My Mane Squeeze dominates in Saratoga return

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New York-bred Horse of the Year My Mane Squeeze dominates in Wednesday’s Johnstone Stakes at Saratoga. Coglianese Photo.

By Alec DiConza

Reigning New York-bred Horse of the Year My Mane Squeeze made owner and breeder William “Buck” Butler proud when the 4-year-old filly dominated Wednesday’s $150,000 Johnstone Stakes at Saratoga Race Course by 6 1/4 lengths.

“She did a hell of a job,” said Butler, who owns My Mane Squeeze with WinStar Farm. “She did what she was supposed to do. Onward and upward.”

My Mane Squeeze, named for Butler’s wife Loretta, broke on top and established a comfortable 1-length cushion over Tricky Temper while running the opening quarter-mile in :23.42. The daughter of Audible cruised around the far turn through a half-mile in :46.12, and by the time she entered the stretch, she held an insurmountable lead over her competition.

My Mane Squeeze continued opening her advantage through the lane under Luis Saez and finished the 7-furlong race for New York-bred fillies and mares in 1:22.66. Tricky Temper came home second, followed by Sterling Silver. The Johnstone, originally carded with a field of 11, scratched down to a group of six. That allowed My Mane Squeeze, usually a closer, to use front-running tactics.

“That was perfect for us,” Butler said about the defections. “But, Luis had a plan and looks like he executed it perfectly.”

My Mane Squeeze is a two-time graded stakes winner with victories in last year’s Grade 2 Eight Belles and Grade 3 Dogwood for trainer Mike Maker. In addition to New York-bred Horse of the Year, she was awarded champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter at this year’s New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ Annual Awards dinner. In 2025, My Mane Squeeze added two more graded stakes placings to her resume before her win in the Johnstone.

“She’s super special,” Loretta Butler said. “And you know what, we may be here in front of the cameras, but we’re really riding on the shoulders of everyone who has worked with this horse over the years. The barns, the farms, Mike’s staff, we’re really honored to be a part of it.”

My Mane Squeeze is one of several successful racehorses to come from the Speightstown mare In Spite Of Mama. A three-time winner for Butler, In Spite Of Mama has also produced Rotknee and Mama’s Gold, who runs in Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney. Both Rotknee and Mama’s Gold won state-bred stakes races in 2024, and the former was awarded champion male sprinter at the New York-Bred Divisional Awards. Needless to say, In Spite Of Mama has rewarded the breeding decisions made by the Butler family.

“She’s had a year and a half as far as 2024,” Buck Butler said about the 13-year-old mare who was also trained by Maker during her racing career. “She had a whole bunch of winners. And, we still have a couple of them and we’re enjoying them.”

In Spite Of Mama has also produced the multiple stakes-placed Lookin For Trouble. She is the dam of an unnamed 2-year-old by Runhappy.

With her win in the Johnstone, My Mane Squeeze won for the seventh time in 17 career starts with earnings of $1,207,785. Maker said he would consider Grade 1 Ballerina, run on Travers Day August 23, for My Mane Squeeze’s next race.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/07/30/my-mane-squeeze-dominates-in-saratoga-return/

Leon Blue digs in for Rick Violette victory

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Leon Blue edges Smooth Breeze in Thursday’s Rick Violette Stakes at Saratoga. Coglianese Photo.

Leon Blue fended off odds-on favorite and became the latest headline maker produced by Alana’s Allure in the $145,500 Rick Violette Stakes during Thursday’s New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day at Saratoga Race Course.

Leon Blue, under apprentice Chris Elliott, dug in and fended off several challenges from Smooth Breeze, under reigning Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat, to win the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old New York-breds by a neck. Dismissed at 6-1in the field of five, Leon Blue improved to 2-3-1 from six starts with his first stakes victory for trainer Melanie Giddings and owners Paul Braverman, Al Gold’s Gold Square, AWC Stables and Scott Akman.

“It’s a really good group of people that own this horse and they’ve been super patient with him and let us do anything the horse needs – to take the time and be patient with him,” Giddings said.

Bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, foaled at Shamrock Hill Farm in Fort Edward and named for the late trainer and lifelong racetracker, Leon Blue is the second foal out of the unraced Shackleford mare Alana’s Allure. She’s out of the Group 2-place Chilean-bred Dancing Groom mare Bella Madame.

Alana’s Allure’s first foal, the 5-year-old Central Banker gelding Allure of Money, sports a record of 8-2-1 in 22 starts and $248,345 in earnings. Also bred by Prudhomme and Gallivan, Allure of Money won the 2022 Tin Cup Chalice Stakes to close his 2-year-old campaign and returned to win the New York Derby and Leon Reed Memorial Stakes, both at Finger Lakes, to earn a finalist nod for champion 3-year-old male honors in 2023.

Bloodstock agent Joe Hardoon purchased Leon Blue for Paul Braverman for $100,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. He went winless in three starts last year, but now sports two wins in three starts this year.

Leon Blue came into the Rick Violette off a runner-up finish by a nose to Outsource in a 1 1/16-mile state-bred allowance on the turf June 4 at Saratoga. After a brief duel with Sounds Like a Plan, Leon Blue settled into third behind that foe and Smooth Breeze into the first turn and through the opening quarter-mile in :23.29.

Sounds Like a Plan continued to lead around the turn and into the backstretch, with the field bunching up a bit to the half in :47.31. Sounds Like a Plan stayed in front through 6 furlongs in 1:11.08 with Leon Blue ready to take command in the stretch and Smooth Breeze poised a bit further out.

Leon Blue came wide into the stretch, forcing Smooth Breeze out just a bit and taking over. Smooth Breeze came in on Leon Blue at about the three-sixteenths pole but didn’t stop the eventual winner’s momentum. Leon Blue won in 1:41.34. Smooth Breeze, the 1-2 favorite after a win two starts back in a state-bred allowance April 27 at Aqueduct, finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Sounds Like a Plan with Outsource and I’m Due completing the field. Leon Blue won in 1:41.34.

“That was an unlucky head bob,” Giddings said of Leon Blue’s June 4 race. “Chris rode the horse perfect; the horse was just a little sharp going his first two turns off the layoff. He was bound to be fresh, and I think he got a little tired on him late. We made a couple of equipment adjustments today – cut back the blinkers a little bit and he was fitter today to go the two turns, so we knew we were sitting in a good spot.

Elliott liked where Leon Blue put him every step of the 1 1/16 miles.

“I was really confident in my horse. He was fighting back, he’s a fighter. He really gave me everything he had,” said Elliott, winning his first race at the proper Saratoga meet. “It’s unreal, this is the place to be. I am very fortunate to have gotten all of the support here. I really appreciate all the trainers and everyone who has given me the opportunity.”

Leon Blue picked up $82,500 and boosted his bankroll to $184,200.

Alana’s Allure might have more future winners in the pipeline after her third foal, the New York-bred Vekoma colt now named Kirkwood sold for $300,000 to the late Christophe Clement at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale. Kirkwood shows three breezes on his worktab, including a half in :50.01 July 14 on the Belmont Park training track. Alana’s Allure is also the dam of a yearling filly by Tacitus and a weanling filly by Cyberknife, both bred in New York by Prudhomme and Gallivan.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/07/17/leon-blue-digs-in-for-rick-violette-victory/

Mommy’s Turn lands first stakes in Suzie O’Cain

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Mommy’s Turn lands first stakes victory in Wednesday’s Suzie O’Cain at Saratoga Race Course. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

By Alec DiConza

Mommy’s Turn isn’t always the easiest horse to handle, but that didn’t matter Wednesday when she ran away from her rivals under Jose Lezcano to win the $150,000 Suzie O’Cain Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

“She’s a challenge to train and to ride,” winning trainer Chad Brown said. “Jose has done a good job with her. I’m really happy for him because she’s one of the more challenging horses I have in my stable to ride. We made a couple little adjustments for this race. I don’t think she’s ever going to be not difficult. I like that she drew inside and Jose did a great job to sort of walk that line between not taking too much out of her, holding her in there and keeping her straight as he held her, but holding his position. Great ride, great performance.”

Breaking from post two in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies, Mommy’s Turn sat a ground-saving trip in third through the first turn while slightly keen, tugging at Lezcano throughout. The daughter of Mendelssohn settled more on the backstretch and into the far turn before slicing through early leaders Grace and Grit and Boston’s Phinest in the stretch to take the lead.

Mommy’s Turn dashed home from there and won by 2 lengths in 1:42.28 for owners Team Hanley and Thirty Year Racing.

“She relaxed more today,” Lezcano said. “We made a change on the bit and that helped, too. My filly, she can do anything. She can go inside, outside. I had the chance to go outside, but I had a little space between horses. I said, ‘I’ll go for it’ and she did it.”

Coming off a second in an allowance against New York-breds last month at Aqueduct, Mommy’s Turn successfully stepped up in class, boosted her record to two wins in four starts and increased her career earnings to $143,075. Brown said the filly could run back in another New York-bred stakes race.

“We skipped our conditions today just because she’s eligible,” he said. “You don’t see too many straight 3-year-old New York-bred turf races, so I decided to skip the allowance race and go here. She’s a nice horse for the future if we take care of her, too. Pick our spots this year, take care of her.

“I’ve had some of these New York-bred turf horses through the years where we just run them when their season is in bloom, and we rest them when they’re not. If she stays healthy, that’s what we’ll do with her.”

Mommy’s Turn was bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman, foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown and sold for $115,000 at the 2024 OBS April sale. She’s the fourth foal out of the two-time stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Hard To Stay Notgo.

Hard To Stay Notgo’s other foals include the stakes-winning Makin My Move and the stakes-placed Gotta Go Mo. Evaluation, another one of her offspring, won on debut at Saratoga last summer. Hard To Stay Notgo is also the dam of an unnamed 2-year-old by Justify and a yearling colt by Yaupon – both bred by the Bromans – and a colt by Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish born April 23 and bred by Chester Broman.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/07/16/mommys-turn-lands-first-stakes-in-suzie-ocain/

Train the Trainer delivers in New York Derby

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Train the Trainer rolls to victory in Monday’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Train the Trainer continued his ascent up the ranks of New York-bred 3-year-olds with a front-running victory in Monday’s $156,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

Alipony Racing’s and Saints or Sinners’ Train the Trainer, the 1-2 favorite making his first start around two turns, won the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby by 4 lengths over second choice Hit the Post. Irad Ortiz Jr., in from Saratoga Race Course on the first dark day of the summer meeting, rode the winner for trainer Rob Atras.

Train the Trainer also improved to 3-for-3 since returning to his home state. He won a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden special weight May 4 at Aqueduct before a 2 3/4-length score over Mike Lee Stakes June 4 to open the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga.

Ortiz rode the Dialed In gelding in both of those starts and employed similar tactics against his three opponents in the New York Derby. Train the Trainer took the lead from the inside post and battled with Hit the Post to and around the first turn. Those two clicked off splits of :23.67 and :47.60 with a 2-length gap over Buttah and King’s Leap.

Train the Trainer continued to lead the way through 6 furlongs in 1:12.24, shaking off Hit the Post in the stretch before drawing off late to win in 1:44.66 over the fast track. Hit the Post finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of King’s Leap with Buttah fourth. Calling Card, fourth last time in the Mike Lee, scratched.

Bred by Hibiscus Stables and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Train the Trainer is out of the winning Forestry mare Heavenly Vision. Trainer Mark Glatt bought him for $52,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and trained Train the Trainer for his first start for the same ownership group. Train the Trainer finished second behind Goal Oriented in an open-company maiden race April 6 at Santa Anita Park before his owners sent him to Atras.

Train the Trainer is a half-brother to six winners out of Heavenly Vision. She’s a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner and sire Cairo Prince and the Grade 1-placed Empire Maker mare Nonna Mia, the dam of Grade 1 winner Outwork.

Train the Trainer picked up $93,600 to boost his bankroll to $260,600.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/07/14/train-the-trainer-delivers-in-new-york-derby/

Jak N Burny in time for Leon Reed win

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Jak N Burny fends off longshots for another Finger Lakes victory in Monday’s Leon Reed Memorial. SV Photography

A last-gasp head win at the wire. A steward’s inquiry at the start. For owner/breeder Sherry Washburn and trainer Debra Breed, the Leon Reed Memorial had 1:11.98 of it all.

Ridden by regular rider Joel Cruz, the 5-year-old son of Destin did what he does best, breaking sharply, blitzing to the front and then hanging tough to the line. Sent off the favorite in the 6-furlong stakes, Jak N Burny held off 39-1 Crypto Causeway who rallied late along the rail. Newport Bridge at 93-1 finished third with second-choice Rotknee fading to fourth in the $50,000 sprint stakes.

Breaking from the inside of the field 10, Jak N Burny angled out, initiating a six-horse chain reaction before darting back to the rail. The bay gelding opened a half-length through the first quarter in :22.50 and a half in :45.37. Jak N Burny dispatched Looms Boldly by the quarter pole, widened a 3-length chasm turning for home and looked free until the waning strides. Head rising with each stride, Jak N Burny managed to get to the wire just in time for his second stakes win. Stewards looked at the start but let the results stand. Crypto Causeway was untouched, and Newport Ridge was bothered slightly in the opening strides.

Jak N Burny improved his record to eight wins and two seconds from 11 starts for $184,180. His only off-the-board finish came in the 2023 Reed when he hopped and bobbled at the start and wound up fourth. It was the only time he wasn’t on the engine at the first two calls of a race.

Jak N Burny is the fifth foal out of the winning New York-bred Duckhorn mare Betty’s Chance. He’s a half-brother to 2018 Leon Reed winner Winston’s Chance who earned $495,264 in a 14-win career and Ifihadachance, a 13-time winner and $447,914-earner.

Betty’s Chance, bred by Washburn and Michael Haers, went 2-3-0 in six starts for $23,930 in earnings. She’s also the dam of the 3-year-old New York-bred Cloudy Chance, who was also bred by Washburn. The daughter of Cloud Computing finished third in her career debut in February and followed with a fourth at Belmont Park at Aqueduct and an eighth at Saratoga July 5.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/07/14/jak-n-burny-in-time-for-leon-reed-win/

Lottie Margaret slips through inside to win New York Oaks

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Madaket Stable’s Lottie Margaret and Manny Franco cruise to the finish of Monday’s New York Oaks. SV Photography.

A hop in the air at the start of Monday’s $75,000 New York Oaks at Finger Lakes proved to be no problem for Madaket Stable’s Lottie Margaret, the convincing winner of the 1 1/16-mile race for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

The daughter of Global Campaign settled into stride several lengths behind her three rivals after that start. She saved ground going into the first turn under Manny Franco to put herself in third, within 2 lengths of the lead, through the opening quarter-mile.

Tracking the pace set by Mischief Lady, Lottie Margaret stayed glued to the rail along the backstretch through opening fractions of :24.34 and :48.57. Entering the far turn, Franco sat motionless on Lottie Margaret as the rest of the field started being asked for their runs. Franco guided his filly through an opening on the inside nearing the quarter pole, and the pair had no trouble finishing from there.

Lottie Margaret won by 3 lengths in 1:46.53 as the longest shot in the field at 7-2. Valtellina finished second, followed by Vehemente and Mischief Lady. Practically Summer scratched.

Trained by Brad Cox, Lottie Margaret earned her first stakes victory in the New York Oaks. She entered the race off a fifth in an allowance-optional against open company and a second in the state-bred Maddie May Stakes, both run at 1 mile at Aqueduct. Prior to that, she broke her maiden and won an allowance-optional against state-breds by a combined 20 1/4 lengths. Her victory Monday boosted her record to three wins in six starts with earnings of $165,020.

Bred by Steve Schuster and foaled at Old Saratoga Equine Services in Schuylerville, Lottie Margaret sold for $75,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale in August 2023. She’s the sixth foal and first stakes winner out of the Street Cry mare Passionate Diva, whose other foals include the three-time winner and stakes-placed Mashnee Girl. Passionate Diva has foaled two other winners in Cape Cod Diva and I’m More Ready. She is the dam of the unraced 2-year-old A L Leader, by Code Of Honor.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2025/07/14/lottie-margaret-slips-through-inside-to-win-new-york-oaks/