Saratoga Snacks counted the 2013 Empire Classic among his four stakes victories. NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Saratoga Snacks, a multiple New York-bred stakes winner and popular resident of ReRun in East Greenbush, was euthanized due to metabolic issues at the age of 13.

Campaigned for most of his career by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm and trainer Gary Sciacca, Saratoga Snacks retired to ReRun’s Thoroughbred retraining and adoption organization in late 2016. He served as one of ReRun’s equine ambassadors in retirement, alongside former New York stallion Frost Giant, who also died this year.

Parcells continued to support Saratoga Snacks during his retirement and Sciacca was a frequent visitor to the gelding through the years. Saratoga Snacks will be buried at ReRun alongside Frost Giant.

“It was really weird in the barn (recently) without those two on the end,” said Lisa Molloy, executive director of ReRun Inc. “I’m pretty honored that I had both of them.”

Bred by Mrs. Gerald A. Nielsen, the son of Tale of the Cat was purchased by Sciacca at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale for $60,000. He made his debut about a year later for August Dawn and Parcells, finishing second in a 5-furlong state-bred maiden race at Saratoga Race Course before winning a similar race stretched out to 6 1/2 furlongs the final Saturday of the meet.

Saratoga Snacks won four of five starts in 2012, including the Alex M. Robb Stakes late in the year at Aqueduct, to earn a nomination as champion New York-bred 3-year-old male. He won two more stakes at 4, including the Empire Classic Handicap on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park. Saratoga Snacks didn’t win at 5 but returned as a 6-year-old in 2015 and won or placed in five of his six starts, including a victory in the Saginaw Stakes at Belmont and a runner-up finish in the Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga.

Saratoga Snacks retired with nine wins, six seconds and four thirds for $693,500 in earnings. He was one of five winners produced by the winning Red Ransom mare Near and Dear, along with Baby Snacks, Chestnut Street, Hurricane Jackie and Speed Dating.

Yo Cuz cruises to second straight stakes victory in Monday’s $100,000 Maddie May at Aqueduct. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Maggie Seidman thinks of her horses – ex-racehorses, broodmares, young foals or even horses she’s sold – as members of her family.

“They’re like my kids,” Seidman said Monday afternoon before heading off to celebrate her grandson’s second birthday. “They’re just beautiful animals and do these things we ask them to do. They deserve a good life.”

Yo Cuz, one of the horses Seidman sold, continued to live the best version of her good life Monday with a victory in the $100,000 Maddie May Stakes on Aqueduct’s President’s Day card. Jose Ortiz came in from Florida to ride the daughter of Laoban for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owners Dream Maker Racing and Yo Cuz delivered a 3 1/4-length score in the 1-mile stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Seidman watched at home and enjoyed every moment of Yo Cuz’s front-running triumph.

“I’m really excited; my baby won,” she said.

Yo Cuz continued a strong run for Seidman and her Tale of Ekati mare Steve’s Philly, who she named for her late husband and his hometown. Yo Cuz won the Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in mid-December. About a month later Seidman sold her short yearling full brother for $160,000 to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing at the OBS January winter mixed sale. Now, about a month later, Yo Cuz added a second stakes victory in the 1-mile Maddie May.

“She’s strong willed and confident,” Seidman said. “I’ve had horses that were terrified of everything. She never was as a baby. She was happy. You look at the foal and you have an idea sometimes.”

The second foal out of Steve’s Philly, Yo Cuz was born and raised at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.

“They don’t pamper them, they get them out,” Seidman said. “They’re not in a hot house. When she was born she got up right away, stared at everybody. She’s always been a happy baby. This one was special. It was hard to see her go but I’m happy for them.”

Seidman was thankful for a call from Dream Maker’s Tom Gallo after the race. Dream Maker bought Yo Cuz for $125,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training, after the filly impressed in presale gallops and did not turn in a timed breeze. Gallo said that was a positive selling point after the Fifth Avenue and Seidman said after the Maddie May that it was by design.

“I talked to Mark Roberts at Hidden Brook and said, ‘I don’t see going in :10 and pushing them,’ ” Seidman said. “They do those two-minute licks in :12,: 24, :36. I said, ‘I’d rather have the horsemen see my horse gallop strong and make the decision. If I lose money, or don’t feel right, I’ll keep the horse.’ We heard a lot of people were vetting her out. She looked beautiful.”

Bettors liked the looks of Yo Cuz in the Maddie May, sending her off at 9-10 in the field of six ahead of flashy maiden winner Stone Creator, Busanda Stakes third Reigning Chick and Franklin Square Stakes third Thinking It Over.

Yo Cuz brushed the side of the gate at the break and veered out a touch before Ortiz regrouped and put her on the lead. They led out of the chute and into the backstretch by a length over Stone Creator in :23.41 for the opening quarter-mile with Moam and Thinking It Over chasing ahead of Caragate and Reigning Chick.

“Being on the outside sometimes they break a step out, but I corrected her nicely,” Ortiz said. “She has very good early speed and she put me where I wanted to be without using her. I thought the (Stone Creator) would probably go, but I took the lead so easy and I think that’s why Kendrick [Carmouche] let us have it.”

Carmouche and Stone Creator, a 5-length winner in her debut Jan. 16 for Charlton Baker and owner-breeder Roddy Valente, continued to chase a length back as Yo Cuz hit the half in :46.91. Yo Cuz opened up on the turn and after clicking past 6 furlongs in 1:12.10, she and Ortz were 2 lengths clear. They margin widened in the lane, to 3 1/2 at the eighth pole, and Yo Cuz cruised past the finish in 1:38.91. Stone Creator held second, 4 ½ lengths in front of 26-1 longshot Caragate with Reigning Chick fourth.

Jose Ortiz made the smart move to fly up from Florida to ride Yo Cuz in Monday’s Maddie May. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

The decision to fly up from Florida, regardless of the fact there was no President’s Day card at Gulfstream Park, was an easy one for Ortiz.

“Bill asked me to come up and I said, ‘sure,’ ” he said. “We won the $500,000 race last time, today it was just $100,000 but I really like her going forward. She’s very good.”

Yo Cuz picked up $55,000 and boosted her bankroll to $332,800 from her record of two wins in three starts. Gallo said the $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series going 6 ½ furlongs April 24 at Aqueduct could be next.

“She was very impressive,” Gallo said. “This was sort of a test for her. There were horses with some legitimate form in here and she looks like she’s improving. At this time, that’s a great thing.”

“What we’re aiming for is probably the New York Stallion Stakes Series … unless Bill (Mott) looks at the tape and says something else. This was sort of a prep race for that. We’ll take it one step at a time. Hopefully, she eats up and is in good shape tomorrow.”

A $50,000 purchase by Seidman Stables at the 2015 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training, Steve’s Philly is out of the Gone West mare Striking Wonder, who is out of multiple Grade 1 winner Wonder Again from the family of Grade 1 winners Colonel Liam, Tribulation and Graceful Darby.

Steve’s Philly is also the dam of the 3-year-old New York-bred Palace Malice gelding Uncle Jerome, who is in training in New York with owner and trainer Michael Gorham. She didn’t produce a foal in 2022 but was bred last week to Connect.

“Everything seems OK with Steve’s Philly; she’ll come back to New York in 90 days if everything is fine, and foal in New York,” Seidman said. “I don’t breed them every year. I personally don’t. … I let them stay with their babies and recover. Economically people say it’s silly, but I think it’s better for my horses. So, she got a year off, she’s fully healthy and has had easy pregnancies. Mike McMahon, my stable manager, went all over, looked at the physicals, the races, everything and settled on Connect.”

Kept Waiting splashes through the slop to win Sunday’s Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Robert Falcone Jr. wasted little time running Kept Waiting back after a successful debut on the dirt – seven days to be exact – and the 5-year-old mare rewarded her trainer with a victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct.

Kept Waiting won the 6-furlong Broadway in her stakes debut as the 2-1 second choice, tracking the loose-on-the-lead speed of multiple stakes winner Sadie Lady early before giving her six opponents the slip in the stretch on the way to a 5 1/2-length score over Time Limit. Breakfastatbonnies, the 6-5 favorite, finished third with Letmetakethiscall fourth. Kept Waiting and jockey Manny Franco won in 1:12.81 over the main track labeled sloppy after morning and lingering afternoon snow in the New York Metropolitan area on Super Bowl Sunday.

The winner of two of four starts last year, Kept Waiting won a 6-furlong state-bred turf optional Dec. 2 to close her 2022 season. She didn’t race again until winning a 6-furlong open-company allowance Feb. 6 at Aqueduct, her first try on dirt in 10 starts.

“She definitely has moved forward,” Falcone said. “We gave her some time off last year after her race in April and she came back in good shape. She needed that first race off the layoff, but after that she was fit enough. She’s always trained well so hopefully she keeps the same form.”

Even though Kept Waiting never raced much closer than a month between starts, Falcone wasn’t concerned.

“I figured we would take things day-by-day, she was coming back quick,” Falcone said. “I did the same thing with Maiden Beauty when she won the Bay Ridge in December, so we wanted to get over this race first. I’m not even looking to March. She ran a few hard races and after coming back in six days and winning like that, she deserves a little break. I’m not going to rush her. I’ll see how she comes around and go from there.”

Sadie Lady and Kendrick Carmouche were aggressive from the start, zipping away from the field and opening up 4 1/2 lengths to the opening quarter-mile in :22.69. Time Limit, Kept Waiting and Breakfastatbonnies chased to that point, before slicing into the lead approaching the half in :46.68.

Kept Waiting and Franco got first run on the leader, passed her into the lane and quickly opened up. They led by 3 lengths past the eighth pole and continued to draw away late. Time Limit finished a half-length in front of Breakfastatbonnies, who was a length clear of Letmetakethiscall. Chasing Cara, Sadie Ladie and Awillaway completed the field.

“She can run on both surfaces and she impressed me because of the way she ran her last two races and today in the company of better horses,” Franco said. “To do it this way was impressive. If I wanted, I could have kept opening up, but I didn’t want to beat her up and I knew I had the win already, so I just saved some for next time. It was perfect. I was able to be where I wanted to be behind the speed and at the five-sixteenths pole, I just tapped her on the shoulder and she was there for me.”

Bred by John Lauriello, Kept Waiting is the fourth foal out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Orient Moon. A $320,000 purchase by George Bolton at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale, Orient Moon won two of eight starts with two thirds for $70,660 for Bolton and partners and trainer Todd Pletcher.

Lauriello purchased Orient Moon as a broodmare prospect for $25,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Kept Waiting was originally sold through Indian Creek to Jerry Coult Partners for $65,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Kept Waiting half-brother by Practical Joke sold for $250,000 to Klaravich Stable at last year’s Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Kept Waiting started her career for Joseph Bulger and trainer Kelsey Danner, finishing fourth in a 1 1/16-mile state-bred maiden in June 2020 at Belmont Park. Transferred to Mike Miceli after that effort, Kept Waiting finished second in back-to-back similar spots during the 2020 Saratoga Race Course meeting before Falcone claimed her for $40,000 for Goldfarb Sept. 24, 2020 at Belmont Park.

Kept Waiting won her first start for Falcone, Goldfarb and Nice Guys Stable a month later going 7 furlongs on the grass.

She improved to 5-for-11 with the Broadway victory and boosted her bankroll to $266,600.

Barese ran down Bold Journey in deep stretch to win Saturday’s Gander Stakes at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

No chance turning for home.

Still pretty slim with an eighth of a mile to run.

A sixteenth? Maybe, but still not likely.

Just before the wire? Book it.

Such was the scenario that unfolded in Saturday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes at Aqueduct with Barese attempting to run down a loose-on-the-front Bold Journey in the stretch. Barese indeed got up in time, continuing a determined rally despite losing a slight stumble and losing a shoe to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

The 3-year-old son Laoban stayed perfect in the 1-mile stakes for New York-bred sophomores, adding Saturday’s win to his come-from-behind win in the $100,00 Rego Park in early January at Aqueduct. Barese won in 1:39.26 over the fast track.

“He definitely handled the mile great,” said winning jockey Dylan Davis. “The distance was not a problem for him. He’s just a horse that now I’ve learned it just takes him a little while to get his run going. Once he does and he lays it down – and he did it late again that last eighth of a mile. He stretches out nicely and gets the job done.”

Bold Journey, a son of Hard Spun coming off a sharp maiden victory going 6 furlongs in his second start, sparred with G Munning up the backstretch through the opening quarter-mile before taking over after a half in :47.51. He and Kendrick Carmouche led by a half-length at that point while Barese, last out of the gate, tracked in third.

Bold Journey continued on the lead around the far turn and opened up a 2 1/2-length advantage through 6 furlongs in 1:12.32. He widened the margin further in the stretch, drawing 4 lengths clear approaching the eighth pole.

“I was cruising,” Carmouche said.

Davis, who didn’t realize Barese lost his left front shoe until he came back to unsaddle, never panicked.

“I got into him early at the three-eighths pole and Kendrick kind of spurted away at the quarter pole and I thought I was riding for second at that time – even the owners said that,” Davis said. “For some reason, like he does, he gets that run going again and that last eighth of a mile he made up a lot of ground and ran a great race.”

Barese sliced into the lead inside the eighth pole while Bold Journey stayed one-paced. Four lengths became 3 in a blink, then 2 and 1 and eventually Barese in front and drawing away.

“I thought he didn’t run as good as I worked him the other morning,” Carmouche said. “With that being said, I do think I was sitting easy next to the lead but I think he wants to have a target to look at. I know he had it easy in his first couple starts but I feel like going around there today, he was just loping. He never picked it up and he never slowed down – he just stayed the same.”

Bold Journey held second as the 3-5 favorite, 5 1/4 lengths in front of Geno with 50-1 longshot Doin’ittherightaway fourth in the field of seven.

Bred by Becky Thomas’ Sequel Thoroughbreds and Lewis Lakin’s Lakland Farm, foaled at Sequel Thoroughbreds in Hudson, Barese is the third foal out of the unraced Successful Appeal mare Right Prevails. Trainer Mike Maker purchased the colt for $150,000 out of Thomas’ Sequel Bloodstock consignment at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Barese made his winning debut for Maker and owners Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher in one of the first two New York-bred maiden special weight races run last year, taking a 5-furlong event by a half-length May 21 at Belmont Park. Off until Jan. 9, Barese improved to 2-for-2 in the 6 1/2-furlong Rego Park.

“He tries hard every race and just when you think he’s had enough, he just gives you that last gear,” said Paradise Farm Corp.’s Peter Proscia. “It was great. He’s moving forward and Dylan did a great job keeping him together, so we’re very pleased. I didn’t think he was going to get there. My friends here had all the faith in the world, but it was a little sketchy. When he started rolling after the last seventy yards, it was a good feeling.”

“We’ve got three [wins] now – one as a 2-year-old and two stakes as a 3-year-old. It’s good. I’m not sure what the next spot is, but we’ll talk with Mike and the group and see what happens.”

Right Prevails, a full sister to Grade 3 winner and 2005 Kentucky Derby runner-up Closing Argument, had produced one winner from two starters at the time of the Gulfstream sale. Her first winner, Barese’s 5-year-old full sister Breakfastatbonnies, is 3-for-5 and makes her stakes debut in Sunday’s $100,000 Broadway at Aqueduct. An $80,000 purchase by OWL Stable at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training, Breakfastatbonnies has earned $152,140. Thomas’ Sequel Bloodstock sold Barese and Breakfastatbonnies.

Right Prevails is also the dam of a 2-year-old filly by The Lieutenant and a New York-bred yearling colt by Mission Impazible, both bred in New York and co-bred by Sequel and Lakland.

Bank On Shea (right) fends off odds-on favorite Baby Yoda for his third stakes victory in Saturday’s Pelican at Tampa Bay Downs. SV Photography.

By Tom Law

Bank On Shea rebounded from a close loss in his 2022 debut – and first start in almost nine months – with a gutsy victory over heavily favored Baby Yoda in Saturday’s $75,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The 5-year-old son of 2021’s leading New York sire Central Banker collected his third stakes victory in the 6-furlong Pelican for owners She D Boys Stable. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and making his second start for trainer Carlos David, Bank On Shea won by a neck over Baby Yoda in 1:09.61 over the fast track.

One of three stakes winners sired last year by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ Central Banker, Bank On Shea became his sire’s second thus far in 2022 along with Bank Sting. Bank Sting and Bank On Shea were both foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds and both earned nominations for champion New York-bred honors in 2021, the former in the older dirt female and female sprinter categories and the latter in the male sprinter category.

Bank On Shea earned his consideration off his front-running victory in the Affirmed Success to open last year’s Belmont Park spring-summer meeting. He finished fourth, beaten 3 lengths after racing within a length or less of the lead through most of the race, in an open allowance-optional going 6 1/2 furlongs Jan. 7 at Gulfstream Park.

Ortiz employed different tactics in the Pelican, racing off the early pace of R Mercedes Boy and 2020 Tampa Bay Derby winner King Guillermo. That pair led the field through the opening quarter-mile in :22.45, with 3-5 favorite Baby Yoda and Jose Ortiz just behind in third with Pudding fourth of seven.

Bank On Shea raced fifth through the opening quarter before inching up with an inside run. R Mercedes Boy still led through the half in :45.63 before Bank On Shea cut the corner leaving the half-mile pole. Bank On Shea led by a half-length with a furlong to run and braced for the challenge of Baby Yoda, a flashy two-time winner at Saratoga last summer coming off a distant second behind Flightline in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

Baby Yoda put his head in front inside the furlong grounds before Bank On Shea battled back to win as the 7-2 second choice. Baby Yoda finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Pudding, with Cajun Cassanova another half-length back in fourth.

Bred by Dr. Scott W. Pierce, Bank On Shea is the first foal out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare Miss Moultree. Shea D Boy Stable purchased Bank On Shea for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training after the colt breezed an eighth in :10 during presale workouts.

Miss Moultree sold in foal to Central Banker for $2,200 at the 2017 Keeneland November breeding stock sale to Ellen Caines. She did not produce a foal in 2018 or 2019 but did in 2020 – the now 2-year-old Oklahoma-bred Home of the Brave filly Givealittlegee last April. Miss Moultree was bred to Thousand Words in 2021.

Bank On Shea improved to 5-for-7 with a second and a third with the Pelican. He earned $45,000 for the win to boost his earnings to $497,750.

New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) is pleased to announce the nominees for the New York-bred divisional champions of 2021. A panel of New York Turf writers, broadcasters, handicappers, racing analysts and photographers will vote on the winners of each division and the 2021 New York-bred Horse of the Year.

The 2021 New York-bred divisional champions and New York-bred Horse of the Year will be unveiled this summer during the historic Saratoga Race Course meeting. Also to be honored with 2021 awards will be Broodmare of the Year, Champion Trainer, Champion Jockey and Outstanding Breeder.

A list of the 2021 New York-bred divisional championship nominees by category follows.

Champion 2-Year-Old Male
Adios Asher
Coinage
Dakota Gold
Geno
Rebel Empire
Run Curtis Run
Senbei
Shipsational

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
Classy Edition
Curly Girl
Derrynane
Howdyoumakeurmoney
Miss Alacrity
November Rein
Shesawildjoker
Venti Valentine
Yo Cuz

Champion 3-Year-Old Male
Americanrevolution
Excellent Timing
Hush of a Storm
It’s a Gamble
Lobsta
Nicky the Vest
Ocala Dream
Perfect Munnings
River Dog
The King Cheek

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly
A Bit o’Irish Sass
A Life That’s Good
Betsy Blue
Byhubbyhellomoney
Make Mischief
Secret Love
Sport Model

Champion Older Dirt Male
Bankit
Captain Bombastic
Mr. Buff
My Boy Tate
Ny Traffic
Our Last Buck
Sea Foam

Champion Older Dirt Female
Bank Sting
Dancing Kiki
Espresso Shot
Ice Princess
Maiden Beauty
Mrs. Orb
Sharp Starr

Champion Turf Male
Battle Station
City Man
Cross Border
Rinaldi
Somelikeithotbrown
Step Dancer

Champion Turf Female
Classic Lady
Giacosa
Myhartblongstodady
Robin Sparkles
Runaway Rumour
Sport Model
Time Limit

Champion Male Sprinter
Bank On Shea
Battle Station
Foolish Ghost
Jemography
My Boy Tate
Ny Traffic
Our Last Buck

Champion Female Sprinter
Awesome Debate
Bank Sting
Espresso Shot
Miss Jimmy
Mrs. Orb
Sadie Lady
The Important One
Time Limit