” Gatsas said. “It’s a tremendous advantage to have a New York-bred. The program is amazing for owners. It gives you a leg up and you need every advantage you can get in this business. It’s the best program in the country.”

Gatsas maintained some breeding rights when Spendthrift Farm bought Vekoma, who ran in the 2019 Kentucky Derby and won the Met Mile and Carter as a 4-year-old before being scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Sprint due a fever.

Triumphant is again in foal to Vekoma. – Paul Halloran

RACING NOTES: New York-bred River Thames will look to lock up a spot in the Kentucky Derby field Saturday when he runs in the 101^st renewal of the $1.25 million, Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. The son of Maclean’s Music was pegged as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the field of seven for the 9-furlong Blue Grass. Trained by Todd Pletcher, River Thames sits 28^th on the Kentucky Derby points list with the 25 earned from his runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes in February at Gulfstream Park. Bred by CTR Stables LLC, River Thames was purchased by CHC, Siena Farm and Maverick Racing for $200,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. … Chester Broman Sr.’s. homebred Violence colt Sand Devil, ranked 29^th on the Derby list also with 25 points, represents the Empire State in Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes presented by Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct. … New York-breds have won nine open stakes (through April 1) this year.

Soontobeking slips up in the inside to win Saturday’s Gander Stakes at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

George Weaver watched the pace battle unfold in Saturday’s $125,000 Gander Stakes down the backstretch and liked what he saw.

“They were stacked three or four across kind of scrumming a bit and I was happy to see that because we needed some pace,” said Weaver, represented by Soontobeking in the 1-mile stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Weaver got the pace – solid fractions of :23.87 and :47.98 set by Givememythememusic, Mo Plex, Skytown and National Identity – and Soontobeking did the rest. The son of New York-based sire King for a Day cut into the lead around the far turn, continued his prolonged run through the lane and came up the inside to edge National Identity and Mo Plex at the wire for his first stakes victory.

“I was just happy to see the horse sustain the rally,” Weaver said. “I’ve never been quite sure if the mile is his best distance, but he just kept coming and that’s what we love about the horse. He just gives 110 percent every time and doesn’t stop trying and fighting. He wants to win, so he’s earned a special place in our hearts winning that race. Man, he’s a cool dude.”

Sent off as the 6-1 fourth choice under Eric Cancel, Soontobeking won by a nose over 6-5 favorite National Identity with graded stakes winner Mo Plex a half-length back in third. Soontobeking won in 1:41.26.

“He’s a pretty tricky horse,” Cancel said. “You just have to let him be wherever he wants to be and sit patient with him. Once you think it’s time to go and you start asking him, he picks it up. He knows his job and I’m really happy he got the job done.

“I saw the other two horses in front of me battling it out and they were kind of getting out a little bit in the stretch, so I decided to tip in and if I get there, I get there and if not, at least I did the right thing. He’s very hard-knocking. Every time he comes out to run, he shows up. It doesn’t matter the competition he runs in; he always gives 200 percent. I have a lot of confidence in him. It was just a matter of the timing and today the timing was right.”

Soontobeking won for his breeders and owners Our Blue Streaks Stable and Steve Venosa’s S G V Thoroughbreds. Weaver also owns an interest in the colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 before last year’s OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training and was reported sold for $80,000 to J U Racing Stables.

Soontobeking raced for his breeders and Weaver from his first start May 10 at Aqueduct, where he finished third before returning two weeks later to win for trainer Mitch Friedman in an off-the-turf open-company maiden event. Back with Weaver from there, Soontobeking competed in six straight stakes after that win, finishing second in the Funny Cide at Saratoga and Aspirant at Finger Lakes and third in the Sleepy Hollow and Notebook at Aqueduct.

Weaver gave Soontobeking some class relief in his first start of 2025 and the colt won a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred allowance-optional January 12 at Aqueduct. He finished third behind Sand Devil and National Identity last time out in the February 8 Damon Runyon Stakes going 7 furlongs.

Foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater, Soontobeking is the first foal out of the winning New York-bred Freud mare Swayed. Campaigned by Our Blue Streaks Stable, Swayed went 4-4-2 in 21 starts and earned $143,328. She’s out of the Johannesburg mare Easy Erin, a daughter of champion New York-bred and graded stakes winner Dancin Renee.

Swayed is also the dam of a 2-year-old New York-bred colt by Cairo Prince and was bred to Leinster in 2024.

“His mother was Swayed, who we trained as well,” Weaver said. “She was a sway-backed filly that Sanford Bacon had bred and he didn’t want to stay in on her, so she was kind of a house horse. She was a hard-trier as well and she knocked out her races at a lower level for the most part. She was hard-trying and put that in this horse.

“We got him from the 2-year-old sale and he worked well there, and he’s been straightforward ever since. He’s been sound, we’ve been able to run him, and this horse has put together quite a string of races for a young horse. He likes what he does.”

Soontobeking’s first stakes victory also provided his sire with his first stakes win. King for a Day, a 9-year-old son of Uncle Mo out of the French Deputy mare Ubetwereven, stands for $5,000 at Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Stillwater.

King for a Day finished second on New York’s freshman sire list in 2024 – siring three winners and the earners of $423,421. Soontobeking, who placed in four stakes as a 2-year-old, finished the season as King for a Day’s leading earner with a bankroll of $197,878. King for a Day came into Saturday ranked second on New York’s second-crop sire list with $240,474 in progeny earnings, less than $1,000 behind 2024 freshman sire leader Honest Mischief.

Bernieandtherose wins fourth straight – and second consecutive stakes – in Saturday’s Maddie May at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Another Saturday, another stakes win at Aqueduct for a daughter of the Freud mare Berning Rose.

Bernieandtherose did it this time, adding the $125,000 Maddie May Stakes for 3-year-old fillies to her resume four weeks removed from winning the $121,250 East View Stakes. The daughter of Accelerate also added to the wintertime haul for her owners and breeders, Robert Rosenthal and Brad Bernstein, who celebrated two weeks ago when Bernietakescharge topped open company foes in the Heavenly Prize Invitational Stakes. Dominick Schettino trains both fillies.

Under regular partner Katie Davis, Bernieandtherose won her fourth straight dating back to a maiden-winning score November 3 during the Belmont at the Big A meeting. She added an allowance-optional three weeks later before the February 8 East View going 7 furlongs.

Stretched out to 1 mile in the Maddie May, Bernieandtherose hounded 47-1 longshot Howling Wind throughout before taking command around the far turn en route to a 3 1/4-length victory over 6-5 favorite Lottie Margaret. Bernieandtherose, the 5-2 third choice, earned $68,750 for the win and boosted her bankroll to $231,750. She won in 1:41.35 over the fast track.

“I don’t think my friend and trainer gets enough respect,” Rosenthal said. “He’s done a phenomenal job with this horse, with Bernietakescharge and their dam Berning Rose. We are just blessed to have horses like this giving us so much pleasure and this is really special.

“I can’t give enough credit to Domenick and to Katie, who gets on the horse every day. They know the horse and are developing her and she just keeps getting better and better. We’re ecstatic.”

Foaled at Indigo Farm in Stanfordville, Bernieandtherose is the third foal out of Berning Rose. Her first foal, the Honor Code mare Berning Honor, went 1-3-1 in 10 starts and earned $82,573 for the same connections. Bernietakescharge, a 4-year-old daughter of Take Charge Indy, improved to 5-for-15 and $354,580 in earnings with her victory in the Heavenly Prize. She finished third in last year’s Maddie May and second in last year’s East View.

Berning Rose is the dam of the New York-bred 2-year-old Always Dreaming filly Roseberns Dream and a yearling colt by Central Banker. Berning Rose was bred to Americanrevolution in 2024.

A daughter of the multiple stakes-winning Flying Chevron mare Peach Flambe, Berning Rose went 2-for-3 racing for Rosenthal, Bernstein and Schettino including the 2017 Maid of the Mist Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park.

“I’ve been in the breeding and racing business for more than 30 years, and I have to say this is just an incredible thrill,” Rosenthal said. “She’s now won four in a row and we’ve won seven of the last eight races between the two [half-sisters], three stakes. … It’s just incredible and it’s what you’re in this business for. It’s a tribute to Domenick and the patience he has with young horses and the way he develops them. From Galloping Grocer, who was one of my homebreds back in the day, to these horses now, it’s been great.”

Mi Bago rolls to third stakes victory of Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet in last weekend’s Colonel Liam. Coglianese Photo/Lauren King.

Stuart Morris went to the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale in 2017 with fairly specific instructions from his father Jeff about a mare. And ignored them.

The intended purchase didn’t measure up, for whatever reason, and Stuart spent $12,000 on Wabanaki instead. Consigned by Sequel Thoroughbreds, the New York-bred daughter of Indian Charlie never raced and neither had her three foals. Carrying a foal by New York sire Freud, the bay mare traced to a deep female family though, and Stuart liked what he saw. Dam New Harmony had produced six winners. Second dam Battle Creek Girl had produced 15, topped by Canadian champion Wavering Girl and graded winners Tricky Creek, Parade Ground, Parade Leader and Speed Dialer.

Going on eight years later, Wabanaki’s son Mi Bago is blossoming into a New York-bred star after winning the Colonel Liam Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 1.

The $215,000 turf stakes for 3-year-olds turned into a showcase for the son of Vekoma, who led at every call for Irad Ortiz Jr. and won by 4 1/2 lengths in a quick 1:32.51 for a mile. Trained by Mark Casse for Gary Barber, the bay colt won his second stakes of 2025 and his third consecutive race while improving to 5-for-7 lifetime with $387,850 in earnings.

Bred by the Morrises’ Kentucky-based but New York-supporting Highclere operation, Mi Bago was foaled at Dr. Jerry Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm in North Chatham in 2022 and was raised at Highclere in Lexington. In 2023, the colt sold as a short yearling for $62,000 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky’s February mixed sale as part of the Stuart Morris consignment.

“He was always a really cool horse,” said Stuart. “He was a bit unassuming, very simple, uncomplicated. The horse didn’t have a lot of flash about him. He was one you forgot about because he took care of himself so well. You liked looking at him, he moved well, he was a correct, simple, uncomplicated horse. All you had to do was feed him and vaccinate him and let him be himself.”

The strategy has paid off at every step.

Original buyer Carlos Munoz tried to pinhook Mi Bago at Fasig-Tipton’s New York-bred yearling sale at Saratoga, but he failed to meet his reserve on a bid of $90,000. A year later, with Munoz as owner/trainer, Mi Bago dominated maidens in his debut sprinting on the dirt at Colonial Downs in Virginia. Barber bought the colt privately after that win and sent him to Casse. Twenty-four days out of the maiden win, Mi Bago finished sixth in the Funny Cide Stakes against fellow New York-breds – his only start in the program – at Saratoga.

Casse regrouped and moved Mi Bago to the turf. In October, he won the Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine. A month later, he finished fifth in a stakes on Breeders’ Cup Weekend at Del Mar. A month after that, he won the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream and added the Dania Beach on the Florida track’s synthetic surface on New Year’s Day.

For a substitute mare, Wabanaki did her part. Her foals now include five winners, three sold by Highclere for a combined $147,000. In foal to Highly Motivated, she sold for $45,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s December 2024 digital sale.

For Stuart Morris, the success has been fun to watch. Mi Bago joined racing Hall of Famer Silverbulletday, 2019 New York-bred turf male champion Gucci Factor and a slew of others on the farm’s roster of stars.

“Mi Bago is another cool horse to come off that farm,” he said of Highclere, a former cattle farm his father purchased in 1979. “We moved there when I was 4 years old and I just turned 50. It’s been a pretty remarkable run.”

The story could get even cooler, as Casse and Barber nominated Mi Bago to the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 3.

RACING NOTES: Mi Bago was one of three New York-breds to win open stakes last weekend. At Aqueduct Saturday, Bank Frenzy won the Stymie for LSU Stable and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, the Central Banker gelding won for the seventh time in 15 starts and improved his career bankroll to $506,670 . . . Central Banker completed a weekend double a day later when Sunday Girl won Aqueduct’s Correction Stakes for Mitre Box Stable, Clear Stars Stable and Eighth Note Stable and trainer David Duggan. Now a six-time winner, Sunday Girl was bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds (where Central Banker stands) and Spruce Lane Farm. Mitre Box bought her for $100,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale in 2023 . . . New York-breds have won eight open stakes (through March 4) this year.

River Thames (inside) finishes second to Sovereignty in Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of. Youth Stakes. Coglianese Photo/Angelo Lieto

New York-breds earn Kentucky Derby points

Sovereignty and Journalism hogged most of the attention this weekend among the national 3-year-old leaders on the road to the Kentucky Derby, but New York-breds took their swings too.

In the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park Saturday, River Thames led in deep stretch but couldn’t hold off Sovereignty’s late charge. Bred by CTR Stable, River Thames was beaten a neck while settling for second, and earned 25 points toward a spot in the Derby field for CHC and WinStar Farm.

Unraced at 2, the Maclean’s Music colt won a 6-furlong maiden race January 11 and followed up with a 1-mile allowance score February 1 for trainer Todd Pletcher. CHC, Siena Farm and WinStar’s Maverick Racing paid $200,000 for the colt, out of the Discreet Cat mare Proportionality, at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale in 2023.

At Aqueduct Saturday, Chester Broman’s homebred Sand Devil finished second in the Grade 3 Gotham for trainer Linda Rice, earning 25 Derby points as well. The son of Violence and the Mineshaft mare Mineralogist (a multiple New York-bred stakes winner) won his first three starts including the Damon Runyon Stakes in February. Sand Devil represents a deep Broman family through his dam, granddam Seeking The Ante and third dam Antespend (a 1997 purchase from Kentucky’s Elemendorf Farm as a 2-year-old).

Hip 42, a colt by Yaupon bred by Gabrielle Farm and Saratoga Glen Farm, sold for $250,000 to top Fasig-Tipton February digital sale. Photo courtesy of De Meric Sales.

February Digital sale success

Another New York-bred made headlines to bring February to a close, this time in the digital sales ring.

A 2-year-old colt by freshman sire Yaupon out of New York-bred champion Frosty Margarita sold for $250,000 to top the Fasig-Tipton February digital sale. Shane Yeager purchased the topper with bloodstock agent Dennis O’Neill handling the bidding. The colt was sold as Hip 42 as the property of De Meric Sales and off a traditional virtual inspection and video of an untimed gallop at De Meric Farm in Ocala, Florida.

Bred by Gabrielle Farm and Saratoga Glen Farm and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm in Stillwater, the colt is the second foal out of the multiple stakes-winning Frost Giant mare Frosty Margarita. The same partnership bred her first foal, the placed Malibu Moon gelding Malibu Margarita.

Gabrielle Farm bred and raced Frosty Margarita, an eight-time winner who earned $599,876. She earned New York-bred champion 2-year-old filly honors in 2015 and won four stakes during her 36-start career.

Katie Davis shows Sunday Girl some love after winning Sunday’s Correction at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

Sunday’s $121,250 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct naturally belonged to Sunday Girl.

The 4-year-old daughter of four-time leading New York sire Central Banker nosed out St. Benedicts Prep for her second stakes victory in the 6-furlong open-company event for fillies and mares.

Owned by Mitre Box Stable, Clear Stars Stable and Eighth Note Stable and trained by David Duggan, Sunday Girl added the Correction to her score in last year’s Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct. Katie Davis rode Sunday Girl, the even-money favorite in the field of five who won in 1:13.50.

“What a race,” Duggan said. “That was some game effort by St. Benedicts Prep. I knew if we were taking her on that today was the day, but hat’s off to her.”

Longshot Disco Ebo took the lead from post two just to the outside of Sunday Girl and withstood pressure from that foe through the opening quarter-mile in :23.39. Sunday Girl continued to hound Disco Ebo around the turn down inside as St. Benedicts Prep inched into contention ahead of Shop Lifting.

Sunday Girl came on even terms with Disco Ebo past the quarter-pole and the half-mile split in :47.46 before edging ahead turning for home. Sunday Girl put the early leader away approaching the eighth pole, opened up and braced for the late run from St. Benedicts Prep.

“I knew [Disco Ebo] wanted to go with us, but at that point I was half-way in and half-way out and I didn’t want to take out at that point,” Davis said of staying on the inside early aboard Sunday Girl. “I hit the turn and we started to move and if he [Abner Adorno on Disco Ebo] made any slight move, we would have been bouncing off the fence. But she’s so game, she ran right through that, she don’t care.”

St. Benedicts Prep made one final run just outside the finish but Sunday Girl hit the wire in time. Disco Ebo finished 2 1/2 lengths behind the top pair in third.

“I got nervous that last jump because she started mellowing out just a touch, but she held on,” Davis said.

Sunday Girl won for the third straight start and improved to 6-for-8 overall with earnings of $394,988. Her lone defeats came when seventh in the Bouwerie Stakes last summer at Saratoga Race Course and second in the Staten Island division of the NYSS in late November at Aqueduct.

“She’s stepping up but she’s coming along and become a more mature filly. That was a game effort,” Duggan said, adding that targets in upstate New York would again be on the agenda for Sunday Girl. “We will more than likely press the pause button now and look toward Saratoga.”

Sunday Girl brought the highest price for a New York-bred in the open portion of the 2022 OBS October yearling sale on a bid of $43,000 from Kathryn Martin. Mitre Box Stables purchased her for $100,000 about seven months later at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, out of the de Meric Sales consignment.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC and Spruce Lane Farm and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, the chestnut filly is out of the winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Lady Daphne.

Sunday Girl is a half-sister to Lady Jasmine, a New York-bred daughter of Cairo Prince also bred by McMahon and Spruce Lane who won her debut in 2022 at Saratoga Race Course. She’s won two of 17 starts with two other placings and earned $101,988.

Lady Daphe is also the dam of the winning New York-bred Laoban mare Proper Grammar, who earned $60,984 through the end of 2024.

Lady Daphne, purchased by McMahon of Saratoga for $17,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, is also the dam of the 3-year-old Solomini colt Brimsley and a 2-year-old full brother to Sunday Girl who was a $29,000 RNA at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale. McMahon of Saratoga and Spruce  Lane also bred a yearling full brother to Sunday Girl and Lady Daphne was bred back to Central Banker last season.

Central Banker, a 15-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. He topped last year’s New York general sire list with progeny earnings of $5,436,573.

Bank Frenzy scores second straight stakes win in Saturday’s Stymie at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

Bank Frenzy returned from a short freshening and overcame a troubled start to win Saturday’s $150,000 Stymie Stakes against open company at Aqueduct.

The 5-year-old Central Banker gelding added the 1-mile Stymie to his victory in the December 28 Alex M. Robb for owners LSU Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Manny Franco rode Bank Frenzy to a 3 1/2-length victory over Worchester in 1:40.29 over the fast track.

“He’s a very good horse,” LSU Stables’ Larry Sarf said. “He’s won two in a row and he’s won a stakes in open company now. Rudy trains this horse great. From 7 furlongs to mile, he’s effective.”

Bank Frenzy, who was bred by Chester and Mary Broman, improved to 7-for-15 and boosted his earnings to $506,670. He won four of seven starts in 2024, including the Evan Shipman at Saratoga Race Course, to earn one of the five nominations for champion New York-bred older dirt male.

“He had two state-bred stakes wins coming in and he has a chance to win the state-bred older horse of the year,” Sarf said. “Hopefully he’ll get it.”

Rodriguez didn’t race Bank Frenzy between the Alex M. Robb and Stymie, but kept the gelding in training with his string at Belmont Park. He breezed six times during that stretch, impressing his conditioner and jockey.

“He was training very good,” Rodriguez said. “Manny worked him a couple times and he was training good. To see the track fast is always a plus because when it’s sloppy there’s a lot of kickback and makes it more difficult for them to progress. I saw Manny by the five-eighths pole and the horse was already very keen – when they went to the outside, I said, ‘wow, he has a lot of horse.’ ”

Bank Frenzy raced in sixth after his tardy start while Winnin’onweekends and Concealed Carry battled through opening splits of :23.43 and :47.20.

Franco made his run toward the leaders while wide on the far turn. Bank Frenzy took command just inside the five-sixteenths, passed the 6-furlong split a length in front in 1:13.34 and increased his margin from there. Worchester finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of 2-1 favorite Coastal Mission for the place spot, with Curbstone fourth in the field of eight.

“He was impressive,” Franco said. “The horse did everything. I just sat behind the fast pace in front of me. I was happy with the way my horse was traveling. By the three-eighths pole, my horse jumped on the bridle without me asking to do that. I didn’t want to get into his way because I know he has a big stride, he is a big horse. I let him do it and he took me to the wire.”

Foaled at the Broman’s Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Bank Frenzy is out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. The Bromans purchased Storm Now for $110,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Storm Now is the dam of two other winners – the Into Mischief gelding City Mischief ($131,830) and the Awesome Again gelding Broadway Joe ($15,228). She’s also the dam of the 4-year-old Practical Joke filly Funny Forecast and 3-year-old Instagrand filly Farm House, a $100,000 purchase by Final Furlong Racing Stable at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Farm House finished second in her January 30 debut going 1 mile and third in another New York-bred maiden at a mile Friday, both at Aqueduct.

The Bromans bred all of those runners in New York, along with Storm Now’s 2-year-old Instagrand filly named In Snows Way. Storm Now was bred to Jackie’s Warrior in 2024.