Hangover Kid makes the grade in Bowling Green thriller

by Sarah Mace

After knocking on the door against graded rivals ever since his third-place finish in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth last summer, Hangover Kid earned his first full-blown graded victory when won a tight photo in the Grade 2, $200,000 Bowling Green for older horses. Run at 1 1/2 miles on the Widener Turf Course, the Bowling Green was the final graded stakes of the Belmont spring/summer meeting,

A 6-year-old horse by Lemon Drop Kid and homebred for Steve Taglienti’s Four Tags Stable, Hangover Kid was last seen finishing second in the Grade 2 Monmouth with big closing move. For the Bowling Green he was reunited after nearly two years with jockey Jose Lezcano, who rode him seven times before, including for his maiden-breaker in 2011. Although he was stretching out from nine furlongs to a mile and a half, he had previously recorded a victory at 1 3/8 miles, and, because he is a strong closer, the extra furlong seemed well within his scope.

Third choice in the six-horse field at 9-2, Hangover Kid was content to save ground from his inside post, tracking the pace in third as the race unfolded. Meanwhile, 18-1 longshot Horvat Clan enjoyed an uncontested lead, clocking comfortable fractions of 25.63, 51.93, 1:17.53 and 1:42.03 for a mile.

Caught behind a wall of horses in upper stretch, Hangover Kid found a seam just inside the eighth pole and scooted into second behind the new leader and 3-5 favorite Grandeur, who had rallied three wide.

Hangover Kid and Grandeur battled head to head to the wire, with Hangover Kid just getting the nod. It was another 3/4 lengths back to Sky Blazer, who rallied into third while Boisterous, Reflecting, and Horvat Clan completed out the order of finish. The final for 12 furlongs was 2:28.18.  [VIDEO[2]]

Lezcano said, “I know the pace was slow, and [Servis] told me to keep him right there. When I asked him, he gave me a very good kick. I prayed it would open up for me, and when [John Velazquez aboard No. 3 Boisterous] went out a little bit, my horse took off.”

Jason Servis reported by telephone, “It was thrilling; I wish I could have been there. I felt really good having Lezcano on him; he’s been riding unbelievable. The only thing I told him is ride him like you own him.”

Servis also has big plans for Hangover Kid for later on in the year. “We’d like to go to the Breeders’ Cup with him,” Servis said. “This race – being a graded stakes – got him points. I don’t know where he’ll go next, but the Breeders’ Cup is the ultimate goal.”

Winner of the West Point Stakes for New York-breds last summer in Saratoga, Hangover Kid last year secured two graded stakes placings at long odds. He came from last in a field of 12 to finish second in Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at odds of 23-1, and mounted a strong late rally to finish third in Monmouth’s Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at odds of 47-1 in a field of eight. His runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes last month came at odds of 19-1.

Hangover Kid, whose record now stands at 7-7-3 from 24 starts with $625,203 in earnings, is the most successful of four winners out of Absolute Patience, an unraced Maryland-bred daughter of Rakeen. Absolute Patience currently has a 2-year-old filly by Munnings named Hold the Nutmeg and a yearling colt by Looking at Lucky named Revive and Resurge, both registered New York-breds. Revive and Resurge is catalogued for the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale in Saratoga this summer (Hip 218[3]). Although she did not produce a foal this year, according to Bruce Grossman, who manages Four Tags Stable,  Absolute Patience was bred back to Lemon Drop Kid in 2014.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/12/hangover-kid-bowling-green/

---

Flipcup on top in exciting 3-way finish in New York Oaks

by David Mattice

The Finger Lakes card on Saturday concluded with a three horse photo finish in the 28th renewal of the $75,000 New York Oaks. Flipcup scored a narrow victory over a stubborn Alwaysinstilettos and a closing Storied Lady.

The bay filly trained by William Mott completed the one mile and one-sixteenth route in a time of 1:46.55 She was directed to the neck triumph by John Davila, Jr.

The $214,209 earner registered her fourth career victory and paid $4.30, $2.70 and $2.10. Alwaysinstilettos returned $6.80 and $3.50 for finishing second and Storied Lady paid $2.60 for third.

Team Penny Racing, Wachtel Sable and Brous Stable were the winning owners that were presented a trophy by trainer Eileen Muller. Muller won the 2013 running of the annual test for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies with Miss Rubycubes.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/12/flipcup-new-york-oaks/

---

Galiana strikes again at Delaware Park with Sweet and Sassy score

by Sarah Mace

Galiana (Stonesider[2])’s love affair with Delaware Park showed no sign of cooling off on Saturday when she won the $100,000 Sweet and Sassy Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, to run up her record over the Wilmington oval to 6-5-1-0, including two stakes victories.

Owned and trained by Rodolfo Romero, Galiana saved ground early in third under jockey Abel Lezcano before moving into second at the head of the stretch. Game under a long drive, she wore down pacesetter Winning Image, took the lead one-sixteenth of a mile from home and opened up to get the win by 1 3/4 lengths in a sharp final time of 1:08.92.

A maiden breaker for a $7,500 tag at first asking at Delaware Park in June 2013, and upset winner of Delaware Park’s Tax Free Shopping Distaff for Delaware-bred or Certified fillies and mares the following September, Galiana won the Dashing Beauty this year on June 12 by two lengths. Returning for her fourth race in five and a half weeks in the Sweet and Sassy, she ran up her career record to 8-1-1 from 13 starts with $289,540 in earnings with the victory.

A 4-year-old daughter of Stonesider[2], who stands at Saratoga Stud LLC[3] in Stillwater for a 2014 fee of $3,500, Galiana was bred by John T. Behrendt and Charles Marquis and foaled at Anne Morgan and Tim Little’s Mill Creek Farm[4] in Stillwater. Galiana is the only North American winner to date out of Baby Jess, an unraced Argentinian-bred daughter of Interprete (ARG).

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/12/galiana-sweet-sassy/

---

Favorite Empire Dreams obliges in New York Derby

by Sarah Mace

Heavily favored Empire Dreams (Patriot Act) earned his second career stakes victory for owner West Point Thoroughbreds on Saturday when he ran down Fox Rox in late stretch in the $161,000 New York Derby for New York-bred 3-year-olds run at Finger Lakes at 1 1/16 miles.

Drawn in the outside post of the six-horse field, 1-2 favorite Empire Dreams escaped unscathed when Fox Rox veered out sharply at the break from post one, affecting three horses to his outside. The favorite then took back into fourth to enjoy a comfortable trip in the two path, four lengths behind pacesetter Lady’s Smart Alec.

Gearing up around the far turn under jockey Manuel Franco, and moving into second four wide by the head of the lane, Empire Dreams set his sights on new leader Fox Rox, who inherited first after pressing the pace.

The new leader proved a stubborn foe, but Empire Dreams poked a head in front at the sixteenth marker before spurting off to a 2 1/2-length victory. Fox Rox, second across the line, was demoted to fifth after a jockey’s objection and a stewards’ inquiry. Completing the order of finish were Eye Luv Lulu, Let’s Discuss, Free Mugatu and pacesetter Lady’s Smart Alec. Effinex was a late scratch. The final time was 1:45.55 over the fast going. [VIDEO[2]]

“This is my first time in this race”, said a grateful Franco. “I am thankful to the trainer for the opportunity.”

Trained for West Point by Tom Albertrani, Empire Dreams improved his record to 3-4-1 from nine starts and increased his earnings to $320,500 with the win. His second stakes victory, on top of the six-furlong Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes run at Aqueduct last November, was his first race beyond seven furlongs.

On the board in all four starts this year, Empire Dreams ran second to Loki’s Vengeance in the NYSS Times Square on closing day at Aqueduct, and last out was a solid runner-up in the Mike Lee at Belmont behind the talented Captain Serious, who went on to finish a strong second in the Grade 2 Dwyer last weekend.

Bred by Pegasus Dream Stable and foaled at Donna Sammons’ Farm in Elizaville, Empire Dreams was purchased by West Point for $35,000 at the 2013 OBS spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. Out of Ascended Dreams, an unraced daughter of Thunder Gulch, he has four winning siblings from four to start, including stakes-placed Court of Dreams by Powerscourt (GB).

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/12/empire-dreams-ny-derby/

---