Winning ‘Spirit’ continues in open company

By Paul Halloran

Saturday’s Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct may have been the first foray into open company for Spirit of St Louis, but when you have stared City Man in the eye twice in your last three races – and beaten him once – how hard could it be?

As it turned out, not very.

Confidently handled by jockey Manny Franco, who was seeking his fourth straight win on the card, the Chester and Mary Broman-bred Spirit of St Louis swung wide on the far turn and rolled down the middle of the fresh turf course to win the $150,000 stakes for 4-year-olds and up.

“He can compete in open company,” said Franco, who has ridden the 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding in five of his eight races, winning four of them. “He’s a nice horse. I’m glad to be on him.”

Franco had Spirit of St Louis in sixth, well off the pace set by Heaven Street, who went a quarter-mile in :23.25 and a half in :46.35. He maintained that position before asking his horse to pick it up midway on the far turn and getting the response he was looking for.

“I cut the corner at the three-eighths pole and I had a lot of horse,” Franco said.

The winning margin was 1 3/4 lengths with a final time of 1:33.57, a track record over a course that was being used for the first time this year.

“He’s a hell of a nice horse,” said trainer Chad Brown, who also ran second with Equitize and last with pace-pressing Masen. “We gave him a little break and he’s really used his time off well to refresh himself. I couldn’t ask for anything more from his first race back. It was an excellent race for him.”

Spirit of St Louis was coming off a win over City Man in the Mohawk Stakes, after getting caught by the $1.2 million earner and Grade 2 winner two races prior in the West Point Stakes on New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course August 27. That is one of only two blemishes on his record, the other coming when he ran second in a state-bred allowance in his second career start.

Purchased by Michael Dubb for $280,000 at the 2023 Keeneland April horses of racing age sale, Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner and New York-bred champion Bar of Gold. They are out of the Lemon Drop kid mare Khancord Kid, a Grade 3 winner who has produced five winning foals. Madaket Stables and Richard Schermerhorn bought in after the purchase.

“I’m just fortunate to have bought the horse,” Dubb said. “I knew when he was at the sale last year that he had all kinds of ability. He, to me, seems a lot better than just a restricted, state-bred type of New York-bred, but I’ll leave it to Chad to tell me what is next.”

After winning three of his first four starts, Spirit of St Louis, a $300,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2020, tried state-bred stakes company for the first time in the West Point. He bounced back by taking the Ashley T. Cole Stakes, followed by a win in the Mohawk, with City Man second.

The Bromans bought Khancord Kid’s dam, Confidently, in 2000. In addition to Bar of Gold and Spirit of St Louis, Khancord Kid produced stakes-placed Land Mine and Homeland, as well as Im Just Kiddin. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Uncle Mo named Mo Khanfidence, and a yearling full brother to Bar of Gold.

The Danger’s Hour is named for a Grade 1 winner who made 21 of his 25 career starts in New York and was owned by Rokeby Stables, trained my Mack Miller and ridden by Jerry Bailey.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/04/21/winning-spirit-continues-in-open-company/

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Central Banker filly Sunday Girl rolls in NYSS Park Avenue

Sunday Girl ran to her odds and added another stakes winner to three-time leading New York sire Central Banker’s resume with a victory in Sunday’s $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old filly, fresh from an eye-catching debut victory February 10 at Aqueduct, rolled to a 3-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Park Avenue under Katie Davis. Owned by Mitre Box Stable, Clear Stars Stable and Eighth Note Stable and trained by David Duggan, Sunday Girl won in 1:16.91 as the 6-5 favorite in the field of eight.

“I gave her [Davis] no instructions,” Duggan said. “I knew she [Sunday Girl] was going to be a little bit sharper again and she had a clear trip on the outside. She had to pass the test today and she did that. The question mark going in was seasoning and she passed that test.”

Longshot Bustin Time took the early initiative in the Park Avenue, setting the pace through the opening quarter-mile in :22.36 with Davis and Sunday Girl content to track from her outside down the backstretch.

“Honestly the first time she ran, she broke great, but she was more, ‘What’s going on?’ kind of thing,” Davis said. “She broke out of the gate and was like ‘what do you want me to do,’ but she was nicely in my hands. Today, the post really helped us nicely and I got to take advantage of the outside post and being where I wanted to be and she was game.

Sunday Girl pulled Davis to the lead around the bend and approaching the half in :45.18. In control coming off the turn, Sunday Girl spurted away in the stretch as My Shea D Lady, Fast and Frisky and Sohana tried to cut into her advantage. Sunday Girl switched leads late and held off her rivals in hand, cruising under the wire as her sire’s 13th blacktype winner.

“I knew warming up,” Davis said about when she knew Sunday Girl was ready. “The pony guy goes, ‘Oh my god’ and I go, ‘Oh, I know, if you want to stop galloping, I’m good, we can keep her calm and relaxed.’ A filly like that the best thing you can do is keep their heart rate down and let them know it’s OK.”

My Shea D Lady, a stakes winner in her final start of 2023, finished second in her 3-year-old debut and led a 2-3-4-5 finish for her sire Solomini with Sohana third, Fast and Frisky fourth and Handle On You fifth.

Sunday Girl collected $110,000 for her connections in the Park Avenue to boost her earnings to $148,500. Duggan said Sunday Girl could show up next in the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on the Sunday, June 9 card of the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

“You roll on to the next challenge that they give us which will probably be the Bouwerie at Saratoga,” he said. “If she gets seven-eighths – there will be a different type of horse coming in there, so with a little more time and maturity you’d like to think that you’re going to improve again. I don’t think she needs to improve a whole lot but that was quite a nice performance today.

“The punches are going to get tougher now. I’m very realistic. You’re in a good position going into the next stake. If she holds form or improves a little bit, she’ll be right there.”

Sunday Girl brought the highest price for a New York-bred in the open portion of the 2022 OBS October yearling sale on a bid of $43,000 from Kathryn Martin. Mitre Box Stables purchased her for $100,000 about seven months later at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, out of the de Meric Sales consignment.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC and Spruce Lane Farm and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, the chestnut filly is out of the winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Lady Daphne.

Sunday Girl is a half-sister to Lady Jasmine, a New York-bred daughter of Cairo Prince also bred by McMahon and Spruce Lane who won her debut in 2022 at Saratoga Race Course. She’s earned $79,068 in 11 starts. Lady Daphe is also the dam of the winning New York-bred Laoban filly Proper Grammar, who pushed her bankroll to $53,134 this month.

Lady Daphne, purchased by McMahon of Saratoga for $17,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Solomini and a yearling full brother to the Park Avenue winner.

Central Banker, a three-time defending leading sire in New York, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. Solomini also stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/04/14/central-banker-filly-sunday-girl-rolls-in-nyss-park-avenue/

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Antonio of Venice dominates NYSS Times Square

Antonio of Venice followed up on convincing stakes victory last month with another professional performance winning Sunday’s $200,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old son of the late former leading New York-based freshman sire Laoban collected his third stakes victory in the Times Square, adding the 6 1/2-furlong stakes to his victory in the March 17 Damon Runyon and last year’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the NYSS.

Under regular pilot Manny Franco as the 6-5 favorite in the field of seven, Antonio of Venice won by 2 1/4 lengths over 2-1 second choice Doc Sullivan with 34-1 first-time starter Grand Opening third. Antonio of Venice won in 1:15.32 over the fast track.

“He looks like he’s improving every time,” said winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who co-owns the colt with Michael Imperio, Robert Cotrone and Hibiscus Stables. “The other day when I worked him in the morning, I looked at my watch and I said, ‘wow.’ This horse is just in a different league right now, so we’re just happy he keeps improving and hopefully keeps doing that.”

Franco, aboard for Antonio of Venice’s last four starts which include those three stakes victories, also noticed the improvement.

“I want to give all the credit to the horse, the team, and Rudy Rodriguez,” Franco said. “The horse is turning good at the right time. He’s improving every race he runs and you could see today that he just ran really hard. I’m just happy to be on him and part of the win.”

Bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC, Antonio of Venice sold for $35,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and for the same price at the 2023 OBS March sale. Antonio of Venice is the third foal out of Stella Performance, who also produced winning full siblings to the multiple stakes winner winner in New York-breds Modern Midas ($79,860 in earnings) and I’m Wide Awake ($158,603).

Stella Performance is also the dam of yearling New York-bred colt by McKinzie and filly by Keepmeinmind born February 18 in New York, and both bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC.

A maiden winner at Saratoga Race Course in his third start, Antonio of Venice finished off the board in his first two stakes tries in Skidmore at Saratoga and Aspirant at Finger Lakes before a victory in the $500,000 Great White Way in mid-December. He started the season with a runner-up effort in the Rego Park in late January at Aqueduct before a 9 1/4-length victory in the Damon Runyon March 17.

The victory in the Times Square boosted Antonio of Venice’s earnings to $535,744.

Rodriguez kept the door open for several possible spots for Antonio of Venice.

“We’re going to enjoy the New York-bred, Stallion Series, maybe we take him to Finger Lakes,” he said. “Maybe we’ll take him to Saratoga, to Finger Lakes, and then try Saratoga again. We’ll see.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/04/14/antonio-of-venice-dominates-nyss-times-square/

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Bustin Bay shines at NY Claiming Championship

Winning Move Stable’s Bustin Bay, six days removed from a runner-up stakes effort that came just 10 days after an open-company allowance-optional victory, led the New York-bred contingent during Saturday’s New York Claiming Championship at Aqueduct.

Bustin Bay, a 6-year-old daughter of Bustin Stones, rolled to a front-running 2 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Sis City starter for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2023-24. Kendrick Carmouche rode the winner for trainer Linda Rice.

Bred by Robert Rosenthal, Peter Rosenthal and Martin Greenberg, Bustin Bay improved to 13-for-43 with nine seconds, six thirds and $740,490 with the Sis City victory.

Claimed by Rice for $45,000 out of a victory in a state-bred allowance-optional September 24 during the Belmont at the Big A meeting, Bustin Bay finished second in the March 24 Biogio’s Rose Stakes at 1 mile at Aqueduct. Racing on the lead in the Sis City at the same distance, Bustin Bay clicked off splits of :23.50, :46.39 and 1:11.24 en route to victory over Movie Moxie in 1:36.36 over the fast track.

Bustin Bay is one of three winners out of the multiple stakes-winning Frost Giant mare Frosty Bay, who is also the dam of New York-breds Frosty Invasion ($86,680) and Icey Cash ($24,447).

The Sis City victory also produced significant awards for Bustin Bay’s connections – $16,500 to the breeders, $4,125 to stallion and $8,250 to the owners.

The New York Claiming Championship card featured six starter allowance events at various distances. Sue Ellen Mishkin, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Mohaymen owned and trained by Rice, also finished second in the $55,000 Videogenic on the card.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/03/30/bustin-bay-shines-at-ny-claiming-championship/

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Set stays perfect in Cutler Bay Stakes

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ and Gary Barber’s Set stayed undefeated Saturday with a victory in the $125,000 Cutler Bay to kick off the stakes portion of the Florida Derby Day card at Gulfstream Park.

Bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, the son of Oscar Performance added the 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes to his victory at the same trip February 24 at Gulfstream. The 3-5 favorite in the field of seven, Set raced in second early under Emisael Jaramillo as King Julien set the pace. King Julien led by a length through the opening quarter-mile in :24.14 and a half-length through the half in :47.83 over the firm turf.

King Julien didn’t have much left to hold off Set around the turn as the New York-bred quickly challenged and took over by the time the field reached the stretch. The only pressure Set endured down the was from his own jockey’s urging with no serious challenges coming from the rest of the field. Set won by 1 1/4 lengths over Double Your Money in 1:28.10.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Barber purchased Set for $150,000 at last year’s OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale from consignor Gene Recio.

Trained by Mark Casse, Set is out of the Irish-bred Strategic Prince daughter Three Am Tour, who won three races in her career. Set is the second stakes performer for the mare, who is also the dam of the New York-bred stakes-placed Busy Morning. Overall, she has produced three winners from four to race.

“He trained really well going into his first race, and we were pretty high on him,” said Casse’s assistant Nick Tomlinson. “We weren’t 100 percent sure if he was fit enough but he still got there. He trained wonderfully again coming into this race. Jaramillo came into the paddock and said that there was some speed on the inside. I said, ‘It’s up to you. You know him best.’ He sat off them, made a nice run and kept on with it.

“He’s a lovely horse. … I think as everybody knows Graham [Motion] had him before us and he gave him a lovely foundation, so a lot of the credit has to go to his crew, as well. Lovely horse, bright future, and we’re excited to see what happens.”

Three Am Tour is out of a half-sister to the British stakes placed Falak with her granddam a three-quarter sister to top broodmare Maryinsky. The pedigree also includes Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner and Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile winner War of Will among the 10 Grade 1 winners under Set’s fourth dam Minnie Hauk.

Three AM Tour produced a colt from the first crop of Hidden Lake Farm’s Galilean last year before returning to Oscar Performance for a full sibling to Set.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/03/30/set-stays-perfect-in-cutler-bay-stakes/

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Stonewall Star bounces back in Biogio’s Rose

Horacio De Paz looked for answers when multiple stakes winner Stonewall Star turned in atypical performances in her three starts last fall and this winter since returning from a more than seven-month break.

He made a few changes with Barry Schwartz’s homebred daughter of Flatter, namely taking off blinkers for her morning breezes leading up to Sunday’s $97,000 Biogio’s Rose at Aqueduct. De Paz also took them off for the 1-mile stakes originally carded for Saturday but pushed a day later when New York Racing Association officials shifted the slate to avoid wet weather that blasted the region Friday and Saturday.

Stonewall Star, running without those familiar black blinkers she’d been decked out with in all 11 of her starts, returned to the form that landed her four victories in her first seven starts with a victory over Bustin Bay in the Biogio’s Rose. Ridden by Isaac Castillo, Stonewall Star won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:36.51 for the mile on the track labeled fast.

“We worked her in her second work back (March 9) and took the blinkers off and she was on the inside – she galloped out really well,” De Paz said. “I figured stretching out would make the pace a little bit easier and it would be a good idea to take them off. She’s a sharp filly and a happy type of filly.”

Stonewall Star raced close to the early pace set by Security Code with 6-5 favorite Venti Valentine to her outside. That trio raced as a team through the opening quarter-mile in :24.35.

Security Code, winner of the Broadway Stakes by a neck last time out over Venti Valentine, still led 9-2 fourth choice Stonewall Star by a tenuous head through the half in :47.61. Stonewall Star put her head in front midway around the far turn and led Security Code by a head past the quarter-pole and 6 furlongs in 1:11.95.

Castillo let Stonewall Star out in the lane and she opened up a 1 1/2-length lead in midstretch as Security Code and Venti Valentine backed up. Bustin Bay, coming back after winning an open-company allowance-optional March 14 for trainer Linda Rice, made a run from fourth in the lane to land the runner-up spot. Venti Valentine finished third with Security Code fourth and Sweetest Princess fifth.

“She’s really kind,” Castillo said. “The trainer did a very good job to get the filly to relax before the race. I know the [other] horses were coming, but she feels so comfortable up there. When I asked her, she still had so much left.”

De Paz was pleased with the decision to remove the blinkers and also race Stonewall Star in the state-bred ranks for the first time since winning the Franklin Square Stakes last January at Aqueduct. The Biogio’s Rose also marked the first time Stonewall Star raced at the 1-mile trip.

“She was always a talented filly, we just had trouble bringing her back to form,” De Paz said. “Just letting the pace be a little easier back in New York-bred company [helped] and I figured she could stretch out. She handled 7 [furlongs] just fine, especially at Laurel and when we tried Keeneland [third in the Grade 3 Beaumont last year]. Isaac rode a great race, controlled, and just let her be where she was comfortable and not rush her. I’m very happy for her to come back.”

Bred and foaled at Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Stonewall Star improved to 5-for-12 with a second and four thirds in the Biogio’s Rose. A stakes winner at 2 and 3 and an earner of $353,198, Stonewall Star is the fourth foal and one of three stakes winners out of the Proud Citizen mare Jonata.

Whatlovelookslike, a 5-year-old daughter of English Channel and finalist for champion New York-bred turf female honors in 2023, sports a record of 5-3-2 in 14 starts with earnings of $416,350 for Schwartz and trainer Todd Pletcher. Whatlovelookslike won last year’s Port Washington Stakes at Belmont Park and finished third in the John Hettinger Stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meeting.

La Fuerza, a now 8-year-old full brother to Stonewall Star, won three stakes carrying his owner and breeder’s black and white colors in 2018. He won four of eight and earned $261,610. Jonata is also the dam of New York-bred winner Citizen K, a gelding by Mizzen Mast with a record of 3-2-2 in 18 starts and a bankroll of $185,212.

A $100,000 purchase by Schwartz at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, Jonata won two of 17 starts with five placings and $140,800.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/03/24/stonewall-star-bounces-back-in-biogios-rose/

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Sweet Brown Sugar upsets East View

Richie Rich Racing Stable’s Sweet Brown Sugar made a significant improvement off her first try in stakes company on the New York Racing Association circuit with a victory in Sunday’s $100,000 East View for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies.

The daughter of Collected, fifth in the Franklin Square Stakes in mid-January for Finger Lakes-based trainer Paul Barrow, used a pair of preps in allowance-optional company for her second stakes victory Sunday. Sweet Brown Sugar won the 6-furlong East View under Jose Lezcano, coming up the inside on the far turn and drawing off by 4 lengths over Bernietakescharge.

“We’ve won a few stakes at Finger Lakes, but this is the first good horse we’ve had at NYRA,” said Barrow, celebrating his first stakes score on the NYRA circuit. “It’s unbelievable; it’s great. When you start training, you want to win these races. I’m a big New York-bred guy, so to win it with a New York-bred, it’s great.”

Sent off as the 6-1 third choice in the field of seven and just two weeks after winning an allowance-optional on a muddy track, Sweet Brown Sugar raced third early as Bustin Time and Bernietakescharge sparred through the opening quarter-mile in :22.48.

Lezcano kept Sweet Brown Sugar down on the inside heading into the far turn and slipped through an inside at the midpoint of the bend to take the lead. Sweet Brown Sugar led by a half-length after a half in :46.12 and spurted clear turning for home.

“She doesn’t like the dirt too much in her face, and I got lucky with [Bustin Time], she stayed way out and I was able to keep [her] face clean,” Lezcano said. “She responded and came up with a good race and is feeling very good. I had a lot of horse when I asked her.”

Sweet Brown Sugar, winner of the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes back home at Finger Lakes to closer her 2-year-old season, widened through the lane and won in 1:10.55. Bernietakescharge held second as the 4-5 favorite, a length in front of 8-5 second choice Caldwell Luvs Gold. Thirteen Red Flags, Bustin Time, Ruming and Soloshot completed the field.

Barrow was quick to credit Lezcano, aboard Sweet Brown Sugar in her last two races before the East View.

“If you watch the race, Jose did keep her very clean in the race,” he said. “It was key to her finishing. The rider made the difference in this case, and she’s improving. Masterful ride. When he’s on the inside like that, it’s very tough to keep them clean, but I thought he did a great job.

“My biggest concern was her getting trapped behind a wall of horses and the kickback and all that, for him to [have to] negotiate a way to get outside. But he was smart enough to stay inside and keep her clean.”

Barrow said he’d ship Sweet Brown Sugar back to Finger Lakes and “give her a little time off” after coming back on short rest to win back-to-back starts. Sweet Brown Sugar picked up $55,000 for the East View and boosted her bankroll to $150,500 from a record of 4-0-1 in six starts.

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Sweet Brown Sugar originally sold for $10,000 through the Sequel New York consignment at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She was then offered as part of the Scenic Sales consignment at the 2023 OBS June sale and brought $32,000 from Nick Hines, agent for Richie Rich Stables.

Sweet Brown Sugar is the first and lone foal out of the Broman’s homebred Bodemeister mare Rachel’s Blue Moon, the winner of two of 11 starts and $97,096. Rachel’s Blue Moon is out of the Broman’s homebred multiple stakes-winning and Grade 1-place El Corredor mare Beautiful But Blue, who is also the dam of stakes-placed Montebello. Beautiful But Blue won five of 17 starts and earned $395,450. She’s out of the multiple stakes-winning Dixie Brass mare Beautiful America, who won six of 21 starts and earned $523,927 for the Bromans from 2002 to 2004.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/03/17/sweet-brown-sugar-upsets-east-view/

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Antonio of Venice dominates Damon Runyon

Antonio of Venice enjoyed a much smoother trip this time around and turned the tables on Mischief Joke in Sunday’s 49th renewal of the $93,000 Damon Runyon for 3-year-old New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Second by a length to that foe in the Rego Park in late January, Antonio of Venice took command shortly after the start and stayed in control through the 6-furlong stakes for his second stakes victory. Owned by Michael Imperio, Robert Cotrone, Hibiscus Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez, the 3-year-old son of former New York-based sire Laoban won by 9 1/4 lengths and improved to 3-for-8 with three placings in the Damon Runyon.

“He is a versatile horse,” winning jockey Manny Franco said. “He can do whatever you ask him to do. Today was a short field, I had to play the break and he broke that fast so I just went on with him, because I knew he could be on the front end, too. That is what we did. We got it done.

“You can see at the eighth pole that I just eased him down. I think I hit him once, but after that I did nothing. I just eased him down. He did it so easily.”

Antonio of Venice went to the post as the even-money second choice in the field of four reduced after the scratch of morning-line favorite Heavyweight Champs. Antonio of Venice and jockey Manny Franco led Mischief Joke by a half-length through the opening quarter in :22.96, with Mad Banker not far back and Aelfgar fourth of the quartet.

Antonio of Venice and Mischief Joke started to separate from the other two around the far turn and the former edged away from his rival after a half in :46.09. Antonio of Venice cruised from there, turning for home well clear, sliding past 5 furlongs in :57.81 and drawing clear late to win in 1:10.35 over the fast track. Mischief Joke finished second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Aelfgar with Mad Banker fourth.

“Those were the two best horses in the race,” Rodriguez said of Antonio of Venice and Mischief Joke. “I said to Manny, ‘if you hook up together, let it be,’ but I didn’t want to hook up with the one horse. When Manny asked him at the three-eighths pole, it looked like he had a lot of horse. I felt really confident when he asked him and he opened up half a length. He looked very comfortable.”

Bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC, Antonio of Venice sold for $35,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and for the same price at this year’s OBS March sale. Antonio of Venice is the third foal out of Stella Performance, who also produced winning full siblings to the Damon Runyon winner in New York-breds Modern Midas ($78,200 in earnings) and I’m Wide Awake ($144,228).

Stella Performance is also the dam of a New York-bred yearling colt by McKinzie and filly by Keepmeinmind born February 18 in New York, and both bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC.

A maiden winner at Saratoga Race Course in his third start, Antonio of Venice finished off the board in his first two stakes tries before a victory in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in mid-December. The victory in the Damon Runyon boosted his earnings to $425,744

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/03/17/antonio-of-venice-dominates-damon-runyon/

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Kinza stays unbeaten in Santa Ysabel

Kinza continued her ascent to the top of Southern California’s 3-year-old filly division with a powerful victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Michael Lund Petersen’s daughter of Carpe Diem took command at the start under Juan Hernandez, controlled proceedings from there and rolled to a 5-length score over Where’s My Ring in the 1 1/16-mile stakes.

Kinza improved to 3-for-3, adding the Santa Ysabel to her victory last month in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes. She’s won her starts by a combined 14 1/2 lengths, and the way trainer Bob Baffert sees it, there’s room for improvement.

“She is just so naturally fast, she gets wound up,” said Baffert, winning his fourth straight Santa Ysabel and eighth in his Hall of Fame career. “She is getting better. Her worst enemy is that she is just so cranked up. My team and my staff everyone works hard to school her and spends time with her.

“She is just a naturally gifted speed horse. She has a beautiful way of moving and just gets over the ground really nice and with her speed and the way she gets going it’s just perfect.”

A $350,000 purchase at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, Kinza set strong fractions of :22.53, :45.98 and 1:10.55 under light pressure from She’s a Tempest.

Hernandez gave Kinza her cue to kick on at the top of the stretch and the chestnut filly responded, drawing off to win in 1:44.16.

“She was feeling very sharp today in the post parade,” Hernandez said. “She was just feeling a little fresh and now she knows she was going to race, so she was feeling a little hot. I didn’t want to go that fast in the beginning, I wanted to go nice and easy.

“I just let her go, I didn’t want to fight her. She was really comfortable. I felt the pace fast earlier, so I said, ‘I’m just going to wait I’m not going to move.’ I was just checking making sure no one got too close to me and when she switched leads that’s when she picked it up again and gave me another gear. She is a nice filly.”

Bred by JD Business Ventures, Brushy Hill Stables and the Carpe Diem Syndicate and foaled at Schuylerville Thoroughbred Farm in Fort Edward, Kinza is the first foal out of the winning Quality Road mare Secret Wonder.

Kinza sold at auction three times before her debut. She brought $17,000 as a weanling from Marysue Stable at the 20121 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She was later purchased by Grassroots Training and Sales for $30,000 at the 2022 OBS October yearling sale. Grassroots Training and Sales consigned the filly at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training, where she brought $350,000 from agent Donato Lanni.

The second most expensive New York-bred at the May sale, Kinza picked up $60,000 for her Santa Ysabel victory to boost her earnings to $159,000.

Secret Wonder, a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling and half-sister to the stakes-placed Mylastfirstkiss, is also the dam of a 2-year-old New York-bred filly by Instagrand bred by JD Business Ventures LLC.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/03/09/kinza-stays-unbeaten-in-santa-ysabel/

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Pandagate storms to victory in Gander Stakes

Christophe Clement shipped Pandagate back to his native state with confidence for the Arrogate ridgling’s first foray into stakes company and was rewarded.

Pandagate overcame a hard bump at the start and powered to a 5 ½-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Gander Stakes, improving to 2-for-3 in the process and giving his connections reason to think about bigger things down the road.

“He’s been training very, very well at Payson Park and we were excited to see him run,” Clement said. “Thank you to all the owners to be so patient. He’s a stakes winner and a New York-bred going long on dirt, so it’s a lot of fun for us.”

A 9-length winner in his debut under Dylan Davis during the Belmont at the Big A meeting, Pandagate reunited with that rider for the 1-mile Gander. He was ridden by Victor Carrasco when second in a 1 1/16-mile allowance-optional in early December. Davis liked the reports from Clement and his team and also came into the Gander with confidence aboard the morning-line pick and eventual post-time 7-5 favorite.

“He’s been training down at Payson Park with Clement’s crew,” Davis said. “They did a great job getting him ready. He had a little layoff, but I just wanted to break him well and not get too much distance from the front leaders. That is what the boss said.

“I haven’t seen him in a while, but the Clement crew gave me videos of him working and in the paddock. It was nice to see him again, he’s still the big horse that I knew before, but he was a little more mentally better today. Just hopefully will keep on improving.”

Pandagate wound up squeezed between Bali Amour and Brown Don’t Stop at the break and was last while The Big Torpedo, Liberty Central and Doc Sullivan scrimmaged through the opening quarter in :24.42.

The Big Torpedo, a 10-length maiden winner last time out and the 5-2 third choice, continued on the lead through the half in :48.55. Liberty Central, who hounded the leader most of the way on the backstretch and on the far turn, took the lead just before hitting 6 furlongs in 1:14.15 just as Pandagate found his best stride several paths off the rail. Pandagate widened his advantage all the way through the lane, kept to task by Davis to win in 1:40.67 over the fast track.

Doc Sullivan finished second, a neck in front of Liberty Central with Brown Don’t Stop fourth. The Big Torpedo and Bali Amour completed the field.

“He did get a little bump there at the break but he got into stride, got on the bridle, and switched off, then at the three-eighths pole, I turned him out,” Davis said. “It took a little while to get going but once he did that, he was game. I kept him to task all the way to wire because he is still a young horse that doesn’t know what is going on, but he has a nice big stride and galloped out, not really that tired.”

Clement also heaped praise on Davis’ effort.

“Dylan knows him well and it was a perfect ride,” he said. “He was a little bit lost coming out of the gate and Dylan got him to settle. Then he got into a very good rhythm and when he decided to pick it up, he finished well. He’s a nice horse and by Arrogate – it’s a nice family. Everything seems to be working out nicely, and I’m just very grateful to the owners. I’m delighted to train this kind of horse.”

Bred by Fred Hertrich III and out of the stakes-placed New York-bred Sky Mesa mare Kitty Panda, Pandagate sold to Clement, as agent, for $130,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. He races for Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stable and On The Rise Again Stable.

Pandagate is one of three winners – all New York-breds – out of Kitty Panda. She’s also the dam of three-time winner and $151,380-earner Panster and the two-time winner Countable. Kitty Panda is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by City of Light. Hertrich purchased Kitty Panda, in foal to Blame, for $160,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Pandagate picked up $55,000 for the Gander victory, boosting his bankroll to $101,650.

Clement didn’t commit to any specific for Pandagate’s next target, but is thinking about some lucrative summer stakes in the New York-bred 3-year-old division.

“At the moment, he just won, so we are going to enjoy that for 24 hours,” Clement said. “The way the program is made, the two New York-bred races going long on the dirt are the New York Derby at Finger Lakes or the Albany at Saratoga. That’s a long way down the road, so let’s try to find him something in late March or early April going long on dirt. Let’s keep him eligible for everything and enjoy this for a moment.”

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2024/02/25/pandagate-storms-to-victory-in-gander-stakes/

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