Fox Rox (Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley)
Labor Day at Finger Lakes was a triumph for the breeding program of Dennis and Deborah Petrisak, whose Langpap Stables homebreds Fox Rox and Alwaysinstilettos, offspring of homebred half-sisters, won the traditional Labor Day co-features at the Farmington racetrack. Both 2-year olds are trained by Michael A. Ferraro and were ridden to victory by jockey Pedro Rodriguez.
The outcome of the 39th Running of the $120,925, six-furlong Aspirant Stakes for 2-year-old New York-bred colts and geldings was in little doubt once the race got underway, despite the fact that contender Blue Collar Cat (Bluegrass Cat) ducked out shortly after the start, unseated his rider, and went to the lead at the rail before drifting out to the grandstand side midway on the far turn.
Adding blinkers for his third career start, 7-5 favorite Fox Rox (Officer) was third out of the gate but quickly opened up a length and half on the field over the fast going. The dark bay colt widened his margin to five lengths after a half-mile (45.99), to twelve lengths in midstretch and won by an eye-popping 18 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:12.01.
Favored in all three starts, Fox Rox recovered from a poor break to finish second in his Saratoga debut on July 21, and finished fourth after tiring in the slop at Saratoga on August 9. The lucrative maiden-breaking victory in the Aspirant brings his earnings to $90,055.
Alwaysinstilettos (Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley)
In the 35th Running of the $121,275 Lady Finger Stakes, Alwaysinstilettos by Bandini (5-1) showed speed from the gate, running with the second flight early, two lengths behind pacesetter Lexi On the Cover. Catching up with and passing the leader midway on the far turn, Alwaysinstilettos never faced a serious challenge for supremacy, cruising home to win by four lengths. Also a dark bay, the filly completed the six furlongs in 1:13.33.
The Lady Finger was Alwaysinstilettos’ second start, after just getting edged out of second behind rising star Artemis Agrotera at the Spa on August 16. She has earned $79,765.
“We knew they both had talent”, said Dennis Petrisak of Langpap Stables. “With babies (2-year-olds) it’s hard to tell what will happen in a race.”
Round 1: Fox Rox (Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley)
The second dam of Fox Rox and Alwaysinstilettos, who were both born and raised at Tom and Mia Gallo’s Blue Stone Farm in Cambridge, is Morgans Raider, a stakes-placed multiple winner by Giboulee bred in New York by Raymond E. Karlinsky and Arthur N. Levien and campaigned by Langpap Stable.
A producer of 12 winners from 12 starters, Morgans Raider’s most successful foal is the dam of Fox Rox, Shesastonecoldfox by Foxhound ($216,409). Champion New York-bred 2-year-old filly in 2001, Shesastonecoldfox won three stakes races, headlined by a victory over males in the New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes. The same year she won the Joseph A. Gimma at Belmont and the Lady Finger at Finger Lakes and went on to compete in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. At three she finished second in the Susan B. Anthony.
Twice as nice with Alwaysinstilettos (Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley)
In her career as a broodmare, Shesastonecoldfox has produced five winners from five starters. Her first foal Elusive Fox (E Dubai) was stakes-placed. She has another stakes winner in Fox Rules, who took last year’s New York Derby ($262,973).
Morgans Raider also produced Always Belong by Belong to Me, the multiple stakes-placed dam of Alwaysinstilettos ($95,571). Always Belong has produced six winners from six starters including another stakes performer, stakes placed Always for You.
Currently Shesastonecoldfox has a weanling filly by Lonhro (AUS) and Always Belong has a weanling filly by Fusaichi Pegasus.
