Charlie Baker strikes again at the Spa: 15-1 Freud’s Friend takes MSW on debut

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[1]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

Less than 24 hours after presiding over Moonlight Song’s scintillating title defense in the John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack, trainer Charlie Baker sent Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Freud’s Friend from the paddock for his career debut in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for New York-bred juveniles on Friday, only to rejoin the gelding in the winner’s circle after he wired the field at odds of 15-1.

Jockey Manuel Franco hustled Freud’s Friend out of the gate from post five, and the bay, who sports a distinctive long narrow blaze, quickly emerged from the scrum in-between horses to lead the full field of 10 by a length though an opening quarter mile in 22.37.

Saving ground around the far turn, Freud’s Friend opened up some daylight in upper stretch, but challengers were on the move.

Inside the final furlong Freud’s Friend had to dug deep to hold off a determined Jo’s Bold Cat, a first-time starter by Courageous Cat trained by Rick Violette. Freud’s Friend shifted a couple of paths toward the grandstand side under a left-handed whip late, but kept to his task gamely and secured the victory by a nose. After a half-mile in 46.01, the final time for 5 1/2 furlongs over the firm turf was 1:03.60. [VIDEO[2]]

Baker said of his expectations first time out for Freud’s Friend, “You are never sure with a first-time starter. They’ve got to experience the gate and all that stuff, but I felt good coming in because he was training beautiful. He showed speed in his workouts and I figured he’s going to be up close to the pace, but he exceeded our expectations as far as winning and the way he ran.”

The gelding had posted a long, regular series of works at Finger Lakes since April, including multiple moves from the gate.

As far as collecting a pair of Spa victories in less than 24 hours, one in a stakes race, Baker said, “[It’s] great. Great. It’s always good to win at Saratoga. I love it.”

Freud’s Friend, who paid $32.40 to win for a $2 wager, is out of the winning New York-bred mare Thanza Million, by Millions, who has produced five winners from seven foals to start.

Freud[3] stands at Sequel Stallions New York[4]. Freud’s 2016 stud fee was $10,000.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/7_29_16-Freuds-Friend-debut.jpg
  2. VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20160729&track=STD&race=5
  3. Freud: http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/119270/freud
  4. Sequel Stallions New York: http://www.sequelnewyork.com/

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/07/29/freuds-friend-debut/

NYTB awards Nielsen & Malloy Winkler scholarships on College & Alumni Day at the Spa

NYRA/Adam Coglianese[1]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) presented its two annual scholarships in the winner’s circle after the fourth race on July 29 at Saratoga Race Course as part of the annual College & Alumni Day at the Spa.

Generously established by Mrs. Joanne Nielsen to honor her late husband Gerald A. Nielsen, Sr. and by Mrs. Vivien Malloy to honor her late daughter Debby Malloy Winkler, these $5,000 scholarships recognize a full-time student enrolled in an equine-related course of study at an accredited college or university in New York State. The awards are intended to foster the education and development of individuals who promise to make a positive contribution to the Thoroughbred industry in New York and beyond.

Receiving the 2016 Gerald A. Nielsen, Sr. Scholarship was Cassandra Cromer. A graduate of Owen Valley Community High School in Spencer, Indiana before completing her undergraduate studies at Purdue University, Cromer just concluded her second year at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.

An active member of the student chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, Cromer’s main interest is equine reproduction. In 2015 she successfully completed a Havemeyer Research Summer Fellowship at the Baker Institute of Health with a focus on mare reproductive care. After serving a post-graduate internship with a focus on Thoroughbreds, Cromer aspires to become a resident farm veterinarian, but would not rule out joining a large equine hospital.

Said Cromer, “I am deeply beholden to Mrs. Nielsen for the Gerald A. Nielsen Sr. Scholarship from the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Support from this scholarship not only reduces my financial burden upon graduation, but enables me to pursue experiences while at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine to prepare for a career with Thoroughbreds.”

She continued, “To me, this scholarship demonstrates the commitment New York has toward engaging the next generation of Thoroughbred veterinarians. I am proud to say that I wish to continue the tradition of providing elite medical care to, and advocating for, the Thoroughbred racehorse.”

Natasha Tarnawa recieved the Debby Malloy Winkler Scholarship, which was presented by Mrs. Vivien Malloy, her son Mark Malloy, and granddaughter Caitlin Malloy Brennan. Scheduled to begin her senior year at Cazenovia College in the fall, Tarnawa is majoring in Management, with a specialty in Equine Business Management. She is a member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) and a student member of the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. Active in community service, Tarnawa is a volunteer a side-walker. Her long-term goal is to work as an occupational therapist at a therapeutic riding facility.

All smiles when she received the award in the Saratoga winner’s circle, Tarnawa said, “It is a tremendous honor to have been chosen as a recipient of the Debby Malloy Winkler New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Scholarship. This scholarship has empowered me to continue toward making a difference in the equine industry and to keep giving back to the community around me.”

Tarnawa continued, “This award has marked the beginning of an exciting time of my life where I am able to see years of hard work and passion beginning to open doors and create meaningful opportunities that will shape the rest of my life. I look forward to being able to use this scholarship to not only change my life, but to change the lives of those around me, as well. Once again, thank you!”

Previous recipients of the Gerald A. Nielsen, Sr. New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Scholarship are:

2012 Jacqueline Pino (read more[2])
2013 Allison Tuchrello (read more[3])
2014 Kaitlyn Douglas (read more[4])
2015 Tate Morris (read more[5])

Previous recipients of the Debby Malloy Winkler. New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Scholarship are:

2014 Nicolina Foti (read more[4])
2015 Courtney O’Connell (read more[5])

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/NYTB-scholarship-photo-16-for-web.jpg
  2. read more: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2012/07/27/2012-scholarship-presentation/
  3. read more: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2013/07/25/nielsen-sr-scholarship-13/
  4. read more: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/07/25/nielsen-malloy-winkler-nyra-college-day/
  5. read more: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2015/07/29/nytb-presents-nielsen-and-molloy-winkler-scholarships-on-saratoga-college-day/

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/07/29/scholarship-presentation-spa-16/

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