New York-bred Derby doings: final works and final week

by Sarah Mace

Only five days stand between racing fans around the world and the 141st running of the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, featuring, by consensus, one of the most exciting Kentucky Derby line-ups in recent years. Three New York-breds, International Star, Tencendur and Upstart, are playing an integral part in the drama.

This past weekend the New York-bred trio posted final works, and their connections have formulated plans for the week leading up to the Run for the Roses. New York breeders have an additional reason to be excited about the Derby this year. Big Brown, who stands his first year in New York at Dutchess Views Farm[1] in Pine Plains, is the sire of Kaleem Shah’s Dortmund, who, in tandem with the champion 2-year-old of 2014 American Pharoah, is part of trainer Bob Baffert’s formidable-looking one-two Derby punch.

International Star

International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus), along with the other two New York-bred Derby runners and seven others, posted a final serious work early Saturday morning, a week in advance of next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

The winner of all three Fair Grounds Derby preps and the Road to the Kentucky Derby points leader (171), Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s International Star breezed an easy four furlongs Saturday in 50:80 at trainer Mike Maker’s local base, Churchill Downs’ six-furlong Trackside Training Center in Louisville. International Star’s workmate, Nominative, a quality 4-year-old allowance filly also owned by Ramsey, recorded an identical time. Regular jockey Miguel Mena was aboard.

All trainers of Derby hopefuls in Kentucky, including Mike Maker, kept an eye on the sky this weekend. “We were out trying to beat the rain,” Maker said of the 6 a.m. move. “It was a simple maintenance work and everything went well. He was well within himself. He’s fit by now. We’re not going to do anything in the last seven days that might put him ‘over the top.’ We’re ready to go.”

Trackside clockers recorded splits of :13, :25.20 and :37.60 with a five-furlong gallop-out time of 1:06.20. Ken Ramsey reported that the work was intended as a five-furlong move, with an additional eighth past the wire and around the first turn.

Ramsey, not present for the work but in regular contact with Maker throughout the morning, said, “The time doesn’t sound spectacular but Mike was pleased and if he’s pleased then I’m pleased,” Ramsey said. “I leave the training up to him.”

After the breeze International Star, who was bred by Katharine M. Voss and Robert T. Manfuso, enjoyed some time in a hydrotherapy spa that Ramsey installed at Trackside just for the colt. The water is kept between 33 and 35 degrees and includes a salt solution that helps to minimize heat and inflammation.

“He had it in Florida and loved it,” Ramsey said. “When he first got to Trackside, after a few days Mike said he was doing fine but he was missing his cold water spa. So I said, ‘Well, good grief, we have to get one up there!’ It took a week to get permission to put one in but we got his spa and last I heard this morning he was in it and enjoying it. I’m doing all I can to win that Derby!”

International Star, who walked the shedrow at his home base on Sunday, with Maker reporting “All’s well,” took the short 6-mile van ride to Churchill Downs late on Monday morning and arrived at around noon.

The last Louisiana Derby winner to take the Kentucky Derby was Grindstone in 1996. The only other horse to pull off the Louisiana Derby-Kentucky Derby double was Black Gold in 1924.

Miguel Mena, aboard for all three of International Star’s wins in the Fair Grounds series of Kentucky Derby preps, will make his second appearance in the Kentucky Derby, after finishing 20th aboard longshot Backtalk in 2010.

Tencendur

Philip Birsh’s talented homebred Grade 1 Wood Memorial runner-up Tencendur (Warrior’s Reward) worked a best-of-67  five furlongs in one minute flat shortly after the main track at Churchill Downs opened for training Saturday morning, in company with the 4-year-old allowance winner Wake Up in Malibu. Tencendur posted fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :35.20, :47.40 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40.

“I wanted them to go in a minute and they did,” trainer George Weaver said. “He galloped out well and cooled out quick and he was dragging me around the barn wanting to play.”

Manny Franco, who will be making his first appearance in the Kentucky Derby and rode Tencendur to a maiden win the only time he has ridden him, was aboard for the work. Said the 20-year-old Franco, “My first time here. He worked well. The first time I rode him in thought he was talented, very talented.”

Weaver, a native of Louisville for whom this is a first Derby starter, said initially was going to work at 8:30 but pulled an audible, opting to go when the track opened. “It might be OK at 8:30, but why take a chance?” According to Weaver, Tencendur will have some paddock and gate schooling prior to the Derby: “He has not had any issues, but with Derby Day, it can affect even the calmest horses.”

Early Sunday morning Tencendur jogged a mile rather than walking. Said Weaver, “Especially when they are coming up to a race we take them out to the track and make sure they are moving well with a rider on their back. Obviously, you can look at their legs in the barn, but I want to have a rider have a feel for how they come out of their work.”

He added that that colt was fine and happy and, “It would be customary to probably give him a walk day tomorrow.”

Upstart

Ralph Evans’ Upstart (Flatter), bred by Mrs. Gerald A. Nielsen and now co-owned with WinStar Farm who purchased a minority interest in the ridgling last week, logged his final Derby work on Saturday at his Florida home base at the Palm Meadows Training Center, going five furlongs in a best-of-five 59:95.

An impressive winner of the Grade 2 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes, controversially DQ’d winner of the Grade 2 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes, and runner up in the Grade 1 Besilu Stables Florida Derby, Upstart breezed with exercise rider Vicki King aboard.

“He felt great,” King said. “He felt really good. He’s done everything right. He went the right time – everything, the fractions were perfect.” She added, “He’s push-button. He’s really a nice ride. If he messes up, it’s the rider’s fault, because he does anything you ask him to do!”

King also reported a characteristic difficulty pulling Upstart up. “He’s always like that – before and after the breeze,” she said. “He’s just wants to go around again. He’s happy to keep going.”

Trainer Rick Violette said, “It was a typical Upstart work. It looked like he was going :50 and change and it was :47 or :48. He galloped out great; didn’t want to pull up. He could have gone faster or slower. He’s pretty much push-button. We had the walkie-talkie on Vicki and I told her not to let him gallop out, that he had done enough. We didn’t have to do much, but he does run well off a quick last breeze. He’s shown that the runs well off a snappy breeze and that’s what we gave him.”

Violette added, “All [Vicki King] has to do is move her hands a little bit and he accelerates. He likes to work fast going into his races. His best races have come off fast workouts. When I toyed with that and toned it down a little bit, he didn’t run his A-race, which is kind of my program, but it was also something we’ve learned [about him] as a 2-year-old and 3-year-old. He wants to zip a little bit, and we try to keep our horses happy.”

The plan is for Upstart to ship from Florida to Louisville on Tuesday. In the Derby he will be ridden by regular jockey Jose Ortiz, who piloted Violette-trained New York-bred Samraat to a strong fifth-place finish in the race last year.

Following the Saturday work, Upstart cooled out on the shed row, then took a routine roll and threw a playful buck in the turnout ring. There seem to be no ill effects after a missed workout two weeks ago due to a spiked fever.

“He looked like he just walked out of his stall,” Violette said. “It’s pretty cool. We’ve had one little bullet that we dodged, and it doesn’t seem to have had any after effect, that’s for sure. He’s had two good breezes and a two-minute lick, and now we’ll just let him feel like King Kong for a week and head him over there (to Louisville) and see what happens.”

Upstart had a light gallop at Palm Meadows Sunday. “I just wanted to get him a little exercise to see how he came out of the work and he was full of himself this morning,” Violette said. “He will train Tuesday morning [a walk day] before leaving for Louisville,” adding, “Then we’ll recharge for a big day on Saturday. He’ll just gallop [leading up to the Derby]. He’ll school in the gate and school in the paddock and that’s it – just a couple one-on-one stuff.”

The next big event, the post-position draw for the 141st running of the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands will take place on Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. ET at Churchill Downs and will be televised by NBC Sports Network. Tune in!!

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2015/04/27/new-york-bred-derby-final-week/

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

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[2] (Rockridge Stud[3]) 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[4]]

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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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[6]]

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[7] near Stillwater, which is also the home of Take Issue’s sire Sir Whimsey.[8] A Grade 2-winning son of Jump Start, Sir Whimsey entered stud in 2011 and stands for a 2015 fee of $2,500.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2015/04/27/offspring-posse-sir-whimsey-nyss-aqu/

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