When opportunity knocked for Sunshine Millions Sprint, Weekend Hideaway answered

by Sarah Mace

When the announcement came that entries for Gulfstream’s Sunshine Millions were opened up to horses bred in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland as well as Florida, trainer Phil Serpe immediately thought that the $100,000 Sprint Stakes at six furlongs would be just right for Red and Black Stable’s Weekend Hideaway. The 5-year-old son of Speightstown obliged on Saturday with a resounding four-length stalker’s victory under Javier Castellano.

Breaking sharply from his outside post as the 5-1 third choice, Weekend Hideaway immediately set up shop at the flank of speedy pacesetter and 4-5 favorite Happy My Way, the who broke on top from the rail.

After stalking the leader through an opening quarter mile in 22.76 and a half in 44.96, Weekend Hideaway began his winning bid at the top of the stretch. He took command with a furlong to go and drew off to a no-doubt-about-it four-length victory in a final time of 1:08.64. Grand Shores got up for second, leaving pacesetter Happy My Way to pick up the show [VIDEO[2]].

Castellano said, “The way I handicapped the race, Happy My Way had the speed and the one-hole, so he had to go. I sat right off the pace, and it worked out great. I think the outside post gave me a big plus to win the race.”

Added Castellano, “The way [Weekend Hideaway] did it in the last part, he was very comfortable. I know they went really fast on the pace and it paid off in the last part of the race.”

Trainer Phil Serpe explained that as soon as he heard about the expanded entries for the Millions, it seemed like the right move: “At that point, it was kind of a no-brainer. We were actually looking for a spot for him. It all worked out well for us.” Serpe also pointed out, “He’s really been touting himself down here. His [four] works [at Gulfstream] were excellent and we really thought he’d run well.”

Weekend Hideaway is now a five-time stakes winner with a career record of seven wins, three seconds and three thirds from 20 starts. His victory in the Sunshine Millions Sprint pushes his earnings over the half-million dollar mark to $507,332

Winner of the David Stakes and Bertram F. Bongard as a juvenile, as well as finishing third in the Grade 2 Futurity, the following year Weekend Hideaway posted a frontrunning victory in the open Gone Fishin overnight stakes at Belmont. He collected his fourth stakes victory at the Spa last summer with a wire-to-wire tally in the John Morrissey

Bred by the late Carl Lizza’s Flying Zee Stables, for whom Serpe was a long-time trainer, and foaled at Highcliff Farm in Delanson, Weekend Hideaway is the first foal and only starter out of New York-bred Apocalyptical, an unplaced New York-bred daughter of Wiseman’s Ferry. Weekend Hideaway was purchased by Michael Hoffman’s Red and Black Stable for $40,000 in the yearling portion of the Flying Zee Dispersal in October 2011.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2015/01/17/sunshine-millions-sprint-weekend-hideaway/

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Willet “nailed it” in Interborough for fifth career stakes victory

by Sarah Mace

Willet kicked off her 7-year old campaign by posting her fifth career stakes victory, and the first New York-bred stakes score of the year, when she won Aqueduct’s $100,000 Interborough Stakes for older fillies and mares on Saturday from off the pace.

Willet was looking to get back in the winner’s circle first the first time since the summer, when she recorded a win a state-bred conditioned allowance sprint at Saratoga on July 30, but since that victory had put up a series of strong performances in imposing company. She collected a pair of thirds behind female sprinter Eclipse Award finalist Artemis Agrotera in the Grade 1 Ballerina and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, and finished second to New York-bred graded stakes winner La Verdad in the Iroquois on Empire Showcase Day. In her most recent start Willet disappointed with a third-place finish third in the slop in the Garland of Roses as the 6-5 favorite. She came into Saturday’s race looking sharp though, with a five-furlong bullet move over the inner on January 11 under her belt.

Breaking from post three (of six) as the 2-1 favorite, Willet ran a reserved race for the first half mile, falling back by as much as nine lengths, while speedier types – Bridgehampton, pursed by Cape Cod Carol and Aireofdistinction – carved out early fractions of 22.57 and 45.41.

Picking up steam around the far turn, the bay mare swung out widest of all at the head of the stretch and steadily picked off rivals. After a perfectly-timed ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr., she reached the finish line with all the momentum and a 1 1/2-length advantage. Aireofdistinction held second, while Expression closed into third. The final time for six furlongs was 1:10.65. [VIDEO[2]]

Ortiz reported, “I got a pretty good trip. She likes to come from behind. When she broke she was relaxed, and she finished pretty good. She was ready.”

Jimmy Iselin, winning trainer of Willet and co-owner with Charlotte Assoulin and Eli Gindi, said, “It’s great that she should come back after the last race [the Garland of Roses]. That was a little concerning. But after that race, she was flourishing. So we made a decision to race on a great day and a great track. It’s exciting that she came back and showed what she can do.”

Willet’s last stakes victory came in the mud in the Touch of Love overnight stakes for state-bred fillies and mares at Aqueduct on December 2013, the same year she won the Union Avenue and Princess Dixie in back to back starts. In 2012 she dazzled in the mud with a nine-plus-length romp in the Iroquois Stakes.

Only three times out of the money in 23 starts, Willet’s record stands at 9-7-4 with earnings approaching the three-quarter million dollar mark at $746,900.

As to future plans, Iselin said, “We’ll sit down and enjoy today and go back to the drawing board.”

Bred by the late Michael T. Martin and foaled at Highcliff Farm in Delanson Willet is out of Katina K, a winning daughter of Distinctive Pro out of New York-bred Grade 3 winner Darlin Momma (Night Invader). Katina K has produced four winners from four starters, including 10-time winner Dr. Quirk (Tomorrows Cat) who earned $159,305. The mare’s most recent reported foal is a yearling filly by Majestic Warrior and in 2014 she was bred to Warrior’s Reward.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2015/01/17/willet-interborough/

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