Giacosa improves her record at Belmont and wins Monday’s Mount Vernon to kick off the stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day. NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Everyone knows Giacosa loves Saratoga – her connections, rival connections, horseplayers, even the most casual fans who can read her record of 4-3-0-0 up at the old Spa.

Belmont Park felt like a different story heading into Monday’s $125,000 Mount Vernon to kick off the stakes action on the Big Apple Showcase Day card. The 5-year-old Tizway mare’s record read completely different at Belmont, with just one win in six starts to go with a second and a third.

Bettors read it and sent Giacosa off the 6-1 fourth choice of six in the Mount Vernon – in her first start in more than six months – but she proved her record misleading and the others flat wrong with a gritty victory over Classic Lady in the 1-mile stakes for older female New York-breds. Giacosa won by a nose over Classic Lady under a well-timed ride from Luis Saez in 1:34.05 over the firm Widener Turf Course.

“She had been training well,” said Ryan Bond, assistant to his father and trainer Jim Bond. “Even at her 3- and 4-year-old year, she worked well but wasn’t a standout in the morning on dirt. She was working really well into this race and she proved that she was ready for it.

“She can kick on those tight turns [at Saratoga], it doesn’t seem to bother her on the big turns or the small turns. She just gives it her ‘A’ game every time.”

Giacosa’s victory in the Mount Vernon – worth $68,750 for Bond Racing Stable – proved every bit on the ‘A’ level to her most recent win in the Yaddo Handicap on Saratoga Showcase Day in late August. She came from off the pace in that 1 1/16-mile turf stakes to win by three-quarters of a length over Myhartblongstodady with Classic Lady third.

Giacosa raced a little closer to the pace this time, running behind free-running Classic Lady and She’s the One through the opening 6 furlongs in 1:11.13, before launching a wide bid around the far turn. Classic Lady, also making her first start of the year, still led into the stretch before being confronted first by She’s the One and then by Giacosa to her outside.

“We know she came from the layoff and we know she has a good turn of foot,” Saez said. “The only worry was the time she was off, but we just broke and took a little hold to be patient. When we came to the top of the stretch, she just gave me that little move. We just kept battling and she got there. That was an exciting race.”

Jockey Luis Saez and Giacosa’s connections celebrate her latest victory in the Mount Vernon. NYRA Photo.

Giacosa kept after the leader in the lane before edging just enough clear at the finish. The first two were 1 1/2 lengths clear of She’s the One, making her stakes debut, in third. Silky Blue, 7-5 favorite Runaway Rumour and Pop the Bubbly completed the field.  Giacosa improved to 5-for-14 with the victory, to go with three seconds and a third, for $356,340 in earnings.

Bred by the Bond family’s Song Hill Thoroughbreds and Roderick Towle and foaled at Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Mechanicville, Giacosa is out of the winning New York-bred Smart Strike mare Smart Engagement. Purchased by Jim Bond, agent, for $30,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale, Smart Engagement won two of four starts for the partnership of Mandaclair Stable and Tina Bond from 2008 to 2010 before joining the family’s broodmare band.

Giacosa is the fifth foal out of Smart Engagement and a full sister to the stakes-placed $236,150-earner Tizzelle, two-time winner and $128,132-earner Way Smart and winner Tizengaginglysmart. Smart Engagement is also the dam of the New York-bred 4-year-old Mineshaft filly Gallina, who is 2-2-2 in 11 starts for $110,425 in earnings.

Giacosa finished sixth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Classic Lady, in the Ticonderoga Stakes last fall at Belmont before a close second in open company in the Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct in late November to close her 2021 campaign.

Ryan Bond said a long-range target could be a defense of her title in the $200,000 Yaddo on Aug. 26 at Saratoga. Considering the way Giacosa ran in her debut that start and others down the road give Saez reason for optimism.

“She looked way better now. She’s grown and is more mature,” he said. “Today, she made that move right there and kept going. It’s great to have her back.

“It’s always a blessing for me to be a part of (Bond’s) team. He’s a wonderful guy and always gave me the opportunity and keeps giving me them. I’m so grateful to ride for him and win this stake for him. It’s big for me.”

Multiple New York-bred champion Somelikeithotbrown makes his 2022 debut in Saturday’s Kingston Stakes at Belmont Park.
NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law and Sean Clancy

Monday’s Big Apple Showcase Day, which features a five-pack of stakes worth $900,000 and 10 races overall for New York-breds, takes center stage on Memorial Day at Belmont Park.

One of the most anticipated days for the Empire State’s breeding and racing program always delivers dramatic moments and competitive action and 2022’s edition figures to follow that trend. The high-dollar event attracted plenty of interest and everything gets underway at 1 p.m. The first stakes – the Mount Vernon for fillies and mares on the grass – goes as the second race at 1:32. The team at The Saratoga Special and This Is Horse Racing wanted to preview all the action and present the Big Apple Showcase Special to set the stage.

We’ll be back with more editions for the other two Showcase Day cards this year – the Saratoga Showcase during the much-anticipated Spa meeting and Empire Showcase card this fall at Belmont Park.

Here’s wishing everyone in the New York Thoroughbred industry a safe Memorial Day and prosperous rest of the year.

By the Numbers

2: Millionaires – Cross Border and Somelikeithotbrown – entered in Monday’s $125,000 Kingston Stakes on the grass. They’re both trained by Mike Maker and Somelikeithotbrown holds the narrow bankroll edge over his stablemate with $1,189,338. Cross Border comes in with $1,123,979 earned.

3: Runners by leading New York sire Central Banker entered Monday – Bank Sting in the Critical Eye and second-time starter Silken Dollar in the maiden special weight finale, with Dream Central as an also eligible entrant in the latter.

5: Runners bred or co-bred by Sequel Stallions NY on Monday’s card – Major Spin (third), Alicia’s Way (fifth), Secret Love (Critical Eye), Kisses for Emily (Bouwerie) and Mo Nighean Donn (10th). That number leads all breeders.

Yo Cuz, one of seven runners sired by the late Laoban, looks to bounce back in the Bouwerie. NYRA Photo.

7: Offspring of the late and former leading New York-based freshman sire Laoban on the day – Bossmakinbossmoves (third) Urgano (fourth), Alicia’s Way (fifth) Yo Cuz (Bouwerie), Laobanonaprayer (Critical Eye), Mo Nighean Donn and Celebrity News (10th). No other New York sire has more.

9: Entries for trainer Christophe Clement on Monday’s card, tops among all conditioners. He is also the only trainer represented as a breeder on the card. Multiple stakes winner Therapist, running in the Kingston, was co-bred with Oak Bluff Stable.

88: New York-breds entered for Monday’s Big Apple Showcase Day card.

100: Breeders represented by those 88 New York-breds.

124: Pounds assigned by Bank Sting in Monday’s $200,000 Critical Eye. The 5-year-old daughter of Central Banker won last year’s edition carrying 119.

1,898,796: Dollars in progeny earnings for Central Banker through May 28, tops in the state. He stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.

738,411: Dollars in progeny earnings for New York’s second leading sire War Dancer through May 28. The son of War Front, who stands at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions in Schuylerville, is represented by Pop the Bubbly in Monday’s $125,000 Mount Vernon, second-time Front Line Dancer in the fourth race on the turf and multiple stakes winner Step Dancer in the $125,000 Kingston.

723,333: Dollars in progeny earnings for Mission Impazible, good for third in New York through May 28. Standing at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, Mission Impazible has third-time starting filly Missing Fortune in Monday’s first race for maidens going 1 mile on the main track.

Worth Repeating

“Big Apple Showcase Day on the Memorial Day holiday at Belmont Park shows the strength and value New York’s breeding industry has on racing in our state and beyond. Working in partnership with NYRA, we have created a tradition featuring marquee New York-bred days, showing why it’s lucrative to breed, own and race state-breds in New York.”
New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Executive Director Najja Thompson

“We took a shot in there; she belonged in there I thought. It was a tough group of fillies and I think given the track, she’s won on an off track before, but it’s not her best surface. She’d excel better on a drier track. Maybe, if we had one last time, we might have got a piece of it, but it was still a tough race regardless. She came out of it well, and we’re looking forward to Monday. The weather looks great.”
Trainer John Terranova, who sends out Bank Sting in Monday’s Critical Eye

Names of the Day

Thrill of It. Third Race. The reason why we play this crazy game.

Nikostratos. Fourth Race. The 3-year-old is by Declaration of War.

Media Sensation. Fourth Race. The 3-year-old is by Exaggerator out of Media Bias.

Salute to America. Eighth Race. Seems appropriate this weekend.

Cross Border. Ninth Race. An oldie but a goodie, the millionaire is by English Channel.

Plays of the Day

Fourth Race. Whistler’s Honor closed ground in his debut going short, he makes his 3-year-old debut going two turns and attracts Jose Ortiz.

Ninth Race. Step Dancer takes on heavy hitters in the Kingston but could fire fresh in his 4-year-old debut.

Handicapper’s Corner

The Saratoga Special’s handicappers are gearing up for the 2022 summer meeting at the Spa but we asked them to work up some selections for Saturday’s Big Apple Showcase. Check out the picks from our team of five. Good luck and enjoy.

John Shapazian
1-Royal Currency, Bern Rosie Bern, Secret Hideout.
2-Runway Rumor, Classic Lady, Giacosa.
3-Aggregation, Major Spin, Pineapple Man.
4-Biondi, Mr. Connecticut, Bernardino.
5-Rheaume, Waterville, Kannon Fire.
6-Bank Sting, Make Mischief, Maiden Beauty.
7-Yo Cuz, November Rain, Adversity.
8-Best Idea, Hot Rod Rumble, Who Hoo Thats Me.
9-City Man, Somelikeithotbrown, Therapist.
10-Queen of Lies, Smokin’ Hot Kitty, Crosstalk.

Tom Law
1-Missing Fortune, Royal Currency, Bern Rosey Bern.
2-Runaway Rumour, She’s the One, Classic Lady.
3-Aggregation, Pineapple Man, Umbria.
4-Nikostratos, Front Line Dancer, Mr. Connecticut.
5-Waterville, Kannon Fire, Out of Sight.
6-Bank Sting, Make Mischief, Love and Love.
7-Yo Cuz, Adversity, Sterling Silver.
8-Rotknee, Tin Pan Alley, Hot Rod Rumble.
9-Somelikeithotbrown, Cross Border, Therapist.
10-Ard Macha, Crosstalk, Queen of Lies.

Charles Bedard
1-Royal Currency, Missing Fortune, Secret Hideout.
2-Giacosa, Pop The Bubbly, She’s The One.
3-Aggregation, Umbria, Full Moon Fever.
4-Mr. Connecticut, Bernardino, Nikostratos.
5-New Ginya, Out Of Sight, Freedom Machine.
6-Make Mischief, Maiden Beauty, Mashnee Girl.
7-Yo Cuz, Liberty Flame, Sterling Silver.
8-Tin Pan Alley, Rotknee, Kazmike.
9-Somelikeithotbrown, Sanctuary City, Ocala Dream.
10-Queen Of Lies, Bavarian Crème, Sinfully Sweet.

Rob Whitlock
1-Royal Currency, Sister Linda, Bern Rosy Bern.
2-She’s The One, Giacosa, Runaway Rumour.
3-Pineapple Man, Aggregation, Major Spin.
4-Biondi, Front Line Dancer, Bernardino.
5-Waterville, Rheaume, Out of Sight.
6-Bank Sting, Make Mischief, Mashnee Girl.
7-Yo Cuz, November Rein, True Empress.
8-Best Idea, Tin Pan Alley, Rotknee.
9-Somelikeithotbrown, City Man, Cross Border.
10-Celebrity News, Bavarian Queen, Queen of Lies.

Jessica Paquette
1-Bern Rosey Bern, Royal Currency, Sweet Maeve.
2-She’s the One, Giacosa, Classic Lady.
3-Bossmakinbossmoves, Aggregation, Pineapple Man.
4-Nikostratos, Lookin Grand, Mr. Connecticut.
5-Rheaume, Out of Sight, Waterville.
6-Secret Love, Mashnee Girl, Make Mischief.
7-True Empress, Yo Cuz, Adversity.
8-Best Idea, Hot Rod Rumble, Tin Pan Alley.
9-Cross Border, Step Dancer, Somelikeithotbrown.
10-Bavarian Cream, Latest Edition, Celebrity News.

As for the races …

Race 1. 1:00 p.m. Kick off the day with a 1-mile maiden special weight. Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Royal Currency is a short price on the morning line with four seconds in five starts for Charlton Baker.

Runaway Rumour returns to New York-bred company in the Mount Vernon. Elsa Lorieul/NYRA Photo.

Race 2. 1:32. Early stakes on the card and a good one. The $125,000 Mount Vernon for fillies and mares at 1 mile on the grass features Runaway Rumour, back with New York-breds for the first time since last June; 2020 Yaddo winner Giacosa; last year’s runner-up and multiple stakes winner Classic Lady; and potential rising star in She’s the One.

Race 3. 2:03. Back to the main track for 1-mile allowance. Chad Brown and Seth Klarman win classics and wins with New York-breds, too. They run Aggregation here off a 6 1/2-length maiden win in mid-April at Aqueduct. He’ll need a top effort against the likes of Pineapple Man, G Munning, Umbria, Major Spin and Full Moon Fever.

Race 4. 2:34. Nikostratos, second in two turf tries last year, tries again in 2021 debut going 1 1/16 miles on the grass for Jonathan Thomas. Jim Bond runs Biondi off a good prep while Christophe Clement tries to get Mr. Connecticut’s maiden win in his fifth start.

Race 5. 3:03. Waterville made a nice return when second last month in similar turf allowance at Aqueduct. Waterville Lake Stables homebred daughter of Kitten’s Joy takes on debut winners Rheaume and New Ginya, and last-out maiden winner Out of Sight in this spot.

Bank Sting looks large in Saturday’s Critical Eye against Make Mischief and others. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

Race 6. 3:34. Back to stakes action and the $200,000 Critical Eye Handicap. Bank Sting went on a tear last year into the start of 2022, winning three straight including the Heavenly Prize against open company. She’s back with New York-breds here and will face a good test from Make Mischief, Maiden Beauty and Love and Love.

Race 7. 4:06. Yo Cuz stumbled and lost all chance last time in a division of the New York Stallion Series. A clean break here in the $125,000 Bouwerie against fellow sophomore fillies and she could be back to the form that saw her take three straight stakes. It’s no layup though with stakes winner November Rein, Sterling Silver and Adversity in the field of eight.

Race 8. 4:40. Solid group of nine entered for the $125,000 Mike Lee, including Damon Runyon winner Rotknee, beaten Damon Runyon favorite Best Idea, last-out maiden winner Tin Pan Alley, Damon Runyon runner-up Agility and Hot Rod Rumble and Who Hoo Thats Me, 1-2 in an Aqueduct allowance last time out for top connections.

Race 9. 5:12. The $125,000 Kingston closes to stakes portion of the card and what a lineup. City Man, Therapist, Cross Border and others take on multiple graded stakes winner Somelikeithotbrown. Off since winning last year’s Mohawk, son of New York-based sire Big Brown owns two wins on the Belmont grass, a seven-figure bankroll and reunites with jockey Jose Ortiz.

Race 10. 5:44. Overflow field for the finale, a 7-furlong maiden on the grass. Michael Stidham ships Queen of Lies north from Fair Hill while George Weaver tries the turf with the Laoban filly Celebrity News off a fifth on the dirt in division of the NYSS last month.

Robin Sparkles handles the dirt in 2022 return, taking the Politely Stakes Saturday at Monmouth Park. Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

New York-bred stalwart Robin Sparkles took her show on the road Saturday and made the trip a winning one with a 1-length victory in the $98,000 Politely Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Making her 2022 debut and first start since the Oct. 17 Floral Park Stakes at Belmont Park, the 5-year-old Elusive Quality mare shot to the lead under Daniel Centeno to take up her usual pace-making duties up front in the 5-furlong stakes originally scheduled for the turf.

Clicking off fractions of :21.86 and :44.96 racing on an uncontested lead, Robin Sparkles’ biggest challenge came in the stretch. The test came from a charging Bold Confection, who shrunk Robin Sparkles’ lead to its smallest margin and within a length of her at the line. Gogo Shoes finished another neck back in third. Robin Sparkles won in in :57.78 on the track labeled fast.

Michael Schrader’s Robin Sparkles collected her eighth victory in 14 starts and second stakes win, to go with three other stakes-placings in her career. Robin Sparkles finished in the top three in six of seven starts last season, good enough for the mare to be named a finalist for champion New York-bred turf female honors.

Bred by Hibiscus Stables and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Robin Sparkles was purchased by Linda Rice from the Indian Creek consignment for $30,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale but has always been under the direction of Bruce Brown during her racing career.

“We’ve always known she is better on the grass but she has done okay on the dirt,” said Brown. “It was kind of a situation where we’re trying to get this first race in her for the year to get her going, so when the race came off the grass we knew she could handle the dirt. I was happy that the track was more of a dried-out surface. I might have been a little more skeptical about it if it was a sloppy or muddy racetrack.”

Robin Sparkles is out of the five-time winning Dehere mare My Sparky, who raced on the New York circuit throughout her 17-start career. My Sparky shares a second dam with Grade 2 winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Bay to Bay, who also produced Japanese Group 2 winner Suave Aramis.

A half-sister to the stakes winning Race Home, My Sparky has produced three winners from three to race with all three in the New York-bred program.

Robin Sparkles is the only stakes winner for the mare, who died after giving birth to her 4-year-old Effinex filly She’s a Spark.

Kate Dalton gives Down Royal a big hug after New York-bred mare provided. her and husband Bernie Dalton (aboard) big victory at the Iroquois Steeplechase. Tod Marks/NSA Photo.

By Sean Clancy

“If nothing else, it’ll be a jumper.”

That’s how Bernie and Kate Dalton looked at the mating between their steeplechase mare, Miss Crown, and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup way back in 2013. Alphabet Soup had sired New York Turf Writers Cup winner Italian Wedding (ridden by Bernie) and Miss Crown had won twice and hit the board in five hurdle stakes.

Down Royal, named after an Irish steeplechase track, was born at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs in January 2014. She’s proven to be way better than ‘if-nothing-else.’

The 8-year-old mare won last Saturday’s Margaret Currey Henley Hurdle Stakes at the Iroquois Steeplechase to move ever closer to $200,000 in earnings. Trained by Kate, she’s won four out of her last five starts, including three stakes and provided Bernie with his 100th career steeplechase win Saturday. Only 41 jockeys have reached the milestone.

Owned by Joe Fowler Jr., Down Royal has been a revelation since coming off Lasix.

“It’s been crazy. She started out looking pretty good as a 2-year-old and then plateaued. Last year, we decided to take her off Lasix, ever since, she’s been first or second. So proud of her. She’s up to $187,000. She just paid for the whole year,” Kate Dalton said. “You can’t write this. I was so nervous, you knew it going in and when you know it’s a possibility, you want it that much more, but you don’t really believe that it’s actually going to happen.”

It happened with another resolute effort, turning away Irish import Burn The Evidence by 2 3/4 lengths.

“I have never screamed like that in my entire life,” Kate Dalton said. “It was like winning a Breeders’ Cup race, so poetic.”

The Daltons have successfully campaigned several fillies and mares, including New York-bred Cat Feathers, over hurdles. Cat Feathers has produced three foals and Miss Crown produced three foals.

“Miss Crown really had no use other than being a broodmare when she was done steeplechasing. She was difficult to deal with to put it nicely,” Dalton said. “At the time, we were going back and forth to New York, so it made sense to put her in the New York program. We had her at McMahon’s and they did a good job dealing with her.”

Down Royal became the best of all of them Saturday.

“She surpassed Cat Feathers in earnings,” Dalton said. “That was as good as it gets. I’m super proud of her. We’ll eventually breed her.”

If nothing else…

Senbei improves to 5-for-6 with victory over open company in the $100,000 Gold Fever Sunday at Belmont Park. NYRA Photo.

Senbei returned from almost six months on the sidelines with his fourth stakes victory – and first in open company – in Sunday’s $100,000 Gold Fever at Belmont Park.

Squared off against open company for the first time and the 9-5 second choice in the field of six 3-year-olds, Senbei hung tough to hold off a late inside run from 7-5 favorite Provocateur to win by a neck. Senbei won the 6-furlong Gold Fever for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski in his first start since taking the Notebook Stakes at the same distance Nov. 21 at Aqueduct.

Trainer Christophe Clement prepped Senbei for his 3-year-old debut with his string at Belmont Park, where he breezed eight times before the Gold Fever. The last four works came at 5 furlongs on Belmont’s main track, including a bullet 1:00.63 April 23 and a 1:02.12 tightener last Monday.

“He had the whole winter off,” Clement said. “We brought him back and he trained very well. He actually trained with Listentoyourheart, who won the two-other-than on Saturday. They trained together the last three breezes and he trained well.”

Senbei and jockey Manny Franco, aboard for many of those works, didn’t break on top but weren’t behind any of their five rivals for long in the Gold Fever. Franco guided Senbei to front outside of Provocateur, winner of the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start, and were in front by a length over Don’t Wait Up through the opening quarter-mile in :22.51.

“He has speed out of the gate and we weren’t going to change anything today,” Franco said. “I let him break out of there and do his thing.”

Senbei continued along on the lead around the far turn, holding that length advantage over Provocateur, Fluid Situation and Don’t Wait Up after a half in :45.85.

“Manny knows him very well and rides him very well,” Clement said. “My only instructions to Manny (were) to break well and work it out.”

Senbei (outside) holds off Provocateur to win Sunday’s Gold Fever. NYRA Photo.

Provocatuer and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. made a run up the inside the eighth pole but couldn’t get past Senbei, who won in 1:10.58. Runninsonofagun finished 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

Senbei improved to 5-for-6 with $419,857 in earnings. He also won last year’s New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes and Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, with the line defeat a second to Shipsational in the 7-furlong Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Belmont.

“He’s a very good New York-bred and Christophe does a great job with him,” Franco said. “I’m just glad to be on him.”

Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and foaled at his Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Senbei sold as a weanling for $280,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Clement’s son and assistant Miguel picked the colt out of the January sale.

Senbei is one of five winners out of the winning Western Cat mare Sweet Aloha. She’s also the dam of New York-bred stakes winners Filibustin and Indy’s Lady, along with the stakes-placed winner Man O Manassas. Screen Door, a 2-year-old New York-bred colt by Union Rags, sold for $60,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale and is in training at Monmouth Park.

Clement said he’d come up with a plan for Senbei’s next start after enjoying the colt’s latest success.

“No plan for the future,” he said. “We’re going to enjoy this and do the right thing. I’m very, very grateful to Mr. Reeves. He has some good horses with us.”

Venti Valentine’s connections celebrate the filly’s victory in the Busher this winter at Aqueduct. They’re hoping for more success in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks. NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

The pomp and circumstance surrounding Kentucky Derby Week always brings out stories of lifelong dreams and goals of winning the world’s most famous horse race.

Everywhere you look in Louisville, from Wagner’s to the Watterson, it’s Derby, Derby, Derby.

Vince Roth, Dan Zanatta and the other partners involved in NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds take a different approach. They’re here for the season, sure, but mainly they’re here for a reason that’s different than the predictable.

“Dan was the one who said it when we started this, what, 11 years ago, the goal was to win the Kentucky Oaks with a New York-bred filly,” Roth said Thursday morning at Churchill Downs. “When we switched to a filly-only model, which was a year later, that was the goal.”

And here they are, with their homebred chestnut filly Venti Valentine in one of America’s most important races for 3-year-old fillies. Venti Valentine, who would be the second New York-bred filly to win the prestigious race, was co-bred by Maspeth Stable and foaled at Schuylerville Thoroughbred Farm.

“I said to Dan when we started this, ‘the first time I’m going to step foot on Churchill Downs is when we have a horse in the Kentucky Oaks,’ ” Roth said. “Well, that was kind of a lie because we came here Tuesday. … It’s all neat. Now we just hope it all comes together.”

Venti Valentine’s arrival at Churchill comes after a 7-length victory in the Busher Invitational March 5 at Aqueduct followed by a runner-up effort to fellow Oaks entrant Nostalgic in the Grade 3 Gazelle April 9 at Aqueduct. She won two of three starts last year, including the Maid of the Mist Stakes on Empire Showcase Day.

That’s the short version. The long, as it so often does, goes back a lot further.

The partners campaigned multiple New York-bred stakes winner, $516,625-earner and one-time Kentucky Oaks possible Espresso Shot. They eventually bought the dam of Espresso Shot, on the advice and encouragement of the late Mike Recio, selling in foal to Firing Line for $13,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

About three few months later Glory Gold, a one-time winner and New York-bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, produced the filly that would become Venti Valentine. And now, three years later, they’re all at the Oaks.

There’s more to the tale, isn’t there always?

“Part of it was the Covid-sales environment,” Zanatta said. “There’s a lot of back story with how we got here. One was Mike Recio finding the mare because of Espresso Shot.

“The intention was to sell all the offspring. They canceled the Saratoga sale (in 2020) and we weren’t left with a ton of good options. She was nice enough, so we said let’s keep her. …And now we’re obviously humbled and honored to represent the New York breeders and have a New York-bred here, supporting that program.”

Venti Valentine drew post eight of 14 for the 9-furlong Oaks and is listed at 20-1 on the morning line. Tyler Gaffalione takes the call for the first time. Gaffalione was aboard for Venti Valentine’s breezes at Churchill, including her 5-furlong move in 1:00.80 last Friday for trainer Jorge Abreu.

Abreu, a former assistant to trainer Chad Brown who went out on his own seven years ago, will also make his Oaks debut with Venti Valentine.

“I’m happy with the way she’s coming into the race,” Abreu said while his team gave Venti Valentine a bath after training Thursday. “She looks like she’s handling everything well. We schooled her yesterday and it looked like she had a good day. We schooled her in the gate. It’s never been a problem but it’s a new ballgame here with all the people and stuff.”

Busher winner Venti Valentine drew post 8 for Friday’s Kentucky Oaks and is 20-1 on the morning line. Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable’s and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Venti Valentine drew one of the middle posts in an ultra-strong renewal of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks as she attempts to become the latest New York-bred to shine on one of America’s signature programs.

Venti Valentine drew post eight of 14 in the Oaks field with Tyler Gaffalione named to ride and is listed at 20-1 on the morning line for the 9-furlong test.

“I’m very pleased,” trainer Jorge Abreu said. “We wanted to draw somewhere from the four to the eight and we got a place right in there. She likes to sit off the speed, to be forwardly placed. I don’t want her on the lead. Tyler knows this track really well. Now we just need the luck.”

The 3-year-old daughter of Firing Line will attempt to become the second New York-bred to win the Oaks and first since the Believe It filly Buryyourbelief scored an 8-1 upset for Hall of Fame trainer Laz Barrera in 1987.

Winner of the Busher Invitational Stakes two starts back and second to Oaks morning-line favorite Nest last time in the Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes, Venti Valentine comes into Friday’s headliner with more than just a puncher’s chance according to her connections.

“The owners want to take a chance and it’s not like she’s impossible,” Abreu said last week. “She faced one of the favorites already in Nest. There’s plenty of speed in that race and she’s always one that wants to be forwardly placed but not on the lead.”

Abreu said this week he’s been pleased with Venti Valentine’s progress in Louisville, where she breezed a half in :47.40 April 23 and 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 April 29.

“So far everything is good,” Abreu said. “The surface of the track seems to fit her.”

The Kentucky Oaks goes as the 11th of 13 races Friday at Churchill, with post time scheduled for 5:51 p.m. ET.

Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable and foaled at Schuylerville Thoroughbred Farm in Schuylerville, Venti Valentine is the second stakes winner produced by Glory Gold along with Espresso Shot. Venti Valentine’s connections also campaigned Espresso Shot, a multiple stakes winner of $516,625 who sold for $300,000 to Spendthrift Farm at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

Final Furlong Racing purchased Espresso Shot for $69,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. A year later they bought Glory Gold, carrying Venti Valentine in utero, for $13,000 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She’s produced four winners.

Venti Valentine flies the flag for the New York-bred program this weekend. She was expected to share that duty with Rebel Stakes winner Un Ojo until he was declared from Saturday’s Kentucky Derby with an injury.

Trainer Ricky Courville said the one-eyed New York-bred son of Laoban came out of his final Derby breeze with a bruised right foot. The decision to withdraw Un Ojo from consideration was made Monday when the gelding didn’t respond to treatment.

“It’s just bad timing,” Courville said. “It’s just a badly bruised foot. It’s deep in the laminae, so he’s pretty sore. We tried soaking his foot and that didn’t really help. It’s just very disappointing because he had been doing so well. He seemed to really like the track.”

The New York breeding program will be represented on Saturday’s Derby Day card with Coinage in the Grade 2 American Turf presented by BMW. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and campaigned by the Bromans and Leonard Green’s D J Stable, Coinage comes into the $500,000 American Turf off a third in the Grade 3 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes on Keeneland’s Opening Day card April 8. The American Turf goes as the ninth of 14 races Saturday with post time set for 3:40 p.m.

The Transylvania field also includes the unbeaten Sy Dog, a 3-year-old son of New York-based sire Slumber. Sy Dog won the Transylvania by three quarters of a length and comes in 3-for-3 for trainer Graham Motion and owner and co-breeder Head of Plains Partners LLC. Madaket Stables also co-bred Sy Dog. Slumber, a Grade 1-winning 14-year-old son of Cacique out of the Woodmare mare Sound Asleep, stands at Rockridge Stud in Hudson.