Minorinconvenience cruises to victory in Wednesday’s Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga. Coglianese Photo.
By Julia Reedy
Trainer Amelia Green and co-owner Amanda Gillman sat side-by-side in their front-row clubhouse box, Green’s face obscured by her binoculars as she watched Minorinconvenience secure his second win in three starts in Wednesday’s Funny Cide Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds.
As soon as the race finished, Green shed both her binoculars and poker face and exchanged a smile with her longtime friend and co-owner.
“It’s amazing,” Gillman said of watching the New York-bred son of Mendelssohn win by 4 lengths. “I’m honestly struggling to find words. The first win was very cool, but (this win), I can’t put into words how cool it is. … He’s always been a little bit green, and to see him put it all together and do this, it’s very special.”
Bred by Steve Barberino and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Minorinconvenience broke his maiden at Saratoga Race Course July 31. That off-the-turf win at 7 furlongs gave Green just enough confidence to run him back in the $139,500 Funny Cide at 6 furlongs, though she still had some reservations about the cutback in distance.
“I thought it was (a concern) going in, but with how sharp he broke – I told Amanda after the race when he hit the top of the stretch and put his nose in front, I was quietly confident, because I knew the further distance would be the best for him,” Green said. “I was pretty confident when he found his stride at the top of the lane, but maybe I didn’t look like it, because I was still nervous, and in a stakes race, you never know. But I was quietly confident.”
The 5-2 third choice in the field of five, Minorinconvenience won by 4 lengths over 5-2 second choice Fourth and One with 4-5 favorite Toga Twist third. Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Minorinconvenience won in 1:11.56.
For Green and Gillman, watching their 2-year-old colt progress has been nothing short of thrilling, having purchased him as a yearling for $20,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. It doesn’t hurt that the New York-bred supplied Green with her first stakes win at Saratoga.
“Very exciting, especially with this horse,” Green said. “We’ve owned him since he was a baby and have spoiled him rotten. It was very exciting. …He’s come a long way. He’s actually still one I don’t think has clicked yet. He’s still a big baby. I still think he’s got a lot of learning to do. To see him run like this, when he still seems like a horse that’s still figuring things out is very exciting.”
Minorinconvenience is the third foal and the first to race out of the Mission Impazible mare Skyler’s Lil Cutie. He came after Skyler’s Lil Cutie produced New York-bred fillies Dorthys Speedstre (by Tale Of The Cat) and Aggie (by Exaggerator).
Barberino bred those fillies and also Skyler’s Lil Cutie’s yearling colt by Early Voting named Rocky’s Early Vote and her Virginia-bred weanling filly by Bolt d’Oro.
