Sinistra scores special victory for Grusmark at long odds in the Evan Shipman

by Sarah Mace

Chevalier Stable’s Sinistra, a 4-year-old gelding by New York-based Stonesider[2] (Saratoga Stud LLC[3]), won his first stakes victory in Thursday’s $100,000 Evan Shipman Stakes for New York-breds as the longest shot on the board at 27-1, while giving trainer Karl Grusmark his first stakes win at the Spa. The Evan Shipman, run at 1 1/8 miles over a sloppy (sealed) main track, is the first of 10 stakes restricted to New York-breds on the Saratoga calendar.

Sinistra, who was making his Saratoga debut in his twenty-second career start, was forwardly placed by jockey Rosie Napravnik after the break and navigated the clubhouse turn three wide, two lengths behind speedsters Escapefromreality and Big Business.

Still three wide around the far turn in third position, Sinistra came under a ride at the top of the stretch and edged closer to the leaders.

[4]Still with a length to make up with a furlong to go, Sinistra kept on advancing and just got up in the final jumps to secure the victory over Big Business by a head. Escapefromreality finished a neck back in third. Completing the order of finish were Awesome Vision, Sailmate, Beautyinthepulpit, Moneyinyour Pocket and Fox Rules. After moderate early fractions of 24.59, 49.90 and 1:14.55 in the mud, and mile run in 1:39.17, the final time for nine furlongs was 1:51.96. [VIDEO[5]]

Napravnik, aboard Sinistra for the first time, said, “We sat pretty close to the pace, and I think he’s the type of horse where he doesn’t have a huge kick but he’ll keep grinding away, and he was sticking his neck out. Karl [Grusmark] told me he was kind of one-paced. He just kept grinding away. He’s a horse with a lot of heart.”

Grusmark said, “I’ve won races here through the years since the ’70s and this is the first stake [I’ve won] at this track. It’s very exciting. Anytime you win a good race, it’s very satisfying.”

In in his only prior stakes appearance Sinistra had finished a close second to graded stakes winner Zivo in the Kings Point at Aqueduct in February at 29-1, and his winning performance in the Shipman came as less of a surprise to his trainer than to most.

Said Grusmark, “We weren’t considered to be a good choice by the public, but we knew this horse loved the mud and he loved the distance. We’ve never had a chance to run him a mile and an eighth. This was his first opportunity and he ran like we thought he would. He’s just kind of a plodder. You get him in a good position early and he just kind of stays and wears horses down.”

When asked what he plans next for his charge, Grusmark said “The next New York-bred stakes race!” Sinistra, who raced throughout the winter at Aqueduct, cleared his state-bred conditions in late June. He has four wins, six seconds and three thirds from 22 starts and has earned $258,259

Bred by Edward L. Shapoff, foaled at Rojan Farm in Schuylerville and campaigned under the banner of Shapoff’s Chevalier Stable, Sinistra is one of three winners, and the first black type winner out of Margin for Error, Chevalier Stable’s placed daughter of Dixie Brass.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/31/sinistra-evan-shipman/

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Favorite Bullheaded Boy wins debut for Gary Barber, gives Bullsbay first winner

by Sarah Mace

Gary Barber’s Bullheaded Boy got his career off to an auspicious start and gave his sire, first year stallion Bullsbay, his first winner, when he captured his debut at Saratoga on Thursday afternoon in a five-furlong maiden special weight for New York-bred 2-year-olds for the potent duo of Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez.

After being bumped at the break, Bullheaded Boy, 3-5 post time favorite, got right into gear and chased duelers Scorecard Harry and Watergate a length off the pace through early fractions of 22.54 and 46.20.

Rounding the turn four wide, Bullheaded Boy launched his bid in upper stretch, passed the two pacesetters and was left with the task of running down Persuasive Devil, who cut the corner in the turn to get into contention.

Persuasive Devil hung on with determination, but Bullheaded Boy prevailed in the final sixteenth, getting the victory by a half-length in a final time of 58.67 over the sloppy (sealed) going. [VIDEO[2]]

Bred by Zeke Kobak and Danny Bramer and foaled on May 2, 2012 at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Bullheaded Boy is the first starter out of Sister Dyer, a placed daughter of Pulpit. The colt’s second dam is 2-year-old Grade 2 dirt route winner Belterra, who won all three starts as a juvenile and earned over $300,000.

After failing to meet his reserve when offered as a weanling, Bullheaded Boy was purchased by 2-year-old pinhooker Justin Casse for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred sale last summer. When Casse Sales consigned the colt at OBS June, Casse recommended him to his client Gary Barber, and purchased him on Barber’s behalf for $115,000.

Casse said, “I wouldn’t have bought him [as a yearling] if he wasn’t a NY-bred. He was my favorite horse in the New York-bred sale. I know what it’s like to sell New York-breds and it’s always very lucrative. He was so pretty. I knew it didn’t matter who he was by, he would sell well if I could get him to work fast [as a 2-year-old].”

Casse added that the colt would probably be at his best going longer distances.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/31/bullheaded-boy-debut/

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