NEWS: RACING

Sophomore offspring of Posse, Sir Whimsey take down divisions of NYSS at Aqueduct

Monday, April 27th, 2015
NYRA/Adam Coglianese

Possessed (NYRA/Adam Coglianese)

by Sarah Mace

Offspring of Posse and Sir Whimsey earned respective bragging rights in a pair of 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 New York Stallion Series (NYSS) stakes contested Sunday on Aqueduct Racetrack’s closing day. Odds-on favorite Possessed by Posse kicked off the card with a victory in the Times Square division, while later in the card Take Issue by Sir Whimsey won the Park Avenue division for fillies at odds of 14-1. The races were restricted to eligible New York-sired sophomores.

Possessed, sired by perennial top-two New York sire Posse (Rockridge Stud) and trained by Charlton Baker, who co-owns of the colt in partnership with Dan Hayden, defeated four rivals as the 6-5 favorite in the earlier heat of the NYSS.

After breaking outwards under jockey Jose Ortiz from post three, Possessed pressed the pace outside Clockwork through fractions of 23.63 and 46.16. The dark bay / brown colt intensified the pressure in the turn and dispatched his rival in upper stretch, leaving enough in the tank to hold off a strong late challenge by Organic Gemini. A one-length winner. Possessed stopped the clock after 6 1/2 furlongs at 1:17.32. Organic Gemini was second, while Disco Partner, B. B.’s Remington and Clockwork completed the order of finish. [VIDEO]

Possessed has collected two wins, three seconds and a third in seven career starts and earned $134,950. A maiden-breaker in his fourth try after three solid efforts, two starts back he finished third in a muddy running of the open Jimmy Winkfield.

Bred by Grapestock, LLC and foaled at Vinery New York at Empire Stud in Hudson, the colt is the second black type winner out of Ibetyouwishyouknew (Mr. Greeley). Possessed’s half-sister by Sunriver also won a division of the NYSS. Ibetyouwishyouknew currently has a yearling by Soaring Empire and was bred last year to Graydar.

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NYRA/Adam Coglianese

Take Issue (NYRA/Adam Coglianese)

In the Park Avenue for fillies, Take Issue, a daughter of Sir Whimsey, sprang a 14-1 surprise on multiple stakes winner and odds-on favorite The Lewis Dinner, who seemed tough to handle from beginning to end.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Take Issue was making only her fourth career start in the Park Avenue, but came into the race riding a two-race win streak, having broken her maiden second out at the $25,000 claiming level on January 30 at Aqueduct and winning a state-bred allowance on February 26. Returning eight weeks later with a quartet of works under her belt, Take Issue was reunited with jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard for both prior wins.

After a good break, Take Issue settled back in fifth in the two-path for the first half mile, as much as six lengths off the lead.

Closing ground through the turn and fanning wide at the top of the stretch, she launched a strong rally, passed three rivals in the final seventy yards and continued with good momentum on her way to a 1 1/4-length victory.

The Lewis Dinner, who raced very wide down the backstretch and tried to get out in the far turn, finished second, followed across the line by Dreamboat Annie, Freudie Anne, Majestic Jessica, Fenwick Hall and Gethot Stayhot. Scratched were Kathy’s Humor, Midnight Champagne, Saluda, and Omagoddonna. After the opening half mile was completed in 45.98, Take Issue’s final time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:18.15. [VIDEO]

Take Issue, who has earned $114,850 from three victories, was bred by Harvey Weinstein’s Turtle Bird Stable, of Haynesfield and Cluster of Stars fame, in partnership with Asmussen assistant Toby Sheets. She is the first foal out of Control Issue, a winning Officer mare bred in Kentucky by Sequel 2003 LLC. Control Issue also has a juvenile full sister to Take Issue, a yearling filly by Mission Impazible and a new foal in 2015 by Emcee.

The Park Avenue winner was foaled at Ann Morgan and Tim Little’s Mill Creek Farm near Stillwater, which is also the home of Take Issue’s sire Sir Whimsey. A Grade 2-winning son of Jump Start, Sir Whimsey entered stud in 2011 and stands for a 2015 fee of $2,500.

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