Mind Your Biscuits goes from post 14 to the top of the world in Dubai’s Golden Shaheen

[1]

Dubai Racing Club

By Sarah Mace

New York-bred, New York-sired Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) absolutely sparkled on the international stage Saturday. The 4-year-old chestnut broke from the outermost post of 14 in the Group 1 US$2m Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse, covered the most ground with a wide trip, and still managed to post a much-the-best open-length win.

Joel Rosario, who had the riding assignment, had a well of prior success aboard Mind Your Biscuits to draw on. In three previous efforts, the pair finished a good-looking third in the Breeder’s Cup Sprint (eventually collecting second money due to a disqualification), won the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes, and came up only a neck short in the Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 25.

Chad Summers, the colt’s 32-year-old conditioner and part-owner, is a veteran horseman, but newly-minted trainer, and was looking for his first victory. In the days leading up to the race, he was brimming with confidence.

After the draw, Summers said, “The outside post is what it is. You can’t change it and there are horses with much worse post positions in relation to their running styles than ours. I think that on paper the race sets up well for us otherwise and we’re not going to change our running style. We can be tactical enough but he is a little better making one sustained run from farther behind and he should like the longer straight here. He’s shown us every sign that he’s sitting on his lifetime best race and I think his lifetime best wins this by three lengths.”

On race day Mind Your Biscuits broke cleanly from his outside berth and was content to drop back into tenth position for the next 800 meters.

The colt raced at least seven-wide down the backstretch and took the turn wide. When Mind Your Biscuits and Rosario hit the head of the long stretch, they put Summers’ plan  of “one sustained run” into action.

Six wide, with nine horses yet to pass, Mind Your Biscuits stormed down the middle of the racetrack. He swept past his first five rivals rivals by midstretch, then tackled the remaining four after the 200-meter mark,  gaining the top spot for the last 100 meters. He drew off to win by approximately three lengths in a final time of 1:10.913 over a muddy track.

Fellow US runner Comicas, who also raced outside, finished second, followed across the line by British competitor Morawhij.

“The post position was way outside,” commented Joel Rosario. “I think I got some ground in the turn, not much, and then for a second I thought we might not get there. But he showed that he was the best horse in the race.”

[2]Continued Rosario, “I was so wide on the outside. I was thinking ‘is this is going to work’? But as I said he was the best horse in the race and I’m proud of him. He’d showed us the last couple of times, he ran very well in the Breeders’ Cup and he won the Malibu. It was a very good race in America and every time he runs he improves a little bit more.”

Summers, who appeared astonishingly calm after breaking his training maiden in such a remarkable way, said,  “This is what we planned. It’s a storybook ending to a story. It’s a remarkable horse and it was a remarkable ride. I think he is the best sprinter in the country, in the world. He proved it today. It’s unbelievable. Everything here is first class, it means a lot.”

Despite the muddy track, Mind Your Biscuits, who had been kept in the clear for the length of the race, arrived at the winner’s circle for the celebration with a clean coat

Bred by Jumping Jack Racing LLC and foaled at Sue and Gary Lundy’s Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains, Mind Your Biscuits is one of three winners from three foals to start out of Jazzmane, an unraced Kentucky-bred daughter of Toccet and a half-sister to Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Kimchi (Langfuhr).  The mare has two more reported foals in the US, a 2-year-old filly by Posse and yearling colt by Officer.

Mind Your Biscuits was purchased as a short yearling by Machmer Hall at the 2014 Keeneland January sale. Offered at auction twice more, he RNA’d both times for $47,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale and at last year’s OBS Spring 2-year-old sale, after which Chad Summers, who had previously bought an interest in Mind Your Biscuits with his father and brother, acquired the colt privately on behalf of J Stables. Mind Your Biscuits. Liz Crow of BSW Bloodstock then purchased a minority interest in the colt on behalf of clients Head of Plains Partners and Michael E. Kisber. In 2016 the colt was trained by Robert Falcone Jr.

Mind Your Biscuits’ second career Grade 1 tally and most lucrative score by far, improves his record to five wins, six seconds and a third from 15 starts and brings his earnings to whopping $2,015,166.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/03/25/mind-your-biscuits-golden-shaheen/

Bluegrass Flag puts one in the win column in open Cicada

[1]

Adam Coglianese

By Sarah Mace

Short fields can be tricky, so it takes nothing away from Bluegrass Flag that she faced only two rivals Saturday afternoon in Aqueduct’s $100,000, 6-furlong Cicada Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Avoiding all the potential pitfalls, she posted an elegant gate-to-wire victory, garnering a first black type win for owners Thomas C. Albrecht and Vincent J. Fusaro.

After the Cicada drew five entrants, early morning temperatures forced even-money favorite Sounds Delicious (103.8 degrees) and 4-1 third choice Wilburnmoney (102 degrees) to scratch the morning of the race, as reported by the Daily Racing Form.

After the remaining three exited the gate at the bell, Bluegrass Flag, the 1-5 favorite under Kendrick Carmouche, Bluegrass Flag hustled a little to gain the lead, then settled down three wide, a length ahead of Heavenly Score to her inside who was intent on applying pressure. Tiz Rae Anna chased in third not far behind.

Rationing out her speed through early fractions of 23.66 and 47.31, Bluegrass Flag began to shake off the persistent Heavenly Score in the turn, widened her margin under some urging and romped home a 6-length winner in a final time of 1:11.99. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Carmouche said, “I don’t take her out of her stride. She broke good, the track looked like it was playing the outside speed, so I just kept her in contention and let her relax going on the backside. She just went on from there. I asked her a little and put the stick away.” The pilot added, “[Trainer] Tom [Morley] and his team did a good job of getting her relaxed for this race.”

Bluegrass Flag, a daughter of former New York sire Bluegrass Cat, broke her maiden by three lengths at second asking in a New York-bred maiden special weight at Aqueduct on January 14. In the February 19 Franklin Square, she ran a persistent second to Wilburnmoney in the Franklin Square after setting the pace.

[3]

NYRA/Joe Labozzetta

After she got the job done in the Cicada, trainer Tom Morley observed, “With each start, she’s becoming more relaxed and professional. She ran a very good race in her first start. She was hooked extremely wide after missing the break and ran against a very good maiden field and ran a solid seventh. I wasn’t here when she ran second to Wilburnmoney. Apparently, she was a little hot beforehand, but today she was extremely relaxed.”

Continued Morley “I was kind of pleased when Terranova’s horse [Heavenly Score] came to us halfway around the turn because it almost looked like she was half-idling in front. Kendrick said she never really came out of third gear.”

Morley has the Park Avenue division of New York Stallion Stakes series on April 22 in mind for the filly’s next start. “She didn’t have a hard race today as well. It shouldn’t bring too many fears. Hopefully she’s all good tomorrow morning and one work and into the stallion series at 6 1/2 [furlongs].”

Bred by Susanne Hooper, James Hooper and Thomas Albrecht, and foaled at Haven Oaks Farm in Fort Edward, Bluegrass Flag is one of four winners of four to start, and first stakes winner out of No More Flags, a New York-bred multiple winner bred by the Hoopers. The mare has a juvenile by Posse and a yearling by Dublin on the ground, and was bred in 2016 to Stephanoatsee.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/03/25/bluegrass-flag-cicada/

Final nomination deadline for foals of 2015 to FLGR Futurity Series is April 1

[1]By Sarah Mace

The final deadline for nominating a 2015 foal to this year’s New York Breeders’ Futurity Series at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack is April 1. No nominations will be accepted after that date.

Please note, if your 2015 foal was nominated prior to the 12/31/16 deadline, you do not need to pay anything at this time. The two sustaining payments for nominated 2-year-olds are due May 31, 2017 and July 31, 2017, and must be postmarked by those dates. Also, no payments are due at this time for foals of 2016.

If you are unsure whether your 2015 foal has been nominated to the series, click here[2] to see nomination status (listed by dam). If you cannot find your horse on the list or need additional information please e-mail mfish@delawarenorth.com[3] or call Michele Fish at 585-924-3232, ext. 388.

The Futurity Series nomination fee is $150 and covers two races: New York Breeders’ Futurity ($200,000 estimated, open) AND Lady Finger Stakes ($100,000 estimated, fillies) OR Aspirant Stakes ($100,000 estimated, colts & geldings).

Checks should be made payable to Finger Lakes Racing Association and mailed to:

Finger Lakes Race Track
Attention: Futurity Stakes
PO Box 25250
Farmington, NY 14425

 Fed Ex Address:
5857 Route 96
Farmington, NY 14425

Please include sire/dam and name of two-year-old, if named. Payments must be postmarked on or before 4/1/17. Credit card payments can be made by calling Michele Fish at 585-924-3232, extension 388 or 585-747-4515.

If you call to make a credit card payment and get voicemail please state your intention to nominate, which horses you are nominating (by dam) and the best contact number to get back to you.  The voicemail will serve as a “postmark” for the eligibility deadline.

THE RACES

The New York Breeders’ Futurity $200,000 Estimated –  Sat., 9/30/17
The Lady Finger Stakes (fillies) $100,000 Estimated – Sat., 9/9/17
The Aspirant Stakes (colts & geldings) $100,000 Estimated – Sat., 9/9/17

Distance for all three races:  Six Furlongs

FOR TWO YEAR OLDS (FOALS OF 2015), FOALED IN NEW YORK STATE AND APPROVED BY THE NEW YORK STATE BRED REGISTRY. By subscription of $25 if made on or before December 31, 2016 or $150 if made after December 31, 2016 and on or before April 1, 2017.  The nomination fee to cover two races (The NY Breeders’ Futurity and the Aspirant Stakes or the Lady Finger Stakes). Eligibility payment schedule: May 31, 2017 – $425 each (covers two races); July 31, 2017 – $650 each (covers two races). Aspirant and Lady Finger nominees to pay $1,000 each to pass the entry box by the usual time of closing of entries.  Weights: Aspirant: 121 lbs.; Lady Finger: 120 lbs.  NY Breeders’ Futurity nominees to pay $2,000 each to pass the entry box by the usual time of closing of entries. Weights: Colts and Geldings: 122 lbs., Fillies: 119 lbs.  Added monies and all fees to be divided 60% to the winner, 20% to second, 10% to third, 5% to fourth, 2% to fifth and 1% to sixth, seventh and eighth.  A trophy to the owner of the winner. NO SUPPLEMENTAL NOMINATIONS. (WINNERS PREFERRED. Money earned as tie breaker).

Click here[4] for FLGR racing office release.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/03/21/flgr-futurity-deadline-fo-2015/

Twisted Tom up just in time to capture Laurel’s Private Terms

[1]

James McCue

By Sarah Mace

Making his stakes debut Saturday in the 1 1/16 mile, $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park, Cobra Farm’s Twisted Tom (Creative Cause) came with a flying finish to nail 3-5 favorite and multiple stakes winner O Dionysus at the wire. The Chad Brown trainee, who RNA’d twice as a yearling for $22,000, has now won three of five career starts and banked $134,040.

Going off as 4-1 second choice in the field of seven, Twisted Tom enjoyed a ground-saving trip in fourth from his inside post, four lengths off the lead, while High Roller led, pressed along by Hashtag Alex, through an opening half mile in 48.97.

After losing several lengths in the far turn, Twisted Tom angled out four wide in upper stretch. Meanwhile O Dionysus had advanced from sixth into contention and was starting to run down Dharmaster, who had taken over the lead at the rail from third.

O Dionysus began to edge clear from Dharmaster, but Twisted Tom was charging home with huge strides. He picked off High Roller in midstretch and got up in the shadow of the wire to nip the favorite. The photo showed him winning by a short nose. A game Dharmaster finished a half-length back in third. After a mile in 1:39.19, the final time of the race was 1:45.68.

“It was very close, but my horse was finishing fast,” said winning jockey Feargal Lynch. “Mr. [Chad] Brown said, ‘Listen, he’s not going to make up six lengths,’ but luckily there was enough pace and they came back to us. When he switched leads and I got him to the outside and there was no kickback, he got it rolling.”

In a text to Gulfstream Park, Brown wrote, “I was very pleased with his performance. It was also a great ride. [Lynch] never gave up on him.”

Twisted Tom broke his maiden at second asking for trainer George Weaver and owner Thomas Brockley at Belmont Park last September 22 going a mile on the green in a state-bred maiden special weight. In his second start for Cobra and Brown on January 28 over the Aqueduct inner, he won through his first level state-bred allowance condition with a game stalking victory at the same distance.

Bred by Dr. William B. Wilmot and Dr. Joan M. Taylor, Twisted Tom is one of six winners from six foals to start out of Tiffany Twisted, a Wilmot-Taylor homebred who is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Incurable Optimist and two stakes-performers. Grade 1 winner Class Play appears further down the family tree.  Tiffany Twisted has a yearling filly by Fed Biz and was bred to Paynter in 2016.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/03/18/twisted-tom-private-terms/

Fifty Five last-to-first to win Grade 3 Florida Oaks in stakes record time

[1]

SV Photography

By Sarah Mace

Putting her signature late running style to excellent use, Empire Equines homebred Fifty Five earned her first graded stakes victory Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, scoring a well-timed last-to-first victory in stakes-record time under Jose Ortiz in the 34th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

In her first four career starts, the bay daughter of Get Stormy had done nothing wrong. Following a third-place debut effort at Belmont on October 13, she broke her maiden for trainer Tom Bush at Aqueduct going 1 1/16 miles on turf on November 16; on New Year’s Day she captured an allowance at the same trip at Gulfstream Park. Making her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream on February 4, the filly came flying late from last, finishing third, only three-quarters of length behind the winner.

After breaking cleanly in the Florida Oaks, Fifty Five, who was third betting choice at odds of 4-1, settled down last of eight, working her way over to the two-path from post six by the time the field exited the chute. She comfortably rounded the first turn and loped along down the backstretch as much as 15 lengths off the lead. Meanwhile while 34-1 longshot Like a Hurricane set speedy early splits of 22.83, 46.90 and 1:12.09.

[2]

SV Photography

Fifty Five advanced a spot entering the far turn and, when asked, picked off all but four rivals in the bend.

Making made her way out into the five path for clear running in upper stretch, she shadowed 4-5 favorite La Coronel just to her inside in the sprint to the wire. With perfectly-timed momentum, Fifty Five cruised past her rival in the final strides to win by a neck.

After a mile in 1:35.68, Fifty Five’s final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth on turf of 1:41.60 set a stakes record, eclipsing the mark of 1:41.89 set in 2013 by Tapicat.

Said jockey Jose Ortiz, “[Trainer Tom Bush] just told me to keep patient and when you ask her, she is going to give you a big run. I just tried to follow [La Coronel] because I knew she was going to be tough, and as soon as we passed the eighth pole, I knew we had a decent chance to win.”

Owner/breeder John Crowe who, with his wife Sandy, races under the banner of Empire Equines, seems to get plenty of thrills from Fifty Five’s running style. “[Fifty Five]’s a heartthrob, because she always comes from behind like that,” said Crowe. “When [jockey Jose Ortiz] took her back early, I thought ‘She’s done this before.’ But when they turned for home, I said ‘Get her moving, get her moving.’”

Bush commented, “The [fast early] fractions helped us quite a bit, but she did move up on the backside with the rest of the field and was in pretty good shape.”

Added Bush, “It’s a terrific feeling. She just won a graded stakes and has improved every time we’ve run her, and you can’t ask more from a horse than that.”

Fifty Five, who was foaled at Berkshire Stud [3]in Pine Plains, is one of two winners out of John and Sandy Crowe stakes-placed homebred mare Soave, who died earlier this year. Soave was by Brahms out of New York-bred Cozzene mare Cozzekiki.

Fifty Five, a $24,000 RNA at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sales is is Get Stormy’s first stakes winner. She now sports a record of three wins and two thirds from five starts and has earned $162,600.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/03/11/fifty-five-florida-oaks/

Isabelle runs off with open Heavenly Prize

[1]

NYRA/Joe Labozzetta

By Sarah Mace

William C. Schettine’s Isabelle, a 6-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal, could not have been more commanding Saturday afternoon, when she went gate-to-wire to score a twelve-length win in Aqueduct’s 1 1/16-mile, $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational. The win was Isabelle’s fourth stakes victory and first in open company.

The 7-5 second choice on Saturday, the Bill Mott-trainee had recently forged a successful bond with pilot Kendrick Carmouche. On December 11, in the 1 1/16-mile Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares, Isabelle and Carmouche adanced from fourth at the rail to win by more than five lengths. On February 5, the same pair ran a solid second in the Biogio’s Rose Stakes after setting the pace. Isabelle’s Beyers for these two starts came in at 95 and 92, respectively.

Popping out of post three in the Heavenly Prize, Isabelle and Carmouche assumed the lead on the way to the clubhouse turn while racing well off the rail. Tracked by odds-on favorite Genre, Isabelle worked her way to the fence for the first bend and settled in for the run down backstretch two lengths to the good. Genre continued to chase in second and 20-1 Chorus Line raced covered up in third.

Leading by three lengths at the quarter pole, Isabelle began to draw off under a drive. After a peek back to see they were clear, Carmouche geared the mare down as they crossed the finish line with a 12-length margin of victory. After a half mile in 49.04 and a mile in 1:39.20, she stopped the clock over the fast going at 1:46.04.

Genre, who seemed to tire in upper stretch and fall out of contention, came again to collect second money, followed across the line by Chorus Line. Completing the order of finish were Oasis At Midnight, Annie Rocks and Familyofroses. New York-bred graded winner Highway Star was scratched. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

[3]

NYRA/Suzie Raisher

“My filly broke really well,” said Carmouche. “I just wanted to get away from the rail where I could get her in hand and pretty much the race went from there. I just had to ride her home.”

Added Carmouche, “She did everything right. Hats off to Mr. Mott and his team. I’m just a pilot. She was really amazing to beat open-bred horses and she’s a New York-bred. That’s really good.”

Mott assistant Leanna Willaford said, “Kendrick was pretty confident he could make the lead and make the most of it, and he did. She was doing really well coming into the race. I really don’t know where we’ll go from here. I’m just happy we’ve gotten to keep her this long during breeding season.”

Isabelle, who adds the Heavenly Prize to stakes wins in the Bouwerie, Broadway and Bay Ridge, began her career under the care of Lisa Lewis, for whom who she broke her maiden sprinting at Belmont in May of 2014 and, three weeks later, won the Bouwerie Stakes.

Moving to Mott’s barn in January 2015 after she cleared her state-bred conditions, Isabelle reeled off victories in an open allowance and the Broadway Stakes. After a subsequent eight-race win drought, she started rolling again with the Bay Ridge score.

Isabelle was bred by Bluegrass Farm Partners in partnership with Jeffrey Tucker, and foaled at Tucker’s Stonebridge Farm[4] in Gansevoort. Her dam is Florida-bred stakes-placed runner Merrill Gold, who has produced four winners. Merrill Gold has produced a yearling full brother to Isabelle and was bred in 2016 to Competitive Edge.

Schettine purchased Isabelle at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton New York select yearling sale for $100,000. She now has seven wins and four seconds from 19 starts and has just crossed the half million-dollar threshold with $502,102 in earnings.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/03/04/isabelle-heavenly-prize/