Ny Traffic and Edwin Gonzalez (center) fend off Beren (right) to win Friday’s $100,000 Chocolate Town Stakes at Penn National. Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.

Worth the wait.

Ny Traffic, originally pegged for the Commentator Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day late last month, made a winning return to Pennsylvania and collected his second stakes victory in Friday’s $100,000 Chocolate Town at Penn National Race Course.

The 1-2 favorite in the field of nine, Ny Traffic stalked early before taking the lead on a four-wide run approaching the quarter-pole of the 6-furlong stakes. He shook clear into the lane, idled a bit as eventual runner-up Beren rallied on the outside and responded to jockey Edwin Gonzalez late to win by a half-length at the finish. Ny Traffic won in 1:09.64.

Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. originally planned to run the 5-year-old son of Cross Traffic in the Commentator on Memorial Day but that race didn’t go because of insufficient entries. Joseph rerouted and pegged the Chocolate Town, which was Ny Traffic’s first race in the Keystone State since the horse’s 2-year-old campaign at Parx Racing with former trainer Harold Wyner.

Runner-up in the Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes as a 3-year-old during the pandemic-delayed run-up to the Triple Crown, Ny Traffic finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby and ninth in the Preakness Stakes that season.

Ny Traffic found his niche as a 4-year-old in 2021, winning two of five starts including the Hudson Handicap on Empire Showcase Day to end the season. He returned this year with fifth in the Grade 2 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes before returning to his native state to win the Affirmed Success Stakes at Aqueduct.

Owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King LLC, LC Racing LLC, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley, Ny Traffic improved to 6-for-19 with four seconds and two thirds Friday night and boosted his bankroll to $873,340.

Bred by Brian Culnan and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Ny Traffic is the first foal out of the winning New York-bred Graeme Hall mare Mamie Reilly. Mamie Reilly’s second foal, the 4-year-old Normandy Invasion gelding Purple Hearted, is 2-4-2 from 14 starts with a bankroll of $144,100. He also finished to eventual New York-bred Grade 1 winner Americanrevolution in last year’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

A $27,000 RNA at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training, Ny Traffic started his career at Parx Racing with Wyner before being transferred to Joseph’s South Florida string in early 2020.

Ocala Dream benefits from Aqueduct prep and tops strong field in Kingston Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Somelikeithotbrown came into Monday’s Big Apple Showcase Day as one of the – if not the heaviest – favorites of the card. For much of the $125,000 Kingston Stakes, it looked like the multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire might run away with the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes.

Ocala Dream, bred by Mahwhinney, Lieberman, Beglin & Coutsodontis and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, had other ideas, racing right past that rival to win the closing stakes of the day by 2 1/4 lengths.

The 2022 Kingston proved a vintage renewal, with all but one of the eight runners having stakes form. The group featured six stakes winners, led by multiple New York-bred champion, Grade 2 winner and $1,189,338-earner Somelikeithotbrown and his stablemate, multiple Grade 2 winner and $1,123,979-earner Cross Border. In the end it was Ocala Dream, a 4-year-old son of Effinex owned by Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusar and James Klein, that came out on top as one of the youngest runners in the field.

Ocala Dream broke well from the inside under Javier Castellano, dueled briefly for the lead before happily taking back to run close behind pacesetting City Man. Down the backstretch the lead changed with Somelikeithotbrown and Jose Ortiz charged to the front to take control, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Advanced Strategy and City Man, with Ocala Dream a close fourth through the half in :47.26.

Ocala Dream angled wide around the far turn and Somelikeithotbrown started to falter with the field closing the gap. Somelikeithotbrown, the 4-5 favorite, tried to dig in and keep the lead, but Ocala Dream gave him no chance to fight back as he flew past in the lane.

Ocala Dream drew off while Sanctuary City rallied for second and a head clear of Therapist in third. Cross Border finished fourth with Somelikeithotbrown fifth. Ocala Dream won in 1:39.79 over the firm inner turf course.

Trainer Tom Morley (far right) and Team Ocala Dream capped Big Apple Showcase Day with a victory in the Kingston. NYRA Photo.

Trained by Tom Morley, Ocala Dream added a fourth victory to his record in the Kingston and a second stakes victory after winning the Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes last June at Belmont. He prepped for the Kingston with a second in an open allowance-optional April 14 at Aqueduct, his lone start of 2022 and first since finishing fourth in the Gio Ponti in late November at Aqueduct.

“He’s not a big horse, but he’s a stalky little horse,” Morley said. “I believe a lot in weights. He was 30 pounds lighter today than he was when he was at Aqueduct. He had a really good breeze program into this race. There were some very good horses in that race today, but he got a Hall of Fame ride by Javier to get the job done.”

Now an earner of $276,490, Ocala Dream had become Effinex’s first stakes winner in the Spectacular Bid. He also gave that same distinction to his winning Freud dam Eleni’s Daughter. The colt had broken his maiden one start prior to the stakes victory, almost three years and two months after being foaled in March 2018 at Sequel New York in Hudson.

Ocala Dream was a $50,000 purchase at the 2020 OBS March sale of 2-year-old in training by co-owner Thomas Albrecht from the Daylight Farm Racing & Sales consignment.

Ocala Dream’s family laid roots in New York when his second dam Smoke N Shadows was sent to the state as a racehorse, making five starts on the NYRA circuit. She stayed in New York as a broodmare with Eleni’s Daughter her sixth foal born in the program.

Eleni’s Daughter has produced four named New York-breds with three winners. Her other runner also has a placing to his name. Eleni’s Daughter had one more foal after Ocala Dream, a 3-year-old Florida-bred Mission Impazible filly named Silvia V’s Heroes who has yet to race. That filly is a full sister to the winning New York-bred gelding Operative.

Sterling Silver improves to 3-for-3 against New York-breds with victory in the Bouwerie. NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law and Paul Halloran

Don’t fault the connections of Sterling Silver for catching a bit of “Oaks Fever” this spring.

Owner Mark Anderson and trainer Tom Albertrani watched the 3-year-old daughter of Cupid start her career with back-to-back victories over New York-breds sprinting in late November and late January and made the expected move to stretch the filly out and try open company. That didn’t work out – Sterling Silver finished fifth in a pair of open stakes in New York and Kentucky – before returning to a shorter distance and company she proved she could handle in Monday’s $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont Park.

Sterling Silver appreciated the return and scored a mild upset in the 7-furlong stakes for 3-year-old sophomore state-breds. Trevor McCarthy rode Sterling Silver to a 4 1/4-length victory over Captainsdaughter for her second stakes triumph and third win in as many starts in New York-bred company.

“Not only class [relief] but distance as well,” Albertrani said. “Dropping her back to a distance she favored a little more than going a mile or further helped her a lot. Both of the last two races were more a matter of distance.”

November Rein, winner of last year’s Seeking the Ante at Saratoga and the 7-2 third choice in the field of seven, took the early initiative from the fast breaking Adversity and led 4-5 favorite Yo Cuz through a quick opening quarter-mile in :22.62. Sterling Silver tracked those three from fourth up the backstretch and around the far turn.

November Rein continued to lead into the stretch, shrugging off Adversity and Yo Cuz when the field made the straight. Sterling Silver ranged up to the outside of November Rein and took command outside the eighth pole.

Sterling Silver poured it on late, opening up over the two tiring leaders while Captainsdaughter ran past that pair late to be a clear second best. November Rein held third and Sterling Silver won in 1:24.41 over the track labeled fast.

“She broke really well, which was great and put me in a great spot,” McCarthy said. “Coming to the turn, I eased back to let Jose [Ortiz, aboard Yo Cuz] go and tuck in to save some ground. She’s always got a great turn of foot, so when I need her to go through a hole, she’ll do it. She did everything I asked her to do and she beat a good bunch today. We’re proud of her.”

Trainer Tom Albertrani (second from right) and Sterling Silver’s connections soak in the filly’s comeback victory. NYRA Photo.

Sterling Silver hadn’t run since finishing fifth, beaten 17 1/2 lengths by eventual Kentucky Oaks runner-up Nest, in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes going 1 1/16 miles April 8 at Keeneland Race Course. She finished fifth in her prior start, beaten 21 1/2 lengths by fellow New York-bred Venti Valentine, in the Busher Invitational Stakes March 5 at Aqueduct.

McCarthy rode Sterling Silver in the Busher and was aboard for the filly’s workouts leading up to the Bouwerie.

“She was sharp coming into this race and Tom did a great job with her,” McCarthy said. “He gave her plenty of time. I’ve stayed pretty busy on this filly. I worked her a bunch and we really get along good and got to know each other well.”

Bred by longtime Gallagher’s Stud farm manager Mallory Mort and his wife Karen and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Sterling Silver is the fourth foal out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor. Mort bought Sheet Humor in foal to Midnight Lute for $14,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Sheet Humor is the dam of the winning New York-bred Central Banker mare Helene Jacqueline and the unraced Speightster colt Ortiz who sold for $210,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Sheet Humor produced a New York-bred Not This Time colt last year and was bred to Central Banker in 2022. Going through the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed in October, Sheet Humor brought $3,000 when selling to K.O.I.D. and has been exported.

Sterling Silver earned $68,750 for the Bouwerie victory to boost her earnings to $186,688.

Butler’s homebred Rotknee rolls in Mike Lee

Rotknee bounces back from off-the-board finish on synthetic at Turfway with a victory in the Mike Lee on Big Apple Showcase Day. Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo.

Reverting to the running style that saw him win three of his first four starts – all in the New York-bred division – William “Buck” Butler’s Rotknee ran his six opponents off their hooves with an easy victory in the Mike Lee Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Luis Saez was aboard for the gallop in the park, taking the lead shortly after the start of the 7-furlong stakes and widening the advantage to 7 lengths at the top of the stretch before winning by 1 1/2 lengths.

“(Trainer Mike Maker) wanted me to run from them and take the lead because he’s pretty fast and when he’s on the lead, he feels better,” Saez said. “He kind of runs away from everybody, and that was the key. I felt like I was going pretty fast, but very comfortable. He felt a little tired (at the finish), but that’s why when we came to the top of the stretch, I just let him go on his own and waited as long as I could because we knew we were going to need the horse at the end.”

The son of Runhappy out of the Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama carved out fractions of :22.39 and :45.21 on the way to a final clocking of 1:23.90. As the breeder and owner, it was a nice payday for Butler in the $125,000 stakes.

“It was special just watching him come back,” Butler said. “The fact that he was out there by himself almost scared me.”

As it turns out there was nothing to be afraid of, as Rotknee repeated his effort in the Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct, which he won in a similar tour de force.

Butler bred In Spite of Mama, who is by Speightstown out of Mama Theresa, who “basically started most of my New York-breds that seem to have success,” he said. Butler bought Mama Theresa for $65,000 at the 2005 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Owner and breeder Buck Butler (second from left) enjoys victory by his homebred Rotknee in the Mike Lee. NYRA Photo.

In Spite of Mama’s first foal, Lookin for Trouble, a 4-year-old New York-bred son of Into Mischief, has one win and nine in-the-money finishes in 17 starts. In Spite of Mama is also the dam of unraced 2-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold and a yearling filly by Audible. She was bred to 2019 Preakness winner War of Will in 2021.

Rotknee, who was foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, broke his maiden at Saratoga August 1 in his second start. After a winter freshening, he won a state-bred optional at Aqueduct before the Damon Runyon. Maker sent him to Turfway Park for the open-company Animal Kingdom stakes on synthetic April 2, but he didn’t make the lead and faded to seventh.

Monday, he was back on dirt and back on the lead and that again proved to be the winning formula.

“He was pulling a lot, but my thing was to try and let him be comfortable,” Saez said. “He felt relaxed when he got to the half-mile and when we came to the top of the stretch, I just kind of waited a little to make sure he got going on his own, and he did. He finished pretty strong. He fought for the win. He’s mature, he’s grown up and is very strong.”

Flying Emperor, second in last year’s George W. Barker, wins the 2022 renewal to stay unbeaten this year. SV Photography.

John Hayek’s Flying Emperor lost the 2021 George W. Barker Stakes in the shadow of the finish post. Three starts and nine months later, the 5-year-old Soaring Empire gelding made amends for that close defeat with a victory in the 2022 renewal of one of Finger Lakes’ top sprint stakes.

Sent off the second choice in the field of six – just as he had been in last year’s edition again facing five rivals – Flying Emperor employed his signature front-running style from the start of the 6-furlong Barker. He and jockey Emanual De Diego came away second behind Writer’s Regret at the break but quickly took the lead and were a half-length in front through the opening quarter in :22.09.

Flying Emperor continued on the lead around the far turn, past the half in :44.78 and into the lane a still a half clear of Writer’s Regret. De Diego went to work right-handed on Flying Emperor in deep stretch and they finally shrugged off the pesky Writer’s Regret to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Winston’s Chance finished 2 3/4 lengths back in third with 7-5 favorite Lady’s Golden Guy fourth.

Flying Emperor won the $49,500 Barker in 1:10.36 for his sixth win in 13 starts, to go with seven seconds, and boosted his bankroll to $144,660.

Bred by Mr. and Mrs. Grand L. Whitmer and out of the winning Devil His Due mare Evil Empress, Flying Emperor was purchased by Hayek out of the Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds consignment for $20,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale. He was foaled at Brayton Hill Farm in Fort Ann.

Flying Emperor is the ninth foal out of Evil Empress, a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Dancing Rhythm, stakes winner Skeet and stakes-placed Flying Monarch. Evil Empress is the dam of six winners, including the New York-bred winners Closingtothewire, Eveatetheapple, Forbidden City, Spartan Emperor and Virginia Doze.

Grant Whitmer purchased Evil Empire, sold in foal to Teuflesberg, for $1,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Flying Emperor, second by a neck in last year’s Barker run in late August during the pandemic-delayed meeting at Finger Lakes, has raced exclusively at Finger Lakes for trainer James Wright during his career. He won two of three starts at 2, did not race at 3 and won two of eight with six seconds as a 4-year-old in 2021.

After ending the season with back-to-back seconds in the Barker and a 6-furlong state-bred allowance, Wright gave the gelding the winter off and he returned with a victory in a May 10 state-bred allowance. He prepped for his return with three works at Tampa Bay Downs in March and April and two more breezes at Finger Lakes in late April and May.

Make Mischief (pink colors) cuts the corner en route to victory in Monday’s Critical Eye at Belmont. Dom Napolitano/NYRA Photo.

By Paul Halloran

They say people judge you by the company you keep and you will get no argument from the connections of Make Mischief, who is extremely difficult to beat when she runs with fellow New York-breds.

The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief out of the Speightstown mare Speightful Lady made it four wins in seven starts against state-breds when she rolled to an easy 4-length win in the Critical Eye Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day Monday at Belmont Park.

Make Mischief, owned by Gary Barber and trained by Mark Casse, sat off the pace set by Mashnee Girl through fractions of :23.26 and :46.40, took the lead at the quarter pole and was never threatened in the stretch, covering the mile in 1:35.71 as the 8-5 second choice. Bank Sting, who has been similarly dominant in the New York-bred ranks and was sent off as the favorite, was the best of the rest but a well-beaten second.

“I’m glad the weather was good today. [Last time] she didn’t care for the racetrack, but today I felt like she was going to run well,” said Shane Tripp, assistant to winning trainer Mark Casse. “She shows up every day and is so honest. She’s a real blessing to be around.”

Neither Make Mischief nor Bank Sting threatened in the Grade 2 Ruffian, won by Search Results, but they figured to be formidable in the Critical Eye and that’s exactly how it played out. Davis has ridden both horses recently and made the right choice Monday.

“I can only ride one and I liked them both,” Davis said. “They’re both nice fillies. I just liked the way Make Mischief was doing. Today, she broke well. I loved the post position and even the dry track helped her. Last time, she had that sealed track and had all that dirt in her face. She was never comfortable. Today, she was in a great spot. She was really keen for me down the backstretch, just trying to settle her down. She responded nicely, continued to gallop out and she was having fun out there.”

Bred by Mario and Dawn Martinez’s Avanti Stable and foaled at Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Mechanicville, Make Mischief sold for $285,000 to Flamingo Bloodstock at the Fasig-Tipton 2019 New York-bred sale in Saratoga.

“I’m sorry I sold her,” Martinez said Monday. “She’s the last one we sold. We are now breeding to race.”

Make Mischief is one five winners out of Speightful Lady, who was purchased in foal to Uncle Mo by Martinez for $75,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Speightful Lady delivered her first foal a few weeks later, the Uncle Mo colt later gelded and named Motown Rhythm. He was her first winner, along with $220,450-earner Speightful Kitten, the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling Jody’s Song and the $115,000 Saratoga select yearling Crescent Lady. Speightful Lady is also the dam of an unraced 2-year-old filly by Union Rags named Speightful Lily. This year, she delivered a foal by Goldencents and she is currently in foal to Mendelssohn, Martinez said.

After winning her debut at Belmont June 18, 2020, Make Mischief ran second in the Grade 3 Schuylerville, Grade 2 Adirondack and Seeking the Ante for New York-breds, before shipping to Santa Anita Park and running last in the Grade 2 Chandelier.

Moved to Chris Englehart’s barn for her first four starts of 2021, Make Mischief won three times, twice in the state-bred ranks. When Casse got her back, he returned her to open company and she responded with consecutive third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Eight Belles and Grace 1 Acorn. She was off the board in the Grade 2 Mother Goose and Grade 1 Test, was beaten a neck in the Fleet Indian and placed third in the Empire Distaff Handicap, finishing the year with $327,600 in earnings.

She began her 2022 campaign with a romp in an allowance-optional at Aqueduct before the Ruffian try.

“We love her and she’s the queen of the barn.” Tripp said. “You can tell when she gets really angry, she’s going to run big. She gets her way all the time and I felt she was going to give a big performance today.”