Fire Key switches up tactics to win License Fee

[1]

NYRA/Joe Labozzetta (Inside)

By Sarah Mace

Followers of Fire Key’s career probably expected the 6-year-old Backwards Stable homebred to deliver the goods in Sunday’s featured $125,000 License Fee Stakes on the Belmont Park inner turf course, where she appeared to overlay the field in back class and Beyer Speed Figures. What they probably weren’t expecting, though, is that the confirmed closer would strike the lead after the break, set all the fractions and be called upon to hold off a cavalry charge in the final jumps. Ultimately her nose was the first of three on the wire in a thrilling photo finish.

Fire Key was making a return to Belmont following a four-race winter campaign at Gulfstream Park, where her best finish was a third in the 7 1/2-furlong South Beach Stakes over yielding ground. In her next two starts, she stretched out to a mile and did not run badly, but in the License Fee turned back to six furlongs where she had a prior record of five wins and four seconds in 10 tries. Going out for trainer Jim Ryerson for the first time on Sunday, Fire Key had all the angles going for her and was bet down to 6-5 favoritism accordingly.

Springing alertly out of the gate from post five under Jose Ortiz, Fire Key set up shop in the two-path and opened up three-quarters of a length over Mrs. Ramona G. at the rail and Broadway Run. Fear No Evil tracked in the three-path.

Clocking the first quarter in 23.26 and half in 47.10 while widening her advantage to 1 1/2 lengths in the approach to the turn, Fire Key navigated the turn smoothly and straightened away for the dash home. Soon she would hear the pounding hooves of her pursuers.

Fire Key moved inside a path in midstretch as Mrs. Ramona G. dropped out of the fight. To her outside, though, Fear No Evil and Broadway Run charged, determined to make Fire Key earn the win.

In the final jump Fire Key still had a nose ahead of Broadway Run. Fear No Evil finished a head back in third. The final time for six furlongs over the turf course, rated “yielding,” was 1:10.99. [VIDEO[2]]

Those who were surprised to see Fire Key assume the mantle of pacesetter, were not alone. Ryerson said, “I was surprised she laid up that close. She hasn’t been up front in her most recent races although she showed she could do that earlier in her career. Thank God she held on. We’re happy. It was a little trying at the end, but we’ll take it.”

As jockey Jose Ortiz explained, “She broke really well, and she was comfortable where she was. It wasn’t my plan to be up front, but I knew she was going easy enough and was relaxed. The fractions were very soft early, and she punched home. She was very game. I’m very happy with the way she did it.”

Added Ortiz, “She shipped well here to New York. Joe Catanese did a great job with her in Florida and so did Jimmy here in New York. I’m very happy for the connections.”

Save for a run of tough racing luck last summer, Fire Key has been admirably consistent both for original trainer Pat Kelly and Catanese in Florida. She has now compiled a record of eight wins from 28 starts with seven seconds and two thirds and earned $574,160. The License Fee is her fourth stakes victory. She took the Autumn Days at Aqueduct in 2017 and Belmont’s Floral Park and Laurel’s Sensible Lady last year.

Foaled at Sun Valley Farm in Ballston Spa, Fire Key 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.

The producer of three winners from three foals to start, U R Key’s first foal was Masterkey (Will He Shine), a Finger Lakes-based six-figure earner. Currently the mare yearling colt by Micromanage and was bred to Mr. Z in 2018.

 

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/fire-key-the-license-fee-credit-joe-labozzetta.jpg
  2. VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20190428&track=BED&race=9

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/28/fire-ke-license-fee/

Therapist returns at four to win Elusive Quality

[1]

NYRA/Coglianese Photos

By Sarah Mace

Returning from his winter vacation at Payson Park where he underwent a personal makeover – being gelded – Therapist returned to the races a winner Saturday at Belmont Park. The chestnut son of Freud[2], looking fit and svelte after his break, managed to overcome traffic trouble in upper stretch and get up in time to win $125,000 Elusive Quality for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs over the Widener turf course.

Bred by Richard Leahy’s Oak Bluff Stables, who co-campaigns Therapist with trainer Christophe Clement, the 4-year-old was looking for his sixth stakes victory while preserving a perfect three-for-three in turf sprints on the Belmont green. He was also looking for a turnaround in form after tailing off last fall.

After Therapist won the open Cutler Bay and two divisions of the New York Stallion Stakes Series in 2018 – the Spectacular Bid at Belmont and Cab Calloway at Saratoga – he stretched out to two-turn races for his final two starts of the year. He finished a well-beaten seventh in the Grade 3 Saranac and third in the Tropical Park Derby on December 29. The turnback in distance in the Elusive Quality to kick off this year’s campaign would prove to be right up his alley. One question mark, the “yielding” condition of the Widener Turf, ultimately posed no challenge.

Breaking cleanly as the co-second betting choice at odds of 5-2 under Eric Cancel, Therapist settled at the rear of the six-horse field, six lengths off the pace set by frontrunner Fixed Point, who led the group through an opening quarter in 23.46 and half in 47.60 while being chased by odds-on favorite Big Handsome and Abiding Star.

Approaching the far turn Therapist picked up his tempo, while Abiding Star and Big Handsome began to gang up on Fixed Point.

Cutting the corner, Therapist got mired down inside in traffic at the head of the stretch and was forced check. The agile runner came out a path and advanced between horses into third tracking English import Emmaus, now second behind Big Handsome. He angled out one more path in the final furlong.

Therapist found another gear in deep stretch. He swept past his last two rivals in the final strides to win by a neck, stopping the clock after seven furlongs over the “yielding” turf course at 1:24.75. Big Handsome finished 1 1/2 lengths back in third. More than 10 lengths back Abiding Star, V.I.P. Code and Fixed Point completed the order of finish. [VIDEO[3]]

“I tried to follow Jose [Ortiz, aboard Emmaus],” explained jockey Eric Cancel. “I saw that he was the horse that I needed to beat. It looked like he was in a perfect spot, and I just tried to follow him. The trip worked out well. Once he found the hole by the quarter pole, I just followed him in. From there on, my horse did the job.”

A jolly Christophe Clement said, “He’s a fun horse and he tries very hard. He had a great finish. He’s owned by Dick Leahy of Oak Bluff Stable, who also bred the horse, and has always been a pleasure to train for. We waited all winter long to run him back. He ran a very good race today and I’m happy.”

Team Therapist is pointing next to the Kingston Stakes on Belmont’s May 27 Showcase card on Memorial Day.

Foaled at Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, Therapist is one of two winners out of Lady Renaissance, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Sharp Strike who was purchased by Leahy’s Oak Bluff Stables for $15,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale.

Lady Renaissance has produced a juvenile full sister to Therapist, and a yearling colt by Temple City. At the 2018 Keeneland January sale she was purchased by Dennis Yokum for $52,000. The only time Therapist was offered at public auction, fortunately for his connections, he left the grounds as a $8,000 buyback. From seven wins and two thirds in 11 starts, Therapist has earned $441,550.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Therapist-The-Elusive-Quality.jpg
  2. Freud: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/119270/freud
  3. VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20190427&track=BED&race=9

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/27/therapist-elusive-quality-19/

New York-bred juveniles finish with a flourish at OBS April with $200,000-plus quartet

By Sarah Mace

Saving the best for last, the New York-bred juvenile contingent at OBS April saw a cluster of premium sales during Friday’s fourth and final session. A quartet of horses – three colts and filly – sold for price tags of $200,000 and up, including a pair by New York based sires Central Banker and Mission Impazible.

Buyer interest on Day 4 also improved the cumulative sale indicators for Empire State-breds across-the-board. In all, of 89 offered, 71 New York-breds sold (including 12 private sales to date) for a much improved buyback rate of 20.2%, comparable to the 19.7% overall figure for the auction. Following the opening session, New York-bred RNAs stood at 33.3%. The final cumulative New York-bred average was $73,451 and median came in at $50,000, which made up ground on the record-breaking overall sale average of $108,903 (up 10.9% from the prior year) and median $60,000 (up 9.1%).

The session’s top New York-bred seller was a dark bay/brown Violence colt out of Bear Now, the Sovereign Award champion older mare in 2008. Hip 960[1] was bred by Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC and foaled on April 9, 2017. Offered as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale, the colt brought a relatively modest $65,000 from Jeffrey Bloom. After breezing a sharp furlong of :10 flat in the under tack show for consignor by Randy Miles, Agent XV, he was purchased by Red Oak Farm, Inc. for $250,000. (VIDEO[2])

His dam Bear Now, who has produced two winners from four foals to start, is a highly accomplished Kentucky-bred daughter of Tiznow, who earned $1.1 million on the race track. Out of stakes winner Controlled, she won seven stakes, including a trio of graded contests, on her way to her 2008 championship. She was purchased by Town & Country for $950,000 at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale and has since been resold.

Following not far behind with a $240,000 price tag was Hip 1009[3], a filly by New York sire Central Banker[4], currently sitting third in the national second-crop sire rankings and standing at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds[5] for a 2019 fee of $7,500. Purchased as a yearling at OBS by Sunshine Equine for $55,000, the sale filly breezed a furlong on :10 1/5 in the under tack show for consignor Mayberry Farm, Agent, before trainer Linda Rice signed the ticket for an undisclosed client. (VIDEO[6])

Bred by Klaravich Stables, the filly is a full-sister to Klaravich Stables’ New York-bred stakes winner Sassy Agnes, who won a trio of stakes as a juvenile last year for Rice, topped by Aqueduct’s Key Cents Stakes. The fillies are the first and second foals out of Bullish Sentiment, who issues from a familiar New York family.

An unraced daughter of Stormy Atlantic, Bullish Sentiment is a full sister to graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes winner Stormy’s Majesty who was bred in New York by Majesty Stud, LLC and earned $336,649. The mare’s second dam is New York-bred stakes performer Raffie’s Dream, who is a full-sister to graded winner Stormy’s Majesty. Bullish Sentiment has produced yearling full-brother to her first two foals and foaled a colt by Constitution on March 24, 2019. In 2018 she was sold to McMahon and Hill Bloodstock for $5,000.

The two other New York-bred juveniles to make the Friday honor roll fetched $205,000 each.

On behalf of Repole Stable, trainer Rudy Rodriguez signed the ticket for Hip 1172[7], a grey/roan colt named Neversayimpazible by Mission Impazible[8], who stands at Sequel Stallions New York for a 2019 stud fee of $7,500. Bred by Sequel New York, Twin Creeks Racing & Pamela Zielinski, the colt is out of Kentucky-bred winner Downtown Daria (Sky Mesa), a daughter of of stakes winner Hongkong Charley. This is the third time the colt has changed hands at public auction. A $15,000 weanling purchase by Northface Bloodstock at the Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale, he brought $65,000 at the Fasig-Tipton preferred New York-bred yearling sale when purchased by Whetstone Farm. He was consigned by Paul Sharp, Agent I, at OBS for whom he breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under tack show. (VIDEO[9])

Last but not least, Sallusto and Albina, Agent, paid $205,000 for Hip 1169[10], a dark bay/brown colt from the first crop of Grade 1 Champagne winner Daredevil (More than Ready). Bred in partnership by Hidden Lake Farm LLC, 3C Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, Inc., et al, he too is a veteran of the sales ring and followed the same path as Neversayimpazible, also gaining value with each transaction. A $60,000 weanling at the Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale, he brought $100,000 from Grand Oaks at last year’s Fasig-Tipton preferred New York-bred yearling sale before being consigned by Bobby Dodd at OBS, where he posted a :10 1/5 eighth. (VIDEO[11]). His dam Dorm Fever is a Virginia-bred daughter of Stormin Fever who was acquired by Hidden Lake Farm at Keeneland in November in 2016. She has a yearling colt by Japan and was bred to Unified last year.

 

Endnotes:
  1. Hip 960: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/960.PDF
  2. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/960.mp4
  3. Hip 1009: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/1009.PDF
  4. Central Banker: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/168640/central-banker
  5. McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds: http://www.mcmahonthoroughbreds.com/
  6. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/1009.mp4
  7. Hip 1172: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/1172.PDF
  8. Mission Impazible: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/166076/mission-impazible
  9. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/1172.mp4
  10. Hip 1169: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/1169.PDF
  11. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/1169.mp4

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/27/obs-april-19-final-wrap/

Pat On the Back glides up the fence to win sloppy Affirmed Success

[1]

NYRA/Joe Labozzetta

By Sarah Mace

Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables’ Pat On the Back (Congrats) came off the bench guns blazing Friday after a nearly five-month winter break. Making the first start of his 5-year-old campaign, the son of Congrats won the $100,000 Affirmed Success, a 6-furlong sprint for older New York-breds and the featured race on Belmont Park’s sloppy Opening Day card.

Chasing the pace early, Pat On the Back angled inside in the final stages to get up for the victory, turning the tables on last year’s winner Eye Luv Lulu, to whom he finished second by three-quarters of a length in 2018.

Talent and achievement ran deep in this year’s renewal of the Affirmed Success, even after the original field of eight was whittled down to a six-pack after the defection of Tribecca and Runaway Lute.

Remaining were the top three finishers of Hollie Hughes Stakes on February 18 – Bavaro, Celtic Chaos and Eye Luv Lulu – along with the talented Syndergaard, who has been steadily rounding into the form that earned him the title of 2-year-old New York-bred champion in 2016. The field also featured two past winners of the Affirmed Success: Eye Luv Lulu, now eight, who defeated Pat On the Back last year, and 6-year-old Celtic Chaos who won with his patented closing kick in 2017.

Partnered with regular rider Dylan Davis, Pat On the Back was the second betting choice at 3-1, drifting up from a 2-1 morning line. Bettors may have some reservations about his layoff, or the fact that Pat On the Back has done his best work going longer, or even that several of his rivals historically stepped up their games over off-going, whereas Pat On the Back had only score one win in five tries over the wet stuff. The post time favorite was Syndergaard, who owned two wins and a second from three starts over off going.

Pat On the Back found himself further from the front than usual in the early stages of the Affirmed Success – seven lengths after the half – following a bump at the break. The action up front, however, would ultimately work to his favor. Longshot Sudden Surprise set wicked early fractions of 21.88 and 44.92, pressed along by the speedy Eye Luv Lulu and Bavaro. Syndergaard raced evenly in fourth, Pat On the Back chased in fifth and closer Celtic Chaos brought up the rear.

[2]

NYRA/Coglianese Photos

Coming under urging midway around the far turn, Pat On the Back closed ground on the group in upper stretch well off the rail, then agilely angled inside for the final furlong. Gaining momentum at the fence, he widened his stride and passed rivals.

Striking the front with seventy yards to go, he edged away to a 1 1/4-length victory in a final time of 1:10.75. Eye Luv Lulu stayed well to preserve second, while a length further back Syndergaard finished a neck a head of Sudden Surprise in third. Completing the order of finish were Bavaro and Celtic Chaos. [VIDEO[3]]

Dylan Davis confirmed in passing that the Affirmed Success was meant, in part, to prepare Pat On the Back for bigger and better (and longer) things later in the season.

“This distance wasn’t really his best suit,” Davis said, “but I just didn’t want to get too far away from the pack. I knew the pace was going to be pretty quick today. I broke slow and then I got squeezed out of there and from then on, I had to really ride him.”

Davis also noted that his move inside was dictated more by circumstance than design. “I didn’t want to lose too much ground from the pack, but from that position I had to stay on him most of the race. There was a point where the rail was okay. It wasn’t my first choice. I wanted to come off of it, but that was my only option to not stop his momentum. He ran a great race. I was excited for today. He worked well for me last week and I’m hoping for big things to continue on in his career [this year].”

At two and three, Pat On the Back won Finger Lakes’ Aspirant Stakes and Ontario County Stakes, respectively, for trainer Ken McPeek and chalked up additional stakes placings, but it wasn’t until last year at four that Pat On the Back really came into his own.

Following his runner-up finish to Eye Luv Lulu in the Affirmed Success, Pat On the Back relocated to Jeremiah Englehart’s barn and in five subsequent starts collected two wins and two seconds. He just missed beating Grade 1 winner Diversify by a nose in the Commentator, won the Saginaw Stakes and finished second by a neck in the Evan Shipman at Saratoga before going on the win the Empire Classic on Empire Showcase Day. His final start of the year came in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on December 2 at Aqueduct where he finished fifth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths by Patternrecognition after attending a punishingly fast early pace.

Bred by Sugar Maple Farm where he was foaled, Pat On the Back is the last reported foal out of an unplaced Kentucky-bred Awesome Again mare named Accomplished. Purchased by Dan Haydon at the 2004 Keeneland November sale for $40,000, Accomplished produced eight winners from eight foals to start. Her other foal to earn black type, Sarah Accomplished by Performing Magic, won the 2008 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes series.

The Affirmed Success is Pat On the Back’s sixth stakes victory and improves his career record to seven wins, four seconds and four thirds from 23 starts, with earnings of $814,032. He was purchased by Ken McPeek for $70,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/pat-on-the-back-the-affirmed-success-credit-joe-labozzetta.jpg
  2. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/pat-on-the-back-the-affirmed-success.jpg
  3. VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20190426&track=BED&race=8

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/26/pat-on-the-back-affirmed-succes-19/

New York-bred momentum picks up at OBS April with new $350,000 top seller on Day 3

By Sarah Mace

Buyer interest in New York-breds picked up during Thursday’s third day of trading at the OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. Day 3 saw a new top-selling New York-bred, a filly by American Pharoah who went to Steve Young for $350,000 via private sale, and five new six-figure horses, bringing the total number of New York-breds sold for $100,000-and-up to 11 going into Friday’s finale. The day’s activity also brought the cumulative New York-bred RNA percentage down from 30.2% to 26.2%.

The New York-bred star of the day was Hip 810[1], who first made news when she was snapped up by Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo as a pinhooking prospect for a session-topping $450,000 at last summer’s Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. In the OBS under tack show youngster breezed a sharp furlong in :10 1/5 (VIDEO[2]). Steven W. Young, Agent, bought her privately at the sale for $350,000.

Bred by Mrs. Joanne Nielsen, the filly is out of Visions of Annette, an unplaced Kentucky-bred daughter of Distorted Humor bought by Nielsen at the 2013 Keeneland November sale for $150,000. Visions of Annette is a half-sister to stakes winners Saucey Evening and Petition the Lady. Another half-sister, Jewel of the Night, is the dam of Grade 1 winner and millionaire Evening Jewel. The sale filly’s second dam is a sister to multiple Grade 1 winner General Challenge, who earned $2.8 million. Visions of Annette has yearling filly by Frosted and was bred back to the same sire in 2018.

The top New York-bred colt Thursday and second top-selling New York-bred to date was Hip 677[3], a bay colt by Super Saver currently named Super Spritz. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and consigned for the couple by Sequel Bloodstock, the April colt posted a  :10 1/5 furlong breeze at the under tack show before being purchased by D. J. Stables for $190,000 (VIDEO[4]).

The Super Saver colt’s dam is Spritely, a multiple stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Kentucky-bred runner by Touch Gold, whom Chester Broman purchased for $850,000 in the Edward P. Evans Dispersal at the 2011 Keeneland November sale. Spritely’s three winners include Pauseforthecause, a Giant’s Causeway filly who is a multiple stakes performer and has earned over $300,000. Her 3-year-old Pioneerof the Nile filly Tossup was stakes-placed as a juvenile. The mare has a yearling colt by Curlin and was not bred in 2018.

In all 48 New York-bred juveniles of 56 offered sold over the first three session, including nine private sales for an average price of $65,542 and median of $47,500. For the general population of the sale, the average sits at $110,410 and median at $65,000.

The OBS April Sale’s fourth and final session begins Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Endnotes:
  1. Hip 810: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/810.PDF
  2. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/810.mp4
  3. Hip 677: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/677.PDF
  4. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/677.mp4

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/26/obs-april-19-day-3-wrap/

Halfway through OBS April New York-breds continue solid run

By Sarah Mace

At the half-way point of this year’s 4-day Ocala Breeders’ Sales spring sale of 2-year-olds, New York-bred continue to make a solid showing, adding two more six-figure sales to bring the total to five. The top seller at Wednesday’s second session, a colt by Blame, brought $160,000. The second juvenile to make the six-figure cut was a colt by leading New York second crop sire Central Banker.

The session’s top New York-bred was Hip 319[1], a bay colt by Blame foaled on May 3, 2017 who breezed an eye-catching furlong in :9 4/5 (VIDEO[2]) and was purchased by Lothenbach Stable Inc. for $160,000. A pinhooking success story, the colt sold to Tex Co Co. for $37,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. His OBS consignor was Crupi’s New Castle Farm.

Bred by Woodville Breeding, the Blame colt is the second foal out of Marie Antoinette, whose first foal, 3-year-old Kentucky-bred Sophie Antoinette is a placed runner by Lemon Drop Kid. A daughter of stakes winner Parisian Affair (Mr. Greeley), Marie Antoinette is half-sister to Crimson China, a stakes winner routing on turf.

Shea D Boys Stable went to $110,000 for Wednesday’s other six-figure New York-bred, a bay March colt by New York sire Central Banker[3] (McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds[4]) who sold as Hip 350[5]. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent XXXIV, the youngster breezed a furlong in :10 flat (VIDEO[6]).

Bred by Dr. Scott W. Pierce, the Central Banker colt is the first foal out of Miss Moultree, an unraced daughter of Uncle Mo, and has an unnamed yearling full sister. His third dam is America America, a multiple stakes winner and multiple graded stakes performer. Other noteworthy names in the family tree are stakes winners Partisan Politics, So Long George and My Gal Betty.

By the midpoint of the four-day auction, of the 43 New York-breds offered for sale, 30 have changed hands, including three private sales for a buyback percentage of 30.2%. The New York-bred average stands at $56,183 and the median is $42,500. The group has some ground to make up on the cumulative sale indicators, where the average and median now stand at $113,041 and $70,000, respectively, with an RNA percentage of 23.7%.

The April sale continues Thursday and Friday with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Endnotes:
  1. Hip 319: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/319.PDF
  2. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/319.mp4
  3. Central Banker: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/168640/central-banker
  4. McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds: http://www.mcmahonthoroughbreds.com/
  5. Hip 350: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/350.PDF
  6. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/350.mp4

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/25/obs-april-19-day-2-wrap/

Trio of six-figure juveniles lead the way for New Yorkers at OBS April opener

By Sarah Mace

New York-breds enjoyed a solid start to the four-session Ocala Breeders’ Sales spring sale of 2-year-olds in training Tuesday, led by a trio of six-figure juveniles. The top-seller was a colt from the first crop of Carpe Diem who brought $180,000, followed by the top New York-sired juvenile – a colt by Mission Impazible who brought $165,000. A $120,000 daughter of Danza was the top filly.

Bred by SF Bloodstock LLC, the $180,000 Carpe Diem colt (Hip 170[1]) went to Narvick International from the consignment of Eddie Woods, Agent XLI. He is the first and only reported foal out of Istanford (Istan), a Florida-bred multiple graded stakes winner on grass purchased by SF Bloodstock for $300,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. The colt sold first as a weanling to McMahon & Hill Bloodstock at the 2017 Keeneland November sale for $150,000. The following year he RNA’d with a top bid of $190,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. In the OBS under tack show he breezed a quarter in :21 4/5 (VIDEO[2]).

Mission Impazible[3] (Sequel Stallions) sired the second top-selling juvenile, a dark bay/brown colt who went to Black Type Thoroughbreds for $165,000 from the consignment of S B M Training and Sales, Agent III as Hip 91[4]. Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, the youngster worked an eighth in :10 1/5 (VIDEO[5]). He is the first registered foal out of his dam Happy Retreat, a Maryland-bred winner purchased by Twin Creeks with the colt in utero at the 2016 Keeneland January sale for $20,000. Happy Retreat, brought $200,000 as a weaning at Keeneland November in 2011 and is a half-sister to three stakes winners, led by half-million dollar earner Crossing Point. In 2018 and 2019 Happy Retreat produced a pair of full-sisters to the sale colt.

The top filly of the New York contingent at the opener was Hip 167[6], a chestnut daughter from the first crop of Danza. Consigned by of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, Inc., the filly breezed a sharp quarter-mile in :21 flat before being purchased by Rockbridge Bloodstock, Agent for Final Furlong Racing, for $120,000 (VIDEO[7]). Bred by Harry L. Landry in partnership with Redge Clarke, the filly is out of Irish Ridge, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Cactus Ridge whose first winning offspring is Finger Lakes stakes performer Irish Heroine. Graded winner Three Fanfares appears under the third dam.

In all 12 New York-breds sold in the first session of trading at OBS (including two private sales) of 18 offered for a $64,417 average and $42,500 median. The sale continues Wednesday-Friday with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m.

 

Endnotes:
  1. Hip 170: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/170.PDF
  2. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/170.mp4
  3. Mission Impazible: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/166076/mission-impazible
  4. Hip 91: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/91.PDF
  5. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/91.mp4
  6. Hip 167: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/167.PDF
  7. VIDEO: http://obssales.com/aprcatalog/2019/167.mp4

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/24/obs-april-19-opener-wrap/

Funny Guy laughs all the way to the winner’s circle in NYSS Times Square

[1]

NYRA/Susie Raisher

By Sarah Mace

Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable and Swick Stable’s Funny Guy, a bay colt by Big Brown[2], got the chance to laugh all the way to the winner’s circle Saturday after a game victory in the final stakes race of Aqueduct’s spring meet, the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes series. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore offspring of eligible New York sires was worth $200,000, double last year’s purse, and drew a robust field of nine.

Let go at odds of 13-1, Funny Guy settled in midpack while Hushion struck the front, joined to his outside by two-time stakes winner Blindwillie McTell. By the time a quarter ticked by in 22.21, Hushion had the lead to the himself. Funny Guy chased in sixth between horses in the second flight.

Midway around the far turn Hushion was again challenged by Blindwillie McTell, and late in the bend Funny Guy angled out for clear running room making his way into the third. As Blindwillie McTell worked to erode Hushion’s lead in upper stretch, Funny Guy advanced inexorably to their outside.

With a furlong to go and Hushion tiring, it came down to a ding-dong battle between a tenacious Blindwillie McTell and Funny Guy, who was determined to prevail.

The pair raced head-and-head until the final sixteenth, when Funny Guy finally wore his rival down and inched away to a three-quarter-length score in a final time of 1:18.29 over the sloppy (sealed) going. Six and three-quarters lengths further back Thorny Tale collected the show money. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

[4]

NYRA/Elsa Loreiul

Winning jockey Rajiv Maragh said, “Everything went well. He broke well and I wanted him to be close, but the speed went to the front and developed in front of him. We fell into a nice tracking trip and every time I asked him, he kept inching closer. I felt like he was going to give me a good trip straightening up and he powered home in the stretch.”

Trainer John Terranova said, “This was a step up in class. He always had trained like a good horse and like a good New York-bred. Today, he handled the track fine. He’s matured physically so we can do more with him. The more we do, the better he gets. He just has a good presence about him.”

Funny Guy broke his maiden last December 22 at second asking, eking out a neck win going 6 1/2 furlongs in the mud. Making his stakes debut in the Rego Park on January 13, he tired after attending a wicked pace. Returning in mid-March following a brief freshening, Funny Guy ran a solid second in a first-level state-bred allowance after being somewhat compromised at the break. From two wins and second in five starts, the 3-year-old has earned $160,270.

Bred by Hibiscus Stable, Funny Guy brought only $10,000 as a yearling when purchased by RSB Farm at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale. Gatsas Thoroughbreds bought him for $45,000 the following year at the OBS spring sale.

He is one of seven winners from seven foals to start out of Heavenly Humor (Distorted Humor). The Kentucky-bred multiple stakes winner was purchased by Hibiscus Stables with Funny Guy in utero at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale for $25,000. Heavenly Humor is also the dam of Ontario-bred stakes winner Super Humor.

Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown[2], who currently sits atop the New York sire standings, stands at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions[5] for a 2019 fee of $5,000.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/funny-guy-the-nyss-credit-susie-raisher.jpg
  2. Big Brown: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/125809/big-brown
  3. VIDEO REPLAY: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20190420&track=AQD&race=9
  4. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/funny-guy-the-nyss-credit-elsa-lorieul.jpg
  5. Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions: http://www.ihdvstallions.com/

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/20/funny-guy-nyss-times-square/

Newly Minted runs away and hides in NYSS Park Avenue

[1]

NYRA/Coglianese Photos

By Sarah Mace

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds’ Newly Minted looks like a filly with a big future. Within eight days, the daughter of Central Banker went from an untried first-time starter to stakes winner while leaving two robust fields in the dust by a combined 13-plus lengths.

Trainer Linda Rice unveiled Newly Minted a week ago at Aqueduct on April 13. The filly went straight to the front of an eight-horse field of New York-bred maidens under Jose Lezcano before opening up to win by 5 3/4 lengths over muddy going. Her final time of 1:11.38 for six furlongs translated into an impressive debut Beyer Speed Figure of 81. The following Saturday she returned in the 26th running of the $200,000 Park Avenue for eligible New York-sired 3-year-old fillies.

Rice explained why she was comfortable wheeling the filly right back. “We’ve given her lot of time to get to this point. She was very professional the other day and ran a big figure. It’s back on short rest, but I wanted the opportunity to look at it and make the decision to run.” And run she did.

Reunited with Lezcano and away in good order from post five as the 3-2 post time favorite, Newly Minted advanced between horses and hooked up early with speedster and Franklin Square Stakes winner Stonesintheroad, who broke from post six.

As the pair carved out opening fractions of 22.71 and 46.24, Newly Minted saved ground through the turn, cut the corner and spurted to the front at the top of the stretch The bay opened up effortlessly in the lane, ultimately winning by 7 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:18.81 for 6 1/2 furlongs over the sloppy (sealed) going. Kid is Frosty rallied from midpack to finish second, while Bangle Gal finished third. [VIDEO REPLAY[2]]

Lezcano reported, “[Newly Minted]’s a very nice filly. Last time, I had to [urge] her a little at the quarter-pole. This time, she did it so easy. She did everything right. She handled the ground good. I had so much horse.”

John Sakkos, managing partner of Beach Haven Thoroughbreds, enthused, “I was very happy. I looked out this morning and saw it raining and I was extremely happy because I know she likes it a little bit wet. It was a good day.”

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Newly Minted is the second foal out of the couple’s homebred two-time winner Newbie (Bernardini), both of whose foals to start have won. She has a juvenile filly by Carpe Diem named Take the Chance, an unnamed yearling filly by Speightstown and was bred to Classic Empire last year.

Newly Minted, who has earned $114,306 from her two victories was a $110,000 purchase as a juvenile at the OBS March sale.

Newly Minted’s second crop sire Central Banker[3] stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs for a 2019 stud fee of $7,500.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/newly-minted-the-nyss.jpg
  2. VIDEO REPLAY: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20190420&track=AQD&race=8
  3. Central Banker: https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/nytb/stallion/168640/central-banker

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/20/newly-minted-park-avenue/

Fifty Five kicks off 5-year-old campaign with Plenty of Grace score

[1]

NYRA/Elsa Lorieul

By Sarah Mace

Peter Brant’s ultra-consistent Fifty Five successfully launched her 5-year-old campaign at Aqueduct Racetrack Sunday with an authoritative victory in the fifth edition of the $100,000 Plenty of Grace, a one-mile turf contest

Trained by Chad Brown, Fifty Five followed a familiar playbook coming into the race. The daughter of Get Stormy concluded both 2017 and 2018 campaigns with a one-length victory in the Ticonderoga Stakes on Empire Showcase Day. Following a winter freshening, she returned both years in the Plenty of Grace and, both times, drew the rail in a field of five. In 2018, however, she had to play second fiddle and runner-up to her stablemate Uni, who won the race under Irad Ortiz, Jr. before going on to become a Grade 1 Matriarch winner. This year, Uni was not in the picture and Fifty Five was teamed up with Ortiz. The pair was favored to win at 50 cents on the dollar.

Exiting the gate uneventfully, Fifty Five – a confirmed closer – assumed her customary position at the tail end of the group, about five lengths off Coffee Crush, who carved out honest early fractions of 23.44 and 47.55.

Relaxed at the fence along the backstretch, Fifty Five waited until the turn to launch her bid, coming off the rail. Splitting horses and advancing into second late in the bend, she drew a bead on the pacesetter once she straightened away.

Powering to the front in mid-stretch, Fifty Five cruised to a 1 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:36.10 over the “good” turf.

The competition for the remaining spots behind the winner was fierce. Ultimately, New York-bred Conquest Hardcandy, who saved ground throughout, earned second after a determined drive, finishing a half-length ahead of Coffee Crush. A neck back Thais (also running for Brant and Brown) finished fourth. Silent Sonet completed the order of finish. A pair of MTOs – New York-bred Frostie Anne and Crimson Frost – were scratched.

[2]

Coglianese Photos

“Everything went perfect for her,” Ortiz said. “She went easy and there was not too much traffic. Never had to stop, she had horse, so it was really easy. She always tries, she’s honest and does everything right.”

Chad Brown, for whom this was a fourth consecutive training victory in the Plenty of Grace, said, “[Fifty Five] had a good trip. Irad rode her beautiful. She had been training super. My crew at Payson Park, assistant Luis Cabrera and his team, really did a great job over the winter. She looks great. It was a good first race back. She should move forward off of it.”

For Fifty Five’s next start Brown is eyeing the Mount Vernon on the Big Apple Showcase card at Belmont on the Memorial Day, May 27: “We know she loves Belmont, so we’ll probably go there next. After that, everything is in play. She’s certainly fast enough and good enough to win in open company, she’s proven that before.”

Dylan Davis, aboard runner up Conquest Hardcandy, commented “She likes to be aggressively ridden but the pace was pretty quick. She put herself in a great spot and saved ground both turns. We got through a nice tip and got up to finish second. She ran a great race, looking forward to seeing what she can do later on.”

As honest and consistent as they come, Fifty Five has won five of her last eight starts, eight races in all and finished on the board in sixteen of seventeen career outings. Winner of her lone start at two on November 1, 2016, she took the Grade 3 Florida Oaks in stakes-record time and restricted Ticonderoga Stakes at three. At four Fifty Five annexed the John Hettinger and repeated in the Ticonderoga. Her earnings currently stand at $716,288.

Bred by John and Sandy Crowe’s Empire Equines and foaled at Berkshire Stud[3] in Pine Plains, Fifty Five is one of two winners out of Empire’s homebred mare Soave 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, which she won for trainer Tom Bush.

 

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/fifty-five-the-plenty-of-grace-credit-elsa-lorieul.jpg
  2. [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/fifty-five-the-plenty-of-grace-2.jpg
  3. Berkshire Stud: http://berkshirestud.com/

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/04/14/fifty-five-plenty-of-grace/

Copyright ©2024 New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News unless otherwise noted.