Finger Lakes-based Clean Jean tied for top spot nationally with nine wins

by Sarah Mace

Mark Valentine’s Clean Jean is having a remarkable year. Not only has she earned $111,365 the hard way, running mostly in starter allowance races with moderate purses; she has won no fewer than nine races this year – an achievement that leaves her tied for first place nationally for number of races won in 2012.

A 4-year-old daughter of Ecton Park, Clean Jean has recorded victories at Aqueduct and Finger Lakes for three different trainers and shown remarkable versatility in the process.

Typically a frontrunner, Clean Jean is also ratable and appears capable of winning at virtually any distance. The chestnut filly has recorded victories this year at 4 1/2 furlongs, 6 furlongs, 1 mile, 1 mile and 70 yards and – in arguably her most remarkable performance – at 1 1/8 miles.

Clean Jean’s 12 1/2-length victory at nine panels at Finger Lakes on August 20 is the largest winning margin of her career to date. Her Beyer Speed Figure of 83 was a career best. To cap it all, Clean Jean also placed in a pair of stakes this summer, finishing third in both the Susan B. Anthony in June and Jack Betta Be Rite.

A lightly-raced maiden when she began her 4-year-old campaign this year for owner/breeder Fran Ubbink and trainer John Tebbutt, Clean Jean won back-to-back victories her third and fourth 2012 starts by a combined 14 lengths on the Aqueduct Inner. She was claimed out of the second of these on March 7 for $7,500 by trainer Naipaul Chatterpaul on his own behalf.

In the spring Clean Jean moved her tack up to Finger Lakes where she reeled off three straight victories in April and May. Saddled by Enrique Hernandez for the first pair of starts, the filly was claimed on May 1 by trainer Sal Iorio and Mark Valentine for $4,000. In ten races since the claim Clean Jean has won five more times under regular pilot Dean Frates – most recently last out on October 19 – and finished off the board only twice.

Ubbink, whose farm is located not far from Finger Lakes Racetrack, keeps close tabs on the filly and always tries to make it to the races when Clean Jean is running. Ubbink credits Clean Jean’s success in part to a good rapport with Frates. “Her jockey really knows her well, knows how to settle her down.”  Ubbink is also quick to emphasize the filly’s iron-horse quality. “I saw her standing the other day without bandages and her legs are as clean as when she was born.”

Clean Jean has started 18 times this year, with no appreciable time off since early December 2011. The only layoff line in her past performances – a gap of five months from July 2 to December 11, 2011 – was due to a severe corneal tear she suffered in her second career start.

When asked whether she ever expected to be the breeder of a horse that was tied for first in the national rankings, Ubbink said, “No! I’m so proud of her.” Ubbink bred Clean Jean’s winning dam Easter Buddy (Buddy), who has produced another productive runner in Buddy System (Kelly Kip), a multiple winner and $57,337-earner.

It is uncertain as to whether Clean Jean will have the chance to stand solo on top of the rankings of “races won” in 2012. “Sal [Iorio] was thinking about putting her away for the winter,” said Ubbink. “Maybe not now, but I don’t know if anyone will run against her anymore.” The other horse with nine wins this year is Midwest-based Diamond Joe. Ubbink said she has put Diamond Joe in her “Stable Alert.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/10/29/clean-jean-nine-wins/

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Notacatbutallama puts first stakes victory on resume with Incurable Optimist

by Sarah Mace

Having contended in graded company in his first two stakes appearances, Repole Stable’s Notacatbutallama broke through with his first stakes victory on Sunday in the $85,000 Incurable Optimist co-featured on Belmont’s Closing Day card.

Cutting back to one mile for the first time in his five career starts, the 2-year-old son of Harlan’s Holiday was billed as “the horse to beat” on Sunday – with post time odds to match (3-5).

Breaking from post eight (of nine) under regular jockey John Velazquez, Notacatbutallama bided his time midpack in the early stages, five or so lengths off a solid pace set by Bernie the Jet (23.55, 48.14). Moving up into fourth in the backstretch, Notacatbutallama negotiated the turn four wide and straightened out for home.

Passing all but the pacesetter in upper stretch, Notacatbutallama found his best stride with a furlong to go, gained the lead and pulled away to secure the victory by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:36.33.

Notacatbutallama broke his maiden at second asking in state-bred company by an impressive 6 1/2 lengths at Saratoga on August 20. Meeting Grade 2 rivals on short rest next out in the With Anticipation on August 30, the colt finished fourth behind Balance the Books and Joha, both entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. In his most recent start on October 8 at Belmont, Notacatbutallama ran second in the Grade 3 Pilgrim on yielding turf to Noble Tune, another BC Juvenile Turf contender.

With two victories and two seconds, Notacatbutallama has banked $143,000 in five starts.

A fourth generation product of Happy Hill Farm breeding, Notacatbutallama was foaled at Sue and Gary Lundy’s Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains. He is one of five foals to start and the third winner out of Self Rising, a stakes-placed daughter of Hansel ($164,931). Her second foal was nine-time winner and six-figure earner Toque by Alphabet Soup ($147,396).

Notacatbutallama first sold as a 2011 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred Saratoga yearling for $50,000 to Nick de Meric, who turned him around as a two-year-old at the OBS Spring sale, where he was purchased by Repole Stables for $105,000.

Self Rising currently has a yearling filly by Mineshaft, no reported foal this year and was bred in 2012 to Girolamo.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/10/28/notacatbutallama-incurable-optimist/

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The Lumber Guy, Next Question carry Empire State into Breeders’ Cup 2012

by Sarah Mace

The Lumber Guy, winner of the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational Stakes[2], and Next Question, winner of Woodbine’s Nearctic Stakes[3] and New York’s latest Grade 1 hero, will represent the Empire State in the 2012 Breeders Cup World Championships to be run at Santa Anita Park on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3.

The names of 108 horses officially pre-entered for the 2012 Breeders Cup were made public on Wednesday morning. The Lumber Guy is pre-entered for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Next Question will go in the Grade 1, $1 million Turf Sprint.

Each of the Breeders’ Cup races (with the exception of the Dirt Mile) allows a maximum of 14 starters. The Sprint and Turf Sprint are oversubscribed, but both New York-breds won Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge events and are secured berths in their respective races.

After The Lumber Guy (Grand Slam) won the six-furlong Vosburgh at Belmont Park on September 29, trainer Mike Hushion pondered his Breeders’ Cup options for the sophomore with breeder/owner Barry K. Schwartz. The colt’s other graded victory came in Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Jerome, run at one mile around one turn and the question was whether to enter him in the Dirt Mile or Sprint.

Hushion opted to go with the Sprint mainly because the Breeders’ Cup Mile is run around two-turns at Santa Anita.  “There’s a short run to the first turn and [The Lumber Guy] tends to get a little headstrong early,” Hushion said. “Maybe one day, if the Breeders’ Cup ever comes back to Belmont, I’ll have a decision to make.” The Breeders’ Cup will be only the seventh start for the $465,800 multiple graded stakes winner.

Next Question, a lightly-raced 4-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding owned by Kirk Wycoff’s Three Diamonds Farm, burst on the scene a little more than a week ago with his Nearctic Stakes victory in his stakes debut on October 14. Bred by Dr. Lance G. Bell and trained by Mike Trombetta, Next Question was confidently supplemented to the Nearctic Stakes on the heels of a dominant victory in an open first-level allowance at Belmont on September 12.

At least one New York-bred defection from the Breeders’ Cup was due to this year’s Lasix ban in the juvenile divisions. Owner Mike Repole, who could have had as many as six starters in the Breeders’ Cup races – four of them 2-year-olds – will not be sending any horses Santa Anita. This includes not only Stay Thirsty, who would have been entered for the $5 million Classic, but Repole’s up-and-coming New York-bred juvenile turfer Notacatbutallama.

The Breeders’ Cup will be televised live by the NBC Sports Network and NBC.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/10/24/the-lumber-guy-next-question-bc-preentries/

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Tour de force performance for Unbridled Command in McMahon of Saratoga Mohawk

by Sarah Mace

Lakland Farm’s Grade 3 winner Unbridled Command wrapped up the Showcase Day card with tour de force performance in the final race, winning the $175,000 McMahon of Saratoga Mohawk by 6 3/4 lengths.

Winner of his last three races, Unbridled Command was entered in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap on October 6 at Belmont Park, but trainer Tom Bush opted to scratch in favor of the McMahon Mohawk start.

The 3-year-old grey son of Master Command went to the post under Ramon Dominguez as 5-2 second choice. Morning line favorite Compliance Officer, slated to defend his 2011 Mohawk title, was an early scratch due to an ankle injury, but will return to the races next year.

As longshot Karakorum Legend (17-1) showed the way, running a moderate first half-mile in 50.91 over the yielding going, Unbridled Command settled in at the hedge in fifth, then advanced steadily during the run down the backstretch to move up two spots.

At the quarter pole the grey glided through an opening on the inside and gained the lead as straightened for home. At this point it was all over but the shouting as Unbridled Command steadily widened his advantage under a hand ride to win by 6 3/4 lengths.

Karakorum Legend held position well to finish second, while Barrel of Love (33-1), who followed Unbridled Command up the hedge in the turn, finished another length and a half back in third, just a nose ahead of beaten favorite Lubash. Unbridled Command completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.02.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez, who piloted Mine Over Matter and Hessonite to victory in stakes races earlier on the Showcase Day card, said “[Unbridled Command] had run on soft ground and run well. He was just floating on top of the soft ground. He didn’t mind it at all. When he saw an opening on the rail, he didn’t hesitate at all.” Dominguez added, “He won a Grade 3 last time, the Saranac. It was a pretty good race. Tom is under the impression this horse is maturing and getting better, so he might still be on the improve.”

Winning trainer Tom Bush said “The trip was beautiful and I loved when [Ramon Dominguez] moved him up just a couple of spots down the backside when they were going pretty slow. Ramon said he was really handling the surface; he didn’t have a bobbling step to him, and that gave him a lot of confidence, too. He’s just a horse that continues to move forward, and it’s exciting. Visually it certainly was his best race…and he’s improved in the morning as well. He’s just a smoother, kinder horse and his breezes are more professional. He’s coming the right way.”

If all goes well, Unbridled Command’s next start could come in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby run at 1 1/4 miles on November 25 at Hollywood Park.

Unbridled Command wrapped up a three-race juvenile campaign with a maiden-breaking turf score at Aqueduct in November and has improved in each of his six 2012 starts. Winner of his last four races, he took the Grade 3 Saranac last out on September 2 at Saratoga. With a record of 5-1-2 in nine career starts he has earned $319,040.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC in partnership with A. Lakin & Sons Inc., Unbridled Command is the most successful offspring to date of four winners produced by Unbridled Betty, an unraced daughter of Unbridled’s Song, who sold in foal to Master Command to Top Sale for $75,000 at the 2008 November Keeneland sale. Unbridled Betty is a half-sister to two stakes winners and to Astaire Step, dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Manistique (Unbridled), who earned over $1.3 million.

Unbridled Betty currently has a 2-year-old colt by Freud named Mr. Panda, who has not started, a yearling colt by Freud and a weanling filly by Read the Footnotes. She was bred in the spring to Girolamo, who entered at stud at Sequel Stallions New York[3] in 2012.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/10/21/unbridled-command-mohawk/

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Lunar Victory wins showdown with Saratoga Snacks in thrilling Empire Classic

by Sarah Mace

As billed, the $250,000 Empire Classic, the marquee race of the New York Showcase Day program, turned out to be an epic showdown between Juddmonte Farms’ Lunar Victory trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and Saratoga Snacks, an up-and-coming sophomore owned by retired NFL coach Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm and trained by Gary Sciacca.

Lunar Victory, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown, was seeking his fifth victory in six 2012 starts under Junior Alvarado – his regular rider recently returned to the irons after injury. Saratoga Snacks, making his stakes debut in the Empire Classic in his sixth career start, had won five straight and had the services of Belmont’s leading rider Ramon Dominguez. The 3-year-old Tale of the Cat ridgling was 5-2 second choice and drawn in post six. Lunar Victory was drawn favorably in post eight (of eight) and bet down to 4-5 favoritism,

After the break, Saratoga Snacks joined lead-minded longshot Saxophone Len and Haldane, the lone filly in the field, on the front end and after half mile (46.61) worked his way up to a clear one-length lead. Lunar Victory who moved up from fifth, edged into contention and attached himself to the flank of Saratoga Snacks as the field entered the far turn.

Separating themselves from the rest, Saratoga Snacks and Lunar Victory raced one-two around the turn, with Lunar Victory drawing closer with every stride, until the pair raced in tandem at the quarter pole.

With nothing separating two in upper stretch, Lunar Victory claimed a narrow lead at the furlong marker, but Saratoga Snacks battled on valiantly, as Lunar Victory inched away in the final stages to a 1 1/4-length victory.

Sailmate finished third 6 1/2 lengths further back. Johannesburg Smile, Fiddlers Afleet, Bigger Is Bettor, Haldane, and Saxophone Len completed the order of finish. After a mile run in 1:36.43, the winning time for the nine furlongs was 1:49.70.

Winning rider Junior Alvarado said, “[Lunar Victory] broke really good and then I just tried to settle him down and relax because I knew there would be a little speed in the race. I was a little wide by the half-mile pole, I didn’t want to be in that position, but I didn’t have much choice. I didn’t want to go on the inside. He has so much class though, turning for home I just tried to stay away from [Saratoga Snacks], and he gave me a nice kick at the end.”

Bill Mott, who was celebrating his first victory in the Empire Classic, noted that probably Juddmonte Farms, was “still celebrating Frankel” referring to the superstar’s final start on Saturday when he captured the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot to remain unbeaten in 14 starts.

Mott added, “You know what, they [at Juddmonte] pay attention to all of them, so I’m sure they’re happy to have this one. Every once in a while they’ll buy a yearling at auction, and apparently they liked the looks and the pedigree of this one. I guess he had his chance [in England], but fortunately they brought him back [to the United States].”

Mott also gave a tribute to the runner-up. “If I was the connections of [Saratoga Snacks], I’d be pretty pleased. He battled on hard, and [he is] a pretty doggone good horse. Our horse is a tough horse. I think they had a good horse race. They hooked it up a little ways, and our horse is more seasoned and [had] been the mile and an eighth. [Saratoga Snacks] will be a horse to contend with in the future, that’s for sure.”

Lunar Victory’s next start could come in the Grade 1 Clark to be run November 23 at Churchill Downs.

Lunar Victory came to Mott’s barn late last year from England, where he recorded one victory in eight starts for trainer John Gosden. After a runner-up finish in his North American debut at Aqueduct last December, he won five straight, including the Evan Shipman at Saratoga in July. In his prior start he finished second in Belmont’s Promenade All overnight stakes September 23 after a stumbling start.

Lunar Victory has now compiled a career record of 7-4-2 from 16 starts. His $150,000 winner’s share of the Empire Classic purse brings his earnings to $425,039.

Bred by William Parsons Jr. and David S. Howe and foaled at Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains, Lunar Victory was purchased by Juddmonte at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale for $350,000.

He is the most successful of three winners out of the winning A. P. Indy mare Lunar Colony, whose family is loaded with black type, including, Grade 1 BC Juvenile Fillies winner and champion 2-year-old filly Pleasant Stage, and Grade 1 winners A Phenomenon and Seattle Meteor.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/10/21/lunar-victory-empire-classic/

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