Therapist stays unbeaten with Awad win

By Sarah Mace

Oak Bluff Stables homebred Therapist (Freud[2]) psyched out the competition once again in Belmont’s Saturday nightcap, the $100,000 Awad Stakes for juveniles at a mile on the Widener turf. The victory drove the chestnut colt’s record to a perfect three-for-three, and took his earnings to $157,200.

Therapist has done nothing wrong in his young career. Following a debut win in a turf sprint for state-breds at Belmont Park on July 2, the colt dove straight into open company stakes competition. In the 6-furlong Laurel Futurity on September 16, Therapist surged dramatically in the final strides to win by a head, even after breaking through the gate before the start.

After horseplayers weighed the colt’s assets and liabilities, they bet him down to the 4-1 second choice from his 8-1 morning line.

On the plus side, Therapist had an advantageous draw (post two of 10), an unbeaten record, powerful late kick and open stakes success. On the other hand, he was stretching out from six furlongs to a mile for the first time, his top Beyer Speed Figure of 64 came up a little light compared to the competition and his pilot, Irad Ortiz, Jr., was his third jockey in as many starts.

Therapist settled in fourth after an alert break, four lengths off the lead and pinned down in the two path, where he remained from gate-to-wire. Meanwhile, while fellow New York-bred Looking Ready (13-1) led the way through opening splits of 23.16 and 46.90.

Following six furlongs in 1:10.83, and keeping Looking Ready directly in his sights four lengths ahead, Therapist advanced a spot in the turn, but made little headway on his rival in upper stretch.

At the furlong marker Looking Ready drifted out, and Therapist wasted no time in taking full advantage of the opportunity. Kicking into another gear in the final seventy yards, he gained the lead on the inside and opened up to a one-length victory in a final time of 1:35.41.

V.I.P. Code, the longest shot on the board at 71-1, rallied from the rear of the field to finish second, a nose ahead of Looking Ready in third, who kept a neck in front fourth-place finisher New York-bred Way Early (6-1). [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“I was in great position,” said Irad Ortiz, Jr. “I got the two hole, we broke good, saved some ground by staying on the inside. I wished I could have worked a way to get to the outside [in the stretch], but the rail opened and I got through, and he responded really well.”

The pilot continued, “He is 3-for-3, but it is my first time riding. [Trainer] Christophe [Clement] gave me the chance and he is a nice horse. He is a nice New York bred.”

Clement, who has raced Therapist Lasix-from in all three starts and is co-breeder with Oak Bluff, was very pleased with Therapist’s first route try. “It was a great race to stretch him out because it’s a one-turn mile. He got up very strong, so I guess he can get the distance.”

Added Clement, “He’s been great. He’s a nice horse. He’s unbeaten. He’s also a New York-bred, but he can obviously compete in open company.” He said he would consult with the owners about whether to keep going with Therapist or give him a break.

Foaled at Berkshire Stud[4] in Pine Plains, Therapist is one of two winners, and the first stakes winner, out of Lady Renaissance, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Sharp Strike who was purchased by Oak Bluff Stables for $15,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale.

Lady Renaissance’s first winner is Gio’s Lady (Gio Ponti), a sophomore who has won twice in California. She has produced a weanling full sister to Therapist and was bred this year to Temple City.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/28/therapist-awad/

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Indy’s Lady carries “lucky thirteen” into Shesastonecoldfox winner’s circle

By Sarah Mace

In Monday’s restricted $50,000 Shesastonecoldfox Stakes, Indy’s Lady and leading Finger Lakes jockey John Davila Jr., showed a dozen other New York-bred juvenile fillies who was boss. Sporting “lucky” number thirteen on saddle towel, upper arm and helmet, Indy’s Lady and Davila crossed the wire 2 1/4 lengths to the good while unveiling a useful new weapon: a rating gear.

A daughter of Take Charge Indy trained by Jeremiah Englehart for Orlando DiRienzo and Southfield Farm, Indy’s Lady broke her maiden in dramatic fashion on September 9, winning the $116,550 Lady Finger Stakes by eight lengths on debut. Taking on the boys three weeks later in the New York Breeders’ Futurity, she did not fare so well. Following a slow start, she and Davila rushed up to contest the lead, only to give way at the top of the lane and fade to last, a beaten favorite.

For the Shesastonecoldfox, Jeremiah Englehart fans faced no fewer than five entrants from which to choose, topped by 2-1 favorite Wegetsdamunnys. As second choice in the robust field, Indy’s Lady went off at 5-1.

Breaking forwardly from post 12, Indy’s Lady set up in third position, two lengths behind pacesetter Stone Cold Flirt and Wegetsdamunnys through an opening quarter in 22.30 and half-mile in 46.12.

Drawing up alongside the top pair in the far turn, Indy’s Lady made it three across the track. Taking over from Wegetsdamunnys, survivor of the pace duel, just shy of the furlong marker, Indy’s Lady kicked clear, drawing away to a 2 1/4-length victory.

New Girl in Town finished third, 2 1/2 lengths behind runner-up Wegetsdamunnys. Stone Cold Flirt, who is no relation to the eponymous heroine of the race, finished another 7 3/4 lengths back in fourth. The final time for six furlongs over the fast track was 1:11.91. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

A $104,268-earner from her two wins, Indy’s Lady was bred by Alan R. Cook and foaled at Sequel Stallions in Hudson. A half-sister to multiple stakes-winning New York-bred sprinter Filibustin (Bustin Stones), the dark bay filly is out of West-Virginia-bred Sweet Aloha, a six-figure earner, who has produced three stakes performers from three foals to start. Sweet Aloha has a yearling colt by Forty Tales and was bred to Bustin Stones in the spring.

After selling as weanling at the 2015 Keeneland November sale to OWL Stable for $65,000, Indy’s Lady failed to to meet her reserve when bid up to $48,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. Before her next date with auctioneer at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale, she posted a sharp :10 1/5 furlong in the under-tack show, and was ultimately hammered down to Orlando DiRienzo for $150,000.

The Shesastonecoldfox is the final stakes race of Finger Lakes’ 2017 season. Live racing continues through November 28.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/23/indys-lady-shesastonecoldfox/

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Verdant Pastures steps up to win the Distaff in her stakes debut

By Bill Heller

Asking a three-year-old filly to step up from a bottom level allowance victory to a $250,000 stakes is a tall order, but it’s a lot easier if that filly won her allowance race by a staggering margin over older fillies and mares.

Francis Paolangeli’s home-bred, three-year-old filly Verdant Pastures certainly did, romping by 14 ¾ lengths in an allowance race at Saratoga, August 9th. Trainer Charlie Baker gave his filly ample time to recover and she came back to win Saturday’s fourth running of the mile and a sixteenth $250,000 Empire Distaff wire-to-wire under Manny Franco by two lengths on Empire Showcase Day Saturday at Belmont Park. Sent off the 3-1 second choice in the field of nine, Verdant Pastures won in 1:43.65.

Longshot Might Be, who was 41-1 under Dylan Davis, made a bold mid-stretch rush at Verdant Pastures, but was rebuffed. Might Be hung on for second, three-quarters of a length ahead of fast-finishing Bonita Bianca, the 2-1 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Jc’s Shooting Star, who was 12-1 under Eric Cancel, finished fourth, 8 ¼ lengths behind Bonita Bianca.

“I was a little worried heading into the race that she’d be 100 percent,” Baker said. “Following her Saratoga race, she’s had some minor issues, but thankfully she was able to come back and perform today.”

Verdant Pastures, who was foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, is a daughter of Colonel John out of Stormy’s Smile by Stormy Atlantic. After finishing third, sixth and eighth in three starts as a two-year-old, Verdant Pastures won a maiden race Jan. 27th at Aqueduct by 7 ¾ lengths. She then finished fourth at 1-2 in an allowance race March 5th.

Verdant Pastures didn’t return to the races for more than five months, but she came back a different filly, blowing away allowance foes at Saratoga in her first start against her elders with Franco regaining the mount Aug. 9th.  Baker decided to train her up to the Empire Distaff, and she worked a five-furlong bullet in 1:00 2/5 at Belmont Park Oct. 3rd to show her readiness. She added another useful five-furlong drill in 1:01 3/5 11 days later.

She came back ready to run and she took the lead from the four post. Verdant Pastures led Might Be, who broke from the seven post, by a neck after an opening quarter in :22.94, and they remained 1-2 the entire race. Might Be drew within a head of Verdant Pastures after three quarters in 1:10.72, but Verdant Pastures responded and put her away, opening up late.

“She broke so well, I just let her do her thing,” Franco said. “Like in Saratoga, I just went to the lead and she relaxed by herself. She’s a pretty nice filly. At the top of the stretch, I felt my filly was getting tired a little bit, but I knew I had something left.”

Verdant Pastures is now three-for-seven with earnings topping $230,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/21/verdant-pasture-distaff/

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Mohawk victory high-water mark for Black Tide

By Sarah Mace

Ivery Sisters Racing’s Black Tide, a 5-year-old gelding and former claimer by Hold Me Back, has collected a huge following this year, thrilling horseplayers and fans alike by his refreshing “take no prisoners” approach to racing.

On Empire Showcase Day at Belmont in the 1 1/16-mile, $200,000 Mohawk Stakes, Black Tide showcased his own special flair, earning his first stakes victory and giving trainer David Cannizzo a second career stakes tally.

Black Tide’s victory in the Mohawk was a tour de force. As 4-1 third choice behind 3-5 favorite, Chad Brown-trained Offering Plan and 3-1 Cloontia, the gelding popped the gate under regular rider Jose Lezcano and established a 1 1/2-length lead before the first point of call.

Leading Cloontia by widening lengths along the backstretch through a moderate opening quarter of 24.74, Black Tide enjoyed a five-length cushion by the conclusion of a quickening half in 47.92. Continuing an uncontested lead round the far turn, Black Tide was control by 3 1/2 lengths by the head of the lane. Meanwhile, pursuer Cloontia gave way to All is Number, and Offering Plan mounted a bid from fifth at the fence.

Never faltering and without facing a serious challenge, Black Tide cruised under the wire a 1 1/4-length winner in a sharp final time of 1:40.98. Offering Plan got up for second 1 1/4 lengths ahead of 17-1 Rapt, who rallied from last to third. Completing the order of finish were Converge, All Is Number and Cloontia. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“I let him break and go on, then I started to pick him up early and around the three-eighths [pole],” said victorious jockey Jose Lezcano. “You have to let him open up.”

The pilot continued, “I was not going to send him too hard early, there was a ways [to go]. When I got it to the five-eighths [pole], I opened up. I knew [Offering Plan] would be coming, but I just kept riding my horse.”

Trainer Dave Cannizzo talked first about how to manage jockey instructions in Black Tide’s case. “I don’t want to say he’s a simple horse to ride, because you have to have trust in him that he’ll keep going. But you have to let it rip.”

He continued, “It’s not that hard to tell a jockey how to ride him, but they have to have confidence because they don’t want to look foolish and let him go too fast and have him stop turning for home.”

Of Black Tide, Cannizzo said, “When you look, the faster [the pace], the better he runs. He keeps going. When you try to rate him, he doesn’t have that other gear. Jose [Lezcano] gets him to finish better than anyone. The horse hasn’t let us down. He’s great. He’s had a great year.”

Black Tide’s “great year,” capped by the Mohawk victory, ratifies Cannizzo’s determination to get the gelding in his barn for keeps. Cannizzo first claimed Black Tide for $35,000 last November 19 from Michelle Nevin for Brian Ivery, but lost him to David Jacobson two races later, on December 31. In the gelding’s very next start, when Jacobson dangled him for $25,000 in a race over the Aqueduct inner on February 2, Cannizzo pounced for the same connections and got him back. The stable name Ivery Sisters Racing refers to Ivery’s three daughters.

In seven starts since, Black Tide has run exclusively on turf and won five of eight starts while ascending the Beyer scale. He posted career best figures of 95 and 94 in his two prior starts, and, for the Mohawk, was awarded a 94. In each case Cannizzo has instructed his jockey to play “catch me if you can” and, more often than not, “they” couldn’t. Black Tide’s earnings now total $450,832 from seven wins, six seconds and five thirds in 34 starts

Bred by Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds and foaled at the former Highcliff Farm in Delanson, Black Tide is one of four winners from four foals to start out of Turn the Tide, an unraced Theatrical (IRE) mare. Turn the Tide’s second foal Avanzere won a pair of Grade 2 turf stakes on the west coast and earned $536,705. The mare has a yearling filly by Stormy Atlantic, no foal this year, and bred to American Pharoah in the spring.

Black Tide first sold for $30,000 to Thoroughbred Management at the 2013 OBS Yearling sale. He was purchased the following year at the OBS spring 2-year-old sale by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock for $50,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/21/mohawk-black-tide/

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Ostrolenka’s persistence pays off in Hudson Stakes victory

By Bill Heller

On January 17th at Aqueduct, trainer David Jacobson claimed Ostrolenka for $62,500 as he finished fifth at 7-1. In eight subsequent starts for Jacobson, Ostrolenka posted four seconds, two thirds, one seventh and just one win and that came in a $30,000 claimer at Monmouth Park, where Jacobson was willing to lose him for less than half the amount he had spent claiming him. On Saturday on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park, Jacobson and Ostrolenka hit the jackpot.

Grinding on the outside of front-running Eye Luv Lulu the length of the stretch, Ostrolenka finally passed him, winning the 40th running of the 6 ½ furlong $150,000 Hudson Handicap by a neck under Joe Bravo. Ostrolenka was 9-2 and Eye Luv Lulu, who was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., 11-1 in the field of 10.

“I’m very happy,” Jacobson said. “He’s hard-hitting.”

Longshot Pat On the Back, who was 31-1 with Manny Franco aboard, finished just a neck behind Eye Luv Lulu in third after shifting out for a clear run in deep stretch. Celtic Chaos, who was 6-1 under Eric Cancel, finished fourth, 2 ½ lengths behind Pat On the Back.

Eric Fein bred Ostrolenka, a son of Musket Man out of Pumpkin’s Pride by Louis Quatorze who’s done his best racing at Belmont Park, posting four victories and one second from nine starts heading into the Hudson including a third consecutive second by a neck at 4-5 in an allowance/optional $100,000 claimer Sept. 21st.

Bettors had trouble separating the Hudson field, ultimately making the three-year-old gelding T Loves a Fight the tepid 3-1 favorite.

Eye Luv Lulu shot to the lead from the nine post. Ostrolenka broke fourth, but worked his way up to second after 22-1 Bust Another and Kendrick Carmouche checked hard. Eye Luv Lulu led Ostrolenka by one length after a first quarter in :22.82 and a half-mile in :46.16.

Then Ostrolenka pulled closer as T Loves a Fight rallied into third. In mid-stretch, Eye Luv Lulu was grimly holding on to a narrow lead on Ostrolenka as T Loves a Fight came up empty and Pat On the Back gained after shifting lanes for a clear run.

Racing in between Eye Luv Lulu and Pat On the Back, Ostrolenka gamely took over, sticking his neck in front and keeping it in front in the frantic, final yards.

“He’s had a couple of really good races,” Jacobson said. “He got beat by some really nice horses. Today, we got lucky. He made it an exciting race like he always does.”

Ostrolenka is now seven-for-31 with seven seconds, five thirds and earnings topping $620,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/21/ostrolenkas-hudson/

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Evaluator lights up tote board in Sleepy Hollow

By Sarah Mace

In the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow for 2-year-olds, right in the heart of the Empire Showcase Day card at Belmont Saturday, R and H Stable’s Evaluator (Overanalyze) presented a perplexing case on paper, and was bet accordingly –  sent off at 19-1 to go a mile on Big Sandy in a full, talent-laden field of New York-bred 2-year-olds.

In the end, Evaluator made nothing of the question marks in his column, but rallied from well off the pace to put a game nose in front of Big Gemmy at the wire.

Part of the mystery was that Evaluator’s first three career starts had come on grass. The chestnut colt burst on the scene with an eye-catching last-to-first debut victory going a route of ground on turf at Saratoga on August 9. In his next two starts he dove straight into much deeper water, finishing no better than seventh in both the Grade 3 With Anticipation at the Spa and Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont on September 30.

Trainer Michael Dilger was quick to explain his rationale for trying dirt in the Sleepy Hollow. “[Evaluator]’s always worked very well on the dirt. We went to the turf looking for the distance. We thought that was going to be the most important factor for the horse at the time during the summer, then he ran so well. But he’s always worked well on the dirt, and it’s all about the trip for him.”

Still, with only mid-range Beyers to-date compared the competition in the Sleepy Hollow, and the outside post of 11, it is possible to forgive some skepticism on the part of the wagering public.

True to form, Evaluator spent the first quarter-mile of the Sleepy Hollow in last place, breaking well, then angling inwards to save ground. Meanwhile, virtual co-favorites Battle Station and Stoney Bennett hooked up and separated themselves from the body of the field by five lengths.

As the top two clocked splits of 23.07, 45.77 and 1:11.43, Evaluator picked off four rivals along the backstretch, moving into seventh, and came under a ride in the far turn. Upper stretch saw Evaluator fan wide and move up into fifth. Up front, Big Gemmy in third assumed the lead as the duelers weakened.

When Evaluator kicked into full gear, he inhaled his other rivals in midstetch, and drew even with new leader Big Gemmy in the final sixteenth. Digging in gamely to the finish, Evaluator poked his nose in front at the wire, stopping the clock in a final time of 1.38.38.

Inalienable Rights closed into third four lengths behind the top pair, followed in order by Stoney Bennett, We Should Talk, Analyze the Odds, Mr. Pete, Battle Station, Lover’s Leap, Engineers Report and Bourbonfuhrme. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Jockey Manny Franco, who had the call on Evaluator for the first time Saturday, said, “[Michael] Dilger told me to break out of there and let him be comfortable, because he doesn’t have speed early on. I put my head down and tried to follow a target and get a space to go and it worked out well. I was following [Joel] Rosario’s horse [We Should Talk] and it worked out well for me.”

Bred by EKQ Stables Corp and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Evaluator is one of three winners from three starters out of Show Me the Carats, a Kentucky-bred daughter of More than Ready who was unplaced her lone start.

Purchased by Starlight Partners for $180,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2010, Show Me the Carats was picked up by Dan Hayden for $13,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed/HORA sale.

Evaluator, who has earned $195,634 from his pair of victories, is a graduate of the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, where he sold to Rick Higgins for $30,000. R and H Stable is named for partners Rick Higgins and Howard Read, who are also joined in ownership by Stu Richel.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/21/evaluator-sleepy-hollow/

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Twisted Tom cruises in Empire Classic for third straight victory

By Bill Heller

Cobra Farm, RR Partners and Head of Plains Partners’ terrific three-year-old New York-bred gelding Twisted Tom made his debut against older horses in the 42nd running of the mile and an eighth $300,000 Empire Classic Handicap on Empire Showcase Day Saturday at Belmont Park. He treated them with the same disdain as the three-year-olds he’s been regularly thumping.

Confidently ridden by Javier Castellano, Twisted Tom, the even-money favorite in the field of nine, disputed the pace on the outside of 9-1 Control Group and Irad Ortiz Jr., took the front when asked and rolled to his third consecutive victory by a comfortable three lengths in 1:49.38. That gave Castellano and trainer Chad Brown their second consecutive stakes victory after winning the 37th running of the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes with Fifty Five. The Empire Classic Handicap was the fifth race on Saturday’s all New York-bred card of 11 races.

Control Group gamely saved second by a nose over 12-1 Can You Diggit and Manny Franco. Papa Shot, who was 13-1 on the rail under Dylan Davis, finished another 2 ¾ 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.

Twisted Tom has now won six of his last seven starts, the only loss a horrible-luck sixth in the mile-and-a-half Grade 1 Belmont Stakes when he clipped heels on the first turn and lost by 27 ¾ lengths. Since the Belmont Stakes, he won the New York Derby at Finger Lakes by a half-length and the Albany Stakes at Saratoga by 4 ½ lengths.

“He’s a super consistent horse,” Brown said. “I am really proud of him. Just look at his form, how he has developed over the year. He is a real fine racehorse. We are lucky to have him.”

Castellano got him away second on the outside of Control Group and they raced 1-2 for the entire nine furlongs. “He has a high cruising speed and the horses weren’t going that fast, and I loved Javier’s decision early to just put him right in the race,” Brown said. “He got him in a nice rhythm down the backside. It looked like he had the other horse measured.”

Control Group led Twisted Tom by a head after a first quarter, but Twisted Tom took a head lead after a half-mile in :48.08. Control Group responded on the rail and led by a neck after three-quarters in 1:12.37. They had 2 ½ lengths on Papa Shot in third. The others were struggling to keep up.

Castellano asked Twisted Tom to take over in early stretch and he quickly did, edging away from Control Group. Twisted Tom finished a mile in 1:36.73 with an expanding lead and he cruised home to yet another victory.

“He’s the kind of horse you can put wherever you want,” Castellano said. “He’s very straightforward. He went easy and comfortable today. He picked it up at the end. We had a lucky trip and we had the opportunity to get it done.”

Twisted Tom is making the most of his opportunities. He is now six-of-eight on dirt and one-for-two on turf with earnings of more than $680,000.

Control Group was hardly disgraced by finishing second. “He ran his race; he just got beat,” Ortiz said. “H was second best today. He fought. I’m happy.”

Twisted Tom is already a lock to win the male New York-bred three-year-old title, and he also has captured two open stakes in Maryland.

Brown isn’t sure if Twisted Tom will race again this year. “My initial plan was to rest him at this point,” Brown said. “He has had a long, hard campaign that started off this winter here. Sooner or later you have to give him a break. But I will discuss that with the ownership group and go from there. And in the weeks to come, we’ll made a final decision.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/21/twisted-tom-empire-classic/

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Fifty Five rallies to victory over elders in Ticonderoga

By Sarah Mace

Chad Brown and Javier Castellano put their heads together to plot a winning strategy for Peter M. Brant’s Fifty Five (Get Stormy) in the $200,000 Ticonderoga on Empire Showcase Day, and the results spoke for themselves.

Reverting to the “one-run” style that had served her well in the past, sophomore Fifty Five rewarded those who backed her to narrow 5-2 favoritism with a solid victory over her elders in the 1 1/16-mle contest over  Belmont Park’s inner turf

The Ticonderoga represented some class relief for the bay filly, who had been knocking heads with graded rivals in her last three starts. A graded winner herself earlier in the year, taking the Florida Oaks, she finished second to the redoubtable New Money Honey in the Grade 3 Wonder Again, third in the Grade 3 Lake George and, last out, was unplaced in Belmont’s Grade 2 Sands Point.

Settling well off the pace, Fifty Five shared the tail of the field with Flipcup for three-quarters of a mile as Barrel of Dreams carved out early fractions of 25.17, 49.42 and 1:12.66.

In the clear going into the far turn, Fifty Five still had lots of work to do and six lengths to make up. Switching to the outside and put under a drive by jockey Javier Castellano, Fifty Five roared home, with Flipcup in tow.

Overtaking her rivals in midstretch, Fifty Five dug in for the final stages to win by one length. Flipcup kicked home well to get a head in front Fifty Five’s uncoupled stablemate Ancient Secret in second and third. Completing the order of finish were Tizzelle, Barrel of Dreams, Broken Border, Feeling Bossy and Frosty Margarita. After a mile in 1:35.72, the final time for 1 1/16 miles over the firm inner turf course was 1:41.65. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Javier Castellano, who had the call aboard Fifty Five for the first time, felt that good communication with Brown was crucial to the victory.

“Chad talked to me about her a little bit because I haven’t had the opportunity to ride or work the horse in the morning. To me, she’s kind of new, so it was important for me to have some feedback. That’s the thing that’s most important with Chad. Because we have a good relationship, we can talk about the horses. He can give me tips and we can put it together and have a race like that.”

Continued Castellano, “I handicapped the race and watched her other races and I think she’s one of those kinds of horses where you have one run and that’s what I did. I’m glad Chad [Brown] gave me the option of making my own adjustments in the race. I broke well out of the gate with the field, I took my time, saved all the ground, and made one run. She responded like an explosion. That’s what I was looking for today and she did it. Great performance today.”

Brown commented, “It really set up well for her. We were trying to revert back to tactics that worked in the past – one run. The past couple of starts with her, we tried to get too much early position, and she’s better making that one run. The filly really showed up today.”

Brown said he would consult owner Peter Brant, but is inclined at this point to give Fifty Five a rest over the winter and bring her back fresh for a 4-year-old campaign.

Bred by Empire Equines and foaled at Berkshire Stud [4]in Pine Plains, Fifty Five is one of two winners out of Empire’s homebred mare Soave, who died earlier this year. Soave was by Brahms out of New York-bred Cozzene mare Cozzekiki.

Fifty Five RNA’d for $24,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sales only to emerge as Get Stormy’s first stakes winner when she won the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs. Brant purchased the filly privately from breeder Empire Equines’ John Crowe after the Florida Oaks coup. She now sports a record of four wins, a second and two thirds from five starts and has earned $359,600.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/21/fifty-five-ticonderoga/

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