SV Phtography
By Sarah Mace
For the third year in a row Langpap Stables homebred Fox Rules got his picture taken following the 1 1/16-mile, $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes, which was Monday’s featured race at Finger Lakes. With Pedro Rodriguez in the irons, Fox Rules’ Genesee Valley win rider in 2014 and 2015, the 7-year-old gelded son of Roman Ruler held off Empire Dreams in the shadow of the wire to win the close photo by a nose.
Trained by M. Anthony Ferraro, Fox Rules came into the race in sharp form, with two blowout front-running victories at Finger Lakes on June 9 and July 29, and a runner up finish last out at the same venue on September 3. At post time, the gelding was third choice of five in the betting at odds of 5-1 behind 7-5 favorite Crackerjack Jones, last year’s Genesee Valley runner-up, and 5-4 second choice Empire Dreams, who was making his first 2016 start.
At the bell, Fox Rules caught a flyer from post 2 and outbroke the field, but just as quickly Crackerjack Jones, who broke a little awkwardly from post one, rushed up the rail to assume command.
Crackerjack Jones led the field through moderate opening splits of 24.75 and 49.17 under a hold, while Fox Rules pressed the pace at his flank. At the quarter pole Fox Rules drew even with his rival and, though the pair drifted wide approaching the head of the stretch, came away with the lead.
Challenge-minded veteran Empire Dreams, geared up from third three-wide, passed Crackerjack Jones and all but caught Fox Rules as heads bobbed at finish line while both horses drifted out. The photo revealed that Fox Rules held on to win by a nose. After a mile in 1:38.40, the final time for the race was 1:45.02. Crackerjack Jones finished four lengths back in the third, keeping a head in front of Sundae on Sunday. Peter’s Project wrapped up the order of finish in fifth. [VIDEO]
A winner of 11 of 14 starts at the Farmington oval, topped by the 2012 New York Derby and three editions of the Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes, Fox Rules has 15 wins, four seconds and two thirds from 42 starts. Fox Rules also finished second to Talk Therapy in the 2013 running of the Genesee Valley. He has earned $484,101 in all.
Bred by Langpap Stables’ Dennis and Deborah Petrisak and foaled at Cornell University Research Park in Ithaca, the gelding is out of the Petrisaks’ homebred champion Shesastonecoldfox. Voted top New York-bred 2-year-old filly in 2001, Shesastonecoldfox won three stakes races that year, headlined by a victory over males in the New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes. Also winner of the Joseph A. Gimma at Belmont and the Lady Finger at Finger Lakes, she went on to compete in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
As a broodmare, now residing at Tom and Mia Gallo’s Blue Stone Farm in Cambridge, Shesastonecoldfox has produced five winners from five starters. Her first foal Elusive Fox (E Dubai) was stakes-placed, and Fox Rox (Officer) won the 2013 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes.
Shesastonecoldfox foaled a colt by Curlin this year and was bred to Lookin At Lucky in the spring.
