Honey Money, one of two winners on the day for Central Banker, romps in the $60,000 Sis City Saturday at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.
Owners and breeders of New York-breds enjoyed a bountiful day Saturday at Aqueduct, pocketing more than $71,000 in awards for wins alone on the New York Claiming Championship program.
Six New York-breds won on the 10-race $620,000 Claiming Championship card, open to horses that started for a prescribed claiming price in 2021-22. The breeders’ awards totaled $39,187.50 on the day, while owners’ awards came to $26,125. Stallion owner awards for the day’s two winners totaled $6,325.
Central Banker, New York’s leading sire in 2021 who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, sired two winners on the card with Honey Money in the $60,000 Sis City Starter Stakes and Dark Money in the $55,000 Kelly Kip Starter Stakes.
Honey Money, a 5-year-old daughter of Central Banker out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Bullish Sentiment bred by Klaravich Stables, won the 1-mile Sis City by 4 lengths under Trevor McCarthy. Trained by Wayne Potts for owners Frank Catapano and Nicholas Primpas, Honey Money improved to 7-for-22 with $330,870 in earnings in the Sis City.
“She’s game and she always gives 100 percent,” McCarthy said. “She’s a much better filly on the lead but she would get there and just wait. I worked her the other morning with blinkers on and she worked like a gorilla.”
Dark Money, gave Central Banker his first winner in the Kelly Kip. NYRA Photo.
Dark Money, a 6-year-old gelding by Central Banker out of the Purge mare Candelabra bred by Cedar Meadow Inc., won his third straight race in the Kelly Kip. Sent off the 3-5 favorite in the 6-furlong event, Dark Money won for owner Flying P Stable, trainer Tom Morley and jockey Jose Gomez. Morley claimed Dark Money for $25,000 out of his win Feb. 19 in his prior start. The gelding improved to 13-for-31 with $466,207 in earnings.
“He’s a really cool horse,” Morley said. “We’ve had him before and we claimed him back with this race in mind. It was the owner’s idea. He came into the race in super shape. Jose said he just rocked back when they opened the gate and he missed the break, which is very unlike him for a horse who shows that amount of speed.”
Michael Foster’s Witch Hunter started the big day for New York-breds with a dominating victory in the second race on the card, the $45,000 Belle Gallantey Starter. The 5-year-old daughter of Khozan out of the Congrats mare Wave Bye Bye won the 7-furlong Belle Gallantey by 9 lengths as the 1-4 favorite. Dylan Davis, who rode four winners on the day, rode Witch Hunter for trainer Charlton Baker. She improved to 7-for-25 with $158,330 in earnings.
Witch Hunter, Central Banker’s first winner on the card, gave Dylan Davis one of his four wins Saturday at Aqueduct in the Belle Gallantey. Joe Labozzetta/NYRA Photo.
“She handled it the way she should have. It was easy all the way,” Baker said. “The owner claimed her in Florida (for $8,000 May 21, 2021, at Gulfstream) and she improved a lot for him. We’ve just maintained where she was at. She’s a nice filly. She’s a hard-knocker and she tries.”
Davis also rode Gus Ginesin’s Blewitt to victory in the $75,000 Stud Muffin Starter. Sent off the 2-1 favorite in the field of 10 in the 11-furlong Stud Muffin, Blewitt won by 4 1/2 lengths over Air Attack for his ninth win in 25 starts to boost his bankroll to $350,765. Bred by Repole Stable, Blewitt is an 8-year-old by Uncle Mo out of the Montbrook mare Stopspendingmaria. Toscano claimed Blewitt for $25,000 out of a victory going 9 furlongs Dec. 31 at Aqueduct.
“I had Air Attack [win this race] last year and this year I had Blewitt,” said winning trainer John Toscano Jr. “The old man got good. He’s peaking now as an 8-year-old. He loves two turns. If you look at his form, his one-turn races aren’t as good.”
Whistling Birds scores mild upset in the $80,000 Caixa Eletronica. NYRA Photo.
Epona Racing Stable’s, Clyde Jasinki’s and Toga Party Racing Stable’s Whistling Birds won the day’s biggest purse, taking the $80,000 Caixa Eletronica by three-quarters of a length over Zoomer. Bred by Pinnacle Farms Bloodstock LLC, the 6-year-old Jimmy Creed gelding out of the Unbridled mare Unshuttered improved to 8-for-27 with seven seconds and earnings of $333,958. Chris Englehart claimed Whistling Birds for $40,000 out of a runner-up effort going 1 mile last May at Belmont Park.
“He’s a very decent horse and has a big heart,” said winning jockey Eric Cancel.
Irving Kalensky’s and Joseph Loner’s No Salt closed the card and gave Davis his fourth victory in the $45,000 Dads Caps Starter as the 7-10 favorite. Bred by Larry Goichman, the 5-year-old gelding by Tonalist out of the Street Sense mare Shea Derby improved to 5-for-20 and $172,321 in earnings. Mike Miceli took over the gelding’s training last fall and he’s won or placed in five of six starts since.
“He’s been a very consistent and pleasurable horse to train,” Miceli said. “He was cut out to be a decent horse and it’s a little late in the game for him, but he’s making up for it now.”
