King Kreesa combines speed and heart in Forbidden Apple title defense

By Sarah Mace

Millionaire King Kreesa, who has been seeking a return to the winner’s circle ever since taking last year’s renewal of the $150,000, one-mile Forbidden Apple Stakes, combined his hallmark speed with pure grit to win the race the again this year, digging deep to fend off 4-5 favorite Grade 1 winner Force the Pass.

Competitive in most of his six interim starts since winning the race last year, the 7-year-old King Cugat gelding was drawn in post four and bet down to 2-1 second choice under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Out of the gate a jump ahead of the field, King Kreesa used his greatest asset, early speed, as his weapon of choice. He got over to the fence and led the way through fractions of 24.31 and 47.20 under a snug hold, while Force the Pass chased a length back in second.

King Kreesa continued to cruise along into the far turn, but Force the Pass eroded his lead leaving the pair nearly on even terms late in the bend after six furlongs in 1:09.82

Still not headed at the top of the lane, King Kreesa brought out the second weapon in his arsenal: heart. He gave his all for the length of the stretch, holding off his stubborn foe. He ultimately won the battle, scoring his victory over Force the Pass by a nose.

Force the Pass finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of New York-bred Tapitation, while New York-bred stalwart Lubash and Brickyard Kitten finished next in order. The final time for the mile was 1:33.06. [VIDEO[3]]

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. said, “There wasn’t too much pace in the race today and that’s his best race. I didn’t take anything away from him that he gave me. The trainer brought him ready because he went a little fast and then, when he felt the other one [Force the Pass] he kept fighting. He’s always a fighter, he has a big heart. He’s a nice horse.”

Trainer David Donk said, “Irad told me afterwards he [King Kreesa] really wants to battle. He didn’t want him to spurt away too much because he didn’t want him hanging.”

Donk continued, “I was really impressed. I was impressed with him last summer, and today. Everyone knows I’m not really a speed guy, but speed is your best friend. I said, ‘Don’t slow it down too much. But keep everybody honest.’ When Johnny [Velazquez aboard Force the Pass] hooked him, I said to myself, ‘Well, we’re going to find out.’”

Donk is considering the West Point Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day, August 26, for the gelding’s next start.

Bred by owners Gerald and Susan Kresa under the banner of Horse Partners (and given an extra “e” in his name by his breeders, so that their often-mispronounced surname would not extend to the horse), King Kreesa was foaled at Carlland Stables in Avon.

He is the most successful of four winners out of Storm’s Advance, a Florida-bred daughter of Storm Creek who was a multiple winner and stakes-placed on turf ($94,652). Another foal, five-year-old Lady Kreesa by Stonesider, is a multiple winner, a stakes performer and has earned over $230,000.

King Kreesa’s remarkable career has to this point netted him $1,256,704 in earnings from 32 career starts. He has finished in the money 21 times, with ten wins in all (nine in stakes), seven seconds and four thirds while competing both in open company and the ultra-tough New York-bred turf male division.

Voted champion New York-bred turf male in 2013, he has been a contender for the honor both subsequent years, when Lubash took the title. Highlights of his career to date include a pair of victories in the Grade 3 Poker Stakes in 2013 and 2015 and a thrilling second to Wise Dan in the Grade 2 Fourstardave in 2013.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/07/16/king-kreesa-forbidden-apple-16/

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Runaway Lute parlays stumbling start into a romp in Rockville Centre

By Sarah Mace

Overcoming a stumble at the break which left him last in the opening strides, Runaway Lute (Midnight Lute) went on to score an impressive eight-plus length victory in Saturday’s 125,000 Rockville Centre for New York-bred 2-year-olds at Belmont Park. The dark bay son of Midnight Lute remains unbeaten in two career starts with $111,000 in earnings.

Trained by Gary Contessa for Herald Lerner and Nehoc Stables’, Runaway Lute ran true to his name in his Belmont unveiling on May 28, when he won by 12 lengths on the front end and completed five furlongs in 57.28. The Rockville Center was destined to teach him one of the most important lessons for speedy young horses: how to come from off the pace.

Partnered for the second straight time with Javier Castellano, and narrow second choice in the betting at 7-5 to odds-on Tremont winner Silver Mission, Runaway Lute’s stumbling start out of post four allowed the rest to get a jump on him, but the colt got into stride in short order and rallied from fifth to third.

Settling in three lengths behind pacesetter Manifest Destiny and Silver Mission, who between them carved out an opening quarter mile of 22.16 and half in 48.85, Runaway Lute came under some coaxing in the far turn, swung three wide into the stretch and caught up to the dueling leaders.

He nabbed the lead just past the three-sixteenths pole and from that point it just became a matter of how much the colt would win by, as he drew off impressively in the final furlong under encouragement. In the end the margin of victory was 8 3/4 lengths and he stopped the clock after six furlongs over the fast Belmont track at 1:10.82.

Ethan Hunt closed from fourth to get the place money, while Tremont winner Silver Mission finished 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Early leader Manifest Destiny and Concatulations completed the order of finish. [VIDEO[3]]

Winning rider Javier Castellano said, “[Runaway Lute]’s shown a lot of potential. I think he’s going to be a really good horse in the future. The way he did it today, he did it the right way. When it was time to go, he [went.] He switched at the right time and right place. You don’t see too many 2-year-olds that way. It’s a big advantage for a jockey to ride those kind of horses.”

Added Castellano, “He had problems at the start but it didn’t matter. I didn’t want to rush and put him in the lead. I wanted to teach him something. Today was the perfect scenario for that [with] only a five-horse field.”

Trainer Gary Contessa said he left the race strategy in his jockey’s capable hands in the first place. “Looking at this race on paper, I was thinking, ‘Man, there’s three serious speed horses in here. Are we going to have to rate?’ But when you have Javier Castellano, you don’t even have to have that discussion. I always tell Castellano, just ride him Castellano style, however it comes up.”

Contessa also thought that the poor break was a blessing in disguise. “Obviously, after the fact, I’m glad he got left a little bit [at the break] because he showed us a new dimension. If you want to have a good horse, he’s got to have that ability to not have things go his way and win anyway. So I’m glad to see this, I’ve always thought he was a super horse.”

The conditioner sees big things in Runaway Lute’s future and is eager for the next challenge. “Now we’ll take the next step forward, maybe the [Grade 2, $200,000] Saratoga Special [on August 14] or the [Grade 1, $350,000] Hopeful [on September 5], but we’re definitely going to go open company because I think he’s that good.”

Bred by Windlea Farm and foaled at Tender Loving Care in Slate, Runaway Lute is the second black type winner for his dam, Nikki Tootsie, an unplaced Maryland-bred daughter of Waquoit. Her first foal Judy Soda (Personal Flag) was a multiple New York-bred stakes-winning homebred for Scott Solar who earned nearly $400,000. Her English Channel filly Style Drift has earned six figures. In all Nikki Tootsie has produced seven winners from eight foals to start and currently has a yearling colt by English Channel, and a weanling filly by Midshipman.

Runaway Lute was purchased by Harold Lerner for $77,000 at last summer’s Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale from the consignment of McMahon of Saratoga.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/07/16/runaway-lute-rockville-center/

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