“Biscuits” too hot to handle in Lukas Classic

By Sarah Mace

Mind Your Biscuits, the richest horse in the history of the New York breeding program, padded his bankroll yet again on Saturday night when he put away all challengers to score a dominating victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lukas Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. His Lukas victory on this year’s final nighttime card at Churchill Downs was worth $120,280, which increased 5-year-old Mind Your Biscuit’s career earnings to $4,279,566 (83rd all-time) from a record of 24-8-10-3.

Never out of the exacta in four prior starts in 2018, Mind Your Biscuits, by former New York sire Posse, has contested three Grade 1s in 2018. At Meydan Racecourse on March 31 he closed like a bolt out of the blue to score an all-but-impossible head-victory in course record time for a repeat win in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Freshened until June 9, he missed by just a nose to Bee Jersey in the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont. On August 4 at Saratoga, in one of the more memorable renewals of the Whitney Handicap – complete with a downpour, rain delay and sloppy track – Mind Your Biscuits completed an historic New York-bred exacta 3 1/2 lengths behind Diversify. The Whitney was “Biscuit’s” first try at the 1 1/8-mile distance and around two turns.

In the lead-up to the Lukas Classic Mind Your Biscuits posted three works, including a five-furlong bullet move at Saratoga on August 31 and an easy five furlongs at Churchill Downs on September 21, after shipping in on September 13. Commenting on his charge’s most recent work, trainer Chad Summers said, “When he breezed the other day and worked in 1:02, he broke off in :13 4/5 and got the last three-eighths in :36 flat, and that’s what you need to see. We know how fast he is. Now it’s a matter of getting him to stay.”

Drawn in post six of eight and paired for the first time with Florida-based Tyler Gaffalione, Mind Your Biscuits went off as the 6-5 favorite in the Lukas Classic. Regular rider Joel Rosario was booked to ride Accelerate in the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again at Santa Anita. Accelerate won the race recovering from a slow start after he acted up in the gate.

Away well with the vanguard, Mind Your Biscuits settled in the two-path behind pacesetter Flowers for Lisa, but had company on either side: Honorable Duty to his inside and Breaking Lucky outside.

Vying between horses most of the way along the backstretch, Mind Your Biscuits shook off his immediate neighbors in the approach to the far turn, advancing to a clear second, and set his sights on Flowers for Lisa.

Even with the leader in the turn, “Biscuits” came off the bend with a narrow lead at the quarter pole. After that it was “all she wrote.”

Drawing off under a hand ride from Gaffalione, he steadily put more daylight between himself and the competition, eventually crossing the wire 4 3/4 lengths to the good. Following a half-mile in 48.09 and a mile in 1:36.19, Mind Your Biscuits stopped the clock after nine furlongs at 1:48.64.

“This horse is so classy,” said Gaffalione. “I’m thankful for Chad for letting me ride. This horse was very impressive tonight and going into the Breeders’ Cup in great shape. We sat a perfect trip and when I asked him to run he responded right away and finished well.”

Summers had already confessed to suffering sleepless nights in the lead-up to the Lukas Classic about coming in such a heavy favorite — tabbed at even money on the morning line.

“I can breathe a little bit now,” Summers said after the race. “This horse is so special to us and he proved tonight he can go the longer distance. We’ll get with all of the owners and see which race we’ll run in for the Breeders’ Cup. He’ll stay here at Churchill Downs and train up to the race.”

Third in the last two runnings of the six-furlong TwinSpires.com Breeders’ Cup Sprint (six furlongs), “Biscuits” is also under consideration for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (10 furlongs) and $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Mind Your Biscuits was bred by Jumping Jack Racing LLC and foaled at Sue and Gary Lundy’s Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains. He is one of four winners from four foals to start out of the late Jazzmane, an unraced Kentucky-bred daughter of Toccet and a half-sister to Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Kimchi (Langfuhr).

Mind Your Biscuits was first purchased as a short yearling by Machmer Hall at the 2014 Keeneland January sale for $47,000. When he RNA’d for $47,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, Summers and Susan Montanye purchased the colt privately as a pinhooking prospect.

A buyback once again at the OBS Spring 2-year-old sale for $47,000, Summers bought out the colt and, over time, lined up J Stables LLC, Head of Plains Partners and Michael E. Kisber to complete Mind Your Biscuits’ first ownership group. Shadai Farm bought into Mind Your Biscuits in May and he is slated join the Teruya Yoshida’s Shadai Farm stallion roster in Abira on the island of Hokkaido in Japan at the conclusion of his racing career. The full ownership roster of Mind Your Biscuits is: Shadai Farm, J Stables LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, M. Scott Summers, Daniel Summers, Chad Summers and Michael Kisber.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/09/30/biscuits-lukas-classic/

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Dugout gallops away with New York Breeders’ Futurity, keeps record perfect

By Sarah Mace

In his most recent race, Dugout (Adios Charlie), won the Funny Cide Stakes by a nose over Bankit at Saratoga on August 24 in a nail-biter. The principals knocked heads from the backstretch to finish line, and the issue was decided by a photo.

Saturday’s $200,288 New York Breeders’ Futurity, Finger Lakes richest stakes race, was an entirely different story. In command from the start, Dugout powered his way to a front-running 3-length victory to go a perfect three-for-three in his young career for owners Richard Ravin, Patricia`s Hope LLC and Larry Rivelli. Ravin and Rivelli bred Dugout and Rivelli is his trainer.

Heavily favored at odds of 2-5 in the field of six New York-bred juveniles under Jose Valdivia Jr., Dugout reverted to the tactics he used in his July 23 debut, which he won gate-to-wire by seven-plus lengths. The grey exited his far outside post guns blazing and tail streaming and, in no time, crossed over assumed command.

Gobbling up ground with powerful strides, Dugout ran the first quarter-mile in 22.10 and half in 45.27, while second choice True Gold (3-1) chased a length behind in second.

In upper stretch, Dugout extended his lead under a vigorous hand ride and, in the final furlong, Valdivia gave him a couple reminders to keep to business. In the final strides Dugout veered out a couple of paths, but no harm, no foul – there was nobody in the neighborhood for him to bother. Dugout notched the win by three lengths in a final time of 1:10.66

True Gold, second throughout, got the money for place, followed 1 3/4 lengths back by La Fuerza, winner of the Aspirant at Finger Lakes on September 8. Completing the order of finish were Bourbon Mission, Possetizzly and Queens Dude. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

A first homebred for Ravin and Rivelli and foaled at Sequel Stallions in Hudson, 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 a stakes winner at Hawthorne, and half-sister Hollarforadollar is stakes placed. The mare has been bred back this year to Adios Charlie.

From his trio of victories, Dugout has earned $271,423.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/09/29/dugoutny-breeders-futurity/

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Black Tide aces Ashley Cole at 28-1 doing what he does best

By Sarah Mace

There aren’t many horses in training who are more fun to watch than Ivery Sisters Racing’s Black Tide (Hold Me Back). Win, lose or draw, his take-no-prisoners approach to racing is always a thrill. Just ask his trainer Dave Cannizzo. “I think he’s one of the coolest horses I’ve ever trained and one of the best horses I’ve ever trained,” Cannizzo said Sunday afternoon. “The stuff he does is insane. The feelings you get watching him are scary.”

The cause for celebration for Team Cannizzo Sunday was Black Tide’s second career stakes score: a wire-to-wire victory the 43rd running of the Ashley T. Cole for New York-breds going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf course.

Black Tide had not visited the winner’s circle since last October 21, when he opened up daylight in the Mohawk Stakes on Empire Showcase Day and never looked back, holding on to win by 1 1/4 lengths and post a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Black Tide’s tactics are no mystery. His best weapon is speed, and his trainer is not shy about telling regular jockey Jose Lezcano to use it. This approach, obviously, can be hit or miss. Once overtaken, the free-wheeling runner can end up out of the money. Cannizzo has spotted the 6-year-old confidently in all four starts this year: a pair of high-priced open allowance/optional claiming races, the Grade 3 Poker and Saratoga’s West Point Stakes. Each time he has challenged the field to catch him if they can, and so far this season they have succeeded, with his best finish being a fourth in his seasonal debut on May 11.

Cannizzo commented on some of the factors at play thus far in Black Tide’s 2018 campaign and the reasons the trainer feels, “He’s finally back to his old self.”

“He got some soft turfs,” Cannizzo said. “At Saratoga, he just wasn’t himself all meet. He was just wild in his stall. He’s finally back to [being] himself. You have to get him so fit to do what he wants to do. I probably gave him too long off; I sent him to Ocala and gave him three months off. To bring him back in these races, he was nowhere near ready. He runs all out the whole race, so he’s finally tight.”

Black Tide broke alertly under regular rider Jose Lezcano, as is his custom, but had to deal with some early company in front in the form of 70-1 Winston’s Chance, who pressed the pace through an opening quarter in 23.92.

After shrugging off that rival for good, Black Tide put four lengths between himself and nearest foe Hit It Once More, who was positioning himself to get first run on the pacesetter as the half and three-quarters ticked by in 47.81 and 1:12.07.

Maneuvering out into the five-path at the head of the lane, Black Tide showed no signs of tiring as the cavalry charge closed ranks behind him. In the end, victory was never in doubt, as the dark bay hit the finish line full of run with 1 1/4 lengths to spare.

Offering Plan (5-2) closed from well out of it to finish second. A half-length back the next six horses finished just 1 1/4 lengths apart: Gucci Factor (4-1), Call Provision (2-1), Red Knight and the venerable Kharafa, 9-year-old winner of the West Point in his previous start.

Completing the order of finish were Tapitation, Rapt, Winston’s Chance, Hit It Once More and Leaveematthegate. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles over the “good” inner turf course. was 1:48.09. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Lezcano said, “I liked today that the speed on the grass was kind of holding and I wanted to be there. He broke good and put me there. I got very good fractions and when I asked him, he clearly responded and went on. From the three-eighths to the wire, I felt really confident. I knew I had plenty of horse under me. I just had to ask a little bit and he was gone.”

As to sticking to the same game plan with Black Tide in every start, Cannizzo explained, “I don’t think distance is that big of a problem. It’s just letting him do his own thing. We got to the point where Jose started trying to get him to rate a little bit and try and finish. He’s not going to beat horses doing that because the real closers will outkick him late. He needs to beat them by emptying out. He did that today and it worked.”

The conditioner hopes Black Tide can wrap up the year with a repeat in the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes on October 20, Empire Showcase Day.

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 Avanzare won a pair of Grade 2 turf stakes on the west coast and earned $536,705. The mare has a juvenile filly by Stormy Atlantic named Tide Storm, who has not yet started and a weanling filly by Triple Crown champion American Pharoah.

Black Tide, whose record stands at eight wins, six seconds and five thirds in 40 starts with $535,220 in earnings, 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/2018/09/23/black-tide-aces-ashley-cole/

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Fifty Five posts confident victory in John Hettinger Stakes

By Sarah Mace

After just missing wins in the first two races of this year’s NYRA stakes series for New York-bred turf fillies and mares, Fifty Five gave the field of the $125,000, 1 1/8-mile John Hettinger Stakes a tutorial at Belmont Park on Sunday scoring a decisive victory from off the pace piloted by a supremely confident Javier Castellano.

A graded stakes-winning 4-year-old daughter of Get Stormy, Fifty Five has been remarkably consistent throughout her career, finishing in the money in 13 of 14 prior starts. Winner of the Grade 2 Florida Oaks and Ticonderoga Stakes for state-breds at three, Fifty Five came into the Hettinger with four starts under her belt in 2018. She put in a characteristically strong effort each time, but only managed to get her picture taken once.

Second by one length in Aqueduct’s open Plenty of Grace Stakes in April to Uni, winner of Saturday’s Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont, Fifty Five fell a neck short in the Mount Vernon to Feeling Bossy, who was also in the Hettinger field. Fifty Five then won an open allowance at Belmont on July 15, but at Saratoga on August 24 had to settle for neck-loss, when she finished third in a blanket finish in the Yaddo stakes, beaten by the talented La Moneda and Lady Joan. The speedy Lady Joan was drawn at the rail for the Hettinger.

Unhurried after breaking from post seven, Fifty Five tracked in sixth, five lengths off the pace through the first turn and up the backstretch. Up front Lady Joan battled for the lead from her rail post with Conquest Hardcandy who crossed over from the outside post and was, no doubt, unwelcome company. The early splits were slow over the “good” inner turf: 24.59 and 49.96.

Gearing up to make a sweeping move in the far turn, Fifty Five passed rivals, spun six-wide into the stretch and did what she does best – unleashed her patented (and devastating) late kick. Blowing past rivals with apparent ease and gaining the front with a furlong to go, Fifty Five was able to call it “mission accomplished” with a 2-length victory at the wire.

After six furlongs in 1:14.09 and a mile in 1:37.24, the final time for the 9-furlong Hettinger, after Fifty Five’s final panel in 11.74, was 1:48.98. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Javier Castellano was ebullient (“What a horse! She’s special!”) and spelled out why he seemed so confident in the irons.

“I believed that [Fifty Five] was the best horse in the race,” Castellano said. “I didn’t have the best post and I didn’t have the best trip, to be honest, but I rode her like she was the best horse in there. I took my time with her, tried to be patient, and, turning for home, I got the jump on everybody. I wanted to move outside and kick clear and that’s exactly what she did.”

Addressing the challenge of the show early splits, Castellano said, “There was a lot of speed in the race, but they were walking too. There were four horses [with speed], so I knew I was going to be mid-pack, that’s her style, but I didn’t expect them to be walking like they did. I even lost some ground at one point. She was very impressive, finishing the way she did today.”

Trainer Chad Brown also commented on the race dynamics. “It was a bit of a tough trip. She was really much the best today. I was really impressed with her race. She just had a wide trip off a slow pace. I was quite concerned. I figured she was going to have to be much the best today watching the race unfold, and she certainly was.”

Continued Brown, “I’m extremely impressed with her effort. Probably the worst trip you can have in a turf race, wide with no pace through no fault of Javier, and for her to still prevail, it was a monumental effort.”

Brown plans to start Fifty Five once more this year in state-bred company, and, perhaps return to open company next year.

Bred by John and Sandy Crowe’s 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. 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 Empire Equines’ John Crowe after the Florida Oaks coup. She now sports a record of six wins, three seconds and five thirds from 15 starts with $545,788 in earnings.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/09/23/fifty-five-hettinger/

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“Gutsy” Fire Key hangs tough to win Sensible Lady Turf Dash at Laurel

By Sarah Mace

Last September when Backwards Stable’s Fire Key shipped to Laurel Park with high hopes to contest the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash, she had to return to Belmont with a second-place finish to show for her efforts. On Saturday the 5-year-old daughter of Friesan Fire put that near-miss in the rear view, when she held off late challengers at each flank to win the race at odds of 11-1.

The reason that the accomplished Fire Key was sent off at relatively long odds was that her form was significantly dirtied up. Following a strong runner-up finish in an open allowance to kick off her 5-year-old campaign, she suffered three defeats by double-digit lengths in three Saratoga starts – each apparently worse than the last – but each involving more-then-legitimate excuses.

On July 23, when she was beaten more than sixteen lengths in the Caress Stakes, the race was run over a turf course labeled “soft” (aka boggy), which was evidently was not at all to her liking. On August 12 she fared even worse in an open allowance that was taken off the turf and clearly not her game. In the Smart N Fancy Stakes on August 26 Fire Key had an absolutely nightmare trip, brushing a fallen rival and finishing 25 lengths behind the winner.

Prior to this trio of tough outings Fire Key finished only once out of the exacta in nine starts and won the open Autumn Days Stakes last November 26. She clearly belonged with this group and trainer Pat Kelly had her teed up to make amends for everything.

Ridden by Julian Pimental Saturday, Fire Key was unhurried after the break, settling in the two path near the back of the 10-horse field while 99-1 longshot Daylight Ahead and odds-on favorite Smiling Causeway vied for the lead while carving out moderate opening splits of 23.87 and 49.44.

Gearing up in the approach to the turn and beginning to pick off rivals while rounding the bend, Fire Key fanned out six-wide into stretch. She ran down the front runners and poked a head in front, but there was still some work to do.

Fire Key was set upon on both sides in the final furlong. Compelled, the 5-2 second choice who was shuffled back early, closed rapidly on her outside flank. Fear No Evil made a serious bid at the rail.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Fire Key never faltered, digging in gamely and keeping a nose in front at the wire. Compelled in second finished a head in front of Fear No Evil. The final time for six furlongs over the “good” Fort Marcy Turf Course was 1:14.96.

Pat Kelly, a Maryland native – albeit well-traveled – remarked first that he always enjoyed the chance to come “back home.”

[3]Continued Kelly, “[Fire Key]’s been very sharp the last couple years. We came down here last year and just missed in this race. The plan was to try and get back this year and it worked out.”

Summing up the nail-biting photo finish, Kelly said, “She doesn’t win by much, but she’s gutsy.”

Fire Key, who was foaled at Sun Valley Farm in Ballston Spa, is out of U R Key, an unraced Backwards Stable homebred by Albert the Great. Her second dam Sugar Key (Missionary Ridge GB) was bred in New York by Jill Rich and Edward Michaels II.

U R Key’s first first foal Masterkey (Will He Shine) is a Finger Lakes-based six-figure earner. Currently the mare has an unnamed juvenile filly by Emcee, a weanling colt by Micromanage and was bred to Mr. Z in 2018.

Fire Key’s second stakes victory improved her career record to six wins, seven seconds and third from 21 starts, and boosted her earnings to $426,035.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/09/22/fire-key-sensible-lady/

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Frosted Ice is best by far in Bertram F. Bongard

By Sarah Mace

Rialto Racing Stables’ Frosted Ice left a field of New York-bred juveniles 6 1/4 lengths in his wake at Belmont Park on Friday afternoon in the $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes. The back marker of the group in the very early going, he systematically picked off a pair of foes in the backstretch before inhaling the frontrunners with an impressive wide move in the turn. From that point on the result was never in doubt.

An imposing grey son of New York-based stallion Bellamy Road[2] (Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions[3]), Frosted Ice was well-beaten in his July 27 Saratoga debut following a slow start. The colt put everything together, though, in his second try at the Spa for trainer Ron Moquett. On August 17 stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs to six, Frosted Ice did a professional job of stalking the pacesetter before drawing off to a 5 1/4-length score. In preparation for the Bongard, he returned to his Churchill Downs base and turned in a pair of drills on September 8 and 15.

Partnered with Joel Rosario on Friday, his third pilot in as many starts, Frosted Ice was drawn on the outside of the field of six (following the scratches of Risp and Dalliance). With a demonstrated ability to stalk and pounce and the strong likelihood of his successfully stretching out an additional furlong, bettors saw his appeal in a field full of early speed. He was sent off as a narrow favorite at 9-5 odds over 2-1 Bankit, who finished just a nose short of Dugout in a game runner-up effort in the Funny Cide last out.

Following the break, Frosted Ice idled a little and let others fight it out for the top spot. Bankit led at the rail, attended closely by Just Right in the two path and Bustin to Be Loved three-wide. The trio carved out a testing early quarter mile in 22.14.

Frosted Ice targeted and overtook a pair of rivals along the backstretch, advancing into fourth. Then, with a confident move in the far turn, he circled the leaders and straightened out for the drive with an undisputed lead.

Widening his advantage at will, Frosted Ice cruised to the wire a 6 1/4-length winner in a final time of 1:23.12. Poppy’s Destiny (11-1) closed to finish second, one length ahead of Bustin Hoffman (14-1), who had a slow start, but finished well. Completing the order of finish were the trio of early duelers Bankit, Bustin to Be Loved and Just Right. [VIDEO REPLAY[5]]

Rosario made the whole contest sound pretty easy. “He’s a big horse with a nice stride. By the quarter pole, I just let him stretch his legs out. I was just the passenger. He did the rest.

“At the beginning, everyone wanted to get their spots. I was fine with that because it looked like there was some speed and we’d let him break where he was comfortable and have a strong finish.”

The jockey did add a little nuance, though. “He takes a little bit of time, but he was fine after. He’s fine. He’s a baby, so he was kind of looking around a lot. When they opened the gate, he kind of looked a little bit and lost the momentum, but he’s a big horse who can cover a lot of ground.”

Moquett commented, “He’s got a big stride and it seems like when all the sprinters are getting tired, he starts to kick on home. I just told the rider to ride with confidence and know that he’s a nice horse and it all worked. We’re very proud and happy that we won a stake at Belmont and we’re just tickled to death with this horse.”

The conditioner plans to return with his charge to Churchill Downs, consider stretching him out further and “keep our eyes on the New York-bred stakes as well.”

Bred by Catherine Adams-Hutt and foaled at Waldorf Farm[6] in North Chatham, Frosted Ice is out of Super Slash, a Kentucky bred mare by Smoke Glacken who won 11 dirt races, started 54 times and banked $334,859. Adams-Hutt purchased the mare for the bargain price of $12,000 at the 2016 Keeneland January sale with Frosted Ice in utero.

Super Slash’s first foal Tainted Angel by Yes It’s True is a New York-bred stakes-placed runner. The mare has also produced a yearling filly by Normandy Invasion

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/09/21/frosted-ice-bongard/

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Gimma field unable to reel in Cartwheelin Lulu

By Sarah Mace

Roddy Valente’s Cartwheelin Lulu, a juvenile filly by Bustin Stones Valente co-bred with Dr. Jerry Bilinski, may have been somewhat overlooked in the betting in Wednesday’s $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes for New York-breds at Belmont Park, but under an expertly-executed ride by Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez she became the contest’s main event from start to finish.

Unveiled on August 16 at Finger Lakes, Cartwheelin Lulu dominated seven male rivals with a 4-length victory going 5 1/2 furlongs. She came into the Gimma in sharp form, capping three interim drills with a 4-furlong bullet move in :46 3/5 on September 15 in Farmington.

Sent off at 7-1 odds to face winners for the first time from the outside post of seven, Cartwheelin Lulu was, as it happened, one of a trio of uncoupled stablemates trained by Jeremiah Englehart. All seven fillies were stretching out to seven furlongs for the first time.

After showing good gate speed, Cartwheelin Lulu secured a 3/4-length lead and – most to the point – managed to cross over from her outside post to settle 2-wide. In the early stages Party Like Grandma, winner of the Seeking the Ante Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day, kept close to the pace on the inside.

Following a quarter-mile in a solid 23.17, Cartwheelin Lulu was firmly ensconced at the rail as the field entered the turn. She was able to make the most of her position when Party Like Grandma, She’s Trouble and Ma Meatloaf ganged up on her midway around the bend to make it four across the track.

Cornering like a pro, Cartwheelin Lulu spurted away again in upper stretch, but now a group of closers were on the move. The trio never posed a serious threat, though, leaving Velazquez and his mount to cruise under the wire first by 1 1/2-lengths under a drive.

The next three horses across the line had to be separated by a photo. More Mischief (4-1), who barreled down the middle of the track from the rear of the group, finished second, a nose in front of 5-2 favorite Elegant Zip at the rail. A head back, between horses, She’s Troubled finished fourth. Completing the order of finish were Party Like Grandma, Maiden Beauty and Ma Meatloaf.  After splits of 47.22 and 1:11.39, the final time for seven furlongs over the fast track was 1:23.71. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“I was really happy to see one of [my] fillies win,” said Jeremiah Englehart. “Obviously, I’m a little disappointed that the other two fillies [Party Like Grandma (post 5) and Ma Meatloaf (post 6)] looked like they were sitting in good positions.”

Englehart went on to praise Velazquez’ ride. “I thought Johnny did a really nice job being aggressive and getting the lead. My plan with Party Like Grandma was that I was a little worried about the distance with her so I kind of wanted to stay off the pace a little bit and maybe that didn’t work out for the best.”

Velazquez’ decision-making also took Party Like Grandma into account. “I knew [Party Like Grandma] … had some speed, so [I] wanted to see what she was going to do inside of me. When I saw she didn’t [go] I just dropped in front and [Cartwheelin Lulu] relaxed up there for me.”

Englehart envisions a start in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies at a mile on Empire Showcase Day, October 20 as a “natural progression” for Cartwheeling Lulu, provided all is in good order after the Gimma. He also added a few details about the filly’s development.

“This filly has been a little bit of a late bloomer as far as running early. When we got a lot of the 2-year-olds in, she was just working OK, but as she got closer to her first race, she was working a little more aggressive. I didn’t think the boys at Finger Lakes were all that tough, so we ran her against the boys there, and she’s matured nice since the year’s gone on.”

Cartwheelin Lulu’s dam Repreive is a Kentucky-bred mare by Successful Appeal, who won five races and earned more than $160,000 primarily routing. Given Cartwheelin Lulu’s sire Bustin Stones’ prowess as a sprinter, the mare’s influence and the filly’s ability to stay seven furlongs was a pleasant surprise to both trainer and jockey, while not unexpected by her breeder.

Said Englehart, “Roddy [Valente] was very confident in the breeding that she would stretch out a little bit. Bustin Stones, he’s just a nice, hard-knocking horse, and with the mare [Reprieve], it’s just the right combination. He was right; he felt like she should handle the distance and maybe even go to a mile, and I’m really glad she did.”

Velazquez added, “[Cartwheelin Lulu]’s a big filly and she even galloped out pretty strong which really surprised me so maybe she’s capable enough to outrun her pedigree [in distance].”

Cartwheelin Lulu, perfect after two starts, has earned $93,900

Repreive has produced three winners from three foals to start and has been bred exclusively to Bustin Stones, who stands at Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm[4] in North Chatham for a $5,000 stud fee and currently sits at number eight in the state sire rankings. She has produced five foals, all fillies, was without issue this year, and has been bred back to the same sire.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/09/19/gimma-cartwheelin-lulu/

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