Aunt Babe solves the puzzle of the Franklin Square

By Sarah Mace

Louis Ferrari’s homebred Aunt Babe (Desert Party) solved the handicapping puzzle that was the $100,000 Franklin Square for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies at the Big A on Saturday. With a half-dozen evenly matched sophomores in the hunt, Aunt Babe got an ideal ride from jockey Rafael Hernandez that gave her the chance to play to her strengths and win the day.

Out of the gate smoothly, early on in the run up the backstretch Aunt Babe settled in fifth, while Velvet Trinni blazed the trail from post one, clocking an opening quarter mile in 22.77 as 5-2 favorite Pauseforthecause pressed the pace.

Aunt Babe improved a couple of spots in the approach to the far turn and drafted in behind the top two, securing a spot at the rail.

As Hernandez reported, “A couple of horses had a lot of speed, so we broke good at the gate and tried to keep [our] position right behind them, like two lengths behind the speed”

While Aunt Babe saved ground through the far turn, Pauseforthecause ranged up beside Velvet Trinni and took over at the quarter pole as the half went in 46.67.

Aunt Babe then tipped out into the clear for the dash to the wire.

“[In the stretch], I thought I had a good shot,” said Hernandez. “Even at the quarter-pole, I stayed behind the two-horse [Pauseforthecause], I said, ‘Man, we keep going like that, I’m going to have a lot of horse for the stretch for the last sixteenth of the race, and that’s what she did.”

Aunt Babe caught up with Pauseforthecause around the furlong marker and struck the front in the final sixteenth. She had enough in left reserve to stave off a rallying My Roxy Girl, secureding the victory by a neck a final time of 1:11.79 over “good” going. Runner-up My Roxy Girl finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Pauseforthecause, followed by Beautiful Buzz, Trinni Ninja and Velvet Trinni. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Winner of her Belmont debut at Belmont by 7 1/2 lengths for Carlos Martin, three starts later, Aunt Babe lit up the tote board in the Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes series when she won by a nose at odds of 39-1 for trainer Jimmy Ferraro. Her most recent start was the one-mile East View stakes on January 14, when she attended a fast pace before fading. In the Franklin Square she was turning back to the six-furlong distance of her two prior victories.

Ferraro said, “She cut back with ease. Last time [in the East View], the mile was too much for her. Today, it was the type of trip we wanted to see. In her last race, she was a little too sharp and she was up closer than we wanted her to be. We just wanted to try and lay off the speed, and we were very confident coming in. The time was pretty good, too. Things played out well. There was plenty of speed and we just stayed off it.” Ferraro would not rule out trying to stretch Aunt Babe out again, at least to seven furlongs.

Foaled at Peacefield in Schuylerville, Aunt Babe is a daughter of Bella Silver, a placed runner by Silver Deputy also bred and campaigned by Ferrari. Aunt Babe has won three of six career starts and earned $188,000.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/24/aunt-babe-solves-franklin-square-puzzle/

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Favored My Boy Tate makes it two straight stakes wins in Hollie Hughes

By Sarah Mace

Sent off as the prohibitive 1-2 favorite to score a second straight stakes victory in Monday’s $100,000 Hollie Hughes for New York-bred sprinters, My Boy Tate obliged his backers with a one-length win from off the pace under Dylan Davis. The young second-generation jockey has been a “Big A” powerhouse over the last two days, winning six races on Sunday, including the Gander Stakes, and three more on the President’s Day holiday card.

Making his eighth career start, My Boy Tate has gone undefeated since his broke his maiden at fourth asking at Saratoga on August 13 with a wire-to-wire win. Off until November 12, the dark bay picked up right where he left off with a 6 3/4-length frontrunning allowance win, then doubled down with a stalking victory in a second-level state-bred allowance on December 9. He capped the series with another strong frontrunning score in his stakes debut, the Say Florida Sandy on January 13.

After the starter sprang the latch on the fortieth renewal of the Hollie Hughes, things began to unfold a little differently for My Boy Tate this time around. Drawn in post seven of eight, he broke outwards and raced seven paths out along the backstretch, before advancing to fourth and moving toward the inside as the field approached the far turn.

Meanwhile Eye Luv Lulu (13-1) showed the way up top, leading the field through an opening quarter in a snappy 22.45, pursued by Tribecca in second, whose performance from start to finish belied his 50-1 longshot odds.

According to Davis, “When [My Boy Tate] broke, the track is kind of heavy, so it took him a couple of strides to get running. Also, I wanted to come out running and there was a lot of speed in here the way it unfolded, but he had no problem getting back into the pace.”

Gaining third in the turn, My Boy Tate caught up to the leaders and made it three across the track at the quarter pole as the half went in 45.63. In upper stretch Eye Luv Lulu soldiered on at the rail, Tribecca held second between horses and My Boy Tate menaced in the three-path.

“I was a little worried,” said Davis. “Kendrick [Carmouche on Tribecca] was doing the best he could there laying second, but I didn’t feel like it was enough pressure on Jason [Servis]’s horse [Eye Luv Lulu], so I ended up getting to Kendrick as early as I could with ease and I just tried to attack a little earlier and he got it done.”

The other two were game in the stretch, but in the final sixteenth My Boy Tate poked a head in front and edged off to win by a length. Eye Luv Lulu in second checked in 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Tribecca and Saratoga Giro completed the superfecta. The final time for six furlongs over the muddy and harrowed track was 1:10.23. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

A gelded son of New York-based sire Boys at Tosconova (Questroyal North[4]), My Boy Tate was bred by his trainer Michelle Nevin, who is also a co-owner in partnership with Billy Koch’s Little Red Feather Racing.

Nevin said that having bred My Boy Tate gives her an edge in the trainer’s role. “I feel like my experience around him, and how he has come along, so you kind of know his habits before he even comes to you, so it is an advantage.”

Even so Nevin visualized the race a little differently beforehand (“I thought we’d be a little bit closer, but we didn’t plan on being on the pace today”) and credited her jockey with a skillful ride.

“I think he [Dylan Davis] did an excellent job,” said Nevin. “It came a little closer than it has been in his previous races. But I think Dylan did a really smart move by not rushing early. I would have hated to see him get caught in a speed duel and fall apart at the end. He really gave him a great ride.”

Nevin thinks that open competition may well be in My Boy Tate’s future.

Davis, for his part, commented on his nine trips to the winner’s circle in two days, “I did the best I could. I’m happy to come out with three winners. It’s a great day again following a six-win day. It’s incredible.”

Foaled at Rockridge Stud[5] in Hudson, My Boy Tate is one of two winners, and the first to earn black type, out of Backslash, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Sharp Humor campaigned by Paul P. Pompa Jr. who purchased her for $85,000 in 2009 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. The mare has a 3-year-old unraced Bluegrass Cat colt named Charlie McCoy, a yearling colt by Big Brown and foaled a colt by Micromanage on February 4, 2018.

From five wins, a second and third in eight starts, My Boy Tate has earned $252,300.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/19/my-boy-tate-hollie-hughes/

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Startwithsilver explodes in the stretch to capture Broadway

By Sarah Mace

Startwithsilver (Jump Start) bided her time in last place for the first half-mile of her stakes debut Sunday, Aqueduct’s co-featured $100,000 Broadway Stakes for New York-bred filly and mare sprinters, but when ready to run she unleashed an explosive rally down the middle of the track, passing the field and opening up to score a scintillating six-length victory.

Co-owned by Iris Smith Stable, Lady Sheila Stable and trainer Linda Rice, 5-year-old Startwithsilver broke her maiden on dirt in April of 2016, but until January 25 had run on dirt only one other time, instead compiling a solid race record in turf sprints.

In her return to dirt just over three weeks ago she wrote the script for the Broadway. She raced dead last and as much as eleven lengths off the pace in a 6-furlong sprint before finding her stride, engaged the field in the stretch and charged home to win by 2 3/4 lengths under jockey Junior Alvarado. The pair were reunited on Sunday and went off as the 2-1 second choice in the field of six.

Competition was fast and furious up front in the early stages of the Broadway as Sandy Bell and Shimmering Moon dueled through an opening quarter mile in 22.77, with 3-2 favorite Picco Uno in the hunt in third. Startwithsilver, unconcerned, traveled in last place seven lengths behind all the action.

Roused by her pilot in the turn, Startwithsilver passed her first horse in the approach to the quarter pole. She then angled out widest of all at the head of the stretch as the half ticked by in 46.88.

The grey mare then kicked into gear and simply rocketed down the middle of the track, blowing past her rivals and opening up to win by six lengths in a final time of 1:11.44 over the sloppy (sealed) racing surface. Bee Noteworthy closed from fifth to get second and Picco Uno finished another two lengths back in third. Completing the order of finish were Sandy Belle, Frosty Margarita and Shimmering Moon. [VIDEO REPLY[3]]

For Alvarado it was déjà vu all over again: “You sit on her and wait for her to have the kick she did last time, so that’s what I did.” He added, “As soon as we turned for home I just put her in the clear. I knew the race was over. And when she switched [her leads] she got another extra two gears and she just turned for home very strong. It was a nice win for her.”

As to the mare’s preferred surface, Alvarado sees greater potential for her right now on dirt, wet or dry. “I know she can do turf too, but I think her best right now is on the dirt. That turn-of-foot for home is incredible. The last time, it was a dry track and I was far back, and she was a little hesitant with the dirt at the beginning because it was her first race in a while running on the dirt. She was very professional [today]. She took the dirt well. And when I asked her, she was like a push-button. I just had to hang on tight.”

Previously Startwithsilver’s pedigree had convinced Rice to stick with turf. Bred by Burning Sands Stable and foaled at Rockridge Stud [4]in Hudson, the mare is out of New York-bred Office Miss (Silver Ghost), a winner of three turf stakes. The female family also features Artie Schiller, Hidden Light and Ferdinand.

Rice said, “When we started with her, she broke her maiden on the dirt, but her mother had made around $350,000 on the grass, so we switched her to the turf, and there were just more opportunities for her there. Last winter, I decided to give her a break and freshen her up, and this winter I thought to try her on the dirt and give her another chance. We’ve been delighted with her last performances and I thought this race was pretty darn competitive.”

Lightly raced for a 5-year-old, with relatively long hiatuses between two and three, and three and four, Startwithsilver has compiled a career record of five wins, four seconds and two thirds from 15 starts, with $273,559 in earnings.

Purchased as a yearling by Raul Reyes’ Kings Equine at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall sale for just $32,000, Startwithsilver was bought by Rice for $180,000 at the 2015 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. She is the most recent reported foal for her dam Office Miss, who produced five winners.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/18/startwithsilver-broadway/

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Stretch-out sprinter Nine Route wires Gander

By Sarah Mace

Stretching out from a pair of dirt sprints, Nine Route (The Factor) put a stakes victory on the board in his fourth career start at Aqueduct Sunday with a frontrunning victory in the one-mile $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Trained by Jeremiah Engelhart for retired NFL coach Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm, the bay colt was piloted to victory by a hot-handed Dylan Davis who began Sunday’s race program with a personal rolling pick three. Davis would go on to sweep the first five races and win six on the card.

Headlined by undefeated 1-5 favorite Empire Line, the field of five was reduced by one on race day with the scratch of Michael Dilger-trainee Evaluator. The would-be contender, beaten just a nose by Empire Line in the Damon Runyon on January 15, is stabled in Belmont’s barn 10, now under a 21-day quarantine due to an outbreak of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), which has claimed the life of one of Tom Albertrani’s fillies. No other horses have exhibited symptoms of the disease.

Gio d’Oro, the 7-2 second choice in the Gander, broke on top, but Nine Route, who was the lone confirmed speed of the quartet, successfully challenged for the lead by the time the horses exited the chute.

Nine Route traveled comfortably at the rail along the backstretch, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Gio d’Oro, followed by Empire Line another length back on the rail, and Engineers Report. After early splits ticked off in 23.91 and 48.20, Empire Line made a run at Nine Route, but dropped back and came under the whip. The favorite seemed not to have relished his first encounter with off going.

Nine Route completed three-quarters in 1:14.04 and edged clear in the stretch on his way to a convincing 3-length victory. Gio d’Oro won the battle for second, finishing a half-length ahead of a somewhat resurgent Empire Line, while longshot Engineers Report brought up the rear. The final time for the mile was 1:41.25 over the sloppy (sealed) track. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Off the board in his July 2 Belmont debut on the grass for Bill Mott, and only resurfacing on December 8 to break his maiden on dirt by more than six lengths for Engelhart, Nine Route came into the Gander off a solid allowance win over “good” going. He scored both sprint victories on the front end and for the colt’s stakes debut both trainer and jockey were minded to position Nine Route where he has done his best work.

“He was on the lead his last two races and coming in we thought he might be able to do the same thing today,” said Engelhart. “Dylan did a really nice job with him. Sometimes he tends to start a bit sluggish, but he got out of there okay and really handled the track which was also a concern.”

Added Davis, “He broke a step slow and I got a little worried, but once he got into stride, he took control and I got him to relax. He geared down and knew what he had to do turning for home.”

Dylan also noted that the sloppy conditions didn’t seem to bother the colt. “He handled it [the off-going] better than the others and just got the job done. He had no problems getting over it.”

Reviewing the Nine Route’s young career, Engelhart said, “He’s now 3-for-3 for us and he’s pleasantly surprised me every time. In his first start for us I wasn’t sure he would be able to handle the dirt and he did that, second start I was worried about allowance company and he passed that test and today we had some questions if he would handle a route distance and he did it pretty impressive.”

The conditioner has no specific plans for the colt’s next start.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds[4] LLC, Nine Route is out of Flash Act, a Kentucky-bred multiple winner by Sky Mesa out of multiple Grade 1 winner Missy’s Mirage (Stop the Music). Missy’s Mirage is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Classy Mirage, the dam of Grade 1 winning sire Dublin.

Nine Route sold to Lane’s End for $190,000 as a weanling at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton November sale in Kentucky. When he was offered the following summer at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred sale in Saratoga, August Dawn Farm had to go to $290,000 to get him into the stable. From three wins in four starts, he has earned $127,448.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/18/nine-route-wires-gander/

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Hit It Once More upsets Haynesfield S. at 16-1

By Sarah Mace

Yellow Moon Stable’s Hit It Once More (Hard Spun), whose most recent stakes victory came in the Albany for New York-bred sophomores in July 2016, took almost everybody by surprise at Aqueduct on Saturday when he won the third running of the $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes in frontrunning style at longshot odds of 16-1.

Following an outstanding sophomore campaign in 2014 when he won four of seven starts, topped by back-to-back victories in the New York Derby and Albany stakes, Hit It Once More went winless in nine races in 2017. When trainer Gary Sciacca added blinkers for the 5-year-old’s first start of 2018, however, Hit It Once More woke up. He won a Parx allowance by more than four lengths on January 9, and next out, on February 3, going the same 1 mile 70-yard trip at Parx, attended a sharp pace before fading fifth.

“We went two starts back with the blinkers and it kind of seemed to make a bit of a difference on him,” said Sciacca. “Made him more focused to do his job. He always broke good but he pays more attention now.”

Breaking from post five to go the one-turn mile Saturday, Hit It Once More was gunned to the front by pilot Rafael Hernandez. By the time the field exited the chute onto the main track, he led by more than a length. Extending his advantage to two lengths along the backstretch through early splits of 23.80 and 47.73, and still unchallenged through six panels in 1:13.12, he kicked on at the quarter pole. After leading by more than three lengths in the stretch, the bay cruised under the wire a 2 3/4-length winner.

Favorite Can You Diggit (9-5) closed from off the pace into second, while Papa Shot, who chased in vain throughout, ended up in third. Finishing next in order were: Uncle Sigh, Clutch Cargo and Extinct Charm. The final time of for the mile over the muddy (harrowed) track was 1:39.52. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Hernandez reported he and Sciacca were determined to use Hit It Once More’s speed and new-found focus to their advantage. “That was the plan [to go to the lead],” Hernandez said. “Gary told me he’s better when he’s on the lead. So, I wanted to make sure he got the lead and, like he told me, he keeps going. He’s great on the lead. I didn’t let anybody get close to me. When he won a couple starts before, he was on the lead.”

Sciacca added, “I thought he could make the lead but with the one-turn mile, I was thinking they get on you from the start and they kind of did, but he got a breather when he opened up a little bit.”

Bred by JMJ Racing Stables and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, Hit It Once More is the lone winner for his stakes-winning dam Sunday Geisha.

Sold as a yearling for $105,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale, Hit It Once More was purchased by Sciacca for $90,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale for Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm. After 17 starts for Parcells, Hit It Once More contested the Empire Classic on October 21, 2017 in the colors of Yellow Moon Stable.

Having won six races from 24 career starts with two seconds and a third, Hit It Once More has bankrolled an impressive $494,642.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/17/hit-it-once-more-haynesfield/

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Battle Station wins the war in Rego Park Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Battle Station (Warrior’s Reward) scored a determined and disciplined victory Sunday in Aqueduct’s featured $100,000, Rego Park Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds. After dueling speedster Stoney Bennett into submission in the first half-mile, the colt outgamed determined challenger Morning Breez in the stretch to register the win by a neck.

Turning back from a mile to six furlongs, Battle Station was drawn at the rail in the evenly matched field of five – the post-time odds for for the quintet fell within the range of 2-1 to 5-1.

The dark bay colt broke third, but was gunned to the front by jockey Martin Garcia to challenge early pacesetter Stoney Bennett. Up the back stretch and around the turn Battle Station and Stoney Bennett dueled furiously through hot early fractions of 22.09 and 45.59.

Meanwhile, Morning Breez at the rail, who raced in tandem with New York Hero along the backside, gained a clear third in the turn and ranged up beside the pace-setters three-wide approaching the quarter pole, ready to make them both pay in the stretch.

After Battle Station put away Stoney Bennett for good, Morning Breez came knocking and headed Battle Station in mid-stretch. Battle Station surged again, came back with gusto and secured the victory by a neck in a final time of 1:12.30 over the muddy (sealed) racetrack. It is a credit to both horses that they raced true to their paths in very close quarters under utmost urging.

For third, New York Hero hit his best stride late to pass Stoney Bennett. Analyze Your Luck, who started poorly, completed the order of finish.

Martin Garcia, who had the call for the first time aboard Battle Station from trainer Wesley Ward said, “I was pretty excited since the day I worked him. I had confidence today. I knew he was not going to give up because I knew he was a fighter, and I knew he was going to come back. Even though [Morning Breez] passed me, my horse just got up.”

Garcia also praised Battle Station for handling his first encounter with sloppy conditions so well. “I think horses can be surprised sometimes when they see the mud, but he is really professional. It didn’t matter where he was, I think he was just ready to win today.”

Winner of his Saratoga bow in wire-to-wire fashion at Saratoga last year on the grass, Battle Station replicated the performance on dirt in the Bertram F. Bongard at Belmont in September. Eighth in the Sleepy Hollow, he wrapped up the year with a close second in an open optional-claiming race on November 25. In his seasonal debut, Battle Station checked in fourth in the one-mile Damon Runyon on January 15. From his three wins a second in six starts, the colt has earned $211,334

Bred by Lansdown Thoroughbreds, Battle Station is out of Uriel, an unraced daughter of Unbridled, who has produced six winners from seven starters.

Battle Station was purchased in utero by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock when Uriel brought $17,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. In November 2015 at Keeneland Ken and Sarah Ramsey bought Battle Station as a weanling for $50,000 from Consignor Kearney Park.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/11/battle-station-rego-park/

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Holiday Disguise aces Biogio’s Rose from off the bench

By Sarah Mace

After more than eight months off, Lady Sheila Stable’s Holiday Disguise (Harlan’s Holiday) returned to the races in picture-perfect form when she stalked and pounced her way to an open-length victory in the $100,000 Biogio’s Rose stakes at Aqueduct Thursday,

Last seen winning the Bouwerie Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park last May 25 for her third win in a row, Holiday Disguise owed her extended holiday to an ankle issue.

Said trainer Linda Rice, “I was pointing her towards the [Grade 1] Test because it was seven-eighths and she had run so well in the Bouwerie. But she didn’t come out of the stake as well as I wanted her to, and she’s too promising a filly, so I said we have to stop. It wasn’t a popular decision, but her ankle was bothering her, so I gave her [time] off.”

Even so, Holiday Disguise has been ready to race for seven weeks, but in this case her connections had to contend with different circumstances beyond their control. Rice said, “We’ve been trying to get her in a race since December 13, but between the weather and quarantine and cancellations, it’s been tough.” Rice’s barn was quarantined in January when a horse tested positive for EHV-1.

Co-favored at odds of 6-5 (1.30) with Frostwise (1.20), Holiday Disguise broke forwardly to go the one-turn mile, but took back under Junior Alvarado and tucked in neatly behind dueling leaders Frost Wise and No Hayne No Gayne for the backstretch run.

Alvarado, aboard Holiday Disguise for the first time, explained that this was exactly what he and Rice had discussed. “That was the plan [to be covered up behind Frost Wise]. Linda said that she may be further back than normally because we were going a mile and she hasn’t run since May, but after the break, it was the opposite. She broke very sharp. And she was pulling a little in the first part. Once I got the chance to get her covered up, that was the key to the race.”

Cruising comfortably as the top two battled through early fractions of 24.38 and 48.16, Holiday Disguise began to move clear of Decorator directly to her outside and set up as a clear third for the run around the far turn.

At the quarter pole Holiday Disguise angled out three-wide, was shaken up by her pilot at the top of the stretch and, when asked for run, complied. Striking the front, she cruised smoothly to a 3 1/4-length victory. Alvarado, who peeked back in the final furlong and saw no menace in sight, geared the 4-year-old down in the final 70 yards.

After six furlongs in 1:14.40, the final time over the “good” going was 1:41.06. Frost Wise, second, finished 4 1/2 lengths ahead of No Hayne No Gayne, followed by Literata in fourth, Decorator Jen and Carry Your Heels.

Alvarado reported, “Before the half a mile pole, I knew I had a lot of horse. It was just a matter of time until I give her the green light and then when we turned for home I just put her in the clear and she did the rest. I was just a passenger this time.”

Rice was especially pleased with the way Holiday Disguise, whose longest race to date was seven furlongs, handled the mile. “She ran so well when we ran her last year at six [furlongs] and had a nice closing kick. At seven, she ran so well, so to me, I thought she was a natural to get [one mile], but you never know until you try them. I could see she was on the bridle and definitely interested, and I was happy she wasn’t loose on the lead.”

Holiday Disguise now has four wins from five starts, two stakes victories and has earned $209,150.

Bred by Dr. William B. Wilmot and Dr. Joan M. Taylor, Holiday Disguise is out of Wilmot and Taylor’s Thin Disguise (Yes It’s True), a winning half-sister to millionaire and 2007 New York-bred Horse of the Year Naughty New Yorker. Her second dam is the couple’s late star broodmare Naughty Natisha.

Thin Disguise has produced four winners from four foals to start, among them Midnight Disguise, who recently earned Kentucky Oaks points with a victory in the Busanda Stakes on January 25. The mare has a juvenile colt by Verrazano, a yearling filly by Tiznow and was bred in 2017 to Bodemeister.

Holiday Disguise first changed hands as a weanling, purchased by John Greathouse for $70,000 at the Keeneland November sale. Rice bought the talented filly for Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable as a yearling, going to $220,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred sale.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/08/holiday-disguise-biogios-rose/

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Audible hits Kentucky Derby trail with a bang in Grade 2 Holy Bull

By Sarah Mace

Todd Pletcher-trained Audible hit the Kentucky Derby trail with a bang at Gulfstream Park Saturday, when he scored a dominant victory over an accomplished field of sophomores in the Grade 2, $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes. The Into Mischief colt earned 10 points toward a berth in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses, debuted at number 12 in the Derby points rankings and left his connections eager for the next step.

Campaigned by WinStar Farm in partnership with China Horse Club and SF Racing, Audible opened his account with a solid debut on September 27, coming from 18 lengths out of it after a sluggish start to finish third in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for state-breds. The bay colt broke his maiden going a mile around one turn at Aqueduct with stalking tactics and, most recently, demolished open company allowance foes by 9 3/4 lengths in another one-turn mile contest.

Initially pointed to the Damon Runyon, Audible’s stakes debut was rerouted from Ozone Park to Hallandale Beach by weather. As Pletcher explained, “We actually brought him down [to Florida] a little bit later because we were entered in the [Damon Runyon, scheduled for December 30], and then all the bad weather hit in New York and it got delayed and carried over [until January 15]. Elliott Walden said, ‘Why don’t we just take him down to Florida and see how he trains and go from there.’ Maybe it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.”

Pletcher added, “He shipped in great, he trained really well when he got here so it kind of made it an easy decision that this was an easy race to target.”

Reunited with jockey Javier Castellano, aboard for the allowance win, Audible got respect from the bettors for his two-turn debut and class test, going off at odds of 3-1 along with Free Drop Billy and Tiz Mischief, behind 9-5 favorite Enticed.

Out of the gate well from post four, Audible entered the clubhouse turn four-wide, but maneuvered agilely over into the two path while rounding the bend, setting up in third behind dueling longshots Master Manipulator and Aequor through an opening quarter in 23.59 and half in 47.14.

Moving out a path and into second in the approach to the far turn, then and up to challenge pacesetter Master Manipulator, Audible took over the lead midway around, only to be challenged by Free Drop Billy who got on even terms at the quarter pole.

What looked to become an epic stretch-long battle never materialized. Audible kicked away to score an eye-catching 5 1/2-length victory in a sharp final time of 1:41.92 for 1 1/16 miles. Free Drop Billy in second finished 7 3/4 lengths in advance of Tiz Mischief in third, while Enticed had to settle for fourth.

An enthusiastic Castellano said, “I love the way he did it today, compared to our last race, because his last race he was still developing and bit laid back. I really had to ride him last time out and he’d give it to you. Today he was sharp and had tactical speed in the race and we could move, and he’d give me everything I asked of him.”

Castellano added, “I love these kinds of horses, you don’t get in trouble with them, where you can move quick and can put them in a good position. I love the way he did it today. I think Todd did a great job developing this horse and to win the way he did today is very impressive. It’s only a mile and sixteenth today, but the way he galloped out was amazing. I look forward to the next race.”

Pletcher was also pleased with the stretch-out, “We felt like he wanted more ground and he kind of showed that in his first race when he didn’t get away real quickly and retreated when the dirt hit him in the face and then rallied with a pretty strong effort. Then he came back and won two pretty impressive races after that, so we felt like more distance was definitely what he was looking for.”

Commenting on Audible’s strong finish, Pletcher said, “He really kicked. Javier said he kept him to task because he was kind of looking around a little bit and saw the tire marks and he didn’t want him to make a mistake. He really accelerated. The final time was quite good.”

Pletcher is already thinking about how to prepare his charge to compete on even bigger stages: “I think the question now is do you run him two more times or one more time and we’ll let him tell us kind of how he bounces out of this.”

The conditioner continued, “He’s a very kind horse to train, very easy on himself in the morning. I love the way he came over here and handled everything. He was perfect in the paddock, post parade, gate – all those little intangibles that really help with horses that are pointing for big days.”

Bred by Richard Leahy’s Oak Bluff Stables, LLC and foaled at Berkshire Stud [4]in Pine Plains, Audible is a graduate of the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, where he was purchased from Winter Quarter Farm by 4H for $175,000.

When presented to the world as a juvenile at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, China Horse Club and WinStar Farm had to go to $500,000 to buy him.

At the time of the sale WinStar president Elliott Walden said, “I just liked everything about him, his pedigree, the way he moved and the way he galloped out. Very classy horse. [The price] was a little high, but those kind of colts bring that kind of range, so I thought it was okay.”

Audible’s dam Blue Devil Bel, bred and campaigned in New York by Leahy, is a multiple winner and six-figure earner by Gilded Time and a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and stakes producer Akilina. Blue Devil Bel has yearling filly by Lookin At Lucky and was bred in 2017 to Constitution.

From three wins and a third in four starts Audible has earned $287,720.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/02/03/audible-holy-bull/

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