James Riccio’s Grade 1 winner Willy Beamin, who did all but win the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park to keep alive a six-race winning streak on September 30, built on an already impressive resume on Saturday – but missed a trip to the winner’s circle – when he finished second to Called to Serve in Aqueduct’s Grade 3, $150,000 Discovery Handicap for 3-year-olds.
The Suave gelding, who made headlines last summer by taking the Albany Stakes and Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga within the span of 72 hours for his fifth and sixth consecutive victories, drew the outside post of six for the nine-furlong Discovery. Reunited with regular jockey Alan Garcia, he carried an impost of 121 pounds, spotting the other five sophomores four-to-six pounds, and was bet down to 3-4 favoritism by post time.
Out of the gate in stride, Willy Beamin made the front easily and loped on the front end in the two path through moderate fractions of 24.63, 49.36 and 1:13.29 – tracked but facing with no direct confrontation until the stretch.
In the lane, Called to Serve – a close-up third behind Willy Beaming in the Oklahoma Derby – launched a four-wide rally from fifth and, just before the furlong marker, drove past him before kicking away to a 4 3/4 length victory. Despite being passed, Willy Beamin hung tough to the wire to keep a head in front of Stephanoatsee, who finished just a nose ahead Adirondack King. The winner’s final time for the 1 1/8 miles over a fast track was 1:49.77.
Claimed for $25,000 by trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. on behalf of Riccio out of a winning effort at Aqueduct on March 23, Willy Beamin went on to win his next five starts, including the Mike Lee and Albany Stakes to bookend the Big Apple Triple, and the Grade 1 King’s Bishop – where for a second time this year he paired up victories on short rest while cutting back from a route to a sprint. Willy Beamin now adds his runner-up finish in the Discovery to his second last out in the Oklahoma Derby. His record now stands at 7-2-0 from 13 races with $719,545 in earnings.
Willy Beamin will be making another foray into the work of quick turnarounds and turn-backs this week: he is entered back in Aqueduct’s 6-furlong Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap on Thanksgiving Day. Entries[1].
A gelded son of Suave, Willy Beamin was bred by Patricia Staskowski Purdy and foaled at Ivy League Farm in Ithaca. His dam Big Tease, a New York-bred stakes winner and earner of $197,308 by late New York sire Gold Token, has produced two winners from two foals to start. Purdy purchased the mare for $6,000 at the 2008 Keeneland January sale.
Willy Beamin first changed hands as a short yearling at Keeneland in January 2010, when he was purchased by Dr. John Little for $3,000. Anthony J. Bonomo’s Brooklyn Boyz Stables bought him later in the year at the Fasig-Tipton October Kentucky sale for $16,000. Willy Beamin began his career for Mary Ellen Bonomo’s MeB Racing Stables LLC and trainer Dominic Schettino before being claimed by Riccio and Dutrow.
Big Tease currently has a 2-year-old filly by Sharp Humor named Humorus Dilemma, who has not started, and a filly born this April by Afleet Express. She was bred this past spring to New York sire Congaree.
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/11/17/willy-beamin-discovery/
Drawing into the main body of Aqueduct’s over-subscribed $80,000 If Winter Comes overnight stakes on Saturday as an Also Eligible, Michael Marceda’s homebred Abilio followed Seal Cove (also an AE) across the line to complete the exacta at longshot odds and secure his second career stakes placing.
Making his second start for trainer Tom Albertrani after moving from the Linda Rice barn, Abilio was posted on the outside to go 1 1/16 miles over Aqueduct’s firm turf. Junior Alvarado, who piloted the 5-year-old gelded son of Pioneering to a turf allowance victory last November at Aqueduct, was at the helm. Largely passed over by bettors in the field of nine, which included six stakes winners, Abilio sent off as the second-longest shot on the board at odds of 29-1.
Owner of abundant early speed, Abilio wasted little time before striking the lead from his outside post, dashing to the front and challenging his rivals to catch him if they could. Setting splits of 23.97 and 49.19, the bay did not face a direct challenge until Tune Me In ranged up in the far turn.
Cornering neatly, Abilio once again surged ahead in upper stretch. Facing considerable pressure in the late stages from four runners close behind, he did not, however, yield the lead until Seal Cove came through an opening on the inside and kicked away to capture the victory by one length. After one mile in 1:37.59, the winner stopped the clock at 1:43.47.
Having passed through his state-bred conditions on the NYRA circuit as a sophomore in 2010, Abilio secured his first open company allowance victory by open lengths going a mile on turf at Aqueduct in November 2011. Returning to the races after the winter off, Abilio made it two in a row with a second-level open turf allowance win at Aqueduct in April going 1 1/16 miles. Prior to the If Winter Comes, Abilio finished a close third in the Sussex at Delaware Park on July 21. In 19 career starts, the gelding has compiled a record of 5-1-4 with $209,562 in earnings.
Foaled at Ann Morgan and Tim Little’s Mill Creek Farm[1] in Stillwater, Abilio is the first surviving foal, first stakes performer and one of only two starters out of Minni Sangue, a Florida-bred six-time winner (including four turf scores) by Slew Sangue ($153,397). Currently she has a 3-year-old unraced filly by Disco Rico (Spa Girl) and a yearling colt by Tale of the Cat. She was bred to Cowboy Call in the spring.
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/11/17/abilio-if-winter-comes-exacta/
With the mammoth Keeneland November Breeding Sale now in the books following the conclusion of Friday’s eleventh and final session, New York-bred results mirrored those of the general sale: solid overall with an accent on strength on the top end.
Of the 93 Empire-breds sold over the past two weeks, 12 garnered six-figures, led by 2009 New York Champion 3-Year-Old Female Don’t Forget Gil (Kafwain), a Grade 1-placed, graded stakes winner, who was purchased by Teruya Yoshida’s Japan-based Shadai Farm from Book 1 for $360,000[1].
Also grabbing attention among the older horses was the second top-priced-horse of Session 8 (Book 4), Pinball (Hip 2847[2]), a 3-year-old a son of Unbridled’s Song out of the stakes-winning mare Pinata (Vision and Verse). Bred by Kiki Courtelis and purchased by WinStar Farm for $125,000 out of the 2010 Keeneland September sale, Pinball was purchased as a Racing/Stallion Prospect by Michael Dubb/Jane Buchanon, agent, for $185,000. Pinball recent finished second in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct in his second start on November 10.
The Keeneland sale also produced four six-figure New York-bred weanlings, three changing hands in Book 2[3], led by a $175,000 colt bred by SF Bloodstock LLC from the first crop of Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.
The fourth individual, also by Super Saver, was a filly bred by SF Racing, LLC that went to Maverick Racing for $105,000 from the consignment of Gainesway (Agent). A first foal out of Grade 1-placed Reforestation (Forestry), the filly was top New York-bred weanling to sell in Book 3 of the auction – and also the second highest seller in session 6 (Hip 1811).
New York-bred results at KEE NOV 2012:
| Total | Weanlings | Older | |
| No. catalogued | 160 | 82 | 78 |
| No. offered | 119 | 56 | 63 |
| No. sold | 93 | 39 | 54 |
| Total Sales | $3,677,600 | $1,503,200 | $2,174,400 |
| Average | $39,544 | $38,544 | $40,467 |
| Median | $21,000 | $27,000 | $17,000 |
| 6-Fig Horses | 12 | 4 | 8 |
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/11/17/kee-nov-2012-wrap/
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