Big Business gets the job done in Alex M. Robb

by Sarah Mace

After performing at a high level all year, but having to settle for a string of five second place finishes in stakes races in 2014, including the Grade 1 Forego, Big Business (Eddington) gave his connections a gratifying New Year’s Eve present at Aqueduct on Wednesday with a game victory in a competitive renewal of the $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes.

Trained by David Jacobson for Gary Barber, Big Business was last seen taking on the toughest of rivals in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, where he finished fourth after a three-wide trip. Returning to state-bred company in the Robb and partnered with Fernando Jara for the 1 1/16-mile contest, the 6-year-old chestnut gelding was bet down to 5-2 favoritism.

After getting away well from his inside post and saving ground through the first turn, Big Business set up in a prime stalking position behind pacesetters West Hills Giant and Readthebyline, who vied up front through an opening half-mile in 47.55 and three-quarters in 1:11.74.

Big Business began his bid in earnest at the five-sixteenths marker. He swung out three wide into the lane and in midstretch took over the lead from West Hills Giant, who had finally shaken off his rival.

Big Business was then called upon to hold off a strong late charge from Beautyinthepulpit (5-1), and dug in gamely to secure the victory by a head. Next across the line were West Hills Giant, Effinex, Gridley Here, Awesome Vision, Readthebyline, and Sinistra. The winner’s final time was 1:44.33. [VIDEO[2]]

Proud of his charge’s game victory, Jacobson said, “I think he felt Rudy’s horse [Beautyinthepulpit] coming on in the stretch and he fought on until the finish, that’s the kind of horse he is.”

Added Jacobson, “It was a bit frustrating to keep running and finishing second, but that’s a credit to the competition he faced as well.”

Big Business, who also won two allowance races in 2014, finished second in the Grade 1 Forego, and four state-bred stakes: the Commentator Handicap, Hudson Handicap, Evan Shipman Stakes and John Morrissey Stakes. He has compiled an impressive career record of 11 wins, 10 seconds and five thirds from 33 starts and has earned $763,430.

Bred by Henthorn Racing Inc. and foaled at Pucker Ridge Farm[3] in Warrensburg, Big Business is one of two winners out of Spanish Guitar, a multiple stakes winning Texas-bred mare by Birdonthewire. Henthorn Racing purchased the $119,967-earner for only $12,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale in 1999.

Offered for sale twice without meeting his reserve, third time around Big Business brought $115,000 as a 2-year-old in training, purchased by Dr. Mikel C. Harrington, agent at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale.

Jacobson said he does not have any particular race in mind for his charge’s next start: “[Big Business] surprises me all the time and we take one race at a time to see where he will be run next.”

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/31/big-business-alex-m-robb/

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Storied Lady closes 2014 with breakthrough stakes victory in Bay Ridge

by Sarah Mace

Capping a trio of stakes placings earlier this year, Tri-County Stables homebred Storied Lady (Read the Footnotes) broke through with a victory on her final official day as a 3-year-old, winning Aqueduct’s inaugural running of the Bay Ridge Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the New Year’s Eve Card.

Bet down to 6-1 odds the competitive field of 11 fillies and mares, Storied Lady was forwardly placed from post ten after the break, got a four-wide trip around the clubhouse turn and settled in fourth/fifth for the backstretch run. Asked for more after a half-mile she made her way into contention around the far turn – again four-wide.

Offering a direct challenge midstretch to Miss Da Point, who had taken over the lead from early longshot pacesetter Little Rocket, the bay filly gained the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go and kicked away to a two-length victory under a vigorous hand ride.

Miss Da Point had to settle for second, while a length back Macha, Jcs American Dream, Royal Suspicion and Hot Rendezvous crossed the wire less than a length apart. Rounding out the finishers were Miss Narcissist, Carameaway (half of the favored entry with Dreaming of Cara), Flipcup, Little Rocket and Dreaming of Cara. After a half-mile in 48.06, the final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:47.05. [VIDEO[2]]

Winning jockey Jose Ortiz said, “She broke great, I had great position along the backside and at the half-mile pole I asked her for a little bit more and she got going. I tried to hand ride her in the stretch, but when I hit her with the whip she responded and gave me another good run.”

Storied Lady added blinkers two starts back on November 22 for the seven-furlong Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes series, where she finished a close-up fourth under Javier Castellano. On December 14, paired for the first time with Ortiz, she won a second level state-bred allowance going 1 mile, seventy yards by four lengths with the equipment.

John Hertler, who trains the filly for Tri Country, said,  “We put blinkers on her [two starts back] and that seemed to move her up. She quieted down and got her act together. She ran a good race with Javier [Castellano that day] and got beat 1 3/4 lengths and then next time she turned it on.”

As to Storied Lady’s immediate future, Hertler added, “I don’t know what’s next for her; the owners want to give her a break, but we’ll see what happens.”

Storied Lady, who was foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, is one of seven winners and two stakes winners out of Wide Barrel, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Broad Brush. Love Abroad (Not For Love), who earned more than $250,000, also won a stakes race routing at Aqueduct and Barrel of Love, a turf runner by the same sire, is a black type performer who has earned nearly $300,000.

Storied Lady, who raced 13 times in 2014, now has four wins, a second and four thirds in 15 career starts and $242,636 in earnings.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/31/storied-lady-bay-ridge/

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