Giant Expectations wins Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile berth in Pat O’Brien Stakes

By Sarah Mace

The left coast’s Drefong and West Coast (the horse) may have had their way with the eastern contingents in Saturday’s Grade 1 Forego and Travers Stakes at Saratoga, but later the same day at Del Mar 4-year-old Giant Expectations, a New York-bred colt by New York sire Frost Giant[2] (Sunrise Stallions[3] / Keane Stud[4]), somewhat evened the score after stalking his way to a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes.

The 7-furlong contest, which attracted a field of ten, was a “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge race, which came with an all-expenses-paid ticket for the winner to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Saturday, November 4.

Breaking from post nine under veteran pilot Gary Stevens, and the 9-2 third choice in the field of ten, Giant Expectations was hung out seven wide on the backstretch, as the bulk of the field got off to an even start. The chestnut colt eventually settled in sixth position in the run to the far turn behind 3-1 favorite Moe Candy, who led the group through an opening quarter mile in 22.89 from his inside post.

Advancing two spots under encouragement and rounding far bend four deep, Giant Expectations was set down for the drive. His new target, once pacesetter Moe Candy gave up the ghost, was 7-1 Calculator.

Giant Expectations ran down Calculator, who had to settle for second, and continued with good energy to get the win by 1 1/2 lengths going away. Second choice Silent Bird (3-1) finished another 2 3/4 lengths back in third. After a half-mile in 45.14 and six furlongs in a flashy 1:08.83, Giant Expectations stopped the clock at 1:21.08 after seven furlongs over a fast track.

“He broke sharp and he was right in it,” said Gary Stephens, after his second consecutive call on Giant Expectations. “I used one of his gears a little earlier than I wanted to, to get position. There was some ‘jockeying’ going on out there [in the turn], especially between [Kent] Desormeaux [on Silent Bird] and me. We were going in and out, but my horse loved it.”

Continued Stephens, “He’s a bulldog. I rode him last time and he ran great. I thought he was sitting on something big. He showed it today.”

As to the chestnut colt’s prospects for the BC Mile, Stevens opined, “I think he’ll actually be better off if they run him a mile. He’ll have more time to settle going into that first turn and I expect he’ll run big.”

Giant Expectations’ dominant performance seemed almost to come as a surprise to Peter Eurton, who trains the colt for Exline Border Racing and Gatto Racing.

“He showed up today and I’m really proud of him,” said Eurton. “Gary chose him over Kobe’s Back [a 6-year-old who finished sixth] basically because of the youth. This horse is four. I didn’t think he would run this big, but I’m glad he did. We’re pretty happy right now.”

The Pat O’Brien Stakes was Giant Expectations’ stakes debut. Although the colt, who was unraced at two, failed to break his maiden in six tries last year out West, he did turn heads with a runner-up finish to eventual Champion and Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate, when the latter broke his maiden on June 5, 2016 at Santa Anita.

Following 11 months on the sidelines, Giant Expectations shipped back east for commanding victories in consecutive races against New York-breds at Belmont Park on May 29 and June 8 in his seventh and eighth career starts. He came into the Pat O’Brien after falling short by just three-quarters of a length in a one-mile optional claimer in his Del Mar debut on July 19, for which he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

Bred by Sunrise Stables and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm[5] in Schuylerville, Giant Expectations first sold for $85,000 as a short yearling at the 2014 Keeneland January sale. A $70,000 buyback at the same venue in September, he was purchased by Ryan Exline for $135,000 at the 2015 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds.

Giant Expectations, who is the first graded stakes winner for his sire Frost Giant, has compiled a record of three wins, three seconds and a third from 10 starts and has earned $253,200. He is one of three winners from three foals to start out of Sarahisittrue, a winner by Is It True, who was bred in New York by Herman Wilensky and campaigned by IEAH Stables. The dam of Giant Expectations’ full sister Bambisfrostyracer, Sarahisittrue has been bred exclusively to Frost Giant, producing three more full brothers: 3-year-old winner Say It Aint Frosty, juvenile A True Giant, who is not yet started, an unnamed yearling and a weanling filly.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/26/giant-expectationspat-obrien/

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Twisted Tom powers to his second straight victory in the Albany

By Bill Heller

With a breath-taking four-wide sweep around the far turn, Cobra Farm, R R Partners and Head of Plains Partners’ three-year-old gelding Twisted Tom made the lead under Javier Castellano and drew away to a 4 ½ length, second consecutive stakes victory in the 40^th running of the mile and an eighth $250,000 Albany Stakes, the highlight of New York-bred Showcase Day at Saratoga Friday. He did so as the even-money favorite in the field of six despite carrying high weight of 124 pounds, spotting five pounds to Pat On the Back and seven pounds to his other four opponents.

“I’m really proud of this horse,” Twisted Tom’s trainer Chad Brown said. “He had a really tough trip. He was very wide on the last turn and he was giving pounds to everyone in the field.”

Can You Diggit, who was 4-1 under Jose Ortiz, finished second, a length and three-quarters ahead of 6-1 Pat On the Back and Dylan Davis. Broken Engagement, the 2-1 second choice ridden by Paco Lopez, finished another four lengths back in fourth.

Dr. William Wilmot and Dr. Joan Taylor bred Twisted Tom, a son of Creative Cause out of Tiffany Twisted by Thunder Gulch who was trained in his first two starts by George Weaver, finishing fourth on dirt and then first by a neck with Lasix added on grass in his first two races in maiden company.

Twisted Tom made his first start for Brown on turf, finishing sixth in his final start as a two-year-old.

As a three-year-old, he’s been nothing short of sensational, winning an allowance race and then the open Private Terms and Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park, the second on a sloppy track.

Brown decided to take a shot with Twisted Tom in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, the mile-and-a-half final leg of the Triple Crown.  It was a race Brown wish he never tried as Twisted Tom clipped heels on the first turn and finished a distant sixth.

“He got a bad break in the Belmont where a horse clipped him from behind and really cut him bad,” Brown said. “We’re really lucky it wasn’t a more serious injury.”

Brown gave Twisted Tom plenty of time to recover and he returned off a six-week layoff to capture the $160,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes by a half-length over Broken Engagement as the 3-5 favorite.

Twisted Tom’s success made him the high-weight for the Albany. Breaking from the four post, he got away fourth as D’Yer Mak’er, who was adding blinkers and went off at 37-1 under Tyler Gaffalione, took a length and a half lead in a :24.04 first quarter-mile. Broken Engagement raced in second. D’Yer Mak’er stretched his lead to four lengths, hitting the half in :48.41 as Pat On the Back moved up to third and Twisted Tom raced on the outside in fourth.

D’Yer Maker took a two-length lead, but the pack closed in around the far turn with Broken Engagement two-wide, Pat On the Back three-wide and Twisted Tom four-wide.

When the horses straightened out at the head of the stretch, Twisted Tom said “Good-bye.” He opened up two lengths and then really poured it on late, winning as much the best.

“It was a great performance,” Castellano said. “I just enjoyed the ride.”

Brown said, “The horse ran terrific.”

Twisted Tom is now five-for-seven on dirt and one-for-two on turf with total earnings topping a half million dollars.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/25/twisted-tom-albany/

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Get Jets closes like a rocket to capture West Point Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Team D’s lightly-raced 4-year-old Get Jets, who has done virtually everything right for his trainer Tony Dutrow, answered the call of 2-1 favoritism in a highly-competitive running of the $150,000 West Point Stakes Presented by Trustco Bank on Friday’s Saratoga New York-bred Showcase card. Unhurried early, the Scat Daddy colt unleashed an explosive turn of foot in the stretch and powered past the bulk of the field to get the win.

Get Jets broke with the vanguard, but took back by the time the field crossed the finish line the first time, settling in for a ground-saving trip in sixth. Meanwhile speedy 16-1 Black Tide — once again a horse on a mission after his “catch-me-if-you-can” win at Saratoga on July 30 — roared out of post eight to take command, leading 8-1 Changewilldoyagood by a length through early splits of 23.28 and 46.44.

Along the backstretch Get Jets cruised along in tandem with Kharafa, with only second choice Offering Plan behind them, and, by the far turn, had yet to begin his drive. Get Jets entered the stretch sharing the rear of the field with Offering Plan.

Up top, it seemed as if Changewilldoyagood got the better of Black Tide, but the pacesetter battled back in the stretch and held the lead until the final stages, when he was mugged the closers.

Seventh at the head of the stretch, Get Jets unleashed his powerful kick and shot past the field on his way to a decisive half-length victory. Offering Plan closed in Get Jets’ wake from the rear, and showed a thrilling turn of foot in his own right, but was out-finished and had to settle for second.

Kharafa, another late closer, completed the trifecta three-quarters of a length back, followed across the finish line by the game Black Tide. Next across the line in order were All Is Number, King Kreesa, Changewilldoyagood and Macagone.

After a half mile in 46.44 and eight furlongs in a sparkling 1:33.85, the final time for 1 1/16 miles over the firm inner turf course was 1:39.49, just .42 seconds off the course record. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“I anticipated [Jose] Ortiz [on King Kreesa] going quick to the first turn which he did,” said winning jockey John Velazquez.

As to the later stages of the race, Velazquez said, “At least my horse was on the bridle today. The last time I rode him it took me a long time to get to the bridle so, by the time I got him running, I had nowhere to go. Today I made sure I got to the clear at the quarter pole and he responded right away and finished strong.”

As to the drama of the stretch run, Tony Dutrow said, “I was concerned, but when I saw Javy [Castellano on Offering Plan] doing the same thing on a horse that is very good through the stretch as well, I was feeling better, but at the top of the stretch, both those horses had a lot of work to do. These turf races, the last sixteenth of a mile, you have to be in full gear, and Get Jets was.”

Bred by Pat Pavlish and foaled at Akindale Farm in Pawling, Get Jets fetched a gaudy $300,000 purchase price at the 2015 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. Consigner Cary Frommer bought the colt originally for $162,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred sale in Saratoga.

Get Jets broke his maiden at first asking at Saratoga in 2015, finished second in the Bertram F. Bongard and won the Sleepy Hollow that autumn. It wasn’t until his sixth career start in October 2016 that Dutrow switched his charge over to grass, where he has been ever since.

“When I bought him, I knew there was a lot of turf in his pedigree,” said Dutrow. “He trained good on the dirt and he was successful up here for a few races. But then when he got beat one day, I was like, ‘That’s it, I’m going to turf now.’ And he’s been super over it. I don’t have any disrespect for New York-breds, because there’s a lot of good ones. But I think Jets is a better horse than a typical New York-bred.”

Get Jets has compiled a record of five wins and three seconds from 10 starts and built a formidable bankroll of $450,850. He is one of two winners from two foals to start out of Sunny, a winning New York-bred daughter of Dixieland Band bred by John Hettinger and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and Grade 1 producer Wake Up Kiss. Also appearing in female family are Grade 1-winning millionaires Dare and Go and Go Deputy, and sire Quiet American.

Sunny has a 2-year-old colt by Caleb’s Posse named Ride to the Sunset who has not yet started, a yearling Broken Vow colt and foaled a Tapit colt on April 18. In the spring, she was bred back to Tapit.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/25/get-jets-west-point-stakes/

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California shipper Cause We Are Loyal wins Seeking the Ante

By Bill Heller

A maiden romp in open company at Los Alamitos Race Course in California was all trainer Doug O’Neill needed to ship Reddam Racing Stable’s two-year-old New York-bred filly Cause We Are Loyal cross-country to make her New York-bred debut in the 6 ½ furlong $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes on Showcase Day Friday at Saratoga.

Rallying under Mario Gutierrez, Cause We Are Loyal rallied from fifth to win the Seeking the Ante by three-quarters of a length. Sent off at 11-1 in the field of nine, Cause We Are Loyal won in a glacial 1:20.21.

“We are so happy,” O’Neill said. “This is such an honest filly. She was showing us all the signs that she was going to run a big race.”

Newport Breeze, who was 6-1 under Jose Ortiz, contested the early pace, fell far back and rallied to finish second, three-quarters of the length ahead of 22-1 Miss Mystique and Rajiv Maragh. Front-running Pauseforthecuase, who was 7-1 under Irad Ortiz Jr., finished fourth, a length and a quarter behind Miss Mystique.

Jorge Wagner bred Cause We Are Loyal, a daughter of Creative Cause out of Rock ‘n Wolin by Not For Love who was purchased for $120,000 as a two-year-old in March. She finished third by 7 ¼ lengths in her debut at 7-1 at Santa Anita May 25^th, then won a maiden race at Los Alamitos by 8 ¼ lengths at 8-5. Both starts were in open maiden company.

If O’Neil shipping a horse to Saratoga to win a stakes race sounds familiar, it should. In 2015, he shipped Ralis, one of his less regarded two-year-olds in his stable, to contest the Grade I Hopeful Stakes. Ralis romped in the Hopeful.

Breaking from the five post, Cause We Are Loyal got away fifth as Pauseforthecause, breaking from the three post, and Newport Breeze, who started from the seven post, both went for the lead. Pauseforthecause took a one-length lead on Newport Breeze, who suddenly and dramatically fell back after a :22.10 first quarter. Then Newport Breeze fell all the way back to next-to-last.

Irad Ortiz took advantage of that, taking a two-length lead while backing off the second quarter to reach the half-mile in :46.16. By then, Cause We Are Loyal rallied into second.

Cause We Are Loyal continued to rally on the outside as Newport Breeze reappeared on the scene on the rail in third. Then Jose Ortiz took Newport Breeze outside to pass Pauseforthecause and move into second. Cause We Are Loyal proved best narrowly.

Gutierrez said, “I got a beautiful trip.”

Jose Ortiz’s Newport Breeze obviously did not. “I was in a good position and when the dirt hit her a little bit, she sucked back so far. Then she came back flying. Weird. Very weird.”

Cause We Are Loyal is now two-for-three with one third and earnings of more than $150,000. That could be enough for O’Neill to upgrade him to first-class on the flight back to California. “I don’t know if we’ll take her back to California and run her back against open company,” O’Neill said. “There are a lot of options for her.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/25/cause-we-are-loyal-seeking-the-ante/

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Bar of Gold gets first turf stakes win in Yaddo

By Sarah Mace

Bar of Gold (Medaglia d’Oro) transitioned from dirt to turf for her most recent two starts, and knocked on the door both times: second to Grand Jete at Belmont in an open allowance on July 13 and third, just three-quarters of a length short for all the money, in Saratoga’s De La Rose Stakes on August 5.

On Saratoga Showcase Day the stars aligned for the 5-year-old Chester and Mary Broman homebred. With a nifty move at the hedge, Bar of Gold gave John Kimmel a well-deserved first win at the meet while breaking 3-5 favorite Fourstar Crook’s eight-race winning streak.

Sent off at 5-1 under Irad Ortiz, Jr. from her inside post, Bar of Gold was in the hunt from the start, rating in third behind pacesetter Freudie Anne, who carved out early fractions of 23.71 and 48.20.

Maintaining her stalking position two lengths off the lead along the backstretch and through the far turn, Bar of Gold drafted in behind the leader at the head of the stretch. As a path opened up at the hedge, the mare was asked for more.

Responding with a quick turn of foot, Bar of Gold shot up the inside to get the victory by 1 1/4 lengths. After one mile in 1:34.73, the final time for the 1 1/16 miles over the firm turf course was 1:40.12. Fourstar Crook closed from fifth to finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Flipcup in third who finished a neck ahead of Ack Naughty in fourth. Completing the order of finish were Feeling Bossy and Jet Majesty.

“I just ran my race and settled my filly and tried to figure out if I could get through,” said Ortiz, Jr. “She ran a big race. It opened up for me and worked out good.”

“This horse has had some really difficult trips,” said Kimmel. “I thought there were some races she should’ve won. She’s been banging heads against some of the best ones. I thought I picked a soft spot here and I guess I forgot about Fourstar Crook, but she showed she can handle top-class horses when she’s on her game.”

Kimmel believes Bar of Gold, a multiple stakes winner and multiple graded stakes performer has taken to firm turf and to jockey Ortiz, who has been aboard three times now.

“I think she really likes the firm ground and likes to hear her feet rattle. Irad is really getting to know her now because she really gives you a quick turn of foot and the last time the ground had a little bit of give to it and he had to ask her a little early and she ran out of gas a little bit going wide having to make a big move.”

Continued Kimmel, “Today, he waited and it wasn’t that she got bumped at the top of the stretch. He kind of faked like he was going to the outside and then dropped in. She shot through there like a cannon. He’s really getting to know her and getting confident with her now.”

The conditioner is considering making the turf experiment permanent. “I guess we’ll talk it over. She’s come out of these grass races in really good form. The dirt races maybe took a little more toll on her, but these grass races have been very easy on her. She’s just a class act. She stayed healthy and maybe we can have some fun with her by the end of the year. Maybe [we’ll] get out of the New York condition and finally win a graded stakes with her. She’s placed in Grade 1s and hasn’t gotten a graded stake [win] yet.”

Bar of Gold is the first foal and one of two starters out of Khancord Kid, a Broman homebred by Lemon Drop Kid, also trained by Kimmel, who captured the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes on turf at Gulfstream Park turf in 2010. Chester Broman purchased Khancord Kid’s dam Confidently, an unraced daughter of Storm Cat, at Keeneland’s 2000 January sale of horses of all ages for $1 million.

Khancord Kid has a yearling colt by Giant’s Causeway and a weanling colt by American Pharoah. She was bred back to Medaglia d’Oro this spring.

Winner of the Empire Distaff, Critical Eye and Yaddo, runner up in the 2015 Grade 1 Test Stakes and sporting six more graded stakes placings on her resume, Bar of Gold has earned $918,500.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/25/bar-of-gold-yaddo/

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Aveenu Malcainu stays unbeaten winning the Funny Cide Stakes

By Bill Heller

Is there anything more intoxicating than having an unbeaten two-year-old? Nobody knows just how far he’ll progress, but it sure is a great ride to be on. Just ask the connections of Gold Squire’s two-year-old colt Aveenu Malcainu, who upped his unblemished record to two-for-two by taking the 6 ½ furlong $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes by 2 ½ lengths under Luis Saez on Showcase Day Friday at Saratoga. Sent off at 1-2 in the field of eight, he won in 1:17.69.

Actually, he nearly didn’t make it into the starting gate. “Before the race, he hit his head, scratched his nose and was bleeding out of his eye,” Aveenu Malcainu’s trainer, Jeremiah Englehart said. “We looked at him and he was okay. He seemed like he was all right. He’s a big boy.”

He ran like a man.

Inalienable Rights, who was dispatched at 18-1 under Junior Alvarado, made up a ton of ground late to finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of What a Catch, the 2-1 favorite ridden by John Velazquez. Analyze the Odds, a 33-1 shot ridden by Manny Franco, checked in fourth, 2 ¼ lengths behind What a Catch.

[2]Taylor Brothers Properties, George Soufley and Brian Khan bred Aveenu Malcainu, a son of Into Mischief out of Island Time by Trippi who sold for $150,000 as a two-year-old in April.

Aveenu Malcainu is the name of a Jewish prayer said on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Aveenu Malcainu made his debut at Saratoga July 28^th. Sent off at 4-1 in the field of 10, Aveenu Malcainu rallied from eighth to win by three-quarters of a length.

He got out of the starting gate much better Friday, and Saez settled him in third as 7-2 Morning Breez and Irad Ortiz Jr. set the pace and What a Catch, who broke from the outside post in the field of eight, got away second.

Morning Breez, What a Catch and Aveenu Malcainu raced 1-2-3 with  Morning Breez leading What a Catch by a half-length to a length behind through a first quarter in :22.36 and a half-mile in :45.72. Aveenu Malcainu was a comfortable third, two lengths behind What a Catch.

Then What a Catch made his bid for the lead as Saez took Aveenu Malcainu three-wide for a clear shot at the two front-runners. What a Catch put away Morning Breez, but he was quickly confronted by Aveenu Malcainu. Aveenu Malcainu spurted past the favorite to win going away in an impressive performance.

“It was perfect,” Saez said afterwards. “I put pressure on my horse and we took off.”

Now two-for-two, Aveenu Malcainu has already earned $163,800. That’s more than his purchase price. Here’s the best part. His stakes debut was a huge improvement on his maiden victory and who knows what’s next? Who knows how good he’ll become? Aveenu Malcainu’s connections are going to have a heck of a lot of fun finding out.

“The owners want to put him in the Champagne (a Grade 1 $500,000 stakes at Belmont Park Oct. 7^th),” Englehart said. “Hopefully, he keeps progressing.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/25/aveenu-malcainu-funny-cide/

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Undefeated Sunset Ridge aces two-turn test in Fleet Indian

By Sarah Mace

Chad Brown-trained Sunset Ridge (Algorithms), an undefeated homebred for Jon Clay’s Alpha Delta Stables, was hammered down to five cents on the dollar to go two turns for the first time while making her stakes debut in the $200,000 Fleet Indian for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on Friday. The chestnut did have to cope with some adversity, but ultimately gratified her many backers with an open-length victory.

Drawn in post two, Sunset Ridge stumbled after the bell and broke last under regular rider Jose Ortiz. Collecting herself, the chestnut settled in third at the rail while Somekindasexy assumed pacesetting duties, taking the field through an opening quarter in 24.19 and half in 48.22.

Early along the backstretch run, Sunset Ridge was boxed in – right behind the pacesetter and to the inside of main rival Bonita Bianca, but got herself in the clear by the approach to the far turn. Sunset Ridge then challenged Somekindasexy, took the top spot, and navigated the bend with Bonita Bianca pressing at her flank.

Opening up a little daylight, and clear by one length at the head of the lane, Sunset Ridge shook off her rival for good in upper stretch and cruised to the wire, winning by 6 1/4 lengths geared down. After six furlongs in 1:12.25 and a mile in 1:37.66, the final time for nine furlongs was 1:51.28. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Bonita Bianca was more than 15 lengths clear of Somekindasexy in third, followed by Danielle’s Pride and Five Each Way.

“She stumbled. When I got myself in the clear I rode her as the best horse,” said jockey Jose Ortiz. “I stayed patient, when they came at me with half a mile at the three-eighth pole, I knew it was just me and them, so I went with them, and I opened up on them.”

Ortiz continued, “The filly ran today, I can’t take all the credit, she’s a very nice filly, and in this spot, I mean one to nine? I knew she’d be great. Chad did a tremendous job with her as with all his horses, I’m just very happy I got to ride her first time out, and we kept winning together so, I’m just a passenger.”

“She is a very nice filly,” said Chad Brown. “She’s been a terrific horse for us. Her record speaks for itself. She’s a horse who has never disappointed us. She shows up and breezes well in the morning and shows up and runs well in the afternoon.”

When asked about his thinking before sending Sunset Ridge into her first two-turn test, Brown said, “I was curious to see if she’d handle the two turns. She always trained like would, but you never know until they do it.”

He continued, “She did well today, especially after missing the break and she had to be used a little bit and then got herself in a box there early on, I thought Jose [Ortiz] did a great job getting her out of a potentially bad spot and back in the clear. The filly did the rest.”

Brown is inclined to keep Sunset Ridge with her age group for now, but to try her against open company next time around. “At this point, I’ll discuss with the owner, John Clay, what the options are and then we’ll come up with a plan for her.”

According to Brown, Sunset Ridge had “little baby issues” that kept her from the races at two, but once she debuted at 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont April 23, the chestnut was virtually unstoppable, reeling off three straight wins by a combined 26 lengths. A winner at a mile at Belmont in her second start by eight-plus lengths, she added the extra furlong with ease in the Fleet Indian. On August 9, she won a 7-furlong allowance heat at Saratoga by an eye-popping 16 3/4 lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 99 and attained TDN Rising Stardom.

Sunset Ridge, who was foaled at Berkshire Stud [4]in Pine Plains and has earned $242,400 from four victories, is out of Cades Bay, a winning Kentucky-bred mare by Fusaichi Pegasus and a half-sister to graded stakes winner and multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed Voodoo (Petionville). Purchased by RBTS, agent at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale for $90,000 the mare was campaigned by Alpha Delta Stables before her broodmare career. Cades Bay has produced three winners from three foals to start, including Nevesian Sky, runner up in a state-bred allowance just two days ago on Wednesday.

The mare has since been sold in foal to First Samurai at the 2016 Keeneland November sale for $17,000. Following Sunset Ridge’s blowout Saratoga win, Clay’s advisor Reynolds Bell Jr. explained to the TDN, “We put the mare back through ring because we had this filly [Sunset Ridge] as a possible replacement for her.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/25/sunset-ridge-fleet-indian/

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Diversify all alone at the wire in Evan Shipman

By Sarah Mace

Lauren and Ralph M. Evans’ Diversify, by New York-based sire Bellamy Road (Dutchess Views Farm[2]), delivered a memorable performance at the Spa on the afternoon of the Great American Eclipse, posting an absolutely dominant double-digit-length victory in the nine-furlong Evan Shipman Stakes for older New York-breds.

The early scratches of Royal Posse and Ostrolenka reduced the field of the Evan Shipman to four horses, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered if there had been twelve in the gate on Monday. Diversify was just that good.

A heavy 1-2 favorite at post time, Diversify broke running from his outside post under Irad Ortiz, Jr., cleared the field in short order and opened up two lengths on Governor Malibu, Good Luck Gus and Papa Shot for the trip around clubhouse turn.

Clocking the first quarter-mile in 23.59 and half in 47.35, Diversify continued to enjoy a comfortable two-length lead along the backstretch and through the far turn. As the gelding posted a 1:11.09 six furlongs and straightened away for the dash home, Governor Malibu in second was already under a vigorous ride.

Asked for a little more in upper stretch, Diversify opened up four lengths, then ran off the proverbial screen, ultimately crossing the wire 11 1/2 lengths ahead of Governor Malibu. Papa Shot and Good Luck Gus finished well back in third and fourth. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was a very fast 1:47.48. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Ortiz, Jr. seemed to feel that Diversify was completely within himself in posting the blowout victory. “He’s not that kind of horse that wants to go [a half-mile in] ;50 [seconds]. You let him go, he’s got a huge stride and I knew he’d respond. A modest pace, :47 or :48, that’s good for him. I was cruising [and] I was so comfortable. When I asked him today, he was all business. He responded so good.”

Beaming in the winner’s circle, trainer Rick Violette said, “It was super. He can wait on horses, and that’s why Irad kept busy on him, because a couple of times in the snow, he kind of went into cruise control and had plenty left.”

Diversify was making his first start after winning the Saginaw stakes on July 2. Briefly “out of his feed tub” in the interim, he signaled to his conditioner that he needed a little more time as Violette toyed with the idea of trying him on turf. Violette’s patience and a return to Plan A — a dirt start without experimenting on the turf for now — paid off.

“It seems like his more brilliant races have come with a little bit of space and he ran all the way to the wire today, said Violette. “When they went :47-and-change, I thought ‘this is pretty cool.’ He just loped around there and looked pretty comfortable.”

Continued Violette, “This win is awesome. I thought he had it in him. I was so disappointed with his mile-and-eighth race at Aqueduct [seventh in the Stymie on March 12]. I was going to use that as a launching pad for Charles Town. He didn’t show up. He was done at the three-eighths pole that day, so that set the long-term planning back. Fortunately, we had some allowances races available. A lot of times winning helps their psyche as well as the trainer’s.”

Bred by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding and foaled at Majestic View Farms[5] in Gardiner, Diversify graduated from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale, where he fetched $150,000 from Maverick racing.

Unraced at two, Diversify opened his account in 2016 with four straight front-running victories in routes earning a “TDN Rising Star” designation after September 22 allowance win for WinStar Farm LLC. He was then purchased by Lauren and Ralph Evans as a racing prospect at Keeneland November for $210,000 and the couple opted to stay with the gelding’s original trainer Violette.

On March 12 Diversify turned in the lone poor performance of his career, finishing a well-beaten seventh in the 9-furlong Stymie, his stakes debut. The gelding rebounded with an open allowance win at Belmont on April 30, missed winning the Commentator Stakes by a nose to Weekend Hideaway on May 29 and won the Saginaw stakes on July 2. The gelding’s record now stands at nine wins, and two seconds from nine races with $325,425 in earnings.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/21/diversify-evan-shipman/

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Peter’s Project springs upset in Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Peter’s Project, owned and trained by Michael Ferraro, took his longshot odds of 23-1 straight to the winner’s circle on Monday afternoon after upsetting Finger Lakes’ featured $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes under jockey Jose Gutierrez.

Breaking from post four in a field that was scratched down to six after the defection of Mark Twain, Peter’s Project got out of the gate with the vanguard, navigating the clubhouse turn between Four Directions (10-1) to his inside and fellow 18-1 longshot Winston’s Chance to his outside.

In the backstretch Peter’s Project took back to sit a stalking trip behind the developing duel between Four Directions and Winston’s Chance as the opening half-mile went in 47.94.

Winston’s Chance won the battle with Four Directions, and gained a solo lead in the far turn, but did not win the war.

Peter’s Project navigated the far turn three wide, more than a length behind Winston’s Chance and gained steadily on his rival in the stretch. The gelding took over in the final strides to post a half-length victory. After a minute in 1:38.33, Peter’s Project stopped the clock at 1:45 flat for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track. Testostertone (2-1) finished 3 1/2 lengths back in third, followed by 3-5 favorite Hit It Once More, Four Directions and Ferraro-trained stablemate Sundae on Sunday. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Peter’s Project paid $49 to win. The $1 exacta returned $231, and a $1 trifecta paid a whopping $793.

Bred by Stonewall Farm, Peter’s Project is a 7-year-old gelding by former New York-based sire Anasheed. His dam Hurricane Betsy is an unplaced Kentucky-bred mare by Quiet American who has produced four winners from four foals to start, including stakes-placed One More Act (Patriot Act).

Peter’s Project finished fifth in both the 2014 and 2016 runnings of the Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes and, in his only other foray into stakes competition, finished third in the $26,800 Fio Rito Stakes in 2015. The veteran’s first black type win improved his record to 13 wins, six seconds and four thirds from 33 career starts and boosted his bankroll to $237,835.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/21/peters-project-genesee-valley-breeders/

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Picco Uno decisive winner of Union Avenue

By Sarah Mace

Kennesaw Mountain Racing’s Picco Uno rebounded in a big way from a sub-par performance in her last start, scoring a decisive 2 1/2-length victory in Saratoga’s Thursday feature, the $100,000 Union Avenue Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Last out in the one-mile Critical Eye which was run over a very sloppy track at Belmont on May 29, Pico Uno finished a well-beaten sixth. Until that glitch, Pico Uno had won her first three starts in 2017 and four straight dating back to last December 7. She may have hated the surface and not wanted to go a mile. Also, the Critical Eye was her second race in 11 days and, since then, she has enjoyed a brief freshening.

The 7-2 third choice in the Union Avenue field, which attracted nine, Picco Uno broke running from post eight under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., then conceded the lead to She’s All Ready, who broke to her outside, charged to the front and led the field through opening splits of 22.05 and 45.25.

Tracking the pacesetter a length back going into the turn, Picco Uno drew even with She’s All Ready at the head of the lane, was called upon for more run with three-sixteenths to go and responded with the decision. The grey mare kicked well clear, posting the 2 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:16.57 over the fast main track.

Quezon, the 3-2 favorite, came flying from midpack to capture second after passing 19-1 Absatootly, who had advanced from the rear of the field to occupy the second position briefly in the stretch. Absatootly had to settle for the show money a length and a half back.

Completing the order of finish were Wonderment, Clipthecouponannie, Myfourchix, She’s All Ready, Court Dancer and Frosty Margarita. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Hot City Girl, a graded stakes winner, half-sister to sprint champion La Verdad and earner of $682,050, was scratched from the race, and, as announced the same day by owner Sheila Rosenblum on Twitter, will be retired to Vivien Malloy’s Edition Farm to take up a career as a broodmare alongside her elder sister.

Pre-race, Ortiz, Jr., who rides Picco Uno regularly for trainer Jason Servis, made sure he got his mount’s mind on business. “I always give her an aggressive warm up,” said Ortiz. “She’s the type of filly who doesn’t show much in the morning and she’s so quiet, but when it’s time to run she can run. I tried to make sure she was on her game today, because she had to run.”

“I had a perfect trip,” Ortiz continued. “I broke the way I wanted. I broke running out of there and the horse beside me cleared me. She does better when she’s alone outside of horses and that worked out for me. I sat there, and waited as long as I could, and when I asked her, she was there for me.”

Commenting on the rebound performance, Servis said, “[Pico Uno] definitely benefited from the time off since her last start. In that race, it looked like she took a step back, so we gave her some time and she was able to regroup and run great today. She had a terrific breeze coming into this the other day.

“She ran like we were hoping she would. She drew off pretty good. She’s an average looking filly, but she gets over the ground pretty good. I just told Irad she’s a trier and hoping we got a good trip and it worked out.”

The timing of the victory was also just right: “It’s very exciting,” said Servis. “The owners flew up from Georgia so I’m glad it all worked out.”

A 4-year-old daughter of Macho Uno, Picco Uno was bred by Topsmeade LLC and Adena Springs and foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm[4]. She is one of two winners from two foals to start out of Piccola Isola, a winning New York-bred daughter of Western Expression. The mare was bred to Dublin in 2017.

Kennesaw Mountain Racing purchased Picco Uno at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $27,000. In January 2014, she sold at Keeneland as a $35,000 short yearling.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/08/17/pico-uno-union-avenue/

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