NEWS: RACING

Funny Guy up late to win NYSS Thunder Rumble division

Sunday, November 22nd, 2020

Funny Guy edges My Boy Tate late to win Thunder Rumble division of NYSS Sunday at Aqueduct. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Funny Guy likes to do things his way, around the barn, on the racetrack, wherever he may be in fact.

The 4-year-old son of Big Brown did it his way again Sunday in the $100,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct and needed just about every inch of the restricted stakes’ 7 furlongs to get it done. Ridden by Joel Rosario and back to what looks like a more favorable sprint trip, Funny Guy got up late to win by a neck over My Boy Tate with Bankit third in the field of five. The winning time was 1:23.57.

“He’s got some gears,” said John Terranova, who trains Funny Guy for Gatsas Stable, R A Hill Stable and Swick Stable. “Once he got him into that rhythm, he was able to kick. [Rosario] had to work on him but he’s as honest as they come.

“The pace didn’t really unfold early, but I think you can attribute that to the fact this track is a little bit loose and deeper. He’s a big, heavy colt and he likes a little quicker surface you can bounce off of. It took a little bit to get him going and get his feet, but he sure got into gear when he needed it at the end.”

Bred by Mike Oliveto’s Hibiscus Stables and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Funny Guy improved to 3-for-6 on the season in the Thunder Rumble. He won the Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park and John Morrissey Handicap at Saratoga Race Course – both against New York-breds – to earn his way into the Grade 1 Forego and Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational for his next two starts. Funny Guy fared well in those stakes, finishing fourth and second, respectively, before returning to the state-bred ranks for the Empire Classic Handicap.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite in the 9-furlong Empire Classic, Funny Guy finished a non-threatening fourth after a bobble at the break.

Terranova and his wife Tonja regrouped after that effort and let Funny Guy dictate where to go next.

“He’s a beautiful horse and he just has that personality,” John Terranova said. “He’s super honest and you can pick up on his tells all the time. He tells you when he’s ready. He knows what he’s doing out there in the mornings and the afternoons. We’re just trying to point him in the right direction and we’re really happy for the owners. We’re just happy he’s back in the winner’s circle here today.”

Funny Guy, a $45,000 purchase at the 2018 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, knows how to find the winner’s circle. He won his second start in late December 2018 and became a stakes winner in his fifth start, taking the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct in April 2019. A victory in the Albany Stakes on the Saratoga Showcase Day card also earned him consideration for champion New York-bred 3-year-old male last season.

Funny Guy is one of eight winners from eight foals to start out of Heavenly Humor, a Kentucky-bred five-time stakes winner and stakes producer purchased by Hibiscus Stables with Funny Guy in utero at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale for $25,000. Heavenly Humor is also the dam of stakes winner Super Humor and stakes-placed 3-year-old Three Jokers, who is also campaigned by Funny Guy’s connections.

Heavenly Humor is also the dam of a yearling filly by Overanalyze purchased by Cutair Racing for $120,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale in October. Heavenly Humor was bred to Hard Spun in 2020.

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