(12/31) Factual Contender wins last NYRA race of 2004
Flying Zee Stable's FACTUAL CONTENDER put the finishing touches
on the 2004 New York racing season with an off the pace victory against
state-bred fillies and mares. The NW-1X condition allowance was run
at six-furlongs over Aqueduct's winterized inner-track, listed "fast",
and had a field of 8-horses go to the post.
Dasl Cammy and Graceful Pro dueled through an opening half-mile in
46.3-seconds before Dasl Cammy opened up a clear lead turning for
home. But the early pace took its toll through the stretch as Evening
Edition and Factual Contender began to gain on the leader, who couldn't
sustain her lead giving way inside the sixteenth-pole as Factual Contender
bested Evening Edition by a half-length crossing the wire. Final time
was 1:12.1 seconds.
Bred by Carl Lizza (Flying Zee Stable), who qualifies for a $5,160
breeder's award, Factual Contender is a three-year-old dark bay filly
by Thunder Puddles, and is the second foal to race out of the Triocala
mare, Factuallychallenge. Factual Contender has now banked $73,342
in 10-lifetime starts. The sire, Thunder Puddles, was a multiple
Grade 2-winner and multiple Grade-1 stakes-placed winner of over $791,000
and has stood at Mr. Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm
in Delanson, New York since 1989. Thunder Puddles is the sire
of Thunder Rumble, winner of the 1992 running of the Grade 1 - Travers
Stakes and 1992 running of the Grade 2 - Jim Dandy Stakes, retiring
with earnings exceeding $1-million.
(12/29) Inevitably True with game performance breaks maiden
Chevalier Stable's homebred, INEVITABLY TRUE, making his third
career start gamely defeated a field of state-bred two-year-olds at
Aqueduct Racetrack. Sent off as the even-money favorite in the 12-horse
field, the gray gelding was ridden for the first time by journeyman
jockey Mike Luzzi for trainer Bruce Levine and broke from the six-post.
The six-furlong race was run over the winterized inner-track, listed
"fast."
Macklenin and Inevitably True hooked up early and battled head-to-head
past the half-mile pole reached in 46.3 seconds and continued to duel
to the top of the stretch. Retribution put in a menacing run coming
off the turn but couldn't match strides with Inevitably True who drew
clear in deep stretch to win by three-quarters of a length. Retribution
held for second and Poker Joe finished third. Final time was 1:12.1
seconds.
Bred by Edward Shapoff (Chevalier Stable), who qualified for a $4,920
breeder's award, Inevitably True is by Expensive Decision,
and is out of the Forever Silver mare, Forever True, who has now produced
three-winners from her first three foals. Owned by Mr. Shapoff, Expensive
Decision won four graded stakes races including the 1989 running of
the Gr. 2 - Saranac Stakes and retired with earnings of $485,419 in
32-starts. Expensive Decision originally stood at Highcliff Farm
in Delanson, New York prior to moving to State University of New York
at Cobleskill and is part of their Equine studies program.
Mr. Shapoff, also, qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,722,
and Inevitably True raised her earnings to $41,000.
(11/28) Summerland shines in the slop - gets 2nd win in 3 starts
Having missed by a neck while placing second in Aqueduct's $125,000
New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes three weeks earlier, Michael
T. Martin's homebred SUMMERLAND showed marked improvement in
Aqueduct's sixth race on Sunday, winning the $43,000 restricted N1X
allowance for two-year-olds going six furlongs by 6 1/2 lengths. The
bay colt went off as the 1.15-to-1 favorite among six starters with
jockey Shaun Bridgmohan on board for the third time in three career
starts, breaking from the inside post and quickly gaining a length
lead with an opening quarter-mile in 22.70 over the sloppy track.
Although 3.10-to-1 third choice Cool Days was only a half-length behind
following a half-mile in 46.85, Summerland looked unconcerned racing
around the turn with his ears pricked, and by mid-stretch he was 5
1/2 lengths in front while setting a five-eighths fraction of 58.64.
The Martin homebred continued pulling away from Cool Days -- who placed
second -- through the final furlong, reaching the finish in what was
easily his fastest six-furlong time thus far in three outings at that
distance -- 1:10.88.
Summerland's second victory in three starts increased his earnings
by $25,800 to $75,400 and also qualified his owner-breeder, Martin
of Madison Avenue in New York City, for an additional $5,160 breeder
award. Trained by Richard Violette Jr., the rapidly-improving juvenile
had won his debut by three lengths at Belmont on October 10 and had
led most of the way four weeks later in the Great White Way, only
to be caught in the final strides. Following that effort, trainer
Richard Violette Jr. had given the colt moderate half-mile workouts
at Aqueduct on November 19 and 24.
Summerland is among seven winners at Belmont or Aqueduct sired from
the first crop of New York stallion Western Expression (Gone
West - Tricky Game, by Majestic Light), who stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s
and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson. As a result
of Summerland's victory, the owner of Western Expression, Lizza's
Flying Zee Stables, qualified for a $1,806 stallion award. Western
Expression's other debut winners include New York-breds Winning Expression,
a colt who also has placed second in Belmont's open Flash (Grade 3)
and Tremont Stakes, and Square Dancing, a filly who won at Belmont
going a mile on turf. The 2005 fee for Western Expression, who missed
by only a head from being a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs (in Aqueduct's
2000 Carter Handicap) even though some of his juvenile progeny seem
to thrive as the distances stretch out, has been announced as $10,000,
live foal.
Summerland is the first offspring produced from owner-breeder Martin's
New York-bred mare, stakes winner Laken ($209,655), whom he had purchased
privately from W. Alec Martusewicz -- also the breeder and owner of
Laken's multiple stakes-winning dam, New York-bred Anniron ($539,476).
Laken is by Martin's own Highcliff Farm-based stallion Scarlet
Ibis (Cormorant - Fifties Galore, by Cornish Prince), who was
the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) Champion Juvenile Male of
1988 while racing for Martin. Laken's dam, NYTB 1986 Champion Three-Year-Old
Filly Anniron, by Iron Constitution, won 11 New York stakes for owner-breeder
Martusewicz from 1986 through 1988 and scored 10 of her 18 career
victories in routes and eight in sprints. A Hypo-Mating check of Summerland's
pedigree reveals that like New York-bred Eclipse Champion Funny Cide,
he is distantly inbred (5 x 5) to Ribot, and he also is inbred 5 x
5 to Bold Ruler, while sire Western Expression is inbred 3 x 4 to
Raise a Native.
(11/26) Dr. Quirk breaks maiden at Big A.
Michael T. Martin's homebred, DR. QUIRK, making his fifth-career
start and second at the one-mile distance, broke his maiden against
a field of state-bred two-year-olds, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The one-turn affair had a field of 10-colts and geldings go to the
starting gate located at the top of the chute on the main track, which
was listed "good". The trainer/jockey combo of Rick Violette
and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan have been clicking at 50% in the last
two weeks and chalked up another victory with Dr. Quirk.
Wonforjodi and Airtogroundcontrol battled head-to-head in the run
onto the main track from the chute with Dr. Quirk rating just off
the leaders in third-position. Brigmohan moved Dr. Quirk up to take
command nearing the half-mile pole reached in 46.1 seconds and raced
past the three-quarters in 1:12 seconds flat while under a hand ride.
Roused midway through the stretch, Dr. Quirk drew clear of Wonforjodi
and held off the even-money favorite Liquid Romance's late challenge
by three-quarters of a length. Final time was 1:38.2 seconds.
Bred by Michael T. Martin, who qualifies for a $5,040 breeder's award,
the dark bay gelding is by Tomorrows Cat, and the first foal out of
the Distinctive Pro mare, Katina K, who finished second in her only
start as a two-year-old and broke her maiden as a three-year-old in
her only other start. Katina K is a half-sister to stakes-placed allowance
winners Father Shea (Talc) and Distinguida (Thirty Six Red). Dr. Quirk
is the 72nd winner by Tomorrows Cat, who is completing a "break
out" season as a stallion. With three-crops to race,
Tomorrows Cat has 5-stakes winners, which includes West Virginia,
winner of the Times Square Division of the New York Stallion Stakes
and Albany Stakes; and So Sweet a Cat, winner of the Statue of Liberty
Division of the New York Stallion Stakes and New York Oaks. Tomorrows
Cat has progeny earnings of over $3-million in 2004 placing him 5th
on the active New York-based stallion standings, which are updated
weekly courtesy of Blood-Horse Publications. Tomorrows Cat is a Questroyal
Stallions managed syndication and stands at Metropolitan Stud in Pine
Plains, New York.
(11/26) Show Ready takes Big A allowance nightcap
SHOW READY, claimed for $18,000 on September 30th and making
her second start for new connections, went gate-to-wire against NW-1X
state-bred condition allowance, today, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The
final race on the card was run over the main track, listed "fast",
at six-furlongs and had a field of 11-fillies and mares go to the
starting gate. Trainer Scott Lake named journeyman jockey Mike Luzzi
to ride the three-year-old chestnut filly, who was making her 16th
^÷ career start and second for new owners - Evan Gewirtz, Mitchell
Klafter and Douglas Kiviat.
Breaking from the one-post, Show Ready was hustled to the lead and
after a blistering opening quarter in 21.4 seconds backed off the
second quarter to 23.2 seconds arriving at the half-mile pole in 45.1
seconds. Maidez, who moved into second, and Previous Selection bumped
repeatedly at the top of the stretch compromising their chances as
Show Ready slipped away. Under a heavy drive, Show Ready held off
a late charge by Factual Contender by a length with Evening Edition,
who was last down the backstretch, finishing a close-up third. Final
time was 1:11 seconds flat.
Bred by Carl Lizza, Jr., who qualifies for a $5,160 breeder's award,
Show Ready was consigned by Ocala Stud Farms to the 2003 OBS June
two-year-olds in-training sales and was purchased by Pink N Blue Stables
for $13,000. With today's winner's purse of $25,800, Show Ready boosts
her lifetime earnings just above the century mark to $100,011. The
late Prosper Fager, whose connections qualified for a stallion owner's
award of $1,806, stood at Carl Lizza, Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff
Farm in Delanson, New York, which is managed by Lynwood and Suzie
O'Cain.
(11/25) Taking the Redeye flies home in Thanksgiving Day opener
Flying Zee Stable's homebred, TAKING THE REDEYE, easily defeated
a field of state-bred allowance horses in today's first race on the
Thanksgiving Day holiday opener at Aqueduct Racetrack. The NW-1X condition
allowance had a field of 9-horses go to the starting gate with Taking
the Redeye being the 9-5 bettor's choice. Trainer Philip Serpe named
journeyman jockey Stuart Elliott to ride the three-year-old bay gelding,
who broke through the starting gate prior to the start of the race.
Taking the Redeye streaked out of the gate at the break and led the
field into the first turn of the 9-furlong race, which was run over
a "sloppy" main track. Never threatened throughout the run
down the backstretch and around the last turn, Taking the Redeye arrived
at the top of the stretch with a 3-length lead over Bailie's Band,
which he increased to 8-3/4-lengths under the wire. Caroller closed
to finish second and Bailie's Band held for third-money. Final time
was 1:52.2 seconds.
Carl Lizza, Jr. of Flying Zee Stable, who is currently the meet's
leading owner, qualified for a $5,280 breeder's award. Taking the
Redeye is by Scarlet Ibis, and is out of the stakes winning Well Decorated
mare, Ribboned, who earned $85,150. The winner's purse of $26,400
elevates the filly's earnings to $56,790 in 7-starts.
The sire, Scarlet Ibis, winner of 5 out of 6 starts as a two-year-old
including four stakes victories stands at Highcliff Farm in
Delanson, New York and has lifetime progeny earnings of over $8-million.
A check of the Hypo-Mating feature on the homepage of the nybreds.com
website reveals that Taking the Redeye is linebred 4 X 4 to Bold Ruler.
(11/24) Lord Langfuhr wins second-consecutive open allowance
New York-bred LORD LANGFUHR, once again, defeated a field of
open allowance company horses today at Aqueduct Racetrack. Originally
scheduled to be run at 8-1/2-furlongs over the turf, persistent rainfall
forced the race to the main track, which was listed "sloppy",
and run around one-turn at a mile. After a host of late scratches,
only six-horses went to the post. Trainer James Jerkens stayed with
journeyman jockey Jorge Chavez to ride the four-year-old bay colt,
who was making his 19th career start. The stretch running specialist
has now had Chavez on board for eight outings, which has resulted
in four visits to the winner's circle..
Overpass took command early and led the field onto the main track
from the chute as White Buck and Region of Merit rated in second and
third, respectively. The late running Lord Langfuhr was taken back
soon after the break and trailed the field in the early going before
eventually moving into fourth-position around the last turn. After
a half-mile in 46.3 seconds, Overpass continued to lead the field
to the top of the stretch as Lord Langfuhr angled off the rail to
the middle of the track. While under a strong drive, the New York-bred
charged to the front, drawing clear to win by 1-3/4-lengths over Region
of Merit with Overpass holding onto third-position. Final time was
1:35.4 seconds.
Campaigned by Howard Whitbred and Christine Brennan, Lord Langfuhr
boosted his earnings by $27,000 to $214,468 while improving his record
to 6 - 5 - 2 in 19 starts, and he also qualified his owners for an
additional $2,700 open owner's award and Whitbred for a breeder award
worth another $2,700. Sired by Grade 1 winner Langfuhr, Lord Langfuhr
is the second offspring bred from Palace Lady by co-owner Whitbred,
of ATOKA Chase Farm in Middleburg, Virginia, being a full brother
to NYRA dirt and turf winner Lord Burleigh ($120,516), who also raced
for Whitbred and Brennan prior to being claimed. Dam Palace Lady,
a Belmont first-out-winning His Majesty mare likewise bred in New
York by Whitbred, is a half-sister to two stakes winners that Whitbred
bred in New York -- Grade 2 winner Dr. Kiernan ($298,266) and Majesty's
Time ($240,790) -- and to the winning New York-bred dam of stakes
winner Waupaca. Lord Langfuhr's dosage profile of 3-5-18-0-2 seems
to be a significant indicator of the colt's strong stretch-running
ability.
(11/21) Sideways Glance looks strong in the stretch in 2 3/4-length
MSW win
Two promising young sons of New York stallions hooked up in Aqueduct's
second race on Sunday for New York-bred maiden two-year-olds going
seven furlongs, and at the finish it appeared that while A Very Young
Jet might be quicker, Flying Zee Stable's homebred SIDEWAYS GLANCE
was stronger in the stretch. The former, favored at 1.75-to-1 and
now second-placed in his last three consecutive starts, broke next-to-last
in the nine-horse field but quickly sprinted to the front on the inside,
gaining a two-length lead with a 22.70 opening quarter-mile split
and setting a 46.29 half-mile fraction over the muddy track. Sideways
Glance, the 7.30-to-1 fourth choice, broke sharply under jockey Norberto
Arroyo Jr., who was race-riding him for the first time, and was fourth
after the opening quarter before launching a three wide move at A
Very Young Jet on the turn. The Flying Zee Stable homebred advanced
to within a half-length of his front-running rival after a half-mile,
and the two entered the stretch almost dead even, both switching leads
right on cue and driving down the stretch to set a 1:11.52 six-furlong
fraction, with Sideways Glance leading by a head. In the final furlong,
Arroyo's mount pulled away to a 2 3/4-length victory, looking as though
he was ready to try two turns. A Very Young Jet placed 4 1/2 lengths
ahead of his closest pursuer. All nine juvenile starters in the $41,000
restricted maiden special contest were either conceived in New York
and/or were sons of current New York-based stallions.
Trained for his NYRA outings by Frank Martin Sr., who had given the
chestnut gelding an easy five-furlong Belmont workout on November
16 following a rough fourth-place effort in the open Finger Lakes
Juvenile Stakes on October 23, Sideways Glance boosted his earnings
by $24,600 to $32,458 in six starts. The victory also qualified the
gelding's owner-breeder, the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of
Wharton, New Jersey, for breeder ($4,920) and stallion ($1,722) awards
totaling $6,642, since Flying Zee Stable also owns Sideways Glance's
New York-based sire, Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky
Game, by Majestic Light). Sideways Glance, whose only previous top-three
finish had been a second-place effort in an open maiden special at
Finger Lakes on October 3 when he had hit the rail and his jockey
had lost an iron, is the seventh New York-bred two-year-old NYRA winner
sired from Western Expression's first crop. Other winners by Western
Expression include Winning Expression, who placed second in Belmont's
open Flash (Grade 3) and Tremont Stakes, and Summerland, who missed
by a neck while placing second in Aqueduct's $125,000 New York Stallion
Great White Way Stakes on November 7. Although Western Expression,
who stands at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in
Delanson and had a 2004 fee of $10,000, live foal, missed by a head
from being a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs (in Aqueduct's 2000
Carter Handicap), even his most precocious progeny hint at being routers.
Sideways Glance is the fifth offspring and fifth New York-bred winner
that Flying Zee Stables has bred from former juvenile winner Heavenly
Glance, who is by Citidancer (by Dixieland Band) and out of a winning
Ack Ack mare whose New York-bred dam, Platinum Poster ($175,890),
won Aqueduct's 1986 Ticonderoga Handicap. A Hypo-Mating check of Sideways
Glance's pedigree reveals distant inbreeding (4 x 5) to Tamerett,
who produced Grade/Group 1 winners Tentam and Known Fact and is the
maternal granddam (second dam) of New York-based stallion A. P Jet,
sire of the runner-up to Sideways Glance, A Very Young Jet.
(11/19) Peter's Puddles remains undefeated in thriller at Big
A.
In what could turn out to be the last turf race of the season at NYRA
tracks, 8-state-bred horses had a legitimate chance to win in the
last fifty yards, but it was Peter Vangelatos' undefeated homebred,
PETER'S PUDDLES, who emerged victorious. The state-bred race
for NW-2X condition allowance horses was run at 9-furlongs over the
Aqueduct turf course, listed "good", and had a field of
10-horses go to the post. Trainer H. James Bond named the country's
leading money winning jockey John Velazquez to ride the three-year-old
chestnut colt, who broke from the 8-post position.
True Crimson broke fastest of all and led the field into and around
the first turn with Unbridled Drive rating in second position. Buff
Naked and Peter's Puddles tracked the leaders in third and fourth,
respectively, to the three-quarters reached in 1:15-seconds flat.
As the field hit the top of the stretch it was still True Crimson
leading the way but he had a host of horses advancing to contest the
outcome, stretching eight-wide inside the sixteenth-pole, heads apart
and digging down for all their worth as the wire drew near. Winning
the thriller by a nose was Peter's Puddles over Lukelynn and Gryffindor
in 1:51.4 seconds.
The $27,600 winner's purse qualifies Vangelatos for a $5,520 breeder's
award, and boosts Peter's Puddles' lifetime earnings to $79,200 in
three-career starts. By Thunder Puddles, Peter's Puddles is out of
Ionika, a 100% producer, by Steinlen (GB). The sire of multiple graded
stakes winner Thunder Rumble, winner of the 1992 Travers Stakes (Gr.1),
Thunder Puddles has 2004 progeny earnings of over $400,000 and stands
at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. His connections qualified
for a stallion owner's award of $1,932 for today's score.
(11/7) Kevin's Decision sets stakes record in New York Stallion
Perfect Arc
A maiden four-year-old filly just 53 days earlier, Flying Zee Stable's
homebred KEVIN'S DECISION slipped through along the rail to
score a 2 1/4-length stakes record-setting victory in Aqueduct's $100,000
New York Stallion Perfect Arc Stakes on turf for daughters of registered
New York stallions on Sunday. The chestnut filly had the services
of jockey Edgar Prado, who had ridden her once at Belmont in 2003,
and went off relatively overlooked as the 9.90-to-1 fourth choice
among nine wagering interests and 10 starters, all fillies and mares,
three-year-olds and up, in the two-turn turf mile event. Breaking
from the inside post, Kevin's Decision raced close behind 17.20-to-1
fifth choice pacesetter Ma Femme in fourth and then third place through
three quarters while being kept in hand near the rail. On the second
turn, she quickly got through to gain a two-length mid-stretch advantage
over second-place Expect Nothing, the 6.70-to-1 third choice, even
though she was late switching leads in the upper stretch, and in the
final furlong she managed to extend her margin further. The final
time for Kevin's Decision, 1:37.04 over a drying-out "good"
grass course, broke the Perfect Arc's three-year-old turf stakes record
held by multiple stakes winner Wake Up Kiss (who had been ridden in
that contest by Prado) by .08 of a second (about a neck).
Fifty-three days earlier at Belmont, Kevin's Decision had broken her
maiden by 4 1/4 lengths going a mile and a sixteenth on grass under
jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, who for the Perfect Arc was on board second-place
finisher Expect Nothing. A month later and 23 days prior to the Perfect
Arc, she had placed second under Bridgmohan going a mile and an eighth
on Belmont turf in a restricted N1X allowance, after which trainer
Carlos Martin had given her a solid half-mile workout on Belmont's
training track on October 25.
Martin had nothing but praise for Prado's ride on Kevin's Decision:
"Edgar (Prado) rode a great race. He saved all the ground. She
was doing good. She ran big the other day (October 15) going a mile
and an eighth, and I thought she would be tough coming back at a mile.
I thought it was a good opportunity to take a shot," explained
Martin, who had sent out the winner of the inaugural Perfect Arc Stakes
(run on Aqueduct's main track), Ruby Friday, in 2000.
Prado, who rode three winners on Aqueduct's Sunday card -- two of
them New York-breds -- acknowledged that the race had unfolded perfectly:
"We had a beautiful trip. It really made a difference in the
race, because the horses all looked so even on paper. I sat her right
behind the speed, and when it was time to go, she just took off. I
hit her a couple of times, and I could tell she had plenty left."
The first stakes outing for Kevin's Decision boosted her earnings
by $60,000 into six figures at $134,714, improving her record to 2
- 5 - 3 in 17 starts and also qualifying her owner-breeder, the Flying
Zee Stables of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, for the maximum
$10,000 breeder award. Lizza owns Highcliff Farm in Delanson
in partnership with Joseph Bartone, and Kevin's Decision was conceived,
foaled, and raised at that facility, where her New York-based sire,
Expensive Decision (Explosive Bid - Third Wife, by Hydrologist),
had stood. The Perfect Arc victory by Kevin's Decision qualified Edward
Shapoff of Chevalier Stable in Pelham, who had owned Expensive Decision
at the time of the filly's conception, for a $4,200 stallion award.
Grade 2 winner Expensive Decision, who ran a world record turf mile
(1:32 2/5) while winning Belmont's graded Kelso Handicap and also
equaled Belmont's mile and a sixteenth grass record, currently stands
at State University of New York (SUNY) Cobleskill as the property
of that college's Thoroughbred Management Program. The 2004 stud fee
for the stallion, whose lifetime progeny earnings have gone well over
$3-million as a result of the Perfect Arc victory by Kevin's Decision,
was $1,000, live foal. Expensive Decision's other winning daughters
include stakes winners Long Distance and Expensive Verdict.
Kevin's Decision is the fifth New York-bred winner, fourth filly winner,
and first turf winner produced from Fairy Queen, a winning Tom Rolfe
mare who is a half-sister to Puerto Rican champion Don Serafin ($140,521).
Fairy Queen's previous winners -- all New York-breds and all bred
by Flying Zee Stables -- include six-figure-earners Comply With Di
($140,053) and Glorious Gift ($130,660). Lizza had purchased Fairy
Queen for $45,000 at Keeneland's 1989 September yearling sale in Lexington,
Kentucky. A Hypo-Mating check of the pedigree of Kevin's Decision
reveals that she is inbred 4 x 4 to the famed Meadow Stud's foundation
broodmare, Iberia, whose offspring included Hall of Fame champion
Riva Ridge plus other stakes winners Hydrologist (broodmare sire of
Expensive Decision) and Potomac. The dosage profile of Kevin's Decision
is an unusually long-winded 1-2-7-0-6.
(11/7) Pa Pa Da dons blinkers to win New York Stallion Cormorant
Stakes
Wearing blinkers for the first time, John and Theresa Behrendt's homebred
PA PA DA scored his second consecutive one-mile turf victory in
15 days and first stakes tally in Aqueduct's $100,000 New York Stallion
Cormorant Stakes on Sunday for three-year-olds and up sired by registered
New York stallions. The three-year-old gelding had jockey Jose Espinoza
on board for the first time in competition and went off in the two-turn
grass event as the 4.50-to-1 fourth choice among eight wagering interests
and nine starters. He raced in hand while improving his position through
each quarter-mile split from fourth to third to second, making a quick
three wide move going into the second turn that advanced him to within
a half-length of frontrunner Confident Cat, the 3.30-to-1 second choice,
at the quarter pole. By mid-stretch, Pa Pa Da had a half-length lead
over Confident Cat, and in the final furlong he held off Thanasi,
who was half of an entry that was the 3.35-to-1 third choice and loomed
on the outside after having been in contention throughout the contest.
Threatening on his other side from next to the rail was 7.50-to-1
fifth choice Unnerving, but Espinoza's mount dug in to reach the wire
a half-length ahead of Thanasi and a length in front of Unnerving
in the time of 1:37.65 over the drying-out "good" Aqueduct
turf course.
Since breaking his maiden (also going a mile on turf) in his second
start as a two-year-old at Belmont in September of 2003, Pa Pa Da
had not won again until capturing a restricted N1X allowance at Belmont
on October 23, but he had placed in three stakes. As a juvenile, he
had finished second to future Grade 1 winner Friends Lake in Belmont's
main track Sleepy Hollow Stakes and third in Aqueduct's six-furlong
New York Stallion Great White Way Stakes -- also on dirt. Introduced
to turf at Gulfstream Park last winter, the New York-bred had placed
third in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes going a mile and an eighth
on grass -- finishing only two lengths behind future multiple Grade
1 turf winner Kitten's Joy. After Pa Pa Da had finished fourth in
a restricted N1X allowance turf mile at Belmont in early June, trainer
David Donk had given him some time off. Ten days after his October
23 win and four days prior to the Cormorant, Donk had sharpened Pa
Pa Da's speed with a quick half-mile workout (48 1/5) over Belmont's
training track. The bay gelding's first stakes victory increased his
earnings by $60,000 to $188,390 and improved his record to 3 - 4 -
3 in 14 starts while also qualifying his breeder and co-owner, John
Behrendt of New York City, for additional breeder (the maximum $10,000)
and stallion ($4,200) awards totaling $14,200.
Trainer Donk implied that the gelding's potential is significant:
"He's better than what he's been running. I think the blinkers
helped him today. He settled very nicely early. I don't know if he
is still waiting on them a little bit when he got to the lead; we'll
see what Jose (Espinoza) says. But regardless, he got the job done."
Espinoza agreed that the blinkers helped: "He took a nice position,
and he was traveling very comfortably. Coming to the quarter-pole,
I asked him for run, and he came home great."
Previous NewYork-bred winners raced by the Behrendts include Pa Pa
Da's graded-winning sire, Incurable Optimist, who as a 1998 juvenile
won graded grass stakes at Belmont and Hollywood Park -- by 4 1/2
and nine lengths -- to earn three New York Thoroughbred Breeders'
championship honors, including Horse of the Year. Incurable Optimist
entered stud for the 2000 season as the property of the Behrendts
at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in
Delanson and was purchased by Argentine interests to stand in that
country shortly after the conclusion of his first breeding season.
Pa Pa Da is the fifth winner produced from Sligo River, who is by
Mac Diarmida and whose stakes-winning half-sister, A Dream Above ($159,841),
is the dam of millionaire graded winner Nite Dreamer ($1,149,841).
(11/6) Lethimthinkhesboss has final say in maiden special opener
With more earnings and more placed efforts than any of the other 10
starters in Aqueduct's Saturday opener for New York-bred maidens,
three-year-olds and up, Flying Zee Stable's homebred LETHIMTHINKHESBOSS
went off as the 1.55-to-1 favorite and justified his backers with
a hard-fought stretch-bumping victory. The three-year-old gelding
was race-ridden for the first time in the two-turn mile and an eighth
contest by jockey Javier Castellano, who rated him in sixth place
through the first half-mile while 2.85-to-1 second choice Rises the
Phoenix set the pace. Entering the second turn, 8.50-to-1 fifth choice
Cardinal Rule made a three wide move to engage the new leader, 8.40-to-1
fourth choice Metallic Moon, and pushed his head in front of that
rival near the three-eighths pole. At about the same time, Lethimthinkhesboss
launched his four wide rally that advanced him to even terms with
Cardinal Rule near mid-stretch, and he gained a short final furlong
advantage while bumping with his inside rival and then appeared to
lose the lead before regaining it for a neck victory. For jockey Castellano,
it was the first of three winning rides on Aqueduct's Saturday card.
Victory in the $42,000 contest generated $25,200 in purse money, boosting
Lethimthinkhesboss's earnings to $72,350 while improving his record
to 1 - 3 - 4 in 11 starts, and it also qualified his owner-breeder,
the Flying Zee Stables of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, for
an additional $2,520 breeder award. Lizza also owns Highcliff Farm
in Delanson in partnership with Joseph Bartone, which is where Lethimthinkhesboss
was foaled. Trained by Philip Serpe, the bay gelding had come off
a 51-day layoff to place a closing second -- missing victory by only
a neck -- in a mile and an eighth contest over yielding Belmont turf
just 15 days earlier on October 22. He has finished no worse than
fourth in all of his outings -- from seven furlongs to a mile and
an eighth -- following an eighth-place stretch-altering debut as a
two-year-old at Saratoga in August of 2003.
Sired by the Mr. Prospector stallion Demidoff, Lethimthinkhesboss
is the first offspring produced from eight-time route winner Dictator
Lady ($115,930), who is by Slew City Slew (by Seattle Slew) and is
a full sister to stakes-placed winner Please Mr. Postman and a half-sister
to stakes-placed winner My Pal Dad ($159,365). Flying Zee Stables
apparently acquired Dictator Lady privately after her racing career
was over following her five-year-old season in 1999.
(11/6) Lord Langfuhr goes last to 1st in open allowance
Reunited with jockey Jorge Chavez and dropped back to a one-turn mile,
Howard Whitbred's and Christine Brennan's New York homebred LORD
LANGFUHR rallied from last on the outside at the top of the stretch
to win Aqueduct's seventh race on Saturday, a $48,000 open N1X allowance,
by 2 1/2 lengths. The four-year-old colt went off as the 5.40-to-1
third choice among eight starters, three-year-olds and up, and trailed
the field through three-quarters of a mile, which 85.75-to-1 seventh
choice Cutting Points covered on the front end in 1:10.68. As the
tightly-packed group of runners rounded the turn into a 22-mph west/southwesterly
wind that was angling across the stretch, Lord Langfuhr went widest
of all and entered the lane near the middle of the track from his
last-place position. Within one furlong, the New York-bred overtook
every one of his rivals except for briefly-leading Belichick, the
11.60-to-1 sixth choice whose rider had lost his whip in the stretch,
and in the final furlong he drew off to a 2 1/2-length margin at the
finish, winning in 1:35.92. Second choice Notorious Rogue (4.90-to-1),
who had been next-to-last for most of the race but did not have the
strong closing kick of Lord Langfuhr, nosed out odds-on favorite Alocadito
(.85-to-1) for second place money.
Campaigned by Howard Whitbred and Christine Brennan, Lord Langfuhr
boosted his earnings by $28,800 to $187,468 while improving his record
to 5 - 5 - 2 in 18 starts, and he also qualified his owners for an
additional $2,880 open race owner award and Whitbred for a breeder
award worth another $2,880. The big bay colt's trainer is James Jerkens,
who had given him an easy half-mile workout on Belmont's training
track just three days earlier -- following Lord Langfuhr's solid second-place
effort going a one-turn mile and an eighth at Belmont in an open N1X
allowance three weeks prior to Saturday's win. Lord Langfuhr was the
second winner sent out on Aqueduct's Saturday card by Jerkens. The
stretch runner has had Chavez on board for seven outings and three
victories, beginning with a 4 1/4-length tally in a restricted N2X
allowance mile at Belmont on May 7 and including an open claiming
win going a mile and an eighth in Saratoga mud on August 29.
Sired by Grade 1 winner Langfuhr, Lord Langfuhr is the second offspring
bred from Palace Lady by co-owner Whitbred, of ATOKA Chase Farm in
Middleburg, Virginia, being a full brother to NYRA dirt and turf winner
Lord Burleigh ($120,516), who also raced for Whitbred and Brennan
prior to being claimed. Dam Palace Lady, a Belmont first-out-winning
His Majesty mare likewise bred in New York by Whitbred, is a half-sister
to two stakes winners that Whitbred bred in New York -- Grade 2 winner
Dr. Kiernan ($298,266) and Majesty's Time ($240,790) -- and to the
winning New York-bred dam of stakes winner Waupaca. Lord Langfuhr's
dosage profile of 3-5-18-0-2 seems to be a significant indicator of
the colt's strong stretch-running ability.
(11/4) Excellent Charisma plus away to 3 1/2-length maiden win
An increase in distance from six furlongs to a one-turn mile and the
addition of blinkers apparently made the difference for Flying Zee
Stable's EXCELLENT CHARISMA in Aqueduct's fourth race on Thursday
for New York-bred maiden fillies, as she pulled away through the stretch
to a 3 1/2-length victory. The three-year-old filly went off as the
3.45-to-1 third choice among eight starters in the $42,000 restricted
maiden special race, which was open to older competitors but contested
exclusively by three-year-old fillies, with jockey Norberto Arroyo
Jr. on board for the first time in a race. Bumped at the start by
27.50-to-1 sixth choice Its Always Now on her inside, she raced in
hand in fifth place down the backstretch through the light rain while
39.50-to-1 seventh choice Alicia's Song set the pace and took the
lead from that early frontrunner on the turn. At the quarter pole,
Excellent Charisma had a 2 1/2-length margin over a new challenger,
7.90-to-1 fourth choice Anat, who closed to within a length and a
half of the winner at mid-stretch before Arroyo hand-rode his mount
to an advantage that more than doubled at the wire.
Trained by Carlos Martin, Excellent Charisma increased her earnings
by $25,200 to $41,600 in six starts for the Flying Zee Stable of Carl
Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, who with Joseph Bartone also owns
Highcliff Farm in Delanson, where the contest's runner-up,
Anat, was conceived and foaled. The bay filly had been purchased by
Flying Zee Stable for $67,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2002 Saratoga preferred
New York-bred yearling sales and had placed third in her first three
starts -- at Aqueduct in the fall of 2003 and again at Saratoga in
August following a nine-month-plus layoff. All of Excellent Charisma's
outings prior to Thursday had been at six furlongs, including fourth-place
and fifth-place efforts at Belmont on October 2 and October 21, respectively.
Excellent Charisma had been consigned to the Saratoga preferred yearling
sale through agent Jeffrey T. Minton Bloodstock LLC by the Ivy League
Farm in Ithaca of her breeder, Dr. Patricia Staskowski Purdy, who
qualified for a $2,520 breeder award as a result of the filly's Thursday
victory. Sired by 1999 Eclipse Horse of the Year Charismatic, the
filly is the second offspring and second New York-bred winner bred
by Dr. Purdy from three-time winner Expect Excellence, who is by Pentelicus
and is a half-sister to stakes winners Cache and Carry ($191,857),
Unembellished ($134,477), and Clever Thing ($115,151). Dr. Purdy,
selected by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders as 2002 Breeder of
the Year, had purchased Expect Excellence for $21,000 as a four-year-old
not-bred broodmare prospect at Keeneland's 1999 January mixed sale
in Lexington, Kentucky.
(11/4) Go See Michelle leads all the way in 12 1/2-lengh maiden
win
With no other early speed in Aqueduct's sixth race on Thursday for
New York-bred maiden fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, going
a one-turn mile through the rain, Patricia Escalera's four-year-old
GO SEE MICHELLE benefited from the logical strategy of immediately
getting the lead and never looking back. Race-ridden for the second
consecutive time by "bug" jockey Oscar Gomez, whose apprentice
allowance is five pounds, and favored at 1.45-to-1 among seven starters
in the $42,000 restricted maiden special contest, the gray/roan filly
stumbled coming out of the sixth post but quickly opened up a daylight-margin
advantage. She set fractions of 22.92 and 46.49 to gain a 3 1/2-length
gap on her competition after a half-mile and extended it to 12 1/2
lengths at the finish, hugging the rail and pulling away despite staying
on her left lead through the stretch while looking slightly leg weary.
She was among four gray/roan winners -- two of them New York-breds
-- on Aqueduct's gray, rainy, and overcast Thursday afternoon card.
Go See Michelle's first top-three finish in five starts and second
effort at a mile since debuting at that distance on June 30 at Belmont
earned her $25,200 in purse money to put her career bankroll at $27,672
while under the care of trainer Victor Cuadra. She had been bumped
at or soon after the starts in three previous six-furlong outings
at Belmont in July, September, and on October 21 -- just two weeks
prior to her maiden victory -- when she had finished fourth after
racing three wide.
Bred by Manuel Camacho, who qualified for a $5,040 breeder award,
Go See Michelle is by now-deceased Kings Fiction, who had stood at
Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson
as the property of Elisabeth Jerkens' Hardwicke Stables, Ltd., which
qualified for a $1,764 stallion award. Go See Michelle is the first
starter and first winner produced from New York-bred five-time winner
and two-turn specialist Lego My Lady, who is by the late New York-based
sire, Legatee.
(10/31) Soft Expression expresses love of distance in maiden win
Stretched out an extra quarter-mile to a full one-turn mile for her
second start and put on Lasix medication, Marbet Farm's homebred SOFT
EXPRESSION romped by 4 3/4 lengths under jockey Jorge Chavez in
Aqueduct's $42,000 Sunday Halloween opener for New York-bred maiden
two-year-old fillies. Seventeen days earlier, Chavez had taken her
up in her Belmont debut to avoid fallen rivals, resulting in an unplaced
finish, but trainer Edward Plesa Jr. had maintained her fitness with
an easy mile workout at Belmont and sent her off as the 8-to-1 fourth
choice among seven starters. From the end of the opening half-mile
to mid-stretch, the contest looked like a match-up between the top
two choices, odds-on What's Your Point (.55-to-1) and 3.85-to-1 pacesetter
Champagne Ending, with Soft Expression pursuing in fourth place and
dropping over to the rail on the turn. She reached the upper stretch
with only the two front-end contenders ahead of her but looked destined
to finish third before a late switch to her right lead as Chavez angled
her out from the rail, after which Soft Expression seemed to kick
in, taking command and pulling clear. Champagne Ending and What's
Your Point placed second and third, respectively.
Campaigned by the Marbet Farm of Richard Horigan but bred by Elizabeth
Tesiero of Marbet Farm in Amsterdam, Soft Expression picked up $25,200
in purse money for her maiden victory, establishing her earnings in
two starts at $25,472, and she also qualified breeder Tesiero for
a $5,040 breeder award. The dark bay filly is the sixth New York-bred
two-year-old winner at Belmont or Aqueduct sired from the first crop
of New York-based Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky Game,
by Majestic Light), whose owner, Carl Lizza Jr.'s Flying Zee Stable
of Wharton, New Jersey, qualified for a $1,764 stallion award. Other
winners by Western Expression, who stands at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's
Highcliff Farm in Delanson, include Winning Expression, who
also has placed second in Belmont's open Flash (Grade 3) and Tremont
Stakes, plus other mile winners Square Dancing (on turf at Belmont)
and Everythings Groovy (at Aqueduct, October 28). Although Western
Expression, who stood the 2004 season for a fee of $10,000, live foal,
missed by only a head from being a Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs
(in Aqueduct's 2000 Carter Handicap), even his most precocious progeny
seem to thrive as the distances stretch out.
Soft Expression is the second multiple winner bred in New York by
Tesiero from Soft Turquoise, a route-winning daughter of the Grade/Group
1 turf winning Mr. Prospector stallion, Procida. Soft Turquoise, who
is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Accomodator ($217,707 through
2003), stakes-placed winner Yen for Gold ($176,267 and dam of two
stakes-placed winners), and to the granddam of stakes winner Field
Cat ($309,833), had been purchased at a Saratoga two-year-olds in
training sale for $25,000 in 1993. A Hypo-Mating check of Soft Expression's
pedigree reveals that she is inbred 3 x 3 to Mr. Prospector and 4
x 4 x 5 to Mr. Prospector's sire, Raise a Native.
(10/28) Everythings Groovy pulls away by 3 in maiden mile opener
Stretched out to a one-turn mile and put on Lasix medication, Flying
Zee Stable's homebred juvenile, EVERYTHINGS GROOVY, pulled
away to win by three lengths in his second start, thoroughly dominating
Aqueduct's Thursday $42,000 opener for New York-bred maiden two-year-olds.
With Cornelio Velasquez race-riding him for the first time, the dark
bay colt went off as the 3.05-to-1 second choice among nine starters,
racing near the back of the tightly-packed field (less that four lengths
separated first from ninth after the opening quarter) going down the
backstretch. Setting the pace was 3.10-to-1 third choice Dr. Quirk,
but Everythings Groovy rallied three wide into the stretch and wrested
command from that frontrunner before reaching mid-stretch although
he continued running on his left lead and looked like he wanted to
drift in through the upper stretch. In the final furlong, Velasquez's
mount doubled his margin over Dr. Quirk, who placed a clear second,
even while continuing to stay on his left lead. Favored Frankie Peppers
(2.55-to-1), who had stalked Dr. Quirk in second place through most
of the race, finished third.
Bred and owned by the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton,
New Jersey, Everythings Groovy earned $25,200 to put his total bankroll
in two starts at $25,318, and he also qualified Flying Zee Stable
for a total of $6,804 in breeder ($5,040) and stallion ($1,764) awards.
The colt had finished seventh in his October 10 Belmont debut going
seven furlongs, and 13 days later trainer Carlos Martin had given
him a fairly solid five-furlong workout at Belmont. Everythings Groovy
is the fifth NYRA two-year-old winner from the first crop of Flying
Zee Stables' New York-based Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky
Game, by Majestic Light), who stands at Lizza's and Joseph Bartone's
Highcliff Farm in Delanson, where his fee was $10,000, live
foal, in 2004. Western Expression's other runners include Belmont
debut winners Winning Expression, who also has placed second in Belmont's
open Flash (Grade 3) and Tremont Stakes; Square Dancing, a filly who
won going a mile on turf; and three-length Belmont winner Summerland,
plus four-length Belmont winner (in his second start) Western Galaxy.
Everythings Groovy is the fifth offspring and fifth New York-bred
winner produced from Flying Zee Stables' New York homebred broodmare,
Groovy's Fairest, by Groovy, being a half-brother to six-time route
winner Apt Contender ($135,245) and to 2004 Philadelphia Park allowance
winner Fair Prospect (four wins in 2004). Dam Groovy's Fairest is
a half-sister to two six-figure-earning New York-breds, and her dam,
the turf-winning Tom Rolfe mare Fairy Queen, had been purchased by
Lizza as a yearling for $45,000 at Keeneland's 1989 September sale
in Lexington, Kentucky. A Hypo-Mating check of Everythings Groovy's
pedigree reveals that he is distantly inbred to stamina sires Buckpasser
(4 x 4) and Ribot (4 x 5) as well as to Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner
Majestic Prince (4 x 5) and that Western Expression is inbred 3 x
4 to Raise a Native.
(10/23) Spite the Devil captures thrilling Empire Classic
by Rab Hagin
Coming from last to first, Hardwicke Stable's homebred SPITE THE
DEVIL overcame a slew of difficulties to push his head in front
of 2.15-to-1 favorite West Virginia in Belmont's $250,000 Empire Classic
Handicap for New York-bred three-year-olds and up Saturday, winning
under equal top weight among 14 starters. The four-year-old gelding
stumbled at the start and then bumped with Traffic Chief on his outside
after the break, and following an opening half-mile in a testing 45.71
set by 47.50-to-1 11th choice Mr. Determined, he trailed everyone
in the field of 14 starters and 13 wagering interests. Jockey Javier
Castellano, who had ridden Spite the Devil four times during 2002
and 2003 and had won with him once, hustled the late-running graded
winner through the backstretch run of the one-turn mile and an eighth
event, but they still trailed 10 rivals with only three furlongs to
go. As Everydayissaturday, the 17.70-to-1 eighth choice as half of
an entry, forged ahead at mid-stretch, Spite the Devil and West Virginia
rallied five wide and four wide, respectively, and charged down the
stretch near the middle of the track, with the favorite slightly more
than a half-length in front. In the final furlong, the two hooked
up for an all-out battle to the wire, with Spite the Devil -- one
of three starters in the Empire Classic carrying 119 pounds to three-year-old
West Virginia's 117 -- prevailing in a hard-fought duel as the 15-to-1
sixth choice.
Castellano expressed gratitude at again riding the gelding that he
had guided to an allowance win and two restricted stakes-placings
during Spite the Devil's juvenile season: "I don't ride for (Jerkens)
a lot, but I'm glad they gave me the opportunity, and I am happy that
everything worked out. The pace was so fast in the beginning. I had
the opportunity to put him outside. I asked him, and he took off."
Spite the Devil's Hall of Fame trainer, H. Allen Jerkens, thought
the race had materialized well despite the early traffic problems:
"He likes to come from off of a fast pace, so it set up very
nicely for him. We got lucky, and he got a great ride. It's very nice
for us, because my wife owns the horse. This should help pay for some
of the mare's bills."
Bred by Elisabeth Jerkens, who races in the name of Hardwicke Stable
and also qualified for an additional $10,000 (maximum) breeder award,
Spite the Devil picked up $150,000 for his third stakes victory, boosting
his earnings to $599,661 and improving his record to 6 - 5 - 6 in
30 starts. As a three-year-old, he had charged up on the outside to
capture Aqueduct's Grade 3 Withers Stakes shortly before Funny Cide's
Kentucky Derby victory, and on July 25 he had used similar tactics
to win Belmont's $108,100 Evan Shipman Handicap for New York-breds
going a mile and a sixteenth. The dark bay gelding also has placed
in eight other stakes, including two Grade 2 events at Saratoga as
a juvenile. In preparation for the Empire Classic, trainer Jerkens
had given Spite the Devil three October workouts at Belmont -- the
last two at seven furlongs -- following the gelding's fourth-place
finish in Belmont's seven-furlong General Douglas MacArthur Handicap
for New York-breds on September 10. The Empire Classic was Spite the
Devil's first victory at a mile and an eighth.
Sired by five-time Grade 1 winner Devil His Due, whom Allen Jerkens
also trained, 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 ($144,745 through 2003). 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. Spite
the Devil was foaled and raised at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's
Highcliff Farm in Delanson.
(10/22) Illegal wires field of 8 in Finger Lakes feature
Mark Jordan's ILLEGAL with leading rider John Davila JR. in
the saddle made every pole a winning one in today's $19,600 featured
eighth race by almost five lengths. Trained by leading conditioner
Chris Englehart, that was Illegal's first tally on the year. Oakwood
Stable's H. M. S. Majestic was sent off as the 8 to 5 favorite with
Illegal going off the third choice at $3.25 to 1. Trained by Stephen
Ubbink, H. M. S. Majestic ran a solid second to House Key in the 6
furlong $50,000 Ontario County Stakes back on June 20. The Ubbink
trained runner's recent effort was a fifth place against state-bred
allowance rivals where he was again sent off the 8 to 5 favorite.
Eight foes went to post which had never won a state-bred race other
than. All were set to go six furlongs and shooting for the winner's
share of $11,760. Illegal broke sharply and quickly disposed of his
field. Illegal got the first quarter in 22.26 with a commanding 5
length lead over Jane M. Freed's Modred. Illegal widened on the turn
and reached the quarter pole with a serious seven and one-half length
lead over favorite H. M. S. Majestic and Arthur Huberfeld's Doc's
Option. Meanwhile in the back of the pack Jose A. Cabrera's Tomorrow
No More was making a solid run on the turn but had fifteen lengths
to make up. Illegal got to the eighth pole with a six length cushion
over Doc's Option and went on in a hand ride to score by four and
three-quarter lengths over Doc's Option. Rallying for the show was
Tomorrow No More. Illegal covered the six furlong test in 1:11.67
over a muddy track. Illegal had been away since running here on August
22 against $10,000 claimers where he showed some good early speed
but faded to finish eighth. Illegal earned $11,760 for that impressive
tally and now has a bankroll of $59,703. The Englehart trainee now
has record of 4 wins and 1 second out of only 18 starts. Bred by Juliana
Garofalo, the 4 year old gelded son of Key Contender out of
Irish Weekend by Mehmet qualified for $2,352 in breeders' awards.
(10/22) South Wing wires allowance field at Belmont Park
SOUTH WING, owned by the partnership of Howard T. Whitbred
and Christine Brennan, led at every call to defeat a field of state-bred
fillies and mares, today, at Belmont Park. The NW-2X condition allowance
race was run at 8-1/2-furlongs over the main track, listed "fast"
and had a field of 7-horses go to the post. Journeyman jockey Norberto
Arroyo, Jr. was aboard the three-year-old dark bay filly, who went
to the starting gate as the even-money favorite, and broke from the
outside post-position.
South Wing was hustled to the front and led the field onto the main
track from the chute as the field raced down the backstretch as Dixie
Can Can and Watrals Lady Hanne, tracked in second and third, respectively.
South Wing arrived at the three-quarter pole in 1:12 seconds flat
opening a clear lead as the field straightened for home. Dixie Can
Can and Bundle of Roses, in the middle of the track, began to gain
on South Wing inside the sixteenth-pole and was all-out under a vigorous
ride by Arroyo, prevailing by æ-length crossing the wire. Dixie
Can Can finished second and Bundle of Roses was a close-up third.
Final time was 1:44.2 seconds.
The victory was worth $27,600 in purse money and also qualified South
Wing's breeder and co-owner, Whitbred of ATOKA Chase Farm in Middleburg,
Virginia, for a $5,520 breeder award. South Wing is by deceased New
York stallion Dixie Brass, sire of 33 stakes winners and owned during
both his racing and stud career by Michael Watral, a 40-year fire-fighting
veteran and operator of an excavating business in Central Islip, Long
Island, who qualified for a $1,932 stallion award.
South Wing is the third offspring and third winner produced from New
York-bred Palace Lady, a Belmont debut-winning daughter of His Majesty
that Whitbred also bred, and is a half-sister to five-time winner
(four of them in 2003) Lord Burleigh ($108,336) in addition to Lord
Langfuhr. Dam Palace Lady is a half-sister to two New York-bred stakes
winners bred by Whitbred -- Grade 2 winner Dr. Kiernan ($298,266)
and Majesty's Time ($240,790) -- as well as to the winning New York-bred
dam of 2003 stakes winner Waupaca ($141,565 through 2003). Trained
by James Jerkens, the stakes-placed and multiple allowance winner
has now banked $133,407 in only 7-races.
(10/22) Legendary Squire breaks maiden in Belmont Park nightcap
So MADCAPT Stable's LEGENDARY SQUIRE, making his second-career
start and first over the turf, broke his maiden with a strong late
move through the stretch. The state-bred maiden affair was run at
nine-furlongs over Belmont Park's inner turf course, listed "yielding,"
and had a field of 10-horses load into the starting gate. Two of trainer
Todd Pletcher's New York-breds made up the late daily double at Belmont.
Longshots Of All Time (40-1) and Slow Signal (75-1) dueled for the
lead, as Legendary Squire rated in third-position under the guidance
of the meet's leading jockey John Velazquez. The longshots continued
to the three-quarter pole, reached in 1:13.2, before Velazquez moved
Legendary Squire between horses to take the lead. While under a strong
drive, the three-year-old chestnut colt, raced to the wire, holding
off a late charge from Lethimthinkhesboss by a head. Final time was1:
51.3 seconds.
So MADCAPT Stable is a racing partnership, managed by Michael Cascio,
and has had success campaigning New York-breds, which includes stakes
winning fillies Maddie May and Capeside Lady, who both won the $100,000
Maid of the Mist Stakes run on New York Showcase Day. Bred by Martin
Scheinman, who qualified for a $2,520 breeder's award, the promising
colt is by Tale of the Cat, and out of the multiple turf winning allowance
mare A Shaky Queen, by Wavering Monarch. A Shaky Queen raced 50-times
over the turf, with a remarkable record of 12 - 8 - 3, and earned
$231,191. So MADCAPT Stable purchased the colt out of the 2003 April
OBS two-year-old in-training sales for $30,000.
(10/21) Factual Contender takes Belmont Park nightcap
Flying Zee Stable's FACTUAL CONTENDER broke her maiden against
state-bred fillies and mares in a six-furlong race run over the main
track at Belmont Park. The final race on the Thursday race card had
a field of 9-horses go to the starting gate, with Rather Bee Good
the race time favorite at 7-5-odds. Trainer Frank Martin named journeyman
jockey Pablo Fragoso to ride the three year-old dark bay filly, who
was making her sixth-career start and second under Fragoso.
Randamm was hustled to the front with Factual Contender rating in
second while down on the rail and Go See Michelle sitting third on
the outside. As the field neared the half-mile pole, reached in a
snappy 46 seconds flat, Fragoso sent Factual Contender up to take
command and once straightened for home began to lengthen her lead
with every powerful stride winning by 7-lengths under the wire. Randamm
finished second and Eye Stopper closed to be third. Final time was
1:11.3 seconds.
Bred by Carl Lizza, Jr. (Flying Zee Stables), who qualified for a
$4,920 breeder's award, Factual Contender is by Thunder Puddles, and
is out of the Triocala mare, Factuallychallenge. Thunder Puddles,
sire of the 1992 Travers Stakes - Gr. 1 winner Thunder Rumble stands
at Carl Lizza and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson,
New York and his connections qualified for a $1,722 stallion owner's
award.
(10/14) Peter's Puddles remains undefeated
Peter Vangelatos' homebred, PETER'S PUDDLES, won his second
consecutive race defeating a field of state-bred allowance horses
at Belmont Park. Peter's Puddles broke his maiden at Saratoga Race
Course on September 4th over the turf and trainer H. James Bond kept
the three-year-old chestnut colt sharp with a series of four-furlong
"breezes." A full field of 12-horses raced over Belmont's
inner-turf course, listed "firm", at 10-furlongs with trainer
Bond naming leading jockey John Velazquez to ride the talented colt
who went to the post as the odds-on 3-5-favorite along with entry
mate and full brother, Hristoforos, who finished sixth and is trained
by Gary Sciacca.
Timopocus was hustled out of the gate from the outside post-position
and took command as the field entered the backstretch. Hunter's Tale
and Peter's Puddles tracked in second and third, respectively, as
Timopocus reached the half-mile pole in 49.4 seconds. Hunter's Tale
raced to the top in the middle of the far turn with Peter's Puddles
in close pursuit and once the field straightened for home, Velazquez
sent Peter's Puddles up to grab the lead with Shhh Please mounting
his run along the rail but it was a determined Peter's Puddles who
prevailed by a 1 3/4-length crossing the finish line. Shhh Please
finished a head in front of a fast closing Nick the Nudge for second
money. Final time was 2:40 seconds flat.
Bred by Vangelatos, who qualifies for a $5,280 breeder's award, Peter's
Puddles is by Thunder Puddles, and is out of Ionika, a 100% producer,
by Steinlen (GB). The sire of multiple graded stakes winner Thunder
Rumble, winner of the 1992 Travers Stakes (Gr.1), Thunder Puddles
has 2004 progeny earnings of over $400,000 and stands at Highcliff
Farm in Delanson, New York. His connections qualified for a stallion
owner's award of $1,848 for today's score.
(10/10) Western Galaxy: cantankerous at gate - 4 lengths clear
at wire in MSW
So cantankerous at the gate that jockey John Velazquez dismounted,
Joseph Parisi's homebred WESTERN GALAXY finally was blindfolded
and led into his 10th post position starting stall for Belmont's fifth
race on Sunday for New York-bred maiden two-year-olds, but once the
race was under way, he looked like a professional. The wagering public
had correctly assessed that the $41,000 seven-furlong contest would
be between Western Galaxy, who went off as the 2.25-to-1 second choice
among 12 starters, and 1.50-to-1 favorite Inevitably True, and while
both raced close to the early pace, neither went immediately to the
front. Western Galaxy was the first to make a serious bid, rallying
three wide on the turn to gain a 3 1/2-length lead at mid-stretch
and then running his final furlong in an impressive 11.36 seconds
to win by four lengths over second-place-finishing Inevitably True.
For Velazquez, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders 2002 Jockey of the
Year, it was the second of four winning rides on Belmont's Sunday
card -- two aboard New York-breds and one in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom
Handicap.
Third while favored in his six-furlong Belmont debut 22 days earlier,
Western Galaxy increased his earnings by $24,600 to $28,700 in two
starts for his owner-breeder, Parisi, who also qualified for an additional
$4,920 breeder award. Trainer Dominick Schettino had given the muscular
dark bay colt a solid five-furlong workout from the gate at Belmont
eight days prior to Sunday's victorious effort -- and will probably
give him a few more workouts from the gate before the colt's next
start. Western Galaxy is the fourth juvenile winner at Belmont --
and the second on Sunday's card -- from the first crop of New York
stallion Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky Game, by Majestic
Light), who stands at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff
Farm in Delanson. As a result of Western Galaxy's victory, the
owner of Western Expression, Lizza's Flying Zee Stables, qualified
for yet another $1,722 stallion award (totaling $3,444 for those two
victories in one day). Western Expression's other Belmont winners
are New York-bred debut winners Winning Expression, who also has placed
second in Belmont's open Flash (Grade 3) and Tremont Stakes; Square
Dancing, a filly who won going a mile on turf on September 24; and
Summerland, who won Sunday's second race by three lengths. Western
Expression's 2004 fee was $10,000, live foal.
Western Galaxy is the third winner produced from New York-bred multiple
allowance winner Galaxy Spirit, who is by Galaxy Guide (by Buckfinder)
and had raced for Marie and Joseph Parisi, winning six-furlong Aqueduct
and Saratoga sprints before winning by 6 1/2 lengths going a mile
and a sixteenth at Belmont. Western Galaxy's maternal granddam (second
dam), Golden Spirit, by Plugged Nickle, was a multiple stakes-placed
winner as a two-year-old. A Hypo-Mating check of Western Galaxy's
pedigree reveals that he is inbred 4 x 4 x 5 to Buckpasser, to whom
his dam, Galaxy Spirit, is inbred 3 x 4.
(10/9) Bird Key wires seven
Ron Cabrijan's BIRD KEY dismissed at 10 to 1 and shooting for
her third straight, took the lead for the outset and never looked
back to score by just over three lengths in today's $20,400 featured
seventh race. Trained by leading conditioner Chris Englehart and ridden
to victory by John Davila, Bird Key started her string of wins against
wide-open $10,000 claimers on September 21. She battled through the
one mile and seventy yard test to score by a half length against the
$10,000 rivals and returned at the $12,000 level in her next to wire
a field of seven by three. Today's tally was Bird Keys fifth of year.
Seven state-bred fillies and mares which had never won two state-bred
races other than went to the post going one mile and seventy yards.
Barry Ostrager's S'more Smoke was sent off as the 8 to 5 choice and
all were shooting for the $12,240 winner's share. Bird Key broke well
and quickly assumed the lead with favorite S'more Smoke tracking along
the three path. Bird Key got the opening quarter in a moderate 24.05
and a length lead over S'more Smoke with Charlton Baker's Chicago's
Girl two back along the fence. S'more Smoke moved to challenge some
nearing the half mile marker with Bird Key tripping the timer in 47.51
and nobody in any hurry. Bird Key without any pressure from Davila,
shook loose on the final bend and reached the quarter pole with a
commanding lead in 1:12.24 and S'more Smoke still chasing in second.
Bird Key responded to pressure from Davila and they opened five lengths
with only an eighth of a mile to go with Brians Move and Watrals Strike
Go beginning to gain some ground. Bird Key went on to post a three
and one-quarter length tally while Brians move outran Watrals Strike
Go for the place by a neck. Bird Key stopped the timer for the one
mile and seventy yard distance in 1:44.09 over a fast track. Bred
by Michael T. Martin Racing Stable, the four year old daughter of
Key Contender out of Scarlatta by Scarlet Ibis qualified
for $2,449 in breeders awards and now has earnings exceeding $113,000.
(9/29) Buff Naked scores first main track win in N1X allowance
Tri Noble Stable's homebred BUFF NAKED had not raced on dirt
since a fourth-place effort in Belmont slop while still a maiden in
May, but five starts later when Belmont's seventh race on Wednesday
for New York-bred allowance runners came off the turf, he stayed in
and still won. Five runners not on the also-eligible list for the
$43,120 restricted N1X allowance contest scratched out, but Buff Naked
-- the only three-year-old facing four four-year-olds which all had
more than twice as many starts as he had -- was odds-on (.90-to-1)
for the one-turn mile and an eighth contest. Race-ridden for the fourth
consecutive time by Edgar Prado, Buff Naked broke from the inside
post and never yielded his rail position, eventually wresting the
lead from early front-runner Shoalihs Tale -- the 3.70-to-1 second
choice -- in the second quarter-mile. With three-eighths of a mile
left to run, Shoalihs Tale was at Buff Naked's throatlatch, but that
four-year-old faded over the next furlong, and 8.40-to-1 fifth choice
Hunter's Tale angled outside and came on to issue a new challenge,
getting to within a half-length of Buff Naked at mid-stretch. In the
final furlong, Prado continued to confidently ride his well-favored
mount, who reached the finish with a three-quarter-length margin over
Hunter's Tale. It was the first of two consecutive winning rides for
Prado.
Bred and raced by the Tri Noble Stable of Joseph Bartone of Mt. Pleasant,
South Carolina and Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, Buff Naked
increased his earnings by $26,400 to $79,820 for his victory in the
contest that originally had a total purse of $44,000 ($880 reverted).
He also improved his record to 2 - 3 - 0 in eight starts while qualifying
Tri Noble Stable for an additional $2,640 breeder award. Buff Naked,
who had finished first or second in his latest four previous outings
at Belmont and Saratoga, with his most recent effort having been five
weeks prior to Wednesday's race, is trained by Philip Serpe, who had
given the bay gelding an easy six-furlong Belmont workout a week earlier.
Owner-breeders Bartone and Lizza also own Highcliff Farm in
Delanson, where Buff Naked was foaled. Sired by 1992 Preakness winner
Pine Bluff, Buff Naked is the first offspring produced from Demi Buff,
who is by Triocala (by Tri Jet) and is a sister or half-sister to
four New York-bred winners, including Lord Ibis ($120,093). Demi Buff's
dam -- Buff Naked's maternal granddam or second dam -- is Black Beaver,
a multiple route-winning daughter of Vebatim and a half-sister to
Horse of the Year Charismatic ($2,038,064), Grade 1 winner Millennium
Wind ($769,920), and Grade 2 winner Tossofthecoin ($808,159).
(9/26) Inter Galactic comes out of nowhere to land allowance win
on a lawn
Stretched to a turn-and-a-half mile and a sixteenth in her second
effort on turf, Dr. Zacarias and Elizabeth Aragon's homebred INTER
GALACTIC came from dead last among 10 to win Belmont's fourth
race on Sunday for New York-bred allowance fillies and mares, three-year-olds
and up, scoring by a neck. The three-year-old filly was race-ridden
for the third consecutive time by newly-turned journeyman jockey Jose
Lezcano, who previously had piloted her as an apprentice with a five-pound
allowance, going off as the 8.80-to-1 sixth choice among nine wagering
interests and 10 starters in the $44,000 restricted N1X allowance
contest. In the second quarter-mile, Inter Galactic dropped from next-to-last
to last while 2.60-to-1 favorite Urbane Hustle took command, but she
rallied five wide approaching the stretch and advanced to third at
the eighth pole in the middle of the course, getting within a half-length
of new leader Cat's Roar. In the final furlong, the smaller gray/roan
filly utilized quicker strides to overtake her larger multiple stakes-placed
rival on the rail, who was carrying two pounds less weight under the
race's conditions and was the 4.30-to-1 third choice, edging that
chestnut three-year-old with a winning time of 1:42.86.
Inter Galactic's first victory on turf increased her earnings by $26,400
to $65,430 while improving her record to 2 - 1 - 1 in six starts,
and it also qualified her breeder and co-owner, Dr. Aragon of West
Hempstead, for a $5,280 breeder award. Trained by Victor Cuadra, who
had given her a moderate half-mile Aqueduct workout on September 19
following her third-place grass debut going a two-turn mile on soft
Saratoga turf on August 16, the quick-striding filly had broken her
maiden in a one-turn off-the-turf Belmont main track mile on July
25.
The sire of Inter Galactic, New York-bred graded winner Incurable
Optimist, raced for John and Theresa Behrendt of New York City and
stood at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff Farm
in Delanson before going to Argentina, and the filly's victory qualified
the Behrendts for a $1,848 stallion award. Incurable Optimist also
has sired 2004 New York Derby winner Don Corleone. Inter Galactic
is the third named offspring and third New York-bred winner produced
from Princess Nova, by Morning Bob, being a half-sister to stakes-placed
four-time winning router Galactic ($233,473 through 2003) and to multiple
winning router My Girl Natalie ($140,407 through 2003), but she is
Princess Nova's first turf-winning offspring. Princess Nova is a half-sister
to multiple graded turf winner Cuzzin Jeb ($259,470).
(9/24) Square Dancing dances from 10th to 1st in 2YO debut
One of four first-time starters among 12 fillies in Belmont's fourth
race on Friday for New York-bred maiden juvenile fillies going a virtual
one-turn mile on turf was Flying Zee Stable's homebred SQUARE DANCING,
who broke from the outside post position and went from 10th to first
by a length. Ridden by jockey Edgar Prado and sent off the 2.70-to-1
second choice among 11 wagering interests in the $42,000 restricted
maiden special contest, the distinctively-colored gray/roan broke
toward the back and advanced from 10th after the opening quarter-mile
to seventh after a half-mile and sixth after three-quarters. She rallied
four wide on the turn, but at the top of the stretch still looked
out of contention until switching to her right lead near the eighth-mile
pole, after which she moved between rivals to reach the wire in the
impressive winning time (for a two-year-old filly) of 1:37.41. Tenth
choice T V Fan (87.50-to-1) got second-place money by a neck over
mid-stretch leader Sue Me, the 16.30-to-1 seventh choice who looked
confused on the turn in her first start on turf, switching leads about
four times before turning for home. For jockey Prado, it was the first
of two winning rides aboard a filly or mare on Belmont's Friday card.
Owned and bred by the Flying Zee Stables of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton,
New Jersey, Square Dancing earned $25,200 and also qualified her owner-breeder
for an additional $6,804 in breeder ($5,040) and stallion ($1,764)
awards, since Flying Zee Stables owns her sire, New York stallion
Western Expression. Square Dancing races under the care of trainer
Patrick Biancone, who had given the eye-catching New York-bred eight
moderate workouts at Saratoga -- only one of them on turf -- starting
in mid-June in preparation for the relatively late-foaled (May 10,
2002) filly's winning debut.
Square Dancing, who was foaled and raised at Highcliff Farm
in Delanson that Lizza owns in partnership with Joseph Bartone, is
the first turf winner from the first crop of Grade 1-placed winner
Western Expression (Gone West - Tricky Game, by Majestic Light),
who stands at Highcliff Farm. Western Expression, a leading freshman
sire whose 2004 fee was $10,000, live foal, also has sired New York-bred
Belmont open maiden special winner Winning Expression, who has placed
second in Belmont's Grade 3 Flash and open Tremont Stakes. Square
Dancing is the third starter and third New York-bred winner that Flying
Zee Stables has bred from Dancing Approval, who is by With Approval
(by Caro) and was an open Aqueduct allowance winner going a mile and
an eighth on a muddy track but never won on turf. Square Dancing's
three-year-old half-sister, Flying Zee Stables' homebred Dance All
Night, had broken her maiden by 3 3/4 lengths going six furlongs at
Aqueduct in March. Dam Dancing Approval is a half-sister to the winning
dam of two stakes-placed winners, and her dam is stakes winner Dancing
Tricia ($115,011). A Hypo-Mating check of Square Dancing's pedigree
reveals that she is inbred 4 x 4 to Buckpasser and that Western Expression
is inbred 3 x 4 to Raise a Native.
(9/15) Kevin's Decision breaks turf maiden decisively
In her second career turf outing, Flying Zee Stables' homebred KEVIN'S
DECISION romped like a stakes filly in Belmont's fourth race on
Wednesday, a $42,000 restricted maiden special for fillies and mares,
three-year-olds and up, setting all fractions at a mile and a sixteenth
and winning by 4 1/4 lengths. Although she was the leading money earner
going into the turn-and-a-half contest and had placed a solid second
in her only previous turf effort, Kevin's Decision was the 4.10-to-1
second choice among 10 starters -- considerably less well-regarded
than odds-on (.95-to-1) favorite Round the Horn. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan,
who has been on board Kevin's Decision for her last five consecutive
starts, sent the four-year-old filly immediately to the front, where
she set remarkably even fractions of 24.07, 48.29, 1:12.40, and 1:36.27
while staying at least two lengths ahead of all rivals following the
opening quarter-mile. Round the Horn, a big bay filly who was making
only her third start, rallied three wide to get up to second at mid-stretch,
but Kevin's Decision clearly had something left coming out of the
turn and pulled away in the final furlong to reach the finish in 1:42.40.
The first victory for Kevin's Decision increased her earnings by $25,200
to $65,914 while improving her record to 1 - 4 - 3 in 15 starts, and
it also qualified her owner-breeder, the Flying Zee Stables of Carl
Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, for an additional $5,040 breeder
award. The quick-striding smallish filly races under the care of trainer
Carlos Martin, who had given her three moderate workouts -- one on
Saratoga's turf training course -- following her latest previous outing,
which had been an unplaced effort over Saratoga's main track on August
12. Kevin's Decision had placed second in her only previous turf outing
going a two-turn mile at Saratoga in 2003, when she had set most of
the pace. Wednesday's winning effort marked the chestnut filly's third
start of the late summer of 2004 following a layoff of more than nine
months.
The owner-breeder of Kevin's Decision, Lizza, owns Highcliff Farm
in Delanson in partnership with Joseph Bartone, and Kevin's Decision
was conceived, foaled, and raised at that facility, where her New
York-based sire, Expensive Decision (Explosive Bid - Third Wife, by
Hydrologist), had stood. The victory by Kevin's Decision qualified
Edward Shapoff of Chevalier Stable in Pelham, who had owned Expensive
Decision at the time of the filly's conception, for a $1,764 stallion
award. Grade 2 winner Expensive Decision, who ran a world record turf
mile (1:32 2/5) while winning Belmont's graded Kelso Handicap and
also equaled Belmont's mile and a sixteenth grass record, currently
stands at State University of New York (SUNY) Cobleskill as the property
of that college's Thoroughbred Management Program. The 2004 stud fee
for the stallion, whose lifetime progeny earnings have gone over $2.9-million
as a result of Wednesday's victory by Kevin's Decision, was $1,000,
live foal.
Kevin's Decision is the fifth New York-bred winner, fourth filly winner,
and first turf winner produced from Fairy Queen, a winning Tom Rolfe
mare who is a half-sister to Puerto Rican champion Don Serafin ($140,521).
Fairy Queen's previous winners -- all New York-breds and all bred
by Flying Zee Stables -- include six-figure-earners Comply With Di
($140,053) and Glorious Gift ($130,660). Owner-breeder Lizza had purchased
Fairy Queen for $45,000 at Keeneland's 1989 September yearling sale
in Lexington, Kentucky. A Hypo-Mating check of the pedigree of Kevin's
Decision reveals that she is inbred 4 x 4 to the famed Meadow Stud's
foundation broodmare, Iberia, whose offspring included Hall of Fame
champion Riva Ridge plus other stakes winners Hydrologist (broodmare
sire of Expensive Decision) and Potomac. The dosage profile of Kevin's
Decision is an unusually long-winded 1-2-7-0-6.
(9/12) Ericka's Lass - By NY Stallion Limit Out - Wins Assiniboia
Oaks by 2 3/4
Empire Stable's multiple stakes-winning Ericka's Lass scored her first
victory at beyond six furlongs on Sunday, September 12 when she captured
the mile and a sixteenth Assiniboia Oaks by 2 3/4 lengths over odds-on
favorite Victory Thrill (.85-to-1), becoming the first six-figure-earner
sired by New York-based stallion LIMIT OUT. The three-year-old
filly has never been unplaced in nine starts, which includes victories
in Assiniboia's Debutante Stakes last year as a juvenile and in Stampede
Park's Mount Royal Handicap this past May and Assiniboia's Chantilly
Stakes in June. She also had placed third this year in stakes at a
mile and at 6 1/2 furlongs over a sloppy track, and her latest victory
boosted her earnings into six figures at $114,050 while improving
her record to 5 - 2 - 2 in nine starts.
Race-ridden for the third consecutive time by jockey Vince Guerra
and sent off by trainer Emile Corbel as the 1.70-to-1 second choice
among five three-year-old fillies in the Assiniboia Oaks, Ericka's
Lass set all the fractions, reaching mid-stretch with a three-length
margin and then holding off Victory Thrill's threat. For jockey Guerra,
it was the first of two winning rides on the card. Ericka's Lass was
bred by Casey Seaman and is the second winner produced from Miss Malcolm
F., who is a winning daughter of Corporate Report and a half-sister
to stakes winner Steprock. Sire Limit Out (Northern Flagship - Lucky
Delight, by Miswaki), a Grade 2-winning Belmont miler who set a Grade
3 seven furlong record at Aqueduct, has sired 10 winners from 13 starters
(77 percent) to date. In addition to Ericka's Lass, those 10 winners
also include 2004 Keeneland first-out juvenile winner Limitless Lady,
who is among three two-year-old starters of 2004 -- all winners --
representing Limit Out's second crop. A Hypo-Mating check of the pedigree
of Ericka's Lass reveals that Limit Out is inbred 3 x 4 to Raise a
Native and that Limit Out's sire, Northern Flagship, is inbred 4 x
4 to Raise a Native's sire, Native Dancer. Limit Out stands as the
property of a partnership at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's
Highcliff Farm in Delanson, where his 2004 fee was $2,500,
live foal.
(9/11) Heaven's Thunder drew clear late to win allowance test
Flying Zee Stable's HEAVEN'S THUNDER dismissed at odds of 10.30
to 1 drew clear late to score by four lengths in today's $19,600 allowance
conditioned test. Trained by Oscar Barrera Jr., that was Heaven's
Thunder's second straight tally with Castillo aboard. Her last victory
was against never won three $10,000 claimers were she again responded
readily in the late stages to get clear nearing the line. Prior to
those two scores, she'd been running with conditioned allowance rivals
were she never showed her true early speed that she displayed here
last year. In her first two starts last year the Oscar Barrera trained
speedster rattled off two in wire-to-wire fashion. In today's race
contested at three-quarters of a mile, Langpap's Stable's Because
Youre Mine was sent off as the 9 to 5 choice in a field of eight state-breds
which had never won a race other than. Emily Schoeneman's Ava Marisa
who bobbled at the start and Heaven's Thunder rushed out to contest
the lead while getting the first quarter in 22.89 with Amaretto was
forcing the issue along the fence. The duo of Heaven's Thunder and
Ava Marisa stopped the timer at the quarter pole in 46.32 with a two
and one-half lead cushion. Meanwhile, Because Youre Mine was making
a bit of run on the turn while in a striking position, but jockey
Badamo angled her out to the five path into the lane bothering Sicuro
Farm's Juscauz and then could never get his mount to fire. Heaven's
Thunder responded to a couple of taps on the shoulder from Castillo
and they took off to score by four lengths over the late rallying
Doubtful Diva. Ava Marisa lasted for third. Heaven's Thunder covered
the six furlong distance in 1:11.81 under bright sunny skies and over
a fast racing strip. Bred by Flying Zee Stable's, the daughter of
Prosper Fager out of Heavenly Glance by Citidancer earned $11,760
for her impressive score today. Flying Zee Stable's qualified for
$2,352 in breeders awards. Out of only eight career tries, Heaven's
Thunder now has four wins to her credit and a bankroll of $29,482.
(9/1) Peter's Puddles wins at first asking
Peter Vangelatos' homebred, PETER'S PUDDLES, making his career
debut, defeated a full field 12-state-bred maiden horses, three-year-olds
and upward, today, at Saratoga Race Course. The nine-furlong race
was run over the Mellon turf course, listed "good". Trainer
H. James Bond had the three-year-old chestnut colt sharp as a tack
for his maiden effort and named Edgar Prado to ride.
Jockey Julio Pezua sent Dave to the lead soon after the break followed
on the outside by Takeh while Cannonball Red and Derby for Darby keeping
in close contact through an opening half-mile reached in 48-seconds
flat. Dave and Takeh continued to battle around the far turn and to
the top of the stretch as Peter's Puddles and Loyal Royal moved into
contention on the far outside. Once straightened for home, Peter's
Puddles took the fight to Dave and showing grit and determination
took the lead in the late stages to win by three-quarters of a length
over a fast-closing Loyal Royal. Dave held for third-money. Final
time was 1:50.2 seconds.
Bred by Vangelatos, who qualifies for a $5,040 breeder award, Peter's
Puddles is by Thunder Puddles, out of Ionika, by Steinlen (GB). Winless
in 11-starts, Ionika is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Gandria
(Green Dancer), who won $665,504 in a 23-race career. The sire, Thunder
Puddles, stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York and
his connections qualified for a stallion owner's award of $1,764.
(8/29) Buck Mountain comes around foes for turf win
Carried about as wide as possible on both turns, Dr. Gerardus Jameson's
homebred BUCK MOUNTAIN still managed to capture Saratoga's
seventh race on Sunday, a $46,000 restricted N2X allowance for fillies
and mares going a mile on turf, winning in her second start off a
layoff of almost 41 weeks. The five-year-old mare has picked up a
multitude of checks, but Sunday's victory marked her first tally in
almost a year and a half and her first win on turf.
With jockey Javier Castellano on board for the second time in her
career, Buck Mountain broke towards the back from the ninth post position
as the 12.60-to-1 fifth choice among 10 starters, five of them three-year-old
fillies, including odds-on (.80-to-1) two-time 2004 turf winner Bellanique.
On her immediate inside, the gate-fidgety E. Ticket (the 6.20-to-1
third choice), who actually had broken through the gate prior to the
start, charged forward to engage with 24.70-to-1 seventh choice Stand
On Top in an early duel for the lead and the rail. One of the effects
of this front-end battle was that Buck Mountain was carried four wide
around the first turn, but she still improved her position from fifth
after the opening quarter-mile to third behind a head-and-head E.
Ticket and Stand On Top at the half-way marker. On the second turn,
Castellano's mount rallied three wide and reached the quarter pole
with her head in front of E. Ticket, as that three-year-old filly
began tiring from her earlier front-running efforts over the "good"
turf course.Ý By mid-stretch, Buck Mountain was ahead by 2 1/2 lengths,
and in the final furlong 4.90-to-1 second choice Gebb's Dixie and
Bellanique both closed ground but never loomed a serious threat. At
about the sixteenth pole, Buck Mountain switched to her left lead
in response to Castellano's right-handed urging, but she finished
under a hand ride with a length and three-quarters advantage over
fellow five-year-old Gebb's Dixie and Bellanique, as the older mare
nosed out the three-year-old filly for second-place money. It was
the second winning ride of the day for Castellano, who had piloted
New York-bred Commentator to a seven-length score in Saratoga's Sunday
opener and had ridden Buck Mountain once previously in a fourth-place
effort going a mile on turf at Saratoga in 2003.
The victory boosted Buck Mountain's purse earnings by $27,600 to $145,360
while improving her record to 3 - 3 - 6 in 16 starts (five on turf),
and it also qualified the mare's owner-breeder, Dr. Jameson of Niskayuna,
for an additional $5,520 breeder award. Trained by Kenneth Streicher,
who had given her a 48 3/5 half-mile workout 11 days earlier following
a fifth-place effort at 6 1/2 furlongs on Saratoga's main track August
5, Buck Mountain had scored her 2003 wins at Aqueduct going a two-turn
mile and seven furlongs in the slop.
Buck Mountain is by the late New York-based stallion Prosper Fager
and was conceived at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's Highcliff
Farm in Delanson, and her victory qualified that stallion's owner,
The Billings Partnership of Robert and Michele Billings of Naples,
Florida, for a $1,932 stallion award. The bay mare is the first offspring
produced from New York-bred winner Terminal Buck, who also was bred
by Dr. Jameson and is by former New York stallion Stacked Pack. She
is inbred 3 x 5 to Raise a Native and 4 x 4 to Nashua -- the sire
and broodmare sire, respectively, of Buck Mountain's paternal grandsire,
Mr. Prospector.
(8/19) Mumbles rolls in Spa allowance
Chevalier Stable's MUMBLES easily defeat a field of NW-1X condition
allowance horses today at Saratoga Race Course. Ridden for the first
time by the meet's leading jockey John Velazquez, the three-year-old
bay gelding went to the post as the odds-on 4-5-favorite in the 8-horse
field. Trained by Bruce Levine, Mumbles had finished second in his
last two-outings, which were spaced out by a month. The race was run
at seven-furlongs over the main track, which was listed "fast".
Chevalier Stable is managed by Joanne Shapoff.
Take Me Out John, away from the races since early May of this year,
went to the front challenged on the outside by the first part of the
Patrick Kelly entry How Long. After a half-mile in 45.4 seconds, Mumbles
moved three-wide around the far turn and wrested the lead at the top
of the stretch, continuing to increase his lead to five-lengths crossing
the wire. Texas Pro finished second and the second part of the Kelly
entry Platinum Case finished third. Final time was 1:24.1 seconds.
Bred by Ronald Rolfe, who qualifies for a $5,160 breeder's award,
Mumbles is by Expensive Decision, and is out of Belle of Silver, by
Forever Silver. Both Expensive Decision and Forever Silver had previously
stood at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. Owned by a syndicate,
who qualifies for a $1,806, Expensive Decision now stands at Cobleskill
College in Cobleskill, New York. The winner's purse of $25,800 boosts
Mumbles' earnings to $96,328 with a Lifetime Record: 13-2-3-3.
(8/15) Golden Commander captures West Point with slick tactical
move
Improving in leaps and bounds following a promising but erratic three-year-old
season, Flying Zee Stable's four-year-old homebred GOLDEN COMMANDER
slipped through along the rail behind the 3.30-to-1 second choice
to score his first stakes victory in Saratoga's $114,700 West Point
Handicap on turf for New York-bred three-year-olds and up. Ridden
by Javier Castellano, under whom he had won an Aqueduct restricted
N2X turf allowance by 3 1/4 lengths in April going a mile and a sixteenth,
the dark bay gelding was half of an entry that was the 4-to-1 second
choice among 11 wagering interests and 12 starters. He broke from
the inside post and through the first half-mile of the mile and an
eighth event was in eighth place while next to the rail, where Castellano
was forced to check him once when they were going down the backstretch.
Leading the way was the only three-year-old in the event, 56-to-1
tenth choice Gates Avenue, who began tiring on the second turn while
3.30-to-1 second choice Irish Colonial darted through along the inside
to gain command entering the stretch. Following close behind that
Belmont turf stakes winner was Golden Commander, who angled outside
in the upper stretch while top-weighted Irish Colonial seemed to flounder
somewhat over the "good" turf, staying on his left lead
and losing momentum in mid-stretch. Golden Commander ran his final
furlong in under 11 1/2 seconds, driving past Irish Colonial on the
outside to win by a half-length over 2.60-to-1 favorite Foreverness,
who closed along the rail to edge out Irish Colonial by a head for
second place. Golden Commander's winning time over the still-slightly-wet
grass course was 1:48.85. It was the second ride and second win aboard
Golden Commander for jockey Castellano, who piloted two winners on
Saratoga's Sunday card.
Castellano acknowledged that the trip in the West Point had been ideal:
"He broke slow from the gate. I'm glad we were fortunate to get
the trip we did. I took my chances on going to the inside because
I wanted to save ground as much as I could. I had enough horse to
move with Irish Colonial, who I thought was the horse that I had to
beat in the race. When the rail opened, I had to hit him a couple
of times, but he kicked in, and we got through. It was a good race
for him."
Trainer Philip Serpe, who had given Golden Commander four Saratoga
workouts -- three on grass and including "bullet" drills
on both dirt and turf -- following a second-place effort on soft Belmont
turf 58 days earlier against open N2X competition, indicated that
the gelding is "...at his best right now.
"He struggled with this kind of turf," Serpe pointed out.
"I was confident with all my fingers crossed. He's gelded now
(gelded over the winter.) Javier (Castellano) did an excellent job
with him. He's a hard horse to ride...takes very strong handling.
You can't let him take the trip for you."
Golden Commander's first stakes tally increased his earnings by $68,820
to $195,770 while improving his record to 4 - 3 - 2 in 15 starts for
the Flying Zee Stable of Carl Lizza Jr. of Wharton, New Jersey, which
also qualified for an additional $6,882 breeder award. Two outings
and 12 weeks earlier, the four-year-old had gained his first black-type
credentials with a third-place finish behind now Grade 2 winner Quantum
Merit and Foreverness in Belmont's $114,300 Kingston Handicap on turf.
The West Point victor was the second winner of the day at Saratoga
for Flying Zee Stable, which in the Spa's fifth race on Sunday had
a juvenile filly capture a maiden special contest under its colors.
Flying Zee Stable also bred the winner of the faster division of the
1987 West Point, Wanderkin. The 1982 West Point winner, syndicated
Thunder Puddles, stands at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, where
Golden Commander was foaled and which Lizza owns in partnership with
Joseph Bartone. Golden Commander is from the first full crop of 1997
Grade 1 Travers Stakes and Super Derby winner Deputy Commander. He
is the sixth New York-bred winner produced from Calder allowance winner
Golden Sweetheart, by Strike Gold, being a half-brother to stakes
winner Noble Sweetheart, stakes-placed Blondie Logic (dam of New York-bred
multiple stakes-placed winner Sunday Driver), and to seven-time winner
Golden Contender ($256,405) -- all bred by Flying Zee Stable. Dam
Golden Sweetheart, a four-time winner who also scored on Aqueduct's
inner track in addition to her Calder victories, is a half-sister
to multiple stakes winner and dirt-and-turf record-setter Double No
($337,042).
(8/11) Daysman romps in state-bred allowance
Merrylegs Farm's DAYSMAN, making her 9th -career start and
second at Saratoga Race Course, rolled through the stretch to defeat
a state-bred field of NW-1X condition allowance fillies and mares.
The nine-furlong race run over the main track, listed "fast",
and Daysman's trainer, John Hertler, has now saddled 9-horses at the
meet winning with three of them for a respectable win-average of 33-percent.
Merrylegs Farm, located in Old Westbury, New York is owned by Paula
Cohn-Hallman, daughter of the late Seymour Cohn, who bred the three-year-old
bay filly.
Daysman was hustled out of the 6-post position and won the race into
the first turn but Pumpkin's Glow, with apprentice jockey Zarella
Ore, who qualifies for a 7lb weight allowance, ran by to lead through
an opening half-mile in 48.3 seconds. Daysman, with Fernando Jara
aboard, was sent up to challenge nearing the three-quarter pole and
easily blew by Pumpkin's Glow to take command and while under a drive
raced to the wire to win by 5-going away lengths. Anabeltaylor finished
second and Bundle of Roses won a head-bob for third money. Final time
was a slow 1:54 seconds flat.
The estate of Seymour Cohn qualifies for a $5,280 breeder award and
as owner of the sire, Daygata, qualifies for a $1,848 stallion
owner's award. Daysman is the second foal out of the 3X winning Daring
Groom mare, We Are Daring. Daygata stands at Carl Lizza, Jr. and Joseph
Bartone's Highcliff Farm in Delanson, New York. With today's
winner's purse of $26,400, Daysman raises her lifetime earnings to
$83,275. When checking the Hypo-Mating feature, linked below, it reveals
that Daysman crosses 4X3 to classic sire Blushing Groom and 4X4 to
classic sire Mr. Prospector.
(7/30) Bellanique captures Spa finale on turf
Flying Zee Stable's homebred, BELLANIQUE, making her sixth-career
race, defeated state-bred fillies and mares in a NW-1X condition allowance
race run at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by Philip Serpe and ridden
by journeyman jockey Edgar Prado, the three year-old bay filly had
broken her maiden over the turf at Belmont Park on May 12th and then
ran a game second in her first allowance attempt, a month later. The
race was over the Mellon Turf Course, listed as "yielding,"
at 8-1/2 furlongs and had a field of 10 horses go to the gate with
Bellanique the race-time favorite at 6-5 odds.
Red Snoony and Angel in Harlem battled in the early going, getting
a half-mile in a 48-seconds flat with Bellanique tracking in mid-pack.
As the field turned for home, a host of horses were in with a shot
but it was a revved-up Bellanique who powered to the front, opening
up by three-lengths past the eighth-pole on her way to a 2-length
victory over Nurse Culkin with Miss Baba finishing third. Final time
was 1:12.4 seconds.
Bred by Carl Lizza, Jr. (Flying Zee Stable), who qualified for a breeder's
award of $2,640, Bellanique is the first foal out of the Hawkster
mare, French Manicure, who hit the board (1-2-3) in 4 out of her 8-races
over the turf. Mr. Lizza, a longtime supporter of the New York Breeding
and Racing Program, is co-owner of Highcliff Farm along with Joseph
Bartone. Highcliff Farm is located in Delanson, New York, and
is managed by Dr. Lynwood and Suzie O'Cain. With the winner's purse
of $26,400, the talented filly has now has earned $72,300.
(7/30) Bellanique captures Spa finale on turf
Flying Zee Stable's homebred, BELLANIQUE, making her sixth-career
race, defeated state-bred fillies and mares in a NW-1X condition allowance
race run at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by Philip Serpe and ridden
by journeyman jockey Edgar Prado, the three year-old bay filly had
broken her maiden over the turf at Belmont Park on May 12th and then
ran a game second in her first allowance attempt, a month later. The
race was over the Mellon Turf Course, listed as "yielding,"
at 8-1/2 furlongs and had a field of 10 horses go to the gate with
Bellanique the race-time favorite at 6-5 odds.
Red Snoony and Angel in Harlem battled in the early going, getting
a half-mile in a 48-seconds flat with Bellanique tracking in mid-pack.
As the field turned for home, a host of horses were in with a shot
but it was a revved-up Bellanique who powered to the front, opening
up by three-lengths past the eighth-pole on her way to a 2-length
victory over Nurse Culkin with Miss Baba finishing third. Final time
was 1:12.4 seconds.
Bred by Carl Lizza, Jr. (Flying Zee Stable), who qualified for a breeder's
award of $2,640, Bellanique is the first foal out of the Hawkster
mare, French Manicure, who hit the board (1-2-3) in 4 out of her 8-races
over the turf. Mr. Lizza, a longtime supporter of the New York Breeding
and Racing Program, is co-owner of Highcliff Farm along with Joseph
Bartone. Highcliff Farm is located in Delanson, New York, and
is managed by Dr. Lynwood and Suzie O'Cain. With the winner's purse
of $26,400, the talented filly has now has earned $72,300.
(7/25) Spite the Devil captures Evan Shipman - Prado rides 4 NY-bred
winners
In a closely contested Evan Shipman Handicap that had all six starters
finishing within less than four lengths of each other, Hardwicke Stable's
homebred SPITE THE DEVIL edged 2002 Evan Shipman winner Sherpa
Guide by a half-length, giving jockey Edgar Prado his fourth winning
ride on Sunday aboard New York-breds. Belmont's $108,100 event for
New York-bred three-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile and a sixteenth
also gave Spite the Devil and Prado their second consecutive tally
together in July, coming 17 days after the two had paired up for the
first time to take a restricted Belmont starter allowance.
Sent off by Hall of Fame Trainer H. Allen Jerkens as the 2.90-to-1
third choice, Spite the Devil broke on top from the outside post but
trailed the tightly packed field on the outside through an opening
quarter-mile in 23.19 set by 2.25-to-1 second choice Rogue Agent.
With 29.20-to-1 last choice Mr. Determined and 1.70-to-1 favorite
Gander both pressing the pace on the inside, Rogue Agent accelerated
his second quarter to 22.58 for a half-mile fraction in 45.77, at
which point Spite the Devil was in fourth place while racing four
wide around the turn. By mid-stretch, Prado's mount had his head in
front of Rogue Agent -- who had clocked a 1:09.82 six-furlong fraction
-- and was at the throatlatch of Mr. Determined, and in the final
furlong he edged ahead and withstood the outside charge of 4.90-to-1
fourth choice Sherpa Guide, winning in 1:41.89. Mr. Determined finished
third in an effort worthy of his name, followed by Rogue Agent, then
top-weighted (123 pounds) Grade 2 winner Gander (whose earnings climbed
to $1,824,011, and 25.75-to-1 last choice Manhattan Express, who finished
only 3 3/4 lengths behind Spite the Devil.
"Edgar (Prado) loves this horse, and he rides him very well," pointed
out winning owner-breeder Elisabeth Jerkens, the wife of trainer H.
Allen Jerkens who races the four-year-old gelding in the name of her
Hardwicke Stable. "Prado fits this horse perfectly. In the last race
(the starter allowance win at Belmont on July 8), they got into trouble,
and they still won. Today, they had a nice trip outside -- just behind
the speed. Allen (Jerkens) often does good with horses as they get
older, because he gets to know them better. This horse stays very
fit because he's always in our barn. He never leaves the racetrack.
He'll go up to Saratoga, and Allen will find something for him."
Jockey Prado, who has now ridden the last two winners of the Evan
Shipman, confirmed the observations that owner-breeder Jerkens had
of the contest, and he also implied that Spite the Devil might have
had something left in the tank at the finish: "We had a good trip
outside. I had a lot of horse at the top of the stretch, but the two
inside horses (Mr. Determine and Rogue Agent) were stubborn. I had
to get into him, and he finally went by. I think he just did enough
to win."
Spite the Devil's two Belmont victories in July marked his first wins
since capturing Aqueduct's Grade 3 Withers Stakes at a mile about
an hour before New York-bred Funny Cide would win the 2003 Kentucky
Derby on a day that would forever alter public perception of New York-breds.
In addition to his stakes tallies, he has placed in eight other black-type
events, including Saratoga's Grade 2 Sanford and Saratoga Special
and Aqueduct's Grade 3 Gotham, and his Evan Shipman score boosted
his earnings by $64,860 to $443,909 while improving his record to
5 - 5 - 6 in 27 starts. Spite the Devil's Sunday stakes victory on
the closing day of Belmont's 2004 spring-summer meet also qualified
owner-breeder Elisabeth Jerkens of Bellrose for an additional $6,486
breeder award. Spite the Devil is the second Evan Shipman winner trained
by H. Allen Jerkens, who sent out Patsyprospect to win the 1995 running
of that event, which is named for the late racing columnist of The
Morning Telegraph -- East Coast predecessor of the Daily Racing Form.
Sired by five-time Grade 1 winner Devil His Due, whom Allen Jerkens
also trained, 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 ($144,745 through 2003). 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. Spite
the Devil was foaled and raised at Carl Lizza Jr.'s and Joseph Bartone's
Highcliff Farm in Delanson.
(7/18) Theconfidenceman wins convincingly in turf mile
Trainer Leo O'Brien obviously persuaded son-in-law John Velazquez
to again ride the colt that had won first out under Velazquez last
year -- and whose New York-bred sire Velazquez had piloted to graded
victories in 1998 -- and the result was a two-length tally in Belmont's
seventh race on Sunday by THECONFIDENCEMAN. Owned by the Literary
Lion Farm of Helen Brann of Bridgewater, Connecticut in partnership
with Suzann Bobley and Our Boys Farm, Theconfidenceman went off as
the 3.20-to-1 favorite among 12 starters in the $44,000 restricted
N1X allowance for three-year-olds and up going a virtual one-turn
mile on turf. He broke dead last from the inside post and had nine
rivals ahead of him after the opening quarter-mile, and at the half-way
point his position had improved only marginally to eighth place while
3.75-to-1 second choice Speedjama seized the lead on the outside.
Swinging wide as he approached the stretch, Theconfidenceman launched
a startlingly fast move that advanced him past seven rivals within
a span of less than a quarter-mile, utilizing his exceptionally quick
stride turnover to catch Speedjama inside the final furlong and win
going away in the time of 1:35.78. Speedjama, who had picked up the
pace on the backstretch to set fractions of 47.71 and 1:11.74, continued
on to place a clear second.
Theconfidenceman's first victory since winning his debut as a juvenile
on Belmont's main track going 5 1/2 furlongs under Velazquez almost
exactly a year earlier (July 19) boosted his earnings by $26,400 to
$58,320 while improving his record to 2 - 0 - 1 in eight starts. Velazquez,
the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2002 Jockey of the Year,
had ridden the colt once more during 2003 -- in an unplaced effort
in the mud in Belmont's $109,500 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes -- and
in three starts on turf in 2004 Theconfidenceman had failed to hit
the board. Those three efforts, which had followed a layoff of almost
six months, came against open Aqueduct allowance company on April
29, against restricted N2X allowance foes (above his condition level)
at Belmont on May 22, and against high-priced open claimers (racing
with a $75,000 tag) at Belmont on July 1. O'Brien, a three-time NYTB
Trainer of the Year, next gave Theconfidenceman an easy half-mile
workout on Belmont's main track on July 12 and named Velazquez to
ride the colt once again -- and with winning results.
Bred by Richard and Jeanette Powers of Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
who qualified for a $5,280 breeder award, Theconfidenceman is from
the first crop of 1998 New York-Bred Horse of the Year and Champion
Turf and Two-Year-Old Male Incurable Optimist, sire also of Saturday's
$164,000 New York Derby winner, Don Corleone ($137,130). Incurable
Optimist 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 Delan
