Senbei storms to victory in Saturday’s Belmont Turf Sprint Stakes. NYRA Photo.

New York-bred stalwart Senbei scored his first graded stakes victory Saturday with a victory in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meeting.

The Dr. Jerry Bilinski-bred 5-year-old gelding broke well in the 6-furlong turf stakes before settling in the two path as one of the mid-pack markers. Senbei relaxed under Manny Franco as Nothing Better and Determined Kingdom battled for the lead through fractions of :22.10 and :44.37.

Franco took Senbei wider at the top of the stretch for clear running room and the gelding quickly found his top gear. As the front runners continued to battle for the lead, Senbei was able to sneak up the outside. Senbei flew past the leaders inside the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:07.74 with Nothing Better second and Alogon in third.

“I had a great trip,” said Franco. “My horse broke OK, and those three horses went to the lead and I just stayed behind them. He was traveling nice and on the bridle. When I hit the clear at the quarter pole, I have to give credit to the horses in front because they were tough to go by, but my horse did it. They didn’t come back at all, but my horse ran them down.”

The Belmont Turf Sprint gave Senbei, the 2021 New York-bred champion 2-year-old male, his second win in four starts this year. He also won an allowance-optional claimer at the Aqueduct in July. He finished third in the Select Stakes last out and now has an overall record of seven wins, two seconds, and a third in 17 starts with $640,000 in earnings for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski.

“He’s a good horse,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “As a young horse, he was very good on dirt – he lost his form a bit on dirt and the grass brought him back. He’s been running very well on grass – maybe more on firmer turf than softer turf. He’s not always lucky. In turf racing, you need a bit of racing luck but today he was very impressive.”

Foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Senbei was named by Clement’s daughter-in-law and NYRA racing analyst Acacia Clement after the Japanese cracker by the same name. Senbei was purchased from Stuart Morris’s consignment by his trainer for $280,000 as a short yearling during the 2020 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Senbei is one of five winners and four stakes performers out of Western Cat daughter Sweet Aloha, who also produced dual stakes winners Filibustin and Indy’s Lady and the stakes-placed Man O Manassas. Filibustin has gone on to be a stakes producer herself as the dam of stakes winner Mr Fillip.

Sweet Aloha’s youngest foal is a 2-year-old New York-bred Twirling Candy colt named Tropical Candy who sold for $150,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. – Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Hush of a Storm lands second stakes victory in Friday’s Ashley T. Cole at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

Hush of a Storm stayed in the clear and to the outside of a six-way scramble at the eighth pole on the way to his second career stakes score in Friday’s $125,000 Ashley T. Cole for older New York-breds on the grass at Aqueduct.

Making his second start off the claim for owner Sandy Goldfarb and trainer Brad Cox, the 6-year-old Creative Cause gelding won the 9-furlong Cole by a half-length over Dakota Gold. Flavien Prat rode Hush of a Storm, claimed for $45,000 out of a similar overland victory in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance-optional July 21 at Saratoga Race Course.

Hush of a Storm, sent off as the 3-1 third choice Friday, finished third in his first start off the claim in the $79,000 Avery Whishman Memorial Stakes on synthetic at Presque Isle Downs August 12. Hush of a Storm registered his only other stakes win prior to Friday – the 2021 John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park – on a synthetic track when trained by Bill Morey.

The gelding ability on turf and synthetic made him an appealing claim, Goldfarb said.

“We were looking for a good one to claim,” he said. “I thought he could run here or take him to Turfway if we had to. I thought he was worth the money at that level. The day we claimed him, he won like, ‘wow.’ Since we’ve had him, they’ve done nothing but rave about him.

“He ran at Presque Isle the other day and the horse that beat him (Forever Souper) came back and won (Presque Isle Mile), so we knew he was good in here and the mile and an eighth might make the difference. So far, just about everything I’ve got with Brad has done unbelievable.”

Prat kept Hush of a Storm toward the back of the seven-horse field early as Saratoga Flash clicked off early splits of :23.61 and :50.26 ahead of 60-1 longshot Cable Ready, 7-2 fourth choice Jerry the Nipper and 2-1 favorite City Man.

Saratoga Flash continued to lead heading in the far turn, past 6 furlongs in 1:15.82 and spurted clear in the lane as Dakota Gold, Jerry the Nipper, City Man and Hush of a Storm tried to mount late rallies. Hush of a Storm, widest of all in the stretch, took over just outside the sixteenth pole and edged Dakota Gold and Jerry the Nipper in deep stretch. Dakota Gold finished a head in front of Jerry the Nipper, with City Man fourth. Hush of a Storm won in 1:51.03 over the firm turf.

Flavien Prat kept Hush of a Storm comfortable early and the Creative Cause gelding did the rest late in the Ashley T. Cole. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

“I was going to try to get myself into a good position, but it felt like the first quarter was quite fast,” Prat said of Hush of a Storm’s early position. “But then on the backside, they really hit the brakes, so I was a bit worried, but no, I turned for home, I tipped him out and he laid it down for me.”

Hush of a Storm improved to 3-for-6 on turf and 9-for-28 overall with the Ashley T. Cole victory. He picked up $68.750 to boost his bankroll to $421,708.

Bred by and foaled at Dr. Doug Koch’s Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, Hush of a Storm is the first foal out of the winning Flatter mare Hush Now. Consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, agent for Berkshire Stud, he originally sold for $60,000 to Northway Bloodstock at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale. Consigned by Nick de Meric’s de Meric Sales, agent, at the 2020 OBS Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, Hush of a Storm sold to Joseph P. Morey Trust for $75,000.

Hush Now, who is out of the unraced Quiet American mare Silence Please, won and earned $68,784 for owner and breeder Berkshire Stud before retiring prior to the 2017 season. Hush Now is a full sister to multiple stakes winner and $358,487-earner Brigand and a half sister to stakes winner and $137,651-earner Sky Music.

Hush Now’s second foal, the 5-year-old Runhappy mare Voleuse remains in training and has compiled a record of 4-3-7 in 19 starts with earnings of $233,625. She’s also the dam of the winning 4-year-old Mastery gelding Camm’ Duke and the unraced 2-year-old Munnings filly Hush Munnings.

Hush Now sold carrying Camm’ Duke in utero for $130,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She did not produce a foal in 2023 but delivered a Maclean’s Music filly – bred by GMP Stables LLC, Dutchess Views Farm and Angie V Stables LLC – March 24 in New York.

Moonage Daydream fends off Whatlovelookslike to win Thursday’s John Hettinger at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

Another stretch out in distance produced another victory for Moonage Daydream Thursday at Aqueduct.

Chris Larsen’s homebred Candy Ride filly handled another stretch out in distance – from the 1 1/16 miles of the Yaddo Handicap last time to the 9 furlongs of the $125,000 John Hettinger Stakes – and produced a second straight victory.

Under Flavien Prat, Moonage Daydream did all the work on the front end and fended off a late run from Whatlovelookslike to win by a head for trainer Jorge Abreu.

“Flavien said she was just galloping on the lead,” Abreu said. “Turning for home, when I saw her ears up, I knew she was going to be tough to go by.”

A 13-1 winner of the Yaddo last time out over Marvelous Maude and Whatlovelookslike – both of which came back for another try along with six other New York-bred fillies and mares – Moonage Daydream went to post for the Hettinger as the 9-2 co-fourth choice. Abreu hoped for a target for Moonage Daydream, who closed from second in the Yaddo, in the Hettinger but didn’t get it.

Moonage Daydream broke well and took over past the finish the first time ahead of stablemates Scoring Chance and Busy Morning. Moonage Daydream clicked off soft splits of :25.06, :51.58 and 1:16.58 while 8-5 favorite Silver Skillet idled toward the back of the back and Whatlovelookslike chased in fourth after a slight bobble at the start.

“It was not the gameplan to make the lead, but she jumped well, and we were all in the same boat where nobody really wanted to go,” Prat said. “It just felt natural for her to be there, and I thought she was happy there, so I left her alone.”

Moonage Daydream shrugged off her stablemates around the far turn and continued to lead turning for home as 7-2 second choice Whatlovelookslike cut into the advantage. Moonage Daydream led by a half-length in midstretch, passed the mile mark in 1:40.44 and withstood the runner-up in deep stretch.

“At the eighth-pole I didn’t know, but she was brave enough and found another gear to hold on,” Prat said.

The first two finished well clear of third-place finisher Can’t Fool Me, who was 4 1/4 lengths back in third in her stakes debut, with Silver Skillet fourth and 4-1 second choice Marvelous Maude fifth. Busy Morning, Snowy Evening, Scoring Chance and Power and Glory completed the field. Moonage Daydream won in 1:52.01 over the firm turf.

“When I saw that :51 (half) I took a big breather there,” Abreu said. “I said, ‘I hope they don’t go :49 or :48,’ because then you set up the race and (Whatlovelookslike) was coming at her. This filly is pretty hard to pass by when she takes the lead down the stretch. This is the third time she wins the same way.”

Moonage Daydream collected her third stakes victory, adding the Hettinger to the Yaddo August 25 at Saratoga and the 6-furlong Stewart Manor during her 2-year-old season at Aqueduct. She’s won five of 11, picked up $68,750 and boosted her bankroll to $370,660.

Abreu said Moonage Daydream would return for the $200,000 Ticonderoga at 1 1/16 miles on Empire Showcase Day October 27 at Belmont at the Big A before a break.

Bred by Larsen’s 3C Stable LLC and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, Moonage Daydream is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Elatha. She’s also the dam of the winning New York-bred Declaration of War mare Guardian Moon, a yearling colt by Speightstown and a weanling colt by Gun Runner, all bred by 3C Stable.

Rotknee soars to seventh stakes victory, and 11th overall, in Monday’s Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Two days removed from his younger half-sister collecting her second graded stakes victory, Buck Butler’s homebred Rotknee won the seventh stakes of his career in Monday’s $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes.

The 5-year-old son of Runhappy overcame a slow and bothered start in the 6-furlong Leon Reed and came away a convincing 5 3/4-length winner under Andre Worrie. Rotknee also improved to 11-for-22 overall and scored his second win in as many tries at Finger Lakes in his first start in Western New York since taking the 2022 Ontario County Stakes as a 3-year-old.

Rotknee’s victory also followed My Mane Squeeze’s victory in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes for Butler. Mike Maker trains My Mane Squeeze and Rotknee, who are out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama.

Sent off as the even-money favorite in the field of six for the Leon Reed, Rotknee broke a bit slow and was squeezed between rivals after the break.

Lady’s Golden Guy, a 20-1 longshot looking for his first win in four starts this season, spurted away to a clear lead thanks to Rotknee’s poor beginning and led through the opening quarter-mile in :22.80.

The lead didn’t last long as Rotknee and Worrie recovered from the bad start and took over shortly after the quarter-mile split. Rotknee opened up a 5-length lead after a half in :45.54 as seven-time winner The Institute started his run from the back of the pack. Rotknee opened his lead up to 8 lengths in midstretch and past 5 furlongs in :57.88 and finished clear on the wire in 1:11.20 over the sloppy and sealed track.

The Institute held second, 3 3/4 lengths ahead of 43-1 longshot Tacony Road, with Lady’s Golden Guy fourth.

Bred by Butler and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Rotknee and My Mane Squeeze are two of four winners out of In Spite of Mama. She’s also the dam of the 6-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief horse Lookin for Trouble, a winner and multiple stakes-placed runner for Butler and Maker, and 4-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold, a four-time winner with earnings of $191,041.

In Spite of Mama is also the dam of Willful Mama, a New York-bred 2-year-old filly by 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will who finished second in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct September 13; a yearling full brother to Rotknee and a weanling filly by Honest Mischief born May19.

Rotknee bounced back from a sixth in the John Morrissey Handicap August 8 at Saratoga Race Course, where he also broke slow and came home last of six. He had won two of four before that race – the Affirmed Success at Aqueduct and the Say Florida Sandy January 28, both at Aqueduct. Rotknee picked up $30,000 for the Leon Reed win and boosted his earnings to $695,330 from a record of 11-3-1 in those 22 starts.

Bostontonian and Dylan Davis roll to victory in Monday’s Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Bostontonian ran to his odds in his June debut and again Monday in his victory in the $131,892 Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes.

Sent off as the 3-4 favorite in the field of eight New York-bred 2-year-olds, Bostontonian took control shortly after the start under Dylan Davis and fended off a late rally from second choice Soontobeking to win by 2 lengths.

Bostontonian, a son of Bernardini campaigned by RT Racing Stable, Smart Choice Stable and breeder Denlea Park Ltd., improved to 2-for-2 for trainer Wesley Ward in the 5 1/2-furlong Aspirant. A $40,000 purchase out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Bostontonian won his debut June 22 in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight for horses that sold or RNA’d for $50,000 or less at their most recent auction.

Bostontonian broke well in the Aspirant and opened up a 3-length lead to the opening quarter-mile in :22.64 over the sloppy and sealed surface with Cast a Coin, Soontobeking, Mr. Sugar Daddy and King’s Leap on the immediate chase. Bostontonian continued on an open lead around the far turn and to the half in :46.39, while King’s Leap tried to mount a run from the extreme outside with Funny Cide Stakes runner-up Soontobeking also mounting a rally.

Bostontonian fended off those challenges in the lane and held Soontobeking clear at the finish to win in 1:05.21. Soontobeking finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of King’s Leap in third.

Bostontonian, entered but scratched out of the Funny Cide Stakes on New York Showcase Day August 25 at Saratoga Race Course, earned $79,136 for the Aspirant victory to boost his bankroll to $119,456.

Bred by Denlea Park Ltd. and foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Bostontonian is out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She’s the dam of a Nyquist filly that sold for $350,000, the highest price for a New York-bred yearling filly at the recently concluded Keeneland September sale.

Falconess is also the dam of 2022 Lady Finger Stakes winner and $172,764-earner Curly Girl and winners Mabrouk, Consiton and Polpis and a New York-bred weanling colt by Mo Donegal born February 22.

Stone Smuggler rolls to victory in Monday’s Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Stone Smuggler gave New York-based freshman sire Honest Mischief his second stakes winner in as many days Monday with a dominating victory in the $98,912 Lady Finger at Finger Lakes.

Stone Smuggler, owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and SunsetRidge Racing Stable, took the lead from the start of the 5 1/2-furlong Lady Finger under Keiber Coa and won by 3 1/2 lengths over fellow Honest Mischief filly Mischief Lady. Idyll Gossip, a daughter of Central Banker and a winner of a Finger Lakes maiden August 26, finished another 2 lengths back in third.

Bred by Eaton & Thorne Inc., foaled at Thorndale Farm in Millbrook and a $57,000 purchase out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Stone Smuggler went off as the even-money choice in the Lady Finger. She finished second behind With the Angels, subsequent winner of Sunday’s Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Aqueduct, in her only previous start August 22 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Jorge Abreu kept Stone Smuggler at Saratoga to prep for the Lady Finger, breezing her twice over the Oklahoma Training Track before her second start and stakes debut.

Stone Smuggler went to the front ahead of Mischief Lady, Princess Mischief and Idyll Gossip in the Lady Finger and clicked off splits of :22.30 and :46.31 over the sloppy and sealed track under Coa’s tight hold. She turned for home clear and widened her advantage in the lane, opening up by 3 1/2 lengths in midstretch and cruising to the finish in 1:06.03.

Mischief Lady, sixth in a Saratoga 5 ½-furlong turf maiden in her lone prior start for trainer Eddie Barker, finished a clear second under Dylan Davis.

Offered out of the Eaton Sales consignment at last year’s Saratoga New York-bred sale, Stone Smuggler is the seventh foal out of the winning Bustin Stones mare Bustinattheseams. She’s the dam of five other New York-bred winners, including $129,749-earner Limit Up, $119,952-earner Fat N Bitter and the 3-year-old Destin gelding and August 5 maiden winner Seams Like Destiny.

Honest Mischief, an 8-year-old son of Into Mischief who stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, scored his first stakes winner when Sacrosanct won Sunday’s Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Aqueduct.