Itsallcomintogetha improves to 2-for-7 with upset victory in Thursday’s Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Nolan Clancy

Like father, and mother, like son. 

Itsallcomintogetha completed a family trifecta of Saratoga winners with a gate-to-wire win in the $150,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes Thursday at Saratoga Race Course.

The bay colt collected his first stakes victory in the day’s final race for trainer Phil Serpe, also the trainer of his sire Weekend Hideaway and dam Ladywell Court.

“They’re all runners … It’s great to do that. It is,” Serpe said, on training both sides of the colt’s bloodline. “I’m just really happy for the people that own him.”

Weekend Hideaway collected five wins at Saratoga, including scores in the John Morrissey Stakes in 2014 and 2018. Ladywell Court won at the Spa in her final start in 2012. 

The Hilly Fields Stable homebred broke strongly from the two post and found the rail early under Jose Gomez, splitting the opening quarter-mile in :24.18 and opening a length lead as the six-horse field entered the backstretch. 

From there, Itsallcomintogetha relaxed into a 49.25 half-mile on the lead, while favorite Ramblin’ Wreck found himself four lengths from the lead under Irad Ortiz Jr. The Danny Gargan-trained Redesdale gelding got the best of Itsallcomintogetha in the Spectacular Bid division of the NYSSS at 7 furlongs at Belmont June 18.

The 3-year-old colt held off a late charge from Ramblin’ Wreck, completing the mile over Saratoga’s inner turf course in 1:36.62.

“Last time, we went a little shorter and he rode competitive. He likes to fight,” said Gomez, who collected his first win of the Saratoga meet. “But when he’s out there on his own, he relaxes a little more and me and Phil thought the mile would be perfect for him.”

“I think the two turns is more important than anything, because he’s quick and he can get through the turns pretty quickly,” Serpe said. 

The trainer also attributes some success to Itsallcomintogetha’s growth and maturation into his 3-year-old season.

“He’s easily 200 pounds heavier than he was as a 2-year-old,” Serpe said.

Vacation Dance, a The Lieutenant colt, stayed on to finish third under Kendrick Carmouche, while Superestrella gelding Willintoriskitall finished fourth. Twenty Six Black and Mama Banned Me completed the field.

Itsallcomintogetha is the sixth foal out of Ladywell Court, also the dam of stakes winners Lady Joan and Goodbye Brockley. Serpe trained Lady Joan, winner of the 2017 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the NYSS; and Goodbye Brockley, winner of the 2018 Statue of Liberty division of the NYSS.

Itsallcomintogetha collected the first win by a son of the now-pensioned Weekend Hideaway, a 1-mile maiden race on the turf at Belmont May 6. 

Additional reporting by Alec DiConza.

Orange Freeze and Joel Rosario fly to the finish of Wednesday’s NYSS Statue of Liberty at Saratoga Race Course. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Tom Law

Bill Morey didn’t claim Orange Freeze with the intent to run the Freud filly back in any specific spot. But he certainly gave Wednesday’s $150,000 Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Saratoga Race Course a thought.

“I wouldn’t say it was the reason for the claim, but it’s always in the back of your mind,” Morey said. “If you do claim a New York-sired horse, you know you have this option.”

The option proved a winner as Orange Freeze, making her first start since being claimed for $40,000 June 23, rolled to a powerful victory over eight opponents in the Statue of Liberty. Joel Rosario rode the winner of Morey, who also owns the filly out of the Birdstone mare Hoopskirt.

Orange Freeze, who won her state-bred maiden claiming event by 3 ¾ lengths for Christophe Clement and owner Madaket Stable when Morey dropped the claim slip, won the Statue of Liberty by 1 1/2 lengths over Bernt Again in 1:37.75 for the mile on good inner turf course.

“She had consistent form and it looked like maybe she was on the improve a little bit,” said Morey, who owns the filly. “Going down the backside, I was pretty confident. Both of my fillies started moving and I thought those fillies [Queens Over Threes and Mz Big Bucks] were going to come back. I saw one go inside, one go outside and it was perfect.”

Bernt Again, a daughter of Honorable Dillon coming off back-to-back wins, finished 3 lengths ahead of the War Dancer filly Mz Big Bucks with the Morey-trained Redesdale filly Red Moon third. Little Linzee, Bea Bea Kaz, Clover Street, Camp Akeela and Queens Over Threes completed the field.

Bred by Thummp’s Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Orange Freeze originally sold for $112,000 to Smokestack Lightning at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She’s one of three winners out of Hoopskirt, who won six of 40 starts with 10 seconds and three thirds for $158,028.

Hoopskirt is also the dam of the winning New York-bred Afleet Alex gelding Farragut, who earned $104,220; and the winning New York-bred Majestic City mare Dutchess of N Y.

She is also the dam of Orange Freeze’s unraced 2-year-old full brother Clinical Decision, who sold as a weanling to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing for $100,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. Clinical Decision breezed 3 furlongs Tuesday in :39.83 on Saratoga’s main track.

Hoopskirt is also the dam of two other full brothers to Orange Freeze – a yearling and a weanling foaled May 10. Sequel Thoroughbreds and Thummps Racing Stable bred the yearling and Thummps Racing Stable bred the weanling.

Freud, a 25-year-old son of Storm Cat and full brother to Giant’s Causeway, stands privately at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson. He came in Wednesday fifth on the New York general sire list, a table he topped six times including a run from 2016 to 2019.

Morey celebrated a pair of victories Wednesday at Saratoga, the first two of his career that features 1,815 through Wednesday. He also won the third race with Golden Dagger and finished second in the ninth with Cadencia.

The win off the claim made in the Statue of Liberty was worth $90,000 and boosted Orange Freeze’s earnings to $131,730 from a record of 2-1-1 in six starts.

“We did win a shake [to claim Orange Freeze],” Morey said. “I was in a 14-way shake the other day, I was in a nine-way today. It’s a part of the claiming game, there’s a lot of luck involved. But the good thing is with these New York-breds and New York-sired specifically, you have the chance to catch one like this and we got lucky.

Allure of Money (inside) fends off odds-on favorite Maker’s Candy to win Monday’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Happy Face Racing Stable’s Allure of Money fended off odds-on favorite Maker’s Candy through the stretch to win Monday’s $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

The 3-year-old son of leading New York sire Central Banker won the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby by a neck over 1-9 favorite Maker’s Candy. Luis Perez rode the winner for trainer Michael Ferraro. Allure of Money won in 1:46.82 over the fast track.

Maker’s Candy shipped in from trainer Mike Maker’s barn at Saratoga Race Course, fresh off a victory in the Mike Lee Stakes on Big Apple Showcase Day in late May at Belmont Park. Jose Ortiz also made the trip from Saratoga to ride Maker’s Candy, who stumbled at the start and found himself last of seven past the finish the first time.

Allure of Money came away well and conceded the lead to Tacony Road through the stretch and around the first turn. Tacony Road led by a length through the opening quarter-mile in :24.09 before Allure of Money took over to the half in :48.93. Maker’s Candy recovered from his bobble and rushed up into third to that point.

Allure of Money continued to lead around the far turn as Tacony Road dropped back, Mo Trump inched into contention from the inside and Maker’s Candy pressed from the outside. Allure of Money held a half-length advantage into the stretch, saw it reduced to a head by midstretch but dug in enough to win by a neck. The first two were 13 lengths clear of Mo Trump in third, with Freudmein, Wynn Giant, Tacony Road and Tiz Lucky completing the field.

Sent off as the 7-1 third choice, Allure of Money improved to 4-for-6 and boosted his earnings to $146,737 with the $90,000 first-place check.

Bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan and foaled at their Shamrock Hill Farm in Fort Edward, Allure of Money is the first foal out of the unraced Shackleford mare Alana’s Allure. Co-bred by Prudhomme, Gallivan and Darby Dan Farm, Alana’s Allure is out of the Chilean-bred Dancing Groom mare Bella Madame.

Consigned as a weanling to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale through the Vinery Sales consignment, Allure of Money did not meet his reserve on a final bid of $6,500.

Allure of Money helped Central Banker clinch his second straight New York leading sire title in 2022 with a pair of victories in three starts, including the Tin Cup Chalice Stakes at Finger Lakes. Central Banker, a 13-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. Central Banker came into the day the clear leader on the New York general sire list with progeny earnings of more than $2.1 million.

Funny Cide, here winning the 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, won three New York-bred Horse of the Year titles and multiple divisional crowns in a career highlighted by his Kentucky Derby and Preakness victories. NYRA Photo.

By Sean Clancy and Joe Clancy

A good racehorse can change everything, and Funny Cide sure did that. The New York-bred gelding, who retired in 2007 as the program’s career earnings leader with $3,529,412 and died Sunday at age 23, sent waves of influence through the lives of scores of people and – in reality – an entire state’s Thoroughbred industry.

“It was life-changing for all the 10 partners and from the business perspective, it put the New York-bred program on a plateau where it had never been before,” said Jack Knowlton, co-founder and operating manager of owner Sackatoga Stable. “And it hasn’t gone away. Once you win the Derby, people see that anything is possible with a New York-bred and the program has only gotten better and better. All of the things we got to do around his Triple Crown run, the Today Show, all of that. If that horse doesn’t come along, would Sackatoga Stable still be around? Who knows? He touched an incredible number of lives, he had a fan base that continued right up until today. I can’t begin to count the number of texts, calls, emails that I’ve gotten. People sharing pictures they have with him at the Horse Park. He was such a fan favorite.”

Foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for breeder WinStar Farm in 2000, Funny Cide sold to Tony Everard for $22,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s New York-bred yearling sale in Saratoga.

“Tony Everard was an old friend of ours and we had to push him to buy him,” Joe McMahon said Sunday. “He was a beautiful-walking horse, he was a smart-looking horse but he had long, slopey pasterns, so be careful of the horses you knock for that.”

Via trainer Barclay Tagg, Everard sold the chestnut son of Distorted Humor to Sackatoga as a 2-year-old the following year. Funny Cide won all three starts (two stakes) in New York-bred company as a 2-year-old. At 3, he hit the big time – placing in three preps for the 2003 Kentucky Derby before landing the nation’s most famous Thoroughbred race in a 13-1 upset of the favored Empire Maker.

Sackatoga and its horse were instant news.

“Part of it was the human story, us guys being ordinary guys, going to the Derby in a school bus, people saw us as the every-man kind of story,” Knowlton said. “There have been others somewhat like it afterward but we were in the right place at the right time. It was a difficult time for the country, with a war going on and all kinds of stuff. And, in Saratoga, he was born here, that just embellished the whole story. The local horse. Being a New York-bred, once he won the Derby, all of New York embraced him as theirs.”

Two weeks after the Derby, Funny Cide dominated the Preakness, winning by 9 3/4 lengths to set up a Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont Stakes. Empire Maker got his revenge there, winning over Ten Most Wanted with Funny Cide third.

“Anne and I sat in the box with Robin (Smullen) and Barclay when he won the Derby. It was like, ‘This stuff doesn’t happen.’ It changed a lot of lives and it changed the face of the business, for a New York-bred to win the Derby and the Preakness, that was huge. It gave New York a little credibility that they could raise a good horse. It changed the partnership business, the idea that for a small amount of money you could get a classic horse. It gave great exposure to inexpensive horses and multiple participation for not a lot of money. He did change the game.”

At 4, he won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct in April and the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in October. As a 6-year-old, Funny Cide won two more stakes (topped by Woodbine’s Grade 3 Dominion Day). In his final start, July 4, 2007, he won the Wadsworth Memorial at Finger Lakes. Racing in six seasons, 2002-07, Funny Cide won 11 races, finished second six times and was third eight times. He was the New York-bred Horse of the Year three times, also collecting divisional trophies as champion 2-year-old, 3-year-old and older horse.

In retirement he was the Tagg stable lead pony for a bit and then moved to the Kentucky Horse Park, where he proved a popular attraction with visitors to the Hall of Champions. He died due to complications of colic and will be cremated and buried at the Horse Park. Saratoga hosts a stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds in his honor (this year’s is Aug. 27) and he appeared in the paddock as a retiree in 2015.

Twenty years since he won the Kentucky Derby, and five since Mind Your Biscuits claimed the New York-bred earnings lead with $4,279,566, Funny Cide is still a measuring stick for the state’s Thoroughbred industry.

“Funny Cide was arguably the most popular and most accomplished New York-bred thanks to his memorable performances on track including his unforgettable victories in the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “He helped to elevate the New York-bred program to national prominence, and I am thankful we were able to honor Funny Cide and his connections last year at Saratoga. On behalf of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. we offer our sincere condolences to everyone directly involved in his life and all who cheered for him during his career.”

Waitwaitdonttellme edges Warsaichi late to win Tuesday’s Niagara Stakes at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Waitwaitdonttellme worked against a day-long speed bias and ended a seven-race losing streak with her first stakes victory in Tuesday’s $50,000 Niagara Stakes to highlight the Independence Day program at Finger Lakes.

The 3-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man tracked a quick early pace and wore down the pacesetting Warsaichi inside the final furlong to improve to 2-for-11 in her career with a second and five thirds. Luis Perez rode the winner for M. Anthony Ferraro, who co-owns the bay filly with Gags Racing Stable LLC.

Warsaichi, winner of the Lady Finger Stakes and Shesastonecoldfox Stakes last year at Finger Lakes, took the early initiative from the gate under John Davila Jr. and ripped through the opening quarter-mile in :22.98 just ahead of Lockbox. Waitwaitdonttellme and Isabel Luvs Gold tracked behind those two up the backstretch.

Warsaichi continued to lead around the far turn as 6-5 favorite Waitwaitdonttellme moved into second approaching the half-mile split in :46.35. The early leader held the lead by 1 ½ lengths past the eighth pole as Waitwaitdonttellme cut into the lead approaching the final sixteenth.

Waitwaitdonttellme took over from there and went on to win by a half-length in 1:11.57 over the fast track. Warsaichi held second, 6 lengths clear of Lockbox with Fancypants, Tumbles and Isabel Luvs Gold competing the lineup.

Bred by Mulholland Springs, Waitwaitdonttellme is out of the winning Silver Deputy mare Yolie’s Choice and was purchased as a short yearling by Grade One Investments for $45,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Waitwaitdonttellme is one of 10 winners out of Yolie’s Choice and the mare’s first stakes winner. Yolie’s Choice is also the dam of New York-bred winners Bud White and Farmers Choice, and the unraced New York-bred 2-year-old Solomini colt Stanley Rough, who sold for $50,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, and a yearling colt by Thousand Words. The yearling and weanling colt were both bred by Hidden Lake Farm LLC.

Yolie’s Choice is also the dam of Southern Blessing, a $230,000 purchase at 2013 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training who was a three-time winner and runner-up in the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes in 2013 at Saratoga Race Course.

Out of the Group 3-winning Southern Halo mare Old Star, Yolie’s Choice originally sold as a yearling for $110,000 at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. She’s since been sold for six figures three more times, including in foal to Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags for $105,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Waitwaitdonttellme earned $30,000 for the Niagara victory, boosting her bankroll to $67,835. She finished third in her last three starts – all at Finger Lakes – after starting the season with three runs at Tampa Bay Downs. Waitwaitdonttellme’s last victory came in an open-company maiden special weight, when she won by 10 1/2 lengths in her third start after finishing behind Warsaichi and Isabel Luvs Gold in her first two outs.

Whatlovelookslike joins full siblings La Fuerza and Stonewall Star as stakes winners out of Jonata in Tuesday’s Port Washington at Belmont Park. NYRA Photo.

Barry K. Schwartz’s homebred Whatlovelookslike bolstered her dam’s already impressive resume with a victory in her stakes debut Tuesday in the inaugural running of the $116,250 Port Washington to kick of the Independence Day program at Belmont Park.

The 4-year-old daughter of English Channel won the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes by 1 3/4 lengths over Golden Rocket with odds-on favorite Runaway Rumour third in the field of four. Flavien Prat rode the winner of trainer Todd Pletcher.

Whatlovelookslike improved to 2-for-3 on the season and became the third stakes winner produced by the Proud Citizen mare Jonata, joining La Fuerza and Stonewall Star.

The 2-1 second choice coming off a win in a 1-mile state-bred allowance-optional May 26 at Belmont, Whatlovelookslike broke first and then raced in second behind longshot pacesetter Freddymo Factor. She and Prat tracked through early fractions of :24.68 and :50.57 over the course labeled good after heavy rains in the late morning and early afternoon.

“When I hit the first turn, I thought, ‘Perfect,’ ” Prat said. “I was comfortable and on the lead. And then [Freddymo Factor] got a little rank and hooked up with me. I couldn’t go around … so I decided to stay on his inside and it felt like the pace wasn’t strong, so I could keep myself in there. She was happy, so at the end it turned out good.”

Whatlovelookslike took control with a little more than a half-mile to run, then withstood a challenge from multiple stakes winner Runaway Rumour to her outside and Golden Rocket to her inside. Whatlovelookslike repelled them both and drew away late to win in 1:45.37.

“She did well. She broke sharp for Flavien and he got her in a comfortable position on the front end and she was able to hold off the favorite and the horse to the inside of her,” said Byron Hughes, Pletcher’s assistant. “She trains well in the mornings and is always pretty competitive in her workouts.”

Golden Rocket held second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Runaway Rumour with Freddymo Factor fourth. Sanura, the 7-5 second choice on the morning line, and main track only entrant Sunset Louise were scratched.

Bred and foaled at Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Whatlovelookslike is the third foal out of Jonata. La Fuerza, a 6-year-old full sister to Stonewall Star and Jonata’s first foal, won three stakes carrying his owner and breeder’s black and white colors in 2018. He won four of eight and earned 4261,610.

Stonewall Star, a 3-year-old daughter of Flatter, is 4-for-8 with a second and three thirds for $285,058 in earnings. Third in the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes presented by Keeneland Select in April at Keeneland Race Course, Stonewall Star also won this season’s Wide Country Stakes at Laurel Park and Franklin Square Stakes at Aqueduct. She won Aqueduct’s Key Cents Stakes last season for Schwartz and trainer Horacio De Paz.

Jonata is also the dam of the New York-bred winner Citizen K, a gelding by Mizzen Mast also trained by De Paz.

A $100,000 purchase by Schwartz at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, Jonata won two of 17 starts with five placings and $140,800.

Whatlovelookslike has made all 10 of her starts on the grass, including her second-place effort via DQ in her debut during the 2021 Saratoga meet. She needed three more tries to break her maiden – that coming at the 2022 Saratoga meet – before winning two more times in five starts in allowance or allowance-optional events.

The Port Washington was worth $68,750 and boosted Whatlovelookslike’s bankroll to $285,550.

Dakota Gold wins the inaugural Hudson Valley at Belmont Park for his fourth career stakes wins. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.

By Paul Halloran

In his last start, 8 1/2 furlongs wasn’t enough for Dakota Gold, who found himself last after a half-mile and came up a half-length short despite closing fast, finishing third to the classy City Man in the Kingston Stakes for New York-breds. On Monday at Belmont Park, a mile on the Widener turf was just right as the son of Freud got a perfect trip and rolled down the stretch to a 3-length victory in a very swift 1:32.28.

The race looked like it would set up for a closer and that’s how it played out, with the horses who were first and second at the halfway point (Call Me Harry and Ruse) finishing sixth and fifth, respectively.

Dakota Gold, meanwhile, made a gradual progression under Irad Ortiz Jr., from fifth after a half-mile to fourth after 6 furlongs, before unleashing a five-wide rally and taking the lead by the stretch call. It was as easy as it looked for the odds-on favorite, who closed into :22.67, :45.67 and 1:09.09 fractions.

“I wanted to be closer than last time,” Ortiz said. “I had too much to do and I had to wait too long. I was pretty confident today. I was hoping he was going to give me what he had and he did.”

Somelikeithotbrown, the lone millionaire in the field, figured to get back to his pace-pressing ways, especially with the addition of cheater-cup blinkers. Instead, the Mike Maker trainee broke last and stayed there until closing in the last 2 furlongs and nailing Jerry the Nipper for second on the wire.

During the gallop out, Cold Hard Cash, who finished last while making his first start of the year for owner Barry Schwartz and trainer Linda Rice, suffered an apparent cardiac event and collapsed and died. Jockey Jose Lezcano was uninjured.

“I was a little frustrated the last time he ran, but today he sat a better trip and it worked out well,” said Danny Gargan, trainer of Dakota Gold. “Irad knows him as well as anyone. This is his third stakes win on him. He’s a quirky type of horse – some of that trouble, he causes. He has a little play around in his game, but he’s growing out of it. We’re really happy with him. (Owner) Dean (Reeves) is a big supporter of the New York program and it’s paid off with him to be patient with this colt.”

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ron Bowden and foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls, Dakota Gold was the second of four foals out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Dakota Kid, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Dakota Phone and five-time winner Black Hills Goldie. Dakota Dancer, a full brother to Dakota Gold foaled in 2018, won twice in 15 starts. Ramblin’ Wreck, a 3-year-old son of by Redesdale, won a division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in June. A 2-year-old by Mucho Macho Man has not yet raced. Each of Dakota Gold’s first five dams are stakes producers.

Reeves paid $83,000 for Dakota Gold as a weanling at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. After easily winning his first two starts, he was thrown into the deep end with a start in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, running a respectable fifth while losing to European superstar Modern Games by only 2 1/4 lengths.

Gargan ran him five times last year, resulting in two wins and a second in restricted stakes and a third by a neck in the open-company Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park. His 2023 campaign began with a good fourth in the Canadian Turf at Gulfstream, before the close call in the Kingston.

“Mentally, he’s growing a little more,” Ortiz said. “He’s much better than last year. Last year, he would get to looking around and not knowing what he was doing. Today, he showed that he’s grown up a little bit and he’s all business right now. He’s much more straightforward.”

Monday’s win improved Dakota Gold’s career earnings to $680,950.