True Empress scores 14th win and first stakes victory in Monday’s Arctic Queen at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

True Empress returned to stakes company for the first time in more than three years Monday and came away with a victory in the $50,000 Arctic Queen at Finger Lakes.

Owned by J and M Racing Stables, James O’Driscoll and Elvira Falco, True Empress won the 6-furlong Labor Day feature by 1 ¾ lengths under Luis Perez for trainer Michael Ferraro. The 5-2 third choice in the field of six improved to 2-for-8 on the season with $65,621 earned.

Bred by Magnolia Mares LLC, the 6-year-old daughter of Classic Empire originally sold to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing out of the Sequel New York consignment for $135,000 as a weanling at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She started her career for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and R. A. Hill Stable and trainer George Weaver, winning in her fifth start and finishing fifth in the Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park in her seventh start.

True Empress was claimed for $16,000 by trainer Carlos Martin and J and M Racing Stables out of a victory in mid-September 2022 during the Belmont at the Big A meeting. She raced for Martin through May 2023 before making her first start for Ferraro at Finger Lakes in late June 2023.

The winner of an allowance race at Finger Lakes in late June, True Empress came into the Arctic Queen off a third in a $93,000 allowance July 30 at Saratoga Race Course.

Matched up against 7-5 favorite Zi End and stakes winner Caldwell Luvs Gold, True Empress came away last of six and raced 4 lengths behind Sandy’s Garden through the opening quarter-mile in :23.47.

True Empress made up ground around the turn and inched into third, just a length behind Sandy’s Garden past the half in :47.23. True Empress continued on well from there, zipped past the eighth pole a length in front and edged away under pressure late to win in 1:11.71. Sandy’s Garden held second, 2 lengths clear of Caldwell Luvs Gold with Zi End fourth. The Shoe Lady and Missing Fortune completed the field.

True Empiress, who improved to 14-for-44 with earnings of $446,202, is the second foal out of the stakes-placed Yes It’s True mare For All You Know. She’s the dam of the winning Good Magic colt Thawban and the 2-year-old Knicks Go filly Fulanita who sold for $20,000 at the OBS June sale.

For All You Know sold in foal to Mitole for $38,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Digital February sale. She’s the dam of a yearling filly by Mitole and a weanling colt by Endorsed, both bred in Maryland by Golden Lion Racing.

Roger Cimbora Jr.’s homebred Twenty Six Black cruises to first stakes win Sunday in the Disco Partner at Saratoga. Coglianese Photo.

Roger Cimbora Jr.’s homebred Twenty Six Black continued to show his affinity for the turf courses at Saratoga Race Course Sunday with a victory over open company in the $135,000 Disco Partner Stakes.

The 5-year-old gelding by New York-based sire War Dancer secured his first stakes win in dominating fashion in the 5 ½-furlong Disco Partner, scoring by 2 1/4 lengths over fellow New York-bred Bold Journey and Outlaw Kid. Flavien Prat rode Twenty Six Black for trainer Horacio De Paz.

“His disposition has always been a horse that wants to try,” De Paz said. “He’s built like a tank. … He’s always had a good mind on him and the mare has thrown nothing but runners, and they continue to get better as they get older.”

Twenty Six Black improved to 6-for-15 in the Disco Partner and gave his dam, the First Dude mare Brazo de Oro, her first stakes victory.

Brazo de Oro is the dam of three-time winner and $116,978-earner Happy Hill Lil, stakes-placed $298,505-earner and the De Paz-trained New York-bred Can’t Fool Me. Brazo do Oro is also the dam of the 2-year-old New York-bred and Cimbora homebred and De Paz-trained A Little At First, a full sister to Twenty Six Black who finished fifth in her debut Sunday at Saratoga.

Twenty Six Black, the 7-5 favorite in the field of seven, came into the Disco Partner off a second behind Bring Theband Home in the Grade 2 Troy Stakes Aug. 3 at Saratoga. He finished fourth in his prior start against fellow New York-breds in the 6-furlong Ashley T. Cole Stakes, an effort De Paz chalked up to the gelding not handling the warm weather in late June at Aqueduct.

“He gave us a flat effort in the New York-bred stakes,” De Paz said. “His energy wasn’t great. I don’t know if the week before when that heatwave came through, it knocked him out a little bit. He just wasn’t himself. He’s normally a very forward, happy horse. In the paddock, he can be forward. He was just a little bit quiet.”

De Paz ran blood work on Twenty Six Black after the effort and everything checked out. He conceded it just “wasn’t his day” and moved on.

Shipped to Saratoga – where he went 1-2-1 in five starts before the Troy – Twenty Six Black bounced back.

Flavien Prat rode Twenty Six Black in the Troy and again the Disco Partner. He rated the gelding in fourth early before taking command at the top of the stretch. He led by a half-length in midstretch and widened from there, drawing off to win in 1:01.43 over the firm turf.

“I was worried about the pace scenario,” Prat said. “He broke running and I was able to get him into the race. I tipped him out and he made a good run. I really thought he ran a good race last time and was second to a very good horse. Obviously, we didn’t have to run against him today. I thought this was a race I could possibly win, and he did.”

Twenty Six Black picked up $74,250 for the Disco Partner win and boosted his bankroll to $493,310.

De Paz said he’d look at the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint Sept. 27 at Aqueduct as a next start for Twenty Six Black.

“That would be the logical spot,” he said. “I always thought 6 furlongs would probably be a little bit better for him – 6-to-7– we’ll keep him local.”

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.

Wecanonlyimagine heads to victory in last week’s Princess Margaret Stakes at Century Mile in Alberta, Canada. Chris Tian Photo.

While their cohorts were in the spotlight in the Albany, Fleet Indian, Yaddo, West Point and Seeking the Ante last week at Saratoga Race Course, two other New York-breds took the spotlight more than 2,400 miles away in Canada at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Edmonton, Alberta.

New York-breds Wecanonlyimagine and Playful finished 1-2 as the two longest shots in Friday’s $34,866 Princess Margaret Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

Wecanonlyimagine, a daughter of Omaha Beach bred by Cypress Creek Equine, improved to 3-for-3 in the 6-furlong stakes. Neville Stephenson rode the 5-1 Wecanonlyimagine to her 5 1/4-length victory over Playful, who earned her stakes-placing after a fifth last time out in the Kindergarten Stakes Aug. 2 at Century Mile.

Owned by her trainer, Jared Brown, and John Ganas, Wecanonlyimagine came into the Princess Margaret off a front-running win in the $36,489 Debutante Stakes at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She employed similar tactics in the Princess Margaret, vying for the lead early with 2-1 favorite Hiway Fortynine and holding a half-length advantage through the opening quarter-mile in :21.74.

Wecanonlyimagine opened up a 3-length advantage through the half in :44.55 and responded to the challenge of Playful to win in 1:11.11. Playful finished 1 ¼ lengths clear of Hiway Fortune.

Wecanonlyimagine earned $21,567 for her latest victory, boosting her bankroll to $52,532. Newtown Anner Stud Farm’s homebred Playful, now 1-1-1 in four starts for trainer Gonzalo Anderson, boosted her earnings to $22,239.

Brown purchased Wecanonlyimagine for $14,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. Consigned by C & S Thoroughbreds, the filly is the fourth foal and third winner out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Swimsuit Issue.

Playful, a daughter of Violence out of the winning Bernardini mare Pleased, was foaled at Jack’s Farm on the Hill in Millbrook. She went through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale but did not meet her reserve on a $39,000 bid.

Two of Pleased’s other foals are New York-breds and winners – three-time winner and $126,703-earner Wanna Winna and the $61,680-earner Mischief Motion.

Rhetorical cruises to victory in Sunday’s West Point Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Coglianese Photo.

By Darby O’Brien

Rhetorical charged to victory in the $150,000 West Point Stakes at Saratoga Race Course Sunday afternoon.

“He’s very talented,” said Adam Wachtel, co-owner of the 4-year-old son of Not This Time. “We’re very excited about him and we think he’s got a very bright future. Will (Walden) has done a great job with him. He’s a nice horse.”

Rhetorical broke sharp from post six and settled into third as frontrunners Itsallcomintogetha and Gem Mint Ten led into the first turn. The leaders opened up a gap of 3 lengths as they travelled along the backside, with Rhetorical and Irad Ortiz Jr. biding their time. Ortiz angled the 4-year-old gelding to the outside as they entered the stretch and cut him loose.

Rhetorical blew by the frontrunners with ease, Bettrluckythangood rallying late with a fruitless challenge as the 2-5 favorite breezed to a 2 1/2-length victory in 1:39.71.

Rhetorical came into the West Point off back-to-back wins in allowance company. He most recently triumphed at Saratoga July 19. He debuted at the track last summer and won by 5 lengths. His lone defeat came in his second start exactly one year ago today, where he lost by three-quarters of a length to Clear Conscience, who finished fourth in the West Point.

“Every time we stepped up the company or the challenge, he does it. He handles it pretty easily,” said winning trainer Will Walden. “We just get him over here and he does the rest. That was the first time he really sat behind horses without fighting it. I do think it helped that they went 22, 45 in front of him. He was able to sit there. It’s his fifth start. He’s still got a long way to go but he’s doing good.”

Rhetorical sold for $320,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale out of the Denali Stud consignment. He’s owned by Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber and Cheyenne Stables.

“There’s no better place to be than the winner’s circle,” said co-owner Everett Dobson of Cheyenne Stables. “It’s really special. … We’re partnered on a few with Adam (Wachtel) and Gary Barber. They’re great guys and I really enjoy partnering with them. So, when he made the recommendation, I said sure. That was an impressive effort. Incredible.”

Breeders Mallory and Karen Mort, who also bred multiple stakes winning New York-bred Sterling Silver out of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor, agreed.

“It’s incredible, really,” said Mallory Mort. “We had his sister. We bred his sister, and she won a stake here last year. He was always pretty easy to get along with. He was a little tough as a yearling getting him prepped for the sale and stuff, but he was always a good boy. When he was born he was a little dis-mature, so he was a little behind when he was born. But he caught up and became a pretty nice horse.”

Foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Rhetorical is the fifth foal out of Sheet Humor, whose progeny include the stakes winning and graded stakes-placed Sterling Silver (by Cupid), who recently finished fourth in the Yaddo Stakes last Friday at Saratoga.

Awesome Czech improves to 4-for-5 on the turf at Saratoga in Friday’s Yaddo Stakes. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

By Darby O’Brien

Peter Moore began working with Barry Schwartz of Stonewall Farm 20 years ago Friday, and Awesome Czech’s triumph in the $150,000 Yaddo Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, going 1 1/16-miles on the turf, made the anniversary that much sweeter.

“Today is 20 years since I started with him (Schwartz),” Moore said. “To the day. He reminded me of that the other day. And he said, ‘If that horse wins, you better tell them.’ Yeah. Twenty years to the day.”

Awesome Czech stumbled at the break and settled in fourth along the inside as Spinning Colors surged to the lead. With heavy traffic on the rail, Ricardo Santana Jr. swung the 4-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn four wide into the upper stretch and dug in. With a strong rally in the final sixteenth, Schwartz’s homebred prevailed in the final jumps to score by a half-length over favored Moonage Daydream. Spinning Colors finished third.

Trained by Horacio De Paz, Awesome Czech won in 1:41.41 over the firm turf.

“She likes that track,” said Moore. “Santana loves this filly. He’s really good on her, and for a moment I thought he screwed that one up. Honestly, when he came around I thought he wasn’t going to be able to get out. … This guy (De Paz) is doing a great job. He wanted Santana on this filly for a long time. Between the two of them, and the fact that she likes it up here, we’re thrilled. Thrilled to have that.”

Out of the Awesome Again mare Marvelous Martina – thus the name for tennis legend Martina Navratilova – Awesome Czech won her second stakes and fourth race in five starts at Saratoga.

Awesome Czech won last year’s Suzie O’Cain Stakes in mid-August 14 following a win in allowance company. De Paz had no intention of messing with that formula, as the filly came into the race with a narrow win in a 1-mile allowance in her last start at Saratoga July 4.

Looking ahead, De Paz hopes to see the filly improve when faced with potentially tougher company.

“We’ll see how she comes out of this,” he said. “New York-bred company has good purses. I always thought she was an open-company horse. We tried the Virginia Oaks last year and didn’t get the trip we wanted. Options are open for her.”

Schwartz bred Awesome Czech and she was foaled at his Stonewall Farm in Westchester County. Moore was there every step of the way.

“I was in Keeneland buying mares in foal and we’re both big fans of Mendelssohn,” Moore said. “And at the time, he wasn’t commanding huge money. We only paid 25 or 30 (thousand) for that mare. And we kind of felt it was a steal, even at the time. Obviously, it worked out. The first foal is, as you know, a multiple stakes winner.”

Awesome Czech is the first foal out of Marvelous Martina, a 9-year-old mare who won twice in her career and sold for $25,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Marvelous Martina is also the dam of the 3-year-old Central Banker filly Rare Society, who makes her second career start for Schwartz and trainer Linda Rice in Sunday’s fifth race at Saratoga.

Iron Orchard crushes the field to stay perfect in the Seeking the Ante Stakes Friday at Saratoga Race Course. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

By Julia Reedy

When Danny Gargan and Jimmy Gladwell saw Iron Orchard at the OBS April sale, they knew they couldn’t leave without her.

The 2-year-old filly was promptly purchased for $500,000 for owners Edward Childs and Randy Hill of R.A. Hill Stable – and has since rewarded her connections with back-to-back wins, including a 6 3/4-length score over fellow New York-bred Oriole Way in Friday’s $150,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

“We liked the fact that she was fast and she was pretty,” Gladwell said of his first impression of the Authentic filly. “We had some dear friends of ours selling her and they were extremely high on her. They gave us even more confidence. And the New York-bred program, we love the program. We love to run up here. We’re just happy today and happy for all the connections.”

Gladwell was introduced to Childs through the late Hall of Fame trainer and mutual friend D. Wayne Lukas.

Lukas called Gladwell a few years prior asking him for a favor: could he help Childs pick out a few horses at the 2-year-old sales? Not one to deny an old friend, Gladwell agreed.

“He (Lukas) was a dear friend, and it’s been a great partnership with Mr. Childs,” Gladwell said. “Our main business is 2-year-olds in training, and our main clients are Dean and Patti Reeves at Reeves Thoroughbred Racing that have a large stable.

“It’s all been a lot of fun, and this has been a great day to see this filly do so well. … We came up and watched her run the first race and watched her run today. She’s grown. She’s filled out. Danny Gargan and his whole team have done an outstanding job with her and have been patient with her. She’s got a bright future ahead of her.”

For Edward Childs and his son, Alex, the journey has been nothing short of rewarding.

“He’s (Edward) been in it a long time and then we all got involved here probably three or four years ago,” Alex said. “We kind of went the Quarter Horse route and broke off from that, got into Thoroughbreds and then some partners and friends of ours jumped in there with us. It’s been a fun deal. It’s got its ups and downs, right? But it’s huge fun.”

As for Iron Orchard’s next start, Gargan said she could run in open company.

“She’s just lightning fast,” Gargan said. “Now, we’ll figure (it) out. We could end up in the Frizette next time (October 4 at Aqueduct). I wanted to get this, and she looks like she shows everything in the mornings like she’ll stretch. I think going a mile, she’ll break and when horses come to her, she gets faster. She does it so easy, so we’ll see who’s all going to show up there, but that’s what we’ll point her towards and hopefully we end up there.”

Bred by Pine Ridge Stable LLC and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Iron Orchard commanded the top price for a New York-bred filly and second most expensive price for a New York-bred overall at the OBS April sale. She originally went through the ring at the 2023 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, bringing $140,000 as a weanling from Castleton Way. A $97,000 RNA at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Iron Orchard later sold for $78,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.

She’s the fourth foal out of the Brethren mare Onebrethatatime, a three-time winner who earned $133,283 and is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Wonderlandbynight and Gilded Miracle, the dam of Grade 1 winner Exaulted.

Onebrethatatime’s third foal, the New York-bred Not This Time 3-year-old filly Backcheck, won in her third start in June at Aqueduct and is entered in a $95,000 allowance on Saturday’s Travers Day undercard at Saratoga.

Iron Dome romps to victory in Thursday’s Albany Stakes at Saratoga. Coglianese Photo.

By Darby O’Brien

Iron Dome stormed home for his third straight win in Thursday’s $200,000 Albany Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

“With him running two weeks ago, he was well away,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains the Into Mischief colt for L and N Racing and his co-breeder Chester Broman. “I was worried he would be a little flat, as big as he is. When he jumped away from the gate so well. Jose (Ortiz) knows him and has a lot of confidence in him. He let him do his thing.”

Iron Dome hustled out of the gate and settled into a stalking second as Hit the Post took an early 4-length lead. Ortiz angled Iron Dome wide as the field came around the far turn, taking the lead as they came to the five-sixteenths pole and took an undeniable command as they entered the stretch. He kicked clear of rivals with ease, scoring by 6 3/4 lengths over Hit the Post. King’s Leap finished third.

Iron Dome came into the Albany off back-to-back wins at the Saratoga meet. He broke his maiden by 10 1/2 lengths July 16 in a 1 1/8-mile maiden and returned August 7 to romp in an allowance at the same distance by 8 lengths. A $500,000 Keeneland September sale purchase, he proved unsuccessful in his first four starts. But the colt stepped it up July 16 and only continues to improve for his connections.

“Obviously, off of his other-than-win and his two 1 1/8 miles here I wanted to give this a chance. But then this morning with the key scratch (Train The Trainer), it kind of fell in his lap. I’m very proud of the horse,” said Asmussen. “He’s obviously a big, beautiful horse. Very nice (Chester) Broman New York-bred that’s coming into his own. Obviously just very excited about getting him when we did at Keeneland September, and being Mr. Buff’s brother, and always being a fan of his and all the success that he had up here. He’s making the family proud.”

Bred by the Bromans and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Iron Dome is the seventh foal out of the Grade 3-placed Speightstown mare Speightful Affair.

Consigned by Sequel New York, agent for the Bromans, he went through the ring at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale and brought a $500,000 bid from the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based partnership L & N Racing, which includes Lee Levinson, his sons Andy and Michael and family friend Don Nelson. Chester Broman bought back in for 25 percent after the sale.

“It’s hard to say when they born, you think they’re all going to be champions right?” said Gregg Falk, Chestertown’s farm manager. “We had high hopes for him though. The mare has always had good babies. They’ve always been big, good frame like him, good bone on them. Being a half to Mr. Buff, he had some big shoes to fill. It’s hard to say, but this guy might be going in that same direction.”

Bred in Ontario and third in the Grade 3 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct in April of her 3-year-old season, Speightful Affair won two of 12 starts with eight placings and earned $142,182. The Bromans added her to their star-studded broodmare band on an $80,000 bid at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Three of Speightful Affair’s first four foals, including multiple stakes winner and New York-bred champion Mr. Buff, were by the Broman’s stallion Friend Or Foe. Mr. Buff won 17 of 48 starts and earned $1,403,536 in the Bromans’ colors. She’s also the dam of the winning Friend Or Foe New York-bred Cain Is Abel, nine-time winner and $504,413-earner Daddy Knows (by Scat Daddy) along with the stakes-placed duo Quick to Accuse (by Accelerate) and Organic Gemini (by Sir Whimsey).

Iron Dome is Speightful Affair’s last foal.

“She’s been pensioned. She’s living the good life right now,” Falk said. “The last few foals, she had had some complications. It was her time. She’s earned it. She’s got a nice big paddock, in there with Unbridled Star, Stolen Star, some of those other ones that have a lot of stripes on their jackets, too. It’s great they’re together.”

– Additional reporting by Tom Law