Louisville First by Girolamo prevails in Cupecoy’s Joy

By Sarah Mace

RAP Racing’s Louisville First, sired by former New York Darley stallion Girolamo, surprised a robust field of nine with a 14-1 score from her outside post in the $100,000 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Stakes (NYSS). The contest for New York-sired 3-year-old fillies, with a matching race for males earlier on Sunday’s card, was run at seven furlongs on Belmont’s Widener turf course.

Making her seventh career start, and racing for just the second time on turf, Louisville First and new rider Eric Cancel got out of the gate smartly, but ultimately settled in fourth, letting even speedier types set the early fractions. NYSS Park Avenue winner Libreta clocked a first quarter mile in 22.75 and half in 45.62, with Little Bear Cat and Wonderment in hot pursuit.

Taking the far turn three wide Louisville First joined the cavalry charge to the wire in the stretch. All out, and dispatching her rivals one-by-one in the final sixteenth, the bay filly charged gamely to the wire to score the win by a 1/2 length in a final time of 1:21.97.

Little Bear Cat (13-1) nosed Frosty Margarita (9-2) for second to generate a $340 exacta and $2,162 trifecta on $2 investments. Baronet, Libreta, Ametrine, Free N Clear, Wonderment and Naked Empress completed the order of finish. [VIDEO[2]]

Cancel believed his mount would be capable of mounting a late charge. “She warmed up really good when we were on the track so I knew she would be ready today. She felt really prepared, I didn’t have to ask her early because I knew I had a lot of horse. I just remained patient and she really went off again and extended in the stretch.”

Blair Golen, assistant to winning trainer George Weaver, said, “Her last race, her first race on the turf, she ran very well. She came out of that race good and she’s fit, so why not? We’re just really happy with her and she’s come a long way. She was a little nervous last year but this year, she’s come back into racing just comfortable. She does everything right in the morning. She’s great to be around.”

Bred by Mr. and Mrs. James G. Bell, Louisville First is one of two registered New York-breds, and three winners from four runners out of Move Clickly, a Kentucky-bred six-figure-earner by Cherokee Run. A $70,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2014, Louisville First was purchased by her owners for $120,000 at the 2015 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds. From two firsts, a second and a third, the filly has earned $133,350.

Darley’s Grade 1-winning son of A.P. Indy Girolamo began his stud career in 2012 at Becky Thomas and Dennis Narlinger’s Sequel Stallions New York[3] before relocating to Kentucky. Breeder “Jimmy” Bell is president and racing manager of Darley America and board president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/06/26/louisville-first-cupecoys-joy/

---

Freud’s Cloud Control kicks clear in NYSS Spectacular Bid

By Sarah Mace

Chester and Mary Broman’s lightly-raced Cloud Control, a blaze-faced bay colt by Freud, scored a thoroughly professional victory in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes (NYSS) for New York-sired 3-year-olds. This was the first of a pair of featured NYSS races run at seven furlongs on Belmont’s Widener turf course on Sunday.

Well-beaten on May 4 in his grassy debut at Belmont at six furlongs, and graduating 18 days later via a disqualification in a mile race, Cloud Control was still looking to cross the finish line first in the afternoon. With Angel Arroyo aboard for the third time, the pair drew the rail as 6-1 fourth choice in the field of seven.

After getting away well at the break, Cloud Control saved ground in the pocket in fifth, then fourth, along the backstretch and around the far turn. Meanwhile, Sudden Surprise led the herd through early fractions of 23.21 and 46.20.

Patiently awaiting running room around the quarter pole, Cloud Control was able to maneuver out in upper stretch and advance on the leaders through a seam three wide. After gaining second, then hooking up wth new leader Bust Another with a furlong to go, Cloud Control dueled his rival into submission and kicked clear in the final 100 yards to win by length. His final time was a sharp 1:21.85.

Bust Another finished second, followed 1 1/2 lengths back by Go Go Lucky. Crossing the wire next in order were Silent Waters, Dearie, Spooked Out and Sudden Surprise. [VIDEO[2]]

Angel Arroyo reported, “I got a very good trip. My horse broke great and I put him towards the rail. I got to save ground and wait for the stretch where he switched leads and took off easy. It’s only his third race and he keeps getting better and better.”

Trainer John Kimmel sounded pleasantly surprised. “I thought he would give a good effort. I wasn’t sure what kind of horses would be in this race. It’s a weird race, 3-year-olds, seven-eighths, stallion series, on the grass. I really didn’t know if I had a good handle on who his competition would be, but I knew there probably couldn’t be a whole lot of horses as good as he is,” said Kimmel.

Kimmel was also upbeat about Cloud Control’s prospects. ““I think he showed today that he’s got a lot of talent. Yeah I think [he could go further]. He’s a big strong horse. He was injured as a 2-year-old, he had an injury to his hock and it was just nice to see a horse like that come back. He’s a big stout horse with limited experience and to see him move forward like he did today, I think he’ll have a nice future.”

Cloud Control is the second foal to start and second winner out of Amiga Del Sol, a winning Broman homebred by Friends Lake also trained by Kimmel. Chestertown Farm purchased Amiga Del Sol’s dam Inca Sun (Conquistador Cielo) for $80,000 at the 2002 Keeneland November sale.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/06/26/cloud-control-spectacular-bid/

---