NYRA/Rob Mauhar
By Sarah Mace
My Boy Tate, winner of his three previous starts by a combined 20 lengths, found his first try in stakes competition to be quite to his taste Saturday.
Trained and bred by Michelle Nevin, who is also a co-owner of the horse in partnership with Billy Koch-managed Little Red Feather racing, the 4-year-old struck the lead early and never looked back as he vanquished seven worthy rivals in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Stakes for New York-bred sprinters.
My Boy Tate’s stakes victory also made him the first black-type winner for New York-based third-crop sire Boys at Tosconova, who stands at Questroyal North in Stillwater for a 2018 fee of $2,500.
By post time, My Boy Tate was bet down to even money on the strength of his three sharp wins, a four-furlong bullet move (best of 29) on January 8 and a proven ability to win over off-going on a day when the track condition was listed as “muddy (sealed).” The dark bay gelding obliged his backers by being the first to emerge from the post-break scrum from post four and taking a three-quarter-length lead over Haul Anchor and the rest.
Unchallenged through a quarter in 23.74 and a half in 48.11, My Boy Tate maintained a measured three-quarter-length lead through the far turn, while the rest of the field rearranged itself behind him.
Gold for the King worked his way toward the inside from seventh and saved ground in the turn. Eye Luv Lulu passed horses on the outside going from sixth to third, and Celtic Chaos, occupying his customary position in the caboose for the first half-mile was gearing up.
NYRA/Joe Labozzetta
Up front, My Boy Tate continued unopposed to the wire, clocking six furlongs in 1:13.57 and completing seven furlongs under stronger handling in 1:27.14 in a three-length victory.
Gold for the King finished with good energy toward the inside to get second, while Celtic Chaos, who angled out widest of all at the head of the stretch, captured third money 2 1/2 lengths further back. Eye Luv Lulu’s rally ended in a fourth-place finish, and he was followed across the line Ostrolenka, Pat On the Back, Candid Desire and Haul Anchor. [VIDEO REPLAY]
“[My Boy Tate] was on his toes heading into the gate,” said winning jockey Dylan Davis, who had the call aboard My Boy Tate for the first time in the Say Florida Sandy.
Davis continued, “He knew what to do and once we got him out of there running and he got to the lead, he was all business. Turning for home, he was so in-hand rating, it got so quiet because there was nobody around him. I just wanted to take care of him and I got him engaged again at the eighth-pole, and he did everything I wanted him to do. It was great.”
Michelle Nevin, who is open to the option of giving My Boy Tate a try in open company at some point, added, “I thought Dylan gave him an excellent ride. I was a little worried about the track today. There was some other speed in the race, but he broke and he got control pretty quick. Dylan did a great job, just sitting and waiting on his run. When it was time to ask him, he responded again. What more can you ask for?
“It wasn’t like it was a plan to go right to the lead or anything,” Nevin continued. “Basically, I left it up to Dylan to play the break. It’s always nice to see a jock just sit and cruise when everyone else is asking for a bit of run. That’s always a good feeling.”
Foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, My Boy Tate is one of two winners, and the first to earn black type, from two foals to race out of Backslash, a winning daughter of Sharp Humor and Paul P. Pompa Jr. colorbearer.
My Boy Tate has gone undefeated since he broke his maiden at fourth asking last summer at Saratoga, breezing through his New York-bred conditions in his next three starts. His first stakes victory improves his record to four wins, a second and a third from seven starts and increased his earnings to $192,300.
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The eponymous hero of Saturday’s race, the legendary Say Florida Sandy, was truly an iron horse. Bred by Sanford Bacon, the son of Personal Flag won 19 stakes races, led by the Grade 2 True North, and a quartet of grade three victories: the Philadelphia Park Breeders’ Cup H., Bold Ruler H. and Gravesend H. (twice). Before retiring to a career at stud, Say Florida Sandy posted 98 career starts over eight seasons of racing, winning 33 races and placing in 29 more. Twice named New York-bred Horse of the Year (2000 and 2001), he sits in sixth position on the all-time New York-bred earnings list with $2,085,408.
