Cast a Coin (inside) fends off Notfanutin to win Monday’s Tin Cup Chalice Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Gold Bear Farm’s Cast a Coin improved from his only other try in stakes company and added another stakes winner to his sire’s resume with a victory in Monday’s $45,000 Tin Cup Chalice at Finger Lakes.

The 2-year-old Central Banker gelding rated off the pace, tipped off the rail and outfinished his foes between horses late to win the 6-furlong stakes by a neck over Notfanutin. Steven Fret rode Cast a Coin for trainer Jacqueline Falk.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC and Spruce Lane Farm, Cast a Coin sold for $27,000 at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale after originally bringing $15,000 as a weanling at the 2023 OBC winter mixed sale.

Cast a Coin, fifth in his other stakes try in the Aspirant Stakes over a sloppy track September 23 at Finger Lakes, became the latest stakes winner for Central Banker in the Tin Cup Chalice. Central Banker, a 14-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. He started the day ranked second on the New York general sire list – which he’s topped the last three seasons – and less than $40,000 behind the leader Bucchero, who stood the 2024 season at McMahon before heading to stand at Ironhorse Stallions in Stillwater for 2025.

Coming off a 4-length tally in a 5 ½-furlong open-company maiden last time out on October 16 at Finger Lakes, Cast a Coin went to post for the Tin Cup Chalice as the 5-2 second choice behind Blamicker.

No Factor, the lone filly in the field of seven, took the early initiative up the backstretch and zipped through the opening quarter-mile in :22.68 ahead of the tracking Blamicker and Cast a Coin. Blamicker and jockey Andre Worrie made the first run at the leader around the far turn and took command approaching the half-mile split in :46.37.

Fret kept Cast a Coin inside until the field turned for home, then tipped out a few paths off the rail while Notfanutin made a move to his outside and Mr. Sugar Daddy made up ground to the inside. Cast a Coin hung tough in deep stretch and edged Notfanutin at the finish in 1:12.97 over the fast track. Mr. Sugar Daddy finished three-quarters of a length back in third with Blamicker, No Factor, Sobieski and One Morerep completing the field.

Cast a Coin picked up $27,000 for the win to boost his earnings to $55,717 from a record of 2-1-0 in four starts.

Cast a Coin is the fifth foal out of the Into Mischief mare Light the Dynamite, a homebred for Chester and Mary Broman picked up by McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, agent for $10,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Light the Dynamite is the dam of three winners – six-time winner and $133,250-earner Summer Sangria, Iron Horizon and Boom Boom Thunder, a 3-year-old full brother to Cast a Coin. She’s also the dam of Cast a Coin’s New York-bred yearling full sister Hawkeyejet and his Iowa-bred weanling full sister Gun Champion born April 15.

With the Angels overcomes adversity to keep unbeaten record intact Sunday in the Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

By Alec DiConza

With the Angels did not appear to be a lock to win Sunday’s $100,000 Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct despite her 1-5 odds as the eight-horse field turned for home.

After breaking from post one and not showing quite enough early speed to get to the front, the 2-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach sat behind horses for the first time in her career and had to negotiate her way through traffic rounding the far turn under Jose Ortiz. Nevertheless, With the Angels once again proved to be too much for her competition and won the 6-furlong stakes event for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies by 2 lengths, improving her unbeaten record to 4-for-4 for trainer Linda Rice.

The change in tactics wasn’t a surprise for Rice, who knew the race featured a lot of horses with early speed.

“I told Jose the one-hole kind of wasn’t ideal, and I anticipated a lot of speed in this race and that it was probable we’d want to take the opportunity to sit off of it and see how she handled that,” Rice said.

What did present a cause for concern was how With the Angels could not get clear running room coming around the far turn and found herself sitting fifth with less than three-eighths of a mile to go. Any anxiety about her chances was quickly washed away when the filly owned by Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Lady Sheila Stable, Rideau Racers and Sanford Robbins unleashed a powerful late kick to mow down the frontrunners and win with what appeared to be plenty left in the tank. She finished the 6 furlongs in 1:10.56.

“It looked like the five horse was backing up into her and this and that, and she worked her way around it,” Rice said of her filly’s trip. “She was a little wide coming down the stretch, but I was happy to see her run (them) down. It really helps us going forward next year, and we know she’ll do that (rate). It’s a great way to cap off her 2-year-old season, so we’ll send her home and give her a couple months off.”

The Key Cents victory was the third straight stakes win for With the Angels, who already boasted a strong 2024 resumé with triumphs in the Joseph A. Gimma and Maid of the Mist.

Ortiz, who has ridden With the Angels in each of her starts, credited the filly’s connections for managing her well and getting her ready for a 3-year-old campaign in 2025.

“She is a nice filly,” Ortiz said. “Linda and the owners have done an amazing job managing her and picking the right spots. They are developing a nice filly so hopefully next year she keeps getting better.”

With the Angels has now earned $283,250 in her career.

Bred by Joseph DeRico and foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort, With the Angels is out of the three-time winning Pulpit mare Sister Margaret. She’s the dam of three other foals to race, including stakes-placed filly Maggy’s Palace. With the Angels sold for $350,000 at the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale.

Neural Network, winner of the 2023 Gander Stakes at Aqueduct, sold for $65,000 at the Keeneland horse of racing age sale. Photo courtesy of ELiTE.

Stakes winner Neural Network landed a bid of $65,000 to finish as the most expensive New York-bred at the Keeneland November horses of racing age sale Thursday in Lexington.

Sok Racing/Michael Kares purchased Hip 4185, Neural Network, a 4-year-old son of Cloud Computing, out of the ELiTE consignment. Bred by and foaled at Milfer Farm Inc. in Unadilla, Neural Network is out of the winning Street Cry mare Lapinski.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale, Neural Network went 2-1-1 in seven starts with $136,204 for owner Klaravich Stable and trainer Chad Brown.

Neural Network started his career with two wins in three starts – a debut win in mid-November 2022 at Aqueduct and a victory in the Gander Stakes in late February 2023 at Aqueduct. He also placed in the 2023 Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct.

Keeneland reported sales on all five of the New York-breds through the ring Thursday for a total of $146,000, an average price of $29,200 and median of $19,000.

ELiTE, agent, also sold the second most expensive New York-bred, Hip 4100, the 3-year-old maiden Good Magic filly Dance On Air that went to Ken Kachel for $37,000.

Bred by Erin Corners Bloodstock and out of the Arch mare Valentines Romance, Dance On Air placed twice in five starts for owners William Lawrence and Richard Schermerhorn and trainer Chad Brown. She originally sold for $200,000 to Meridian Partners at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Idyll Gossip edges April Storm to win Monday’s Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Idyll Gossip bounced back from a rough trip against males last time and got up in the final strides to lock up another stakes victory for Central Banker in Monday’s $45,000 Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes.

The 2-year-old filly by the McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ resident stallion edged longtime leader April Storm three strides from home in the 6-furlong open-company stakes that featured a field of seven New York-breds. Kevin Navarro rode Idyll Gossip for trainer Paul Barrow, who picked up his second straight Shesastonecoldfox after winning with Sweet Brown Sugar in 2023.

Idyll Gossip also became the 18th stakes winner – and seventh of 2024 – for Central Banker. She picked up $27,000 toward Central Banker’s progeny earnings haul for the season, which sat $4,634,443 heading into Monday and just a little more than $33,000 behind leader Bucchero.

Central Banker, a 14-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon in Saratoga Springs while Bucchero will stand for $10,000 at Ironhorse Stallions in Stillwater after standing the 2024 season at McMahon.

Sixth in the New York Breeders’ Futurity October 21 at Finger Lakes after trouble at the start, Idyll Gossip went to the post Monday as the 6-5 favorite. She and Navarro lagged toward the back of the field early, racing fifth as longshot Bald Kitten led April Storm by a half-length through the opening quarter-mile in :22.77 over the muddy track.

April Storm shrugged off the leader around the far turn as Brooklyn Rhapsody ranged up on the outside at the half-mile split in :46.35. April Storm, a daughter of New York-based freshman sire King for a Day coming off a debut win April 28, went on from there and opened up to a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch past 5 furlongs in :59.29.

Navarro stayed busy on Idyll Gossip running several paths off the inside in the lane. Idyll Gossip edged past 5-2 second choice April Storm at the finish. Honorable Becky, the 6-1 fourth choice coming off a debut win September 24 at Finger Lakes, finished 2 1/4 lengths back in third. Brooklyn Rhapsody, Bald Kitten, Queen Atlas and Who’s Got the Tip completed the field. Idyll Gossip won in 1:12.92.

Idyll Gossip is the first foal out of Paolangeli’s multiple stakes-placed Spring At Last mare Cozzy Spring, a four-time winner who earned $243,640 in 11 starts on the NYRA circuit. She’s out of the stakes-winning New York-bred Broken Vow mare Pretty Cozzy, who won eight of 36 starts and earned $218,760. Paolangeli claimed Pretty Cozzy out of a win in early February 2012 at Aqueduct. She made eight starts for Paolangeli, winning the 2012 Susan B. Anthony Handicap at Finger Lakes and placing three times including a third in the 2012 Arctic Queen Handicap at Finger Lakes.

Cozzy Spring, third in the 2017 Iroquois Stakes at Belmont Park and second in the 2018 Dancin Renee Stakes at Belmont, did not produce a foal in 2023 and is the dam of a weanling Charlatan filly named Cozzy Trickstress bred by Paolangeli born in New York April 29.

Works for Me and Dylan Davis (light blue silks) put their nose down in time to dead heat with Alogon (outside) in Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.

Works for Me drew into the field for Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship off the also-eligible list and came away with a dead-heat victory in the $150,000 open-company stakes under a pickup ride from Dylan Davis.

The 3-year-old son of Daddy Long Legs finished on even terms with Alogon for his second stakes victory for owners and breeders KatieRich Stables, Chris Connors and Larry Appel. Davis roe the colt for trainer Joe Lee.

“He’s always been a nice horse,” Lee said. “I liked him since last year and I thought the grass moves him up a little bit, but he did run well on the dirt. His preparation for the last couple of races weren’t how we wanted it – you can see that by the workouts – but aside from that, he always gives you 110 percent. I’m really happy for him and for the owners.”

The lone 3-year-old in the field of 10, Works for Me went to post as the second longest price on the board at 23-1.

Jean Valjean took the early initiative in the Turf Sprint, putting a 1 1/2-length lead on Shefflin through the opening quarter-mile in :22.49. Davis kept Works for Me close early while on the outside, just a half-length behind Shefflin.

The first three maintained their positions around the far turn, with Jean Valjean clicking past the half in :45.18 and Alogon inching closer toward the outside and just 2 ½ lengths back under Irad Ortiz Jr. Alogon continued his run through the lane, just to the outside of Works for Me, past 5 furlongs in :56.64. Works for Me responded to Alogon’s run to his inside, edged past Jean Valjean late and hit the finish on even terms.

Works for Me originally landed on the Turf Sprint’s also-eligible list before he drew in when Grooms All Bizness scratched due to a cough. Davis was named on Grooms All Bizness, with Ortiz also named on Alogon.

“I got lucky to pick this one up,” Davis said. “Joe Lee said to try to get him into the game out of the gate. He broke well for me and tracked nicely into the turn. I thought Irad was going to go right by me late, but my horse found a little extra.

“I thought I got the bob there, but it is better than finishing second, so I’m happy. And again, my horse scratched here, so I became available and I was able to pick up this horse. It was a great run, and better than second.”

Works for Me, the second longest price on the board, came into Saturday’s race off back-to-back tries in open-company turf stakes – a fifth in the Mahony in August at Saratoga Race Course and a third in the Carle Place last month at Aqueduct. Works for Me added the Aqueduct Turf Sprint to his victory in last year’s Notebook Stakes on dirt at Aqueduct. He also improved to 4-for-13 with two seconds and three thirds for $307,705 in earnings.

“He ran extremely well in his last race being 13 or 14 out of it at the eighth pole and only getting beat 4 1/2 to Run Carson and that was a speed favoring track that day, but he made up some ground,” Lee said. “I knew he’d run well this time, and I told the owners he’d turn tables. He was doing well, but he does like it a little bit firmer. He dug in and ran great. I have to give him credit and credit to Dylan for not giving up and being resilient.”

Foaled at Doyle Farm in Schuylerville, Works for Me is the first foal out of the Soldat mare Bella’s Game, a two-time winner in eight starts and earner of $58,850. A $90,000 purchase at the 2017 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, Bella’s Game is a half-sister to stakes-placed She’s Like Thunder from the family of 2001 Kentucky Derby runner-up Invisible Ink.

Bella’s Game did not produce a foal in 2022, when she did not sell in foal to Beau Liam at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She’s also the dam of a yearling filly by Beau Liam, bred in New York by Taylor Barraclough and Shane Barraclough, who sold for $47,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale.

Lawrence Goichman (right) leads his homebred filly Scythian and jockey Junior Alvarado into the winner’s circle after the Miss Grillo. The daughter of Tiz the Law runs next in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Coglianese Photo.

By Paul Halloran

Larry Goichman’s second-generation home-bred Scythian will carry the banner for New York-breds at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships when she takes on 13 foes in Friday’s $1 million, Grade 1 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Scythian comes in off an impressive win in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes, traditionally a productive prep for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“The horse has a nice turn of foot,” Goichman said Thursday, shortly after checking into his San Diego hotel. “She can hold her position. (In the Miss Grillo), he didn’t have to touch her and she took off. She moves well. She’s a fluid horse.”

Goichman bred Scythian’s dam, Dean Henry, who is by Empire Maker and out of Baydon Belle, a broodmare he bought in Europe. Dean Henry won three times in a 12-race career from 2008-10. She has produced seven winning offspring, including Dancing Dean, a Constitution filly who has two wins and two seconds in seven starts.

Goichman decided to stay in the Constitution line, sending Dean Henry to Tiz the Law, a son of Constitution who earned more than $2.7 million and was a two-time New York-bred Horse of the Year. Scythian was foaled March 3, 2022 at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort. She is the first U.S. stakes winner out of Dean Henry, though Henry Ride won a Grade 1 in Russia, according to Goichman.

After Scythian ran second in a maiden special weight on the dirt at Saratoga Race Course August 4, Mott told Goichman he wanted to try the horse on turf. She was second in a turf route against the boys August 30, prompting Mott to take a big swing in the Miss Grillo.

“I’ve become a believer,” said Goichman, who knows his filly faces steep competition Friday, led Aidan O’Brien’s two-time Group 1 winner Lake Victoria and Thought Process, a California-based horse coming off a Grade 3 win.
“There are still 14 horses, so you need some luck,” he said. “Fingers crossed.”

Scythian women were warriors who fought alongside men for their tribe during the Iron Age. Goichman, who is looking for his first Breeders’ Cup and first Grade 1 win, is hoping his talented filly proves to be aptly named.

New York-bred Mi Bago runs in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on the undercard Friday. Out on Bail was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Mama’s Gold joins half-siblings My Mane Squeeze and Rotknee as stakes winners with 40-1 upset victory in Sunday’s Empire Classic at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Romero Maragh figured there was one way to go aboard Mama’s Gold from his outside draw in Sunday’s $250,000 Empire Classic on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont at the Big A.

“We broke very sharply,” Maragh said. “He is a one-dimensional type of horse, so I knew I had to establish the lead and get to the rail as fast as I could. That’s how he is, and I knew especially going two turns, if he gets to the lead and to a nice cruising speed, that he is going to be tough to beat.”

Mama’s Gold proved exactly that, clicking off strong splits throughout the 9-furlong Empire Classic and running off to a victory at 40-1 in the co-featured event on the annual card for New York-breds.

A half-brother to Grade 2 winner My Mane Squeeze, multiple stakes winner Rotknee and stakes-placed winner Lookin for Trouble, Mama’s Gold landed his first stakes victory in the Empire Classic in just his second stakes appearance. The 4-year-old son of Bolt d’Oro won by 4 1/4 lengths over 2-1 favorite Bank Frenzy in 1:49.01 over the fast main track.

Bred by William “Buck” Butler and campaigned by Joe Hardoon, Mama’s Gold improved to 5-for-18 and picked up $137,500 to boost his bankroll to $329,461.

Mama’s Gold was claimed by trainer Chad Summers from Butler and trainer Mike Maker for $25,000 out of a victory in a maiden claiming race in January 21, 2023 at Aqueduct. He showed up in his next start for Hardoon and Summers and finished last of eight in a 6-furlong starter-optional in early March 2023 at Aqueduct.

Mama’s Gold lost five subsequent starts – for Summers and trainer Brad Cox – before winning three straight for Summers in October and December 2023. Mama’s Gold finished fifth in Aqueduct’s Haynesfield Stakes in late February 2024 before going to the sidelines.

Mama’s Gold returned September 20 and finished second, behind fellow Empire Classic runner Donegal Surges, in a 9-furlong open-company allowance for trainer Jimmy Ferraro at Aqueduct. He finished seventh in a similar race going 1 mile after that, behind Empire Classic runners General Banker and Jackson Heights.

“He bounced the last time, but he recuperated and ran a fantastic race,” Ferraro said after the Empire Classic. “I have a great crew, and they worked hard on him. The distance suits him, he can get a little more of a relaxed pace. It was a perfect trip.”

Maragh gave Mama’s Gold, who is out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, an ideal trip from the start.

Mama’s Gold clicked off splits of :23.96, 47.24 and 1:11.29 with Olympic Dreams, Cicciobello and Drake’s Passage giving chase. Bank Frenzy, winner of the Evan Shipman two starts back at Saratoga Race Course, made a menacing run while wide around the far turn to reach contention. Maragh countered that move while down on the inside with Mama’s Gold, who gave the field the slip and zipped past the mile marker in 1:36.17.

Bank Frenzy couldn’t close from there in the lane as Mama’s Gold draw off and cruised to victory.

“I’m not sure what timing I went, but with him, it is all about comfort,” Maragh said. “He was doing it all comfortably. I’d estimate we went 47 and change, for him, that is OK. That is reasonable. I’m happy we got him into a nice comfort zone and he finished up well, like he always does when he gets to the lead.”

Bred by Butler and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Mama’s Gold is one of four winners out of In Spite of Mama. She’s also the dam of the 6-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief horse Lookin for Trouble, a winner and multiple stakes-placed runner for Butler and Maker.

My Mane Squeeze, second in the recent Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland Race Course, won this year’s Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes and Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs, along with three New York-bred stakes. She’s won six of 13 with  $1,044,710 in earnings. Six-time stakes winner Rotknee, third in Sunday’s Hudson Stakes on Showcase Day, sports a record of 11-for-23 with earnings of $713,330.

In Spite of Mama is also the dam of Willful Mama, a New York-bred 2-year-old filly by 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will who finished second in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct September 13; a yearling full brother to Rotknee and a weanling filly by Honest Mischief born May19.

– Tom Law

Venti Valentine (outside) edges Sterling Silver to close out career with a win in Empire Distaff. Coglianese Photo.

• There were a million reasons to love the last Valentine’s Day.

In her 25th and final start, Venti Valentine – a champion New York-bred as a 2-year-old who was multiple-graded-stakes-placed – went out on top after holding on to win the $250,000 Empire Classic Distaff Sunday on Empire Showcase Day during the Belmont at the Big A meeting.

In winning for the eighth time, the 5-year-old by Firing Line out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Glory Gold became a millionaire, ending her career with $1,056,100 in earnings. Venti Valentine is cataloged as Hip 209 at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

“She’ll be missed at the barn; I can tell you that,” winning trainer Jorge Abreau said. “She has a lot of heart. She’s a been a lot of fun since Day 1. I really wanted her to win because I wanted her to go over the million-dollar mark.”

Smokin’ Hot Kitty set the pace in the 9-furlong stakes, leading the six-horse field through a quarter-mile in :23.80 and a half in :48.20. Golden Rocket sat right off her down the backstretch, with Bon Adieu third. Odds-on favorite Sterling Silver was in tight quarters on the rail on the far turn, while Irad Ortiz Jr. made what turned out to be the winning move by taking Venti Valentine to the outside.

Venti Valentine had the lead when they straightened for home and opened up by 1 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, but had to hold off a fast-closing Sterling Silver, who was taken to the rail by John Velazquez and missed getting up by a nose.

“All year long we were saying we wanted to get her to the million dollars. That was Jorge Abreu’s goal for the past two years,” said Dan Zanatta, co-managing partner of winning owner NY Final Furlong Stable. “Obviously, we’re big supporters of the New York-bred program and this is one we bred, which is kind of rare that we would breed a horse and campaign it for this long.”

Venti Valentine is one of five winners and three stakes winners produced by Glory Gold, who was bought by Final Furlong for $13,000 while she was carrying Venti Valentine. Final Furlong purchased one of those stakes winners, Espresso Shot, for $69,000 as a yearling in 2017. She won five times and earned $516,625 in a 24-race career.

Glory Gold’s 3-year-old Landed, a daughter of Omaha Beach, sold for $500,000 as a yearling and has won four of seven starts, including two New York-bred stakes this year.

Bred by Final Furlong and Maspeth Stable and foaled at Schuylerville Thoroughbred Farm in Schuylerville, Venti Valentine ends her career with six stakes wins, a second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in 2021, second in Grade 3 Gazelle in 2022 and third in the Grade 3 Go For Wand in 2023. She also earned a start in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks.

– Paul Halloran

Spirit of St Louis defends title in Sunday’s Mohawk Stakes on Empire Showcase Day. Coglianese Photo.

Spirit of St Louis continues to reinforce the mantra “all good things come to those who wait,” logging his ninth win in a career that didn’t begin until he was a 4-year-old in 2023.

The latest conquest for the gelding by Medaglia d’Oro out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid came Sunday in the Mohawk Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. Ridden by Manny Franco, Spirit of St Louis waited until the far turn to make his move, unleashing a five-wide burst that carried him past City Man, the 2023 New York-bred champion turf male. Jerry the Nipper finished third.

The winning margin was 1 1/4 lengths for Spirit of St Louis, who won the Mohawk for the second straight year. The final time was 1:43.09 in a race that was run at a tepid pace – :25.42 for a quarter-mile and :50.31 for the half.

“He’s really a hard-hitting horse,” said Michael Dubb, who owns the gelding in partnership with Madaket Stables and Richard Schermerhorn. “Once in a while you get these, and you just cherish the time you have them because these are the ones you remember. He had it against him today – short rest, 126 pounds, dawdling pace, but his class got him there.”

Spirit of St Louis was coming off a fifth in the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes October 5 at Keeneland Race Course, the only time he has finished off the board in 13 races.

Ruse set the pace Sunday, followed down the backstretch by City Man, with odds-on favorite Spirit of St Louis sitting fifth on the inside. Franco started to advance heading into the turn in what turned out to be an outside-inside-outside move.

“I just took my time,” he said. “I was confident that I was riding the best horse in the race. I knew the pace was slow, but at the same time I was right there with City Man, and I was confident with my target. When he moved, I moved with him. When my horse hit the clear, he kind of switched leads in the stretch and started running. I had no doubt that I had a lot of horse under me. He exploded with a nice turn of foot.”

Bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman, Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to New York-bred champion and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold and a half to stakes-placed state-breds Land Mine and Homeland. Khancord Kid, a Grade 3 winner, has produced five winners.

The Bromans bought Khancord Kid’s dam, Confidently, in 2000 for $1 million at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Out of Grade 1 winner Key Phrase, Confidently is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Yankee Gentleman with her dam a half-sister to the dam of champion Shared Belief.

– Paul Halloran

Moonage Daydream adds Sunday’s Ticonderoga to victories this season in the Yaddo and John Hettinger. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

• Chris Larsen’s homebred Moonage Daydream collected her third straight stakes victory Sunday in the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes at Aqueduct.

Going off as the 5-2 second choice in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes, the 4-year-old Candy Ride filly was first out of the gate but quickly yielded to Silver Skillet and Collaboration. That pair was eager for the lead and Moonage Daydream settled on the rail, just over 2 lengths back as Silver Skillet set fractions of :23.60 and :48.36 ahead of Collaboration.

Moonage Daydream started getting serious at the top of the stretch and took aim at the lead. Pulled a few paths from the rail by jockey Flavien Prat, Moonage Daydream found a clear path and made her own bid for the lead.

Moonage Daydream reached the front entering the final sixteenth and built a half-length margin by the wire. She stopped the clock in 1:42.87 over the firm course. Collaboration finished second, a half-length ahead of Silver Skillet in third. Stonewall Star, 2-1 favorite Whatlovelookslike, Caldwell Luvs Gold, New Ginya and Masterof the Tunes.

“She broke well,” Prat said. “I thought I was in a good position. I was right behind the speed. As soon as I got a gap, she went through and after that she did the rest to get the job done.”

Now the winner of six of 12 starts, the Jorge Abreu-trained Moonage Daydream has won four stakes overall with her first coming in 2022. She’s also placed in seven of 12 races for $480,660 in earnings.

“All the New York-breds that have come to my barn seem to run well for me,” Abreu said. “It looks like I have a better program with the fillies, but I do get more fillies in the barn than colts. It’s a very good program for me.”

Foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater for Larsen’s 3C Stable, Moonage Daydream is the third foal out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Elatha. She’s also the dam of two-time winning New York-bred Guardian Moon. Elatha is a granddaughter of the legendary broodmare Misty Dancer.

Misty Dancer is also the dam of stakes winner Quiet Dance, who produced Horse of the Year Saint Liam, Grade 1 winner Funtastic and the Grade 2-winning dam of Horse of the Year Gun Runner. Grade 1 winners Buster’s Ready and Rolling Fog are also under Misty Dancer’s name on the page.

Elatha has an unraced New York-bred American Pharoah 2-year-old filly named Whole Of The Moon, a yearling New York-bred Speightstown colt and a weanling Gun Runner colt born March 3. The mare was bred to Into Mischief in 2024.

– Melissa Bauer-Herzog