Pat On the Back hangs tough to capture Ontario County Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Pat On the Back, winner of the 2016 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes and Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont Park, was still looking to regain his strong juvenile form in four starts this year.

In his fifth start of 2017 on Monday at Finger Lakes Racetrack, the chestnut son of Congrats pulled all the loose ends together when he held off multiple stakes winner Gold for the King to win the 6-furlong, $50,000 Ontario County Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Pat On the Back, who is trained by Kenny McPeek for Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables, may have hinted in his previous start, when he finished third in strong running of Belmont’s Mike Lee Stakes on May 29, that he was rounding back into better form. Dylan Davis, who was aboard for the Mike Lee and has been riding with confidence and success downstate, got the return call for the Ontario County.

After early defections of Sal the Turtle, Expediter and Preferred Outcome, the gate for the Ontario County held four at post time (from the inside out): last year’s Rockville Centre winner Runaway Lute, Pat On the Back (second choice at 7-2), multiple stakes winner and .30-1 favorite Gold for the King, and stakes performer Eddie’s Gift.

Runaway Lute got out of the gate first, leading the quartet through an opening quarter mile in 22.20. Pat On the Back pressed a half-length back in second, then took a short lead through the far turn as Eddie’s Gift and Gold for the King stacked up three and four wide to the outside.

After a half in 45.02, an out-and-out stretch duel materialized between Pat On the Back and Gold for the King. As pair battled it out to the wire, Pat On the Back refused to give ground, tenaciously holding off Gold for the King to win by a head. Gold for the King finished 6 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Runaway Lute, who kept a head in front of Eddie’s Gift in fourth. The final time for six furlongs over the fast going was 1:10.67. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

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

A graduate of the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, Pat On the Back was purchased by McPeek for $70,000.  His third stakes victory Monday improved his career record to four wins, a second and a third from 11 starts and boosted his bankroll to $355,100.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/26/pat-on-the-back-ontario-county/

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Crawdaddy steals the show in NYSS Spectacular Bid

By Sarah Mace

With only a debut victory under his belt, Gold Square LLC’s Crawdaddy (Girolamo) delivered an agile and impressive performance at Belmont Park Sunday afternoon to win a competitive edition of the $100,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes series.

Winning jockey Luis Saez also earned jocks’ room bragging rights for the day, having ridden Lady Joan to victory two races earlier in the co-featured filly division of the paired the 7-furlong turf contests for eligible New York-sired sophomores.

In his June 8 Belmont debut for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, Crawdaddy was let go at 33-1 before going on to win the 6-furlong turf sprint by 2 1/2 lengths going away with a last-to-first charge. When the Spectacular Bid was drawn, Englehart commented, “Luis [Saez] said [Crawdaddy] was green the first part of [his debut] but then put it together. I thought he was a pretty decent horse coming into the race, but I wasn’t sure he was as good as the other one I had in there. I think the turf moved him up.”

This time around Crawdaddy was certainly better respected by the bettors to the tune of 7-2 odds, or third choice in the field of nine. On the other hand, his antics during the loading process, which obliged Saez to dismount until the colt was situated in the gate, may have given his backers pause.  Once the doors opened, however, the dark bay was all business.

Patient early, as he cruised along at the fence in fourth about four lengths off pacesetter and 17-1 longshot Heldatgunpoint, Crawdaddy enjoyed a smooth trip until he found himself in tight behind Bavaro, who did not appear to relish the surface in his turf debut and began to back up midway around the far turn.

Steadied and shuffled back, Crawdaddy regrouped and worked his way out into the two-path at the head of the stretch. Navigating traffic in upper stretch, Crawdaddy split rivals midstretch, dove back inside and, with a sixteenth to go, drew even with Heldatgunpoint.

Within a few strides he wrested away the lead, and edged clear to win by three-quarters of a length. After the early splits went at a pretty fast clip – 22.67, 45.62 – Crawdaddy stopped the clock at 1:22.83 over the “good” turf.

Heldatgunpoint finished second 2 3/4 lengths clear of stakes winner T Loves a Fight. Completing the order of finish were Reason to Soar, Terry O Geri, Ardmore Bay, You Like That, St. Patrick Frost and Bavaro. Bookew Bucks was an early scratch. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Of Crawdaddy’s pre-race rambunctiousness Luis Saez said, “[In his maiden win on June 8] he was the last horse to load in the gate, so he got out of the gate right away. Today, he was in the one hole so he was a little nervous.”

“[I had] a little bit of a rough trip,” continued the pilot. “We got a good position but I had a horse in front of me [Bavaro] and then he stopped on the turn. I thought, ‘Man, we’ve got trouble here.’ Finally, we got a little room. We came out and got a better position. When we came into the stretch, he responded very well. He’s very game. He’s a fighter.”

Crawdaddy, who is a $103,200-earner from two victories, was purchased by Al Gold for $110,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale in Saratoga.

Bred by Dutchess Views Farm [4]and SGO Thoroughbred LLC, Crawdaddy is the first foal out of Rare Edition, an unraced Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Sense, who was acquired in foal by Dutchess Views’ Michael Lischin and Nathan Lacombe for $35,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale in 2013. The mare is a half sister to French Group 2 winner Touch of the Blues and has a crowd of graded/group winners on the pedigree page under her second dam, including champion Indian Skimmer. Rare Edition has since added to her brood a yearling filly by Gio Ponti and, this year, a colt by Mineshaft.

Crawdaddy’s sire, 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[5] before relocating to Kentucky.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/25/crawdaddy-spectacular-bid/

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Lady Joan outduels gritty Lover’s Key to win NYSS Cupecoy’s Joy

By Sarah Mace

Lady Joan, a 3-year-old daughter of Courageous Cat[2] (Questroyal North[3]), garnered her first career stakes victory when she won the $100,000 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series after besting tough rival Lover’s Key in a more-or-less gate-to-wire duel.

The Cupecoy’s Joy for eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies, along with the Spectacular Bid division of the series, both run at seven furlongs over a “good” Widener turf course, co-anchored Belmont’s Sunday card.

After a sharp break from post four, Lady Joan, the 3-1 third choice of eight, cleared the pack first, but faced an immediate challenge from Lover’s Key (7-2), who rushed up to her inside from post two and initiated a duel that would last until deep stretch.

Though a tepid first quarter mile in 24.25, Lady Joan tracked Lover’s Key a half-length back, while 2-1 favorite Paz the Bourbon chased 1 1/2 lengths further back in third.

As the field entered the far turn, Lover’s Key opened some daylight, but Lady Joan was determined not to let her rival get away. After the half went in 48.12, Lady Joan accelerated, got on even terms with Lover’s Key, and the pair raced in tandem past the quarter pole.

Lover’s Key turned out to be a tough customer in the stretch, but Lady Joan finally got the better of her in the final sixteenth, inching away to win by three-quarters of a length in final time of 1:22.98. Paz the Bourbon finished another half-length length back in third, followed across the line by Carry Your Heels, a 25-1 longshot who finished well to outrun her odds, Silly Numbers, Frosty Gal, Toni Tools and Dreamy Margarita. [VIDEO REPLAY[4]]

“The pace was a little slow but she was right there, so I stayed there and made a run,” said Lady Joan’s regular jockey Luis Saez.

Unplaced in her Belmont debut in May 2016, Lady Joan has finished first or second in four turf sprints since then, breaking her maiden at third asking. Her only other out-of-the-money finish came when trainer Phil Serpe and owner Hilly Fields Stable thought enough of the filly to experiment stretching out in the 1 1/16 mile P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga in what would be her final start of 2016.

Lady Joan returned to action on May 29 with a solid second-place finish in a first level state-bred allowance at six furlongs over yielding turf at Belmont Park.

Said Serpe on Sunday, “We were using that [May 29] race to get her to move forward for this race. She got a little backwards in her training down in Florida this winter, so it took a little longer than expected to get her back into the races, so that was the plan all along.”

The conditioner elaborated. “She was impressive last year when she broke her maiden and, like a lot of 2-year-olds, she tailed off a little bit in the fall, so we just gave her some time. Fortunately, our owner allows us to do stuff like that. We gave her some time off and she came back nice and fresh.”

In Saez’ opinion, “[Lady Joan]’s getting better and better. Every time she runs, she learns something. Today she was fantastic. She had a good break and was right there and when I asked, she took off. The slow pace helped a lot because at the half-mile, I had horse left. I kept going with the group, and she responded in the end.”

A second generation Hilly Fields Stable homebred foaled at Questroyal North, Lady Joan is the first foal out of Ladywell Court, a winning New York-bred daughter of Powerscourt (GB). Ladywell Court has a twice-placed 2-year-old filly by Cosmonaut named Goodbye Brockley, a yearling colt named The Postmaster by the same sire and, on April 13 of this year, foaled a full brother to Lady Joan. Lady Joan has earned $129,840 from two wins and two seconds in six starts,

Lady Joan’s sire, Grade 1 winner and millionaire Courageous Cat[2], finished on the board in 11 of his 15 career starts and retired with $1,165,760 in earnings. He entered stud at Lane’s End in 2012 and relocated in 2013 to Questroyal North[3] where he stands for $6,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/25/lady-joan-cupecoys-joy/

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Swing and Sway much the best in Niagara Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Westrock Stables LLC’s Swing and Sway (Maclean’s Music) won the 36th running of the 6-furlong, $50,000 Niagara Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies at Finger Lakes Monday afternoon in commanding fashion.

The second-top New York-bred seller at the 2016 OBS March sale, where she was purchased by Westrock for $185,000 via private sale, Swing and Sway is starting to build a fine resume, with three wins and a second from five starts and $139,890 in earnings.

Swing and Sway went postward for the Niagara under jockey Harry Hernandez as one of three 2-1 co-favorites in the field of seven: her 2.35-1 odds were two ticks behind favorite Tiznow’s Smile (2.25-1) and one tick behind Clara’s Gone West, an undefeated, never-headed full sister to Debra Breed’s Finger Lakes sprint star Breakin the Fever (2.30-1).

Exiting the outside gate alertly, Swing and Sway participated from the start in the scrum up front, which was led by Clara’s Gone West through an opening quarter-mile in 21.84. Meanwhile Tiznow’s Smile had an abysmal start, breaking awkwardly and spotting the leaders at least ten lengths.

Hernandez aboard Swing and Sway launched a confident early move in the far turn and struck the front midway round the bend. The pair opened three lengths on their rivals by the head of the lane and never looked back, driving home to a 4 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:10.97 over a drying-out “good” racing surface.

The only horse to make up ground on the winner was the tough-luck Tiznow’s Smile, who went from last to second in the stretch to get the place, finishing two lengths ahead of 36-1 longshot and maiden Downtown At Noon. Completing the order of finish were Ribbonite, Filibustin, Rip Loves Maize and pacesetter Clara’s Gone West. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

After opening her account as a juvenile with a fifth-place finish at Saratoga last September, Swing and Sway resurfaced this year in three races at Oaklawn Park where she broke her maiden second out and scored back-to-back Beyers in the 80s while finishing second, then first at the allowance level. Returned to New York at the end of May, she came into the Niagara following a troubled trip in the Bouwerie on Showcase Day.

Bred by Canyon Lake Thoroughbreds and foaled at Keane Stud[4] in Amenia, Swing and Sway is out of a winning Kentucky-bred Gilded Time mare Placerita (Gilded Time). The filly has seven winning siblings, led by graded winner Sticksstatelydude and multiple stakes winner Saturday Nite Ride. The family tree also boasts Grade 1 winners The Big Beast and Slew the Dragon.

The filly first changed hands for $50,000 as a short yearling at the 2015 Keeneland January mixed sale. Purchased by Woodford Sales for $117,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale in Saratoga, she attracted the attention of Westrock at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds after a co-bullet :9 4/5 breeze in the under tack show.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/19/swing-and-sway-niagara/

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Wonderment upsets sloppy Dancin Renee

By Sarah Mace

It was a topsy turvy late-spring Saturday at Belmont Park.

For starters, NYRA cancelled the card after the third race due to concerns about the safety of the racing surfaces. Unexpectedly heavy rain had hit the New York City metro area.

What’s more, the last race to be completed, the 6-furlong, $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes for three-and-up New York-bred fillies and mares, ended with a surprise. Wonderment, fourth choice in the field of five, ran away with the race, while the 2-5 favorite Clipthecouponannie finished out of the money.

By post time bettors viewed the Dancin Renee either as a runaway win for the favorite, multiple stakes winner Clipthecouponannie (Pletcher/Velazquez/Repole) or, at the very least, a match race between ‘Annie’ and 7-2 second choice, Absatootly (Baker/Ortiz/Newman Racing), also a multiple stakes winner. In fact, the bridge-jumper crowd went so far as to wager $135,468 out of $162,952 in the show pool on Clipthecouponannie.

Wonderment, trained by Ken McPeek for Walking L Thoroughbreds and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing, is a 4-year-old Cosmonaut filly with some back class to be sure, having won the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park on April 2, 2016. In 10 subsequent starts, however, Wonderment had two seconds and two thirds to show for her efforts and, in her prior race, the Critical Eye on Big Apple Showcase Day May 29, she finished fourth, beaten 13 lengths

After getting away cleanly in the Dancin Renee, Wonderment settled in fourth about seven paths off the fence, while Super Alison, the longest shot on the board at 18-1, dwelt at the start and never got out of last place. Clipthecouponannie got out a step slow and rushed her way into second to track Court Dancer, who struck the front early through a first quarter in 22.66.

As the field rounded the far turn Court Dancer still led, but Clipthecouponannie began to weaken. She was passed by Absatootly to her inside and Wonderment on her outside.

Absatootly and Wonderment ran down Court Dancer in midstretch and hooked up briefly, but Wonderment decisively outfinished her rival in the final sixteenth to win by 5 lengths

Runner-up Absatootly finished 2 1/2 lengths clear of Court Dancer, who preserved the show by a neck. Clipthecouponannie disappointed her bridge-jumper friends by finishing fourth, a nose ahead of Super Allison. After a half in 45.61, the final time for six furlongs over the sloppy (sealed) going was a 1:11.63. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“We were hoping [Wonderment] would run well,” said Jeff Odintz, assistant to Kenny McPeek. “She had a rough trip in [the Critical Eye], and she got lucky today. I think she can run on any kind of dirt: fast, wet. She handles all of it, so I was never worried about it.”

Winning jockey Dylan Davis added, “She broke sharply and settled in nicely. I just wanted to get her relaxed and she was able to settle down and stalk the pace.”

Davis continued, “Turning for home, [Wonderment] was full of run and she gave me all she had. It was a great trip. It was my first time on her and she ran a great race and everything fell into place.”

Bred by Michael S. Landers and foaled at Mill Creek Farm [4]in Stillwater, Wonderment sold as a weanling to Baccari Bloodstock for $24,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed sale. A $47,000 buyback the following year at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, she was purchased for $185,000 by Walking L Thoroughbreds at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale, where she was offered as racing or broodmare prospect. The Dancin Renee was her third start for her new connections.

Sporting a record of 4 wins, 2 seconds and three thirds from 15 starts with stakes victories in the Grade 3 Bourbonette, Lynbrook Stakes and Dancin Renee, Wonderment has earned $329,120.

Wonderment is one of three winners, including six-figure earner Persuasive Devil (Closing Argument), from three foals to start out of A Wonder She is, a winning daughter of Three Wonders from the family of Videogenic. The mare currently has 2-year-old colt by Discreetly Mine named Potential Danger and a yearling colt by Itsmyluckkyday named Mr Wonderful. She was bred last year to Cairo Prince but aborted the foal.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/17/wonderment-dancin-renee-17/

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Disco Partner delivers record-setting performance in Grade 3 Jaipur

By Sarah Mace

A surprise-package runner-up in the 2016 running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Jaipur Invitational, Patricia Generazio’s homebred Disco Partner not only got the job done on Belmont Day this time around, but in the process established a course, North American and world record time of 1:05.67 for six furlongs on turf.

Disco Partner is a son of the late Disco Rico, a speed-sensation in his own right who stood in New York from 2008 until 2013. The grey, now five, had a successful three-year run with trainer Jim Ryerson and in last year’s Jaipur, at odds of 16-1, finished a neck behind Pure Sensation (Zensational), another grey Generazio homebred who was trained by Christophe Clement and let go at odds of 18-1. Pure Sensation’s 2016 Jaiper established a new North American record for the distance on turf (1:06.76), and the all-Generazio exacta paid $825.

Fast-forward one year. Both horses lined up again for the Jaipur, but this time both were sent out by Clement, to whom Disco Partner was transferred for his 2017 campaign. Disco Partner was sent off as third betting choice at odds of 9-2. His stablemate was slightly better regarded at 7-2.

After the break, the late-running Disco Partner assumed his customary position near the back of the field, content to cruise along at the hedge with only two horses beaten and seven lengths off the pace set by Pure Sensation, who led the field a through sparkling opening quarter mile in 21.43.

Drawing closer to the pack through the far turn, Disco Partner cut the corner while Pure Sensation reasserted his lead from challengers Loose on the Town and Stormy Liberal after a half in 43.04.

Disco Partner closed into second at the rail, then tipped out between horses with a furlong to go. Unleashing his devastating closing kick, he collared Pure Sensation to his inside and out-finished 5-2 favorite Green Mask who was issuing a late bid to his outside. He secured the victory by a half-length and put his name in the record books for the blistering final time. Holding Gold (18-1) got up for third another length back, while Pure Sensation had to settle for fourth. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“I saved all the ground and when I had horse, I got through, said jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. “We split horses and [Disco Partner] got there. He’s a nice horse. He’s doing so well.”

Clement added, “Disco Partner had a great trip. Irad had him placed in a good position and he was able to take advantage and move forward to finish in the end. Irad has been riding great and he did a good job again here today.”

The winner of two of five starts in 2016, including his first black type victory in the open Troy Stakes at Saratoga, Disco Partner returned this year after six months on the bench with a sensational victory in the 7-furlong Elusive Quality under Ortiz on April 29.

Not only talented, but consistent, Disco Partner’s career record now stands at seven wins, four seconds and two thirds from 17 starts. The Jaipur win boosted his earnings bankroll to $621,810.

Foaled at Keane Stud [4]in Amenia, Disco Partner is a third-generation Generazio-bred. His second dam, Mary Lou’s Magic (Concord Dream), was bred by in Florida by Patricia Generazio and trained by her husband Frank. As a broodmare Mary Lou’s Magic produced six winners including Lulu’s Number, the dam of Disco Partner, a New Jersey-bred multiple winner of over $200,000 trained by Ben Perkins, Jr.

Lulu’s Number (Numerous) has produced five winners, including Don Six’s Number (Don Six), a stakes performer and earner of $212,686. She has a 2-year-old filly by Posse named Lulu’s Partner, and delivered a colt by First Samurai on February 14, 2017.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/10/disco-partner-jaipur-17/

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I Still Miss You wires Astoria Stakes, now a perfect two-for-two

By Sarah Mace

I Still Miss You (Majestic Warrior), the front-running winner of a five-furlong, New York-bred maiden special weight by 3 1/2 lengths three weeks ago, wheeled right back to wire the $150,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park on Thursday afternoon, the opening day of the three-day Belmont Stakes Festival.

Third betting choice in the field of eight at odds of 4-1, I Still Miss You shot of the gate and into the lead from post position two under Javier Castellano. She was soon joined by favorite Sugar Queen vying to her outside, then a three-wide Waki Patriot (6-1) through a first quarter mile in 22.19.

Leading her two rivals by a half-length as she entered the turn, I Still Miss You ended up shoulder-to-shoulder with Waki Patriot as they straightened out for the drive.

I Still Miss You kicked clear again in upper stretch, and Best Performance advanced into third. From that point on, Best Performance and Waki Patriot chased in vain.

In the final furlong, first under hand urging, then with a few reminders with the whip, I Still Miss You refused to give up an inch of ground, and sailed home a 2 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:04.85.

Best Performance finished second, a head in front of Waki Patriot who crossed the wire ten lengths ahead of the fourth-place finisher. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“It was a big field and with the inside post, I had to use her speed and she responded,” said Castellano. “We didn’t have a chance to rate; we had to send her because of the position she had. From the outside post, we can ask her to relax a little bit and don’t push her too much.” Added Castellano, “I think you’ll be able to stretch her out. I think she’s a straightforward filly, it’s the first time I rode her. She’ll move forward well.”

Jeremiah Englehart, who trains the filly for partners Gold Star Racing Stable, Matthew Hand and Brian McKenzie, referred to the way I Still Miss You fared after her debut three weeks ago. “Coming out of that race she’s done everything right. She didn’t lose any weight, her blood work remained good and we thought she would give a similar effort her if she was fast enough and she proved that today.”

Continued Englehart, “I thought Javier did a great job with her. I’ve had two great rides from her on Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] the first time, and Javier now and you’re pretty lucky when you’re in that company.”

I Still Miss You has earned $124,200 from her two wins.

Bred by Emcee Stable, LLC and foaled at Hickory Hill Farm Thoroughbreds[4], I Still Miss You is the first foal out of Maryland-bred Lion’s Terms. The mare won 16 races for Englehart and Gold Star Racing Stable and earned $235,042. Lion’s Terms has a yearling colt by Blame and was bred last year to Orb.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/08/i-still-miss-you-astoria/

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Breakin the Fever repeats in George W. Barker from off the pace

By Sarah Mace

Two-time Finger Lakes Horse of the Year and confirmed front-runner Breakin the Fever (Roaring Fever) had to switch tactics to defend his title in the 6-furlong, $50,000 George W. Barker Stakes at Finger Lakes Monday afternoon, but the 5-year-old still managed to come up with a winning performance for breeder-owner-trainer Debra Breed.

Favored at odds of 3-4, Breakin the Fever got out of post one a step slow under jockey Nazario Alvarado, was hustled up into third, then taken back into fourth position at the fence for the early splits. Meanwhile, Marriedtothemusic (9-2), bounced out of the gate and struck the front, soon to be joined by Love That Jazz (9-2). The top pair were pursued by Fratello Del Nord (5-1) through an opening quarter in :22 flat.

As the leaders entered the far turn, Love that Jazz began to draw off, while in the bend Breakin the Fever worked his way toward the outside for clear running.

Marriedtothemusic, Love That Jazz and Fratello Del Nord hit the head of the lane together, completing the half in 45.45, while Breakin the Fever tipped out and launched his bid four-wide and, in upper stretch, began to close the three-plus-length gap.

As Marriedtothemusic re-rallied at the rail and Fratello Del Nord took second, the favorite hit his best stride. He ran down his rivals in the final sixteenth and scored a half-length victory in a final time of 1:11.70. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Marriedtothemusic, who bore the brunt of the hard work on the front end, held second, finishing a half-length in front of Fratello Del Nord. Completing the order of finish were Sundae on Sunday, Love That Jazz, Baime and Frisky Warrior.

Breakin the Fever’s 17th career victory in 26 starts and sixth stakes victory carried his earnings over the half-million-dollar threshold to $500,441.

The gelding has sustained peak form over two racing seasons and seems to thrive from regular winter breaks. He has won 11 of his last 13 dates with the starter dating back to August 2015, has a 13-for-15 record at Finger Lakes and is currently riding a six-race winning streak. His penultimate start last year produced a career-best performance when he won the Hudson Handicap on last year’s Empire Showcase card.

Breakin the Fever is one of four winners from four foals to start out of Breakers West, a winning daughter of Rodeo owned and bred in New York by Francis Casey and trained by Debra Breed. Breakers West foaled a colt by Hold Me Back on April 11, 2017.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/06/05/breakin-the-fever-barker-17/

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