Kid Is Frosty doubles up on NYSS success with front-running Statue of Liberty score

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NYRA/Janet Garaguso

By Sarah Mace

Kelly Mitchell’s Bad Boy Racing homebred Kid Is Frosty doubled the fun for her connections when she added an extra furlong and negotiated “good” turf with aplomb to win her second straight New York Stallion Stakes series race on Wednesday at Saratoga, the $150,000 NYSS Statue of Liberty division for 3-year-old fillies by eligible New York sires.

Throwing down the gauntlet after the break, she led the field from gate to wire on her way to an unchallenged 3-length victory. Kid is Frosty is by Frost Giant[2], currently fourth in the New York sire rankings and standing at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions[3] LLC in Stillwater.

Trained by Brad Cox, Kid Is Frosty came into the Statue of Liberty having never finished off-the-board in eight prior starts. A maiden-breaker on dirt going six furlongs at Aqueduct on February 23 in her fourth race, two starts later on April 20 she made her stakes debut in the NYSS Fifth Avenue, which was run on a sloppy racetrack at 6 1/2 furlongs. She managed to finish second – best of the rest – behind divisional star Newly Minted.

Two starts later in the NYSS Cupecoy’s Joy, Kid Is Frosty tackled a new surface – grass – and added another 110 yards. The experiment was a resounding success. After patiently tracking a front-running long-shot, she hit the lead in the stretch and was able to hold off strong closer Niko’s Dream for her first black type win.

Kid Is Frosty was a narrow second choice in the betting at odds of 8-5, edged in popularity by Niko’s Dream at 7-5, whose supporters presumably trusted that the late-running type would profit from the extra furlong in the rematch and be able to run Kid Is Frosty down. He missed by just a neck in the Cupecoy’s Joy and Kid Is Frosty was spotting her rivals five pounds on Wednesday.

Sharp out of the gate from post 5, Kid Is Frosty immediately showed her hand. She took the lead, angled to the rail and issued her challenge to Niko’s Dream and the rest: “Catch me if you can.”

Leading the field by 1 1/2 lengths through the clubhouse turn and up the backstretch, Kid Is Frosty clocked the early fractions in 24.37 and 48.18, with Bangle Gal (6-1) and Sterling Beauty (17-1) pursuing to her outside.

By the quarter pole Bangle Gal began to fade, but Niko’s Dream, three-wide, was winding up her closing bid, advancing into second from fourth.

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NYRA/Chelsea Durand

Asked for a little more with three-sixteenths to go, Kid Is Frosty responded readily, and kicked clear. She crossed the finish line with a three-length advantage under a hand ride. Following six furlongs in 1:11.85, the final time for the mile over the “good” turf was 1:35.22.

Niko’s Dream in second finished another three lengths clear of Sterling Beauty in third, while Rossellini and Dancing Slipper finished fourth and fifth separated by a neck. Bangle Gal and Subsidiary completed the order of finish. [VIDEO REPLAY[5]]

Ortiz, who had the call for both of Kid Is Frosty’s prior NYSS efforts, said, “The main thing was to relax her and when she broke, she relaxed going into the first turn. On the backside, she was still relaxed. I knew I was going to have something at the end, and she handled it really well.”

The pilot added that he had confidence in Kid Is Frosty going in. “[The turf]’s a little soft, but last time I rode her, I had to make a middle move and she still won. I had a lot of confidence in her today. If I had a clear trip and waited and just move at the quarter pole, I knew she was going to be the best and everything worked out well. She’s much better on turf. She has a turn-of-foot on turf, so I think she’s a little better on that.”

Brad Cox’s assistant Dustin Dugas concurred, but said that one concern he and his team had pre-race was the added distance. “I think she feels at home on the turf,” said Dugas. “I was a little concerned about making the mile today, but she was never in doubt. The plan was to play the break and go from there. I thought that Casse’s horse [Subsidiary] would’ve shown a little more speed, to be honest. I thought she was going to be on the lead but once our horse got to the front, she kicked on and was comfortable the entire way.”

Sporting a record of three wins, including a pair of NYSS victories, four seconds and two thirds from nine starts, Kid Is Frosty has earned $280,834.

Kid Is Frosty is the first foal out of Murmure, a placed runner by Lemon Drop Kid who last changed hands at public auction when purchased for $20,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale by Cecil Seaman. Her most recent reported foal is a 2-year-old full to Kid Is Frosty sister named She’s Grrreat. She was bred this year to Blueskiesnrainbows.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/07/31/kid-is-frosty-statue-of-liberty/

Rinaldi delivers front-running tour de force in NYSS Cab Calloway

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NYRA/Chelsea Durand

By Sarah Mace

Bond Racing Stable’s Rinaldi (Posse) is wasting no time making a name for himself in the New York-bred sophomore ranks. In his third career start he dealt seven rivals a sound defeat in Wednesday’s $100,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series which was run at one mile over a “good” turf course at Saratoga. This was his second stakes victory.

On June 6, owner/trainer James Bond saw enough to like about his charge’s third-place finish in his Belmont debut to jump straight into stakes company when the opportunity offered. Rinaldi passed the test with flying colors with a convincing three-quarter-length win in the 7-furlong Spectacular Bid Division of the New York Stallion Stakes on June 23 after closely shadowing the pacesetter.

Four weeks later, reunited with Luis Saez who has been aboard since the beginning, Rinaldi added an extra furlong in the Cab Calloway and demonstrated conclusively that his first stakes win was no fluke.

Exiting post two like a shot, Rinaldi (3-1 second choice) was the first to show the lead, only to be joined by Smooth Tales, whose hand was forced by his outside draw.

Saving ground through the clubhouse turn, Rinaldi led by one length along the backstretch run. Meanwhile, 9-5 favorite Funny Guy tracked another length back in third as the quarter ticked by in 23.93 and half went in 48.51.

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NYRA/Susie Raisher

Moving well under a loose rein, Rinaldi continued to blaze the trail through the far turn. Smooth Tales receded and Funny Guy began to loom as a clear and present danger at the head of the stretch.

Rinaldi repelled the favorite’s bid and began to put more daylight between himself and rest, ultimately opening up to a 4 1/4-length advantage by the time he crossed the wire in a final time of 1:36.28.

“He broke great, Saez said. “He was sharp and put me right there. He kept me clean all the way. At the half-mile pole, I felt that I had a lot of horse. Turning for home, he just took off for home and exploded. He’s really talented.”

Bond added, “He’s just stepping up the ladder slowly. We were hoping he would handle the distance and course and he answered that call. Luis [Saez] did his usual great job and made us all look good. I left it up to Luis because I’m not the one out there on that turf course. It [depends on] how they’re handling it going into the turn, and Luis has seen and done a lot more than I have.”

Bond feels that he has lots of options with his talented sophomore but won’t be rushing anything. “We’ll see where we go. We’re New York-bred, so we won’t be too overzealous. He’ll [run on] dirt, too. He handles the dirt very well in the morning.”

Bred by Barry Ostrager, Rinaldi is one of six winners from eight foals to start out of Kentucky-bred mare Dynamite Cocktail, a six-figure earner by Dynaformer. She has produced two other stakes horses, led by Hollinger (Black Minnaloushe), 2009 Sovereign Award Champion 2-year-old colt and earner of over $700,000. Rinaldi is Dynamite Cocktail’s most recent reported foal. Bond astutely picked the gelding out as weanling for only $5,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed sale in Saratoga.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/07/24/rinaldi-cab-calloway/

Bankit resurgent in New York Derby

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SV Photography

By Sarah Mace

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing’s Bankit, by New York sire Central Banker, has traveled further afield than most of his age-mates in the 2019 New York-bred sophomore class, racing on six different tracks in the first 11 starts of his career. He made the first tilt at his seventh racetrack, Finger Lakes, a winning one, coming from off the pace to score a decisive 1 1/4-length victory in Wednesday’s 47th running of the $150,000 New York Derby.

Bankit waged an extremely promising juvenile campaign for trainer Steve Asmussen, winning his second start, a Saratoga dirt sprint, by six-plus lengths. Second by a nose in the Funny Cide Stakes later in the meet, and unplaced in the Bertram F. Bongard at Belmont in the fall, he earned his first black type win with a good-looking 5 3/4-length closing score in the Sleepy Hollow on Empire Showcase Day.

The Sleepy Hollow performance prompted Bankit’s connections to take him on the road. On December 16 he turned heads when he finished second by a head to Kentucky Derby-bound Long Range Toddy in the open Remington Springboard Mile Stakes. Bankit’s next three starts also came in formidable company; the Smarty Jones and Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. Unplaced in these three races, he returned to the state of his birth and New York-bred foes.

Not relishing a wide trip in the slop in the New York Stallion Stakes Times Square on April 20, Bankit followed up with a solid third to New York Derby Rival Blindwillie McTell in the Mike Lee Stakes on May 27. Jockey Eric Cancel made the trip to Finger Lakes to take the call in hopes of guiding his mount to his first victory of the year.

Bankit (5-2 second choice in the betting behind odds-on speedster Not That Brady), got out of the gate cleanly and spent the first half mile of the New York Derby in the rear guard, as Not That Brady led the field through early splits of 23.35 and 47.42, pressed along by 39-1 longshot Almendro.

Navigating the clubhouse turn in the two-path, Bankit advanced into third along the backstretch as Not That Brady enjoyed a solo one-length lead.

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SV Photography

Blindwillie McTell took the first run at the leader in the far turn, but by the head of the stretch had company. Just Right made a bid at the fence, Bankit was looking to come between horses in the two path and Blindwillie McTell came widest of all. With three-sixteenths to go, the four stacked up across the track.

Just past the furlong marker, Bankit – undaunted by close quarters and some late-stage bumping – began to draw off as the quartet sorted themselves out.

Bankit drove clear, hitting the finish line a 1 1/4 length winner in a final time of 1:45.97. Not That Brady persisted, holding well to finish second, while 11-1 shot Just Right got third another half length back. Blindwillie McTell (5-2) completed the superfecta. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

The New York Derby was originally scheduled to be run last Saturday, but the card was cancelled due to excessive heat.

Bred by Hidden Brook Farm, LLC in partnership with Blue Devil Racing, Bankit is the first foal and lone starter to date out of Sister in Arms, a Florida-bred mare by Colonel John. Blue Devil purchased the mare, as a Saratoga preferred yearling in 2012 for $125,000. She went on to win a pair of turf contests before moving on to broodmare duty. Since foaling Bankit, she has produced a juvenile colt by Awesome Again named Clifton Park and a yearling filly by Animal Kingdom. She did not bring her Hard Spun foal to term in 2019.

Bankit, who has now earned an impressive $468,625 in 12 starts from three wins, three seconds and a third, was well-received in two trips through the sales ring. As a yearling he brought $85,000 from SGV Thoroughbreds at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. The following year he sold to Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC for $260,000 after turning in a furlong move in :10 2/5 at OBS March sale.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/07/24/bankitnew-york-derby/

Wait a Minute springs upset in New York Oaks

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Photos: SV Photography

By Sarah Mace

Richie Rich Racing Stable and Jackie Stauffer’s Finger Lakes-based Wait a Minute carried the local hopes into Wednesday’s 33rd running of the $75,000 New York Oaks for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Given a 5-2 chance to beat her three rivals and overshadowed in the betting by downstate invader and 1-5 favorite Espresso Shot, Wait a Minute, who is also trained by Jackie Stauffer, pressed the pace early, took control along the backstretch and turned back the favorite’s bid before posting a 2-length victory.

A bay daughter of Discreetly Mine, Wait a Minute has been facing stakes company ever since her winning debut on October 1, 2018, with the best result to date coming when, in her first start against winners, she ran second to the talented Sassy Agnes in the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes at Finger Lakes last October. The filly rounded off her ju[2]venile campaign in the Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct where she made no impact.

Returning to competition at three in Finger Lakes’ Niagara Stakes on June 17, Wait a Minute appeared to need a race, finishing 13 lengths behind winner Miss Lily. Next out, however, she put Farmington on notice. Stretching out to two turns for the first time and going 1 mile and 70 yards, she absolutely demolished a “non-winners of two lifetime” allowance field, posting an eye-popping 23 1/4-length victory.

Sharp out of the gate, Wait a Minute began the 1 1/16-mile journey of the New York Derby by pressing pacesetter Awillaway to her inside through an opening quarter mile in 23.81. Two-wide through the clubhouse turn, early along the backstretch Wait a Minute put away Awillaway, opened up a length and completed the half-mile in 47.45 on the lead.

Late-running Espresso Shot, who stumbled at the start, began her bid on the backstretch and advanced from last into second at the rail, getting on nearly even terms with Wait a Minute by the head of the stretch.

[3]The two battled in upper stretch, but in the final furlong Wait a Minute dug in two-wide, under jockey Jose Baez, reclaimed a clear lead and cruised home unchallenged to win by 2 lengths. Espresso Shot had to settle for second, finishing 5 lengths ahead of Elegant Zip in third who finished well in advance of Willaway.

After a mile in 1:48.17, the final time for the 1 1/16 miles over the fast track. Presumptive favorite Newly Minted was scratched. [VIDEO REPLAY[4]]

The New York Oaks was originally scheduled to be run last Saturday, but the card was cancelled due to excessive heat.

Bred by Gary and Stacy Machiz and foaled at Majestic View Farms International in Gardiner, Wait a Minute is the most recent reported foal out of Brazilian-bred Ess Brilha (Roi Normand). She produced seven winners from eight foals to start and Wait A Minute is her first offspring to earn black type. Her most outstanding foal previously was New Jersey-bred Papadopalous, a gelding by Mutakddim who has earned $214,873 in 44 starts.

Wait a Minute changed hands once at public auction, bring $10,000 form Nick J. Hines at the 2018 OBS open horses of racing age sale. From three wins and a second-place finish in six starts she has earned $83,329.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/07/24/wait-a-minute-new-york-oaks/

Determined as they come, My Italian Rabbi takes Stillwater by a nose

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NYRA/Susie Raisher

By Sarah Mace

A picture of determination, Gold Square LLC’s (Al Gold) My Italian Rabbi (Competitive Edge) came out on the winning side of an epic battle in the featured $100,000 Stillwater Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies at Saratoga Race Course Thursday. After desperately trying to grind down heavily-favored Fierce Lady for three furlongs, My Italian Rabbi just would not settle for second and managed to get her nose down on the finish line first in the final strides.

Unveiled on May 30 at Belmont Park, My Italian Rabbi was well-prepared and scored a professional victory. She charged up early between horses to contest the pace after a slightly tardy break, shook off her rivals and strode out nicely in the stretch, to win by 2 1/2 lengths in a final time of 59.89 over good going. In anticipation of the 6-furlong Stillwater Stakes, run previously as the Lynbrook at Belmont Park, she posted four regularly-spaced interim works.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart was upbeat coming into the race, while recognizing that the competition would be stiff. “It looks like a salty field. There’s a couple of nice fillies in there. But she’s training well, and I think she should move forward off that first race.” Reunited with debut jockey Luiz Saez, My Italian Rabbi was sent off at 8-1 odds.

The headliner of the Stillwater was another Competitive Edge filly, Fierce Lady, who was bet down to .35 cents on the dollar. Following a head-turning 6-length debut victory on June 22 she was designated a “TDN Rising Star.” Fierce Lady had been busy in the interim, however, shipping down and back to the Fasig-Tipton July selected horses of racing age sale, where she brought a final bid of $725,000, just below her reserve, which according to the DRF, was $749,000.

Fierce Lady broke on top from post two when the gates opened on the Stillwater, but My Italian Rabbi got in the hunt from the first from the three-hole, dogging the frontrunner through a quarter in 22.64.

With three furlongs to go, My Italian Rabbi engaged Fierce Lady directly and the battle – which would last to the finish line – was on.

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NYRA/Chelsea Durand

Fierce Lady on the inside stubbornly resisted the pressure, matching every advance by a counter-advance, but My Italian Rabbi would not give up the fight. In the very shadow of the wire My Italian Rabbi’s final counter-advance won the day, as she secured the victory by a short nose in a final time of 1:10.31 over the fast track.

Christophe Clement-trained first time starter Jewel of Arabia finished 1 1/2 lengths back in third, followed by Classy Sadie and Time Limit, who went almost went to her knees at the break and veered out. Jen’s Battle was scratched. [VIDEO REPLAY[3]]

Luis Saez applauded his mount’s talent and is excited about her prospects. “She broke very sharp. She was right there,” Saez said. “I just stayed with her when we came to the stretch. We were trying and she finally got it in the last jump.

“When she raced the first time, she proved she could run. Today, she really proved it, too. I think she can get more distance. She can relax and go anywhere. We have a nice one right here.”

Englehart was fully engaged in the epic stretch battle. “I didn’t know whether to root or not to root,” he said. “Every time I rooted for her, it seemed like she would drop back a little bit. Then, she started coming on, and just at that last jump, it looked like she was able to get the head bob.”

The conditioner was also gracious in victory, acknowledging that Fierce Lady’s extracurricular activities might have blunted her performance. “We probably didn’t get the best Fierce Lady today.” Englehart said. “She’ll probably be back and will be able to turn the tide. Kudos to Fierce Lady in defeat, I thought she ran really well.”

From her perfect two-for-two race record, the newly-minted stakes winner has earned $89,100. The $200,000 Seeking the Ante on August 23, Saratoga New York-bred Showcase Day could be next on My Italian Rabbi’s dance card.

My Italian Rabbi was bred Hidden Lake Farm LLC in partnership with Anthony Grey LLC and was foaled, aptly enough, in Stillwater at Hidden Lake Farm.

She is one of four winners from four foals to start and the first to earn black type out of Golden Miss, an unplaced Kentucky-bred daughter of Golden Missile, who was a $180,000 purchase as a yearling by B. Wayne Hughes.

A $47,000 buyback as a weanling at the Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed sale, My Italian Rabbi brought $60,000 when offered as a short yearling at the OBS Winter Mixed sale last year. Travis Durr and Jeremiah Englehart acquired her in the summer at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale for $160,000. Golden Miss has an unnamed yearling half-sister by War Dancer.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/07/18/my-italian-rabbi-stillwater/

Sky of Hook wins special victory in inaugural Rick Violette Stakes

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Coglianese Photos

By Sarah Mace

On August 4, 2018, a jubilant crowd joined trainer Rick Violette, assistant Melissa Cohen and owners Ralph M. and Lauren Evans in a drenched winner’s Saratoga circle under a rainbow to celebrate New York-bred Diversify’s victory in the rained-delayed Grade 1 Whitney.

Everyone knew Violette was ill, but it would have been hard to imagine that less than a year later, on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, the racing community, friends and family would gather in the same winner’s circle – this time in the pouring rain – to pay tribute following the inaugural Rick Violette Stakes, a 6-furlong sprint for New York-bred juveniles. The race was won by EV Racing Stable’s Sky of Hook whose trainer Rudy Rodriguez felt the victory was extra special.

A lifelong advocate for New York horsemen and New York horses, Violette died last October after a years-long battle with lung cancer. Violette was a longtime president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.  A founding member of the Board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, he co-created of the TAKE THE LEAD Thoroughbred Retirement Program and co-founded TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program for retraining retired racehorses. Violette ruffled some feathers during his career of advocacy, but no one ever questioned his love for and commitment to the people and horses he fought for.

Run as the Rockville Centre Stakes for the past five years in the closing week of the Belmont meet, the renamed Rick Violette was the featured race on the first day of the extended Saratoga meet’s second week and attracted a talented field of five.

Sky of Hook (Tapiture) was drawn in post four, returning to the races 47 days after breaking his maiden by a head on May 10 going five furlongs at Belmont. That day, after being outrun early, Sky of Hook mounted a vigorous three-wide rally to just beat Violette Stakes rival Theitalianamerican to the wire at odds of 11-1. As a testament to the qulity of the inaugural Violette field, Sky of Hook was once again let go at generous odds as the longest shot in the field at 9-1 under jockey Luis Saez, who had the return call.

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NYRA/Chelsea Durand

After the break, Sky of Hook settled in third three-wide, as Listentoyourheart set the pace, pressed along by odds-on favorite Mission Wrapitup through an opening quarter in 22.75 and half-mile in 46.60 over the sloppy going.

The top pair wrangled through the turn, but Listentoyourheart got the lead to himself by the head of the stretch. Fanning four-wide, Sky of Hook launched a determined and, given the track conditions, valiant stretch-long bid, and in the final sixteenth got up to win by a nose over Listentoyourheart in a final time of 1:13.17.

Theitalianamerican took third 5 1/4 lengths back, followed by Mission Wrapitup and Torres Del Paine. (VIDEO REPLAY[3])

Luis Saez reported, “The track conditions weren’t ideal, but he broke sharply and handled it well. When we came towards the stretch, I really knew he was game. He was trying his best. I knew I had enough to get there and thankfully we did before the wire.”

Rudy Rodriguez focused first on the race’s namesake. “It’s great to win a race like this that’s named after Rick for all the good things he’s done for the sport,” Rodriguez said. “We really miss him.”

As to Sky of Hook, who posted a series of regular works, including a move on the Saratoga turf training track, Rodriguez said, “We tried to get him ready and get him along without hurrying him. It worked out good. I thought he was in trouble because he was lagging a little bit. But to run like this in the slop, everything worked out perfect.”

The conditioner added, “He can handle the sloppy track, but he’s been working pretty good on the grass, too. We’ll see what we have to do there.”

Bred by EV in partnership with NC Corp and foaled at Clermont Farm in Clermont, Sky of Hook is the second foal and first starter out of Ambitious Dancer, a winning daughter of Latent Heat purchased by N. Chatterpaul for $5,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale with Sky of Hook in utero. She foaled a full brother to the Violette winner on February 21, 2019.

From his two victories Sky of Hook has earned $89,100. He is the first stakes winner for his freshman sire Tapiture.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2019/07/17/rick-violette-stakes-sky-of-hook/