Pat On the Back recovers from poor break to win the Empire Classic

By Bill Heller

Any pre-race strategy jockey Dylan Davis had regarding his mount on Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stable’s four-year-old colt Pat On the Back went out the window at the start. Sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the field of 10 contesting the mile-and-an-eighth $300,000 Empire Classic on New York-bred Showcase Day at Belmont Park Saturday, Pat On the Back lunged when the starting gate opened and nearly went to his knees.

Davis didn’t panic. He let Pat On the Back regain his balance and then delivered a flawless ride, rallying Pat On the Back to a length and a half victory, giving Lerner and Nehoc Stables their second Showcase Day stakes after winning the Hudson with Runaway Lute, the horse who gave Javier Castellano his 5,000th career victory.

Can You Diggit, who was 5-1 with Junior Alvarado aboard, rallied to finish second, one length ahead of 10-1 Mr. Buff and David Cohen. Wine Not, who was 11-1 under Manny Franco, finished fourth, just a neck behind Mr. Buff.

Sugar Maple Farm bred Pat On the Back, a son of Congrats out of Accomplished by Awesome Again who sold for $70,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in August, 2015. He is trained by Jeremiah Englehart.

Pat On the Back, who had been principally sprinting earlier in his career, took his game to a whole new level when he finished second by a nose to subsequent Grade 1 stakes winner Diversify in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes on May 28th.

Pat On the Back then won the $90,000 Saginaw Stakes by a length and three-quarters July 13th before finishing second by a neck to Can You Diggit in the $97,000 Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga, Aug. 20th. Englehart freshened Pat On the Back, and, outside of the clumsy start, he raced lights out in posting his most significant victory.

After letting Pat On the Back regain his balance, Davis settled him in third as 7-2 Sea Foam and Joel Rosario set the pace prompted by Mr. Buff through early splits of :24.26, :47.94 and 1:12.03.

Mr. Buff took over the front and Pat On the Back was right behind him going three-wide. Pat On the Back then took the lead, opened a clear advantage and maintained it to the finish line. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“This was a great way to end a fantastic day, also winning the Hudson today with Running Lute,” Lerner said afterwards. “It’s been a great Empire Showcase Day for me and my partners. We’ll definitely enjoy today and we always love to support the New York-bred program.”

Davis said of his winner, “He really likes this track and handles it well.”

No lie there. Pat On the Back is now three-for-eight at Belmont with three seconds and a pair of thirds.

Overall, Pat On the Back is six-for-20 on dirt with four seconds and four thirds. He also has raced once on grass and has total earnings of more than $710,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/pat-on-the-back-empire-classic/

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Bonita Bianca pours it on to win Empire Distaff by six lengths

By Sarah Mace

After finishing third in last year’s $250,000 Empire Distaff on Empire Showcase Day, Bonita Bianca had to go back to the barn a beaten favorite for owners Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Michael Imperio. There was no such disappointment for her connections this time around. Favored once again at odds of 5-2 in a highly competitive field of 10 fillies and mares, Bonita Bianca absolutely trounced the competition, racing up on the pace and pouring it on the stretch to win by six lengths.

A winner of two of four starts already in 2018 for Jason Servis, who took over training duties this year from Rudy Rodriguez, the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin already owned a stakes win this term, rallying to take the 6 1/2-furlong Union Avenue at Saratoga. The 1 1/6-mile distance of the Distaff was still well within her comfort zone, though, and she had two wins at the distance to prove it. Moreover, in the Empire Distaff Bonita Bianca was returning to her proper surface following an unsuccessful turf experiment in the John Hettinger on September 23 at Belmont Park where she did no running and finished last of eight.

Michael Dubb explained the thinking behind the grass try. “She has a big [turf] foot and we felt we had to try her there [on turf]. It seemed like the right thing to do. With her being a 4-year-old, it’s been on our minds. She didn’t take to it.”

Partnered for the first time with Jose Lezcano for the Empire Distaff, Bonita Bianca got a good start from her outside post, racing with the vanguard as English Soul and Bluegrass Flag vied for the lead to her inside.

English Soul set early splits of 23.71 and 46.32, before Bluegrass Flag and Bonita Bianca advanced. In the turn, with three furlongs to go, the trio lined up across the track. Bonita Bianca on the outside had most momentum and, by the quarter pole, had the lead to herself.

From that point, it was all over but the shouting. Bonita Bianca drew off impressively to win by six lengths in a final time of 1:43.18. A pair of closers rallied into the remaining placings, with Split Time getting up for second, and Tiznow’s Smile coming from dead last to get third. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“She broke really good” Lezcano said. “She was right there the whole way. When I asked her at the quarter-pole, she went on. When I asked her, she kicked home. She did everything right today to win the race.”

Dubb emphasized that the distance, home track and draw were all on Bonita Bianca’s side. “She’s a Curlin. She’ll go long. She’ll go short. She loves Belmont Park. It was all in her favor today. She had a favorable post position, and everything was to her inside, so it was all good. At a mile and a sixteenth down the chute at Belmont, she’s really comfortable running outside, and that’s her comfort zone and she was there today.”

Dubb, a perennial leading owner on the NYRA circuit, still has an extra special feeling about winning on Empire Showcase Day. “When I go home tonight, I’ll be looking at the calendar for when this date is next year. It’s the greatest day; there’s probably more New York people here today than any other day. The track is busy. It’s one of the best betting cards. It’s really nice to see all of our New York brethren who work so hard come out and have the opportunity to compete. It’s a great day.”

Bred by Dormellito Stud and foaled at Mill Creek Farm[4] in Stillwater, Bonita Bianca was purchased by Dubb for $97,000 at the 2016 OBS March juvenile sale.

At two she won the Maid of the Mist and East View Stakes and placed in the Grade 2 Damoiselle Stakes. At three she added the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes to her stakes tally, which with her Union Avenue and Empire Distaff victories this year, brings the total to five. A winner of seven of 14 races overall with one second and two thirds, she has earned $609,667.

Bonita Bianca’s dam is Friendly Michelle, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Artax who won the Grade 1 Prioress and Grade 3 La Troienne Stakes in 2004. In 2006 Friendly Michelle sold to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings for $1.15 million at the Keeneland November sale in 2006.

In 2013 at Keeneland Steven Rowan bought Friendly Michelle for $42,000 with Bonita Bianca in utero. The mare has produced six winners in all, has a yearling colt by Paynter, no reported foal in 2018 and was bred to Ghostzapper in the spring.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/bonita-bianca-empire-distaff-18/

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Bankit wins the Sleepy Hollow Stakes from off the pace

By Bill Heller

Expectations were always high on Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willie Horton Racing’s two-year-old colt Bankit. He sold for $260,000 as a two-year-old in March, 2018, and showed blazing early speed in all of his first four starts, finishing second and a runaway first in two maiden races, second by a nose in the $194,000 Funny Cide Stakes and a badly tiring fourth in the $150,000 BF Bongard Stakes under Jose Ortiz.

On Saturday Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode Bankit in his debut, asked him to rate in the one-mile $250,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes on New York-bred Showcase Day at Belmont Park. Good idea. Bankit responded with a sensational 5 ¾ length victory. Sent off at 5-1 in the field of 12, Bankit won in 1:37.69.

Bustin Hoffman, who was 21-1 under Junior Alvarado, finished strongly for second, a length and a quarter clear of 15-1 Strive for a Cure and Weston Hamilton. Riken, who was 68-1 with Manny Franco riding, led late, but had to settle for fourth, one length behind Strive for a Cure.

Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing bred Bankit, a son of Central Banker out of Sister in Arms by Colonel John.

Bankit broke fourth from the four post, and Ortiz took a hold of him as the unbeaten gray Dugout, the 5-2 favorite ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr., took the field to an opening quarter-mile in :22.88 and a half-mile in :46.57. At that point, Bankit was eighth.

Bankit then rallied into fifth on the inside before angling him out three-wide at the top of the stretch as Dugout began to tire.

After three-quarters in 1:12.30, Riken took the lead as Bankit rallied strongly into second. Bankit blasted past Riken and opened up on the field, winning by himself. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“I got a perfect trip,” Ortiz said. “I thought there was a lot of speed in the race and we have speed. But we didn’t want to be on the front end and going head-to-head in a speed duel. We tried to relax through the first part of the race and then finish, and that’s what we did. We’ve been working him behind horses and he’s had some dirt in his face. At the three-eighth’s pole, I had a lot of horse. When I tipped him out, I knew he was going to be right there.”

Besides showing he can race on the lead or off the pace, Bankit improved his record to two-for-five with two seconds and earnings of more than $240,000.

Is there anything more exciting than owning a versatile, proven two-year-old?

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/bankit-sleepy-hollow/

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Surge of Pride rises to the top in Maid of the Mist

By Sarah Mace

Five races after celebrating Highway Star’s Iroquois victory to kick off the stakes portion of Saturday’s Empire Showcase day card, Chester and Mary Broman had the pleasure of taking second trek to the winner’s circle when Surge of Pride – a homebred from the same family they co-own with Grey Fox Stable – won the $250,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies by a decisive 1 1/4 lengths.

Surge of Pride’s path to the Maid of the Mist, which was run at one mile over the Belmont main track, was, on the face of it, a little unorthodox, since her first two career starts came in turf sprints. Graduating by 1 3/4 lengths on debut at Saratoga on August 27 after going 5 1/2 furlongs over firm turf, she finished fourth over yielding ground in the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park on September 22.

As trainer Linda Rice explained it, “She had trained pretty well on the dirt, but there were things that made me think she might want to run on the grass. So, I breezed her on the turf and she breezed dynamite. Then all the wise guys – and myself – decided to put her on the turf in a maiden race, and she won impressively. Then she ran so-so at Laurel.

“I tried to find another turf race for her, but it was open company and a little short for her and I was a little disappointed in her effort. I then told Chester [Broman], ‘we don’t know if she can run on the dirt, but for $250,000, let’s find out.’”

Needless to say, the experiment panned out.

Out of the gate cleanly from post two in the full field of 11 fillies, Surge of Pride (15-1) settled near the rear of the field at the fence with plenty of room for clear running, while 5-2 favorite Cartwheelin Lulu carved out early fractions of 23.31 and 47.70, pressed along by Kept True. While Surge of Pride continued to save ground along the backstretch and around the far turn, presser Kept True challenged and passed Cartwheelin Lulu.

When Surge of Pride approached the quarter pole, she was still down at the rail, still behind horses and still had lots left to do. Junior Alvarado then made a winning decision, switching the agile filly to the outside and setting her down for the drive.

Kept True still maintained a narrow lead over a tenacious Cartwheelin Lulu, but Surge of Pride and Elegant Zip were coming to call. Surge of Pride gained the lead within the final sixteenth and sailed under the wire a 1 1/4-length winner. Elegant Zip finished second, while Kept True hung tough for third. After six furlongs in 1:12.70, the final time for the mile was 1:38.05. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Rice said, “Junior rode a beautiful race.”

Alvarado explained how the trip unfolded from his perspective

“She broke good. I thought I was in a good spot the whole way around, but at the three-eighths pole I was getting a little worried because I knew I had horse, but I didn’t have much room at that point. I was still saving ground, but at the same time I was trying to find a spot.”

He continued, “Turning for home, at the quarter pole, I tried to go inside but [Manny] Franco [on Elegant Zip] was a little bit in front of me and got the spot I wanted, so I had to wait. After that, I had to swing outside and hope she would give me what I was expecting, and she did at the end to win the race.

“The whole way I was pretty confident. It was just a matter of time if I could get into the clear to let her run. Once we got clear, she finished pretty nicely at the end.”

Surge of Pride, who has earned $184,750 from two victories, is the first foal out of Solar Surge, an unraced homebred for the Bromans by Bernardini out of Unbridled Star, who was purchased by Chester Broman for $115,000 at the 2002 Keeneland November Sale.

Unbridled Star has been highly successful producer. She is the dam of multiple stakes-placed Stolen Star (Cat Thief), dam of millionaire and multiple graded stakes winner Highway Star who added the Iroquois to her resume earlier on the card. Also among her offspring are Friend or Foe (Friends Lake), a multiple stakes winner and sire, and stakes winner Star Grazing (Sky Mesa).

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/surge-pride-maid-mist/

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White-hot Castellano rallies Fifty Five to win the Ticonderoga Stakes

By Bill Heller

Maybe New York-bred Showcase Day should be renamed Javier Castellano New York-bred Showcase Day. Castellano rallied Peter Brant’s four-year-old filly Fifty Five, the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven, to a one-length victory over La Moneda in the mile-and-a-sixteenth $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes on grass. That gave Castellano three consecutive wins Saturday at Belmont Park and all three were New York-bred stakes: the Mohawk with Offering Plan, the Hudson with Runaway Lute and the Ticonderoga with Fifty Five, his 5,001^st career victory.

La Moneda, who went off at 3-1 seeking her fifth consecutive victory under Junior Alvarado, finished second, two lengths clear of 31-1 Conquest Hardcandy and Joe Bravo. Lady Joan, who was 9-1 with Luis Saez riding, finished fourth, 2 ½ lengths behind Conquest Hardcandy while a nose in front of 9-1 Munchkin Money and John Velazquez.

After the race, Castellano deflected the praise to Fifty Five’s trainer, Chad Brown. “She’s been doing really, really well lately,” Castellano said. “Chad’s done a great job maintaining the horse to be at her best. Believe me, I’m just the pilot. I just had to enjoy the ride. She finished well. I really like this filly.”

Empire Equines bred Fifty Five, a highly-accomplished daughter of Get Stormy out of Soave by Brahms. Fifty Five was coming off a two-length victory in the John Hettinger Stakes at 4-5 on Sept. 23^rd and she went off at the same price Saturday. Why? She had only finished out of the money once in 15 races, all on grass.

“This horse is bigger and stronger this year and has done really well outside Saratoga,” Brown said. “Saratoga isn’t her favorite course for whatever reason.”

That was irrelevant on Saturday. At Belmont Park before the Ticonderoga, Fifty Five had three wins, two seconds and one third from seven starts.

Castellano settled Fifty Five in sixth early as 6-1 Lovely La La and Irad Ortiz Jr. set the pace with a clear lead over Conquest Hardcandy. La Moneda was fourth on the outside and Fifty Five not far behind her.

After a half-mile in :49.12, Conquest Hardcandy took the lead as La Moneda rallied three-wide and Fifty Five began her bid four-wide behind her.

Both La Moneda and Fifty Five cleared Conquest Hardcandy. La Moneda took a brief lead but couldn’t hold off Fifty Five, who struck the lead late and won in 1:42.21 on the “Good” Inner Turf Course. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Fifty Five is now seven-for-16 in her career with three seconds, five thirds and earnings topping $650,000

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/fifty-five-ticonderoga-18/

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Runaway Lute takes Hudson Handicap, gives jockey Javier Castellano 5,000th win

By Sarah Mace

Runaway Lute (Midnight Lute) ticked lots of exciting boxes on Empire Showcase Day when he scored a decisive victory in the Hudson Handicap. First, he ratified a brilliant performance last-out in a state-bred allowance back on July 4, for which he earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. Second, he handed his owners Harold Lerner LLC and Nehoc Stables a second career stakes victory. Last, but not least, Runaway Lute earned Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano his 5,000th career victory.

Runaway Lute launched his career in a dramatic way, airing by 12 lengths in his career debut on May 28, 2016, and following up with an 8 3/4-length score in the Rockville Center. Winless in five starts at three, he was out of competition with an ankle injury from November 2017 until June of this year.

Runaway Lute shook off the rust this June with a third-place finish in a second-level allowance, then delivered his July 4 coup, when he completed seven furlongs in 1:21.37. Another run of bad luck, however, kept him from starting at Saratoga. Scratched after flipping in the paddock before the John Morrissey Stakes on July 26, he suffered a minor injury during a July 30 work. Even though he was out of competition for 108 days, conditioner Gary Contessa had him expertly-prepared for the challenge of taking on the highly competitive 8-horse field Hudson field.

Forwardly placed after breaking from his outside post under Castellano, Runaway Lute (5-1) set up shop in the three-path as Eye Luv Lulu won the scramble for the early lead.

Confidently moving up a few spots to challenge Eye Luv Lulu for the top spot, Runaway Lute wrested away the lead in the approach to the far turn before opening up to a 2-length advantage.

Asked for more in upper and mid-stretch as the closers began to encroach, Runaway Lute dug in and held off 2-1 favorite Gold for the King who was closing with intent. Hitting the wire in a fast final time of 1:15.70, Runaway Lute’s secured the victory by a three-quarter length margin. Gold For the King in second finished three-quarters of a length clear of Celtic Chaos, who closed to get the show. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“It’s been a lot of work getting him to this race,” Contessa. “He’s the kind of horse where every time you think you’re going in the right direction, he takes a step back. He has a foot bruise, he has this, he has that. So, we had a lot of trouble getting him to this race. But when he gets it all together, every so often, everything goes right.”

Continued Contessa, “He had trained really well for this race, but believe me, until the gate opens, and he comes out, I’m [on edge]. Because anything can happen. He has a history of flipping in the paddock, flipping in the gate, doing stupid things. He was nice, and to have Castellano’s 5,000th winner, it’s an honor.”

Runaway Lute was bred by Windlea Farm and foaled at Tender Loving Care in Slate. He is the second black-type winner for his dam, Nikki Tootsie, an unplaced Maryland-bred daughter of Waquoit whose first foal Judy Soda (Personal Flag) was a multiple New York-bred stakes-winning homebred for Scott Solar who earned nearly $400,000. Nikki Tootsie’s English Channel filly Style Drift has earned six figures. In all Nikki Tootsie has produced seven winners from eight foals to start. Her most recent reported foal is a 2-year-old filly named Laurentian by Midshipman who is unplaced to date.

Runaway Lute was purchased by Harold Lerner for $77,000 the consignment of McMahon of Saratoga at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. After 12 starts, he has compiled a record of four wins a second and two thirds and has earned $276,805.

Javier Castellano, a four-time Eclipse Award winner, was both ecstatic and humble about becoming the 34th jockey to achieve the benchmark of 5,000 wins.

“I feel great and very excited. I’m very thankful to be here in New York to win my 5,000th race. First, I have to thank God for giving me the skill and opportunity to ride horses. I’ve been very lucky in my life and career.”

Castellano spread his gratitude around. “I’m thankful to all the owners and trainers who have helped me get to this point, as well as my wonderful wife. She supports me as well as my kids. It’s not an easy job. My father-in-law Terry Meyocks and my mom, [they have] always supported me. All of the sacrifices [such as] not being able to see your family for days and sometimes even three months when we’re riding in Florida. I’m so thankful that it has paid off. I’ve had a successful career.”

Castellano’s says one thing that is still on his “bucket list” is winning the Kentucky Derby. “Four Eclipse Awards, being a Hall of Fame inductee…but I don’t feel that I’m toward the end. I still have goals. Number one is to win the Kentucky Derby. I’ve always been trying to chase and win that race one day. Hopefully everything falls in the right direction and the right horse and trip to win the Kentucky Derby. I’m very proud to be in the company I am with 5,000 winners.”

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/runaway-lute-hudson/

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Offering Plan dominates in the Mohawk Stakes

By Bill Heller

Leaving absolutely no doubt about who was best in this year’s mile-and-a-sixteenth $200,000 Mohawk Stakes for New York-breds, Michael Dubb, Nantucket Thoroughbred Partners, Bethlehem Stables and Gary Aisquith’s six-year-old horse Offering Plan, ridden perfectly by Javier Castellano, stormed to the lead at the top of the stretch and rolled to a six-length victory as the 6-5 favorite from the outside post in the field of eight on New York-bred Showcase Day at Belmont Park Saturday. Offering Plan won in 1:42.01 on the “good” Widener Turf Course.

Rapt, who was 14-1 under Manny Franco, finished a well-clear second, 7 ¼ lengths ahead of 4-1 Red Knight and Junior Alvarado. Front-running Mo Maverick, who was 9-1 with Luis Saez up, lasted for fourth, a length and a quarter behind Red Knight.

CW Swann and Cygnet Farm bred Offering Plan, a son of Spring At Last out of Rosalie Road by Street Cry who is trained by Chad Brown.

A year ago in the Mohawk Stakes, Offering Plan made up nearly 10 lengths late, but finished second as the 3-5 favorite, a length and a quarter behind the wire-to-wire winner Black Tide at 4-1. This year, Black Tide entered the Mohawk off a length-and-a-quarter coast-to-coast victory over Offering Plan in the $120,000 Ashley T. Cole Stakes at 28-1.

On Saturday, Black Tide went off at 9-2 under regular rider Jose Lezcano. But the extreme speedster, who almost always breaks in front, came out of the gate next-to-last, allowing Mo Maverick to get the lead. Lezcano rushed up Black Tide to take over, but Mo Maverick wouldn’t let him, leading by a neck by running a fast first quarter-mile in :22.54. Mo Maverick edged three-quarters of a length ahead of Black Tide by running a half-mile in :46.38.

Castellano, who has ridden Offering Plan in his last 11 starts, had to be thrilled as he saw the speed duel far in front of him. Castellano had settled Offering Plan clear on the outside in sixth early, and he asked Offering Plan for more early.

Offering Plan quickly moved up to fourth and then made a breath-taking rush into and around the far turn.

Offering Plan shot past Mo Maverick and Black Tide and opened up on the field after three-quarters in 1:11.48. Offering Plan poured it on through the stretch, completely dominating his rivals to win utterly isolated on the lead. The victory was No. 4,999 in Castellano’s career. He didn’t wait long to win his 5,000th the very next race on Runaway Lute in the $150,000 Hudson Stakes. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Castellano admitted he changed tactics on Offering Plan Saturday: “Today I did something different. Everything worked out perfect today.”

Brown, sporting a wide smile in the winner’s circle, knew that Castellano was a big reason why. “The horse really responded well with Javier asking him to go a little earlier,” Brown said. “Sometimes this horse is funny to ride. He’ll lose interest early in his races. Javier has really done a great job trying to get this horse motivated in the first half of his races, which isn’t always easy. The horse just really finished strong. I’m proud of him.”

Offering Plan has only finished out of the money only twice in his last 11 starts, both in open company. He was seventh in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last year and third in this year’s open $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Belmont before finishing second at Saratoga in the West Point Stakes and second again in the Ashley T. Cole.

He showed his readiness for the Mohawk with a four-furlong bullet dirt work on the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga Oct. 7th, and another good four-furlong work a week later.

His Mohawk victory made him eight-for-23 in his all-grass career with five seconds, four thirds and earnings of more than $750,000. He is particularly sharp at Belmont where he is five-for-12 with three seconds and three thirds.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/offering-plan-mohawk-18/

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Highway Star takes inside lane to capture Iroquois

By Sarah Mace

Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred millionaire Highway Star certainly ran well in her first five starts of 2018, finishing second in three of five stakes appearances, but had found the winner’s circle elusive. On Saturday, the 5-year-old daughter of Girolamo remedied the situation when she kicked off the stakes portion of the New York Empire Showcase Day card with a determined rally at the rail to capture the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes, contested at 6 1/2 furlongs. The Iroquois was the first of eight stakes races on the card worth $1.75 million.

The Iroquois drew eight fillies and mares after scratches and was highly competitive, but on paper Highway Star was the most accomplished of the bunch. She has been on a more-or less steady diet of graded stakes since the final start of her sophomore campaign, when she won the Grade 3 Go For Wand Handicap and, since then, has added three more graded stakes wins to her resume: the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap and Grade 2 Ruffian in back-to-back starts in 2017, and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap. Also, in 2017 she came up just a head short in the Grade 1 Ballerina to By the Moon.

Partnered with David Cohen for the first time, and sent off as the 2-1 betting favorite, Highway Star was last out of the gate but managed to maneuver into position at the rail in the early stages, settling seven lengths off the pace which was set by longshot Royal Inheritance, who was pressed along by fellow longshot Filibustin.

Steadily working her way up into fourth by the far turn, Highway Star held her ground at the fence and cornered like a pro. Up front Pauseforthecause, also owned and bred by the Bromans, and up-and-comer Satisfy closed into contention. Filibustin folded, leaving Highway Star to battle it out with the other two.

In the final sixteenth, Highway Star dug in bravely at the rail in close quarters, overtook Pauseforthecause, who raced between horses and struck the front. Satisfy on the outside collared Pauseforthecause to finish second but could not reel in the gritty Highway Star who got the victory by a neck a final time of 1:16.08. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

“I had a lot of horse underneath me,” said David Cohen. “The horse on the lead [Royal Inheritance] was getting out a little bit, so we just took advantage of that and ended up prevailing. She showed a lot of heart going through there, pushing through the hole, and fighting. She earned it today.”

Cohen appreciated the opportunity to ride a horse who has long been on his radar. “She’s a filly that I’ve been watching since I got back to New York and I’m fortunate to get an opportunity on her.”

Trainer Rodrigo Ubillo, for his part, thought Cohen handled his new mount extremely well, compensating well for a less-than-ideal break.

“She broke bad and was last,” Ubillo said. “She always breaks up front, so that worried me, but David got her toward the inside and she started moving pretty good right along the inside.

“He kind of hesitated a little bit about going outside or inside because the horse in front at the last second drifted a little so he went in. It seemed like she was just not even running at the end. She was probably waiting for the competition, because you could see her ears were pricked. She’s a cool horse.”

Ubillo explained how Cohen prepped for the race with a morning work. “David came to breeze her a week ago and he got a little feeling of her. She’s not a difficult horse to ride but she will fool you. In the mornings she will go very fast when it seems like she’s going slow. In the race, most of the time she breaks right on top and the jockeys, when you tell them to come a little from behind, they get a little freaked out and pull too much back.”

In 21 starts, Highway Star has won nine races, including six stakes victories, with five seconds and two thirds and earned $1,244,625.

Highway Star is one of four winners out of Stolen Star, a multiple stakes-placed homebred for the Bromans by Cat Thief and a half-sister to the Bromans’ multiple stakes winner and Friend or Foe, now a sire. Chester Broman purchased Stolen Star’s dam, Unbridled Star (Unbridled), for $115,000 at the 2002 Keeneland November Sale. Stolen Star was bred this year to Malibu Moon.

Highway Star’s sire Girolamo, a Grade 1-winning son of A.P. Indy owned by Darley, began his stud career in 2012 at Sequel Stallions New York[4] before relocating to Kentucky

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/10/20/highway-star-iroquois-18/

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