Split Time overcomes rough start to win Laurel’s Alma North Stakes

By Sarah Mace

New York invader and Linda Rice-trainee Split Time made a Saturday trip to Laurel Park well worth the effort for owner Tic Stables. The bay 3-year-old daughter of Take Charge Indy parlayed a difficult start into a driving victory to earn her first open company win and second career black type score in the $75,000 Alma North Stakes run at seven furlongs.

Winner of the Maddie May Stakes on March 24 when she split horses and got up in the final strides, Split Time had yet to finish off the board in five career starts coming into the Alma North. The owner of tactical speed as well as grit, she was sent off as the 3-1 third choice in a competitive field of six.

Split Time ended up behind the eight ball only a few strides into the race. Elevenses to her inside, the 6-5 favorite, came out at the break, bumped her hard and crossed over, pinching her back. She then spent the first half-mile at the caboose of the field, seven lengths or so off the pace. Up front, Elevenses, then Almond Roca, then Limited View led the pack through fast splits of 22.41 and 45.25.

Picking off horses in the turn two-wide, Split Time advanced to third by the head of the stretch and began to carve a path between Limited View, who went very wide coming out of the turn, and Almond Roca at the fence.

Powering onward and gaining the lead inside the furlong grounds, Split Time staved off a late threat by 47-1 longshot Norma’s Charm who was charging hard far out on the grandstand side, to win by a half-length, completing the 7-furlong distance in 1:24.48 over a fast main track. Norma’s Charge was followed across the line by Limited View, Almond Roca, Aggreator and Elevenses.

Jockey Horacio Karamanos focused first on the troubled start. “We got a bad break out of the gate. [Elevenses] was coming out and crossed in front of me and my filly lost her action but then she started to pick it up nice and easy.”

Continued Karamanos, “I saw they were going so fast [up] front … but she was able to give me a nice kick and kept going strong to the wire. I think if she didn’t have that kind of trouble in the beginning she could have won it easier.”

Trainer Linda Rice’s assistant Chris Sankar commented, “Every time you lead her over she gives you everything she’s got, and once again she got it done. Anytime you leave state-bred company there’s no free lunch, but she’s got the heart and the talent, and everything worked out today.”

Rice, the 2017 Laurel winter-spring meet co-champion, added in a text, “We are very pleased with her effort today. She had a troubled start but a strong finish.”

Split Time, now a winner of four races in six career starts with one second and a third has earned $195,700.

Bred by Sequel Stallions New York[3] and foaled at Sequel’s farm in Hudson, Split Time issues from a productive New York-bred family. Her winning dam Speed Dating, out of Near and Dear, is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and $693,500-earner Saratoga Snacks.

Speed Dating has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by freshman Sequel stallion Alpha and a yearling filly by Freud named Afreud of a Storm.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/06/16/split-time-alma-north-stakes/

---

Picco Uno hoofs it in Dancin Renee

By Sarah Mace

Kennesaw Mountain Racing’s Picco Uno (Macho Uno), a sharp, successful runner in 2017, regained her winning form at Belmont Park on Saturday with a frontrunning victory in the fifth renewal of the 6-furlong, $125,000 Dancin Renee Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares. The race honors the 1997 New York-bred horse of the year who was named by owner/breeder Sanford Bacon after his mother-in-law – a “Ziegfeld girl” in her youth.

From December 16, 2016 to August 17, 2017, Picco Uno, won five of six starts for trainer Jason Servis, culminating in her first stakes score in the 6 1/2-furlong Union Avenue Stakes at Saratoga. Since then, albeit racing in tough stakes company, her form had tailed off, particularly in the first two starts of her 5-year-old campaign. In the Dancin Renee, however, she could look forward to some class relief after the Grade 3 Distaff on April 6 where she finished fifth.

Partnered with jockey Manny Franco, aboard for her last two starts, Picco Uno was the first to show the lead, establishing a one-length advantage over Cozzy Spring to her inside from post three. Holiday Disguise, the 4-5 favorite, settled in third as the quarter went in 22.25.

Continuing to be pressed along by Cozzy Spring along the backstretch run and around the far turn, Picco Uno was shaken up by Franco around the quarter pole.

The gray obliged, opened up a comfortable margin in the lane and cruised across the finish line to win with ease. Four lengths back Cozzy Spring and Holiday Disguise finished second and third a half-length apart, followed by Absatootly, Bluegrass Flag and Bobby’s Song. Still There was scratched. After a 45.23 half mile, the final time for the Dancin Renee was 1:09.60. Picco Uno paid $12.40 to win. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“Coming into the race, the plan was to break out of there and get involved early,” said Manny Franco. “The other horse with speed [Cozzy Spring] was inside of me but I broke better than him and took advantage. My last two races aboard, we tried different tactics but today, [Jason Servis] wanted to be right there up front in the lead or second, nothing further than that. Thankfully, it worked out getting on the lead early and she did everything from there easy.”

Servis added, “We told Manny not to take anything away from her. She always breaks sharp and he was able to go on with it. She ran a really great race and we’re just thrilled”

The trainer explained how Picco Uno’s form began to turn around. “Two months ago, [this race] wasn’t even on the radar. She had some issues this winter and it took a long time to get her going. But she really started to turn around the last couple of weeks and she had a really good breeze the other day, so we thought we’d take a shot.”

Picco Uno is under consideration to defend her title in the Union Avenue at Saratoga.

Bred by Topsmeade LLC and Adena Springs and foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm[4], Picco Uno is one of two winners from two foals to start out of Piccola Isola, a winning New York-bred daughter of Western Expression. She has earned $413,667 from seven wins, four seconds and two thirds in 17 starts.

A $35,000 short yearling at Keeneland in January 2014, Picco Uno was purchased by Kennesaw Mountain Racing at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $27,000. From

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/06/16/picco-uno-dancin-renee/

---