Moonage Daydream fends off Whatlovelookslike to win Thursday’s John Hettinger at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

Another stretch out in distance produced another victory for Moonage Daydream Thursday at Aqueduct.

Chris Larsen’s homebred Candy Ride filly handled another stretch out in distance – from the 1 1/16 miles of the Yaddo Handicap last time to the 9 furlongs of the $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes – and produced a second straight victory.

Under Flavien Prat, Moonage Daydream did all the work on the front end and fended off a late run from Whatlovelookslike to win by a head for trainer Jorge Abreu.

“Flavien said she was just galloping on the lead,” Abreu said. “Turning for home, when I saw her ears up, I knew she was going to be tough to go by.”

A 13-1 winner of the Yaddo last time out over Marvelous Maude and Whatlovelookslike – both of which came back for another try along with six other New York-bred fillies and mares – Moonage Daydream went to post for the Hettinger as the 9-2 co-fourth choice. Abreu hoped for a target for Moonage Daydream, who closed from second in the Yaddo, in the Hettinger but didn’t get it.

Moonage Daydream broke well and took over past the finish the first time ahead of stablemates Scoring Chance and Busy Morning. Moonage Daydream clicked off soft splits of :25.06, :51.58 and 1:16.58 while 8-5 favorite Silver Skillet idled toward the back of the back and Whatlovelookslike chased in fourth after a slight bobble at the start.

“It was not the gameplan to make the lead, but she jumped well, and we were all in the same boat where nobody really wanted to go,” Prat said. “It just felt natural for her to be there, and I thought she was happy there, so I left her alone.”

Moonage Daydream shrugged off her stablemates around the far turn and continued to lead turning for home as 7-2 second choice Whatlovelookslike cut into the advantage. Moonage Daydream led by a half-length in midstretch, passed the mile mark in 1:40.44 and withstood the runner-up in deep stretch.

“At the eighth-pole I didn’t know, but she was brave enough and found another gear to hold on,” Prat said.

The first two finished well clear of third-place finisher Can’t Fool Me, who was 4 1/4 lengths back in third in her stakes debut, with Silver Skillet fourth and 4-1 second choice Marvelous Maude fifth. Busy Morning, Snowy Evening, Scoring Chance and Power and Glory completed the field. Moonage Daydream won in 1:52.01 over the firm turf.

“When I saw that :51 (half) I took a big breather there,” Abreu said. “I said, ‘I hope they don’t go :49 or :48,’ because then you set up the race and (Whatlovelookslike) was coming at her. This filly is pretty hard to pass by when she takes the lead down the stretch. This is the third time she wins the same way.”

Moonage Daydream collected her third stakes victory, adding the Hettinger to the Yaddo August 25 at Saratoga and the 6-furlong Stewart Manor during her 2-year-old season at Aqueduct. She’s won five of 11, picked up $68,750 and boosted her bankroll to $370,660.

Abreu said Moonage Daydream would return for the $200,000 Ticonderoga at 1 1/16 miles on Empire Showcase Day October 27 at Belmont at the Big A before a break.

Bred by Larsen’s 3C Stable LLC and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, Moonage Daydream is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Elatha. She’s also the dam of the winning New York-bred Declaration of War mare Guardian Moon, a yearling colt by Speightstown and a weanling colt by Gun Runner, all bred by 3C Stable.

Rotknee soars to seventh stakes victory, and 11th overall, in Monday’s Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Two days removed from his younger half-sister collecting her second graded stakes victory, Buck Butler’s homebred Rotknee won the seventh stakes of his career in Monday’s $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes.

The 5-year-old son of Runhappy overcame a slow and bothered start in the 6-furlong Leon Reed and came away a convincing 5 3/4-length winner under Andre Worrie. Rotknee also improved to 11-for-22 overall and scored his second win in as many tries at Finger Lakes in his first start in Western New York since taking the 2022 Ontario County Stakes as a 3-year-old.

Rotknee’s victory also followed My Mane Squeeze’s victory in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes for Butler. Mike Maker trains My Mane Squeeze and Rotknee, who are out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama.

Sent off as the even-money favorite in the field of six for the Leon Reed, Rotknee broke a bit slow and was squeezed between rivals after the break.

Lady’s Golden Guy, a 20-1 longshot looking for his first win in four starts this season, spurted away to a clear lead thanks to Rotknee’s poor beginning and led through the opening quarter-mile in :22.80.

The lead didn’t last long as Rotknee and Worrie recovered from the bad start and took over shortly after the quarter-mile split. Rotknee opened up a 5-length lead after a half in :45.54 as seven-time winner The Institute started his run from the back of the pack. Rotknee opened his lead up to 8 lengths in midstretch and past 5 furlongs in :57.88 and finished clear on the wire in 1:11.20 over the sloppy and sealed track.

The Institute held second, 3 3/4 lengths ahead of 43-1 longshot Tacony Road, with Lady’s Golden Guy fourth.

Bred by Butler and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Rotknee and My Mane Squeeze are two 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, and 4-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold, a four-time winner with earnings of $191,041.

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.

Rotknee bounced back from a sixth in the John Morrissey Handicap August 8 at Saratoga Race Course, where he also broke slow and came home last of six. He had won two of four before that race – the Affirmed Success at Aqueduct and the Say Florida Sandy January 28, both at Aqueduct. Rotknee picked up $30,000 for the Leon Reed win and boosted his earnings to $695,330 from a record of 11-3-1 in those 22 starts.

Bostontonian and Dylan Davis roll to victory in Monday’s Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Bostontonian ran to his odds in his June debut and again Monday in his victory in the $131,892 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes.

Sent off as the 3-4 favorite in the field of eight New York-bred 2-year-olds, Bostontonian took control shortly after the start under Dylan Davis and fended off a late rally from second choice Soontobeking to win by 2 lengths.

Bostontonian, a son of Bernardini campaigned by RT Racing Stable, Smart Choice Stable and breeder Denlea Park Ltd., improved to 2-for-2 for trainer Wesley Ward in the 5 1/2-furlong Aspirant. A $40,000 purchase out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Bostontonian won his debut June 22 in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight for horses that sold or RNA’d for $50,000 or less at their most recent auction.

Bostontonian broke well in the Aspirant and opened up a 3-length lead to the opening quarter-mile in :22.64 over the sloppy and sealed surface with Cast a Coin, Soontobeking, Mr. Sugar Daddy and King’s Leap on the immediate chase. Bostontonian continued on an open lead around the far turn and to the half in :46.39, while King’s Leap tried to mount a run from the extreme outside with Funny Cide Stakes runner-up Soontobeking also mounting a rally.

Bostontonian fended off those challenges in the lane and held Soontobeking clear at the finish to win in 1:05.21. Soontobeking finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of King’s Leap in third.

Bostontonian, entered but scratched out of the Funny Cide Stakes on New York Showcase Day August 25 at Saratoga Race Course, earned $79,136 for the Aspirant victory to boost his bankroll to $119,456.

Bred by Denlea Park Ltd. and foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Bostontonian is out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She’s the dam of a Nyquist filly that sold for $350,000, the highest price for a New York-bred yearling filly at the recently concluded Keeneland September sale.

Falconess is also the dam of 2022 Lady Finger Stakes winner and $172,764-earner Curly Girl and winners Mabrouk, Consiton and Polpis and a New York-bred weanling colt by Mo Donegal born February 22.

Stone Smuggler rolls to victory in Monday’s Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Stone Smuggler gave New York-based freshman sire Honest Mischief his second stakes winner in as many days Monday with a dominating victory in the $98,912 Lady Finger at Finger Lakes.

Stone Smuggler, owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and SunsetRidge Racing Stable, took the lead from the start of the 5 1/2-furlong Lady Finger under Keiber Coa and won by 3 1/2 lengths over fellow Honest Mischief filly Mischief Lady. Idyll Gossip, a daughter of Central Banker and a winner of a Finger Lakes maiden August 26, finished another 2 lengths back in third.

Bred by Eaton & Thorne Inc., foaled at Thorndale Farm in Millbrook and a $57,000 purchase out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Stone Smuggler went off as the even-money choice in the Lady Finger. She finished second behind With the Angels, subsequent winner of Sunday’s Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Aqueduct, in her only previous start August 22 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Jorge Abreu kept Stone Smuggler at Saratoga to prep for the Lady Finger, breezing her twice over the Oklahoma Training Track before her second start and stakes debut.

Stone Smuggler went to the front ahead of Mischief Lady, Princess Mischief and Idyll Gossip in the Lady Finger and clicked off splits of :22.30 and :46.31 over the sloppy and sealed track under Coa’s tight hold. She turned for home clear and widened her advantage in the lane, opening up by 3 1/2 lengths in midstretch and cruising to the finish in 1:06.03.

Mischief Lady, sixth in a Saratoga 5 ½-furlong turf maiden in her lone prior start for trainer Eddie Barker, finished a clear second under Dylan Davis.

Offered out of the Eaton Sales consignment at last year’s Saratoga New York-bred sale, Stone Smuggler is the seventh foal out of the winning Bustin Stones mare Bustinattheseams. She’s the dam of five other New York-bred winners, including $129,749-earner Limit Up, $119,952-earner Fat N Bitter and the 3-year-old Destin gelding and August 5 maiden winner Seams Like Destiny.

Honest Mischief, an 8-year-old son of Into Mischief who stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, scored his first stakes winner when Sacrosanct won Sunday’s Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Aqueduct.

Sacrosanct gives New York-based freshman sire Honest Mischief first stakes win in Sunday’s Bertram F. Bongard. NYRA Photo.

Sacrosanct followed up his sharp maiden victory last month at Saratoga Race Course with an even more powerful performance in Sunday’s $125,000 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Aqueduct.

The 2-year-old son of Honest Mischief won the 7-furlong Bongard in his second start by 12 lengths under Manny Franco for trainer Brad Cox and owners Lady Sheila Stable, Net Birdie LLC and Schwing Thoroughbreds.

Sacrosanct won his debut August 21 at Saratoga by 3 1/4 lengths to give his New York-based sire his first winner and became his first stakes winner with his win from the rail over six others in the Bongard. Honest Mischief, an 8-year-old son of Into Mischief out of the Grade 1-winning Seattle Slew mare Honest Lady, stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.

The second most expensive colt and third highest-priced New York-bred at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, Sacrosanct cost his owners $260,000. Bred by Burleson Farms, McKenzie Bloodstock and Sequel Thoroughbreds and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, Sacrosanct joined Cox’s string at Belmont Park shortly after the sale and prepare for his debut.

Sacrosanct won that 6-furlong debut as the 8-5 favorite and was hammered down to 6-5 for the Bongard from his 2-1 morning-line price.

“We had him here at the beginning and we really liked him, so we sent him up to Saratoga early to prepare for his first start,” said Cox’s Belmont-based assistant Dustin Dugas. “He pulled through then and he’s been training super since he came back from Saratoga. He hasn’t missed a lick and was training right along. Brad always thought he could stretch out.”

Franco didn’t waste time from the break taking advantage and took control a few strides in ahead of fellow Saratoga maiden winners Buttah and McDiesel. Sacrosanct led through the opening quarter-mile in :22.89 and continued to hold a half-length edge over Buttah to the half in :46.68.

Sacrosanct shrugged off Buttah around the far turn and opened up. He increased that advantage to 6 1/2 lengths in midstretch, past 6 furlongs in 1:11.35 and widened from there to win in 1:24.35 over the fast track.

“My main thing was trying to break good,” Franco said. “I did not expect to be on the lead, but [Manhattan Twist], I don’t know, don’t break. … My horse broke on top and I said ‘Man, he has a race under his belt already,’ so I take it by the break and it worked out perfect for me. He’s still learning. This was just his second start. He will improve race by race.”

Buttah, a son of Leofric for Eddie F’s Racing, held second with August Dawn Farm’s Saratoga maiden winner Pay the Juice another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth. Smilensaycheese, 5-2 second choice Manhattan Twist, Oath of Omaha and McDiesel completed the field.

Sold at the Midlantic May sale out of the Sequel Bloodstock consignment, Sacrosanct is the fourth foal out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Vibrato. She’s also the dam of stakes-winning New York-bred Navit and four-time winner and $109,245-earner All the Diamonds.

The victory gave Sheila Rosenblum of Lady Sheila Stable a pair of stakes victories on Sunday’s card. Lady Sheila also co-owns Joseph A. Gimma winner With the Angels.

“Both are 2-for-2 now; they both broke their maidens in their first start and won a stakes in their second start,” Rosenblum said. “I’ve got one or two nice horses, and they are both pretty talented. I know both sides of this game – they don’t always win – but the good moments are exhilarating.”

Rosenblum, who campaigned New York-bred Horse of the Year and graded stakes winner La Verdad, sang the praises of the Empire State’s program.

“I’ve been an advocate of the New York-bred program, and I’ve always loved New York-bred horses,” she said. “From my first win with La Verdad, it’s all about New York. I have to be there and support New York. Aqueduct is wonderful and I look forward to getting Belmont back as well, but my horses really do like Aqueduct. The New York-bred program is a great program and it’s gotten larger and larger. I really do try to create and get New York-bred horses, so this has been an incredible day. I’m absolutely speechless.”

With the Angels, a $350,000 purchase out of this year’s OBS April sale, blasts the field in Sunday’s Joseph A. Gimma. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Alec DiConza

The betting public seemed to know With the Angels would be a good one when she made her debut August 22 at Saratoga Race Course. Off at even-money with Jose Ortiz in the saddle, the daughter of Omaha Beach rolled to an easy 11 1/2-length victory for trainer Linda Rice.

With the Angels made her second career start in Sunday’s $125,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Aqueduct. The crowd bet her down to 1-9 favoritism, and similar to her debut, she did not disappoint.

Breaking from the rail again under Ortiz, With the Angels got off to a fast start and immediately took the lead. She led her four rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :23.40 and easily put separation between herself and Valtellina.

With the Angels galloped through the half in :47.17 and by the time she reached the quarter pole, the race appeared to be over. Getting some light encouragement from Ortiz, she opened to a 9 3/4-length margin and won as easy as could be over Valtellina and Carmen’s Candy Jar. With the Angels completed the 7-furlong stakes for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies in 1:24.04.

“She’s 2 years old, and I felt like she got a lot done the first time,” Ortiz said. “I was expecting to get something out of her a little bit because she’s going to have to face better horses next time and in the future. I wanted her to get something out of it today, and at the eighth pole I looked and nobody (was) coming. Just hand ride her, show her the whip a little bit and just ride her to the wire. Teach her that she needs to keep going.”

After two big victories against New York-breds, With the Angels could wheel back in just 13 days for the Grade 1 Frizette against open company.

“The door is open for the Frizette,” Rice said. “We are just going to see how she comes out of it, if she’s eating well, if she’s sharp, that type of thing. We are going to consider the Frizette, but if we decide to back up and go to the Maid of the Mist, that is an option as well.”

Owned by Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Lady Sheila Stable, Rideau Racers and Sanford Robbins, With the Angels was bred by Joseph DeRico, foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort and sold for $350,000 at the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale.

With the Angels is out of the three-time winning Pulpit mare Sister Margaret, who has produced three other foals to race including the stakes-placed filly Maggy’s Palace.

My Mane Squeeze and Luis Saez cruise to the finish of Saturday’s Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs. Coady Media.

By Paul Halloran

For a New York-bred, My Mane Squeeze sure likes Kentucky.

William “Buck” Butler’s homebred, whom he owns in partnership with WinStar Farm, made it 2-for-2 under the twin spires with a convincing 5-length win in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes Saturday.

My Mane Squeeze also won the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes on this year’s Kentucky Derby undercard. The 3-year-old filly won for the sixth time in 12 career starts and increased her earnings to $988,460.

In the Dogwood, My Mane Squeeze, the 3-2 favorite, covered the 7-furlong distance in a final time of 1:22.27 under Luis Saez for trainer Mike Maker.

“Today the plan was to try to break and be a little closer than last time,” Saez said, referring to a closing second-place finish in the Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks. “The track is pretty tight, and the plan was to put her in the clear as soon as possible. Everyone wanted to be up front early. She was in a good spot, and when she got to the top of the stretch, she was loaded.”

Neom Beach won a battle for the lead after a quarter-mile in :22.39, with Legadema, Fibber and Halina’s Forte all within a length up the backstretch. My Mane Squeeze tracked just behind them while in the clear. Around the far turn, after a half-mile in :45.95, Legadema briefly took the lead but was quickly confronted by My Mane Squeeze on her outside in mid-stretch. Saez and My Mane Squeeze kicked clear to take a convincing victory over Fibber, with Legadema third.

A daughter of Audible, My Mane Squeeze is out of the Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, who is of the Carson City mare Mama Theresa, Butler’s only graded-stakes horse until Rotknee and My Mane Squeeze came along. My Mane Squeeze and Rotknee, who were foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, are two of four winners out of In Spite of Mama.

Butler took on WinStar Farm as a partner after My Mane Squeeze’s victory in the February 18 Maddie May Stakes at Aqueduct.

In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 6-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief colt Lookin for Trouble, a winner and multiple stakes-placed for Butler and Maker, and 4-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold, a four-time winner with earnings of $191,041; and a New York-bred 2-year-old filly by 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will and a yearling full brother to Rotknee.

In Spite of Mama, a 12-year-old out of the Carson City mare Mama Theresa, won three times  for Butler and Maker. Butler bought Mama Theresa for $65,000 at the 2005 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. She won six of 25 starts, placed in two stakes and earned $240,898 for Butler and Timothy Twomey and the late trainer Dominic Galluscio.

In Spite of Mama is Mama Theresa’s second foal and a half-sister to five other winners, including Mana’s Dream and stakes winner A Freud of Mama, a $399,818 earner who finished third in the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in 2019 for Butler and Maker.