2003 Highcliff Breeding & Racing News (Courtesy of NY-breds.com) Track Photo Credits: Saratoga, Belmont, Aqueduct- Adam Coglianese ; Finger Lakes-Tom Cooley

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DECEMBER 2003

(12/26) Kings Empress beats state-bred NW-2X allowance
Hardwicke Stable's homebred, KINGS EMPRESS, easily defeated state-bred fillies and mares today in a NW-2X condition allowance at Aqueduct Racetrack. The six-furlong race had a field of 9-horses go to the gate, with Kings Empress loading into the 9-stall. Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens named 7lb apprentice jockey Pedro Cotto to ride the three-year old dark bay filly. Kings Empress, who had finished second in her previous race on Nov. 20th, was sent off as the prohibitive 3-5 race-time favorite.
Kings Empress broke sharply and sat in third-position behind Clever Blonde and Fly With Karakorum past an opening quarter in 22.4/5th seconds. Fly With Karakorum moved to the lead approaching the half-mile pole reached in 46 2/5ths but Kings Empress was poised on the far outside and once asked blew by the leaders, quickly opening up a three-length lead, which she increased to six-lengths crossing the wire. Hussy finished second and Fly With Karakorum won a three-horse photo finish for third money. Final time was 1:11 3/5ths seconds.Sired by Elisabeth Jerkens' now-deceased New York-based stallion, Kings Fiction, who stood at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, Kings Empress is the sixth winner and second New York-bred winner bred by Elisabeth Jerkens from Decorated Empress, a winning daughter of Well Decorated. Allen Jerkens had purchased Decorated Empress for $3,500 as a four-year-old broodmare prospect at a 1990 Fasig-Tipton paddock sale shortly after that marse had made her final start. Kings Empress' five winning half-siblings have captured a total of 21 races, and her eight-time winning maternal granddam (second dam) is a daughter of leading sire Mr. Prospector. With today's victory, Kings Empress raises her earnings to $164,650 in 18-career starts and qualified Mrs. Jerkens for both a breeder and stallion owner awards totaling $7,290.

NOVEMBER 2003

(11/20) Lizza to Reduce Size of Broodmare Band at Highcliff by 36%
Carl Lizza Jr., who breeds and races under the name of Flying Zee Stable and owns Highcliff Farm in Delanson in partnership with Joseph Bartone, has decided to reduce his number of broodmares currently at Highcliff Farm from 110 to 70 -- a reduction of 36.4 percent. The reduction is effective immediately, and most of the mares are in-foal for the 2004 breeding/foaling season and have been priced to sell. The mares will be listed on the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) Sales page at http://nybreds.com/NYTB/sale_ads.html
According to Suzie O'Cain, who along with her veterinarian husband, Dr. Lynwood O'Cain, manages Highcliff Farm, "When you breed to race, as Carl (Lizza) does, sometimes the numbers can get away from you. Most of these mares are in foal to various Highcliff stallions like Grade 1 performers Western Expression and Key Contender, and all are priced to represent really attractive offers for the 2004 breeding season."
Flying Zee Stable led all New York breeders in New York Breeding & Racing Program breeder awards for 2002, and it ranks among the top three in that category for 2003.

(11/14) Stakes-Winning Storm Cat Stallion Catienus Arrives at Highcliff
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's stakes-winning Storm Cat stallion, CATIENUS, arrived on Friday afternoon, November 14, at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, where he will stand the 2004 season for a fee of $3,500, live foal (stands and nurses), to approved mares only. A winner on dirt and turf and a main track stakes winner in the U.S. after having beaten an English champion on turf in England as a three-year-old, Catienus also placed in four Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes at Saratoga and Belmont. The first offspring sired by the son of Storm Cat --Diamond City, by Mr. Prospector, who previously had stood at his owners' Ramsey Farm, Inc. in Nicholasville, Kentucky, will be two-year-olds in 2004. Catienus is the only Storm Cat stallion currently standing in New York that is out of a Mr. Prospector mare.

(11/15) Golden Contender returns to Aqueduct to head NY-bred exacta
Back at Aqueduct following nearly a seven-month hiatus from New York while racing on the New Jersey-Pennsylvania circuit, Stacey Abramson's and Geoff Dickstein's New York-bred GOLDEN CONTENDER went gate-to-wire to win Saturday's secondrace, for three-year-olds and up with $20,000 claiming prices, by 6 1/4 lengths under jockey Richard Migliore. The five-year-old was the 5.90-to-1 fourth choice among eight older geldings -- six New York-breds -- in the mile and an eighth contest, and although pressed for six furlongs on the outside by 2.35-to-1 favorite A. P. Aspen, he won easily for Migliore, who had ridden him previously in January. Overtaking A. P. Aspen in the final furlong to place second was New York-bred River Spirit, the 4.50-to-1 second choice, and finishing fourth was New York-bred Cold Blow Lane, the 6.70-to-1 fifth choice, as New York-breds picked up 86 percent of the race's $24,000 purse.
The victory increased Golden Contender's earnings to $217,405 -- and along with a third-place effort at Meadowlands three weeks earlier (October 25), more than covered the $16,000 tag that he had cost his current owners when they had claimed him off a two-length winning effort at Monmouth on September 28. Trained by Bruce Levine, the dark bay gelding's record improved to 6 - 8 - 6 in 51 starts; also boosting their bankrolls were New York-breds River Spirit (now $145,050) and Cold Blow Lane (now $173,700). Claimed out of the contest was New York-bred Quatre Dix Neuf ($165,200).
Bred by the Flying Zee Stables of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey and foaled at the Highcliff Farm in Delanson that Lizza owns in partnership with Joseph Bartone, Golden Contender qualified Flying Zee Stables for a $2,880 breeder award. He is among 32 winners of 64 races in 2003 sired by Grade 1 winner Key Contender (Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint), who stands at Highcliff and whose syndicate owners qualified for a $1,008 stallion award as a result of Golden Contender's third 2003 victory. Golden Contender is among six New York-bred winners produced from Calder allowance winner Golden Sweetheart, who scored on Aqueduct's inner track and also is the dam of stakes winner Noble Sweetheart ($101,149) and stakes-placed Blondie Logic, whose first offspring is a now-deceased winning stakes-placed daughter of Key Contender, Sunday Driver. Lizza has bred all of the offspring produced from Golden Sweetheart, who is a daughter of Strike Gold and is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and dirt-and-turf record-setter Double No ($337,042).

OCTOBER 2003

(10/29) Yourstocommand draws in to break maiden
Its not very often a horse draws into a race when they are fourth on the also-eligible list, however, that's exactly what transpired today for Robert Jocelyn's YOURSTOCOMMAND. The state-bred maiden race was originally carded for the turf but was switched to the main track at Aqueduct when rain pelted the New York metropolitan area. A field of 11-horses, three year-olds and upward, went to the post in the mile and an eight race with Yourstocommand going to the post as the lukewarm 5-2 favorite.
Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan hustled Yourstocommand to the lead easily winning the run into the first turn and quickly opened up by three-lengths. On a free and easy lead, Yourstocommand increased his lead over Life At Sea, who was four-lengths in front the second tier of horses. In his previous race, Yourstocommand had a similar lead only to falter nearing the wire, however today's outcome finished with a happy ending for his connections as he splashed through the stretch to win by 3-1/4-lengths over a fast closing Dr. Richard Walker. Final time was 1:54.4.
Trained by Edward Barker, Yourstocommand is a three-year old bay gelding by Key Contender, out of Gateholme, by Gate Dancer. The bay gelding was making his 10th career start. Dr. Carl Juul-Nielsen, who qualified for a $5,040 breeder's award, bred Yourstocommand. The sire, Key Contender, stands at Carl Lizza and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York and qualifies the owner, Mr. Lizza, for a stallion owner's award of $1,764. Key Contender won the 1995 running of the Surburban Handicap - Gr. I and earned over $839,260 in 56-starts. His 2003 progeny earnings are nearing the $1 million.

(10/24) Gata Be Patient romps in allowance
Paula Ann Hallman's GATA BE PATIENT easily defeated state-bred allowance fillies and mares, three year-olds and upward, today at Belmont Park. The NW-1X condition race was switched from the turf to the main track at a distance of 1-1/8th mile around one-turn. Trainer John Hertler named apprentice jockey Pedro Cotto, Jr., to ride the three year-old dark bay filly, who was making her 7th career start. A field of 8-horses went to the starting gate.
Breaking sharply, Gata Be Patient took the lead as the horses left the chute onto the main track. Gata Be Patient went unpressured fractions of 24.4 and 49 seconds to the half-mile pole and had a 2-length lead over Banner Queen and Seraphic Too as she turned for home. Roused by Cotto, Gata Be Patient drew off through the stretch to win by 7-lengths, stopping the timer in 1:54 flat. Lucky Signal closed to be second and Seraphic Too held for third money.
Ms. Hallman bred the talented filly at her Merrylegs Farm in Old Brookville, New York, and qualified for a breeder's award of $5,280. Mrs. Hallman's father, Seymour Cohn, owns the sire, Daygata (Dayjur), and qualifies for a stallion owner's award of $1,848. Daygata stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. Gata Be Patient is out of Vin Dia, by Bold Skipper, and has now earned $77,220 with a Lifetime Record: 7-2-2-2.

(10/16) First Sign of Rain breaks maiden at Belmont Park
Flying Zee Stable's FIRST SIGN OF RAIN, returned to the races today after an 8-month layoff to break his maiden in the last race at Belmont Park. The six-furlong race had a full field of 12-state-bred horses go to the gate, with First Sign of Rain the lukewarm favorite at odds of 5-2. Trainer Phil Serpe named Javier Castellano to ride the four year-old dark bay gelding, who broke from the rail position.
Machinegunmoutandy, sporting blinkers for the first time, went to the front, opening up by four-lengths over Laird Angus down the backstretch. Setting quick fractions of 22.2 and 46.1 seconds to the half-mile pole, Machinegunmoutandy controlled the race to the top of the stretch with First Sign of Rain racing in third. Machinegunmoutandy had what appeared to be a safe lead past the eighth-pole but Castellano, aboard First Sign of Rain, continued to drive to the lead and with a final last gasp effort won by a nose. Final time was 1:13 flat.
Bred by Carl Lizza at his Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York, First Sign of Rain is by Thunder Puddles, out of Emma's First, by Premiership. The dam is a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner, Oro De Mexico (Well Decorated), an 11X winner of over $664,000. Thunder Puddles, sire of 1992 Travers Stakes winner Thunder Rumble, stands at Highcliff Farm. Mr. Lizza qualified for a breeder's award of $4,920 and as owner of the stallion, qualifies for a stallion owner's award of $1,722.

(10/12) Doc's Option completes NY-bred trifecta in Belmont opener
Dr. Eric Myer's homebred DOC'S OPTION showed in Belmont's Sunday opener that he can carry his speed seven furlongs and win on a sloppy track, going gate-to-wire in a $20,000 contest for three-year-old $18,000 claimers while completing a $465.50 trifecta of New York homebreds sired by New York stallions. Placing second and third, respectively, among the eight starters were New York-breds One Momento and Luvnluk, as three-year-olds bred in the Empire State picked up 91 percent of the race's total purse. Doc's Option was race-ridden in the contest for the first time by Jorge Chavez and went off as the 4.90-to-1 fourth choice, while One Momento was the third choice at 4.50-to-1, and Luvnluk offered double-digit odds of 11.40-to-1 as the sixth choice.
Breaking on top from the fourth post position, Doc's Option set fractions of 22.41, 45.41, and 1:10.57 en route to a winning final time of 1:23.97, staying well off the rail and finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of One Momento, who raced three wide for most of the way. Luvnluk, who advanced from next to last through the slop and encountered traffic trouble in the stretch, finished 7 1/2 lengths behind One Momento. The victory by Doc's Option, whose trainer is Bruce Levine, boosted his earnings to $51,410 and improved his record to 2 - 0 - 2 in 10 starts -- all in 2003 -- and it also qualified Dr. Myer for a $2,400 breeder award. The race marked the first of four victorious rides on Belmont's Sunday card for jockey Chavez, whose winning mounts included unbeaten Spectacular Moon (yet another stakes winner out of a daughter of deceased New York stallion Spectacular Bid) in the Grade 2 Astarita Stakes for two-year-old fillies.
Doc's Option is a son of Michael Martin's New York-bred champion and New York-based stallion, Scarlet Ibis (Cormorant - Fifties Galore, by Cornish Prince), and his performance pushed the progeny earnings for Scarlet Ibis to just short of the $8-million mark while qualifying Martin for a $840 stallion award. Scarlet Ibis stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, and his other winners this year include 2003 stakes winners Little Time and Miss Royal Ibis. Doc's Option is the seventh winner and fifth New York-bred winner produced from Dr. Myer's winning New York homebred mare, Roseville, who is by Misty Flight and is a half-sister to New York-bred graded winner and seven-time stakes winner Landing Plot ($666,484), whom Dr. Myer also bred. Doc's Option is a full brother to New York-bred open Aqueduct allowance winner Dolfmeister ($197,965). A Hypo-Mating check of the ancestry of Doc's Option reveals a classically balanced dosage profile of 3-4-8-2-1 and a pedigree that is an outcross (no inbreeding) for five generations, although sire Scarlet Ibis is distantly inbred (4 x 4) to Alibhai.

(10/4) NY Stallion Key Contender Represented by 2YO Filly SW Ask Queenie
Despite carrying top weight and breaking from the outside post position, Laurine Barreira's two-year-old Ask Queenie, a New York-conceived daughter of New York stallion KEY CONTENDER, won her first stakes outing by 7 1/2 lengths, capturing Suffolk's black-type Amelia Peabody Stakes as the odds-on favorite on Saturday, October 4. Ridden for the third time in her three-start career by Peter Sosa Jr. and sent off by trainer Lori Lockhart as the .60-to-1 choice among six starters in the six-furlong event for Massachusetts-bred juvenile fillies, the precocious chestnut was three wide in second place going into the turn. To her immediate inside was 2.10-to-1 second choice Tap Into Fame, and setting the pace along the rail was 3.90-to-1 third choice Teeney Bubbles. Midway around the turn, Sosa asked his mount for more effort, and Ask Queenie quickly drew clear, opening up a 2 1/2-length lead at mid-stretch that expanded to a 7 1/2-length margin at the wire, as Teeney Bubbles held for second, followed by Tap Into Fame.
The victory improved Ask Queenie's record to two wins in three starts, with her one loss coming in a narrowly beaten third-place debut going five furlongs on July 22. She had broken her maiden by 2 3/4 lengths racing five furlongs at Suffolk on August 5, and the Amelia Peabody was her first effort at six furlongs, strongly indicating that she will improve as her racing distances stretch out.
Bred by Lloyd Lockhart of Somerset, Massachusetts, Ask Queenie is the second stakes winner in two months to represent Key Contender, whose son Noble Adversary ($106,913) had captured Finger Lakes' Genesee Valley Breeders' Handicap by a length on August 2 against a field that included multiple stakes winner Impeachthepro ($513,269). Syndicated Key Contender (Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint) stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, and Ask Queenie is a half-sister to two other Highcliff-conceived stakes performers: multiple stakes winner Little Time ($119,884) and multiple stakes-placed winner Puddle Time. She is the third offspring produced from stakes-placed winner Time to Ask, by L'Amour Rullah, but she is that mare's first juvenile winner. Time to Ask is a half-sister to Suffolk stakes winners Ask a Nice, Iasku, and Please Answer. Key Contender, a Grade 1-winning NYRA track record-setter at a mile and at a mile and a sixteenth whose progeny earnings are approaching $3.4-million, stood the 2003 season at Highcliff Farm for a fee of $5,000, live foal.

(10/3) G2 SW & Freshman Stakes Sire Limit Out to Stand '04 at NY's Highcliff Farm
Grade 2 winner and graded record-setting LIMIT OUT, whose first crop already has been represented by a four-length stakes-winning juvenile filly, Ericka's Lass, will be moved to New York in the next few weeks to stand the 2004 season at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. Fee for the eight-year-old son of Northern Flagship - Lucky Delight, by Miswaki, will be $2,500, live foal. Limit Out had been standing at Leverett and Linda Miller's T-Square Stud in Fairfield, Florida since entering stud in 2000, and Leverett Miller -- who is retaining an interest in the partnership that owns the stallion -- was responsible for recommending to owner-breeder Joseph Shields Jr. the mating that produced Limit Out.
"New York is a perfect fit for Limit Out," observed Miller, "because he is better known up there, where he won two graded stakes and set a record, than he is down here."
The first three starters from Limit Out's first crop of current two-year-olds have all won or placed, and stakes winner Ericka's Lass has taken her last two starts by significant margins -- capturing Assiniboia Downs' black-type Debutante Stakes by four lengths -- after having placed second in her first start. In the 5 1/2-furlong Debutante last summer, Ericka's Lass broke from the 12th post-position in a 12-filly field but still led from gate to wire. She has won on both fast and off tracks.
Limit Out was bred and raced by New York Racing Association Vice Chairman Joseph Shields Jr., managing director and chairman of Shields & Company investment management and owner-breeder of 2003 NYRA Grade 1 winners Passing Shot and House Party plus 1998 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Wagon Limit. The colt won his first four consecutive starts at two and three, capturing Aqueduct's 1998 Grade 3 Bay Shore by 2 1/2 lengths in his stakes debut while setting a seven-furlong stakes record of 1:20.54. That performance, accomplished while clocking a six-furlong fraction of 1:07 4/5 and then drawing off from current New York freshman sire standout Good and Tough, who was carrying less weight, broke the seven-furlong stakes record that had been held since 1976 by Eclipse Champion Bold Forbes. It also was within a fifth of a second of the immortal Dr. Fager's 1968 track record.
Later that year, Limit Out beat future 2003 leading second crop stakes sire (in number of stakes victories by progeny) Grand Slam by 2 1/4 lengths in Belmont's Grade 2 Jerome Handicap at a one-turn mile -- also defeating the highly-regarded Scatmandu, who was carrying two pounds less weight. Following a recurring ankle injury, he was retired to stud with a record of 5 - 1 - 1 in nine starts, which included a second-place effort in Meadowlands' Grade 2 Buick Pegasus Handicap at a two-turn mile and an eighth and a third-place finish in Aqueduct's Grade 2 Withers Stakes. Limit Out recorded five Daily Racing Form triple-digit Beyer speed figures in his nine starts, including a 116 -- one of the three highest Beyer figures for a three-year-old in 1998 -- while winning the Bay Shore.
Shields, speaking from his New York office, mentioned that the partnership that owns Limit Out, "had been thinking about standing him in New York for the past year."
In additional observations, Shields commented on the strength of the New York market and the bloodlines that need increased representation within the state: "I think the New York market is going to improve," Shields remarked, "and there don't seem to be many close-up Northern Dancer lines left in New York. He (Limit Out) was very fast, which is important for New York, and his female line is quite strong."
Limit Out's sire, Northern Flagship, is a Group 1-siring Northern Dancer stallion, and his East Coast stakes-winning dam, Lucky Delight, is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Dixie Luck and to the dams of four more stakes winners. Limit Out is the second young Allen Jerkens-trained stallion to arrive at Highcliff Farm within the past year, following Grade 2-winning millionaire sprinter Kelly Kip.

SEPTEMBER 2003

(9/12) First 3 Finishers in Belmont MSW All Foaled at Highcliff Farm
The first three finishers in Belmont's fourth race on Friday, September 12, a one-mile $42,000 restricted maiden special for eight fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, were all foaled at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, and two of them also were conceived at Highcliff. The winner, Paula Ann Cohn Hallman's three-year-old homebred, GATA BE PATIENT, was the second three-year-old winner of the summer (assuming summer ends September 21) sired by Seymour Cohn's Highcliff-based stallion, DAYGATA (Dayjur - Alpargata, by Alydar), whose three-year-old Angel by Day was stakes-placed even before breaking his maiden. Pont Street Stable's second-place finisher Pocahaba was foaled at Highcliff, and third-place finisher Jules At Four, another three-year-old filly who races as a homebred for the Flying Zee Stables of Highcliff co-owner Lizza, is by her owner's Highcliff-based stallion, TANK'S NUMBER (Tank's Prospect - Margaret's Number, by Native Charger). In five starts -- all at Belmont and Saratoga in 2003 since May 30 -- winner Gata Be Patient has never been unplaced, and third-place finisher Jules At Four has placed in her last three consecutive NYRA outings since mid-July.

(9/11) Stakes-Winning Storm Cat Stallion Catienus to NY's Highcliff Farm
CATIENUS, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's stakes-winning Storm Cat stallion whose first foals are yearlings of 2003, is scheduled to be moved later this fall to Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson to stand "at least the next two breeding seasons there," according to Kenneth Ramsey. The nine-year-old stallion has been standing at the Ramseys' own farm -- the former Almahurst Farm -- in Nicholasville, Kentucky since entering stud there in 2001. Ramsey confirmed plans to send 40 of his own mares to be bred to Catienus in 2004 in New York, where they will remain for at least 90 days and eventually be bred back to him so that their foals will be eligible to be registered New York-breds. The 2004 fee for the son of Storm Cat - Diamond City, by Mr. Prospector, will be $3,500, live foal (stands and nurses), to approved mares only.
A winner on both dirt and turf, Catienus started his racing career in England under the colors of his breeder, Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud Management, breaking his maiden by eight lengths and capturing his last two juvenile outings -- both on turf -- despite being a late foal (May 16). He extended his winning streak to three by taking his three-year-old debut by a length and three-quarters and later that summer was beaten less than a length in Ireland's Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes while competing against older colts at a mile and a quarter on yielding turf. The following year, Catienus was returned to the U.S., where he captured an off-the-turf Monmouth allowance and attracted the attention of the Ramseys, for whom he made his first U.S. stakes start in Delaware's Charles Staats Memorial Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth on dirt as a five-year-old. In that event -- run a couple of months after Catienus had returned to racing following surgery for a foot problem -- the Storm Cat stallion was boxed in but found enough room to get clear and won by a length and a half. He subsequently placed second or third five times, including Saratoga's Grade 1 Whitney Handicap and Grade 2 Saratoga Breeders' Cup (twice) and Belmont's Grade 2 Suburban Handicap, accumulating six triple-digit Daily Racing Form Beyer speed figures -- once running a 115 -- before retiring in 2000 with earnings of $370,430.
Catienus is among four winners produced from graded stakes-placed winner and 100 percent producer Diamond City, a Mr. Prospector mare from the immediate female family of Preakness winner Aloma's Ruler. He was one of only five Storm Cat stallions out of Mr. Prospector mares at stud in 2003, and although the other four were not all stakes winners, he was the least expensive to breed to of the five -- with the others commanding fees of $25,000, $15,000, $10,000, and $5,000. The Storm Cat-Mr. Prospector cross was one of the reasons for Ramsey's original interest in Catienus, whose second dam (maternal granddam) is a daughter of Hoist the Flag.
Kenneth Ramsey has enthusiastically supported Catienus, who covered 117 mares in 2003, but is emphatic about restricting the stallion to approved mares and has adhered to that standard by breeding "eight or nine" of his own stakes-winning mares to him, including Grade 1 winner Bail Out Becky ($725,085). "He (Catienus) is really stamping his foals," reported Ramsey. "They almost all have that Storm Cat profile in terms of conformation and proportions, and he's like a carbon copy of his sire."
Ramsey is in the process of claiming more broodmare prospects at the track and uses four criteria for selection: 1) early speed, 2) durability ("I like hard-knocking mares," Ramsey pointed out), 3) at least seven wins, and 4) a minimum Daily Racing Form Beyer figure of 80. "Pedigree is not my primary concern regarding broodmare prospects," explained Ramsey, "but, of course, the more black-type the better."
Highcliff Farm was one of various New York farms Ramsey visited this past summer, and he came away impressed: "I liked the people, and Dr. (Lynwood) O'Cain, the manager, is a veterinarian; they take really good care of their horses and do a good job of getting mares in foal. I toured the paddocks and the stallion barns and decided that it was just a wonderful place to send a horse."
Catienus will be nominated to the Breeders' Cup (as he has been for the past three breeding seasons) and the New York Stallion Stakes Series. "We are very flattered to have been chosen (to stand Catienus)," remarked Suzie O'Cain of Highcliff Farm. "It's an honor to us and a tribute to the New York program."

(9/18) Pa Pa Da breaks maiden over the turf
John and Theresa Behrendt's homebred, PA PA DA, making his second-career start and first over the turf won easily today at Belmont Park. Facing state-bred two year-old maiden horses, the bay gelding was sent to the post as the even-money favorite in the 11-horses field. The race was run over the Widener turf course at a mile and trainer David Donk named leading jockey John Velazquez to ride the talented colt.
Fifty Three Cards went to the front shortly after the break followed closely by Belladumaani with Pa Pa Da moving easily into third-position after breaking from the 11-post position. The trio raced through fractions of 23, 46.1 seconds past the half with Belladumaani taking the lead prior to the three-quarter pole reached in a snappy 1:09.4. Pa Pa Da glided up on the outside of Belladumaani at the top of the stretch and ran by without a struggle to win by 3-1/2 widening lengths. Belladumaani held for second and the cleverly named Shhh Please was third. Final time was a swift 1:34.1.
The Behrendts qualified for a breeder's award of $5,040 and as owner's of the sire, Incurable Optimist, qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,764. Raced by the Behrendts and trained by David Donk, Incurable Optimist was an outstanding two year-old colt, winning the Gr. 3 - Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Gr. 3 - Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park before moving over to the Meadowlands to win the World Appeal Stake. Incurable Optimist won the 1998 New York Thoroughbred Breeder's Divisional honors as the best two year-old and the best turf male in year end balloting by the New York Turf Writers. Injured as a three year-old, Incurable Optimist (Cure the Blues) retired to stud with earnings of $271,309. Incurable Optimist stood at Carl Lizza and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York in 2000 before being exported to Argentina the following season. It now appears that the move was premature as his limited first-crop are racing superbly. Five of the 20 named foals produced by Incurable Optimist have raced and three had their photos taken in the winner's circle with one - Kiss An Optimist - finishing third in the restricted two year-old stake, the Aspirant run at Finger Lakes during mid-August. Pa Pa Da is out of the Mac Diarmida mare, Sligo River, a half-sister to stakes winner A Dream Above (Great Above).

(9/6) Olympic Contender draws clear in maiden mile
Teamed with Shaun Bridgmohan for the first of three consecutive efforts under that jockey 51 days ago at Belmont, Peter Vangelatos' three-year-old OLYMPIC CONTENDER had his first strong finish; 36 days later, he placed third, and on Saturday he won a $42,000 Belmont restricted maiden special by 3 1/4 lengths. Enhancing the significance of this less than two-month turnaround was the fact that two four-year-olds who had beaten Olympic Contender soundly in June -- Mister Fizz and Minaville -- were among the 11 he trounced thoroughly in Belmont's third race on Saturday, which was for three-year-olds and up at a one-turn mile. Vangelatos' homebred went off as the 6.40-to-1 third choice among 12 starters, with some skepticism about his chances apparently being based on his inside post position and the scant likelihood of his getting a favorable tactical position early in the race.
Although he broke near the back of the pack, Olympic Contender was well positioned by Bridgmohan in fifth and then fourth place on the inside before angling outside on the turn to challenge three wide approaching the stretch, as Minaville -- the 4.70-to-1 second choice -- went to the front. Within a span of one furlong, he advanced from third to first, leading by 2 1/2 lengths at mid-stretch and by 3 1/4 lengths at the wire, as Minaville faded and Mister Fizz -- the 6.80-to-1 fourth choice -- rallied for third behind second-place Pro Shopper, the 15-to-1 seventh choice. Favored Lord Commando (1.65-to-1), who had dueled with Minaville throughout most of the contest and was head-to-head with that rival for the lead after three-quarters of a mile, also tired. The victory boosted Olympic Contender's earnings by $25,200 to $33,600, giving the lately-foaled colt (May 7, 2000) a record of 1 - 0 - 1 in seven starts and also qualifying owner-breeder Vangelatos of Bayside, Queens for a $5,040 breeder award. The New York-bred's trainer is Alfredo Velazquez, who has had blinkers back on the chestnut colt for his latest two outings and only top-three finishes.
Olympic Contender is the ninth winner from New York stallion Key Contender's 2000 crop and that stallion's 60th winner overall, qualifying the syndicate owners of the Grade 1 winner at Belmont and track record-holder at Saratoga for a $1,764 stallion award. Key Contender (Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint) stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. Olympic Contender is the third offspring and third New York-bred winner produced from Ionika, a daughter of Eclipse Champion turf specialist Steinlen and black-type winner Regent's Paradise ($126,588) that Vangelatos purchased for the U.S. equivalent of $9,101 at a 1993 Canadian September yearling sale. Six years after that purchase, a half-sister to Ionika, Gandria ($665,504), had a championship three-year-old season in Canada. A Hypo-Mating check of Olympic Contender's pedigree indicates that he is inbred 3 x 4 to Graustark and has a dosage profile of 8-2-5-1-0.

(9/6) NY Stallion Mesopotamia's Mr. Meso Scores 3rd Stakes Win - by 11 1/4
Already a multiple stakes winner, Laurine Barreira's three-year-old Mr. Meso somehow went off at 2.90-to-1 (second choice) for the Northampton (fair) Stakes on Saturday, September 6 and won by an astounding 11 1/4 lengths to register the 18th victory of 2003 for an offspring of New York stallion MESOPOTAMIA. Race-ridden for the first time by Edgar Paucar, who had two winning rides for the day, the late-foaled (April 29, 2000) bay broke from the outside post among eight starters in the three-turn 6 1/2-furlong event, which also included older competitors, and had a three-length lead after a half-mile. In the next 2 1/2 furlongs, he widened his advantage by 8 1/4 lengths to the 11 1/4-length margin he held at the wire, scoring his third career stakes win and second tally of 2003. Odds-on (.90-to-1) favorite Ambi's Bro, a multiple stakes-winning seven-year-old with six-figure earnings and 15 wins (the latest on August 11 by seven lengths) on his resume, finished fourth. The victory increased Mr. Meso's earnings to $70,000 while improving his record to 5 - 0 - 1 in 11 starts, which includes wins in 2002 in Suffolk's Anthony DeSpirito and Norman Hall Stakes and a third-place finish in Suffolk's John R. Macomber Stakes in his previous outing on August 2.
Trained by Lori Lockhart and bred by Cedar Lock Farm & Racing Stable, Mr. Meso is the fifth winner produced from Suffolk stakes winner Miss Lavish, by Banquet Table. Miss Lavish is a half-sister to stakes winner Eastman Star (dam of Grade 3 winner Fuller's Folly) and to the dam of stakes winner Pulled Through. Mr. Meso is among 17 winners (of 41 races) from two crops to race by Aqueduct winner Mesopotamia (Deputy Minister - Mesappiano, by Fappiano), who is owned by Seymour Cohn and stood at private contract at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in 2003. Mesopotamia's winning dam is a full sister to stakes winners Funistrada ($479,404) and Wakonda ($415,400).

AUGUST 2003

(8/11) Zukinikiki captures Spa finale (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Four Drake Stable's ZUKINIKIKI, trained by Bruce Levine and ridden by Mike Luzzi, broke her maiden today at Saratoga Race Course. The mile and an eighth race was moved off the turf to the main track, labeled muddy and had a field of 10-horses go to the starting gate.
Kooka Munga was gunned out of the gate from an outside post-position and won the race into the first turn followed closely to her outside flank by Miss Miracle, with Sunshine Rondevou and Zukinikiki another two lengths back in third and fourth, respectively. Kooka Munga continued on the lead around the far turn with Zukinikiki moving up to engage the leader at the top of the stretch. After a brief duel, Zukinikiki forged to the front and drove to the wire to win by four-lengths over Kooka Munga, with Katies Danza finishing third.
Zukinikiki is a three year-old dark bay filly bred by John Hettinger at his beautiful Akindale Farm in Pawling, New York. Zukinikiki is by Key Contender, out of the Personal Flag mare, Sugar Blues, who's a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner Jazzing Around (Stop The Music) winner of over $488,000. Mr. Hettinger qualified for a breeder's award of $5,040 and the Carl Lizza, owner of Key Contender, qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,764. Key Contender stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York.

(8/10) NY-Bred Illegal Wins Another Charles Town Allowance - by 4 1/2 (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Given his first chance at a two-turn contest and allowed to stretch out a furlong farther than he ever previously had raced, Scuderia Montese Stable's New York-bred ILLEGAL was a front-running allowance winner at Charles Town on Sunday, August 10, scoring by 4 1/2 lengths at 6 1/2 furlongs. Ridden for the eighth time in nine starts by Juan Ortega and sent off by trainer Raimondo Schiano-DiCola as the 6-to-1 co-fourth choice among six starters, three-year-olds and up, the dark bay three-year-old broke from the fifth post position and maintained at least a three-length lead throughout the race. Favored Hangtime (2.10-to-1), who was coming off consecutive seven-furlong allowance wins going two turns at Charles Town in June and July and was co-topweighted with Illegal at 119 pounds, placed second, followed by 2.20-to-1 second choice Corporate Chalenge, who was carrying five pounds less than the first two.
Illegal's second Charles Town allowance victory within four weeks improved his record to 3 - 0 - 1 in nine starts. When he had won a July 13 allowance going a one-turn 4 1/2 furlongs, it had been above his condition level (non-winners of three) and probably at a shorter distance than he would have preferred, but he won anyway -- also as the fourth choice and at odds of 10.10-to-1. The obvious question now: Does he ship to the Empire State? Bred by Juliana Garofalo, Illegal is by New York stallion and Grade 1 winner Key Contender (Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint), who stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson and whose progeny generally improve with maturity and longer distances. He is the first offspring produced from nine-time winner Irish Weekend ($111,316), a Mehmet mare that won allowance races on dirt and turf at Pimlico and was purchased for $4,500 by Dr. Francis Garofalo at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's 1998 mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland as a five-year-old not-bred broodmare prospect. A half-brother to Irish Weekend, Tory Sound, set a six-furlong track record of 1:09 flat at Sportsman's Park in 1993.

(8/8) State-Bred Scarlet Peppers wires field of wide-open allowance rivals (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Ourwayout Stable's SCARLET PEPPERS wired a field of seven wide-open allowance rivals by five and one-half lengths in today's featured 8th race. The race, carrying a purse of $9,600 was for wide-open three year olds and upward which have never won two races and contested at one mile and seventy yards. Today's victory was Scarlet Peppers second straight. Trained by Charlton Baker and ridden to victory by Michael Davila, Scarlet Peppers broke sharply and quickly took command. Scarlet Peppers got the first quarter in 24.1 and had a length advantage over Nancy Signs' Driven Snow and Jane and Alex Marinos' Pour Lil Devil. Davila had Scarlet Peppers relaxed and got the half mile 48.3. Got to the quarter pole with a solid three length lead in 1:13.4 over Pour Lil Devil. Davila then got busy on his mount and opened up a four and one-half length lead in midstretch. Even with that solid lead leaving the eighth pole, Davila kept his mount under steady pressure to the wire while posting a better than five length score. Scarlet Peppers got the one mile and seventy yard distance in 1:45 flat over a fast track and returned $11.40. Seymour Cohn's Mesolithic rallied to finish second by a length over Pour Lil Devil in third. Mesolithic was sent off as the 8 to 5 favorite and was ridden by Paul Nicol. Trained by Stacy Torelli, Mesolithic was never far back while lacking early speed. Nicol angled his mount out to five path leaving the backstretch. They began to gain ground into the lane and then closed well to earn the place. Bred by Michael T. Martin, Scarlet Peppers' victory was worth $5,760. The three year old son of Scarlet Ibis out of Flashy Deb by Personal Flag now has 2 wins out of 11 starts and is just shy of $20,000 in earnings.

(8/2) Noble Adversary scores upset in $40,000 Genesee Valley Breeder's Handicap (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Paul Vetrano's NOBLE ADVERSARY rallied to win by a length in today's Genesee Valley Breeders' Handicap. The race was a handicap going one mile and one-sixteenth for three year olds and upward bred in New York State and carrying a purse of $40,000. Eleven horses whet postward with two stable couplings. Sent off as the heavy 2 to 5 favorites were the M. Anthony Ferraro's trained entry of Win Steven's Flake O and Nicolas Laneve and William Warner's highweight(122lbs) Impeachthepro. Trained by Oscar Barrera, Noble Adversary coupled with Gigabyte were let go at 10 to 1. Noble Adversary, ridden by Jose Rohena, were well placed along the four path up the backstretch. Leaving the half mile pole they were about 4 lengths behind the front-runners. Carmen Baker's Roman Sea and Louis Bisso's Gotham Limited got the half mile in 46.2 and stalking them along the four path was the heavy favorite Impeachthepro. Impeachthepro with John Grabowski up, made a move leaving the backstretch and collared the leaders while four abreast nearing the quarter pole. They all got the three-quarters in 1:13 flat. Impeachthepro and Roman Sea got the eighth pole together with a length and one-half lead over Noble Adversary. Impeachthepro gained the advantage but could not sustain the bid and Noble Adversary ran on by to score by a length over the fast closing Eddie White Sox. Noble Adversary got the one mile and one-sixteenth distance in 1:47 flat over a wet fast track and returned $23.60. Impeachthepro finished third. Joseph and John Marino's Eddie White Sox with David Rivera aboard were making a run along the fence on the final bend when they lacked room leaving the quarter pole and had to check. Rivera then made up some ground but had to alter course to the outside leaving the eighth pole. Eddie White Sox responded readily to Rivera's stick and then closed determinedly to be along for the place. Eddie White Sox went off at 16 to 1 and paid $10.80 to place. The Exacta with Noble Adversary and Eddie White Sox returned a cool $241.50. Noble Adversary's score today was worth $24,000. Noble Adversary was claimed out his last race by his new owner Paul Vetrano for $16,000. Bred by Flying Zee Stable, Noble Adversary now has 9 wins out of 34 starts and $105,163 in career earnings.

(8/1) Waterundrthebridge upsets in Lakes Feature (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Flying Zee Stable's WATERUNDRTHEBRIDGE upset a field of six to win by over six lengths in today's featured 8th race. The race was for wide-open three years old and upward which have never won three races going six furlongs and carrying a purse of $9,800. Six horses went to post including a stable coupling. The trained Charlton Baker entry of Ourwayout Stable's Galway Miner and Ferentino Farm and Baker's King of the Blues were sent off as the odds on choice at 2 to 5. Trained by Oscar Barrera Jr. and ridden by apprentice Rafael Rohena Jr., Waterundrthebridge, broke quickest of all. They were pushed some early by Jim Bissett's Atlantis Dream while getting the first quarter in 22.2. Rohena then asked Waterundrthebridge for more run and by the time they got to the quarter pole in 45.4 they had a two length lead over Abagintwo. Waterundrthebridge opened up daylight nearing the eighth pole and then widened in a hand ride to win by six and one-quarter lengths. Waterundrthebridge stopped the timer for the six furlong test in 1:10.3 over a good racing surface and returned a cool $36.40. Ourwayout Stable's Galway Miner rallied in the stretch to narrowly get the place by a neck over Carl Baker and Leroy Oliver's Abagintwo. The victory for Waterundrthebridge today was worth $5,880. Bred by Tri-Noble Stable, that was Waterundrthebridge's first tally of the 2003 racing season. The four year old son of Thunder Puddles out of Previously by Garthorn won over an off track last November in the same wire-to-wire fashion by six and one-half lengths. The Barrera trainee now has three career scores out of 12 starts and sports a bankroll of $21,034.

JULY 2003

(7/20) Well Fancied flies home by 4+ in Evan Shipman (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Twice during Belmont's spring-summer closing-day card on Sunday, jockey Edgar Prado showed how to steal a race aboard a New York-bred, accomplishing it the second time aboard favored WELL FANCIED in the $113,100 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-bred three-year-olds and up at a one-turn mile and a sixteenth. Although an accomplished sprinter with victories in Belmont's 2002 Hudson and General Douglas MacArthur Handicaps, the four-year-old gelding had never raced beyond seven furlongs previously, but his talent was so obvious that Belmont horseplayers made him the 1.80-to-1 first choice among 10 starters under second highweight of 119 pounds. Sent off as the 3-to-1 second choice under top weight of 124 was thxe gallant Grade 2-winning gelding Gander ($1,664,250), who had not raced in seven weeks but is always considered formidable, having won the Evan Shipman in 2000.
Prado wasted no time sending his mount to the front with superior tactical speed, opening up a length and a half advantage over Gander after a first quarter in 23.27 and allowing Well Fancied to accelerate his second quarter to 22.70 to maintain a half-length margin following four furlongs. After six furlongs, Well Fancied's lead was a length and a half off a sizzling fraction of 1:09.98, and he reached mid-stretch with six-length advantage in 1:34.66 for the mile and hit the wire with a 4 1/2-length cushion over strong-finishing fifth choice Compelling World (10.70-to-1) in 1:40.94. Sherpa Guide, the 6.80-to-1 fourth choice who had won the 2002 Evan Shipman by three lengths, stumbled at the start but still got up to finish third.
"This was an easy ride," pointed out Prado, who had three winning rides -- two aboard New York-breds -- for the day and had first ridden Well Fancied in the gelding's previous June 13 start at Belmont, when he had won a seven-furlong open classified allowance at by 2 1/2 lengths. "He ran a good race last time, and the only question today was the mile and a sixteenth. He proved he could handle it."
Well Fancied's conditioner, 2002 New York Thoroughbred Breeders Trainer of the Year Richard Dutrow Jr., was impressed but not actually surprised: "I don' t think we were worrying about anything coming in. All he had to do was prove he could get the distance. I'm real impressed. He killed off the other speed and finished up strong."
Dutrow, who saddled two winners at Belmont on Sunday -- both ridden by Prado -- also indicated that he planned to give a brief breather to Well Fancied even though the gelding has only raced four times since early April: "I don't think I'm going to take him to Saratoga. I freshened him up last summer, and that worked. Maybe we'll point for the (General Douglas) MacArthur (September 5 at Belmont). He ran big in that race last year. It looks like we have some options now. I'd consider the Empire Classic ($250,000, mile and an eighth, October 18 at Belmont) too."
Well Fancied, who races for Sanford Goldfarb of Old Westbury in partnership with Stewart Hoffman and Jonathan Flesig, earned $67,860 for his third stakes victory, boosting his career bankroll to $412,846 and improving his record to 8 - 4 - 4 in 24 starts. He also qualified his breeder and former owner (prior to 2002), Seymour Cohn of New York City, for the maximum $10,000 breeder award. The bay gelding is among five stakes winners sired by New York stallion Prosper Fager (Mr. Prospector - Princess Fager, by Dr. Fager), who stands at and as the property of Diane Szymczak's Meadow Hill Lane Farm in Pine Bush. Prosper Fager's owners at the time of Well Fancied's conception, the Billings Partnership of Robert and Michele Billings of Naples, Florida, qualified for a $4,750.20 stallion award. Well Fancied is the only offspring produced from Patty's Fancy Tric, a Tricky Creek mare who placed once at Aqueduct in two starts as a two-year-old for breeder Cohn. Well Fancied's second dam is Elpaso Patty, who won three stakes at Suffolk Downs.

(7/19) Theconfidenceman confidently draws off by 6 in 2YO debut (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
As one of seven debuting starters among 10 participants in Belmont's Saturday opener, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for two-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs, THECONFIDENCEMAN attracted no special attention before the race, going off as the 9.70-to-1 fifth choice, but he was six lengths in front at the finish. Ridden by New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Jockey of the Year John Velazquez, the chestnut colt broke from the third post position and raced close behind the leaders in fifth place while in hand for three-eighths of a mile, as 7.90-to-1 third choice Joe'sdancing Angel set the pace. The front-running contenders fanned out four wide on the turn, and Theconfidenceman rallied wide right with them entering the stretch, advancing from fifth to first within three-sixteenths of a mile and setting a five-furlong fraction of 59.48 even though he was drifting in and still running on his left lead. Once the New York-bred colt switched to his right lead, he stopped drifting in, straightened away, and drew off to a six-length margin at the wire, winning in 1:05.69.
Owned by the Literary Lion Farm of Helen Brann of Bridgewater, Connecticut in partnership with Suzann Bobley and Joan O'Brien and conditioned by three-time NYTB Trainer of the Year Leo O'Brien (husband of part owner Joan O'Brien), Theconfidenceman picked up $24,600 in purse money for his first start. Prior to the colt's debut, trainer O'Brien had put him through four solid though not sensational Belmont workouts (three were among the fastest half of all works for the day at their distances) beginning 22 days earlier on June 27. Theconfidenceman's victory also qualified his breeders, Richard and Jeanette Powers of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for a $4,920 breeder award.
Theconfidenceman is the second six-length maiden special two-year-old winner at Belmont this summer sired from the first crop of 1998 New York-Bred Horse of the Year and Champion Two-Year-Old Male Incurable Optimist, who in a two-month span won open turf stakes at Meadowlands, Belmont, and Hollywood Park. Two of those events -- Belmont's Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes and Hollywood's Grade 3 Generous Stakes -- Incurable Optimist won by 4 1/2 and nine lengths, respectively. The New York-bred champion raced for John and Theresa Behrendt of New York City and stood as the Behrendts' property for the 2000 season at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson before subsequently going to Argentina -- but still qualifying the Behrendts for a $1,722 stallion award. The breeders of Incurable Optimist (Cure the Blues - Miss Turlington, by Seattle Slew) were Dr. Joan Taylor and Dr. William Wilmot of Stepwise Farm in Saratoga Springs, who also bred the New York-bred winner of the sixth race at Belmont Saturday, three-year-old Raise an Emblem.
Theconfidenceman is the first offspring produced from The Midnightrobber, who raced for co-breeder Jeanette Powers, winning nine races from ages two through seven, including five open allowance six-furlong sprints at Suffolk and Rockingham Park. The Midnightrobber is by Talinum, a Grade 1-winning son of Alydar, and she is a half-sister to stakes-placed winner Chervy ($107,827). Theconfidenceman might relish stretching out in distance, and trainer O'Brien is famous for noticing that impressive New York-bred juvenile winners on dirt sometimes become bona fide superstars (Fourstardave, Fourstars Allstar, etc.) going long on turf.

(7/5) Seaquarius splits rivals to break maiden in first turf outing (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Given his first racing opportunity on grass in his second start off a 190-day layoff, Flying Zee Stable's homebred SEAQUARIUS scored a three-quarter-length victory in Belmont's Saturday opener, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for 10 three-year-olds and up going a two-turn mile and an eighth on the inner turf. Relatively dismissed as the 10.50-to-1 fifth choice and ridden for the second consecutive time by Tony Farina, the three-year-old gelding raced in hand just behind the early leaders, who were paced by front-running 6.10-to-1 third choice Captain Smith. Going into the second turn, Seaquarius and 1.65-to-1 favorite First You Dream began closing in on Captain Smith, but the Flying Zee homebred maintained his two-path position, keeping First You Dream on the outside while running into a 20-mph southwesterly headwind. First You Dream, who had been forced five wide on the first turn, appeared to have gained the lead between calls, but Seaquarius split rivals to take command at mid-stretch with a mile fraction of 1:36.47 and then utilized his long strides to edge ahead, winning in 1:49.02.
Trained by Carlos Martin, Seaquarius earned $25,200 for his first victory in five starts, bringing his total bankroll to $29,710 and also qualifying his owner-breeder, the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, for a $2,520 breeder award. Unplaced as a two-year-old in three Aqueduct outings over three different distances late in 2002, the chestnut gelding came off his between-the-seasons layoff looking noticeably revitalized, getting his first on-the-board finish with a third-place effort under jockey Farina going seven furlongs in the slop at Belmont on June 19. As a juvenile, he twice had tried two turns -- unsuccessfully -- at Aqueduct.
Sired by Kentucky Derby-Travers-Champagne winner Sea Hero ($2,929,869), who now stands in Turkey, Seaquarius is the first winner produced from New York-bred Keri Island, who is by deceased New York stallion Roman Reasoning and also was a Flying Zee Stable homebred. Flying Zee Stable proprietor Lizza, who owns Highcliff Farm in Delanson in partnership with Joseph Bartone, also bred graded New York-bred winner Ruby Rubles ($475,546) out of a winning half-sister to dam Keri Island, whose own dam is three-time winner Reality Island, by In Reality. Ruby Rubles won Aqueduct's Grade 3 Bed o' Roses Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths and restricted Broadway Handicap by 6 1/2 lengths in a stakes record 1:22.22 for seven furlongs -- both in April, 2000 -- after her purchase the previous November at Keeneland for $75,000 by Rick Pitino's Celtic Pride Stable.

(7/4) Kings Empress hangs on by a head in nightcap (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Hardwicke Stable's homebred KINGS EMPRESS ran wide out of the 10th post position in Belmont's 11th race nightcap on Fourth of July Friday, a six-furlong $43,000 restricted N1X allowance for 12 fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, gaining a big mid-stretch lead and then hanging on determinedly to win. Ridden for the fifth -- and second consecutive -- time by Shannon Uske, whose apprentice allowance is seven pounds, the late-foaled (June 10, 2000) three-year-old filly raced just outside of front-running 2.50-to-1 favorite Charm Appeal through an opening quarter-mile in 22.46. She then took command and drew off on the turn, entering the stretch with her head turned right and still on her left lead, but by mid-stretch her margin over 5.50-to-1 fourth choice Lady Libby in second place was 5 1/2 lengths following a five-eighths fraction of 58.20. In the final furlong, Lady Libby launched a serious outside challenge to Kings Empress, who eventually made a late switch to her right lead and held on even as her strides noticeably shortened, winning by a head in the time 1:11.54. For jockey Uske, it was the second winning ride of the day at Belmont aboard a New York-bred.
When Kings Empress, who went off in the nightcap as the 6.10-to-1 fifth choice, had broken her maiden at Aqueduct back in February, she also was reluctant to switch leads in the stretch but still won by four lengths even though her jockey lost his whip in the stretch. In her last previous start at six furlongs, she had placed second at Belmont on May 16 in her first effort against older fillies and mares, and her Independence Day victory has improved her record to 2 - 2 - 3 in 11 starts while boosting her earnings by $25,800 to $80,250. Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Allen Jerkens, who also sent out House Party to win the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes two races earlier on Belmont's card, Kings Empress campaigns for the Hardwicke Stable of her trainer's wife, Elisabeth Jerkens of Bellrose. In addition to purse earnings, Elisabeth Jerkens qualified for another $6,966 in breeder ($5,160) and stallion ($1,806) awards, since she owned the now deceased sire of Kings Empress, Kings Fiction, and stood him at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson.
Kings Empress is the sixth winner and second New York-bred winner bred by Elisabeth Jerkens from Decorated Empress, a winning Well Decorated mare that Allen Jerkens purchased for $3,500 as a four-year-old broodmare prospect at a 1990 Fasig-Tipton paddock sale shortly after that mare had made her final start. Kings Empress' five winning half-siblings have captured a total of 20 races, and her eight-time winning maternal granddam (second dam) is a daughter of leading sire Mr. Prospector.

JUNE 2003

(6/17) NY-Bred Dare to Be Great Captures Suffolk Allowance
Showing increased proficiency in his new roll since March as a middle distance performer, Edward Shapoff's New York homebred, DARE TO BE GREAT, captured a mile and a sixteenth N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up at Suffolk on Tuesday, June 17, as the 3.90-to-1 second choice among nine starters. Ridden for the second time by apprentice jockey Mark Phillips, whose allowance is five pounds, the three-year-old broke from the eighth post position and raced on the outside in sixth place for half a mile. He moved between his competition leaving the second turn, overtaking three rivals within a quarter-mile stretch, and by the eighth pole was head-to-head with the leader and expected winner, odds-on (.70-to-1) favorite Brazil Nut. In the final furlong, the New York-bred pulled clear of Brazil Nut and was not seriously threatened by the late charge of 8.40-to-1 fourth choice Weldlock, winning by a length as Brazil Nut faded to third. For jockey Phillips, it was the second of two winning rides on Suffolk's Tuesday afternoon card.
Trained by Karl Grusmark, Dare to Be Great improved his record to 2 - 5 - 2 in 18 starts. The chestnut colt is by New York stallion Expensive Decision (Explosive Bid - Third Wife, by Hydrologist) and is a full brother to Aqueduct two-turn turf winner Thunderous Ovation, being the second winner produced from New York-bred stakes-placed winner Thunder Stand, by New York stallion Thunder Puddles. Thunder Stand, whose trainer was Stanley Shapoff, is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winners Liver Stand ($248,118) and Endsaseeket ($149,605) and to New York-bred stakes-placed winner Boundanddetermined ($205,503). Dare to Be Great's victory occurred in Suffolk's seventh race on Tuesday, but the eighth race at that track, another N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up going a mile and a sixteenth (off the turf), also had a New York breeding angle. The winner of that race was six-year-old Puddle Time, a son of New York stallion Thunder Puddles, who is Dare to Be Great's maternal grandsire (broodmare sire). Both Dare to Be Great and Puddle Time were conceived at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson.

(6/1) Ave's Princessa sets entire pace in 9-furlong MSW (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Entered for main track only in Belmont's Sunday opener, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, originally carded at a mile and an eighth going two turns on turf and switched to a sloppy one-turn nine-furlong race, three-year-old AVE'S PRINCESSA obviously relished the prevailing conditions. Even her number seven (outside) post position presented no problems, because the favored (1.20-to-1) filly was simply quicker than her six rivals, grabbing an easy one-length first-quarter lead that eventually was contested but never seemed seriously threatened. With jockey John Velazquez -- who had been on board for her only previous placing -- in the irons for the second time, Ave's Princessa cruised on the front and was mildly challenged after six furlongs by five-year-old Archers Gal under two pounds less weight because of her jockey's seven-pound apprentice allowance. By mid-stretch, the favorite was ahead by 2 1/2 lengths, and she reached the finish with a 4 1/4-length advantage, as 3.30-to-1 second choice Archers Gal -- previously unplaced on wet tracks in five attempts -- placed a clear second despite a stumbling start and drifting in through the stretch. For jockey Velazquez, honored this past April as 2002 Jockey of the Year by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc., it was the first of three winning rides on Belmont's Sunday card.
The victory increased Ave's Princessa's earnings by $25,200 to $34,860 and improved her record to 1 - 0 - 1 in six starts -- all in 2003 -- while also qualifying her owner-breeders, David McNulty of Old Coach Farm in Millbrook in partnership with Josef Omland, for a $5,040 breeder award. Trained by Robert Klesaris, the chestnut filly has finished no worse than fourth in four of her six outings while campaigning at six furlongs, a mile, a mile and a sixteenth (twice), and a mile and an eighth (twice).
Ave's Princessa is among 53 winners sired by New York stallion Key Contender (Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint), pushing that NYRA Grade 1-winning stallion's progeny earnings over $2.85-million and qualifying his syndicate shareholders for a $1,764 stallion award. Key Contender, who set two NYRA track records and still holds the standard for a main track mile at Saratoga, stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. Ave's Princessa is the first offspring produced from New York-bred Ave's Finale, an open allowance winner by New York stallion Personal Flag that co-owner McNulty also bred and raced. Ave's Finale is a full sister to New York-bred Ave's Flag ($501,925), another McNulty-Omland homebred and winner of Aqueduct's Grade 3 Gallant Fox Handicap by seven lengths in 1996, and she is a half-sister to McNulty's New York-bred Herr Von Kaninchen ($459,044), who won Aqueduct's 1991 open Sporting Plate Handicap. McNulty privately acquired German-bred Ave Maria, dam of Ave's Flag and the two aforementioned multiple stakes winners and maternal granddam of Ave's Princessa, in the mid-1980s along with that mare's bay colt that turned out to be Herr Von Kaninchen.

MAY 2003

(5/3) Spite the Devil ($35.80) takes G3 Withers despite difficulties (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Had anyone suggested back in October that the first two finishers -- a neck apart -- in Belmont's Sleepy Hollow Stakes for New York-bred two-year-olds on New York Showcase Day would win the Kentucky Derby and Withers Stakes as three-year-olds 28 weeks later, the response might have been one of incredulity. On Saturday, that scenario happened, proving that when eventual Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide narrowly defeated Hardwicke Stable's homebred SPITE THE DEVIL in the Sleepy Hollow, he was competing against a rival with the class to overcome adversity and win Aqueduct's Grade 3 Withers Stakes in a determined stretch drive.
For the 124th running of the of the one-turn mile Withers, Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens had Spite the Devil wearing blinkers for the first time and also gave a leg up to apprentice jockey Luis Chavez, who had never ridden the gelding in a race before. Chavez, the only apprentice jockey riding in the contest, could not invoke his five-pound apprentice allowance because the Withers was a stakes race, but he knew how to handle some early difficulties for his dark bay mount, who went off as the 16.90-to-1 sixth choice among eight three-year-old starters.
Stumbling at the start, Spite the Devil was bumped on his outside by 4.60-to-1 third choice Don Six, who immediately went out to take the lead and set accelerating fractions of 22.68 and 22.32 for a half-mile fraction of 45 seconds flat. Spite the Devil, racing next-to-last after the first half-mile, began advancing along the inside going around the turn. In the upper stretch, after Don Six had set a six-furlong fraction of 1:09.69, Chavez angled the New York-bred out to the middle of the track and sent him off on what appeared to be a bid for fourth-place or perhaps third-place money -- but Spite the Devil kept overtaking rivals. By mid-stretch, only a tiring Don Six, 4.90-to-1 fourth Choice Alysweep, and 11.20-to-1 fifth choice Stanislavsky remained ahead of him, and Spite the Devil also caught those three, winning by a neck over Alysweep, who seven weeks earlier had captured Aqueduct's Grade 3 Gotham by 4 1/4 lengths. His winning time was 1:35.89.
Victory in the $150,000 stakes was worth $90,000 in purse money, boosting Spite the Devil's career earnings to $244,415 and also qualifying owner-breeder Elisabeth Jerkens of Hardwicke Stable in Bellrose -- wife of trainer H. Allen Jerkens -- for a total of $18,000 in open race owner and breeder awards ($9,000 each). Spite the Devil now has a record of 3 - 3 - 3 in 12 starts, which in addition to his second to Funny Cide in the Bongard, also includes third-place efforts in Saratoga's 2002 Sanford and Saratoga Special Stakes (both Grade 2) and in Aqueduct's Grade 3 Gotham Stakes in 2003. He is among nine New York-bred winners of open (to horses bred anywhere) stakes in 2003 and is one of three New York-bred graded winners this year, along with Funny Cide and 2003 Grade 2 winner Carson Hollow.
Sired by Devil His Due, whom Allen Jerkens also trained and was probably best going a mile and a quarter, Spite the Devil is the first offspring produced from Samantha D, a Cryptoclearance mare who won at a two-turn mile and 70 yards at Philadelphia Park as a three-year-old. Samantha D's stakes-winning dam is Mid-Atlantic five-furlong turf specialist Cuca's Lady ($350,460), and one of her winning half-sisters is the dam of 2002 stakes winner Scootin' Girl ($124,165). Prior to breaking her maiden, Samantha D was claimed by Elisabeth Jerkens' Hardwicke Stable for $10,000 at Delaware Park as a three-year-old in June of 1998. The mare's first foal, Spite the Devil, was born and raised at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson.

(5/18) Ibis's Heart takes open MSW at 'Lakes' (Courtesy of NY-breds.com)
Kathleen's Babcock's home bred IBIS'S HEART wired a field of eight wide open $9,100 allowance maiden's going six furlongs to score his first tally by five lengths. The Edward Babcock trained runner with Pedro Rodriguez aboard quickly assumed command from the outset to establish a length lead while getting the quarter in 23:2. Went the half in 47:3 and then widened through the final eighth stopping the timer in 1:13 flat over a fast strip. Running second was Nancy L. Signs Driven Storm and three-quarter's of a length behind him in third was Victory Hill Farm's fast closing Diamond Days.
The Kathleen Babcock speedster earned $5,460 for the victory. The son of Judge Smells out of Lovely Ibis by Scarlet Ibis now has a record of one win and two third place finishes out only seven career trys. Prior to this wire-to-wire tally, Ibis's Heart ran sixth in her 2003 debut here on April 28. He showed some early speed over a fast track going four and one-half furlongs and then tired some in the stretch to be beaten by a little more then eight lengths.
After the way Ibis's Heart got the job done today, it appeared that race was a great benefit.
Overlooked at 11 to 1 Ibis's Heart returned $24.00 to his backers.

APRIL 2003

(4/26) Star Contender splashes to maiden special victory
Improving off his March 30 Aqueduct debut, when despite a lunging start he had placed a close third among 11 starters, Flying Zee Stables' homebred STAR CONTENDER broke from the inside post as the 2.35-to-1 favorite in Aqueduct's Saturday opener, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for three-year-olds and up. Bursting out on top from the outside (10th) post position in the six-furlong contest was 4.70-to-1 fourth choice Limone Forte, who under jockey Victor Carrero (Star Contender's jockey in his debut) was hustled to a 2 1/2-length lead after an opening quarter-mile in 22.31 on the sloppy track. Star Contender stalked the pacesetter down the backstretch and around the turn in second place, as his new jockey, Edgar Prado, initially appeared to be planning an outside move on Limone Forte, who entered the stretch with just over a length advantage. In the stretch -- possibly in reaction to the driving rain and a 26-mph easterly wind that was gusting up to 38-mph across the track -- Limone Forte began drifting out while staying on his left lead. That development prompted Prado to steer his mount to the inside of Limone Forte, who still set a five-furlong fraction of 58.85, and in the final furlong Star Contender fought to a half-length margin at the wire over his front-running rival, who appeared to rally somewhat after switching leads late. It was the first of two winning rides on Aqueduct's Saturday card for Prado.
The victory was worth $24,600 in purse money to the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, which also qualified for a $4,920 breeder award, boosting Star Contender's purse earnings from two starts to $29,110. Trained by Philip Serpe, who put the four-year-old gelding through two sharp half-mile Belmont works following his third-place debut, Star Contender is by New York stallion Key Contender (Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint), who stands at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. Star Contender is the 13th winner from the 1999 crop of Key Contender, pushing his sire's progeny earnings over $2.7-million, and his victory qualified the syndicate owners of that Grade 1 winner and track record-setter at Belmont and Saratoga for a $1,722 stallion award.
Star Contender is the first offspring produced from stakes-placed winner Star Pic ($124,226), who concluded her racing career in the colors of Flying Zee Stable after being claimed for $60,000 following her black-type acquisition (third in Laurel's seven-furlong Notches Trace Stakes) just 18 days earlier. From a breeding perspective, the claiming of the then five-year-old mare in 1997 appears to have been a shrewd move. By the Grade 2-winning Baldski stallion, Racing Star, Star Pic was the second stakes-placed winning filly produced from her dam, following half-sister Runaway Fling ($245,489), and one of her winning half-brothers, Company B ($136,401), won Calder's Fanueil Hall Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths last August under equal top weight.

(4/14) Suffolk SW Is 20th $100K-Earner by NY Stallion Scarlet Ibis -- out of state
Turning the tables on multiple stakes winner Big Miss ($345,260), who had won their two most recent previous encounters, Laurine Barreira's four-year-old Little Time, a daughter of New York stallion SCARLET IBIS, caught her former nemesis in the final furlong of Suffolk's black-type First Episode Stakes on Monday, April 14. At the finish of the two-turn mile and a sixteenth contest for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, the competitive bay was ahead by three-quarters of a length over .70-to-1 favorite Big Miss, scoring her fourth career stakes victory and becoming the 20th six-figure earner sired by Scarlet Ibis. Placing third was New York-conceived multiple stakes winner Expensive Verdict, by Expensive Decision, as daughters of New York stallions finished first and third.
Riding Little Time for the ninth -- and fourth consecutive -- time was Winston Albert Thompson, who also had been on board for her victories in the Massachusetts Oaks (by 12 lengths), Louise Kimball Distaff Championship Stakes, and Boston Common Stakes, all at Suffolk in 2002. For the First Episode, Little Time was the 3.70-to-1 third choice among six starters, which included multiple stakes winner Sunlit Ridge ($252,130), the 2.70-to-1 second choice behind Big Miss.
Bred by Lloyd Lockhart and trained by Lori Lockhart, Little Time increased her earnings to $117,684 for her latest victory, improving her record to 6 - 3 - 2 in 19 starts, which also includes four other stakes placings. She is a half-sister to New York-conceived multiple stakes-placed winner Puddle Time, being the second offspring and second winner produced from stakes-placed winner Time to Ask, who is by L'Amour Rullah and is a half-sister to three stakes winners. Little Time, Puddle Time, and Expensive Verdict (third-place finisher in the First Episode) were all conceived at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, where Michael Martin's New York-bred champion, Scarlet Ibis (Cormorant - Fifties Galore, by Cornish Prince), stands for a 2003 fee of $3,500, live foal. Other stakes winners sired by Scarlet Ibis include graded winner Ruby Rubles ($475,547), Frankly My Dear ($350,547), Wild Wings ($216,639), and Laken ($209,655).

MARCH 2003

(3/26) Caught Cheatin' prevails in three-horse blanket finish
Seymour Cohn's homebred, CAUGHT CHEATIN', won today's last race at Aqueduct Racetrack in a very exciting race run at a mile, over the main strip. A full field of 12 state-bred fillies and mares, four years old and upward went to the post in the one-turn affair for NW-1X allowance, which carried a purse of $44,000. Overlooked by the bettors, Caught Cheatin' paid a whopping $87 for a $2 win ticket. Apprentice jockey Luis Chavez, who won two-races on the Wednesday card, was aboard Caught Cheatin, who was coming off of a two-month freshening.
After a contentious battle for the lead, Meadow Love emerged with the lead, chased by a host of horses. Caught Cheatin' was patiently rated behind a wall of horses, in seventh down the backstretch before charging through along the rail nearing the far turn. As the field turned for home, Chavez angled Caught Cheatin' to the middle of the track and ran by a tired Meadow Love nearing the eighth-pole. Buck Mountain, under Mike Luzzi, was sent toward a huge opening along rail, and Co Co Heart, a seven-length winner in her previous start, was making a big move on the far outside. The trio hit the wire together, with Caught Cheatin' prevailing by a nose over Buck Mountain, and the promising Co Co Heart a head back in third.
Trained by John Hertler, Caught Cheatin' is a four year-old dark bay filly by Scarlet Ibis, out of Open Marriage, by Deputy Minister. Caught Cheatin' is a half-sister to multiple stakes winners Chasin' Wimmin (Belong To Me), and Pentelis (Pentelicus). Michael T. Martin owns Scarlet Ibis and stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. Mr. Martin qualified for a breeder's award of $1,848, and Mr. Cohn, qualified for a breeder's award of $5,280.

(3/2) Golden Contender runs down odds-on favorite in open claimer
With a relentless outside stretch drive, Flying Zee Stable's New York homebred GOLDEN CONTENDER ran down .75-to-1 favorite Juan Valdez in the final furlong of Aqueduct's fifth race on Sunday, an open claiming contest for four-year-olds and up at a mile and a sixteenth, winning by half a length. Ridden for the first time by Javier Castellano, the dark bay five-year-old went off as the 2.70-to-1 second choice among six starters, pursuing front-running Juan Valdez and 22.80-to-1 sixth choice Bianco Appeal around the first turn and down the backstretch in third place on the sloppy track. He passed Bianco Appeal on the inside approaching the second turn and cut Juan Valdez's 3 1/2-length earlier lead to a length and a half on the second turn, swinging outside into the stretch to make his run at the odds-on favorite. At mid-stretch, Juan Valdez still held a narrow advantage, but Golden Contender continued his drive and prevailed, with 7-to-1 third choice Baby Shaq rallying along the rail to finish third. In addition to Golden Contender, starters Juan Valdez, Baby Shaq, and Bianco Appeal all went into Sunday's fifth race as six-figure earners.
The victory boosted Golden Contender's earnings to $172,265 and improved his record to 4 - 5 - 3 in 40 starts, which also includes two-turn allowance wins on Aqueduct's outer and inner main tracks -- although Sunday's score marked his first win on a wet track and at a mile and a sixteenth. The New York-bred also finished first in a mile and an eighth race on Aqueduct's outer main track in November but was disqualified to second.
Trained by Carlos Martin, who saddled two winners at Aqueduct on Sunday, Golden Contender was bred by and races for the Flying Zee Stables of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey and was sired by Key Contender, who stands at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. A syndicated Grade 1-winning son of Fit to Fight - Key Witness, by Key to the Mint, Key Contender also has sired 2001 three-time NYRA stakes-placed juvenile winner Sunday Driver -- whom Flying Zee Stables bred and raced and Martin trained -- from a stakes-placed half-sister to Golden Contender named Blondie Logic. New York-bred Sunday Driver, who won a Belmont maiden special by 3 1/2 lengths in her first start and followed that victory with three consecutive second-place efforts in stakes races at Belmont and Aqueduct, was euthanized following an injury prior to launching her three-year-old season. Her dam and Golden Contender are among five winners produced from Calder allowance winner Golden Sweetheart, a four-time winner who also scored on Aqueduct's inner track and whose five winners include Golden Contender's stakes-winning half-brother, Noble Sweetheart, winner of 12 races. Lizza has bred all of the offspring produced from Golden Sweetheart, who is a daughter of Strike Gold and is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Double No ($337,042).

FEBRUARY 2003

(2/25) New York-Bred Let's Contend Wins Debut at Charles Town by 3 1/2
When Patricia Brown's New York-bred three-year-old filly of 2000, Honey's Contender, won her debut two years ago on Aqueduct's inner track, she was 34-to-1; she would win again two months later on Aqueduct's outer track and eventually went on to place third in the New York Oaks. That filly's current three-year-old full sister, Brown's New York-bred LET'S CONTEND, showed up at Charles Town on Friday, February 22, for her first start and went off the sixth choice at 7-to-1 among 10 starters in the fifth race, a maiden special for three-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs. Breaking from the seventh post position under jockey Rafael Arroyave, she pressed the early pace in second place through a half-mile, then gained a clear lead on the turn and drew off through the stretch to win by 3 1/2 lengths.
Bred by her owner's late husband, S. Christian Brown of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and trained by Victor Espinosa, Honey's Contender is by syndicated New York stallion Key Contender ($839,261), a Grade 1 winner who stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm Delanson. She is the second named offspring and second winner -- following Honey's Contender -- produced by Christian Brown's New York homebred multiple stakes winner, Noble Honey ($362,625), who is a daughter of the late New York stallion, Noble Nashua ($678,427).

(2/19) Strawberry Road Stallion End of the Road Enters Stud at Highcliff
James Olson's END OF THE ROAD, who caught Eclipse Champion Lemon Drop Kid at the wire after making up two lengths on that five-time NYRA Grade 1 winner in the final furlong at Aqueduct, is entering stud at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. Fee for the seven-year-old son of Strawberry Road - Bonjove, by Caracolero, will be announced at a later date.
Winner of nine races -- nine at NYRA tracks -- and earner of $248,805, End of the Road was a multiple winner on both dirt and turf and picked up NYRA Grade 2 stakes money on grass. On dirt, he won at distances ranging from seven furlongs in his second career start to a mile and a half by four lengths at Aqueduct, scoring on both fast and off tracks. On turf, he won from a mile and a sixteenth to a mile and three-eighths. In addition to Lemon Drop Kid, other stakes winners he competed with included graded NYRA winner Boston Party, whom he beat by a daylight margin at Aqueduct after a three-wide move on the second turn.
By the late international champion Strawberry Road ($1,713,958), who sired 39 stakes winners -- including six North American Grade 1 winners -- from nine crops, End of the Road is a half-brother to Grade 2 juvenile stakes winner Scratch Pad ($440,538). A May foal (Scratch Pad was a March foal), he is among four multiple winners from four starters produced by his dam, who is a winning sister or half-sister to two stakes fillies.

(2/6) Kings Empress rules gate-to-wire by 4 in maiden special
Hardwicke Stable's homebred KINGS EMPRESS came off two non-winning but front-running favored efforts at Gulfstream in January to score a four-length gate-to-wire victory in Aqueduct's fourth race on Thursday, a $41,000 restricted maiden special for seven three-year-old fillies going six furlongs. During her Florida sojourn, the dark bay filly had experienced problems with her starts, breaking next-to-last in one contest and getting bumped her next time out, but she still gained and held the lead both times before giving way late. In Kings Empress' most recent previous start on January 22, her 16-year-old apprentice rider, Shannon Uske, could not get the New York-bred to change leads in the stretch, which might have been partially responsible for her fading to third after leading to mid-stretch while racing at 6 1/2 furlongs. For her first Aqueduct outing since finishing fourth in her November debut, Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens named "bug" jockey John McKee, whose apprentice allowance is five pounds, to be the filly's fourth rider in four starts and obviously gave basic instructions: Get out first and go from there.
Favored at .95-to-1, Kings Empress broke sharply to be first out of the gate, then outdueled 8.90-to-1 fourth choice Sarah the Terra to her inside to hold the lead, although the latter did not relinquish the rail position until the second quarter-mile. After a half-mile, Kings Empress was 2 1/2 lengths ahead of 1.95-to-1 second choice Halo Halo Halo, hugging the rail and drawing off by six lengths at mid-stretch while setting a 59.32 five-furlong fraction even though McKee was unable to get her to switch leads until the final sixteenth. Her first victory boosted her earnings by $24,600 to $28,880 and also qualified owner-breeder Elisabeth Jerkens of Hardwicke Stable in Bellrose for a $4,920 breeder award. Elisabeth Jerkens, whose husband is Allen Jerkens, likewise qualified for a $1,722 stallion award, since she owned Kings Impress' now deceased sire, stakes winner Kings Fiction (Believe the Queen - I'm a Storyteller, by I'ma Hell Raiser) and stood him at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson.
Although officially a three-year-old as of January 1, Kings Empress will not be three years old chronologically for another four months, since her birth date is June 10, 2000. She is the sixth winner and second New York-bred winner bred by Elisabeth Jerkens from Decorated Empress, a winning Well Decorated mare that Allen Jerkens purchased for $3,500 as a four-year-old broodmare prospect at a 1990 Fasig-Tipton paddock sale shortly after that mare had made her final start. Kings Empress' five winning half-siblings have captured a total of 19 races, and her eight-time winning maternal granddam (second dam) is a daughter of leading sire Mr. Prospector.

JANUARY 2003

(1/9) NY-Bred Flying to Finish Extends Streak to 4 With Back-to-Back Allowance Wins
Since November 15, owner-trainer John Conner's New York-bred FLYING TO FINISH has made a habit of winning, capturing back-to-back six-furlong claiming contests at Penn National in the last two months of 2002 before graduating to allowance company in January, where she has won two more times. The four-year-old filly scored her first allowance victory in Charles Town's 4 1/2-furlong feature on New Year's Day, carrying top weight of 121 pounds and setting all fractions on the sloppy track under showery weather, including an eyebrow-raising 21.92 opening quarter after breaking from the extreme outside post position. As the 11.40-to-1 sixth choice among nine starters in the N1X allowance contest, she won by a head under jockey Juan Ortega -- who was riding her for the first time -- with a clocking of 53.46.
Eight days later, Flying to Finish was the 5.70-to-1 fourth choice among six older fillies and mares, carrying top weight of 122 pounds in a 4 1/2-furlong starter allowance at Penn National, but this time she advanced from third to overtake front-running odds-on (.90-to-1) favorite Tricky Account. The latter was a stakes winner in 2002 and has earned $210,788, but Flying to Finish beat her by three-quarters of a length while spotting her five pounds. The chestnut filly's fourth consecutive victory, scored under jockey Christopher John Baker over a "good" track in the improving time of 53.19, boosted her record to 6 - 0 - 2 in ten starts. Baker also had been on board for Flying to Finish's Penn National wins in November and December.
Bred by Martin Scheinman of Sands Point and foaled at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, Flying to Finish is by world record-setting turf sprinter Pembroke and is the second offspring and second New York-bred winner bred by Scheinman from Sarah's Sparklers, who is by Danzatore. Sarah's Sparklers' winning half-siblings include A Shaky Queen ($231,191) and stakes-placed Royer Hill.