Selenite upsets NYSS Statue of Liberty, gives sire Cosmonaut first progeny stakes winner

by Sarah Mace

Selenite gave her New York-based sire Cosmonaut[2] his first progeny stakes winner when she rallied from midpack to upset the field of the $100,000 Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Stakes.

Trained by David Donk for William J. Punk, Jr. and Philip DiLeo – the connections that brought us multiple New York-bred champion Hessonite – Selenite was relatively ignored by bettors in the field of nine New York-sired 3-year-old fillies.

While Selenite was sent off at odds of 10-1, Donk’s two other entrants, Lady Kreesa (4-1) and Funky Munky Fever (5-1), attracted more attention. All three had competed in the NYSS Cupecoy’s Joy at Belmont Park on June 22. Funky Munky Fever finished second, Lady Kreesa third while Selenite was a well-beaten eighth. The trio was stretching out from the seven furlong turf sprint to a two-turn mile on the grass.

Racing off the rail in fifth in the early stages behind speedy pacesetter Henry’s Gal, Selenite angled out into the three path in upper stretch. The grey/roan filly rallied well and took over the lead with a little more than a sixteenth of a mile to go. Once in front, she opened up a comfortable margin, winning by 1 1/2 lengths.

Favorite Old Harbor, winner of the Cupecoy’s Joy, finished second followed by Henry’s Gal. Next across the finish line were Lady Kreesa, Saythreehailmary’s, Funky Munky Fever, Takeoff Your Hat, Missy Bay and Miss Narcissist. After a 47.66 half-mile, the final time for eighth furlongs over the firm inner turf course was 1:36.64. [VIDEO[3]]

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. said, “The day I broke her maiden, she was way back. She didn’t break that good that day. Today we wanted to make sure she breaks and got a good trip. We wanted to get the best trip we can and that worked for us today. She won. It was a very good trip, I guess. She was ready today.”

Summing up the race for all three of his charges, Donk said, “I really think they’re three decent fillies; they all have a future as they get older. [Lady Kreesa] slipped really bad coming out of the gate, I thought she would be up on the pace. [Jockey] Junior [Alvarado] wasn’t happy with the turf with [Funky Munky Fever]. They’re three decent fillies; I think they all appreciate two turns.”

As to Selenite, Donk said, “I think last time – seven-eighths, one turn – I probably can’t train a one-turn horse, and they went seven-eighths in 1:20 4/5 seconds. [Lady Kreesa and Funky Munky Fever] ran a really good race last time, and I was disappointed with the way [Selenite] ran. It’s nice for one of them to get the money.”

Bred by Flying Zee Stables, Selenite is the first foal out of Offhand Remark, a multiple winner by Western Expression who earned over six figures and is a half-sister to stakes winner Seeyouinmydreams.

The cleverly-named Selenite (literally “moonstone”) is now a three-time winner and earner of $151,903. She changed hands twice at public auction. Purchased by Ellen Kim for $11,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October yearling sale, she brought $20,000 last year at the OBS spring sale of 2-year-olds.

Selenite’s sire Cosmonaut stands at Saratoga Stud, LLC[4].

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/08/04/selenite-statue-of-liberty/

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Mark My Way collects second straight NYSS victory in Cab Calloway

by Sarah Mace

As a light shower passed through Saratoga Springs, Chester and Mary Broman’s 3-year-old homebred Mark My Way (Noonmark) collected his second straight New York Stallion Stakes series victory, kicking away in the stretch to add the one-mile, $100,000 Cab Calloway to his score in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid at Belmont Park on June 22.

In the early stages of the race Mark My Way settled in the two path, three lengths behind 16-1 pacesetter Social Rebellion. Biding his time along the run down the backstretch, the gelding angled out one more path midway on the far turn and was asked for run.

Mark My Way challenged Social Rebellion and new contender Forever Utopia in the stretch, gained the lead inside the final sixteenth and kicked clear to a 2 3/4-length victory. Free Mugatu closed from last to finish second, a nose ahead Prophet’s Cat in third, who poked a head in front of Forever Utopia. Next across the finish line next were Mental Iceberg, Social Rebellion and Winnitude. After a half-mile in 49.73, the final time for the mile over the firm inner turf was 1:37.57. [VIDEO[2]]

Jockey Cornelio Velasquez, also aboard for the Spectacular Bid, said, “[Mark My Way] was in the best position; he stayed in the clear all the way. I went away at the eighth pole when I asked. I had a lot of horse. He’s a good horse. He tries hard.”

Conditioner Linda Rice said she felt confident as the race unfolded. “You know, I thought when he was laying third that there were slow fractions. I thought that the stronger horses were behind him, and I felt that there was a good chance we’d get home.”

In his only previous try going a route of ground, Mark My Way finished a close-up third. Rice said, “I think he’s better at the mile than the seven-eighths. I think he’d run a mile and an eighth very well. So I’m probably going to have to stretch him out to open company. I think he would improve with added distance.”

When asked about the possibility of open stakes competition in the colt’s immediate future, Rice said, “It’s a big step up to go from the Stallion Stakes to open company itself,” adding with a smile, “so maybe I’m going to dance around and find the easiest spot possible.”

Mark My Way has compiled a record of three wins and two thirds from six starts and earned $173,910. He is one of two winners out of Whichwaydidshego, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Storm Cat from the family of Minardi, Tale of the Cat and Johannesburg for whom Chester Broman paid $425,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale. Whichwaydidshego currently has a 2-year-old filly named Hard to Stay Notgo by More Than Ready, and a weanling colt by Bernardini. She was bred back to Bernardini this spring.

Mark My Way’s sire Noonmark, who has relocated to the Philippines, stood in New York from 2010 through 2013 at Sequel Stallions New York[3] in Hudson.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/08/04/mark-my-way-cab-calloway/

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Skyway on top in Del Mar’s Grade 2 Best Pal

by Sarah Mace

John Oxley’s Skyway (Sky Mesa) scored a good-looking 1 1/4-length victory with a strong closing move in Del Mar’s featured Grade 2, $200,250 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs on Sunday. This was an especially welcome first win of the meet for trainer Mark Casse and first local win for rider Stewart Elliot.

Breaking on top from post five, 2-1 favorite Skyway took back into fourth, traveling in the clear two wide and three lengths behind pacesetter Two Six Wins. The pacesetter clocked speedy fractions of 22.20 and 45.23 pushed along by Bad Read Sanchez.

Advancing into contention under hand urging on the turn, Skyway set his sights on new leader Bad Read Sanchez in the stretch. The blaze-faced chestnut colt kicked into high gear and cleared his rival inside the final furlong.

Skyway continued his energetic run to the wire, holding hold off a fast-closing runner-up Harry’s Holiday. Finishing third another length back was Bad Read Sanchez followed by Highway Boss, Two Six Wins, and Story to Tell. Skyway stopped the clock at 1:16.67 after 6 1/2 panels over the Polytrack.

Elliot said, “He broke well, we were in a good spot and he was comfortable. When I asked him (in the stretch), he responded well. He was a little green there. He was wanting to lean in changing his leads (in the stretch). Part of maturing. He’ll learn and go on from here.”

Elliot continued, “He broke his maiden on the Poly(track) (at Keeneland) and the last time he got beat on the dirt. He might have liked going back to the Poly.” Skyway won his debut at Keeneland this spring by six-plus lengths before finishing third to Cinco Charlie in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on June 28.

Casse was thrilled that his colt got him “off the duck” at Del Mar. “I was just wanting any win, but to do it in a Grade 2 is very special,” said Casse. “As long as horses run good, that’s all you can ask for. Any other place if I go 0-for-10 – at Woodbine it happens all the time – people would have been yelling for me to go back home. At New York it would have happened about five starts ago. But here, everybody’s been wonderful.”

Skyway, who has now earned $157,390, will have his next date with the starter in the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on closing day, September 3.

Bred by H. Lewis Rapaport and Sugar Maple Farm, and out of the stakes-winning New York-bred mare Bedside Manner (Dr. Blum), Skyway is a half-brother to talented multiple stakes-winning sprinter Ava K. and six more winners. He was purchased last year by Casse for $165,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.

Bedside Manner currently has a yearling colt by Bluegrass Cat and a weanling Posse Filly. She was bred to Union Rags in the spring.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/08/04/skyway-best-pal/

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