New York-Breds at the Races: June 12 to 16

Transcription

1 New York-Breds at the Races: June 12 to 16 By Bill Heller Pletcher and Castellano Take Two Turf Races Virtually Wire-to-Wire Two turf fillies trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Javier Castellano took a pair of New York-bred races virtually wire-to-wire Sunday afternoon at Belmont. Neither victory was a surprise. Up first, Smart Choice Stable s three-year-old filly Hurricane Jackie, well-rated on the front end by Castellano, made her second career start a winning one, taking a mile-and-an-eighth $60,000 maiden grass race gate-to-wire by two lengths as the 6-5 favorite in a full field of 12. The daughter of Stormy Atlantic, out of Near and Dear by Red Ransom, was bred by Mrs. Gerald Nielsen and is trained by Pletcher. Hurricane Jackie had finished an even fourth in her debut with Chris Decarlo riding. On Sunday, Castellano hustled her to the top from the 10 post and she was never seriously challenged, winning by two lengths over 20-1 longshot Left Uppercut in 1:50.11 for the nine furlongs. An hour and a half later, in a $62,000 state-bred allowance at one mile, Lawrence Goichman s homebred three-year-old filly Roses for Romney, who d followed a daylight maiden win with a second by a neck, returned to the winner s circle in style, winning by nearly six lengths in 1:35.13 for Pletcher and Castellano. Alwaysinmyciurcle, a 37-1 longshot, led briefly before Roses for Romney, one of three horses sent off at 3-1, took over the front end. Posting splits of :23.35, :47.26 and 1:11.24, she finished the mile in 1:35.13, two lengths ahead of 10-1 longshot Aprettydixie. Roses for Romney is a daughter of Hard Spun out of Beebe Lake by Grand Slam. She now has two wins and a pair of seconds in four grass starts. In a $57,000 state-bred allowance sprint on grass Sunday, Ruby Rose Stable s four-year-old filly Rakin Gold didn t let her 9-1 odds deter her from winning you guessed it wire-to-wire under Jose Espinoza. The daughter of Newfoundland out of Obsession for Gold by Imperial Fling was bred by Monhill Farm and is trained by Dominick Schettino. Rakin Gold was making her second start of the year following a late-tiring third at 20-1, her first start since December. Espinoza hustled her to the lead, and she got a quarter in :22.52, a half in :46.4 and the six furlongs in 1:09.56, finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of Image of Noon, the 2-1 favorite. The victory was Rakin Gold s second in five turf starts with one third.

2 In Sunday s finale, a mile-and-a-sixteenth $29,000 maiden $20,000 claimer on grass, Bob Petersons Stables three-year-old New York-bred gelding Huge Asset outdueled Pete and David for the early lead, then held off state-bred Trainingforsuccess by a head to win at 7-1 under Edgar Prado. Brandy s Big Guy finished third to complete a New York-bred triple that paid $1,583. Edgar Prado rode Huge Asset, a son of Freud out of Ave s Finale by Personal Flag, who was bred by Script R Farm and is trained by Dominic Galluscio. He d finished out of the money in four prior starts, two on turf and two on dirt. La Marca Stable s homebred Little Gabby Girl surged three-wide on the far turn and drew off to a five-length victory in a six-furlong $28,000 New York-bred maiden $20,000 claimer. Castellano rode the daughter of Desert Warrior out of Kawajlain by Claramount, who is trained by Bruce Brown. Sent off the 2-1 second choice in a field of seven, Little Gabby Girl laid off the early pace, a quarter in :22.49 and a half in :46.67, and circled three-wide past the 7-5 favorite, Cayman Smile, and 37-1 longshot My Zealous Storm. Then Little Gabby Girl simply drew off, winning by five over Hidalgo Legacy, the 5-2 third choice, in 1: Little Gabby Girl now has a win, a second and a third in eight starts. Notacatbutallama Wins Grade III Hill Prince Stakes Thanks to Velazquez Just a day after scoring his 5,000 th career victory, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez showed why he was able to reach that lofty plateau. In an absolutely magnificent ride from the 12 post, he rallied Repole Stable s New York-bred Notacatbutallama to a neck victory over longshot Play It Loud in Saturday s $150,000 Grade III Hill Prince Stakes for three-year-olds at one mile on the grass. Notacatbutallama had won two ungraded stakes before winning his first graded one Saturday. Sent off at 9-2 from the outside post of a dozen three-year-olds, he broke well then settled in seventh on the inside. Shiny Copper led Special Skills, Joha and Red Rocker early as Velazquez bided his time with Notacatbutallama. Seeing room on the inside heading into the far turn, he moved up Notacatbutallama sharply into fourth, then angled him outside for a clear run to the wire. Meanwhile, Cornelio Velasquez had rallied Play It Loud, a 36-1 longshot making just his third lifetime start, into contention inside of Notacatbutallama. Play It Loud fought gamely right to the wire, but Notacatbutallama narrowly prevailed by a neck in 1: Chamois finished third at 12-1 and Red Rifle, the 2-1 favorite making his grass debut in only his third lifetime start, was fourth. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Notacatbutallama improved his record to four wins, two seconds and one third in eight grass starts. He also has one second in his only dirt start, which came on a

3 sloppy track. The son of Harlan s Holiday out of Self Rising by Hansel, bred by Happy Hill Farm, upped his career earnings to more than $300,000. His victory, like two other earlier victories by New York-breds at Belmont Saturday, produced three hefty payoffs: a $451 exacta, a $4,808 triple and a $23,069 triple. Luis Saez got Tina Marie Bond s second-time starter Orino up between horses to narrowly win a seven-furlong $55,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on turf. Orino, a three-year-old gelding trained by Tina s husband Jim, edged Here Comes Tommy by a half-length with frontrunning Gentle Jim just another neck behind in third. Orino, a son of Raffie s Majesty out of Musical by El Gran Senor, bred by Song Hill Thoroughbreds, was freshened off a decent fourth at 10-1 in his debut. He went off at 5-1 on Saturday. Gentle Jim, who went off at 6-1 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., immediately took the lead in the field of 12 and posted splits of :22.33, :47.03 and 1: He got a bit leg-weary late as Orino and Here Comes Tommy surged by just before the wire. Orino got the seven furlongs in 1: Daniel Sullivan III s New York-bred gelding Suilleabhain, who hadn t finished in the money in six previous starts on grass, won Saturday s opener at 26-1 by 2 ½ lengths. He was one of the biggest longshots in a field of 10 contesting a mile-and-a-sixteenth $31,000 conditional $20,000 claimer on the inner turf course. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rode Suilleabhain, a four-year-old gelding by Sunriver out of Crystal Lady by Stop the Music, who was bred by Rhapsody Farm and Sunriver Syndicate and is trained by Gary Sciacca. Ortiz kept Suilleabhain off the pace set by an even bigger NY-bred longshot, 52-1 Jackin My Style, who was pressured on the lead by 23-1 Nelson Avenue, also a state-bred. Javier Castellano had El Corriente, the 7-5 favorite, in a perfect spot in third. El Corriente willingly took the lead in early stretch, while Suilleabhain and Manacor moved up on the outside and fellow NY-bred Mr Algebra rallied along the hedge. Suilleabhain kicked clear past the sixteenth pole and won handily over Manacor, who nosed out Mr Algebra for second. El Corriente tired to fourth. Suilleabhain paid $55.50 to win and keyed an $853 exacta, a $5,567 triple and a superfecta worth $15,482. Perhaps drawing inspiration from Suilleabhain s victory earlier Saturday, Stonehearted Chic Stable s homebred Stone Rocks, a 25-1 longshot, edged the very game, front-running first-time starter Stop Sign by three-quarters of a length to win a $45,000 New York-bred maiden $50,000 claimer for three-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.

4 Stop Sign, who went off at 7-1 from the rail beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr., broke a step behind Bustin Chops, then rushed up the rail to take command, posting a quarter in :22.26 and a half in : He hit the three-quarters in 1:10.82 but couldn t withstand Stone Rocks, who rallied boldly under Abel Lezcano to get the job done in 1:17. Stop Sign was four lengths clear of Horatio, the 2-1 favorite, in third. Stone Rocks, a son of Stonesider out of Tough City Girl by Good and Tough, was making his seventh career start for trainer Steve Jerkens. Saturday s finale was won by yet another longshot. Junior Alvarado rallied owner/trainer Randy Persaud s three-year-old colt Song of Aspen to a long neck victory over Purple Pico in a sixfurlong $28,000 New York-bred maiden $20,000 claimer. A drop from maiden special weights to maiden claimers got Song of Aspen to the winner s circle for the first time in his 13 th career start at odds of He got the six furlongs in 1: Song of Aspen is a son of Prime Timber out of Disco Vixen by Key Contender who was bred by Tracy Egan. Song of Aspen keyed a $198 exacta, a $1,258 triple and a $3,489 superfecta. At Suffolk Downs Saturday, Christopher Trakas four-year-old New York-bred gelding Mighty One was incredibly brave in winning a $20,000 allowance/optional $20,000 claimer at one mile and 70 yards on the grass. Mighty One dueled with Perfect Joiski the length of the backstretch as the favorite Olympus sat in third. When Mighty One finally put away Perfect Joiski, Olympus moved up to him as if he d run right by. But Mighty One wasn t done and fought him every step to the wire to win by a neck in 1:43 2/5. Mighty One is a son of Macho Uno out of Behrnik by Chimes Band who was bred by Kaz Hill Farm and Adena Springs. Though he d won two of 16 dirt starts, Mighty One hadn t hit the board in two previous turf tries. Owner/trainer Charlie Baker s entry of Seek to Destroy and Delastmanstanding dominated a $22,000 New York-bred allowance sprint at Finger Lakes Saturday, running 1-2. Seek to Destroy, ridden by Wilfredo Rohena, prevailed over his stablemate by 2 ½ lengths in a fast 1:10.96 for six furlongs. The victory was Seek to Destroy s sixth in 30 starts with five seconds and two thirds. The son of Greeley s Galaxy out of Miz Pickens by Pine Bluff was bred by Sugar Maple Farm.

5 Concealed Gets the Job Done Friday at 4-5 Paul Pompa, Jr. s three-year-old filly Concealed, who d finished a close second with blinkers added just six days earlier, drew off from a game Therapy to win a $55,000 New York-bred maiden sprint for fillies and mares by two lengths at 4-5 Friday at Belmont Park in a race taken off the turf. Only five horses contested the race after the surface switch on the first Friday summer twilight card, which began with a first post of 3 p.m. instead of the normal 1:05. Concealed, a daughter of Officer out of Royal Thief by Cat Thief, was bred by Ed Lipton and is trained by David Jacobson. She had two seconds, a pair of thirds and a fourth in her five starts before Friday. With Junior Alvarado contributing a smart ride, Concealed sat off a pace battle between Therapy and Amazing Abby. They battled down the backstretch, around the far turn and into the stretch as Concealed moved up to be a closer third. When asked by Alvarado, Concealed overtook Therapy, who held on well for second after putting Amazing Abby away. Concealed covered the six furlongs in 1: New York-bred Indy Tune s first start off the claim was a winning one for owners Saul and Max Kupferberg. Given a six-week freshening by new trainer John Parisella off a game second when claimed for $14,000, Indy Tune won a $30,000 conditional $15,000 claimer Friday by 1 ¾ lengths under Joel Rosario as the 2-1 favorite. Indy Tune got away second as Political Justice, the 3-1 third choice on the rail, set the pace in the one-mile race. Political Justice set sharp splits, a quarter in :22.58 and a half in :45.60, opening a four-length lead in the process. But the rest of the field began closing in after Political Justice reached three-quarters in 1: Rosario timed his move perfectly, and Indy Tune took over the lead then held sway by nearly two lengths over Dan and Sheila, who rallied for second at 5-1. New York-bred Artie Luvsto Party, the 5-2 second choice, finished another length and a quarter behind in third. Indy Tune covered the mile in 1:36.55 for her fifth career victory in 32 starts with three seconds and six thirds and over $170,000 in earnings. The five-year-old gelding by Suave, out of Angela s Tune by Two Punch, was bred by John Cracchiolo. At Finger Lakes Friday, trainer/breeder and co-owner Michael Lecesse s four-year-old filly Mom s Law made an impressive three-wide move on the far turn on the way to a powerful 4 ¼- length victory in a one-mile $23,000 allowance race for New York-bred fillies and mares. The filly, who is co-owned by My Purple Haze Stables, was the narrowest of favorites at 5-2 in a field of eight over My Honey Laurie, who also went off at 5-2.

6 She s My Image, an 8-1 outsider, tried gong gate-to-wire as Pedro Rodriguez let Mom s Law drop back from second to third. Heading into the final turn, Pride of Paris went after the frontrunner two-wide while Mom s Law accelerated three-wide. Mom s Law came out of the turn full of run and opened up, scoring easily over 18-1 longshot Mo s Mishap and My Honey Laurie. Mom s Law, a daughter of Andromeda s Hero out of Brushed With Gold by Touch Gold, now has four wins, one second and three thirds in 10 starts, with earnings of nearly $100,000. Pegasus Diamond Stuns the Opposition at 31-1 Thomas Dushas four-year-old filly Pegasus Diamond, dismissed at 31-1, wore down heavily favored Golden Galaxy at the top of the stretch, opened a three-length lead and held off 17-1 longshot Lenders Way by a length to win a $55,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $35,000 claiming sprint on a drying-out track labeled good at Belmont Park Thursday afternoon. Golden Galaxy, the 6-5 favorite under Javier Castellano who had won her last three starts, broke out of the starting gate prematurely, jogged away a bit and was caught by an outrider. Loaded back into the starting gate, Golden Galaxy did what she does best: race to the lead. She outsprinted Lenders Way to the lead as Alex Solis settled Pegasus Diamond into third. Golden Galaxy sped a quarter in :22.18, then was confronted by Pegasus Diamond around the far turn. They hit the half in :45.15, then Pegasus Diamond pulled clear. She opened a sizable lead and held on by a length, getting the six furlongs in 1: Lenders Way was second, 3-1 Jitney third and 13-1 Bird House fourth. Pegasus Diamond paid $65.00 to win and keyed a $583 exacta, a $3,098 triple and a superfecta worth $22,730. In her previous two starts, Pegasus Diamond had won a New York-bred allowance/optional $14,000 claimer by a head, then finished third in an open-company starter allowance. The daughter of Holy Bull out of Pegasus Sea by Straight Man was bred by Pegasus Farms and is trained by Chris Englehart. The victory was her third in 16 dirt starts with three seconds and three thirds. It pushed her career earnings to more than $160,000. Joe and Ann McMahon s three-year-old filly Saropia won her third straight race on a sloppy track at Finger Lakes Thursday at 19-1, taking down the overwhelming 1-4 favorite Shades of Sugar in a six-furlong $22,000 open allowance contested by five New York-breds. Shades of Sugar had been claimed in her maiden debut at Santa Anita for $40,000, winning that race by 8 ½ lengths at 4-5. Shipped to Finger Lakes, she won again, this time an open allowance, by the same margin at the same 4-5 odds. She was an even bigger favorite Thursday. But Saropia, a daughter of Utopia (JPN) out of Danielle s Jewel by Valid Appeal, bred by Harold and Stephanie Berge and trained by Ralph D Alessandro, had won two straight also, both easily, in a maiden $12,500 claimer and a $12,500 claimer. Previously at age two, she had been soundly beaten in two starts.

7 Shades of Sugar went right to the lead out of the four post, while Jaime Rodriguez settled Saropia in third. Coming around the far turn, Saropia got through on Shades of Sugar s inside, and she took control, winning by two lengths in 1: Shades of Sugar was second and Sassidy an extremely distant third. Earlier at Finger Lakes, Steven Feldman s three-year-old filly Wild Brassy drew away from six rivals for a six-length win in a six-furlong $24,000 New York-bred maiden race. The daughter of Wild Desert out of Alittlebitbrassy by Dixie Brass was making just her second lifetime start following a distant second in her debut. Well-ridden by Wilfredo Rohena, the 4-5 favorite maintained her position in a four-horse scramble on the front end. Kissinginthedark emerged from the logjam with a brief lead before Wild Brassy flew by on her inside. Wild Brassy was bred by Michael Blick and is trained by Jeremiah Englehart. Mark Valentine s Bellamy, the 9-5 favorite in a six-furlong $21,000 New York-bred allowance at Finger Lakes Thursday, was sixth in mid-stretch but finally found his best stride and mowed down the five horses in front of him to win by a head over Mom Proof, who edged Morning Herald for second. Dean Frates rode Bellamy, a son of Bellamy Road out of Forever Dixie, also by Dixie Brass, who was bred by Bellamy Road and Topsmeade LLC and is trained by Sal Iorio. Bellamy s victory was his fourth in 14 dirt starts with three seconds and a third. Owner/trainer Jeffrey Englehart s Lucy Stragmore was all heart Thursday at Finger Lakes, dueling Bear Dance into defeat then bravely holding off Gabrilicious by a head in a six-furlong $21,000 New York-bred allowance for fillies and mares. Sent off at 2-1 under John Davila, Jr., the five-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat, out of Slammin Success by Grand Slam, is now four-for-20 on dirt with three seconds and seven thirds. Divadora and Two Susans Give Dam Bedside Manner Two Wins 90 Minutes Apart Divadora s first start since last October was sensational Wednesday at Belmont Park. George and Stephanie Autry s four-year-old filly drew away from nine opponents to win a $57,000 New York-bred allowance by six lengths at In doing so, Divadora gave her dam Bedside Manner, a daughter of Dr. Blum, two victories just an hour-and-a-half apart. Jose Lezcano got Divadora, a daughter of Pleasantly Perfect bred by Lewis Rapaport and Sugar Maple Farm, away in good order from the outside 10 post and she settled in fourth as Jealous set the pace in the six-furlong sprint. Divadora went after Jealous around the far turn, getting the half in :45.38 and then pouring it on to win in 1: White Crane rallied to finish second.

8 Trained by James Lawrence, Divadora now has two wins and a third in eight starts. She hadn t raced since finishing far back in last year s Ticonderoga Stakes, which was her debut on grass. Returning to dirt and dropping into allowance company Wednesday, she was mighty impressive. Three races earlier, making up six lengths in the final sixteenth of a mile, Lewis Rapaport and Sugar Maple Farm s homebred three-year-old filly Two Susans, one of four first-time starters in a field of eight, rocketed past Carla Sweetrevenge to win a $55,000 New York-bred maiden race by a neck in a quick 1:09.95 for six furlongs. Rosie s Song, the 4-5 favorite, was a distant third. Light Weight, another firster at 10-1, took an early lead shadowed by Carla Sweetrevenge, who was sent off at 7-1 under Jose Lezcano. After a quarter in :22.37, Carla Sweetrevenge went after Light Weight and quickly passed her, hitting the half in : Carla Sweetrevenge opened up daylight at mid-stretch and seemed home-free until Two Susans emerged from the pack with a furious rush. She was moving so fast at the wire that what looked like a photo that could have gone either way showed Two Susans had won by a neck The daughter of Purge out of Bedside Manner by Dr. Blum is trained by Charlie Baker, who is quietly having an outstanding Belmont meet with four wins, one second and three thirds from just 12 starts. Lightly regarded at odds of 13-1, Dutchess Views Farm s three-year-old New York-bred homebred Marriedtothemusic shot to the lead right out of the starting gate and never looked back, setting fast fractions and winning a $39,000 conditional $35,000 claimer Wednesday by three lengths in a scintillating 1:08.43 for six furlongs. Cornelio Velasquez rode the daughter of Disco Rico out of Significant Other by Not For Love, who is trained by Dominic Galluscio and was one of three state-breds left in a field of six in a race taken off the turf. Marriedtothemusic had won her debut wire-to-wire in a state-bred maiden $35,000 claimer, then finished eighth in open allowance company before being freshened. She ripped off fractions of :22.58 and :44.75 and never really had an anxious moment. Another New York-bred, Ludo Bagman, finished second at 9-2. Irad Ortiz, Jr. got Copper Penny Stable s Luxury Appeal to the lead early and the five-year-old New York-bred gelding scored a decisive 2 ½-length victory at 7-1 in a $28,000 conditional $15,000 claimer Wednesday. Freshened off a tiring fifth with blinkers added, Luxury Appeal scored his second victory in seven starts with three seconds for trainer Gary Gullo. The son of Johannesburg out of Salty Romance by Salt Lake, who was bred by Nustar Breeding, covered 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.86.

9 In a one-mile $41,000 maiden $35,000 claimer Wednesday, My Meadowwiew Farm s homebred three-year-old New York-bred colt Beachview Two, the only state-bred in a field of six, went wire-to-wire under Joel Rosario to win by 2 ¾ lengths as the 3-5 favorite. Beachview Two, who is trained by Rick Violette, was freshened off a failed turf try and returned to dirt, where he had been an improved fourth in his third start. The son of Noble Causeway out of Always Red by Eastern Echo put it all together Wednesday off a bullet five-furlong work. Trainer John Hertler and Edward Messina s favored Maxana got through on the inside under Junior Alvarado to win a $28,000 state-bred maiden $20,000 claimer by a length and a quarter over Carole Lee. Kimmies Lucky Star finished third and Sarah s Wild Girl, who led most of the way before tiring late, finished fourth in the six-furlong sprint that went in 1: Maxana, a three-year-old daughter of Anasheed out of Devilish Max by Gold Token, was making her sixth career start and dropping from a maiden special weight.