Not That Brady is ‘just the right Brady’ for the Damon Runyon

By Sarah Mace

Not That Brady, a gelded son of Kentucky Derby-winning New York sire Big Brown[2], celebrated his final day as a 2-year-old with a first stakes victory and second straight frontrunning score. Making a confident early move to the lead and never looking back, the chestnut won the fortieth running of the $100,000 Damon Runyon for New York-bred 2-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack on New Year’s Eve in style.

A nice-looking group of six youngsters lined up to go one mile over the sloppy (sealed) track Monday, but Not That Brady garnered especial attention from bettors, who sent him off as the narrow second choice at odds of 2-1.

It should be said that Not That Brady did not have an auspicious start to what now looks like a promising racing career. Debuting for a $50,000 tag at Saratoga on August 23 and finishing nine-plus lengths behind the winner for George Weaver and R.A. Hill Stable, he was claimed by trainer Rudy Rodriguez who now co-owns the gelding with Michael Imperio and Lianna Stables, Inc. Not That Brady’s first try for his new connections on October 20 at Belmont Park turned out to be a complete toss. Never lifting a hoof in a state-bred maiden special weight, Not That Brady earned the “dreaded goose-egg” on the Beyer Speed Figure scale for his trouble.

November and December brought a dramatic turn to Not That Brady’s fortunes. Just missing by three-quarters of a length to Beachside (a Damon Runyon rival) in his first route try at Belmont on November 10, he tried the same trip at Aqueduct on December 8 and demolished a field of 10, breaking his maiden by 11 1/4 lengths and earning a 91 Beyer.

Partnered Monday with promising apprentice Reylu Gutierrez, Not That Brady in post two was brushed by his neighbor to the inside Pipes after the bell, but followed up with a confident early move to the lead, wresting away the top spot from longshot Invaluable Will by the first point of call which went in 23.78.

Racing off the fence over the sloppy going, Not That Brady established his lane in about the three-path, chased by Invaluable Will, Pipes and post time favorite La Fuerza, a three-time stakes winner.

Leading by three lengths in the approach to the far turn, Not That Brady saw his lead erode somewhat in upper stretch but drew off again to cruise under the wire a three-length winner.

Pipes, who rounded the far turn at the fence in second, came off the rail in upper stretch and held off a closing La Fuerza to get second by a nose, while Southern King completed the superfecta a half-length back. Beachside and Invaluable Will were next over the line. After a half-mile in 47.48, the final time for eight furlongs was 1:40.68. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Gutierrez, for whom this was a first stakes victory on the NYRA circuit, commented on managing the break. “Rudy [Rodriguez] has been training this horse aggressively. I tried to be aggressive coming out of the gate. He’s not the best coming out of the gate. You have to get into him . . . He’s a heavy horse. Once he gets his stride under him, he gets going. Once I got there, it was fairly easy to rate him.”

Added the pilot, “He’s a horse who has a lot of heart. All credit to him. The more they keep coming, the more he keeps running.”

Rodriguez, too, focused on the issue of getting his horse to break more effectively. “Today, he broke slow again, but I told Reylu [Gutierrez] to chase him out of there and put him in the race early. . . We need to do something [for him] to break better. You don’t want to give up the break, that’s for sure. When he gets himself in a good rhythm, it’s smooth. . . Once he learns to break, I think he’ll be more solid. Right now, I’m teaching him to take dirt behind, and he takes it good in the morning, but sometimes in the afternoon, it’s different.”

Gutierrez was excited about his first career NYRA stakes win, which he marked with a contained celebration at the wire: “Oh my goodness. I tried to be as professional as I could after the wire and keep my emotions in check. But to win here, especially on December 31 and close out the year like this, I had to yell out because I’m so excited right now! I had to contain myself. But when I get into my car after the races, I’ll probably blast some music.”

Bred by KatieRich Farm, Not That Brady is the first foal out of one of Finger Lakes’ favorite daughters, Florida-bred Lisa’s Booby Trap (Drewman), who shipped from her Farmington base in the summer of 2010 to win the restricted Loudenville Stakes at Saratoga for the late owner/trainer Tim Snyder.

Lisa’s Booby Trap has a 2017 filly by Tale of the Cat named Lisa’s Tale, who has not yet started, a 2018 filly by Hard Spun, and has been bred to Candy Ride.

Not That Brady sold once at public auction, purchased by SVG Thoroughbreds for $135,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale in Saratoga. From two wins and a second in five starts, Not That Brady has driven his earnings into six-figure territory – $103,400.

Not That Brady’s sire Big Brown stands at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC[4] in Stillwater.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/31/not-that-brady-damon-runyon/

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Split Time puts exclamation point on sophomore campaign with Bay Ridge victory

By Sarah Mace

Tic Stable’s Split Time (Take Charge Indy) put an exclamation point on an otherwise excellent sophomore campaign when she came from off the pace to capture Sunday’s featured $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares by 1 1/4 lengths.

The second betting choice in the Bay Ridge field, which was reduced to eight after the scratch of Out of Orbit, Split Time was looking for a fourth stakes win to cap a highly successful 2018 run.

Split Time broke her maiden in her first start of the year (and second career race) on January 18 going one mile at Aqueduct. A winner of four of five starts to follow, she notched stakes wins at three different racetracks, winning the one-mile Maddie May at Aqueduct in March, Laurel’s Alma North at seven panels in June and the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes in July, her first route test. She also picked up a placing in Bouwerie Stakes.

At Saratoga, Split Time was a narrowly beaten third in the Fleet Indian. Back at Belmont, in her first meeting with elders, she finished a best-of-the-rest runner-up in the Empire Distaff, which was won commandingly by Bonita Bianca, a Bay Ridge rival. Last out, on November 23, Split Time tested the deep waters of the Grade 3 Comely, where she finished midpack, which made the Bay Ridge start represent significant class relief.

Evenly out of the gate from post five to go 1 1/8 miles, Split Time was very eager to run, but placed under a snug hold by jockey Junior Alvarado, who has ridden her in six prior starts. She entered the clubhouse turn last of the eight fillies and mares while up front, heavily favored Bonita Bianca and Frostie Anne, both multiple stakes winner, tussled for the lead, with Frostie Anne prevailing in the early battle.

Still tugging away along the backstretch, Split Time advanced a couple of spots, then began to relax. When she picked the tempo back up in the approach to the far turn, she seemed more tractable and, what’s more, full of run when asked midway around bend.

Hugging the rail through the turn, Split Time glided along the fence into contention, made the lead by the quarter pole and created a two-length cushion of daylight. As the early pacesetters began to recede, the closers had the opportunity to take their own shots at Split Time.

No Hayne No Gayne, a Steve Asumussen-trained daughter of champion New York-bred Haynesfield, defied her 33-1 odds by racing with the vanguard throughout, and ultimately closing well from fourth into second to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind Split Time. Unbridled Adventure earned her first black type placing when she overtook Bonita Bianca to finish third another 3 1/2 lengths back. Following Bonita Bianca across the wire were Frostie Anne, Pink Twist, Held Accountable and Pride of Saratoga.

After a half-mile in 49.95, a mile in 1:41.51, the final time for nine furlongs over the “good” racetrack was 1:55.56.

Alvarado acknowledged that he and his mount did not have the easiest of trips. “It didn’t look that easy from on top of the horse, but everything worked out,” he said. “From the three-eighths pole when I asked her to run, everything opened up a little bit. It wasn’t my intention to stay on the rail. It’s been a little heavy today, but I didn’t have any other choice. I thought I had enough horse to get through on the rail and swim out and that’s what I did. When I asked her, she was there for me and made my job a little easier for me there.”

“She was pretty far back off of slow fractions, and I was a little concerned when they went 49 and 4 for the half,” trainer Linda Rice said. “I thought it was going to be hard to beat the front end. But she’s really trained well into this race and maturing nicely. She was very game today.”

Rice purchased Split Time for $62,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. To this point in her young career, Split Time has won six races from 11 starts, with two seconds and two thirds and compiled $384,450 in earnings.

Split Time issues from a familiar Empire State family. Bred by Sequel Stallions New York[3] and foaled at Sequel’s farm in Hudson, she is out of New York-bred winner Speed Dating (Not For Love), bred by Mrs. Joanne Nielsen. Speed Dating, in turn, is a daughter of Nielsen homebred Near and Dear, making her a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and $693,500-earner Saratoga Snacks. Speed Dating brought $200,000 when purchased at the Keeneland November sale by SF Bloodstock in 2018.

Speed Dating was without issue in 2018 and has been bred to Into Mischief.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/30/split-time-bay-ridge/

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Red Knight has coming out party in Gulfstream’s H. Allen Jerkens Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Red Knight, a homebred for Tom Egan’s Trinity Farm, officially staked out his territory as a turf marathoner to be reckoned with Saturday when he came out on top of a 13-horse field in Gulfstream Park’s $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, a two-mile tilt run twice around the turf course. In the process of winning his first stakes victory, the massive son of Pure Prize, who is also a half-brother to Trinity homebred Macagone, put his name in the record books by establishing a course record time of 3:19.87 for the distance.

A relatively lightly-raced 4-year-old gelding with 10 prior starts, Red Knight had already compiled a strong record in shorter turf routes, winning five of eight tries on grass. A maiden-breaker second out on July 15, 2017 going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park, Red Knight won four of his next five races, winning through his New York-bred allowance conditions, missing a win by just a nose in an initial try against open company, then winning a pair of open allowance races. Graduating to the state-bred stakes ranks, Red Knight finished fifth by two lengths in the Ashley T. Cole and collected third in the Mohawk. Last out on November 17, in the off-the-turf Red Smith Handicap, the gelding started poorly before finishing fifth.

Red Knight (5-1 third choice) spent the early stages of Saturday’s marathon in midpack, still in ninth after a full circuit of the track and only beginning to pick up steam with four furlongs left to go. The early splits were fairly aggressive for the distance (24.22, 48.40, 1:13.02, 1:39.05).

Rounding the fourth and final turn, Red Knight made a powerful five-wide move under jockey Luis Saez and swept to the lead. In command in the stretch, he still one more challenge to face, when odds-on favorite Soglio under Jose Ortiz came calling.

Digging down deep in the final strides, Red Knight held off the interloper to secure the victory by a head. Finishing third as the 9-2 second choice was Nessy under Julien Leparoux.

“It was a long race and they went pretty fast at first. I just tried to hold my horse, because he wanted to run off also in the first turn,” Saez said. “I just tried to stay patient all the way and in the last turn at the five eighths pole I came out and let him pick it up a little. When we came to the three eighths pole, he was ready to take off.”

“Luis made a tactical move leaving the backstretch,” said Ken McCarthy, trainer Bill Mott’s longtime assistant. “He got the jump on the favorite, who looked like he had a little trouble. It worked out well for our horse.”

Red Knight’s first stakes victory improves his record to six wins, two seconds and a third from 11 career starts and increases his earning’s bankroll to $340,440.

Red Knight, who was foaled at Keane Stud[3] in Amenia, is one of four winners and the second foal to earn black type out of Isabel Away, a winning daughter of Skip Away. Her third foal is Macagone by Artie Schiller, a New York-bred three-time stakes winner, including his sire’s namesake race in 2016 and back-to-back editions of the Danger’s Hour Stakes in 2016 and 2017. Macagone has started 35 times and earned $558,731, while Isabel Away’s full brother to Red Knight Birchwood Road, another iron horse, made 46 lifetime starts.

Isabel Away has a weanling colt by Magician and was bred in 2018 to Twirling Candy.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/29/red-knigh-jerkens/

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Mr. Buff proves mighty tough in Alex M. Robb

By Sarah Mace

Chester and Mary Broman’s Mr. Buff garnered his first career stakes victory with pure grit when he won the 9-furlong, $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. After winning an early battle for the lead, the 4-year-old chestnut gelding raced under pressure throughout, then dug down deep to fend off a final late surge by Twisted Tom.

Second choice at odds of 5-2 in the field of six veterans – scratched down from eight after the defection of Hit It Once More and Caledonia – Mr. Buff faced his fourteenth and final start of the year looking to cap a highly successful 2018 for trainer John Kimmel and the Bromans. Seven times in the exacta, with three wins, and nine times in the money in 13 tries, Mr. Buff was also looking for his third straight victory in Robb as well as a first stakes tally. On November 14 and 28, going the same 1 1/8-mile trip as the Robb at Aqueduct, the chestnut won through his open allowance conditions.

Following an even break for all and outkicked early by the speedy Black Tide, Mr. Buff settled in second at the rail. Midway along the backstretch, he took matters into his own hands and struck the front.

When Black Tide threw in the towel late on the backstretch, ultimately to be put under a precautionary hold, Twisted Tom advanced from third to second and made it his mission to pressure Mr. Buff all the way to the wire.

The pair got on virtually even terms at the quarter pole, but Mr. Buff, with his inside track, again shook off his rival, apparently putting him away.

Twisted Tom, however, starting only twice before in 2018 and well-beaten on both occasions, appeared resurgent following a 131-day break and move to the barn of Bill Mott. His determination, too, was on display to the wire. In deep stretch, he made a final surge and drew up close to Mr. Buff. When the wire intervened in the battle, Mr. Buff had the decision by a nose.

Winning jockey David Cohen said, “[Mr. Buff]’s the type of horse that even though he’s very speedy, you don’t really want to ask him, because he gets too rank early. So, in my mind, I thought the outside horse [Black Tide] was going to go like it did. I let him develop into his pace and find his stride that he likes down the backside. Once he finds his stride, he has so much heart and is really hard to pass. He showed that again today.”

Following fractions of 23.95, 48.42, 1:13.26, 1:39.45, the final time for 1 1/8 miles over the drying-out muddy (harrowed) oval was 1:53.59. Finishing behind the front two were 3-2 favorite Control Group in third, Testosterstone, Winston’s Chance and Black Tide. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Mr. Buff is a third generation Broman homebred through – exceptionally enough – the male line. He is sired by the couple’s multiple stakes winning homebred Friend or Foe, who is, in turn, a son of Friends Lake, the Broman’s homebred graded stakes winner also turned sire.

Mr. Buff’s dam is Speightful Affair (Speightstown), a graded stakes placed Ontario-bred who was purchased by Chester and Mary Broman for $80,000 at the Fasig-Tipton 2013 winter mixed sale. In 2018 she produced a full sister to Mr. Buff and has been bred back to Friend or Foe, who stands at Smallwood Farm in Virginia.

For his career, from seven wins, six seconds and three thirds in 25 starts, Mr. Buff has earned $477,536.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/29/mr-buff-robb/

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Espresso Shot impresses in East View

By Sarah Mace

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable’s Espresso Shot dispatched a full, competitive field of New York-bred juvenile fillies to win Saturday’s co-featured $100,000 East View at Aqueduct Racetrack in impressive fashion.

Strongly supported by bettors as the 2-1 co-favorite of 11 fillies, Espresso Shot got out of the gate cleanly from post seven and settled into stride mid-pack. Meanwhile, the speedy multiple stakes winner Sassy Agnes and Shelley Ann, who was fresh off a December 8 maiden special weight romp on December 8, vied for the lead. Shelly Anne, hugging the rail from her inside post, took command along the backstretch and opened up a one-length advantage.

Espresso Shot, six-deep along the backstretch, steadily advanced from sixth to fourth position by the early part of the far turn, while maneuvering further toward the fence. Moving well in the bend, Espresso Shot drew even with the pacesetters, and the trio lined up across the track: Shelley Ann at the rail, Sassy Agnes between fillies and Espresso Shot three-wide.

Grabbing the lead, and fully in command by the quarter pole, Espresso Shot ultimately galloped off unchallenged to a 3 1/4-length victory.

Shelley Ann, far outrunning her 16-1 odds, stayed on well to preserve the place, fending off a strong closing bid from Elegant Zip (9-1) who finished a head back in third. After a half-mile in 48.10 and six furlongs in 1:14.16, the final time for the one-turn mile was 1:40.73 over a drying-out muddy (harrowed) track.

Completing the order of finish were: Forever Changed, Awesome Alana, Lem Me Have It, Three Birds, Sassy Agnes, Take Me to Hardoon and Little Song. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Winning jockey Eric Cancel said, “I had a wonderful trip. The filly was just dragging me all the way. I just tried to keep her in the clear, trying to get the best spot in the race for her, and that’s how it worked out. We were in the clear all the way and as soon as I asked her and let her go, she opened up on the field.”

The pilot added, “I think she appreciates going a mile. I can place her a little bit better without having to do too much. She likes to be up close going long, and that’s why I let her be where she wanted to be, and it worked out well.”

Abreu, for whom this was a first career stakes victory as a trainer since striking out on his own after serving as an assistant to Chad Brown for nine years, was feeling optimistic about his charge’s chances from the time the race was drawn, especially given her 5-furlong work on December 23, best of 34 at the distance that day at Belmont.

“She’s been training very well,” said Abreu that day. “We skipped the [the Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes on December 15] because I think three-quarters is too short for her. I think she wants to go a mile or a mile and a sixteenth. She had a really nice breeze today and a nice gallop out. She’s doing really well.”

Reylu Gutierrez, the jockey aboard runner-up Shelley Ann, was full of praise for his filly’s outstanding effort. “[Shelley Ann] is so game. She showed tremendous heart. [Espresso Shot] passed me a couple of lines wide, but when [Elegant Zip] tried to pass me for place, she pinned her ears and gave it one more try. She’s all heart.”

Espresso Shot’s first career stakes victory in the East View was nicely foreshadowed by her strong performance last out, also under Cancel, when she rallied from well out of it to claim second in the Key Cents Stakes behind Sassy Agnes on November 23 while posting a 75 Beyer Speed Figure, the best last-out figure in the East View field.

Overall, in five starts the Mission Impazible filly has only had one sub-par outing. Third on debut at Saratoga on August 16 in a turf sprint, Expresso Shot came back on September 14 to break her maiden going 1 1/16 miles in an off-the-turf event. Next out, reflecting the high regard in which she is held by her connections, she tried the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, where she finished last after being steadied in the first turn. The Key Cents was her next assignment. From two wins, a second and a third the filly has earned $118,600.

Bred by Twin Creeks Farm and sired by leading New York-based third-crop sire Mission Impazible[4] (Sequel Stallions[5]), Expresso Shot is out of Glory Gold, a winning daughter of Medaglia d’Oro bred in New York by Dr. Lance G. Bell. Glory Gold was purchased by Twin Creeks Farm for $125,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale and has since changed hands twice, most recently when snapped up by Final Furlong Racing for $13,000 at this year’s renewal of the same sale.

Espresso Shot, Glory Gold’s first foal to earn black type originally sold as a short yearling at the 2017 Keeneland January Sale for $22,000, before being purchased later that year by Final Furlong Racing for $69,000 at the Fasig-Tipton preferred New York-bred yearling sale in Saratoga.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/29/espresso-shot-impresses-in-east-view/

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Blindwillie McTell rockets over the slop to break maiden in NYSSS Great White Way

By Sarah Mace

A miserable rainy Sunday at Aqueduct turned out to be a very bright day after all for Jerry Zaro when his Linda Rice-trained homebred Blindwillie McTell (Posse) broke his maiden second time out in the featured $150,000 Great White Way Division of New York Stallion Series (NYSSS). The annual six-furlong sprint is restricted to juveniles sired by eligible New York stallions. In 2019 the race will have a purse of $500,000 along with its “sister” race, the Fifth Avenue Division, making the pair the richest sire stakes in the country.

Pre-race, bettors apparently felt that there was plenty to like about Blindwillie McTell’s debut on November 17. The Posse colt was fast out the gate in a full field, raced with the vanguard and, in the stretch, overtook Great White Way rival Kadens Courage, to finish second. Granted, he finished 11-plus lengths behind the winner, but that winner was Le General, an extremely promising New York-bred juvenile by Lemon Drop Kid who came right back on December 9 to dominate an allowance field in his first try against winners. Accordingly, the wagering public sent off the maiden second-time starter as the 2-1 second choice in the competitive and intriguing Great White Way field of 11.

Blindwillie McTell exited post six under Dylan Davis as if he were shot out of a cannon and, in no time, established a 1 1/2-length lead. As Davis reported after the race, “Most importantly, I wanted to break sharp and this horse knew what he needed to do coming out of the gate. We got great position.”

Immediately Kosciuszko (Smart Bid), the 2-1 post time favorite, hustled up the rail to hook up with Blindwillie McTell and the pair battled through a 22.70 opening quarter-mile and into the far turn. Meanwhile Thorny Tale (Forty Tales), a lackluster fourth in the Notebook Stakes on November 25, made a four-wide move on the bend to join the fray.

Kosciuszko faded after a half in 46.79, but Thorny Tale made a menacing run at Blindwillie McTell in upper stretch – but to no avail. The Posse gelding shrugged off the challenge and ran straight as an arrow to the wire over the gooey going without any of the late-stretch greenness apparent in his first start. He hit the wire a 2 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:11.80 on the sloppy (sealed) surface.

Thorny Tale in second, finished 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Kadens Courage, who was in contention throughout. Completing the order of finish were Invaluable Will, Riken, Kosciuszko, Lost in Manhattan, Bustin Hoffman, Bebe Banker, first-time starter Dark Money and Chicken Valley Rd. Scratched from the Great White Way was filly Cartwheelin Lulu, who finished third Saturday in the Fifth Avenue Division of the NYSSS on Saturday won by Forgotten Hero[2]. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Davis said his mount took everything in stride after the sharp break: “He wasn’t really bothered by the early pressure, but once I asked him, he went on and really handled the sloppy track well.”

Linda Rice confirmed that the “fast break” strategy was Plan A, and already has in mind a possible next step for Blindwillie McTell. “I told Dylan we had a big field here in the slop, so I wanted him to hustle him out of there,” Rice said. “He broke so sharp, he ended up on top and he went with it. It turned out well. Going forward, I think he can get a mile. We’ll see how he comes out of this win, but we’ll keep [the $100,000 Damon Runyon on December 31] in consideration going forward.”

Blindwillie McTell, who was foaled at Rockridge Stud[4] in Hudson, is out of Bold Child, a Pennsylvania-bred Flatter mare who owns a runner-up finish in Monmouth’s 2007 Sorority Stakes in her second career start for trainer Tim Hills and Zarba Hills Stables. Bold Child has produced five winners from five foals to start including another to earn black-type: Young Anna Lee, a full sister to Blindwillie McTell, who was second in the Lynbrook Stakes in 2015.

Bold Child, who was originally purchased by Hills for $30,000 at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic selected yearling sale, has also produced a yearling full brother to Blindwillie McTell named Blackjack Davey, a weanling colt by Freud named Thunderbird Café and has been bred back to Freud this year.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/16/blindwillie-mctell-great-white-way/

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Newcomer Forgotten Hero upends NYSSS Fifth Avenue

By Sarah Mace

Trainer John Toscano and Charles Festa Jr. must be feeling very good about the prospects of Forgotten Hero, their jointly-owned juvenile daughter of New York sire Mission Impazible[2]. A dominant maiden special weight winner on debut last month, the grey tested stakes company in her second career start Saturday and delivered, coming away with the prize in the 34th running of the $150,000 Fifth Avenue Division of New York Stallion Stakes Series (NYSSS) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Like all ten races in the NYSSS, the 6-furlong dash was restricted to the offspring of eligible New York sires.

Forgotten Hero lived up to her name in her November 4 unveiling, when she was overlooked at odds of 11-1 in a field of eight state-bred juvenile fillies. Out-performing her odds, she turned in an impressive 6-furlong performance, going gate-to-wire and posting a visually impressive 5 1/2-length victory. She had clearly earned her right to take a stab at black type competition, but the Fifth Avenue field would be no walkover.

The sextet of fillies signed on for Saturday’s NYSSS race was led by multiple stakes winner Sassy Agnes, who was bet down to 1-2 favoritism after straight scores in the Lady Finger, Shesastonecoldfox and Key Cents Stakes, all at six furlongs. Also in the Fifth Avenue lineup were stakes winners Party like Grandma and Cartwheelin Lulu. Moreover, there were three other confirmed early speed types in the field, not to mention the fact that Forgotten Hero was spotting considerable seasoning to the rest. By post time she was the third betting choice at odds of 5-1.

Cleanly out of the gate from post five, Forgotten Hero was handled aggressively by veteran jockey Mike Luzzi, who immediately took his speedy filly’s game to Sassy Agnes, who was first to the front.

Pressing the leader from well off the fence through a first quarter mile in 22.50, Forgotten Hero issued a direct challenge to Sassy Agnes just past the half-mile pole. She passed her rival in short order and quickly opened up a one-length lead while taking her spot at the fence.

Sassy Agnes proved to be a tough competitor. Angling out at the head of the lane, she never threw in the towel. For the length of the stretch Sassy Agnes pursued and kept within striking distance, but could never quite make up lost ground on Forgotten Hero.

Forgotten Hero ultimately crossed the finish line one length to the good. The lightly-raced filly can be forgiven a slightly erratic course in the final furlong.

Sassy Agnes finished 7 1/4 lengths ahead of Cartwheelin Lulu, who was the best of the rest in third. Following next in order at the finish were Party Like Grandma, L.A. Page and She’s So Shea D. After a half-mile in 46.94, Forgotten Hero stopped the clock at 1:13.08 for six furlongs. [VIDEO REPLAY[4]]

“I had a perfect trip,” said pilot Mike Luzzi. “She broke good. We knew Linda’s horse [Sassy Agnes] was very fast, but my filly’s really fast. She breezes fast in the morning, so I broke, and I just stayed away from Junior [Alvarado, on Sassy Agnes], and we just bided our time and let the race spread out. I had a lot left heading for home. She’s still a little bit green; she looks around a little bit still. She’s got some improving to do. She’s well-trained.”

Trainer and co-owner John Toscano, Jr. sounded thrilled. “She’s a racehorse. We knew Linda Rice [trainer of Sassy Agnes] was going to be tough in here of course. We decided to play it off the break and see what happens. She went by there in the second quarter and held on, that was great. She does it in the mornings and the afternoons. She has a lot of talent.”

Toscano said he saw Forgotten Hero’s promise early on. “The first time we breezed her she looked like something special. From day one, she really showed a lot of ability. She came through for us today. The second quarter she really took off like a shotgun. It was unbelievable. I didn’t think she was that good, but she really fooled me. I was glad to see it.”

Co-bred by Sequel Stallions[5] and Charles E. Festa, and foaled at Foggy Bottom Farm in Geneseo, Forgotten Hero has earned $116,600 from her two victories. She is one of four winners and the first foal to earn black type out of Seattle Ash, a Kentucky-bred mare by Seattle Sleet campaigned by Festa and trained by Toscano who won eight of 31 lifetime starts and earned $94,510 over five seasons of racing.

Two of Seattle Ash’s prior New York-bred offspring have enjoyed solid hard-knocking careers. Her second foal Seattle Dynasty by Artax (2007) earned $83,015 from 52 starts. Slew’s Brew, a New York-bred gelding by Suave (2011) earned $186,649 from 20 starts.

On April 13, 2018 Seattle Ash foaled a full brother to Forgotten Hero and has been bred back to Mission Impazible[2], who stands at Sequel Stallions[5] New York.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2018/12/15/forgotten-hero-nysss-fifth-avenue/

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