Whatlovelookslike joins full siblings La Fuerza and Stonewall Star as stakes winners out of Jonata in Tuesday’s Port Washington at Belmont Park. NYRA Photo.

Barry K. Schwartz’s homebred Whatlovelookslike bolstered her dam’s already impressive resume with a victory in her stakes debut Tuesday in the inaugural running of the $116,250 Port Washington to kick of the Independence Day program at Belmont Park.

The 4-year-old daughter of English Channel won the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes by 1 3/4 lengths over Golden Rocket with odds-on favorite Runaway Rumour third in the field of four. Flavien Prat rode the winner of trainer Todd Pletcher.

Whatlovelookslike improved to 2-for-3 on the season and became the third stakes winner produced by the Proud Citizen mare Jonata, joining La Fuerza and Stonewall Star.

The 2-1 second choice coming off a win in a 1-mile state-bred allowance-optional May 26 at Belmont, Whatlovelookslike broke first and then raced in second behind longshot pacesetter Freddymo Factor. She and Prat tracked through early fractions of :24.68 and :50.57 over the course labeled good after heavy rains in the late morning and early afternoon.

“When I hit the first turn, I thought, ‘Perfect,’ ” Prat said. “I was comfortable and on the lead. And then [Freddymo Factor] got a little rank and hooked up with me. I couldn’t go around … so I decided to stay on his inside and it felt like the pace wasn’t strong, so I could keep myself in there. She was happy, so at the end it turned out good.”

Whatlovelookslike took control with a little more than a half-mile to run, then withstood a challenge from multiple stakes winner Runaway Rumour to her outside and Golden Rocket to her inside. Whatlovelookslike repelled them both and drew away late to win in 1:45.37.

“She did well. She broke sharp for Flavien and he got her in a comfortable position on the front end and she was able to hold off the favorite and the horse to the inside of her,” said Byron Hughes, Pletcher’s assistant. “She trains well in the mornings and is always pretty competitive in her workouts.”

Golden Rocket held second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Runaway Rumour with Freddymo Factor fourth. Sanura, the 7-5 second choice on the morning line, and main track only entrant Sunset Louise were scratched.

Bred and foaled at Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Whatlovelookslike is the third foal out of Jonata. La Fuerza, a 6-year-old full sister to Stonewall Star and Jonata’s first foal, won three stakes carrying his owner and breeder’s black and white colors in 2018. He won four of eight and earned 4261,610.

Stonewall Star, a 3-year-old daughter of Flatter, is 4-for-8 with a second and three thirds for $285,058 in earnings. Third in the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes presented by Keeneland Select in April at Keeneland Race Course, Stonewall Star also won this season’s Wide Country Stakes at Laurel Park and Franklin Square Stakes at Aqueduct. She won Aqueduct’s Key Cents Stakes last season for Schwartz and trainer Horacio De Paz.

Jonata is also the dam of the New York-bred winner Citizen K, a gelding by Mizzen Mast also trained by De Paz.

A $100,000 purchase by Schwartz at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, Jonata won two of 17 starts with five placings and $140,800.

Whatlovelookslike has made all 10 of her starts on the grass, including her second-place effort via DQ in her debut during the 2021 Saratoga meet. She needed three more tries to break her maiden – that coming at the 2022 Saratoga meet – before winning two more times in five starts in allowance or allowance-optional events.

The Port Washington was worth $68,750 and boosted Whatlovelookslike’s bankroll to $285,550.

Dakota Gold wins the inaugural Hudson Valley at Belmont Park for his fourth career stakes wins. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Paul Halloran

In his last start, 8 1/2 furlongs wasn’t enough for Dakota Gold, who found himself last after a half-mile and came up a half-length short despite closing fast, finishing third to the classy City Man in the Kingston Stakes for New York-breds. On Monday at Belmont Park, a mile on the Widener turf was just right as the son of Freud got a perfect trip and rolled down the stretch to a 3-length victory in a very swift 1:32.28.

The race looked like it would set up for a closer and that’s how it played out, with the horses who were first and second at the halfway point (Call Me Harry and Ruse) finishing sixth and fifth, respectively.

Dakota Gold, meanwhile, made a gradual progression under Irad Ortiz Jr., from fifth after a half-mile to fourth after 6 furlongs, before unleashing a five-wide rally and taking the lead by the stretch call. It was as easy as it looked for the odds-on favorite, who closed into :22.67, :45.67 and 1:09.09 fractions.

“I wanted to be closer than last time,” Ortiz said. “I had too much to do and I had to wait too long. I was pretty confident today. I was hoping he was going to give me what he had and he did.”

Somelikeithotbrown, the lone millionaire in the field, figured to get back to his pace-pressing ways, especially with the addition of cheater-cup blinkers. Instead, the Mike Maker trainee broke last and stayed there until closing in the last 2 furlongs and nailing Jerry the Nipper for second on the wire.

During the gallop out, Cold Hard Cash, who finished last while making his first start of the year for owner Barry Schwartz and trainer Linda Rice, suffered an apparent cardiac event and collapsed and died. Jockey Jose Lezcano was uninjured.

“I was a little frustrated the last time he ran, but today he sat a better trip and it worked out well,” said Danny Gargan, trainer of Dakota Gold. “Irad knows him as well as anyone. This is his third stakes win on him. He’s a quirky type of horse – some of that trouble, he causes. He has a little play around in his game, but he’s growing out of it. We’re really happy with him. (Owner) Dean (Reeves) is a big supporter of the New York program and it’s paid off with him to be patient with this colt.”

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ron Bowden and foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls, Dakota Gold was the second of four foals out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Dakota Kid, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Dakota Phone and five-time winner Black Hills Goldie. Dakota Dancer, a full brother to Dakota Gold foaled in 2018, won twice in 15 starts. Ramblin’ Wreck, a 3-year-old son of by Redesdale, won a division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in June. A 2-year-old by Mucho Macho Man has not yet raced. Each of Dakota Gold’s first five dams are stakes producers.

Reeves paid $83,000 for Dakota Gold as a weanling at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. After easily winning his first two starts, he was thrown into the deep end with a start in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, running a respectable fifth while losing to European superstar Modern Games by only 2 1/4 lengths.

Gargan ran him five times last year, resulting in two wins and a second in restricted stakes and a third by a neck in the open-company Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park. His 2023 campaign began with a good fourth in the Canadian Turf at Gulfstream, before the close call in the Kingston.

“Mentally, he’s growing a little more,” Ortiz said. “He’s much better than last year. Last year, he would get to looking around and not knowing what he was doing. Today, he showed that he’s grown up a little bit and he’s all business right now. He’s much more straightforward.”

Monday’s win improved Dakota Gold’s career earnings to $680,950.

The Wine Steward, one of the most expensive New York-bred juveniles at public auction in 2023, improves to 2-for-2 in Sunday’s Bashford Manor at Ellis Park. Coady Photography.

Next stop, Saratoga? The Wine Steward showed all the signs of being a potential juvenile star at the upcoming Saratoga Race Course meeting with a come-from-behind victory in Sunday’s $208,000 Bashford Manor Stakes at Ellis Park.

The son of Vino Rosso, one of the highest priced New York-bred 2-year-olds of 2023, improved to 2-for-2 in the 6-furlong Bashford Manor for owners Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher and trainer Mike Maker. Luis Saez, who also rode the 2-year-old filly Brightwork to victory in the Debutante Stakes on Sunday’s card, rode The Wine Steward to victory in 1:10.06 over the fast track.

The 2-1 second choice in the field of six, The Wine Steward raced fourth early as Go Otto Go set the pace through the opening quarter-mile in :22.20. Saez moved The Wine Steward up to third as Go Otto Go came under pressure to the half in :45.24, then angled out turning for home.

The Wine Steward continued his wide run through the lane, opened up by a half-length in midstretch from Call Me Andy before drawing off late. Wilson Q, the 7-5 favorite off a debut victory May 18 at Churchill Downs for trainer Doug O’Neill, got up late to finish second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Call Me Andy, Go Otto Go, Magical Mark and Unified Point completed the field.

The Wine Steward first attracted significant attention when he sold for $340,000, the third highest price for a New York-bred at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training. He made that buy look good when he scored a 6-length debut victory going 5 furlongs in a state-bred maiden special weight May 28 at Belmont Park, picking up $41,250 for his connections.

The Bashford Manor victory was worth $122,760, and boosted The Wine Steward’s bankroll to $164,010.

The Wine Steward sold for $340,000 at the OBS March sale. Photo courtesy of Sequel Bloodstock.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, The Wine Steward originally sold for $70,000 to Oldham Bloodstock at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. He was consigned at OBS March by Sequel Bloodstock, agent.

The Wine Steward is the first foal out of the To Honor and Serve mare Call to Service, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Isotherm and stakes-placed winners Gio Game and Giant Game. Call to Service sold in foal to Authentic for $350,000 at the 2022 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. She is the dam of a Louisiana-bred yearling colt by Authentic and produced a filly by Curlin in Louisiana March 6.

The Wine Steward breezed an eighth in :10.2 during presale workouts at OBS March and joined Maker’s barn at the Churchill Downs Training Center shortly after the sale. He breezed seven times before his debut and twice more before his Bashford Manor victory, including a 5-furlong tightener in 1:00.60 June 24.

New York-breds will run for significantly higher purses this summer at Saratoga Race Course. NYRA Photo.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. today announced a new series of purse increases for registered New York-bred horses competing in open company at the upcoming Saratoga Race Course meeting that runs from July 13 to September 4.

“NYRA is committed to supporting and enhancing the New York-bred program now and in the future,” said Frank Gabriel, NYRA senior vice president of racing operations. “These purse increases reflect the sustained growth of the New York-bred marketplace while also rewarding owners already invested in the program.”

The purse for registered New York-breds running in select open-company races will be 30 percent higher than the purse offered for non-New York-breds. Additionally, New York State Breeding Fund Owner Awards (NYSBFOA) and breeder awards will be paid on top of the 30 percent additional purse for registered New York-breds.

“The opportunity for registered New York-breds to compete for elevated purses in select open company conditions during the Saratoga meet, along with increases in breeder and open company awards provided by the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund reflect the commitment by New York’s respective thoroughbred racing stakeholders in continuing to elevate the New York-bred program,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “We are confident much of the money earned from these purse increases will be reinvested in New York-breds, starting with the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Select Yearlings Sale in August at Saratoga.”

In open maiden special weight races, New York-breds will run for a purse of $136,500 [with up to $23,751 NYSBFOA], while non-New York-breds will compete for a purse of $105,000.

Similarly, in allowance levels, open first-level allowances will offer a New York-bred purse of $149,500 [up to $26,013 NYSBFOA] and a non-New York-bred purse of $115,000; open second-level allowances offering a New York-bred purse of $156,000 [up to $27,144 NYSBFOA] and a non-New York-bred purse of $120,000; and third-level open allowances offering New York-breds $162,500 [up to $28,275 NYSBFOA] and a non-New York-bred purse of $125,000.

“These purse bonuses directly benefit owners of New York-breds by incentivizing them to compete in our open company program,” said Joe Appelbaum, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc. “New York-breds have routinely competed and won at all levels throughout the nation. This program provides owners and trainers a real dollars and cents reason to leave the restricted New York-bred program. The benefits will accrue to not only the connections but to field size, handle and ultimately back to the purse account.”

The following chart reflects various examples and scenarios based on a scheduled 2023 Saratoga Maiden Special Weight Race. Please note the difference in purse money and awards available to owners and breeders of New York-breds compared to Non-New York-breds or unregistered New York-breds.

*Please note only first through third-place finishers qualify for NYSBFOA Open Owner and Breeder awards. For more information on New York-bred program award rates and distribution please click here.

Maiden Special Weight (MSW):