Old Harbor sets new turf course record in Delaware’s Rosenberger Memorial

By Sarah Mace

Joseph Birnbaum’s homebred mare Old Harbor, a 5-year-old daughter of former New York sire Raffie’s Majesty, won the $75,000 George Rosenberger Memorial at Delaware Park on Saturday while setting a new course record for 1 1/16 miles over the turf.

It did not take long after the break for the 3-1 second choice under jockey Brian Ricardo Chiappe to tip her hand, adopting the same race strategy that earned her a victory in the John Hettinger stakes a year ago: head to the lead and let the rest try to run her down.

For the first three-quarters of a mile, Old Harbor, who broke from post two, was pressed through strong splits of 23.87, 47.22 and 1:10.57 by 3-2 favorite Catcha Rising Star to her outside. Opening up two lengths early along the backstretch run, any time the would-be challenger encroached, she darted forward, gaining back any ground lost and comfortably preserving her advantage.

Swinging out into the two path in upper stretch, Old Harbor re-broke and spurted ahead. She out-finished runner up Tela, ultimately opening up to a 4 1/2-length victory. Divine Dawn finished third. The final time for the race of 1:39.95 for the over the firm turf set a new track record for a mile and a sixteenth. The previous record was held by Whale who covered the distance in 1:40.51 in 2005.

Old Harbor, who is trained by Russell Cash, is now a three-time stakes winner and adds the Rosenberger to victories in the 2014 edition of the Cupecoy’s Joy Division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Belmont Park, and last year’s John Hettinger at the same oval. Old Harbor’s career record sports seven wins, four seconds and four third from 23 starts with earnings of $481,335.

Old Harbor’s dam is Royal Mast, a New York-bred daughter of Roy, who was purchased by Cash for Birnbaum as a weanling for a mere $8,500 in 2001 at the Fasig-Tipton December mixed sale. A debut winner, as a broodmare Royal Mast has produced five winners from six foals to start. Her first foal, Shipwreckstreasure, by Service Stripe, is a multiple stakes-placed runner and earner of $254,336. Royal Mast’s final foal is a 3-year-old Cash-trained colt by Girolamo named New Harbor who has yet to hit the board for Ocean View Stables.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/09/10/old-harbor-rosenberger/

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Pat On the Back rallies inside to take Aspirant Stakes by a nose

By Sarah Mace

Pat On the Back (Congrats) rallied at the fence to score a nose victory over 2-1 favorite Macho Miah in the $120,950 Aspirant Stakes for New York-bred juveniles at Finger Lakes Saturday. Pat On the Back’s pilot Dylan Davis had a terrific day at the Farmington oval, also piloting Ribbonite, who is trained and co-owned by his father Robbie, to a romping score in the Lady Finger Stakes earlier on the card.

Trained by Ken McPeek for Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables, Scott K. Akman and Nehoc Stables, Pat On the Back had raced on the pace to break his maiden second out at Saratoga on August 29. On Saturday, he was outrun early, racing off the rail in seventh as Freud’s Friend, who caught a flyer at the break, led the way through a grueling quarter mile in 22.14 and half in 45.34.

Patiently handled along the backstretch and advancing through the turn, Pat On the Back took full advantage as the vanguard fanned toward the grandstand side at the head of the stretch. The chestnut colt gained fourth as he launched his bid at the fence, while Macho Miah, closing from third, gathered steam on the outside.

Both contenders charged for the wire several paths apart. With a final surge under a vigorous hand ride, Pat On the Back got a nose in front of Macho Miah to win the photo. The final time for the six furlongs was 1:11.43. Fourth choice in the betting at odds of 5-1, Pat On the Back paid $12.20 to win.

Finishing a length back in third was Ethan Hunt, just a head to the good of Eddie’s Gift, who completed the superfecta. Finishing next in order were: Freud’s Friend, Silver Mission, Our Twist of Fate, Ursula’s Fury and Expediter. [VIDEO[3]]

Bred by Sugar Maple Farm, Pat On the Back is out of the unplaced Kentucky-bred Awesome Again mare Accomplished. Purchased by Dan Haydon at the 2004 Keeneland November sale for $40,000, she has produced eight winners from eight foals to start. Her filly by Performing Magic named Sarah Accomplished won the 2008 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes series.

Pat On the Back is a graduate of the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, where Ken McPeek collared him for $70,000.  From his pair of victories in three starts, the colt has earned $120,020

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/09/10/pat-on-the-back-aspirant/

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Maiden Ribbonite romps in Lady Finger for Davis family

By Sarah Mace

Ribbonite is a maiden no more after scoring a front-running victory in Saturday’s $116,775 Lady Finger Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies at Finger Lakes. The daughter of Griffinite also put one in the win column for two members of a popular New York racing family: trainer and retired jockey Robbie Davis, who also co-owns the filly with Paddock Proud, and his jockey son Dylan.

With competitive performances under her belt in two sprints at Saratoga on July 22 and August 15 in which she finished second and fourth, respectively, after setting the pace, it seemed reasonable to suppose that Ribbonite would employ her speed once again at Finger Lakes. She also came into the Lady Finger off a pair of sharp interim works on the Oklahoma training track, the most recent of which was a best-of-25 four-furlong bullet move on September 3.

Breaking well from post four to go six furlongs, Ribbonite immediately challenged and passed Market Music, who broke even a half-step faster to lead for the first dozen strides. Ribbonite then opened up a length on her seven rivals through a first quarter mile in 22.41. Extending her lead through the far turn, Ribbonite entered the stretch four furlongs to the good, before being ridden out a 6 3/4-length winner. [VIDEO[3]]

After clocking a quarter in 46.09, Ribbonite, who was the third choice in the betting at odds of 7-2, stopped the clock at 1:12.36. Running second after gliding up the rail was Very Fashionable, who was followed across the line, 3 1/4 lengths, back by Ransome Drop and Market Music, who finished noses apart, to complete the superfecta.

Bred by Dr. Bernardo Mongil’s Monhill Farm, Ribbonite is one of three winners, and the most recent reported foal, out of New York-bred winner Western Lariat, who was bred this year to Well Noted.

Ribbonite changed hands twice at public auction. After selling for only $2,300 to Rick Lopez at the 2015 OBS Winter Mixed sale, she was picked up by Paddock Proud earlier this spring at the OBS Spring juvenile sale for $25,000. She has earned $88,316 from her three career starts.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/09/10/ribbonite-lady-finge/

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