Vacay makes it two straight in Key Cents

By Tom Law

The winter months are barreling down in the Northeast – even though it didn’t feel much like it in early November – and Todd Pletcher hopes for more big things from Vacay once the calendar rolls over to 2021.

The 2-year-old daughter of Not This Time showed she could be in for a productive sophomore campaign with a 5 ½-length victory in the $100,000 Key Cents Stakes for New York-breds Sunday at Aqueduct.

“I thought it was a very professional performance on her part,” Pletcher said after Vacay won the 6-furlong Key Cents in 1:11.69 to improve to 2-for-2. “She didn’t break great in her first start but broke better today. She finished up the way you would want one to. She’s a quality filly and it looks like she’ll handle more distance as well.”

Bred by J Stables LLC, Vacay was purchased by her owners Repole Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners for $100,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Consigned by Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds, agent, and the tenth yearling through the ring during the New York-bred sale’s second session, Vacay is out of the stakes-winning Belgravia mare Florida Sun.

“We always liked her quite a bit,” said Pletcher, who trained Vacay in Saratoga this summer and fall before she joined his main string at Belmont Park in late October. “She gives me the impression she’s going to improve even more when we stretch her out a little bit.”

The next two opportunities for Vacay to stretch out – and stay against New York-breds – come during the Aqueduct winter meeting in the $100,000 Franklin Square at 6 ½ furlongs Jan. 16 and the $100,000 Maddie May at 1 mile Feb. 20.

“That’s the most likely plan,” Pletcher said of potential plans to keep Vacay in New York for the winter. “I’ll talk it over with the connections but I would like to take advantage of the New York-bred status.”

Vacay won her debut at 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont Oct. 16 and shortened up a bit Sunday. Irad Ortiz Jr. put Vacay into a stalking position early in the Key Cents while Chasing Cara, Rossa Veloce and Lady Finger Stakes winner Party At Page’s led through opening splits of :22.25 and :45.89.

Vacay came wide into the lane, continued to gain on the leaders and took control near the eighth pole. The 3-2 favorite drew off from there while Rossa Veloce held second, 1 ¾ lengths in front of Party At Page’s.

“She’s a nice filly,” Ortiz said. “She looks like she can go a little further. I was trying to hold her position and as soon as we were turning for home, I asked her, and she took off.”

Vacay is the third foal produced by Florida Sun, who won the 2014 Leave Me Alone Stakes at Calder Race Course and placed in three other stakes in South Florida. Her first to foals are also winners – the 4-year-old Warrior’s Reward gelding J’s Warrior and the 3-year-old Palace Malice colt Our Troubadour. Florida Sun, also the dam of a yearling full brother to Vacay, was bed to Khozan in 2020.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2020/11/15/vacay-makes-it-two-straight-in-key-cents/

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Therapist handles open company in Artie Schiller

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Fan favorite Therapist had been agonizingly close to winning in three starts since a stakes win at Belmont Park in June and Saturday at Aqueduct he finally visited the winner’s circle again after the $100,000 Artie Schiller Stakes.

The 5-year-old Freud gelding, co-bred by trainer Christophe Clement and owner Oak Bluff Stables, broke from the outside stall in the field of eight for the 1-mile open stakes. Racing more than 5 lengths off the leader early, he only had two horses beat while Rinaldi took the field through opening splits of :24.43 and :48.50.

Therapist closed the gap on the far turn and weaved through traffic in the stretch to cut the gap to less than 4 lengths at the eighth pole. Racing down the center of the track, Therapist used nearly every inch of the turf course to get up just in time for a neck victory over Valid Point as the favorite Delaware finished a head back in third. Therapist won in 1:37.16 over the course rated good.

“He’s the perfect advertisement for the New York-bred program; he’s very consistent and can win at a high level against open company,” Clement said. “He’s a very honest horse. He’s a lovely horse and I’m lucky to train him. I’m the co-breeder, alongside the owner, Mr. Richard Leahy [of Oak Bluff Sables].”

Not sold his only time through the ring as a yearling at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling, Therapist was foaled and raised at Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains.

One of two stakes winners out of two-time winner Lady Renaissance alongside full sister Fresco, who earned her stakes victory at Saratoga this summer. The winner of nine of his 21 starts with seven other top three finishes, Therapist has earned over $653,345 through his four-year career that includes a champion New York-bred 2-year-old male title in 2017.

Sold in January 2018 for $52,000, Lady Renaissance has had three non-New York-bred foals since going through the ring.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2020/11/15/therapist-handles-open-company-in-artie-schiller/

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Eagle Orb shrugs off gate troubles, wins Notebook Stakes

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Eagle Orb spent the past few months coming close to an elusive stakes victory and Saturday broke through in the $100,000 Notebook Stakes at Aqueduct.

A 2-year-old son of Kentucky Derby winner Orb, Eagle Orb was so eager to start the Notebook that he broke through the gate – reacting to antics from a horse to his outside. Once all was sorted and the field reloaded, Eagle Orb acted like a complete professional when tracking the leaders along the rail early in the 6-furlong stakes.

Eagle Orb switched to the outside when things got serious and made his move to take the lead in the stretch. He and jockey Manny Franco cruised to the wire 2 3/4 lengths in front of favored Blue Gator. Eagle Orb finished second in two of his previous three stakes attempts and trainer Rudy Rodriguez was happy to see his colt break through.

“This horse always shows up,” Rodriguez said. “I was a little disappointed why we didn’t get the last two wins. He’s been close at Saratoga and at Belmont. He was close, but I’m very happy for the owner to win this race. He was knocking at the door.”

Bred by Barry Ostrager and purchased for $95,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale by E.V. Racing Stable, the colt races in their colors and is a half-brother to six other winners out of stakes-placed Lady On Holiday.

A half-sister to Grade 3 winner Bold Start and two other stakes runners, Lady On Holiday was purchased by Ostrager carrying this colt in 2018 for $30,000. She also has a yearling colt by New York-based stallion Golden Ticket and a weanling colt by Dialed In born in April with both born in New York. Lady On Holiday most recently visited Mo Town for a 2021 foal.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2020/11/15/eagle-orb-shrugs-off-gate-troubles-wins-notebook-stakes/

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