Laurel invader Pat’s No Fool outfoxes Maddie May bettors at 16-1

By Sarah Mace

Dismissed by the betting public at odds of 16-1 in a field of 10, Harry J. Loso’s Pat’s No Fool scored a convincing victory in the $100,000 Maddie May Stakes for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies which was run at Aqueduct Sunday at a one-turn mile. Based at Laurel Park and meeting fellow New York-breds for the first time, the grey daughter of Cross Traffic bested the competition with an impressive middle move and admirable staying power in the stretch in her stakes debut.

Drawn in post two under regular rider Jevian Toledo, Pat’s No Fool lingered among the back markers in the early stages, coming six or seven paths off the rail and into the clear for the trip along the chute and backstretch. Up front 4-1 Flush was away first from post eight, but 2-1 favorite Shelley Ann charged up to her inside to strike the lead and set early fractions of a quarter and half in 23.81 and 48.26.

Pat’s No Fool drew the eye when she accelerated as the field approached the far turn and gained a spot. Midway round the bend, in the matter of just a few strides, she engaged her five remaining rivals, struck the front and entered the stretch in full control after three-quarters went in 1:15.14. In upper stretch she drew away to lead by four lengths.

As anticipated for such a speed-laden field, things looked like they could get interesting in the dash to the wire. As the closers made their bids, however, Pat’s No Fool opened up her stride, and was not seriously threatened by the time she crossed the wire with a 3/4-length cushion in a final time of 1:41.80 over the good (harrowed) Aqueduct main track.

Wadidli Princess, who made her run on the outside, and Elegant Zip, who surged at the rail, finished noses apart in second and third. Another 1 1/4 lengths back Today Comes Once completed the superfecta. Next across the line were Cheatham Hill, Flush, Intoxicologist, Saratoga Style, Shelley Ann and Maiden Beauty.

Jevian Toledo reported that Pat’s No Fool’s outside trip was (more or less) part of his strategy. “I was worried because I was a little bit wide, but I think she’s a better horse on the outside. I knew that if I was at little wide on the turn to the quarter pole, she was going to give me something, because she always picks it up in the last part, and that’s what she did. We got the job done.”

Toledo concluded, “It’s a long stretch. I knew she was going to give me something. At least she held on. You can’t ask for more than that.”

Pat’s No Fool, who is trained by Gary Capuano, did little running in her August 27 debut at Delaware, though well-backed at 2-1. She broke her maiden in her second start, when returning for her seasonal debut on February 23, wiring the field while stretching out from six furlongs to a mile at Laurel. Out of the gate slowly in her first try against winners on February 27 at Laurel, she ran a solid third.

Obviously delighted with the performance, Capuano said, “[Pat’s No Fool] has a lot of ability. We knew this was a New York-bred race, and she had been training super. We thought she had the talent. She’s a big, strong filly. She does everything right. She didn’t break as good as I thought, but she got the perfect setup. [Jevian Toledo] got her to the outside and made a nice sustained run and was able to hold off. This was a big effort. It was big.”

Pat’s No Fool was bred by Banahan Farms in partnership with Saratoga Glen Farm[2] and is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Flipcup (Milwaukee Brew). Her dam Dream Affair is a Kentucky-bred Touch Gold mare Dream Affair, who issues from the family of Canadian juvenile champion Wavering Girl. Capuano purchased the filly for $35,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale. She now boasts a record of two wins and a third from four starts and has earned $82,545.

Dream Affair, who has produced six winners from six foals to start, entered the New York-bred program when purchased by Flipcup’s breeder Team Penney Racing for just $11,000 at the 2007 OBS Winter mixed sale.

An RNA at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale when consigned by Saratoga Glen Farm, in 2013 she produced an unraced filly by Giant Surprise named Giant Dreams Await for a partnership of Team Penney and Banahan. The following year she foaled a winning Simmard gelding named Rochester bred by Banahan.

Currently Dream Affair has a yearling colt by Mineshaft bred by Saratoga Glen Farm LLC & Beals Racing Stable LLC. Dream Affair was bred in 2018 to Klimt.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/03/31/pats-no-fool-maddie-may/

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Durkin’s Call much the best in Gander Stakes

By Sarah Mace

Durkin’s Call, a recent private purchase by Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Christopher Dunn, proved his mettle for his new connections Sunday at the Big A when he made his stakes debut in the $100,000 Gander Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds. Sent off as the even-money favorite, the Jump Start gelding rallied from off the pace and found another gear in the stretch to win by more than seven lengths going away.

Breaking cleanly from his outside post under Junior Alvarado, Durkin’s Call raced along the backstretch and into the turn well off the fence while trading third and fourth position with Kadens Courage.

Four lengths ahead, Kosciuszko set the pace, pressed along by Pipes through an opening quarter mile in 23.84 and a half in 46.87. Traveling three deep around the far turn, Durkin’s Call advanced into second as six furlongs went by in 1:12.01.

Asked for more run in upper stretch, Durkin’s Call overhauled Kosciuszko with less than a furlong to go, then found an entirely new gear, drawing off impressively to cross the wire a 7 1/4-length winner. Kosciuszko, who hung on for second, finished a neck ahead of Pipes in third, while Kaden’s Courage completed the order of finish. The final time for the mile was 1:37.90. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

According to Mott’s assistant Leanna Willaford, after Durkin’s Call relocated from trainer Mike Trombetta to Bill Mott’s barn when he changed hands, he built on a strong foundation and adjusted nicely.

“We’ve had him for about a month or so in the barn and he had been working well heading into this race,” Willaford said. “It was our first time running him, but we were happy with him. He had good prior form and he was training well.”

Junior Alvarado said, “I worked him three times since they got him in the barn. I was expecting something like he did today. He worked against other nice horses in the barn and he was better than them. I was expecting this type of run, but you have to see if they can transfer morning workouts to the races. He did.”

As to race strategy, Willaford said, “It looked like there were one or two horses in the field that might show a little speed, but he [Durkin’s Call] is very ratable, so I just relayed that to Junior and he gave him an excellent ride and it worked out.”

Alvarado added “I was waiting and by the three-eighths pole I had to make a little move just to make sure to keep the other horses right there, where I wanted them to be. Turning for home, I put him outside in the clear and asked him. After a few strides, he finished strong. He galloped out really good. We should have some fun with him going a mile an eighth; it shouldn’t be a problem at all for him.”

Unplaced in his first four races at two, including two grass starts, and dangled once for a $50,000 tag at Saratoga, Durkin’s Call shipped to Laurel to break his maiden, where he aired by more than eight lengths going one mile. After that initial win, he hasn’t run a bad race, finishing on the board three times in three starts, all the while racing in open company. In his previous start on February 1 he won an optional claiming/starter’s allowance contest at the same trip as the Gander.

Bred by Richard Zwirn, Kay Zwirn and Richard Golden, Durkin’s call was purchased by Trombetta for only $4,000. The stakes winner has now earned $142,325 from three wins, a second and a third in nine starts. The gelding’s dam is Feelin Abit Frisky, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Posse, who has produced three winners from three foals to start. She has a yearling colt by Strong Mandate and was bred in 2018 to Tu Brutus (CHI).

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/03/17/durkins-call-gander-stakes/

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Startwithsilver tops Rice quartet in Correction Stakes

By Sarah Mace

The odds were that, with four entries in a field of six older fillies and mares, Linda Rice would take a trip to the winner’s circle after Aqueduct’s featured $100,000 Correction Stakes. In the end it was her lone New York-bred who took her there.

Lady Sheila Stable and Iris Smith Stable’s Startwithsilver (Jump Start), whose late-running style fit the race shape to a tee, mounted a perfectly-timed rally to win the race from off the pace by a neck.

Third in the 2018 renewal of the six-furlong Correction to Sounds Delicious – also a Rice-trainee who was back this year to defend her title – 6-year-old Startwithsilver was looking for her first win since last April 8, when she annexed an open second-level allowance race. The grey’s strong record at Aqueduct, where she had won four of six starts, along with a closing style in a speed-laden field, drew the support of bettors, who sent her off as the 5-2 second choice under Junior Alvarado, who had piloted her to three prior wins, including the Broadway Stakes last year.

In the early stages Startwithsilver raced at the rear of the field in tandem with relative longshot Honor Way, while speedy fellow-New York-bred Filibustin shot to the front from her outside post, leading the field by a length through an opening quarter in 22.64.

As the field made its way along the backstretch and around the far turn, the first flight closed ranks on Filibustin. Once the half went in 46.28, Sower and Sounds Delicious lined up with the leader across the track.

Startwithsilver, now in fifth with a five-length deficit to make up, began to forge a path to the finish line eight-wide. In a perfectly timed move by Alvarado, she struck the lead in the final sixteenth before going on to win by a neck in a final time of 1.11.19. Yorkipoo Princess closed into second, while Sounds Delicious stayed on for third. Completing the order of finish were Sower, Honor Way and pacesetter Filibustin. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]].

Startwithsilver began her 6-year-old year finishing fifth in the Broadway Stakes on February 16. The supposition that she needed the start after eight months on the bench, was confirmed by Rice, who added that she believed the mare was primed for a big effort in the Correction.

“The last race [Startwithsilver] ran, I had her at around 80 percent ready,” Rice said. “She ran decent, but I knew she was ready today. I thought we might have a wet track, which she loves running on. We didn’t get it, but I was really impressed with the way she ran on a dry track the way she did.”

Alvarado commented, “I had to play it by ear. I didn’t want to leave her with too much to do. At the same time, she’s one of the only horses in the field that likes to run from behind, so I kind of had to sit early and hope for a fast pace.”

He continued, “They were moving, but they weren’t really going that fast up front, so that’s why she wasn’t too far back. I tried to save some ground and when I put her in the clear she started picking it up and giving me a nice run. She likes to run on the outside and I always have to time it with her, because sometimes when she gets to the lead, she gets a little lost. She did everything right today and we got there in time.”

Startwithsilver began her career on the green, making 11 of her first 13 starts on grass – and with good reason: her dam Office Miss won three turf stakes. In her fourteenth start at the beginning of her 5-year-old campaign the grey made a full transition to dirt sprints and found a niche for herself. She won through her state-bred second-level allowance condition and won last year’s Broadway Stakes in her stakes debut with a last-to-first move. She also collected placings in last year’s Correction and Pimlico’s Skipat Stakes.

Bred by Burning Sands Stable and foaled at Rockridge Stud [4]in Hudson, Startwithsilver, was purchased as a yearling by Raul Reyes’ Kings Equine at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall sale for $32,000. Rice picked her up at the 2015 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training for $180,000. She is the final reported foal for her dam Office Miss, who produced five winners in all.

Startwithsilver’s record now stands at seven wins, five seconds and three thirds from 21 starts, with $412,059 in earnings.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/03/16/startwithsilver-correction-19/

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Favored Somelikeithotbrown obliges backers in Jeff Ruby Steaks

By Sarah Mace

Tabbed as the “horse to beat” in the 1 1/8 mile Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks for 3-year-olds over the Turfway Park Polytrack Saturday and sent off as the overwhelming 3-5 post time favorite of in the field of 11, Somelikeithotbrown obliged his backers and connections alike with a 3 3/4-length victory.

The Jeff Ruby, a stop on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” gives the bay colt, who is sired by Kentucky Derby winner and New York sire and Big Brown[2] (Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions[3]), 20 points toward a berth in the Churchill Downs starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

Following turf successes as a juvenile for Mike Maker, who trains for co-owners Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable, Somelikeithotbrown flashed talent in his first try on Polytrack. On February 15 in his sophomore debut he won Turfway’s local prep for the Jeff Ruby – the $75,000 John Battaglia Memorial – by more than three lengths under Rafael Hernandez. On Saturday, he was paired for the first time with Gulfstream-based jockey Tyler Gaffalione, after posting an interim 5-furlong maintenance drill at Turfway on March 2.

Breaking on the muscle from post 10, Somelikeithotbrown vied early with Five Star General for the lead and and struck the front as the top two powered through early fractions of 23.61 and 47.03.

Maintaining a comfortable one-length advantage over the competition along the backstretch and around the far turn, Somelikeithotbrown drew off in the stretch after a quick six furlongs in 1:10.78. He went on to secure 3 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:52.05. Although he did not have to face a serious challenge from any of his rivals, the colt did a good deal of wandering in and out in the late stages of the race as he did in the Battaglia. As in the prep, he was far enough ahead late that there was no price to pay. Dynamic Racer, Battaglia runner-up finished second, while Moonster rallied from well back for third.

Debuting off-the-board at Saratoga in an off-the-turf sprint race, Somelikeithotbrown has not finished out of the money in six subsequent starts, while keeping formidable company.

Second out at Spa Somelikeithotbrown came from far back to blow away his rivals by eight lengths while stretching out all the way out from 5 1/2 to 9 furlongs. Launching the stakes portion of his career, he came up just short of Opry to finish second in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga, then finished second by three-quarters of a length when collared in the Grade 3 Pilgrim. Somelikeithotbrown wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a game third in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Somelikeithotbrown’s first graded score in the Jeff Ruby brings his earnings total to $363,478 with three wins two seconds and a third in seven starts.

Bred by Hot Pink Stables and co-owner Sand Dollar Stable and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York, Somelikeithotbrown’s name pays tribute to the names of his sire Big Brown and dam Marilyn Monroan, while alluding both to the comedic masterpiece “Some Like It Hot” starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, and a legendary dish served at Louisville’s Brown Hotel named the Hot Brown.

Marilyn Monroan, a Kentucky-bred placed runner by Tapit, has a juvenile colt by Mission Impazible, a yearling colt by Temple City and was bred in 2018 to Palace Malice.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/03/09/somelikeithotbrown-jeff-ruby-steaks/

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Espresso Shot carries juvenile momentum into sophomore year with Busher score

By Sarah Mace

Espresso Shot (Mission Impazible), winner of the East View Stakes in her juvenile finale, got her sophomore campaign off to rousing start when she passed rivals in the stretch to win the $250,000 Busher Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Saturday.

Campaigned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, Espresso shot earned 50 qualifying points toward a start in the Kentucky Oaks. This was the second year in a row that a New York-bred found the Busher’s winner’s circle, after Midnight Disguise rallied to win the race last year.

The 4-1 third choice in the robust field of 10, Espresso Shot exited the gate cleanly to go the one-turn mile under jockey Eric Cancel, the same trip and rider as the East View.

The bay filly was content to occupy the rear guard in the early stages of the race while Excess Capacity led the way through an opening quarter in 23.51, and was joined on her outside by Filly Joel, Please Flatter Me and Orra Moor.

Coming off the rail on the backstretch and gaining a couple of spots on the closely-bunched group, Espresso Shot went three-wide in the far turn. Up front, as the half went in 46.58, Excess Capacity yielded the lead to Filly Joel.

Advancing into contention by the quarter pole and widest of four fillies stacked up across the track, Espresso Shot moved in tandem with a fifth contender Oxy Lady. Both had Please Flatter Me, Orra Moor and Filly Joel Still to run down after six furlongs ticked by in 1:11.44.

Wearing down her rivals, Espresso Shot struck the front just in advance of the sixteenth pole and edged off to win by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:37.69.

The stewards were called upon to adjudicate an incident in the stretch when Oxy Lady had to check in close quarters around the three-sixteenths pole, but there was no change in the order of finish. Oxy Lady ended up second, 3-2 favorite Orra Moor finished a head back in third, followed by Please Flatter Me, another head back. Completing the order of finish were Filly Joel, Enliven, Dovey Lovey, Excess Capacity and Ujjayi. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

“To be honest, I had a wonderful trip,” said jockey Eric Cancel. “I had it all planned out in my mind. I mean, it worked very well. The filly broke there with them. I was just trying to get her to a comfortable position, where we were both happy. I did have the trip, once I started getting closer to the three-eighths, I just swung her out a little bit, and just let her cruise around. Once I got to the quarter pole, it was ‘let’s go.’

Cancel added, “I was very confident. [Trainer] Jorge Abreu knows what he’s doing; he does a good job. She’s a very talented filly. I didn’t have any doubt that I had a shot to win the race.”

Speaking for the large group of partners that crowded the winner’s circle after Expresso Shot’s victory, Daniel Zanatta, managing partner NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, said, “It’s so exciting to go from winning a [restricted] stakes with a New York-bred to come into open company and basically ensure a spot in the Kentucky Oaks. It’s pretty special. We only buy New York-bred fillies. My dream is not to win the Kentucky Derby, my dream is to win the Kentucky Oaks with a New York-bred filly, and we’re on our way, so it’s very exciting.”

Zanatta continued, “”We were one of the first owners with Jorge Abreu two years ago. We’ve done fantastic with him. He helped us pick this filly out along with Brandon and Ally Rice. She’s never missed a beat. She’s been on the track training as a 2-year-old since April 1 and she’s never missed a breeze. She trained perfectly, and it’s great to get this big win with a young trainer just starting out. We were all in the winner’s circle jumping up and down and to have her come wide and be six or seven lengths off of it, it was the best way to win a stakes race.”

In six career starts Espresso Shot has only had one sub-par outing. Third on debut at Saratoga on August 16 in a turf sprint, the bay came back on September 14 to break her maiden going 1 1/16 miles in an off-the-turf event. Following a tough outing in the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland where she finished last after being steadied in the first turn, Expresso Shot aced the Key Cents stakes before a brief freshening at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Florida. From three wins, a second and a third the filly has earned $262,975.

Bred by Twin Creeks Farm and sired by New York-based third-crop sire Mission Impazible[3] (Sequel Stallions[4]), 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. On February 14, 2019 she foaled a filly by Firing Line.

Espresso Shot, 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/2019/03/09/espresso-shot-busher/

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