In-form Invading Humor fights back to gain Hettinger victory

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[1]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

by Sarah Mace

Invading Humor, a 4-year-old daughter of Invasor (Arg), made a memorable stakes debut in the $125,000 John Hettinger, contesting the pace from the bell and fighting to regain the lead after being headed in upper stretch to secure her fourth consecutive victory. The Hettinger is the filly and mare division of a pair of 1 1/8-mile turf contests for New York-breds co-featured on Belmont’s Sunday card.

Trained by Bruce Levine for Bloodline Racing Partnerships, Invading Humor cleared her second New York-bred allowance condition at Belmont in July going six furlongs on turf. Stretching out progressively in a pair of races three weeks apart in Saratoga, the dark bay filly took a one-mile conditioned state-bred allowance on August 4 and a 1 1/16 mile open allowance on August 23, racing on or near the lead both times.

Partnered with Rajiv Maragh for her stakes debut, 5-1 Invading Humor broke sharply from the outside post and entered the clubhouse turn three wide. She was able to move in one path after the battle for the lead narrowed down to her and 16-1 Princess Mara. The two contested the top spot for the length of the backstretch, tracked in third and fourth by 3-5 favorite Effie Trinket and Mah Jong Maddnes.

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[2]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

Invading Humor edged clear exiting the far turn, but was headed in upper stretch by Effie Trinket and Mah Jong Maddnes who bid in tandem. Invading Humor fought back with determination at the rail, regained the lead and went on to win by one length while holding held off a late run from Broman homebred Strike Accord. The 40-1 longshot came barreling down the center of the track to get up for second over Effie Trinket. Completing the order of finish were Selenite, Dreaming of Cara, Frosty Bay, Stock Fund, Mah Jong Maddnes and Princess Mara. The final time for nine furlongs over the “good” inner turf course was 1:49.47.  [VIDEO[3]]

Winning jockey Rajiv Maragh said, “I didn’t ask her until I got to the stretch. I thought I still had horse, but until you let them loose you never know. When I asked her to run, she just sprinted away. I hadn’t ridden her in a while, but I won on her going a mile. This was only a furlong more, and I thought she could handle it. Even through the wire, she kept on going.”

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[4]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

A delighted Bruce Levine said, “She’s really been a little bit of a surprise. She’s overachieved this year. She’s got a big heart and is as game as they come. I was a little nervous when the other two went outside them [Effie Trinket and Mah Jong Maddnes], but she’s a fighter. But when she dug in and they straightened out, I knew she had more.

A winner of six races, with one second and a third from twelve career starts and $303,700-earner, Invading Humor was bred by Dr. James Randall Mcglinn, breeder and General Manager, of Bloodlines Racing Partnerships, which primarily campaigns registered New York- and Pennsylvania-breds.

Foaled at Sickle Pond Farm in Stillwater, Invading Humor is the first foal out of Very Funny, a placed Kentucky-bred daughter of Distorted Humor purchased by Mcglinn at the 2009 Keeneland January sale for $16,000. A New York-bred full sister Distorted Beauty has a win and two seconds from three starts and has earned over $138,000. The mare currently has a yearling filly and weanling filly both by Freud.

Levine plans to bring Invading Humor back in the $150,000 Iroquois on Empire Showcase Day (October 18).

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Invading-Humor3.jpg
  2. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Invading-Humor4.jpg
  3. VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20140914&track=BED&race=9
  4. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Invading-Humor5.jpg

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/09/14/invading-humor-hettinger/

Lubash turns tables on King Kreesa in stirring Ashley T. Cole

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[1]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

by Sarah Mace

Aliyu Ben J Stables’ seven-year-old homebred Lubash (Freud[2]), the elder statesman in the battle of the New York-bred turf Titans at Belmont Park on Sunday – aka the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole – avenged his head loss to King Kreesa at the Spa in the August 24 West Point by running down his rival in deep stretch to secure a narrow victory from off the pace.

The win was Lubash’s second Cole win, seventh stakes tally and eleventh career victory. With his $75,000 share of the purse he boosted his earnings yet nearer to the $1 million dollar threshold: $911,079.

Lubash, the 2-1 second choice, settled early in the back of the five-horse field and enjoyed a groundsaving trip four lengths off the pace while King Kreesa, the 7-5 favorite, flashed his customary speed, securing both the lead and rail before entering the clubhouse turn,

Unhurried along the backstretch while Kharafa pressed King Kreesa up front, Lubash started to gear up around the far turn and came off the rail.

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[3]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

Angling out at the top of the stretch, Lubash turned all business, pinning his ears, making up ground and passing Kharafa in midstretch. He then set about eroding King Kreesa’s lead. The two raced briefly in tandem, before Lubash edged ahead to get the win by neck. The final time for 1 1/8 miles over the “good” Belmont inner turf course was 1:47.82. The game King Kreesa crossed the line 2 3/4 lengths clear of Kharafa in third. Completing the order of finish were Front and Notacatbutallama. [VIDEO[4]]

Junior Alvarado, Lubash’s regular rider since his close runner-up finish to Kharafa in last year’s Ashley T. Cole, said, “He’s such a good horse. He might not win every time, but he always shows up. When I turned for home and saw it was [King Kreesa] ahead of me, I thought, ‘Oh, no, I have to catch that one?’ But he tried his best like always and came through.”

Trainer Christophe Clement added, with a nod to the quality of the competition, “He’s a sound horse and he tries very hard. Junior has a good relationship with the horse; he knows him inside out. This is fun. This is a very good group of New York-bred turf horses. King Kreesa and Kharafa are always tough.”

After racing at three and four for James Ryerson, Lubash moved to the Clement Barn in 2012. In 20 starts for team Clement Lubash has won six races, including the West Point, Ashley T. Cole twice and Grade 3 Fort Marcy. He has been sharp this year, with a record of three wins and two seconds from five starts.

Foaled at Carapan Farm, Lubash is the most successful offspring of Nasty Cure, a stakes-placed daughter of Cure the Blues ($153,122), who has produced five multiple winners including stakes-placed New York-bred Netcong by Meadow Flight, who started 87 times and banked $327,924.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lubash-the-ashley-t-cole2.jpg
  2. Freud: http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/119270/freud
  3. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lubash-the-ashley-t-cole3.jpg
  4. VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20140914&track=BED&race=4

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/09/14/lubash-ashley-t-cole-14/

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