Pat On the Back narrowly prevails over Giant Expectations in dramatic Commentator finish

By Sarah Mace

The finish of the $200,000 Commentator Stakes that wrapped up the stakes portion of the Big Apple Showcase Memorial Day card at Belmont could not have been more dramatic.

Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables’ Pat On the Back (Congrats) was returning to set matters straight after falling just a nose short in the Commentator last year to eventual New York-bred Horse of the Year and Whitney winner Diversify. West Coast raider and multiple graded stakes winner Giant Expectations swooped onto the scene to spoil Pat On the Back’s chances. The pair ended up noses apart on the wire, with the narrow decision falling to Pat On the Back.

Giant Expectations, favored at 9-5 odds over Pat On the Back at 2-1, seemed to smooth his rival’s path to victory from the get-go when he stumbled badly after the break and had to regroup near the tail of the field. Up front the accomplished Mr. Buff, who was let go at 13-1 in this formidable field of seven, led the way through opening splits of 22.80 and 45.54. Pat On the Back traveled three-wide in fourth.

In the approach to the far turn, Pat On the Back advanced into contention, gaining third position. Several lengths back, Jose Ortiz aboard Giant Expectations had expertly regathered his mount after the initial stumble and was on the move, making up ground on the outside.

By the quarter pole Mr. Buff still had the lead at the fence, but the pair of challengers loomed menacingly to his outside in upper stretch.

With a furlong to go and three very game horses lined up across the track, it looked like it could be anybody’s race. Mr. Buff hung tough at the rail, Pat On the Back refused to give ground between horses, and Giant Expectations, equipped with blinkers for this outing, was completely focused on the task at hand.

In the final jumps it came down to Pat On the Back and Giant Expectations. Both horses ran too well to lose, but Pat On the Back just prevailed with a nose in front in a strong final time of 1:33.43.

Mr. Buff was a game third three-quarters of a length back, followed across the line by Syndergaard. Completing the order of finish were Honor Up, Control Group and Haul Anchor. [VIDEO[3]]

Winning rider and Pat On the Back’s regular jockey Dylan Davis said of the close finish, “I really did think he had it, but being so close I was just hoping for the best. We were matching strides head and head and I did have a couple of inches on him. You just never know riding hard all the way through the wire.”

Davis continued, “He was in battle mode today. I felt like he was going to let up a little bit at the sixteenth pole. What he did today I’ve never seen him do. It felt like he was going to pull up and let [Giant Expectations] go by at the sixteenth pole, but he put his head down, put his ears back and gave a little extra of what we needed. It was like he knew where the wire was, and he just got it done. I think this was one of his career-best runs today.”

“This was a tough race, said trainer Jeremiah Englehart. “Giant Expectations stumbling at the start didn’t help his chances and he ran his eyeballs out. When they linked up at the sixteenth pole, I knew our horse would dig in. It was just a great race out of him. This horse is just so special. He’s all heart, all guts. Every time you ask him to go to bat, he’s swinging.”

Jose Ortiz, who had the call on Giant Expectations, said, “He stumbled badly at the break. We got lucky he stood up and put himself back in the race very quickly and put us in a position to win. He grabbed his quarter and to run a mile like that, as fast as he did, is very impressive. I just feel bad for the connections because if we had a clean break, I think we would have won.”

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 Commentator is Pat On the Back’s seventh stakes victory and boosts his career record to eight wins, four seconds and four thirds from 24 starts. His earnings, which are fast approaching the $1 million threshold stand at $924,032.

Pat On the Back was purchased by Ken McPeek, his trainer for 17 starts, for $70,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. In seven outings for Englehart Pat On the Back has finished in the exacta six times with wins in the Saginaw Stakes, Empire Classic and Affirmed Success. Last December he took a shot in the Grade 1 Cigar mile and finished a solid fifth only 3 3/4 lengths behind winner Patternrecognition.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/05/27/pat-on-the-back-commentator-19/

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Homebred Blindwillie McTell wins Mike Lee

By Bill Heller

What could be better than winning a stakes race on Big Apple Showcase Day for an owner of a New York-bred? Winning it with a home-bred. That’s exactly what Jerold Zaro did on Memorial Day Monday at Belmont Park, as his gelding Blindwillie McTell captured the seven-furlong $125,000 Mike Lee Stakes for three-year-olds by two lengths, giving both jockey Jose Ortiz and trainer Linda Rice their second Big Apple Showcase Day stakes scores. Sent off at 5-2 in the field reduced to eight with the late scratch of Stone Breaker, Blindwillie McTell won in 1:21.53. It was Ortiz’s third overall victory of the afternoon.

Funny Guy, who was 4-1 with Rajiv Maragh in the saddle, edged 4-1 Bank It and Ricardo Santana Jr. by a neck for a second. There was a length and three-quarter gap back to 9-1 Just Right and Manny Franco in fourth.

A son of Posse out of Bold Child by Flatter, Blindwillie McTell has done nothing wrong in his brief career. After finishing second at 19-1 in his maiden debut, November 17th, Blindwillie McTell won back-to-back stakes as a maiden, taking a $150,000 division of the New York Stallion Series by 2 1/2 lengths December 16 – beating Funny Guy by 18 1/2 lengths – and then the $101,000 Rego Park Stakes by three-quarters of a length on January 13.

Rice freshened Blindwillie McTell and he returned to action on April 20, finishing second by three-quarters of a length to Funny Guy as the 3-2 favorite in a $200,000 division of the New York Stallion Series on a sloppy track.

On Monday, Blindwillie McTell broke sharply from the six post and Ortiz settled him in second on the flank of 3-1 Le General and Jose Lezcano. Blindwillie McTell narrowed a three-quarters of a length deficit after a quarter-mile in :22.84 to just a neck in a :45.80 half-mile.

Then Ortiz gave Blindwillie McTell his cue, and he took the lead. He was in control after three-quarters in 1:09.27 and maintained a comfortable margin all the way to the wire. [VIDEO[2]]

With three victories and a pair of seconds in his first five starts, Blindwillie McTell has earned more than $255,000.

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/05/27/blindwillie-mctell-mike-lee/

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Gucci Factor surprises in the Kingston Stakes

By Bill Heller

Monday’s renewal of the one-mile $125,000 Kingston Stakes on turf on Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont Park on Memorial Day Monday was supposed to be a showdown between Offering Plan, who was seeking his third consecutive victory in the stakes for trainer Chad Brown, and Therapist, who had a perfect four-for-four record at Belmont Park for trainer Christophe Clement, who co-bred the four-year-old gelding with owner Oak Bluff Stables. But Clement also saddled Castleton Lyons’ idle six-year-old gelding Gucci Factor, who had three wins and a third in his previous four starts, in the field of six.

And after Mo Maverick and Luis Saez took a shocking 15-length lead midway through the race, it was Gucci Factor and jockey Jose Ortiz who surged to a length and a quarter victory at odds of 9-2. Mo Maverick, who was 7-1, held on for second, a length and a quarter ahead of Offering Plan, the even-money favorite under Javier Castellano. Therapist, who was the 9-5 second choice under Eric Cancel, finished a nose behind in fourth.

Highclere bred Gucci Factor, a son of Gio Ponti out of Shoo In by Dynaformer, who had made just one stakes start in 11 previous races, when he finished third by a length and three-quarters in the Ashley Cole Stakes, a half-length behind Offering Plan, who finished second that day to Black Tide last September 22. Gucci Factor then won an open allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs on December 22 in his final start as a five-year-old.

Clement did a masterful job of getting Gucci Factor ready for the step up to stakes company off a five-month layoff.

Riding Gucci Factor for the first time, Ortiz got him away second, three lengths behind Mo Maverick after an opening quarter-mile in :23.33.

Then Saez let Mo Maverick loose, and he sprinted away to a 10-length advantage, then a gaping 15-length lead by running a half-mile in :46.53. Ortiz kept Gucci Factor in second, meaning he would get first shot at the frontrunner if and when he stopped.

Gucci Factor pulled within 10 lengths after three-quarters of a mile in 1:09.96, and then Mo Maverick began to weaken. He still had a five-length lead in mid-stretch, but Gucci Factor hauled him in and drew away late for his first stakes victory. [VIDEO[3]]

Gucci Factor is now five-for-seven on grass with one third. He also has one win, one second and one third from six dirt starts for combined earnings of more than $270,000.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/05/27/gucci-factor-kingston/

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Kathryn the Wise records second brilliant victory in Critical Eye

By Sarah Mace

Two years after Lawrence Goichman’s homebred Kathryn the Wise (Uncle Mo) won the $200,000 Critical Eye Stakes by more than eight lengths in 2017, she left her competition in the dust in the same race Monday on Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont Park, this time in stakes record time.

Setting out on a front-running mission under Javier Castellano, the 6-year old fast set fast fractions, was unopposed from gate to wire and stopped the clock after the one-turn mile at 1:33.63.

Poking her head in front in the first couple strides after the break, Kathryn the Wise quickly opened two lengths on the field, tracked along the backstretch by Frostie Anne and Indy’s Lady. Whizzing through an opening quarter in 22.49 and half-mile in 45.12, she preserved a measured lead into the far turn.

Midway around the turn, the field appeared to mount a collective challenge, whittling away at “Kathryn’s” lead, but the threat was illusory. The filly kicked on through six panels in 1:09.46, spurted ahead again in the stretch and extended her lead to more than three lengths. She ultimately cruised under the wire to win by five lengths in a final time of 1:33.63. [VIDEO[2]]

“My filly broke well, and I didn’t want to take anything away that came easy,” said Jockey Javier Castellano.  “She broke on top and I let her run her own race. She galloped along on the lead and she was just amazing. The way she did it today, I was very impressed. I have to thank Mr. [Chad] Brown for giving me the opportunity to ride the filly. It was my first time on her, and she made me look good today.”

Although she had only seven prior lifetime starts to her credit due to several setbacks over the years, Kathryn the Wise is an outstanding talent and has amply rewarded the patience of her connections. In her debut and lone start at three at Aqueduct on November 25, 2016, she aired by 5 1/2 lengths in a state-bred maiden special weight. In two 2017 starts, she won the pair by a combined 20 1/4 lengths – a first-level state-bred allowance and the Critical Eye in her stakes debut.

Sidelined until fall 2018, Kathryn the Wise took two races to shake off the rust but came roaring back in the La Verdad Stakes January, winning by more than 10 lengths. She came into the Critical Eye following a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct after blowing the break. She has been sent off as the heavy favorite in every start, including the Distaff.

Whit Beckman, assistant to winning trainer Chad Brown commented, “This was a nice performance from her today. After her last start [in the Distaff] she seems to have rebounded fine. She runs real well on the lead. We didn’t expect to be in front like that, but it worked out well for us.”

From five victories in eight starts with one runner-up finish Kathryn the Wise has earned $375,250.

Foaled at Vivien Malloy’s Edition Farm, Kathryn the Wise is out of Goichman homebred Shea d’Lady, who has produced three foals to race, all winners. Goichman purchased “Kathryn’s” third dam, unraced Kentucky-bred Elhasna (Danzig), at the 2002 Keeneland January sale for $92,000. Without issue for three years after Kathryn the Wise, Shea d’ Lady has one more reported foal: a colt by Northern Afleet who is now two.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/05/27/kathryn-the-wise-critical-eye-19/

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Fifty Five delivers again at 1-2 in Mount Vernon Stakes

By Bill Heller

Consistency separates good horses from great ones, and Peter Brant’s outstanding 5-year-old mare Fifty Five proved again on New York-bred Big Apple Showcase on Memorial Day Monday at Belmont Park just how great she has become under the tutelage of trainer Chad Brown.

Sent off the 1-2 favorite on the rail under Javier Castellano in the field of 11 contesting the one-mile $125,000 Mount Vernon Stakes on turf for New York-bred fillies and mares, Fifty Five rallied from seventh on the far turn to a one-length score, extending her win streak, which began last September, to four. In doing so, she blazed her final quarter-mile in about :22 flat, winning in 1:34.09 on the “yielding” Widener Turf Course.

Fifty Five has finished in the money in nine straight races with six victories, two seconds, including a neck loss in last year’s Mount Vernon Stakes, and one third, a remarkable run for a consistent closer who may always run into traffic problems. She avoided them Monday in the capable hands of Castellano, who has ridden her in six of her last seven starts.

Munchkin Money, who was 13-1 under Junior Alvarado, nipped 18-1 Kreesie and Jose Ortiz by a neck for second. Three-quarters of a length behind Kreesie, the 34-1 gray Wegetsdamunnys and Eric Cancel finished fourth after walking out of the starting gate and spotting the field two lengths.

Fifty Five, a daughter of Get Stormy out of Soave by Brahms, began her win streak last fall with a two-length victory in the $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes September 23. She added on a one-length triumph in the $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes October 20 in her final start as a four-year-old.

Fifty Five made her five-year-old debut with a length and three-quarters victory in an open stakes at Aqueduct April 14 at odds of 1-2 under Irad Ortiz  Jr.

Castellano regained the mount and delivered a typically patient ride on the classy closer Monday, not panicking when she still had a lot left to do heading into the far turn.

Castellano got her away near mid-pack in the bulky field of 11 as 52-1 Vip Nation and Mike Luzzi took the field to an opening quarter-mile in :24.08, a half-mile in :47.88 and three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.04.

Then the longshot leader tired and the pack closed in. Moving fastest of all was Fifty Five, who took command past the sixteenth pole, opened a clear lead and kept the others safe to the wire. [VIDEO[3]]

Fifty Five, who was bred by Empire Equines, LLC, is now nine-for-18 with three seconds and five thirds in her all-turf career with earnings now of more than $780,000. Her only finish out of the money in her entire career was an eight-wide fifth in the Grade 2 Sands Point Handicap on September 16, 2017. That’s 20-months straight of finishing in the money with six wins, two seconds and a third, a great accomplishment for a great grass mare.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/05/27/fifty-five-mount-vernon-19/

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Newly Minted stays undefeated in Bouwerie

By Sarah Mace

Finding running room late, Beach Haven Thoroughbreds’ Newly Minted (Central Banker) cruised comfortably past pacesetter Cash Offer in the final sixteenth of the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies to drive her record to a perfect three-for-three.

The Bouwerie kicked off the stakes portion of NYRA’s 11-race Memorial Day Big Apple Showcase card at Belmont Park, the first of three all-New York-bred cards on the NYRA circuit annually, featuring six stakes races worth $900,000 in purses.

When unveiled by trainer Linda Rice at Aqueduct on April 13, Newly Minted demolished a field of New York-bred maidens before wheeling back in just eight days to perform the same operation on the field of the New York Stallion Stakes Park Avenue. Winning her first two outings by a combined 13 1/4 lengths, Newly Minted meanwhile showcased her ability to handle two very different racing surfaces: a muddy, harrowed track in her debut and a sloppy sealed (sealed) surface against allowance foes.

The Bouwerie would test Newly Minted’s ability on a fast track for the first time in her young career while tacking on an extra half-panel in the seven-furlong contest.

Settling in third after the break, odds-on favorite Newly Minted saved ground at the fence while Reddam Racing’s Cash Offer set the pace, carving out early fractions of 23.19 and 46.58, a length ahead of 15-1 longshot Behind the Couch who traveled in the two-path.

Navigating the turn comfortably as the running order of the first three remained unchanged, by midstretch Newly Minted appeared to be facing some trouble. Cash Offer was directly ahead of her, Behind the Couch directly to her outside, and running room was in short supply. She got her chance just past midstretch, when Behind the Couch began to fade, producing a welcome gap in the traffic.

Deftly switching out a path under Jose Lezcano, Newly Minted picked up her stride and passed her rival with apparent ease, going on to a 2 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:22.07..

Behind the Couch hung on well for third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Cash Offer, who finished a nose ahead of Elegant Zip in fourth, Wadadli Prince and Espresso Shot completed the order of finish. Pat’s No Fool was scratched. [VIDEO[3]]

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 offspring to start have won. She has a juvenile filly by Carpe Diem named Take the Chance, an unnamed yearling filly by Speightstown and was foaled a filly by Classic Empire on April 29.

Newly Minted, who has earned $212,850 from her three victories, was a $110,000 purchase by Beach Haven Thoroughbreds as a juvenile at the 2018 OBS March sale.

Newly Minted’s sire Central Banker[4], who sits at sixth in the national second crop rankings, stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs for a 2019 stud fee of $7,500.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/05/27/newly-minted-bouwerie/

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