Chief Kitten just up to capture Pulpit Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Chief Kitten, a dark grey 2-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, became a stakes winner in his fourth career start when he capped a rallying trip with a bold late surge to capture the $76,500 Pulpit Stakes by a nose at Gulfstream Park West on Saturday afternoon.

For the first half mile of the one-mile turf event, Chief Kitten (5-1 second choice) had only two of 11 rivals beaten, but had been guided deftly to the hedge early by jockey Edgard Zayas to enjoy a groundsaving trip though the clubhouse turn.

Maneuvering out into the three path along the backstretch run and advancing several spots before entering the lane, Chief Kitten and eventual runner-up Croninthebarbarian were stuck behind horses, but the seas parted in upper stretch and Chief Kitten was able to follow Croninthebarbarian through the seam.

Chief Kitten then dug in, caught up with Croninthebarbarian and won a bob at the wire, while Night Prowler who menaced to his outside, grabbed third just a neck back. After longshot Kutuzov on the lead clocked a fast first half-mile in 46.33, Chief Kitten stopped the clock at 1:37.35 over the firm going.

Edgard Zayas, Gulfstream Park West’s leading rider, said, “I think he had a perfect trip. He broke a little slow. He’s not that fast early. I let him stay back and stayed on the inside and once I got to the backstretch, I got the third lane between horses.”

Continued Zayas, “He just got a perfect trip. In the stretch, they opened up for him. Once he saw the hole, he started running. I knew I got it. Right at the wire, his head went down and the other horse’s went up, and I said, ‘I got it.’”

A homebred for Ken and Sarah Ramsey trained by Chad Brown, Chief Kitten debuted in a 1 1/16 miles state-bred maiden special weight on turf at Saratoga, finishing second to subsequent Grade 2 With Anticipation winner Startup Nation. An odds-on Belmont Park maiden breaker at a mile on September 14, he was unplaced in his stakes debut on October 5 at Keeneland in the Grade 3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes. Working steadily interim at Belmont Park and Palm Meadows, Chief Kitten won the Pulpit Stakes on 55 days’ rest. He has now earned $95,512.

A May Day foal, Chief Kitten is the first starter for his dam Laca, a dirt sprint winner by Cherokee Run. His second dam is Group 3 turf route winner Ibuki Perceive (JPN) who earned $1.3 million abroad. Laca was claimed by the Ramseys for $45,000 on August 14, 2008 and raced four more times before retiring. She currently has a yearling colt by Bluegrass Cat, a weanling filly by Talent Search, and was bred back to Kitten’s Joy this year.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/11/29/chief-kitten-pulpit-stakes/

---

Readthebyline wins NYSS Thunder Rumble off the reclaim

By Sarah Mace

Readthebyline, a 5-year-old gelding by Read the Footnotes reclaimed by trainer Michelle Nevin and owner Vincent Scuderi for $40,000 out of his most recent start, instantly rewarded his connections by scoring his first career stakes victory gate-to-wire in the seven-furlong, $125,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Stakes series. The race was co-featured at Aqueduct on Saturday along with the NYSS Staten Island division for fillies and mares.

Readthebyline was originally acquired by Nevin and Scuderi in March for $30,000 from trainer David Jacobson and Black Swan Stable. The horse won his single start for the barn on May 7 by open lengths, going a mile at Belmont and earning career-high a Beyer Speed Figure of 109. Claimed out of this race by conditioner Bruce Brown for La Marca Stable for $25,000, four starts later on October 10 Nevin and Scuderi capitalized on the opportunity to get him back for $40,000.

Hustled out of the gate by Jose Ortiz, Readthebyline (5-1, co-second choice with two others) struck the front and never had an anxious moment to the wire. Leading by two lengths through a solid first half-mile in 45.70, the bay cornered neatly, and charged home without facing a serious challenge, securing the victory by 2 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:23.85 for seven furlongs over the fast going. Odds on favorite West Hills Giant closed from well back to win a photo with Geaux Mets for place. Finishing in order after the top three were John’s Island, Gridley Here, Loki’s Vengeance, Chapman, Sire Leslie and Belief System. [VIDEO[2]]

Ortiz said, “Michelle [Nevin] gets all the credit. She knows him and he runs good for her. I was pretty lucky when she got him back and put him in a stake. I got the easy lead, and he did it.”

Nevin said spotting the gelding in the Thunder Rumble was just a matter of serendipity. “We weren’t particularly pointing to this race, it just happened to come up.”

Nevin continued, “He does have a ton of speed coming out of the gate, so I was just hoping that nobody else would go with him out too soon, to where he would use himself up. He seems to do his best running up front.”

Bred by Gavin Murphy and Catherine Donavan and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Otisville, Readthebyline is one of six winners and the first stakes winner out of Seattle Byline, a sinning daughter of Slew City Slew who last changed hands when purchased by Questroyal Stable at the 1998 Keeneland January sale for $46,000. As far as names go, a mating with Read the Footnotes was a match made in heaven.

The gelding has been a consistent check-earner, mostly in the allowance ranks. He earned his first black type in 2013 with a third place finish in the Evan Shipman and his record now stands at seven wins, five seconds and seven thirds from 35 starts with $413,335 in earnings

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/11/22/readthebyline-thunder-rumble/

---

Lubash triumphs in G3 Tropical Turf Handicap, crosses $1 million earnings threshold

By Sarah Mace

Aliyu Ben J Stables’ homebred Lubash (Freud) became New York’s latest millionaire as well as a multiple graded stakes winner on Saturday afternoon when he captured the Grade 3, $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park West under a confident ride by Brice Blanc in the final start of his 7-year-old campaign

Sharp out of the gate, 3-2 favorite Lubash was allowed to settle comfortably in fourth place at the hedge in the early stages of the nine-furlong race, while Reporting Star clocked a moderate first half-mile in 50.34.

Beginning to pick up steam in the far turn, Lubash angled out at the head of the stretch and began a four-wide rally. Cruising by his competition inside the final furlong, the bay secured his victory over Reporting Star by a half-length stopping the clock at 1:50.72 after a 1 1/8 miles over “good” turf.

The victory was Lubash’s eighth career stakes win and second Grade 3 victory. A model of consistency, he has finished first or second in seven starts this year, has not been off-the-board since August 2013 and has now earned $1,010,599.

Blanc said, “I had the perfect post. The two speed horses were inside and outside of me at the break. Actually, he broke really sharp and kind of put me in a really good spot. Then, like [trainer] Christophe [Clement] said I just kind of bide my time and see how soft the ground will be.”

Continued Blanc, “[Clement] told me to just be patient because he’s got a great turn of foot, so just try to follow a good path. Pretty much, that’s how it came up. I got around the turn and I was riding between horses. I followed a couple of the horses in front of me and eased out, and when I straightened away he just kicked for me right away.”

Clement explained his decision to take Lubash on this rare out-of-state road trip. “His last race was so good, I decided to come here for the stake before he is turned out. He’s a fun horse because he really, really wants to win. He always runs a good race and makes me look good. I like that.”

The conditioner said that Lubash will turned out for the winter and return to the races next as “a young eight.” Added Clement, “I think the way we campaign, we look after them, and obviously he’s very sound. It’s fine.”

Lubash was trained at three and four by James Ryerson, for whom he won his first three stakes victories (the NYSS Cab Calloway Division, open Fifth Marine Stakes and open Monarch’s Maze). After moving to the Clement Barn in 2012 he has gone from strength to strength, led by his Grade 3 victories in the Tropical Turf Handicap and Belmont’s Fort Marcy in May 2013. His career record now stands at 12 wins, nine seconds and four thirds.

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.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/11/22/lubash-tropical-turf/

---

Disco Rico’s Vicki’s Dancer dons blinkers, repeats in NYSS Staten Island

By Sarah Mace

For the second year in a row Vicki’s Dancer came home with the laurels in the $125,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes series for New York-sired fillies and mares. The seven-furlong race was co-featured at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday afternoon along the NYSS Thunder Rumble division for males.

A 5-year-old daughter of Disco Rico, Vicki’s Dancer had not won a race since last year’s Staten Island, but had not run a bad race in eight starts since, including a second and three thirds in stakes competition and another runner-up finish in an allowance. For her twenty-sixth career start, she sported blinkers for the first time and was bet down to the 3-1 second choice in the field of nine.

Breaking from midpack, Vicki’s Dancer set up in a classic stalking position behind Uncle Southern, who shot straight to the lead from post two. Pursing the leader down the backstretch through early fractions of 23.24 and 46.37, Vicki’s Dancer began to press in earnest through the far turn, drawing even with Uncle Southern, dropping back a little from the added ground and drawing even again.

At the head of the lane Vicki’s Dancer took over the lead, and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. took a look around and went to work. The dark bay mare kept hold of her advantage under a drive for the length of the stretch, winning by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:25.12. Saythreehailmary’s passed Uncle Southern in the final strides to grab second by a half-length. Uncle Southern in third was followed across the line by Storied Lady, 2012 Staten Island winner Sunny Desert, Royal Suspicion, Champagne Ruby, Skye Saratoga and Just Catty. [VIDEO[3]]

Ortiz reported, “My trip was good. [Trainer Rudy Rodriguez] did a great job with the filly, adding blinkers today. It was a good change. She improved with the blinkers, and I think it helped a lot. She put me in a great position, and took off when I asked her.”

Rodriguez added, “I thought with the blinkers on, she’d be a little closer. She hung in there pretty good. She’s nice and sound, so we try to keep her happy. At Saratoga, she looked like she was hanging, hanging, hanging. [Co-owner] Mr. [Michael] Dubb suggested we put blinkers on and it worked.”

One of six winners out of Love That Glitter, an unraced daughter of Glitterman, Vicki’s Dancer was bred by Robert Jarras and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia. Vicki’s Dancer was claimed by Rodriguez for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Gary Aisquith from her breeder in May 2013 for $50,000. She has now won two Stallion Stakes series races, compiled a record of six wins, five seconds and eight thirds from 26 starts and has earned a robust $439,025.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/11/22/vickis-dancer-repeats-staten-island/

---

Regal Minister holds sway in Notebook, Posse progeny take down both NYB stakes at AQU

By Sarah Mace

DATTT Stable homebred Regal Minister gave his New York-based sire Posse (Rockridge Stud[2]) his second progeny stakes winner of the day with a frontrunning open-length victory in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Notebook stakes at 6 furlongs for New York-bred juveniles. The Lewis Dinner, who wired the filly division of Sunday’s new New York-bred stakes races, put one in the win column for Posse earlier on the card.

Making just his second start on the heels of a determined debut sprint victory on October 6, Regal Minister got out of post two sharply at generous odds of 8-1 and outsprinted One Eyed Ray, who broke on the fly from the outside post, for the early lead.

Settling into a good rhythm with One Eyed Ray prompting at his flank, Regal Minister carved out early fractions of 23.15 and 47.64. A host of challengers lined up in the turn, but Regal Minister shook everybody off at the head of the stretch, and opened up all the way to the wire on his way to a dominant 3 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:12.27.

Breakin the Fever, over-eager early and repeatedly checked inside to prevent clipping heels, switched out to the two path in the stretch to get up for second at longshot odds of 36-1, while Bullheaded Boy (7-2), who made a big five wide move on the turn, finished third. Completing the order of finish were Clockwork, odds on favorite Good Luck Gus, Tizquick, One Eyed Ray and Navy Blue. [VIDEO[3]]

Jockey Manny Franco, who also piloted The Lewis Dinner to victory in the Key Cents, said, “My horse has some pace. He broke good and took the lead, and I just tried to keep him nice and easy. When I asked him, he went. I tried to settle him a little bit because he’s strong when he takes the bit. He relaxed pretty good.”

Mark Hennig, the chestnut colt’s conditioner, said, “He’s a neat kind of horse; he’s always trained well. He’s willing to go easy, but when a horse comes to him he’s competitive. He’s not a flashy horse in the morning, but he’s well meant.”

Hennig said that Regal Minister will pointed next to the six-furlong Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes series for New York-sired New York-bred 2-year-olds at Aqueduct on December 28.

Regal Minister, foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, is the first foal out of Dattts Regal, an unraced daughter of Mr. Greeley, who currently has a yearling colt by Freud and a weanling full sister to Regal Minister. She was bred to Warrior’s Reward this year.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/11/16/regal-minister-notebook/

---

The Lewis Dinner serves up frontrunning victory in Key Cents

By Sarah Mace

The Lewis Dinner, a five-plus length maiden breaker in her fourth start exactly a month ago, ratified that victory with a frontrunning score in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Key Cents Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies co-featured at Aqueduct on Sunday afternoon with the Notebook later on the card for males.

A wire-to-wire winner last out, The Lewis Dinner had the challenge of facing other speedy types in the six-horse field, not least odds-on favorite My Super Nova. In the event My Super Nova stumbled at the start and the other speed did not materialize, so that after breaking sharply from post four, within a matter of strides the 7-2 second choice had taken control of the lead. Sandra pressed the pace to her outside.

The Lewis Dinner continued to lead by a diminishing length though early fractions of 22.52 and 46.47, until she was confronted by Sandra at the head of the lane. She then found another gear and kicked away to a 3 3/4-length victory, accompanied by some hallmark tail swishing, in a final time of 1:11.04. Sandra finished second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Sweetpollypurebrd, who closed from fourth into the show spot. Completing the order of finish were Alexandrie, the unfortunate My Super Nova and Dunn Listening. [VIDEO[2]]

Rudy Rodriguez, who trains The Lewis Dinner for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Gary Aisquith, said, “When the horse to beat doesn’t break, it’s always a good thing. I was very comfortable [when The Lewis Dinner got the lead]. I told [jockey] Manny [Franco] to send, and put her near the lead and see what happens from there. We weren’t going to let [My Super Nova] go anyway. It worked out good.”

Franco added, “I’m proud of my filly. Rudy told me to send her out of the gate, and when I saw [My Super Nova] stumble out of the gate, I went.”

This was the first opportunity The Lewis Dinner has had to race over a fast track since her runner-up finish to Graeme Crackers by just a half-length on debut at the Spa on July 18. Third to Bar of Gold in a second appearance at the Spa on August 14 over “good” going, she followed a second place finish to Quezon, next out winner of the Maid of the Mist, with her maiden-breaking effort, both times over a sloppy (sealed) racetrack. Never off the board in five career starts, The Lewis Dinner has now earned $139,500.

Foaled on February 2, 2012 at Vinery NY at Empire Stud in Hudson, The Lewis Dinner is a daughter of Posse (Rockridge Stud[4]) bred by James Lamonica, Lee Sacks, Soave Stables and Posse Syndicate. Her dam Nick’s Honor, an unraced daughter of Jump Start, has produced three winners from three to start, all earners of six figures and stakes performers. Her second foal Kelli Got Frosty by Frost Giant is also a stakes winner. Nick’s Honor has a yearling filly by D’ Funnybone, a weanling filly by Frost Giant and was bred this year to Tale of the Cat.

Changing hands twice via public auction, The Lewis Dinner was picked up by Eisaman Equine at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearlings sale for $50,000, and brought the same price when purchased by Dubb at OBS in April after breezing a furlong in 10.0 seconds in the under tack show.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/11/16/the-lewis-dinner-key-cents/

---