New York-Breds at the Races: September 27 to October 3

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1 New York-Breds at the Races: September 27 to October 3 By Bill Heller Patience Pays Off for Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Breathaway in Allowance Victory Irad Ortiz, Jr. alertly backed Raymar Stables Breathaway off a suicidal pace duel and it made all the difference in the world Thursday at Belmont Park. Breathaway came from off the pace to take a late lead, and then held off Hooked Forever by a neck to win a seven-furlong $72,000 New York-bred grass allowance in a final time of 1: Breathaway was sent off at 6-1 odds. Hooked Forever went off at 20-1 in the field of eight. Mississippi Duel was the 7-5 favorite under Javier Castellano. Mississippi Duel and Breathaway, breaking from the five and six post, respectively, got away from the gate sharply. They were immediately joined by Captain Gaughan, the 2-1 second choice with Jose Lezcano aboard, who rushed up from third in a :23.32 first quarter. Ortiz eased Breathaway back, and Mississippi Duel and Captain Gaughan battled each other head-to-head in a sizzling second quarter of : Mississippi Duel put away Captain Gaughan at the top of the stretch and led through threequarters in 1: By then, Ortiz had Breathaway charging up from third. Breathaway went by Mississippi Duel then withstood a strong rally from 20-1 Hooked Forever, who finished a length and a quarter in front of 15-1 Slimshady. Mississippi Duel was fourth, just a head behind Slimshady. Breathaway is a four-year-old gelding by Andromeda s Hero out of Girlsgonewild by Wild Again. He was bred by Irish Hill Century Farm and is trained by Greg Sacco. Breathaway improved his turf record to three wins and three seconds in 14 starts, with more than $100,000 in earnings. The 19 th time was the charm Thursday for John and Shelly Ann Williams four-year-old homebred colt Jack s R Wild, who is trained by former outstanding jockey Robbie Davis. With Edgar Prado aboard for the second straight time, Jack s R Wild came charging down the stretch to overtake front-running Leroy Jr. and capture a seven-furlong $70,000 New York-bred maiden special weight by a little more than a length in a final time of 1: There was a gap of some six lengths back to Hidden Warrior in third. Between the Lines, a first-time starter, finished fourth. Jack s R Wild, who did not finish in the money in 10 turf starts, had one second and one third from eight dirt starts before Thursday. He was sent off at 12-1 odds while breaking from the outside post in the field of nine.

2 Breaking from the rail under Javier Castellano, Leroy Jr., the 2-1 second choice, rushed up to make the lead as Hidden Warrior settled in second. Leroy Jr. took the field through a quarter in :22.10 and a half in : At the top of the stretch, he opened up on the field before Jack s R Wild roared into contention. The two separated themselves from the others, with Jack s R Wild pulling away late to win. Native Singer, the even-money favorite, was never involved. Jack s R Wild is a son of Wild Desert out of Jet Black Magic by A.P. Jet. Ave s Halo Gets the Job Done as the Chalk Mulberry Stable s Ave s Halo, the 7-5 favorite despite a zero-for-11 grass record, rolled down the center of the inner turf course to defeat an extremely game Therapy by a length in a sixfurlong $72,000 New York-bred allowance for fillies and mares at Belmont Park Wednesday. Ave s Halo had posted three seconds in those 11 turf tries for trainer Linda Rice and, leaving from the rail Wednesday with Cornelio Velasquez aboard, was the clear favorite in the field of 11. Therapy, sent off at 5-1 odds under Jose Ortiz, and Take It Inside, a 9-1 shot breaking from the outside post under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, staged a cutthroat battle on the lead. When Take It Inside pushed a neck in front after a fast :22.10 opening quarter, Therapy immediately countered. Take It Inside responded by taking the lead again through a demanding half in : Velasquez, meanwhile, had Ave s Halo in a good spot in fourth. Around the far turn, Therapy regained the lead again. At the head of the stretch, Rebellious Chic, a 29-1 longshot, moved up three-wide and Ave s Halo four-wide. Take It Inside and Rebellious Chic both tired as Ave s Halo wore down Therapy, winning in a final time of 1: Therapy was second, 23-1 longshot Ideal Place third and 10-1 Fantastic Eyes fourth. Ave s Halo is a four-year-old daughter of Harlan s Holiday out of Boatman Road by Lord At War (ARG), bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Anthony Grey. The victory was her second in 14 career starts. Hall of Famer Edgar Prado, the seventh different rider on Blue Devil Racing Stable s Mononoke, guided the three-year-old filly to a four-length romp in a seven-furlong $28,000 New York-bred maiden $20,000 claimer in a final time of 1: Carlos Martin trains the daughter of Orientate out of That s Ok by Not For Love, who was bred by Eaton & Thorne, Inc. Mononoke was switching back to dirt off a badly tiring seventh in her turf debut at 9-2 odds. Making her 10 th career start, she went off at odds of 7-2 in the field of nine.

3 The horses breaking from the two outside posts, Carole Lee and Jupiter Moon, joined Shoptillclosing in the battle for the early lead. Jupiter Moon, who went off at 7-2 odds under Mike Luzzi, cleared the lead past a :23.08 first quarter. Prado had Mononoke well-positioned in fourth as Jupiter Moon took the field to the half in : Around the far turn, Mononoke advanced within a neck of the front-runner, and the duo were three lengths clear of Isn tshewonderful, who had rallied into third. Mononoke took charge in mid-stretch and drew off to a six-length lead after running six furlongs in 1: She was geared down late yet won easily. Isn tshewonderful was second and Canelo Rose edged Jupiter Moon for third. Mononoke improved her record to one win and three thirds in 10 starts with almost $40,000 in earnings. Netherbloom Farm s As Well broke in off the also-eligible list, then passed a half-dozen horses in mid-stretch to win a one-mile $75,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass for fillies and mares under Javier Castellano by three lengths in a final time of 1: Uman Candy finished second, Done Smoking third and Amber Morning, the 6-5 favorite in the field of nine, fourth. As Well, who went off at 6-1 odds, was well off an early three-horse pace duel on the front end between Amber Morning, 41-1 longshot Left Uppercut and 6-1 Chow Fun. The pace collapsed halfway down the stretch and As Well, racing on the far outside, was the strongest closer, opening a clear late lead. As Well is a three-year-old daughter of Sun King out of Honey Sorbet by Housebuster and is trained by Mark Hennig, She improved her grass record to one win, one second and one third in seven starts. Hot Stones Sizzles in Allowance Victory Sunday Roddy Valente s homebred Hot Stones took command in deep stretch and drew off to win a 6 ½-furlong $72,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $14,000 claimer by 5 ¾ lengths in 1:16.36 Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park. Sent off the even-money favorite in a field of 12 under John Velazquez, Hot Stones improved her record to two wins, one second and one third in four starts for trainer Bruce Levine. Hot Stones is a three-year-old daughter of the undefeated Bustin Stones out of Steamed Up by Freud. She is co-owned by Charles Casale and Darlene Bilinski and was bred by Valente and Dr. Jerry Bilinski.

4 Velazquez got Hot Stones away in fourth as Daisysgonnamakeit dictated the pace. Longshot Pennymine went after the front-runner two-wide, while Velazquez sent Hot Stones up threewide around the far turn. In mid-stretch, Hot Stones asserted herself and drew away impressively. All Mine Tonight rallied for second, while Daisysgonnamakeit finished third and Pennymine fourth. Earlier Sunday, Velazquez rode West Point Thoroughbreds two-year-old colt Empire Dreams to a two-length victory over heavily favored Groupthink in a six-furlong $70,000 New Yorkbred maiden special weight in a final time of 1: It was the first of four state-bred maiden races on Sunday s card. Thomas Albertrani trains Empire Dreams, who went off at odds of 6-1. Speed Road, the 11-1 longshot in the field of just five, led most of the way with Empire Dreams well-positioned in second. Empire Dreams went after Speed Road at the head of the stretch and went by him in mid-stretch. He then held off Groupthink, the 1-2 favorite, handily to break his maiden in his third career start. Empire Dreams is by Patriot Act out of Ascended Dreams by Thunder Gulch, and was bred by Pegasus Dream Stable. In a six-furlong $70,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass, Fox Ridge Farm s three-year-old homebred gelding Sun Worshipper, the 7-5 favorite, wore down Gentle Jim, a 10-1 shot, to win by a length. Sun Worshipper, a son of Sunriver out of Deputy Road by Deputy Minister, is trained by Pat Kelly and was ridden by Alex Solis. After finishing seventh in his debut on dirt, Sun Worshipper finished ninth on grass. Kelly added Lasix and Sun Worshipper finished second in two straight before winning Sunday. Back on dirt, Anjes Farm s homebred two-year-old filly Daddy s Lil Saint came from far back to win her debut Sunday by a little more than a length over favored Instrumental in a $70,000 New York-bred maiden special weight. Instrumental, who had finished third in her debut, was the 3-2 favorite, but Daddy s Lil Saint, sent off at 9-2 odds under Jose Ortiz, ran by her late. Daddy s Lil Saint is a daughter of Scat Daddy by Saintly Scholar out of Danzig, and is trained by Bruce Levine. Lady Rhubarb set the pace at 10-1 odds before tiring in mid-stretch. Instrumental rallied under Javier Castellano, but Daddy s Lil Saint ran her down late. The last of the four New York-bred maiden races led to an extremely unusual situation. Glas-Tip Stable s four-year-old homebred gelding Mister Dooley was the favorite in the mile-and-a-

5 sixteenth $75,000 maiden special weight on the turf. However, he lost a shoe before the start. He was allowed to stay in the race, but would run for purse money only. Luis Saez got Mister Dooley to the lead from the 12 post and the son of Disco Rico out of Maggie s Ruby Rose by Gray Raider, trained by Jim Bond, never looked back. He won by 2 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:43.08 over Saltine Warrior, who, for pari-mutuel wagering purposes, was the winner. Mister Dooley was making his third career start off a fifth and a fourth to begin his career. Iron Power Dazzles in Allowance Victory Saturday at Belmont Barry Schwartz s three-year-old homebred gelding Iron Power humbled his opposition in Saturday s opener at Belmont Park, winning a seven-furlong, $72,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $20,000 claimer by 4 ½ lengths in 1:20.70, not far off the course record of 1: Manuel Franco hustled Iron Power, who went off at 6-1 odds, to the lead soon after the start and he posted fast splits: a quarter in :22.72 and a half in : Ludo Bagman was his closest pursuer, but he couldn t keep up as Iron Power raced through three-quarters in 1: Iron Power drew away to score his first grass victory in four starts handily over Mr Rosenthal. Mike Hushion trains Iron Power, a son of Mizzen Mast out of Iron Goddess by More Than Ready. In a six-furlong $72,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $14,000 claimer on dirt Saturday, Rajiv Maragh guided Monarch Stables Cay to Pomeroy to a two-length, wire-to-wire win over Leilani s Ticket in a final time of 1: Both horses went off at 7-1 odds. Cay to Pomeroy, who was an improved third at 53-1 in his previous start, is a three-year-old gelding by Pomeroy out of Cay Why by Devil s Bag, bred by Frank Bertolino and trained by Joe Orseno. Cay to Pomeroy now has two wins, one second and one third in eight dirt starts. White Wabbit Wacing s Coriander made his first start off the claim a winning one, taking Saturday s 11 th race finale, a seven-furlong $70,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass by a length over Stock Fund in 1: Stock Fund s second was her ninth in her last 11 starts. Coriander was claimed for $25,000 in her last start when she finished third by three-quarters of a length in an open maiden claimer. Trainer Jason Servis moved Coriander up to a state-bred maiden special weight, and she got the job done under Cornelio Velasquez at 7-2 odds.

6 Coriander is a four-year-old filly by Corinthian out of Summer Flash by Belong to Me who was bred by Gallagher s Stud. Willet Delivers Again at 3-5 Overcoming a dawdling early pace, odds-on Willet quickly took the lead in early stretch then held off Miss Valentine late to win the $100,000 Princess Dixie Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares at Belmont Park by a half-length Friday afternoon. Angel Arroyo rode Willet, a five-year-old mare co-owned and trained by Jimmy Iselin, who has now won two straight and six of 12 lifetime. The daughter of Jump Start out of Katina K by Distinctive Pro, bred by Michael Martin, finished second in her career debut then won three straight at odds of 3-5, 1-4 and Her best race may have been her second by a neck to Nefertini in the Grade II Go for Wand Stakes last November in her final start as a four-year-old. She didn t return to the races until June when she was a tiring fifth to super sprinter Dance to Bristol in the Grade III Bed of Roses. After being nosed in the Lottsa Talc Stakes by Clear Pasaj at Saratoga, she won the Union Avenue Stakes by 1 ¾ lengths over Clear Pasaj. Joel Rosario rode Willet in those two Saratoga starts before suffering an injury that still has him out of action. Iselin, who co-owns Willet with Charlotte Assoulin and Eli Gindi, turned to Arroyo for the Princess Dixie. Willet went off the 3-5 favorite in the field of five traveling 7 ½ furlongs, breaking from the outside post. Fiftyfour Forever, the 30-1 longshot of the quintet, took a clear lead under Manuel Franco. Without any pressure, she sailed through a quarter in :24.75 and a half in : Mischief Maker was second and Willet in the clear on the outside in third. Mischief Maker went after Fiftyfour Forever on the far turn two-wide as Willet advanced threewide. Willet quickly took over in early stretch and opened a clear lead through three quarters in 1: Then Irad Ortiz, Jr. got Miss Valentine, the 5-2 second choice, rolling on the outside. She made up ground quickly, but Willet held her safe by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1: Mischief Maker finished third, 3 ½ lengths behind Miss Valentine, who was defeated by Willet for the fourth time in her last nine starts. Willet now has six wins, four seconds and one third in 12 career starts and earnings approaching $400,000. Overcoming the outside post in a field of 11 and a wide trip, A Shares Stables May Shares nosed Missy Bay in a $70,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass for two-yearold fillies at six furlongs Friday. Linda Rice trains May Shares, a daughter of Stonesider out of I Drink Alone by Intidab, who was bred by Jennifer Contessa and ridden by Cornelio Velasquez. May Shares had finished second by a length and a quarter, four lengths clear of Flying KC in third, in an impressive debut at Saratoga at 4-1 odds. She went off the 8-5 favorite Friday.

7 Velasquez got May Shares away third as First Summation and Honeychild skirmished on the lead. Skirmished put Honeychild away on the far turn as May Shares moved up three-wide around them. Then Summation, sent off at 3-1 odds under Irad Ortiz, Jr., dug in. May Shares, though, kept up the pressure as Javier Castellano deftly rallied 7-1 Missy Bay up the inside. Faced with pressure inside and outside, First Summation finally weakened. In the final 100 yards, May Shares and Missy Bay raced head to head before May Shares inched ahead at the wire, winning in 1: In an exciting finish Friday, Team Tristar Stable s four-year-old New York-bred filly Always Home held off fast-closing Implied by three-quarters of a length to win a one-mile $31,000 conditional $20,000 grass claimer in a final time of 1: Zencat was just a head back in third. Always Home s victory was her second straight following a maiden claiming score for trainer/breeder Joseph Lostritto. Sent off at 14-1 odds under Rajiv Maragh, Always Home settled in sixth as 4-1 Zencat took an early lead before being passed by NY-bred Zekes Surprise, a 12-1 shot ridden by Javier Castellano. Always Home moved up four-wide on the far turn to take a run at Zeke s Surprise, who held well. There were six horses across at one point in mid-stretch, before Always Home spurted clear. Implied came flying late to finish second. Always Home, a daughter of Skip Away out of Bounding Boldly by Bounding Basque, improved her turf record to two wins, one second and one third in eight starts. Harold Lerner LLC and Nehoc Stables seven-year-old gelding Ziptronic burst to the lead beneath Luis Saez then grimly held off Barrel of Love and Sandy z Slew to win a seven-furlong $74,000 New York-bred grass allowance/optional $50,000 claimer by a nose Friday in a final time of 1: Sent off at 14-1 odds, Ziptronic shot to the lead from the outside post in the field of eight and maintained a clear advantage through a first quarter in :23.14 and a half in : Sandy z Slew went after Ziptronic two-wide, while Barrel of Joy closed in three-wide. In the final strides, Ziptronic gamely held on by a nose over Barrel of Love with Sandy z Slew just a head back in third. Ziptronic is a son of City Zip out of DJ s Girl by Hay Halo who was bred by Linda Rice and Justin and Natalie Marcus and is trained by Gary Contessa. Ziptronic s win was the seventh of his career with five seconds, eight thirds and earnings topping $260,000.

8 Drawing Away Stable and trainer David Jacobson s Socialsaul wore down front-running favorite Ultimate Empire in deep stretch Friday to win a mile-and-a-sixteenth $69,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $25,000 claimer by nearly a length in 1: David Cohen rode Socialsaul, who was sent off at 4-1 odds after taking a steep drop off a fifth and an eighth since being claimed for $62,500 three starts back. Seeking his third consecutive victory, Ultimate Empire went off the 9-5 favorite under Javier Castellano and nearly pulled it off despite heavy pressure most of the way. Ultimate Empire repelled challenges by 11-1 longshot Purge Bird and Ghostly Vision, the 5-2 second choice. Socialsaul moved up sharply from fourth and Ultimate Empire and Ghostly Vision separated themselves from the rest of the field. Socialsaul proved the stronger of the two and edged away for his fourth dirt victory in 22 starts with six seconds and two thirds. The son of Read the Footnotes out of So Social by Proud Truth, bred by Thomas-Narlinger LLC and AR Properties, is nearing $350,000 in career earnings.