New York Showcase Special

By Tom Law

The biggest day of the Saratoga season for New York-breds – and easily one of the most anticipated of the year – unfolds Friday with New York Showcase Day.

Eleven races are on tap, including six stakes worth $1.15 million. Everything starts at 1:05 and the first stakes, the $200,000 Seeking the Ante for 2-year-old fillies, goes as the second race at 1:41. The team at The Saratoga Special and This Is Horse Racing wanted to preview all the action and present the New York Showcase Special to set the stage. And we’ll be back with another edition for Empire Showcase Day this fall at Belmont Park.

Here’s wishing everyone in the New York Thoroughbred industry a safe Showcase Day and prosperous rest of the year.

 

Worth Repeating

“New York Showcase Day is the flagship event on the calendar for our state’s breeders and owners. We’re proud to partner with NYRA to feature an all New York-bred card at the premier racing meet in the country with lucrative purses and six state-bred stakes totaling $1.15 million.”
New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Executive Director Najja Thompson.

“It showcases exactly what New York is all about. We can raise a good horse and compete at the highest level at Saratoga. There’s nothing better. Needless to say, Rinaldi, he just came out of a Grade 3. We looked at the Fourstardave and I felt like maybe it was too tough for him.”
Trainer Jim Bond on Rinaldi, winner of last year’s West Point and back again after winning the Forbidden Apple the first Friday of the meet

“Pecatonica, she’s got a fighting chance. Hopefully she’ll give Castellano a good feel and he’ll ride her hard. She has to be ridden, she’s very willing but she still has to be ridden to get something done. She’s doing well. Really well.”
Trainer Tom Bush on Berkshire Stud’s homebred Pecatonica, who runs in the Yaddo

“It took me six months to convince Charlie Frock and Gerald Burns to come back to New York. They finally shipped up here and she won the allowance. There’s no better time to try a stakes race with her. She’s training well and she has a shot. I think she’s going to try to put in the best race of her career.”
John Taisey, breeder of Yaddo entrant Mike’s Girl through his Hibiscus Stables

“I can unequivocally say that I’m nervous. I want them all to do well.”
Lawrence Goichman, breeder of three stakes runners on Showcase Day including last year’s Yaddo winner Myhartblongstodady

 

By the Numbers

4: Horses bred solely or in partnership by the three breeders most-represented on the card – Dr. Jerry Bilinski, McMahon of Saratoga, and Sequel.

6: Offspring of the late Effinex, who stood at Questroyal North, entered to lead all sires. War Dancer, now at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views, leads among active stallions with five.

7: Horses entered Friday by trainer Christophe Clement, most of any conditioner on the card. Jeremiah Englehart is second with six.

12.75: Combined margin of victory for the Milfer Farm-bred Miss Alacrity in her two starts prior to Friday’s Seeking the Ante Stakes.

62: Trainers with runners on Showcase Day.

110: Horses entered on Showcase Day.

$677,865: Earnings for 6-year-old Freud gelding Therapist, most of any runner on the Showcase Day card.

$800,000: Total spent at auction for three fillies in the Seeking the Ante – $500,000 Velvet Sister, $150,000 Miss Alacrity and $150,000 Laoban’s Legacy.

$1,545,000: Purses for the 11 races on Showcase Day.

 

Names of the Day

Baudi Moovan, fifth race: The 3-year-old Twirling Candy filly is named for lead character in the pandemic hit documentary Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer.

Exact Change, fifth race: Daughter of Central Banker out of Precise Lady also runs in the 5 ½-furlong maiden on the grass

Mosienko, sixth race: Stacy Lalman’s 4-year-old Hat Trick filly, bred by Anthony Grey, is named for former NHL star credited with fastest hat trick in history – 21 seconds.

Byhubbyhellomoney, seventh race: Daughter of Effinex goes in the Fleet Indian.

Purple Hearted, ninth race: Epona Racing Stable’s gelding by Normandy Invasion finished second to Americanrevolution in the New York Derby. Salute to all the veterans.

 

Tiz the Law autograph session 

Fans have the opportunity to celebrate 2020 New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male Tiz the Law, last year’s Belmont Stakes and Travers winner, during a special autograph session with owner Jack Knowlton of Sackatoga Stables, trainer Barclay Tagg and jockey Manny Franco.

The trio will offer autographed editions of a commemorative Tiz the Law poster at the Jockey Silks Room Porch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a recommended donation to the Backstretch Employee Service Team and the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. Tiz the Law hats and t-shirts will be available for an additional donation.

Tiz the Law posters are free throughout the day at NYRA Bets Squad kiosks and Guest Services locations, while supplies last.

 

The Showcase Special

Saratoga Race Course. Race 1. 1:05 p.m. Full group of 10 2-year-olds, plus a couple main track only runners, for 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden.

Saratoga. Race 2. 1:41. The $200,000 Seeking the Ante. Miss Alacrity, daughter of Munnings bred by Milfer Farm Inc., comes in with wins by 10 lengths at Belmont Park in May and 2 ¾ in the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park Aug. 1. She’ll be tough from the rail against November Rein, Laoban’s Legacy and Velvet Sister.

Saratoga. Race 3. 2:15. Back to the grass for two-turn maiden for 3-year-olds and up. Barrage, a son of New York-based sire War Dancer, tried divisions of the New York Stallion Series in his last two starts and returns to the main ranks for Danny Gargan. Merrylegs Farm North homebred Yarrow and Gallaghers Stud homebred Sandro the Great look to graduate.

Saratoga. Race 4. 2:47. The $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Eight entered for 6 1/2-furlong stakes, including California shipper and $400,000 yearling Montebello, Rick Violette Stakes winner Run Curtis Run and debut maiden winner Daufuskie Island.

Saratoga. Race 5. 3:23. Back to the grass for 5 1/2-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up. Mark Casse sends out Sinfully Sweet, daughter of Twirling Candy who cost Tracy Farmer $320,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Gary Sciacca continues his quest for 1,000 wins and could get to 999 with Caumsett in her eighth start.

Saratoga. Race 6. 3:55. Sort out this group of 11 fillies and mares for 7-furlong allowance and there should be some type of reward.

Saratoga. Race 7. 4:29. The $200,000 Fleet Indian for 3-year-old fillies kicks off run of four straight stakes. A Bit o’Irish Sass won the New York Oaks last time at Finger Lakes and looks to make it three in a row for trainer Rick Schosberg. She’ll need a top effort if Make Mischief, a competitor in seven graded stakes in her 13-start career.

Saratoga. Race 8. 5:03. Excellent group of older turf horses for the $150,000 West Point Stakes presented by Trustco Bank. Rinaldi, winner of the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple and 4-for-5 on the grass at Saratoga, leads the cast. Connections considered the Grade 1 Fourstardave but opted instead for title defense here. They take on multiple stakes winner Therapist, City Man, Graded On a Curve and Mo Ready.

Saratoga. Race 9. 5:39. Americanrevolution blasted the field in the New York Derby last month and looks to add another prize in the $250,000 Albany. Trained by Todd Pletcher, son of Constitution rides two-race win streak into 9-furlong headliner. The main threats look like Bobby Jo, son of Speightster who ships in from Southern California off a win at Del Mar; and Anejo, winner at the track and trip Aug. 11.

Saratoga. Race 10. 6:13. Another title defense on the line with Myhartblongstodady returning to the state-bred ranks in the $150,000 Yaddo Handicap. One of the best fixtures on the New York-bred racing calendar, 1 1/16-mile turf stakes also attracts last year’s third-place finisher Classic Lady, Saratoga Dew winner Dancing Kiki, Chocolate Cookie and Giacosa.

Saratoga. Race 11. 6:47. Don’t hit the exit just yet. A maiden claimer on the grass with a full field of 12, along with three AEs and an MTO, closes the card.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2021/08/26/new-york-showcase-special/

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Team Effort: Showcase Day highlights state’s breeding program

By Tom Law and Paul Halloran

Friday’s Saratoga Showcase Day card for New York-breds features six stakes worth $1.15 million and five others worth $395,000.

On display at Saratoga Race Course – 110 horses bred in the Empire State by dozens of breeders, conditioned by 62 trainers and owned by scores of owners. That’s what you can see on the overnight, in the Post Parade or Daily Racing Form, or any decipherable website with entries and results.

What most don’t see – like every race day at every track worldwide – is what it takes to get to a Showcase Day.

“I was told a long time ago. I came from the corporate world and I didn’t get it. A friend of mine from Kentucky said ‘this is a lifestyle,’ ” said Tina Bond, riding back and forth from Clare Court to Gridley Street with husband and trainer Jim Bond behind the wheel of the Bond Stable golf cart. “Once you put your head around that it’s easier to digest. We live on a farm, so it is our life. You don’t get away from it. Some days are tough, yes, but I don’t know what we would do that would be so satisfying. There are days that are challenging, but the rewards …”

The Bonds, who own and operate Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Mechanicville, will try for a couple of the day’s major rewards when they run Rinaldi in the $150,000 West Point Stakes and Giacosa in the $150,000 Yaddo. Giacosa is a homebred, a daughter of the Bond-trained Tizway out of the Smart Strike mare Smart Engagement that Jim Bond bought as a yearling for $30,000 and won two races with on the NYRA circuit in 2008 and 2009.

The Bonds spent Tuesday morning training the family’s string out of their private barn on Gridley and another on the main track not far from the Morning Line Kitchen. When they finished there they, like other small-, medium- and large-scale breeders in the state, went to the farm to continue the process of producing the next generation of potential runners to compete at Saratoga.

“Tuesday is a dark day for a lot of people but after this we’re going to the farm to wean some babies off their mares,” Jim Bond said. “We all want to get here. When you’re lucky enough to win at Saratoga with one of them it’s like ‘wow, it came together, finally.’ You have to wait, sometimes, three years, or more for that plan. You talk about a stock market going up and down. It’s a roller coaster someday, one comes in with a temperature, something wrong or whatever it might be. It’s humbling.”

Lawrence Goichman knows the rewards and what it takes to make it in New York.

He bred last year’s Yaddo winner Myhartblongstodady from a relatively small broodmare band and he finished second in last weekend’s Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes with the 3-year-old New York-bred filly Runaway Rumour.

Goichman is represented by three runners on the Showcase Day card – Myhartblongstodady in her Yaddo defense, Run Curtis Run in the $200,000 Funny Cide for 2-year-olds and Graded On A Curve in the West Point. He owns Myhartblongstodady, but sold Run Curtis Run ($45,000 at 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale) and Graded On A Curve ($80,000 at 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale).

“It’s nice to see horses that I bred run,” Goichman said. “As a breeder, it gives me the chance to visit with the kids who graduated from our program. I can unequivocally say that I’m nervous. I want them all to do well.

“It’s a great program, that’s why I pursue it. It enables you to come up with the income you need to support your program. Unless you’re a member of the ruling class in the Middle East and you have oil wells, you have to make it work financially. I wanted to develop a breeding program and that’s what I did. The goal was to produce some high-quality runners. It’s a lot of fun when it works. Friday is going to be a lot of fun for me, to see three horses I bred all in stakes.”

Make Mischief, bred by the Martinez family’s Avanti Stable in nearby Greenfield Center, makes her second start at Saratoga this year and a return to Showcase Day after finishing second in last year’s Seeking The Ante. Foaled at Song Hill, the daughter of Into Mischief out of the Speightstown mare Speightful Lady runs in the $200,000 Fleet Indian after finishing eighth in the Grade 1 Test Stakes Aug. 7. She also finished second in last year’s Grade 3 Schuylerville and Grade 2 Adirondack.

“It’s a good day for us, with Make Mischief in the race,” Mario Martinez said. “Speightful Lady (also mother of Speightful Kitten, $220,000 earner) has done very well for us with some great offspring. We stopped selling horses and we are going to enjoy racing them ourselves.

“It’s a good day to spotlight the New York-breds. The New York breeding program has come a long way. It’s an attractive way to induce breeders to keep breeding in New York. There are significant financial advantages. As breeders, it’s important to us that horses stay in New York.”

Hibiscus Stable bred a winner on Big Apple Showcase Day this spring at Belmont Park when Robin Sparkles took the off-the-turf Mount Vernon Stakes. With a broodmare band of about seven, the Hibiscus Stable also bred Yaddo contender and July 24 Saratoga winner Mike’s Girl.

Foaled at Dr. Jerry Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Mike’s Girl is a 5-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy out of the Salt Lake mare Salt Water Reign who originally sold for $160,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Hibiscus also bred Funny Guy, who earned $638,645 and won the 2019 Albany on Saratoga Showcase Day, along with the Commentator, John Morrissey and a Stallion Series event in 2020.

“We focus mostly on New York breeding and racing,” said Jon Taisey, of Hibiscus. “We take a lot of pride in our breeding. The Showcase Days are fun. As a breeder, it’s just as much fun as being the owner, when you watch them get to the track and be successful.”

Showcase Day kicks off at 1:05 p.m. Friday with the first stakes – the $200,000 Seeking The Ante for 2-year-old fillies – at 1:41. Miss Alacrity, a daughter of Munnings bred by Milfer Farm who won the Colleen Stakes Aug. 1 at Monmouth Park, drew the rail in the field of six. The $200,000 Funny Cide with a field of eight goes as the fourth at 2:47. Bob Hahn’s homebred Goldencents colt Daufuskie Island figures to vie for favoritism with Rick Violette winner Run Curtis Run, California shipper Montebello and Saratoga debut winners Senbei and Happy Happy B.

Make Mischief and eight others are entered in the 9-furlong Fleet Indian that goes as the seventh at 4:29. Rinaldi defends his title in the West Point, the eighth at 5:03, against the likes of Therapist, Mo Ready and Graded On A Curve. New York Derby winner Americanrevolution, a colt by Constitution bred by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding, is one of nine entered for the 9-furlong Albany along with Bobby Bo, Bingo John and Purple Hearted. The Yaddo closes the stakes portion of the card as the 10th at 6:13. Defending champ Myhartblongstodady meets Classic Lady, Giacosa, Pecatonica and others in the 1 1/16-mile turf test.

 

Two-day Pick 4

NYRA will host a two-day $2 Pick 4 with races on Friday’s Showcase Day and Saturday’s Travers Day cards. The wager is available to any location that has access to NYRA content. This is NOT restricted to only NYRA Bets customers. The following are details pertaining to the special wager:

• NYRA will be the host and settle for the wager, which will have the standard NYRA Pick 4 takeout (24%) 
• The wager minimum is $2
• The 2 Day $2 Pick 4 will be a separate event wager in tote under Event Code SQD
• Mandatory payout of the entire pool on the day of
• The race order and approximate post times (eastern) are as follows: 

Leg A: Saratoga (Friday)–Race 9 (5:39 pm) 

Leg B: Saratoga (Friday)–Race 10 (6:13 pm) 

Leg C: Saratoga (Saturday)–Race 10 (4:47 pm) 

Leg D: Saratoga (Saturday) –Race 12 (6:12 pm)

Free PPs will be available on both www.NYRA.com[4] and www.NYRABets.com[5]

Equibase will be creating a special race card file for the wager that will be available once the card goes final.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2021/08/26/team-effort-showcase-day-highlights-states-breeding-program/

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