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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Chasing Bubbles upsets Great White Way to complete Posse sweep of NYSS

by Sarah Mace

It was déjà vu all over again at Aqueduct Racetrack on Sunday as progeny of New York-based sire Posse (Rockridge Stud[2]) swept a pair of co-featured juvenile stakes. On November 16 Regal Minister and The Lewis Dinner took down the Notebook and Key Cents Stakes, respectively. On Sunday Chasing Bubbles wired the $150,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes series two races after The Lewis Dinner came back with a victory in the Fifth Avenue[3].

A homebred for Windhorse Thoroughbreds, Chasing Bubbles was let go at odds of 16-1 in the Great White Way, in part due to the presence of heavy 1-2 favorite Disco Partner, and in part due to a class hike. The colt was facing winners for the first time after breaking his maiden by a narrow margin in a $40,000 state-bred claiming race as recently as December 13. In fact, in five prior career starts he had only raced twice at the maiden special weight level and was well-beaten on both occasions.

Ridden aggressively from the bell from post seven by jockey Israel Rodriguez, Chasing Bubbles assumed command of the eight-horse field early and never looked back. As the rest chased two or more lengths back, he carved out a first half-mile in 47.63 and proceeded unchallenged to the wire. Keeping to business as others began to close in mid-to-late stretch, Chasing Bubbles secured the victory by 1 1/2 lengths, completing six furlongs in 1:12.65. Favorite Disco Partner, who stumbled at the start, closed from fourth to finish second, a half-length ahead of Clockwork in third. Following the first three across the line were B. B.’s Remington, Deputy Busterstone, Nick’s Posse, Golden Luck and Gear Jammer. [VIDEO[4]]

Chasing Bubbles began his career by trailing every step of the way in the slop in his August 31 Saratoga debut. In each subsequent start, he has shown good gate speed and, with the exception of another special weight outing on December 3 over off going, carried the speed well. The break-through stakes victory improves his record to two wins a second from six starts and improves his earnings to $124,597,

Jeff Odintz, who is the assistant to winning trainer Ken McPeek, said, “I think you can’t count his first race at Saratoga, and I don’t think he really likes a wet track all that much, either. The first time he got the lead, [in his third start], he got confident. He’s been good since then. He did throw in a clunker since then, but it was a sloppy track against maiden special weights and he was down on the inside and couldn’t get loose on his own. Then we put him in an easier spot, and he got his confidence back.”

Continued Odintz, “[Chasing Bubbles] looked like the main speed today. I didn’t tell the jockey to send him to the front, I let him make that decision on his own, and that’s what he did.”

Chasing Bubbles, who was bred in partnership by Windhorse Thoroughbreds and Mallory Mort, had a right to succeed with the class hike in the Great White Way. Out of Scottish Bubbly, a Florida-bred stakes-winning router by Cherokee Run, he has three winning siblings from three to start, topped by 2-year-old stakes-winning dirt sprinter Sentimental Lass, who earned over $160,000.

Scottish Bubbly currently has a yearling filly by Freud named Champagne Therapy and was bred back to the same stallion last spring.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/29/chasing-bubbles-great-white-way/

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The Lewis Dinner takes third helping of victory in NYSS Fifth Avenue

by Sarah Mace

The Lewis Dinner, a daughter of New York sire Posse (Rockridge Stud[2]), romped by open lengths for the third time in a row in the $150,000 Fifth Avenue Division of the New York Stallion Stakes series, the first of paired NYSS sprint races for eligible New York-sired juveniles co-featured on Sunday’s card at Aqueduct.

A dominant winner of the Key Cents Stakes on November 16 at Belmont at the same six-furlong distance as the Fifth Avenue, The Lewis Dinner broke her maiden two races back in the mud at Belmont in her fourth career start. Coming into the Fifth Avenue she had won her two prior starts by seven-plus lengths combined.

Reunited with Key Cents jockey Manuel Franco and bet down to 30 cents on the dollar in the field of six, The Lewis Dinner broke a step slowly, but moved right up to challenge early leader Saluda, vying through a first quarter mile in 23.12.

Taking control of affairs in the far turn, The Lewis Dinner entered the upper stretch with a decisive lead. Widening her advantage for the length of the stretch and geared down before the wire, she finished a 4 3/4-length winner, stopping the clock at 1:12.46 after six furlongs over the fast going.

Maiden Kathy’s Humor closed from fourth between horses to capture the place spot in her second career start, and 3 1/2 lengths back early frontrunner Saluda won the photo for third over Omagoddonna. Longshot Shangala completed the order of the finish. [VIDEO[3]]

Jockey Manuel Franco reported, “[The Lewis Dinner] took a bad step out the gate, but after that she took the lead pretty easy. She went well and I think she improved from last time out [in the Key Cents].”

Gustavo Delgado, assistant Rudy Rodriguez who trains The Lewis Dinner for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Gary Aisquith, added, “We’ve always liked her. We thought she ran good; Manny didn’t ask her for much. She didn’t switch leads in the stretch, but Manny said he just left her alone because she was running so well. She was a little difficult to work with at the beginning [of her career], but she showed us she was good. As she keeps running, she gets calmer and better.”

The Lewis Dinner finished a close-up second in her Saratoga debut on July 18. She is now a dual stakes winner and has yet to finish off the board in six races. Her record stands at 3-2-1 with $229,500 in earnings.

Bred by James Lamonica, Lee Sacks, Soave Stables and Posse Syndicate and foaled on February 2, 2012 at Vinery NY at Empire Stud in Hudson, The Lewis Dinner is out of Nick’s Honor, an unraced daughter of Jump Start. Nick’s Honor 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 at public auction, The Lewis Dinner was picked up by Eisaman Equine at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling 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. The filly was named by Michael Caruso, a partner of Bethlehem Stables and three-time wrestling champion at Lehigh University. The name commemorates the annual end-of-season team dinner begun in 1924 by Roy Lewis, a manager at Bethlehem Steel whose sons were members of the wrestling team.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/29/the-lewis-dinner-nyss-park-avenue/

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Good Luck Gus overcomes outside draw to capture Damon Runyon

[1]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

Good Luck Gus (Lookin At Lucky), dominant winner of the New York Breeders’ Futurity for New York-bred juveniles at Finger Lakes on October 4, became a two-time stakes winner on Sunday afternoon when he overcame the widest draw of all in a field of 11 New York-bred 2-year-olds to take down Aqueduct’s $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes.

When Good Luck Gus drew post 12 to go one mile, 70 yards around two turns over the Aqueduct inner track (post 11 after the scratch of Navy Blue), both trainer Rudy Rodriguez and majority owner Michael Dubb considered scratching, and doubts lingered, at least in Dubb’s mind, until post time. Ultimately, though, Rodriguez felt going in that the draw could be an advantage.

Good Luck Gus finished fifth last out as the 3-5 favorite in the Notebook Stakes on November 16. “If you watch the race, he was jumping and climbing the whole race,” Rodriguez said. “At the top of the stretch, he checked and almost clipped heels, and then when he got to the outside, he started moving along. I think he got very scared when the dirt hit him in the face.” Rodriguez felt that even if his horse lost ground in the Damon Runyon, the wide draw would allow him both to get good position and avoid getting dirt in his face.

Bet down to the 9-2 fifth choice at post time, Good Luck Gus broke well and set up for a stalking trip in the early stages under jockey Ruben Silvera, as pacesetter Regal Minister sailed through early splits of 23.21 and 48.17 seconds. Advancing to third in the three-path along the backstretch run, Good Luck Gus made a successful bid for the lead in the far turn and hit the quarter pole in front. Asked for more in the stretch, Good Luck Gus held off the closers to win by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:45.80.

A fast-finishing Bullheaded Boy, who has danced all the stakes dances for New York-bred juveniles this year, closed well to nip Tizquick for second by a head. Completing the order of finish were Fleeting, Regal Minister, Saint Joseph, Possilicious, Thrown of my Own, Masons Dream, J C’s Not Brown, and Che La Luna. According to Trakus, Good Luck Gus traveled 39 feet more than the runner up. [VIDEO[2]]

Rodriguez was thrilled with Good Luck Gus’s performance. “Since we got him he’s been very special to us. He’s been training very, very well. The post position was a little hard; we were thinking of scratching, but I think we made the right decision, and he proved it today. I told Silvera not to worry about losing ground, just be well placed. He fought on, and looked like he could handle 1 1/8 miles today.”

Michael Dubb, who purchased the colt at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale for $97,000, said, “I liked this horse so much I wanted to run in the [Grade 2] Jerome [on January 3]. This horse is by Lookin At Lucky; he wants to go two turns. When we drew the number 12, I said to Rudy, ‘I would be fine waiting’ because I have that much confidence in this horse. He’s two turns, and getting better.”

Dubb was also quick to acknowledge his trainer’s better judgment in opting not to scratch. “Just 10 minutes before the race we were kidding around,” said Dubb. “I said, ‘Rudy, what are you going to tell the jockey?’ And he said, ‘Fourth on the outside, no dirt in the face.’ And he said, ‘What would you tell the jock?’ And I said, ‘Well, I would have scratched.’ Which shows you what the dumb owner knows.”

As to the future, Dubb added, “We’re really excited about this horse. He keeps going and is training great. To win from out there, you’re several lengths the best. We might look at something open next for him.”

A maiden-breaker at Saratoga in the slop second out on July 28, Good Luck Gus won the New York Breeders’ Futurity two starts later before running second to Ostrolenka in the Sleepy Hollow at Belmont. Blinkers added for his last four starts have helped overcome some greenness, which led him to hop tire tracks in his first two outings. From three wins and second in seven starts, Good Luck Gus has earned $330,059.

Bred by Fred W. Hertrich III and foaled on April 28, 2012 at Majestic View Farms in Gardiner, Good Luck Gus is one of two winners, and the only registered New York-bred foal, out of Tacticmove, a daughter of Deputy Minister out of multiple Grade 1 winner Strategic Maneuver who was unplaced in one start. The mare, who also is a half-sister to Group 3 turf winner Ishiguru (Ireland) and Grade 2 dirt route winner Cat Fighter, was purchased by Hertrich at the 2011 Keeneland November sale for $35,000 and has since been resold.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/14/good-luck-gus-damon-runyon/

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Freudie Anne dominates East View in frontrunning style

By Sarah Mace

Freudie Anne chalked up another stakes victory for New York’s leading sire Freud, the stallion’s eighth for the year, when she dominated the six-horse field of the $100,000 East View Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies by more than nine lengths at Aqueduct on Sunday afternoon. The one-mile 70 yard, two-turn contest on the inner oval was co-featured with the Damon Runyon for males.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally for Marc Detampel, Freudie Anne was starting for the fourth time in the East View following a 4 1/2-length score in an off-the-turf, first-level allowance at a mile over Aqueduct’s main track on November 19. The East View was also the filly’s second stakes appearance. A debut maiden breaker at Belmont Park in a turf sprint on September 7, she had a poor outing second out in the seven-furlong Joseph A. Gimma on September 21 in the mud.

Kenneally reported, “She didn’t break sharp [in the Gimma] and got discouraged early on when the dirt hit her in the face; nothing went right for her. She’s a filly who’s grown up a little bit since then.”

Freudie Anne did end up breaking break well on Sunday as she exited post four as the narrow 7-5 favorite over 8-5 Building Permit. Outsprinting the field early, she crossed over and assumed the lead by the time the fillies entered the clubhouse turn.

Maintaining a comfortable lead over her closest pursuer My Super Nova along the back stretch run, Freudie Anne widened her lead from two to five lengths in the turn with little apparent effort, and entered the home stretch in full command. Widening her advantage under a bit of drive in the stretch, she crossed the finish line geared down a 9 3/4-length winner.

Hot City Girl, a half-sister to star sprinter La Verdad, closed to grab second by a half-length over Building Permit. Completing the order of finish were My Super Nova, Sweetpollypurebrd and Classic Aussie. Able to clock steady fractions throughout, Freudie Anne stopped the clock at 1:44.50. [VIDEO[2]]

Winning jockey Jose Ortiz felt that the sharp break and the opportunity to set a moderate pace were the keys to victory. “She broke good,” said Ortiz. “It seemed like there was a lot of speed in the race, but my filly was so game, and broke really sharp. I was able to get the lead easy; I thought I would have to go :23, :47 to get the lead, but everyone took back. My filly relaxed very well, and when I asked her to go I had a lot of horse.”

Kenneally said, “I think she’s a versatile filly. Originally, we scheduled to run her on dirt on closing weekend at Saratoga, but it didn’t work out, and the next maiden race that came up happened to be on turf. She’s as good or better on the dirt, and she showed that today.”

Bred by Delaney Stable and foaled on March 31, 2012 at Keane Stud in Amenia, Freudie Anne was, in retrospect, a steal both times she passed through the auction ring. A $14,000 weanling at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton fall mixed sale in Saratoga, she was purchased by Jayne Johnson the following year for $9,000 at the Keeneland September sale. Three-for-four lifetime, Freudie Anne has now earned $141,500.

Freudie Anne’s unraced dam Lake Toccet (Toccet) is a half-sister to turf stakes-placed Irish Princess and both of her foals to start are winners. Her yearling filly by Frost Giant brought $18,000 this fall at the Fasig-Tipton fall mixed sale and she produced a colt this year by Giant Surprise.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/14/freudie-anne-east-view/

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