Honor A. P. filly highlights Book 4 at Keeneland September sale

September 20th, 2023

Hip 2102, a filly by Honor A. P. bred by Arindel, sold for $80,000 to highlight Book 4 of the Keeneland September sale. Photo provided by Lane’s End.

A filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Honor A. P. sold for $80,000 during Monday’s session to highlight the Book 4 New York-bred offerings at the Keeneland September yearling sale.

Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton’s Silverton Hill LLC purchased Hip 2102, who is the third foal out of the winning Midshipman mare First Salute. Bred by Arindel, foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Lane’s End, agent, the filly was originally sold as a weanling for $45,000 at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

The filly is a half-sister to Honor Factor, a 5-year-old son of The Factor who sold for $120,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale; and Never Satisfied, a 4-year-old gelding by Exaggerator with a record of 3-4-7 in 24 starts and $98,925 in earnings. First Salute is also the dam of a weanling filly by Waiting also bred by Arindel and foaled Feb. 1 in New York.

Arindel purchased First Salute, carrying the Honor A. P. filly in utero, for $27,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.

Monday’s session also saw the sale of Hip 1984, a filly from the first crop of New York-based stallion Honest Mischief, sell for $25,000.

Blue Dog Racing LLC purchased the filly, who is the third foal out of the unraced Curlin mare All in Time and was consigned by Highclere Sales, agent. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Cypress Creek Equine LLC and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, the filly was sold as a short yearling for $20,000 at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

The filly is a half-sister to the unraced 2-year-old New York-bred Practical Joke filly Stress Reliever, who sold for $175,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale; and the 3-year-old New York-bred Laoban filly Libban, a winner July 9 at Gulfstream Park and a $250,000 purchase by C2 Racing Stable and Paul Braverman at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. All in Time is also the dam of a weanling filly by Improbable also bred by Sequel and Cypress Creek and foaled April 28 in New York.

Keeneland reported sales on 23 of the 30 New York-breds through the first eight sessions for a total of $3,607,000, an average price of $156,826 and median of $100,000.

The sale continues with the ninth session and start of Book 5 at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Colts by Improbable, Kantharos top Book 3 of September sale

September 18th, 2023

Hip 1687, a colt by Improbable bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinksi, sold for $150,000 Sunday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Paramount Sales.

A pair of New York-bred colts sold for six figures apiece Sunday as Book 3 of the Keeneland September yearling sale wrapped up in Lexington.

Hip 1687, a colt from the first crop of multiple Grade 1 winner Improbable, sold for $150,000 to Matthew Robert. Bred by Jerry Bilinski, DVM, foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham and consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, the colt is the second foal out of the Tapit mare Ellie’s Smile.

The colt is a half-brother to Superstarsusan, a 2-year-old New York-bred daughter of Hard Spun who sold for $95,000 at this year’s OBS April sale. Originally sold for $45,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale, Superstarsusan made her debut Aug. 10 at Saratoga and finished fourth in her second start Sept. 15 at the Belmont at the Big A meet.

Ellie’s Smile, purchased by Bilinski in foal to Hard Spun at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Dust and Diamonds and stakes-placed Sandra, the dam of New York-bred stakes winner Water’s Edge.

The Improbable colt originally sold as a weanling for $170,000 to Norevale Farm at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

Hip 1832, a colt by Kantharos bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Tuscany Bloodstock, sold for $140,000 Sunday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 1832, a colt by Kantharos and half-brother to four winners, sold for $140,000 to Barry K. Schwartz. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Tuscany Bloodstock, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, agent, the colt is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Owl Moon. She’s the dam of six foals, including the stakes-placed $76,120-earner Blue Strike and $118,841-earner Evei’s Prince.

Owl Moon, the winner of two of eight starts, is a half-sister to stakes-winner Fool’s Paradise and is out of a full-sister to Grade 1-placed classic starter Atswhatimtalknbout from the family of Moonwalk, Thatswhatimean, Enbarr and Stormy Lucy.

Keeneland reported sales on 17 of the 24 New York-breds offered through the first six sessions for a total of $3,310,000, an average price of $194,706 and median of $150,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 4 sessions at 10 a.m. Monday.

Cross Border explodes to win Cape Henlopen

September 16th, 2023

Ageless veteran Cross Border rolls to victory in Saturday’s Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park. Hoofprints, Inc. Photo.

Cross Border returned to flat racing this summer after a brief stint as a steeplechaser, and returned to the winner’s circle with his fifth stakes victory in Saturday’s $200,450 Cape Henlopen going long on the grass at Delaware Park.

The 9-year-old English Channel ridgling won on the flat for the first time since taking the Prairie Bayou Stakes in mid-December 2021. The multiple graded stakes winner lost six straight after that run before making four appearances on the National Hunt scene, where he finished third in a 2-mile flat stakes under steeplechase conditions at Far Hills in October 2022 and won a 2 1/16-mile maiden hurdle at the Aiken Steeplechase in late March.

Cross Border returned to the flat game in the 2-mile, Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup June 9 at Belmont Park, where he finished 13th.

Entered a few times early in the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, where he won back-to-back editions of the Grade 2 Bowling Green in 2020 and 2021, Cross Border didn’t run until Aug. 26 when he finished a close third for a $62,500 tag in a 1 3/16-mile allowance-optional on the grass.

Cross Border wasn’t claimed that day and the Wycoff family’s Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker set their sights on Delaware Park’s stamina-testing Cape Henlopen.

Sent off as the 8-1 fourth choice in the field of eight behind John’s Call Stakes winner Tawny Port, Commandeer and Beacon Hill, Cross Border was content to race second-last for most of the 1 1/2-mile trip over the firm turf course.

Tawny Port, the even-money favorite off his Saratoga victory last time out, led the field from the break under Trevor McCarthy. They carved out posted fractions of :24.49, :53.55 and 1:18.23 under slight pressure from Urban Myth. Cross Border and Ruben Silvera saved round the entire way and were still next-to-last around the far turn. Tawny Port tried to give the field the slip up the backstretch, raced past the mile in 1:42.72 and continued to lead into the lane.

Silvera angled several paths off the rail turning for home and Cross Border responded with a furious run, caught Tawny Port at the sixteenth pole and drew clear to a 2 1/2-length win over Tawny Port. Tough Tickets finished another 3 1/4 lengths back in third with Commandeer fourth. Cross Border won in 2:33.31.

Bred by Dr. Doug Koch’s Berkshire Stud and B. D. Gibbs and foaled at Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, Cross Border improved to 13-for-52 with eight seconds and seven thirds and boosted his bankroll to $1,333,258. A $100,000 purchase by Three Diamonds and Maker at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July horses of racing age sale, Cross Border was a finalist for New York-bred champion turf male honors in 2020 and 2021 and missed out on the crowns to stablemate Somelikeithotbrown.

A $180,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2015 before selling for $10,000 at the 2016 OBS June sale, Cross Border is one of three winners from three to race out of the Empire Maker mare Empress Josephine. Empress Josephine is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning New York-bred Private Emblem and stakes winner Rhum, the dam of leading New York sire and Grade 2 winner Central Banker and multiple stakes winner Gantry.

Broman-breds highlight Book 2 at Keeneland September yearling sale

September 15th, 2023

Hip 1071, a half-brother to multiple New York-bred champion Mr. Buff, sold for $500,000 Thursday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Five New York-bred yearlings bred by Chester and Mary Broman and consigned by Becky Thomas’ Sequel New York sold for six figures Thursday – including a colt for $500,000 and a filly for $400,000 – to highlight the close of Book 2 of the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington.

Hip 1071, a colt by Into Mischief and half-brother to multiple New York-bred champion and $1,403,536-earner Mr. Buff, led the way Thursday on the $500,000 bid from L&N Racing.

The bay colt is the seventh foal out of the Grade 3-placed Speightstown mare Speightful Affair. She’s the dam of five winners from five foals to race, a group led by 2019 and 2020 New York-bred champion older dirt male and 11-time stakes winner Mr. Buff. She’s also the dam of stakes-placed winners Quick to Accuse and Organic Gemini.

Hip 994, a daughter of McKinzie and the first foal out of stakes winner Naughty Joker, sold for $400,000 Thursday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 994, a daughter of McKinzie and the first foal out of the stakes-winning Into Mischief mare Naughty Joker, sold for $400,000 to Kim Lloyd, agent for Talla Racing.

Naughty Joker went 2-2-3 in nine starts, including a victory in Turfway Park’s Bourbonette Oaks in 2019, and earned $176,403 for owners and breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey from 2018 to 2020. The Bromans purchased the then 5-year-old mare carrying the $400,000 filly in utero for $430,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

Another of the six-figure Broman-bred yearlings, Hip 1004, a colt by Omaha Beach, sold for $230,000.

Quarter Pole Enterprises LLC purchased the colt, who is the second foal out of the stakes-winning Malibu Moon mare Out of Orbit. The winner of four of 24 starts with 11 placings and earnings of $319,328, Out of Orbit won the 2019 Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga in the Broman colors.

The Broman-bred yearlings were foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown.

Keeneland reported sales on 10 of the 16 New York-bred yearlings over the first four sessions for a total of $2,780,000, an average price of $278,000 and median of $252,500.

After a scheduled dark day Friday, bidding resumes with the first of two Book 3 sessions at the sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

NY-bred trio light up board at Keeneland sale

September 13th, 2023

Hip 355, a colt by Candy Ride bred by Joe Fafone, sold for $525,000 Tuesday at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Photo courtesy of Woods Edge Farm.

A trio of New York-breds led by a Candy Ride colt that sold for $525,000 helped contribute to the strong opening of the Keeneland September yearling sale Monday and Tuesday in Lexington.

Hip 355, the Candy Ride colt out of the unraced Any Given Saturday mare Sweet Love, led the way on that $525,000 bid from Barry Berkelhammer, agent for Albaugh Family Stables. Bred by Joe Fafone and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the colt was a $250,000 purchase as a weanling by Cavalier Bloodstock at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Consigned Tuesday by Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm, the colt is the fourth foal out of the full-sister to Grade 3 winner Adventist and half-sister to Group 3 winner Dijeerr, Isn’t He Clever and Sharp Writer. Sweet Love is the dam of three winners – B C Glory Days, Luna Luca and Tin Pan Alley. Tin Pan Alley is a full sibling to the $525,000 Candy Ride colt and sold for $295,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase.

Hip 219, a daughter of Munnings bred by Pine Ridge Stables, brought the highest price for a NY-bred filly at $350,000 Tuesday at Keeneland September. Photo courtesy of Woods Edge Farm.

The highest-priced New York-bred filly of Book 1 – which consists of the first two sessions of the September sale – and second most expensive New York-bred overall also sold Tuesday when Jacob West’s West Bloodstock went to $350,000 on behalf of Mike Repole’s Repole Stable for Hip 219, a daughter of Munnings.

Bred by Pine Ridge Stables, LTD, foaled at Waldorf Farm and also consigned by Woods Edge Farm, the filly is the third foal out of the Into Mischief mare Magic Mischief. The filly, who sold as a weanling for $230,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale to Bolter Bloodstock, is a half-sister to the 2-year-old New York-bred Omaha Beach colt Magic Beach who finished fourth in his debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course.

Repole ended the day as the session’s leading buyer with 11 purchased for $4.79 million. He also bred the session-topping Into Mischief colt that brought $3 million.

“I’m trying to be the No. 1 buyer and No. 1 seller at the same sale,” Repole said. “It’s just a great sale. I love the game whether it’s claiming a $25,000 horse or buying stallions or buying mares or weanlings, 2-year-olds. I just have a lot of fun with the game.”

Pine Ridge Stables also bred the top-priced New York-bred to sell in Monday’s opening session – Hip 4, a colt by Triple Crown winner Justify that brought $275,000 from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds.

The colt is the fifth foal out of the Rockport Harbor mare Whisper Wisdom, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Connect and stakes winner Tani Maru. The colt was foaled at Waldorf Farm.

Whisper Wisdom is the dam of the New York-bred stakes-placed, $440,658-earner Curlin’s Wisdom and the 2-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief colt Quiet Wisdom who finished second in his debut Aug. 12 at Saratoga for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. Quiet Wisdom sold at last year’s Keeneland September sale for $275,000.

The sale of those three New York-breds helped contribute to the two-day total of $118,465,000 brought in for 229 yearlings. Keeneland reported an average price of $517,314 and median price of $400,000 for Book 1.

The sale continues with the first of two sessions that make up Book 2 at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

NY-bred Saratoga Flash opens National Thoroughbred League with victory

September 12th, 2023

Saratoga Flash, a son of Laoban bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, rolls to victory in inaugural National Thoroughbred League Handicap Sept. 3 at Kentucky Downs. Coady Photography.

Saratoga Flash, a stakes-placed New York-bred son of the late Laoban, kicked off the inaugural National Thoroughbred League with a victory over Labor Day weekend at Kentucky Downs.

Owned by Dailey Double Racing LLC and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Saratoga Flash powered to a 2 3/4-length victory in the $378,666 National Thoroughbred League Handicap Sept. 3 going 1 mile on the grass. Edgard Zayas rode the 5-year-old gelding, who just missed the 1-mile course record winning in 1:32.39.

Sent off as the 8-1 sixth choice in the field of eight, Saratoga Flash carved out fractions of :23.43, :46.31 and 1:09.29 before just missing Flavius’ course mark of 1:32.21 set when he won the 2020 Tourist Mile Stakes. Siege of Boston, the 7-5 favorite for trainer Jimmy Toner, finished second, with the Arnaud Delacour-trained Eons third.

Saratoga Flash races for the New Jersey Racing Club in the National Thoroughbred League, which was launched as an event-focused league for Thoroughbred racehorses modeled on other sports leagues. The organization’s “league office” purchased racehorses privately, conducted a draft among six team owners that are equity holders in the league and fund the purses for the series of races run over three weekends in late summer and fall at four tracks.

Kentucky Downs hosted the first race, with the Meadowlands (Oct. 14), Santa Anita Park (Nov. 10-11) and Tampa Bay Downs (Dec. 30-31) completing the hosting lineup.

The New Jersey Racing Club leads the standings with 95 points, 30 more than the Philadelphia Stallions. New York Knights are third with 52, followed by California Shamrocks (48), Seattle Gems (20) and Nashville Dreams (20).

Four National Thoroughbred League races are in the condition book for Oct. 14 at the Meadowlands, all with $50,000 purses at 1 mile on the grass. Two of the races are for fillies and mares.

Bred by and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Flash is the sixth foal out of the winning Sky Mesa mare Flash Act.

Flash Act is the dam of New York-bred stakes winner Nine Route, a son of The Factor who sold as a weanling for $190,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale and for $290,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She also the dam of winners Easy Banker (by Central Banker) and Cause (The Factor) and the 3-year-old New York-bred Mendelssohn filly Inflationary Trend that sold for $180,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

A $60,000 purchased by de Meric Sales at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Saratoga Flash started his career for Sackatoga Stable and trainer Barclay Tagg. He won three of his first 12 starts before he was claimed by Dailey Double Racing for $35,000 out of one of those victories, a 1 1/16-mile race on the inner turf Aug. 20, 2022 at Saratoga Race Course. He closed the 2022 season with another victory in a starter optional on Christmas Eve at Gulfstream Park.

Saratoga Flash made four starts in 2023 before his National Thoroughbred League victory, winning and finishing second in Gulfstream allowance-optional events and finishing second in the Mr. Steele Stakes in mid-May at Gulfstream. He prepped for his Kentucky Downs run with a seventh in a $120,313 allowance-optional on the turf July 20 at Saratoga.

NYTB, SUNY Cobleskill course kicks off in Saratoga

September 6th, 2023

Students from SUNY Cobleskill take in the scene from the Saratoga Race Course paddock last weekend. Susie Raisher Photo.

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc., and the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill’s accredited course designed to expose upper-class students in the Animal Science program to various segments of the Thoroughbred industry started last weekend at Saratoga Race Course.

The visit by students focused on the culmination of the breeding and racing industries and allowed for observation of the finished product during morning training and afternoon races. Students received a behind-the-scenes tour of the Oklahoma Training Track Saturday during training hours led by NYTB President Tom Gallo.

The group spent the afternoon at the races, with visits to the paddock, watching from the rooftop and helping the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.) selected the “Best Turned Out Award” for the day.

Students helped pick the Best Turned Out winner as part of their visit to Saratoga Race Course. Adam Coglianese/NYRA Photo.

“The NYTB, through Tom Gallo’s leadership, provided SUNY Cobleskill students an experience at Saratoga Race Course that was second to none,” said Raymond Whelihan, SUNY Cobleskill Associate Professor in Animal Science who collaborated with Gallo to develop the program. “Time spent observing training at the Oklahoma track, lengthy discussion with a Hall of Fame trainer, comped racetrack entry and seats, a roof top view and the opportunity to enter the paddock and select the groom of the day. Every student was enthusiastic and appreciative. What a wonderful way to kick off the new Thoroughbred Industry course at SUNY Cobleskill.”

The pilot program is offered to 15-20 junior undergraduate students that have met prerequisites. The course, which runs from late August to early December, falls in line with the NYTB’s goals to make outreach with upper-level science students majoring in equine studies and finding the next generation of the industry’s workforce and leaders in racing and breeding.

NYTB President Tom Gallo gave SUNY Cobleskill students a behind-the-scenes tour of the Oklahoma Training Track last week. Susie Raisher Photo.

“When I first introduced the idea of the NYTB educational seminars years ago, along with raising the standard of care and awareness for the general population of the New York breeders, my ultimate goal was to use these seminars for the education of young people who may be interested in coming into our industry,” Gallo said. “This could not have been done without the help of NYTB Executive Director Najja Thompson and our forward-thinking board members. With the help of my longtime friend, Ray Whelihan, we were able to put together a program which not only exposes these students to many different aspects of the horse industry in New York, but also allows them to gain college credits for their participation. These are seniors in college, and they have participated in the equine studies program for the length of their college career. This is a targeted-interested and engaged group of students, who hopefully will find one aspect of our industry interesting enough for them to enter with career expectations. I can’t tell you how happy I am that this is finally happening.”

The course continues through the remainder of the year, with a guided tour of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame led by legendary announcer Tom Durkin along with a tour Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs in late September. In October, the students will attend the NYTB Annual general membership meeting, educational seminar and the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale. The course concludes in November with a tour of a Thoroughbred breeding farm and a visit to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs.

Barese scores in Genesee Valley

September 4th, 2023

Barese reaches for the finish of Monday’s Genesee Valley Stakes. SV Photography

By Paul Halloran

Barese made it a second successful sojourn out Route 90 from Saratoga Springs to Farmington Monday, rolling to an easy win in the Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack.

The field in the $50,000 stakes for New York-breds scratched down to five and it looked like a two-horse race on paper. That’s what it turned out to be, but it was not Sea Foam battling it out with Barese. That role was played by Debra Breed homebred Lady’s Golden Guy, who led into the stretch before Barese overtook him at the eighth pole.

It was the sixth win in 16 career starts for Barese, a son of Laoban bred by Becky Thomas’ Sequel Thoroughbreds and Lewis Lakin’s Lakland Farm. Owned by Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher, the son of Laoban increased his career earnings to $531,252.

Barese won his fourth stakes race and first since capturing the New York Derby at Finger Lakes July 18, 2022, which he followed by running second in the Albany Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on New York Showcase Day. After ending his 3-year-old campaign with a sixth in the Alex M. Robb Stakes, Barese was given five months off by trainer Mike Maker.

After running third in an open allowance and last in the Commentator Stakes, Barese won an open allowance by 5 lengths at Belmont July 1. He finished last in the Evan Shipman Stakes and continued the off-on pattern Monday.

Lady’s Golden Guy set the pace, but a timing malfunction precluded accurate fractions being posted (that became evident when :32.16 was put up for the first quarter). Beta stalked in second while Barese saved ground on the rail and Sea Foam, a 10-time winner and $850,000 earner raced wide throughout and ended up finishing last.

Barese engaged Beta on the far turn, going by on the inside and taking aim at Lady’s Golden Boy. The winner collared the frontrunner a furlong out and pulled away in the final eighth to win by 2½ lengths. The winning time for the 1 1/16 miles was posted in 1:45.72. Sent off at 1-4, Barese paid $2.60 to win.

Barese is the third foal out of the unraced Successful Appeal mare Right Prevails. Maker purchased the colt for $150,000 out of Thomas’ Sequel Bloodstock consignment at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Right Prevails, a full-sister to Grade 3 winner and 2005 Kentucky Derby runner-up Closing Argument, also produced Barese’s 6-year-old full-sister Breakfastatbonnies, who has won three of seven and earned $165,865. Right Prevails is also the dam of unraced 2-year-old colt Krigsman; Wrongsideofhistory, by Tiznow, who was winless in six starts; Not Wrong, an unraced 3-year-old filly by The Lieutenant, a yearling colt by Mission Impazible and a colt by Catalina Cruiser, all bred in New York and co-bred by Sequel and Lakland. She was bred to Jackie’s Warrior this year.

Thin White Duke rocks to Harvey Pack win

September 2nd, 2023

Thin White Duke flies down the stretch to win the 2023 Harvey Pack Stakes. Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo

Fourth time’s the charm.

Thin White Duke, making his fourth start of the 2023 Saratoga Race Course season, rallied wide down the stretch to catch favorite Big Invasion in the final yards and win the $150,000 Harvey Pack Stakes by a neck Saturday.

The victory completed a busy month at the Spa for the 5-year-old Dominus gelding, bred by co-owner and former trainer Phil Gleaves. Now trained by Dave Donk, Thin White Duke finished fifth in an optional claimer July 26; 10 days later, he placed third in the Grade 3 Troy Stakes; 18 days after that, he checked in fourth in another optional claimer.

Undaunted, Thin White Duke went to the post 10 days later in the Harvey Pack, a race the dark bay won last year when it was known as the Lucky Coin Stakes. Sent off at 9-1 in a field of six, Thin White Duke took his customary spot in the back early as Dancing Buck showed early speed and completed the first quarter-mile in :22.42 and a half in :45.36. Our Shot sat just off the leader, followed by Big Invasion and Chess Master.

Thin White Duke was last of five after Mister Mmmmm was pulled up early, but went to work coming off the turn. Ahead, Big Invasion and Our Shot went after the leader with Big Invasion taking a slim lead in mid-stretch. To their outside, Jose Lezcano revved up Thin White Duke and the horse responded – switching to his right lead and reeling in the favorite to sweep past in the final three strides. Big Invasion, making his first start since Royal Ascot in June, held on for second with Our Shot a head back in third. Final time for 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:02.18.

“He broke pretty good and I sat behind the speed,” Lezcano said. “I’ve been watching his replays and he’s kind of a horse who likes to be outside, this is who he is. I let him go, relaxed in the back, and when I made my move, I go around and he gave me the kick – the kick I needed to win the race.”

Thin White Duke won for the sixth time in 29 starts – 10 at Saratoga – while pushing his career earnings to $682,605 for owners Gleaves, Steve Crist, Ken deRegt, Bryan Hilliard. Trained by Gleaves for his first two seasons, Thin White Duke broke his maiden in the 2020 Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga and added the Aspirant at Finger Lakes that fall. In 2021, he lost all three starts. When Gleaves retired from training at the end of that year, the horse moved to Donk’s shedrow and he went 3-for-11 with victories in the Lucky Coin, two optional-claiming wins and a third (beaten a head and a neck by Golden Pal) in the Grade 3 Troy.

This year started in April and included seven defeats, but enough solid efforts to encourage Donk and the team. The win was the trainer’s second at the 2023 meet.

“It’s been a slow meet not having any live ones to lead over,” Donk said. “This horse likes it here and I thought his races earlier in the year were really good and I thought the course played to him more this week where you can close on it more than you could earlier in the meet. He’s done really well and I wasn’t afraid to run him back, he’s been kind of full of himself. I’m just happy that he ran so well and for Phil, Steve, Ken and Bryan. I know it means a lot to these guys that the race is named after Harvey. It was appropriate.”

Crist, a former racing columnist at the New York Times and head of the Daily Racing Form, called the win special thanks to a long relationship with Pack, a New York racing media personality for decades who died at age 94 in 2021.

“It’s tremendous,” Crist said. “The second we heard that this was the race they were going to name for Harvey and we had won it last year, I didn’t care what else we do this year I just wanted to be in the Harvey Pack and try to win it. I spent some time with his family before the race, you just can’t make this stuff up.

“When I was a cub reporter in the early ’80s, that’s when Harvey started with the replay show and he put me on. He was very helpful to a guy that was just getting his feet wet. He was a loyal friend the whole time that I was a working journalist. We became good friends. To win this, there’s some magic left in the world.”

Foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, Thin White Duke is out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Aberdeen Alley. She’s the dam of Saratoga stakes winner Miami Cat, stakes-placed winners I Ain’t Gonna Lie and Now Is and winners Dunnotarr, Fortythreeoeight N, Yes And Yes and Sweet Summer Sweet. Aberdeen Alley was euthanized in 2019 after suffering an injury.

Big Cyn wins first stakes at Grande Prairie

August 30th, 2023

Big Cyn, a 6-year-old mare bred by Patricia Generazio, wins the Paint the Park Purple Stakes at Grande Prairie racetrack in Alberta. Photo courtesy of Angie Patterson/Watson’s Foto Source & Studio

Six-year-old mare Big Cyn added a stakes victory to her 45-start resume in her stakes debut Sunday with a win in the $8,750 Paint the Park Purple Stakes at Grande Prairie in Alberta, Canada.

Racing at 6 furlongs on the dirt, the daughter of Handsom Mike went to the lead and was happy to set the pace. A few others in the five-horse field stayed close throughout when but it was Causin Mischief that made sure Big Cyn had a battle into and through the stretch.

Causin Mischief dug deep to catch Big Cyn and came with a late run but the New York-bred was not to be denied and won by three quarters of a length.

Trained by Kathy McNally for Tracie Gillis, Big Cyn boosted her earnings to $125,540 and scored her first win of 2023 in the Paint the Park Purple.

Bred by Patricia Generazio, Big Cyn started her career at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old and has been well-traveled in her career with races at six tracks in two countries. She improved to 7-for-45 with six seconds and nine thirds.

Big Cyn is out of the stakes-placed New York-bred Rockport Harbor mare Cape Cod Carol.

Cape Cod Carol finished in the top three in 18 of her 32 starts and earned $346,505. The 14-year-old mare went through the sales ring for the first time this year, selling for $1,000 in foal to Disco Partner at Keeneland January to Charles Yochum.

Cape Cod Carol is a half-sister to stakes winner Becky’s Exchange and stakes-placed Believeinmenow. Becky’s Exchange also produced the stakes-placed Keep The Ring while another half-sister produced the stakes winning Saratoga Treasure and April Gaze in addition to Big Brown’s stakes-placed Veterans Beach. Each of Big Cyn’s first six dams have produced stakes performers with five of them producing stakes winners.

Cape Cod Carol is the dam of two winners from four named foals. She also has an unnamed New York-bred Maclean’s Music 2-year-old filly who sold for $9,000 to Elizabeth Barr and Turks Head Turf at the Keeneland January sale.

The mare’s New York-bred filly by Disco Partner sold for $80,000 at this month’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale to C.F.E. Stables. There was no live foal reported for Cape Cod Carol this year, but the mare was bred to Burrow in 2023.