Nine-year-old Kharafa wins West Point at 17-1

By Bill Heller

Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s nine-year-old New York-bred gelding Kharafa obviously never got the memo heading into Friday’s mile-and-a-sixteenth $150,000 West Point Stakes on New York-bred Showcase Day Friday at Saratoga Race Course. See, the memo said that the Old Guard had changed in high-profile New York-bred grass stakes because Lubash had been retired at the age of 10, and Kharafa, as well as his West Point opponent Friday King Kreesa, were both nine-years-old. Yes, they were million-dollar earners, but time moves on. And Kharafa was zero-for-10 the last two years and Kreesa zero-for-five in that span.

Well, Kreesa didn’t get involved Friday, but Kharafa sure did. Sent off at 17-1 under Dylan Davis in the field of 11, Kharafa rallied from far back to take a clear lead past the sixteenth pole and then hold off 3-5 Offering Plan by a half-length to win in 1:40.44. Rapt, who was 9-1 under Irad Ortiz Jr., finished third, a half-length behind Offering Plan while 2 1/2 lengths ahead of 9-2 Morrison and Luis Saez in fourth.

“This is incredible,” Davis said as he was bringing Kharafa back to the winner’s circle. “When he turned for home, he turned into a beast.”

Even at the ripe age of nine, just like Fourstardave and John’s Call: a Saratoga stakes winner.

High Meadow Farm bred Kharafa, a son of Kitalpha out of Exquisite Cassie by King of Kings who is trained by Timothy Hills. Hills has done a remarkable job managing Kharafa’s career. “He’s nine-years-old, but he doesn’t train like an old horse,” Hills said. “He loves what he does. He got a real good trip this time. I’m so happy for Dylan. His dad, Robbie, is one of my all-time favorite riders.”

Besides Kharafa’s two-year-old losing streak, Davis also had to deal with his horse’s lack of success at Saratoga, where he was zero-for-six with one second and four thirds. “He’s never done well at Saratoga,” Hills said. “In fact, he gets real keyed up with the crowd. It was nice to break through here.”

Davis let Kharafa linger far behind the fast pace set by 24-1 Black Tide and Jose Lezcano that produced three-quarters in 1:10.46. When Black Tide called it a day, the race was wide open.

And out of the pack came Kharafa with a full-speed rally. He charged to the lead and then made it last. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Kharafa improved his incredible grass record to 13-for-48 with 13 seconds, nine thirds and earnings of more than $1.2 million.

“He definitely brought his `A’ game today,” Davis said. “To be a nine-year-old and he still tries, I’m glad to continue to ride him. I want to thank Tim and the owners for keeping me on him.”

Davis probably should have thanked one more person, the one who threw out that memo before Kharafa read it.

Age be damned.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/24/kharafa-west-point-2018/

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English Soul wins the Fleet Indian Stakes in a four-horse blanket finish

By Bill Heller

Those of us who live in Thoroughbred racing sometimes take for granted what is absolutely astonishing. Imagine four three-year-old fillies separated by inches at the finish line after running a mile-and-an-eighth in a $200,000 stakes race. That’s exactly what happened on New York-bred Showcase Day at Saratoga Friday.

Zilla Racing Stable’s English Soul, flawlessly ridden by Manny Franco from the extreme outside post in the field of 11, got a nose past front-running Take Charge Aubrey and Jose Ortiz to win the mile-and-an-eighth $200,000 Fleet Indian Stakes for three-year-old fillies.

Just a head behind Take Charge Aubrey were Split Time and Junior Alvarado in third. And a neck behind her was Indy’s Lady and Irad Ortiz Jr. in fourth.

English Soul was 4-1, Take Charge Aubrey 5-2, Split Time 3-1 and Indy’s Lady 10-1.

Mia Gallo, Dave Stack and Arlene Wilkins bred English Soul, a daughter of English Channel out of Soul Possession by Belong To Me who sold for $55,000 as a two-year-old in 2017, and is trained by Raymond Handal.

English Soul raced four times as a two-year-old finishing second and sixth on grass and first twice on dirt, winning a maiden race on a sloppy track at Belmont Park by 14 1/4 lengths and a New York-bred allowance by seven lengths at Aqueduct, again on a sloppy track. She then ran her dirt record to three-for-three by adding a 2 3/4 length victory in the $100,000 East View Stakes at Aqueduct in her first race on a fast track, Jan. 14.

English Soul had made only two starts since. She finished second in the $125,000 Bouwerie on March 28 at Belmont Park under Franco, then a front-running third by two lengths at Finger Lakes in the New York Oaks at on July 21.

Franco regained the mount at Saratoga and he had no choice but to take English Soul wide around the first turn to be forwardly placed. “I was a little concerned when I saw her four-wide into the first turn,” Handel said. “That was definitely not ideal.”

Regardless, it kept English Soul near enough to front-running Take Charge Aubrey through splits of :23.67, :48.66 and 1:12.51. Take Charge Aubrey put away the filly chasing her in second, 66-1 Cause We Are Loyal and Jose Lezcano, only to have English Soul take her on as Split Time rallied into third and Indy’s Lady arrived late on the scene.

With 200 yards to go, any of the four could have won. The one who did, English Soul, was outside of Take Charge Aubrey while inside the other two closers. The photo finish showed English Soul had won while Take Charge Aubrey suffered the toughest kind of beat. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“I waited as long as I could,” Franco said. “She was game.”

She always is. English Soul is now four-for-six on dirt with one second and one third. She also has one third from two turf tries for total earnings of more than $285,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/24/english-soul-fleet-indian/

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La Moneda uncoils best closing kick in Yaddo Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Up-and-comer La Moneda, riding a three-race win streak, took the next logical step and tested stakes company on Friday’s New York Showcase day at Saratoga, lining up with a formidable group of New York-bred fillies and mares to contest the $150,000 Yaddo Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf. The experiment proved to be an overwhelming success, when the 5-year-old daughter of top New York-based sire Freud[2] (Sequel Stallions New York[3]) outkicked some very accomplished rivals to win by a neck.

A homebred for Patricia Moseley, La Moneda has spent her career shuttling between the barns of Brendan Walsh — for whom she broke her maiden second out last September 29 — and Tom Morley. Morley explained that he has the mare when Walsh, who does not keep a string in New York year-round, is not in the state.

In either case, patience has certainly paid off with La Moneda, who did not start until she was four. Winner of two of four starts in 2017, she galloped through her remaining state-bred and open conditions this year, winning a second-level state-bred allowance at Belmont on June 9, an entry-level open allowance on June 30 and, at Saratoga, a second-level open allowance. All three wins came at one mile on turf.

On the strength of La Moneda’s talent and sharp form, by post time she was the second betting choice of the eight fillies and mares. Chad Brown-trained Fifty Five was the even-money favorite. Voted champion New York-bred turf female in 2017 and a graded winner, Fifty Five herself was in top-notch form having finished first or second in her four most recent starts. Fifty Five also has a devastating late kick which, in theory, could have been a an obstacle for La Moneda, who has the same running style.

After the bell both La Moneda and Fifty Five settled in mid-pack in fourth and fifth, respectively, while confirmed speedster Lady Joan, a stakes winner in her own right, outsprinted the field from her outside post, crossed over and showed the way. On the backstretch the field became quite strung out, leaving La Moneda as much as nine lengths behind Lady Joan at one point.

The relative positions of Lady Joan, La Moneda and Fifty Five remained unchanged though solid fractions of 23.25, 47.34 and 1:11.21. The pack tightened up considerably early on the far turn, and Moneda advanced into third in the bend. In the stretch, things really began to pop.

By mid-stretch Lady Joan still enjoyed a one-length lead over Overnegotiate, who had dogged her steps throughout, but La Moneda had gained momentum in the clear, and the ever-dangerous Fifty Five kicked into gear further out on the grandstand side.

Overnegotiate faded leaving the main three to duke it out. Lady Joan was dead game on the inside, but La Moneda extended her stride, caught up past the sixteenth marker and at the same time managed to outkick Fifty Five. La Moneda got the win by a neck, while Lady Joan and Fifty Five finished just noses apart second and third.

Completing the order of finish were War Canoe, Tizzelle, Overnegotiate, Feeling Bossy and Purrageous Dyna. After a mile in 1:34.54, La Moneda stopped the clock after nine furlongs at 1:40.49. [VIDEO REPLAY[4]]

Winning rider Junior Alvarado reported, “She broke good. I thought going into the first turn I was sitting in a perfect position. It was like a dream trip. At the half-mile [pole] I started letting her go a little bit just to make sure the horse in front [Lady Joan] didn’t go away from me, and at the same time trying to save a little bit for the end just to make sure I can hold off [Fifty Five].

The pilot continued, “She was there for me the whole way. Everything I asked of her, she was up to the challenge. She ended up winning and I thought she deserved it. I knew I was going to get the horse in front at the eighth pole; I wanted to ride hard but at the same time try to save a little bit in case the horse in behind tried to catch me. I had to time it right, but she was so good. She was there for me.”

Morley reported that he and Walsh have been comparing notes all along. “Brendan told me before she debuted here last year, ‘I think I have a New York bred in my barn who can win a graded stakes.’ We’ve taken our time and picked our spots, but she just keeps getting better and better. I think she’s good enough to win a graded stakes. But today was the aim, and that was a massive performance.”

As to the race itself Morley said, “The whole way down in front of us, I was worried about catching the horse in front of us [Lady Joan]. Junior was very confident. It was a super ride.”

Even after his huge win in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes last weekend with Donegal Racing’s Carrick at longshot odds of 38-1, Morley fully appreciated the Saratoga score.

“They don’t come around, these good ones, all the time,” Morley said. “So, you have to appreciate them when they do. That was huge. Saratoga and a stakes win, it doesn’t come bigger than that to me.”

Long-time owner/breeder Patricia Moseley, who named La Moneda after a Chilean palace, takes especial pride in her homebred who, after being foaled in New York, was raised at Moseley’s farm in Hamilton Mass.

La Moneda’s dam is Jade Palace, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Jade Hunter bred by Moseley and her late husband James B. Moseley. Jade Palace has produced four winners from four foals to start, including a full-sister to La Moneda who is a stakes performer. The Moseleys also bred La Moneda’s second dam Topkapi whose family is Chilean. Jade Palace delivered a Freud filly this year on April 10.

A winner of six of nine starts with one runner-up finish, La Moneda’s earnings bankroll stands at $312,769.

 

 

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/24/la-moneda-yaddo-stakes/

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Party Like Grandma shifts the party to Saratoga with Seeking the Ante win

By Bill Heller

The word was out at Finger Lakes the afternoon of July 12. Co-owner/trainer Jeremiah Englehart, Flower City Racing and Christopher Meyer’s debuting two-year-old, New York-bred filly Party Like Grandma could fly. Accordingly, she got bet down to 1-2 and then showed why she was odds-on, going wire-to-wire to win by 11 1/2 lengths under Andre Worrie.

Considering her connections bought the daughter of Desert Party out of Grandma Lu by Salt Lake, who was bred by Patricia Calandro and Susan Georgas, for $8,000 as a weanling in 2016, they knew they’d made a wise investment.

“As a weanling, she looked like a racehorse,” Englehart said. “Desert Party gets runners here and there, and I thought she looked like a racehorse for $8,000.”

Who could blame her connections for upping the ante by starting their Finger Lakes filly in the 6 1/2-furlong $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies as part of New York-bred Showcase Day Friday at Saratoga Race Course? Englehart decided to let Worrie keep the mount.

Her victory at Finger Lakes was impressive enough that she was 7-2 on the morning line in the field of eight. The early scratch of Awesome Debate cut the field to seven.

Then Party Like Grandma’s chances improved measurably in the starting gate when the speedy maiden winner Collegeville Girl, who was the 6-5 favorite under Kendrick Carmouche, had a serious issue in the gate, became a late scratch and had to be walked onto an equine ambulance.

The entire field was unloaded from the gate, and all the riders got off their horses. The field of two-year-olds was remarkably composed, each one walking with an assistant starter holding their reins. After several minutes, the jockeys remounted and the horses reloaded. And Worre knew exactly what he was going to do when the gate opened.

“I knew the other horse scratched,” he said. “I was the other speed. I had to go.”

And he did to the relief of bettors who made her 5-2 co-second choice in the remaining field of six.

Party Like Grandma obliged by breaking sharply on the rail as 5-2 Maiden Beauty and Joel Rosario settled in second. Party Like Grandma led Maiden Beauty by three-quarters of a length to one length through fast early splits, a quarter-mile in :21.78 and a half-mile in :44.73.

Party Like Grandma and Maiden Beauty stayed 1-2 all the way to the finish line as Party Like Grandma dug in and refused to let Maiden Beauty get closer. She won by a length and a quarter in 1:17.59. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Maiden Beauty finished a clear second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of She’s Trouble, the 9-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., in third. There was a five-length gap back to 18-1 Harley Q and Manny Franco in fourth.

Worrie was ecstatic that Englehart had let him keep the mount on Party Like Grandma and thanked him afterwards. “My daughter’s here to take the picture with me,” Worrie said. And, indeed, his baby daughter did.

Now two-for-two, Party Like Grandma has earned more than $125,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/24/party-like-grandma-seeking-the-ante/

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Dugout noses Bankit in Funny Cide

By Sarah Mace

Dugout and Bankit turned the fifth running of the $200,000 Funny Cide for New York-bred juveniles into a thriller. With their heads bobbing up and down on virtually even terms in the final strides of the at 6 1/2-fulong dash, it took a photo to determine whose nose got to the finish line first. Dugout, a grey colt by Adios Charlie trained by Larry Rivelli, got the decision.

Dugout was unveiled early in the Saratoga meet (July 23) and was an impressive 7-plus length winner in a sloppy 5 1/2-furlong off-the-turf affair that attracted nine. In the interim the colt posted a pair of solid half-mile works over the main track.

Owner of the best last-out Beyer Speed Figure in the field of five, Dugout was the second choice in the betting at odds of 3-1 but it was a well-matched field, with four individuals sitting at lower than 4-1 odds at post time. Even so, taking the lion’s share of bettor’s money was La Fuerza, a two-for-two Todd Pletcher-trained colt who won the Rockville Centre at Belmont Park on June 22 and prevailed in both starts with professional stalking tactics.

Right from the bell, the Funny Cide unfolded as “The Dugout and Bankit Show.” Dugout veered out slightly after the break from post four, along with La Fuerza who veered out more dramatically from post five, but quickly got himself going in a straight line and aimed for the top spot. Bankit, for his part, outran his neighbors from post three and set up at the fence.

Bankit on the inside had a slight edge along the backstretch through an opening quarter-mile in 22.28, but Dugout shadowed him closely all the way through the far turn and the pair traversed the bend virtually in tandem as the half ticked by in 45.09.

Bankit cornered neatly at the rail and straightened away for the stretch drive with a slight advantage, but Dugout eroded the lead steadily and drew even again by mid-stretch.

In the final panel the pair went at it hammer and tongs, finishing the race with noses up and down on the line, and Dugout getting the edge. Bustin to Be Loved finished third 3 3/4 lengths back, followed across the line by Dalliance and La Fuerza, who never seemed to recover his poise after the poor start. The final time for 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:16.43. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Castellano is very enthusiastic about his mount’s prospects. “He’s such a talented horse,” said the pilot. “He ran huge on the sloppy track last time [in his debut]. Today, it was a fast track. He has all of the potential. He has the speed, he has the stamina, I think he can be any horse.”

He added, “My horse was game. Last time it was 5 1/2 [furlongs], today it was 6 1/2. He gave me a little extra. A very special horse.”

“It was a great trip,” Rivelli commented. “I figured it was going to be between us and Asmussen [trainer of Bankit] and I was confident coming into the race, but I’m glad everything worked out.”

Rivelli continued, “I talked to Javier before the race and we set him up with a game plan, Most of the runners in this race had won on the front end, so I didn’t want him let him get hit with a lot dirt. I told him, ‘If you can make the lead, make it, because speed has been going good and he just gave a professional ride.”

Owned by Rivelli, Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope LLC, Dugout was also bred by Ravin and Rivelli, which made the victory extra-sweet. “This is the first homebred we’ve had, and we dropped him in New York and he won, so it’s exciting,” Rivelli said.

Dugout is the most recent foal out of Rooney Doodle, an unplaced California-bred daughter of Lit de Justice who has produced six winners from six foals to start. Dugout’s full-sister Jean Elizabeth is also a stakes winner, and half-sister Hollarforadollar is stakes placed. The mare has been bred back this year to Adios Charlie. From his pair of victories, Dugout has earned $151,250.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/24/dugout-funny-cide/

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Sea Foam holds sway in Albany

By Sarah Mace

Waterville Lake Stable’s homebred Sea Foam did all the hard work on the front end and had enough left in reserve to hold off a menacing closer to capture Friday’s $250,000, 1 1/8-mile Albany Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds, the first featured race on the all-New York-bred Showcase card that kicks off Travers weekend at Saratoga Racecourse.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Sea Foam was last seen at Finger Lakes on July 21 scoring his first win as a sophomore in the New York Derby, wiring the field under local rider Jaime Rodriguez. With the Albany victory on Friday, Sea Foam’s third career stakes win, the bay son of Medaglia d’Oro earned the bragging rights for two-thirds of the three-race series for New York-bred 3-year-olds traditionally known as the Big Apple Triple. The triad begins with the Mike Lee at Belmont in May, which was won this year by Albany runner Analyze the Odds.

Four horses in the well-matched Albany line-up received significant support from the bettors. Sea Foam was sent off as the post time favorite at 3-2. Last year’s Sleepy Hollow winner Evaluator was bet down to 2-1, Analyze the Odds was 7-2 and Singapore Trader, a flashy grey son of Flatter trained by Todd Pletcher, was 4-1 for his stakes debut.

Drawn outside with Joel Rosario in the irons, Sea Foam started off his run in the Albany by taking a page out of his New York Derby playbook, getting away well and leading by the first point of call.  Singapore Trader and Spectacular Kid tracked in second and third.

Leading the way by a comfortable length along the backstretch and around the far turn, Sea Foam carved out fractions of 23.53, 47.51 and 1:11.85. At the head of the lane Sea Foam angled out into the two-path for dash home.

In the stretch, as Singapore Trader persisted at the fence, Evaluator unwound a serious bid. Fourth inside the furlong grounds he passed two rivals and took a bead on Sea Foam.

Sea Foam, however, had the answer. The bay dug in and held on to win by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:50.24. Evaluator checked in second three-quarters of a length ahead of Singapore Trader. Completing the order of finish were Analyze the Odds, Spectacular Kid and Bad Guy. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“Christophe [Clement] told me to let him be happy wherever he was,” reported Rosario. “He broke sharp out of there and I just let him be where he was. He looked like he showed some speed. He has a nice closing speed.”

Added Rosario, “I was happy because I work him in the mornings and he’s the type of horse where it doesn’t matter how fast you go, he has a good closing speed and when you ask him to go, he just keeps going.”

Clement commented, “He’s always been a nice horse. He was supposed to run at Aqueduct [in December] in a race [Damon Runyon] which was canceled. It took him a while to get going, but certainly going longer on the dirt is better for him.”

Winning for this set of owners is also special for Clement. “I’m delighted because [John Meriwether’s] Waterville Lake Stable has supported me forever. It’s pretty usual for them to keep their fillies and sell their colts, and they didn’t with Sea Foam because of an early issue, and I’m delighted it worked out.”

Sea Foam opened his account last year with a trio of solid runner-up efforts at Saratoga and Belmont before breaking his maiden at Aqueduct on November 26 and stalking and pouncing to capture the Notebook Stakes on November 26. It took two starts this spring to shed the rust of the winter, with wide-trip fourth in the Mike Lee Stakes and an unplaced effort in the open $100,000 Manila Stakes at Belmont, before scoring his back-to-back New York Derby and Albany wins. From four wins and three seconds in nine starts he has earned $373,570 for his connections.

Foaled at Berkshire Stud[4] in Pine Plains, Sea Foam is out of Kentucky-bred mare Strike It Rich by Undbridled’s Song, who was purchased by Clement for Waterville Lake Stable for $350,000 at the 2008 Saratoga select yearling sale.

Becoming a graded winner before retiring to broodmare duty, Strike It Rich has produced a pair of winners from three starters. She currently has a juvenile filly by Kitten’s Joy named Kerry’s Ring who has not yet started, a yearling filly by Giant’s Causeway, and foaled a colt by Hard Spun foal on April 7, 2018.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/08/24/sea-foam-albany/

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