With the Angels stays perfect in Key Cents

November 17th, 2024

With the Angels overcomes adversity to keep unbeaten record intact Sunday in the Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

By Alec DiConza

With the Angels did not appear to be a lock to win Sunday’s $100,000 Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct despite her 1-5 odds as the eight-horse field turned for home.

After breaking from post one and not showing quite enough early speed to get to the front, the 2-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach sat behind horses for the first time in her career and had to negotiate her way through traffic rounding the far turn under Jose Ortiz. Nevertheless, With the Angels once again proved to be too much for her competition and won the 6-furlong stakes event for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies by 2 lengths, improving her unbeaten record to 4-for-4 for trainer Linda Rice.

The change in tactics wasn’t a surprise for Rice, who knew the race featured a lot of horses with early speed.

“I told Jose the one-hole kind of wasn’t ideal, and I anticipated a lot of speed in this race and that it was probable we’d want to take the opportunity to sit off of it and see how she handled that,” Rice said.

What did present a cause for concern was how With the Angels could not get clear running room coming around the far turn and found herself sitting fifth with less than three-eighths of a mile to go. Any anxiety about her chances was quickly washed away when the filly owned by Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Lady Sheila Stable, Rideau Racers and Sanford Robbins unleashed a powerful late kick to mow down the frontrunners and win with what appeared to be plenty left in the tank. She finished the 6 furlongs in 1:10.56.

“It looked like the five horse was backing up into her and this and that, and she worked her way around it,” Rice said of her filly’s trip. “She was a little wide coming down the stretch, but I was happy to see her run (them) down. It really helps us going forward next year, and we know she’ll do that (rate). It’s a great way to cap off her 2-year-old season, so we’ll send her home and give her a couple months off.”

The Key Cents victory was the third straight stakes win for With the Angels, who already boasted a strong 2024 resumé with triumphs in the Joseph A. Gimma and Maid of the Mist.

Ortiz, who has ridden With the Angels in each of her starts, credited the filly’s connections for managing her well and getting her ready for a 3-year-old campaign in 2025.

“She is a nice filly,” Ortiz said. “Linda and the owners have done an amazing job managing her and picking the right spots. They are developing a nice filly so hopefully next year she keeps getting better.”

With the Angels has now earned $283,250 in her career.

Bred by Joseph DeRico and foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort, With the Angels is out of the three-time winning Pulpit mare Sister Margaret. She’s the dam of three other foals to race, including stakes-placed filly Maggy’s Palace. With the Angels sold for $350,000 at the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale.

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Slumber colt Jack and Jim wins Central Park

November 16th, 2024

Jack and Jim stays clear late in Saturday’s Central Park Stakes. Coglianese Photos

By Paul Halloran

Graham Motion is not known for having his first-time starters cranked to the max – he clicks at 11 percent in that category in the last five years – so when one of them wins, it’s worth noting.

Such was the case with Jack and Jim, a Madaket Stables homebred who parlayed a maiden win Sept. 22 into a stakes score, closing from seventh after a half-mile to win the Central Park Stakes for 2-year-olds Saturday at Aqueduct. Jack and Jim was one of seven New York-breds in the open stakes.

“I never expect my horses to win first time, but he’s a horse we’ve always liked,” Motion said. “Did I expect him to win? No. But I thought he’d run well the first time.”

Manny Franco was content to sit well off the pace set by Not for Hire, determined to get to the lead despite going wide on the first turn of the mile turf race. He led down the backstretch through a quarter-mile in :23.20 and a half in :47.59. Franco stayed inside as long as he could, taking Jack and Jim off the rail on the far turn, which proved to be the winning move.

As the leaders bunched up at the top of the stretch, Franco got first jump on the other closers, including favorite Early Adopter, who made a wide, late move under Flavien Prat, and got to the wire a half-length in front in a final time of 1:36.42. Smooth Breeze was second, while Early Adopter settled for third.

“That was super,” said Motion, who added a ring bit after his horse’s debut. “He did it really nicely. I loved where he was down the backstretch and it kind of set up well for him. Manny was in the clear. We changed his equipment this time. He was a little more manageable and that really helped. What a pro. He just did it so nicely.”

Motion trained Jack and Jim’s dam, the French-bred Monette, in her two U.S. starts at the end of her career in 2018, saddling her to a second in the Matron Stakes at Belmont and an off-the board finish in the Jimmy Durante at Del Mar. By Slumber, an English-bred $1.4 million earner who sired Motion’s Grade 3 winner Sy Dog, Jack and Jim is the first foal produced by Monette.

“I was happy when we passed the five-eighths,” Franco said. “I had separation of the horses in front of me, so I say I’m going to put my horse in the middle of the track. I see what’s going on in the turn so I decided to stay outside and I think that was the best I could do. I knew that I was going to have the horses in front of me [beat]. I was a little worried for the closers.”

Motion said he would take Jack and Jim to Florida in the next month and point for race no sooner than February.

Slumber, who stands at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, has sired three stakes winners this year. – Grade 3 turf victor Fluffy Socks and Grade 1 steeplechase winner Jimmy P are the others. Jimmy P completes his 2024 season in Sunday’s Grade 1 Colonial Cup in Camden, S.C.

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Shoot It True writes comeback story in Notebook

November 16th, 2024

Shoot It True heads for home in Saturday’s Notebook Stakes. Chelsea Durand/Coglianese Photos

By Paul Halloran

Trainer Wesley Ward entered two fillies in Saturday’s Notebook Stakes for 2-year-old New York-breds at Aqueduct Racetrack, both of whom had already beaten males. He opted to scratch Phoebeinwonderland and run her vs. fillies in Sunday’s Key Cents Stakes, leaving Shoot It True to take on the boys in the Notebook.

Good decision.

Off a 198-day layoff, Shoot It True, a $340,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling in 2023, showed no signs of rust, taking the lead early in the 6-furlong stakes and cruising to a 4 ¼-length win.

“She’s a big, imposing filly,” Ward said. “She’ll be much better as a 3- and 4-year-old. I told Dave (Reid, of Ice Wine Stable) she was 80-percent fit. I thought her ability would get her there.”

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Shoot It True took control in the first furlong and led through a quarter-mile in :22.43, chased by Kenny Be, who remained on her flank through a half-mile in :46.12. Once they straightened out and Dettori asked her, Shoot It True drew clear and was an easy winner. The final time was 1:10.17.

By Munnings out of the Malibu Moon mare To the Moon Alice, Shoot It True was an impressive maiden winner against the boys at Keeneland April 5, then took the lead and faded to fourth in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs 27 days later.

“I was hoping to get her a stakes win early in the year,” Ward said. “I ran her back off a big win. I shouldn’t have and it cost me.”

That prompted Ward to put her on the shelf for five months, bringing her back to the work tab at Keeneland Oct. 1 and giving her six workouts before the Notebook. He thought she would have a better chance than Phoebeinwonderland, who drew the far outside post in Sunday’s stakes.

“This filly (Shoot It True) is much better and to me it wouldn’t matter where we ran her,” Ward said, a sentiment echoed by Dettori.

“He was very confident, my boss,” Dettori said. “In fairness, he’s always confident, but he said she’s special. She broke really good and was good in the gate. Last time, she was a bit hot, but [today] she was very calm, broke well and got to the lead on her own terms pricking her ears. The only concern was I couldn’t get her to switch leads, but she was going forward, so don’t fix what’s not broken. She was very good. I really like her.”

Shoot It True, bred by Old Tavern Farm in Stillwater, is the fourth foal and second winner out of To the Moon Alice. Her Two for Charging won a claiming race at Aqueduct Friday. Ward picked out Shoot It True for Ice Wine Stable and Smart Choice Stable at the Saratoga sale, though he is not taking credit for being particularly clever.

“She was the talk of the sale. She’s a beautiful physical, by a great stallion. It was a Joe Johnson no-brainer,” Ward said, a reference to what the former NBA All-Star called his decision to re-sign with the Boston Celtics 20 years after the organization first drafted him.

Ward said Shoot It True would get another break, with a spring return planned.

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Stakes winner Neural Network tops Keeneland HORA sale

November 15th, 2024

Neural Network, winner of the 2023 Gander Stakes at Aqueduct, sold for $65,000 at the Keeneland horse of racing age sale. Photo courtesy of ELiTE.

Stakes winner Neural Network landed a bid of $65,000 to finish as the most expensive New York-bred at the Keeneland November horses of racing age sale Thursday in Lexington.

Sok Racing/Michael Kares purchased Hip 4185, Neural Network, a 4-year-old son of Cloud Computing, out of the ELiTE consignment. Bred by and foaled at Milfer Farm Inc. in Unadilla, Neural Network is out of the winning Street Cry mare Lapinski.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale, Neural Network went 2-1-1 in seven starts with $136,204 for owner Klaravich Stable and trainer Chad Brown.

Neural Network started his career with two wins in three starts – a debut win in mid-November 2022 at Aqueduct and a victory in the Gander Stakes in late February 2023 at Aqueduct. He also placed in the 2023 Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct.

Keeneland reported sales on all five of the New York-breds through the ring Thursday for a total of $146,000, an average price of $29,200 and median of $19,000.

ELiTE, agent, also sold the second most expensive New York-bred, Hip 4100, the 3-year-old maiden Good Magic filly Dance On Air that went to Ken Kachel for $37,000.

Bred by Erin Corners Bloodstock and out of the Arch mare Valentines Romance, Dance On Air placed twice in five starts for owners William Lawrence and Richard Schermerhorn and trainer Chad Brown. She originally sold for $200,000 to Meridian Partners at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale.

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New York-breds contribute to strong Keeneland November sale

November 13th, 2024

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, a 6-year-old daughter of Tonalist offered in foal to Nyquist, sold for $375,000 to lead all New York-breds at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Ballysax Bloodstock.

The Keeneland November breeding stock sale wrapped up its nine-day run Thursday with across-the-board increases, including a record median, with contributions from a large group of New York-breds.

Eleven New York-bred broodmares, broodmare prospects or racing prospects sold for $100,000, along with five weanlings that brought six-figure bids. Keeneland reported 2,050 horses sold at the sale for more than $187.5 million, an increase of 6.2 percent from last year’s total when 2,128 sold for more than $176.5 million. The sale’s average came in at $91,491, up 10.3 percent from last year, while the record median of $40,000 outpaced last year’s figure by 25 percent.

Keeneland reported sales on 39 of the 48 New York-bred broodmares, broodmare prospects or racing prospects over the course of the sale for $3,113,500, an average price of $79,833 and median of $30,000.

The top-priced New York-bred overall, three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, sold for $375,000 to James Harron Bloodstock during the sale’s second session last Wednesday. Sold as Hip 505 by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent for Forever Spring Farm LLC, the 6-year-old Tonalist mare was sold in foal to champion and classic winner Nyquist.

Bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Betsy Blue won 10 of 24 starts with eight seconds and three thirds for $702,010 in earnings.

Campaigned by Cloud Nine Stable and trainer Linda Rice, Betsy Blue won the 2021 Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park, 2022 Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct and 2023 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct. She also finished third in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Stakes late in her 4-year-old campaign in 2022. Betsy Blue was a finalist for champion New York-bred older dirt female honors in 2022.

Betsy Blue, who is out of the winning Yonaguska mare Honest to Betsy, previously sold for $110,000 to Foundation Bloodstock at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.

Grade 3-placed stakes winner Funny How sold for $300,000 during the opening session, the second-highest price for a New York-bred at the sale. Locust Road purchased the 5-year-old daughter of Overanalyze, sold as Hip 185 by Denali Stud, agent. Funny How, who made her final start in early April, was sold in foal to top sire Constitution.

Bred by Hibiscus Stable and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Funny How is one of nine winners from nine foals to race and one of three stakes winners out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Humor. She’s a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and $638,645-earner Funny Guy, stakes winner Super Humor, stakes-placed $342,170-earner Three Jokers and five other winners.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale, Funny How raced for Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing and trainer Ray Handal. She won five of 11 starts, including the 2023 Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct during a run of five straight victories, and earned $302,405. She also finished second in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct.

Hip 16, a colt by Charlatan bred by Town & Country Farms and a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Baby Yoda, sold for $190,000 to lead all New York-bred weanlings at Keeneland November. Photo courtesy of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Five New York-bred weanlings sold for $135,000 or more, including Hip 16, a colt by Charlatan that brought $190,000 from Brookstone Farm during the opening session.

A half-brother to Grade 2 winner Baby Yoda out of the placed More Than Ready mare More Than Speed, the colt was bred by Town & Country Farms LLC and foaled at Mahony Eden Manor in Saratoga Springs.

Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt is a half-brother to three winners led by Baby Yoda, winner of this year’s Grade 2 True North Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and runner-up to Flightline in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in 2021 at Santa Anita Park.

The top-priced New York-bred weanling filly, Hip 652, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Yaupon, sold during Book 2.

Final Furlong Racing went to $150,000 for the filly out of the unraced Violence mare Lesson Learned. Bred by and foaled at H&H Farms Inc. in Fort Edward, the filly was consigned by Vinery Sales, agent.

Keeneland reported sales on 33 of the 43 New York-bred weanlings through the ring for a total of $1,892,000, an average price of $57,333 and median of $40,000.

Hip 3164, a weanling colt by Speaker’s Corner from the family of champion Pleasant Stage and Grade 1 winner Changeintheweather, brought the top price for Book 5 on a bid of $135,000 from Hyde Park Racing.

Bred by and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, the colt is the second foal out of the winning Tale of the Cat mare Science Fiction. A half-sister to stakes-placed Munny Grab out of the stakes-winning Another World, Science Fiction is the dam of the placed Central Banker 2-year-old New York-bred gelding One Vision.

The next stop on the Kentucky fall sales calendar comes with the Keeneland horses of racing age sale at noon Thursday.

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Curlin mare Deep Space, Mystic Guide colt lead Book 4 at Keeneland November

November 12th, 2024

Deep Space, an 8-year-old Curlin mare in foal to Maxfield, sold for $115,000 to highlight Book 4 of the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Vinery Sales.

Deep Space, a winning daughter of Curlin in foal to Maxfield, sold for $115,000 and a weanling colt by Mystic Guide brought $72,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings in Book 4 of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Sean S. Perl Bloodstock purchased Deep Space, Hip 2191, out of the Vinery Sales consignment. Bred by Newtown Anner Stud and foaled at Jack’s Farm on the Hill in Millbrook, 8-year-old Deep Space is out of the winning Bluegrass Cat mare Purple Cat.

Deep Space, who went 1-2-1 in eight starts and earned $24,130, is a half-sister to multiple New York-bred stakes winner and $423,910-earner Maker’s Candy, winning Mizzen Mast gelding Catapult Jack, 2-year-old New York-bred Speightster colt Dream Alliance and a weanling colt by War Dancer born March 17 in New York.

Keeneland reported Monday that total receipts of $181.4 million through the first seven of nine sessions of the November sale had already surpassed last year’s total of $176.5 million. New York-breds contributed to that haul, led by the sale of 15 horses sold for $100,000 or more.

Keeneland reported sales on 20 of the 29 New York-breds offered during Book 4 for a total of $702,000, an average price of $35,100 and median of $31,000. Overall, 54 of the 69 New York-breds through the ring have brought $4,613,000, an average price of $85,426 and median of $60,000.

The group of New York-breds also includes 26 weanlings that have sold for $1,666,000, an average price of $64,077 and median of $45,000. Two of those weanlings brought prices higher than the average during the Book 4 sessions – Hip 2225 and Hip 1991.

Hip 2225, a colt by Mystic Guide bred by Saratoga Glen Farm, sold for $72,000 Sunday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Vinery Sales.

Hip 2225, a colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Mystic Guide, brought the top price for a New York-bred weanling in Book 4. Owl Stable purchased the colt, who was bred by and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm LLC in Schuylerville and is out of the Grade 2-placed Tiznow mare Fantasy of Flight.

Consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, the Mystic Guide colt is a half-brother to stakes-placed winner Oxford Blues, five-time winner $150,364-earner My Romeo Lima and another winner. Fantasy of Flight, purchased out of the 2023 Keeneland November sale for $9,000 by Saratoga Glen Farm, is also the dam of a yearling filly by Maxfield.

Hip 1991, a daughter of Maclean’s Music, landed the high price for a weanling filly on a bid of $70,000 from Dam The River Bloodstock.

Bred by Waterville Lake Stables LLC and consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, agent, the filly is the first foal out of the unraced Flatter mare Puffin Island. She’s out of the four-time stakes winner, Grade 2-placed and $759,200-earner Quezon, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful who sold in foal to Gun Runner for $700,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale.

The sale continues with the first of two concluding Book 5 sessions at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

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Central Banker filly Idyll Gossip wins Shesastonecoldfox

November 11th, 2024

Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Idyll Gossip edges April Storm to win Monday’s Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Idyll Gossip bounced back from a rough trip against males last time and got up in the final strides to lock up another stakes victory for Central Banker in Monday’s $45,000 Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes.

The 2-year-old filly by the McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ resident stallion edged longtime leader April Storm three strides from home in the 6-furlong open-company stakes that featured a field of seven New York-breds. Kevin Navarro rode Idyll Gossip for trainer Paul Barrow, who picked up his second straight Shesastonecoldfox after winning with Sweet Brown Sugar in 2023.

Idyll Gossip also became the 18th stakes winner – and seventh of 2024 – for Central Banker. She picked up $27,000 toward Central Banker’s progeny earnings haul for the season, which sat $4,634,443 heading into Monday and just a little more than $33,000 behind leader Bucchero.

Central Banker, a 14-year-old son of Speightstown, stands for $7,500 at McMahon in Saratoga Springs while Bucchero will stand for $10,000 at Ironhorse Stallions in Stillwater after standing the 2024 season at McMahon.

Sixth in the New York Breeders’ Futurity October 21 at Finger Lakes after trouble at the start, Idyll Gossip went to the post Monday as the 6-5 favorite. She and Navarro lagged toward the back of the field early, racing fifth as longshot Bald Kitten led April Storm by a half-length through the opening quarter-mile in :22.77 over the muddy track.

April Storm shrugged off the leader around the far turn as Brooklyn Rhapsody ranged up on the outside at the half-mile split in :46.35. April Storm, a daughter of New York-based freshman sire King for a Day coming off a debut win April 28, went on from there and opened up to a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch past 5 furlongs in :59.29.

Navarro stayed busy on Idyll Gossip running several paths off the inside in the lane. Idyll Gossip edged past 5-2 second choice April Storm at the finish. Honorable Becky, the 6-1 fourth choice coming off a debut win September 24 at Finger Lakes, finished 2 1/4 lengths back in third. Brooklyn Rhapsody, Bald Kitten, Queen Atlas and Who’s Got the Tip completed the field. Idyll Gossip won in 1:12.92.

Idyll Gossip is the first foal out of Paolangeli’s multiple stakes-placed Spring At Last mare Cozzy Spring, a four-time winner who earned $243,640 in 11 starts on the NYRA circuit. She’s out of the stakes-winning New York-bred Broken Vow mare Pretty Cozzy, who won eight of 36 starts and earned $218,760. Paolangeli claimed Pretty Cozzy out of a win in early February 2012 at Aqueduct. She made eight starts for Paolangeli, winning the 2012 Susan B. Anthony Handicap at Finger Lakes and placing three times including a third in the 2012 Arctic Queen Handicap at Finger Lakes.

Cozzy Spring, third in the 2017 Iroquois Stakes at Belmont Park and second in the 2018 Dancin Renee Stakes at Belmont, did not produce a foal in 2023 and is the dam of a weanling Charlatan filly named Cozzy Trickstress bred by Paolangeli born in New York April 29.

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Half-sister to Derrynane, Mo Donegal colt top Book 3 at Keeneland November sale

November 10th, 2024

Souffle, bred by Waterville Lake Stable and a half sister to this year’s Saratoga NY-bred topper and stakes winner Derrynane, sold for $160,000 Friday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Winter Quarter Farm.

Souffle, a 4-year-old half-sister to stakes winner Derrynane and this year’s topper at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, sold for $160,000 to lead all New York-breds that sold during the Book 3 sessions of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in Lexington.

SF Bloodstock LLC purchased Souffle, offered as Hip 1206 by Winter Quarter Farm, agent, during Friday’s session. Bred and raced by Waterville Lake Stables and foaled at Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Souffle was sold in foal to Practical Joke.

Souffle is the second foal out of the Grade 3-placed stakes-winning Hard Spun mare Portmagee. She’s the dam of Derrynane, winner of the 2021 Woodbine Cares Stakes and fourth in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Her yearling colt, by Quality Road, sold for $370,000 to Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stable Inc. to top the Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Souffle’s other two foals – the unraced 2-year-old More Than Ready colt Rossbeigh, a $200,000 RNA at the 2023 Saratoga New York-bred sale; and a weanling filly by Medaglia d’Oro – were also bred by Waterville Lake Stable.

Book 3’s highest-priced weanling also sold Friday. The day after stakes winner Curly Girl $280,000, her half-brother to 2022 Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal sold for $150,000.

Hip 1398, a colt by Mo Donegal and half-brother to stakes winners Curly and Bostontonian, sold for $150,000 Friday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of St George Sales.

Norevale Farm purchased Hip 1398, who is out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She’s the dam of five winners led by Curly Girl, the winner of four of 18 starts and $172,764. Curly Girl won two of four starts at 2, including the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes, and also placed in the New York Oaks at 3 and Arctic Queen Stakes at 4. Falconess is also the dam of the unbeaten 2-year-old Bernardini gelding Bostontonian, winner of the Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes in September.

Denlea Park LTD, which bred Curly Girl and Bostontonian, also bred the Mo Donegal colt. He was consigned by St George Sales, agent.

Friday’s session also saw the sale of the unraced 3-year-old Ghostzapper filly Mary Jane’s Veil for $140,000. Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm LLC purchased Hip 1087, a half-sister to seven winners led by 2018 New York-bred champion older dirt female, Grade 3 winner and $662,775-earner Holiday Disguise and 2018 New York-bred champion 3-year-old filly, multiple stakes winner and $449,960-earner Midnight Disguise.

Bred by Spruce Lane, Stepwise, Robbins, Copper Beach, Lynn, Manlius and Thorne and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Mary Jane’s Veil was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect and consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, agent. She’s out of the winning Yes It’s True mare Thin Disguise, a half-sister to 2007 New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 4-year-old and up male Naughty New Yorker among other leading runners produced by Dr. Bill Wilmot and Dr. Joan Taylor’s Stepwise Farm breeding program.

Keeneland reported sales on 16 of the 19 New York-breds offered during the Book 3 sessions for total receipts of $1,246,000, an average price of $77,875 and median of $86,000.

Six of the seven New York-bred weanlings through the ring in Book 3 sold for $389,000, an average price of $64,833 and median of $60,000. Overall, 15 of the 17 New York-bred weanlings offered have sold for $1,304,000, an average price of $86,933 and median of $80,000.

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

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Works for Me lands dead-heat win in Aqueduct Turf Sprint

November 9th, 2024

Works for Me and Dylan Davis (light blue silks) put their nose down in time to dead heat with Alogon (outside) in Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.

Works for Me drew into the field for Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship off the also-eligible list and came away with a dead-heat victory in the $150,000 open-company stakes under a pickup ride from Dylan Davis.

The 3-year-old son of Daddy Long Legs finished on even terms with Alogon for his second stakes victory for owners and breeders KatieRich Stables, Chris Connors and Larry Appel. Davis roe the colt for trainer Joe Lee.

“He’s always been a nice horse,” Lee said. “I liked him since last year and I thought the grass moves him up a little bit, but he did run well on the dirt. His preparation for the last couple of races weren’t how we wanted it – you can see that by the workouts – but aside from that, he always gives you 110 percent. I’m really happy for him and for the owners.”

The lone 3-year-old in the field of 10, Works for Me went to post as the second longest price on the board at 23-1.

Jean Valjean took the early initiative in the Turf Sprint, putting a 1 1/2-length lead on Shefflin through the opening quarter-mile in :22.49. Davis kept Works for Me close early while on the outside, just a half-length behind Shefflin.

The first three maintained their positions around the far turn, with Jean Valjean clicking past the half in :45.18 and Alogon inching closer toward the outside and just 2 ½ lengths back under Irad Ortiz Jr. Alogon continued his run through the lane, just to the outside of Works for Me, past 5 furlongs in :56.64. Works for Me responded to Alogon’s run to his inside, edged past Jean Valjean late and hit the finish on even terms.

Works for Me originally landed on the Turf Sprint’s also-eligible list before he drew in when Grooms All Bizness scratched due to a cough. Davis was named on Grooms All Bizness, with Ortiz also named on Alogon.

“I got lucky to pick this one up,” Davis said. “Joe Lee said to try to get him into the game out of the gate. He broke well for me and tracked nicely into the turn. I thought Irad was going to go right by me late, but my horse found a little extra.

“I thought I got the bob there, but it is better than finishing second, so I’m happy. And again, my horse scratched here, so I became available and I was able to pick up this horse. It was a great run, and better than second.”

Works for Me, the second longest price on the board, came into Saturday’s race off back-to-back tries in open-company turf stakes – a fifth in the Mahony in August at Saratoga Race Course and a third in the Carle Place last month at Aqueduct. Works for Me added the Aqueduct Turf Sprint to his victory in last year’s Notebook Stakes on dirt at Aqueduct. He also improved to 4-for-13 with two seconds and three thirds for $307,705 in earnings.

“He ran extremely well in his last race being 13 or 14 out of it at the eighth pole and only getting beat 4 1/2 to Run Carson and that was a speed favoring track that day, but he made up some ground,” Lee said. “I knew he’d run well this time, and I told the owners he’d turn tables. He was doing well, but he does like it a little bit firmer. He dug in and ran great. I have to give him credit and credit to Dylan for not giving up and being resilient.”

Foaled at Doyle Farm in Schuylerville, Works for Me is the first foal out of the Soldat mare Bella’s Game, a two-time winner in eight starts and earner of $58,850. A $90,000 purchase at the 2017 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, Bella’s Game is a half-sister to stakes-placed She’s Like Thunder from the family of 2001 Kentucky Derby runner-up Invisible Ink.

Bella’s Game did not produce a foal in 2022, when she did not sell in foal to Beau Liam at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She’s also the dam of a yearling filly by Beau Liam, bred in New York by Taylor Barraclough and Shane Barraclough, who sold for $47,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale.

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Betsy Blue brings $375,000 at Keeneland November

November 8th, 2024

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, a 6-year-old daughter of Tonalist offered in foal to Nyquist, sold for $375,000 Wednesday at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Ballysax Bloodstock.

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue sold for $375,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings during Book 2 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale Wednesday and Thursday in Lexington.

James Harron Bloodstock purchased Betsy Blue, sold as Hip 505 by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent for Forever Spring Farm LLC. The 6-year-old Tonalist mare was sold in foal to champion and classic winner Nyquist.

Bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Betsy Blue won 10 of 24 starts with eight seconds and three thirds for $702,010 in earnings.

Betsy Blue, who is out of the winning Yonaguska mare Honest to Betsy, previously sold for $110,000 to Foundation Bloodstock at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.

Book 2 also saw the sale of stakes winner Curly Girl, a 5-year-old daughter of Nyquist who brought $280,000 from Frederick & May Construction. Sold as Hip 951 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, Curly Girl was in foal to two-time champion sprinter Elite Power.

Bred by Denlea Park LTD, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Curly Girl is the fifth foal out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She won four of 18 starts and earned $172,764 for owner Henry Steadman and trainer Paul Barrow. Curly Girl won two of four starts at 2, including the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes, and also placed in the New York Oaks at 3 and Arctic Queen Stakes at 4.

Hip 410, a colt by Olympiad bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Robert Cromartie and Tuscany Bloodstock, sold for $175,000 during Book 2 at Keeneland November. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 410, a colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Olympiad, brought the highest price for a New York-bred weanling in Book 2 on a $175,000 bid from Teddy Town.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Robert Cromartie and Tuscany Bloodstock, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, the colt is the fourth foal out of the Grade 3-winning New York-bred Rock Hard Ten mare Summersault. A winner of seven of 34 starts, including the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes in 2017 at Gulfstream Park, Summersault earned $503,443 for owner White Fox Farm and trainer Mark Hennig.

Summersault, carrying the Olympiad colt in utero, sold for $170,000 to Wildridge, agent, at last year’s Keeneland November sale.

Hip 652, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Yaupon, landed the top price for a New York-bred weanling filly on a bid of $150,000 from Final Furlong Racing. Bred by and foaled at H&H Farms Inc. in Fort Edward and consigned by Vinery Sales, the filly is the second foal out of the unraced Violence mare Lesson Learned.

Keeneland reported sales on 13 of the 15 New York-breds offered during Book 2 for total receipts of $1,685,000, an average price of $129,615 and median of $80,000. Overall through the first two books and three sessions, 18 of 21 New York-breds through the ring have sold for $2,665,000, an average price of $148,056 and median of $120,000.

Through the first three sessions, nine of 10 New York-bred weanlings have sold for $915,000, an average price of $101,667 and median of $80,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 3 sessions at 10 a.m. Friday.

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