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Freshman Sires
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updated 1-4-2012
High Cotton, Saint Anddan Lead Florida's Freshman Sires (January 4, 2011) - Ocala Stud Farm's High Cotton and Journeyman Stud's Saint Anddan wound up as the two leaders among Florida's freshman sires of 2011. High Cotton, a son of Dixie Union, had 30 runners during the year, with 15 winners. His best runner was Currency Swap, winner of the Gr. I Hopeful, who earned $180,000. High Cotton was the leader in progeny earnings with $644,743. He had four stakes horses. Saint Anddan, by A. P. Indy, had 36 runners and was the leader with 16 winners. His best runner was Saint D'aroak, who banked $78,388, and his progeny earnings were second best to High Cotton, $509,341. He had three stakes horses. Journeyman also had the third best sire in both categories, Exclusive Quality, by Elusive Quality. He had 36 runners and 13 winners, with progeny earnings of $445,939. His best runner was Exclusively Maria, with $98,258. Hartley/DeRenzo's Simon Pure was fourth in both categories with 10 winners from 19 starters, and progeny earnings of $287,993. His best runner was Aracelis Baby M. with $63,960. Journeyman Stud's Teuflesberg, by Johannesburg, rounded out the top five with 18 runners and five winners. He had progeny earnings of $227,225 and his best runner was Trinniberg, with $101,300. Stonewall Farm's Spellbinder, by Tale of the Cat, only had four runners reach the races, but had two winners, and both were repeat winners. Two other successful freshmen who left Florida before the end of the year were Shakespeare and Mr. Sekiguchi. Shakespeare, by Theatrical, had 15 runners and eight winners, including the Gr. III Pilgirm Stakes winner Shkspeare Shaliyah, who is headed for the $150,000 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. Shakespeare, now at Lane's End in Kentucky, had earnings of $365,262. Mr. Sekiguchi, formerly at Bridlewood Farm, is a son of Storm Cat and is now at Park Stud in Canada. He had 11 runners and just two winners, but one of them, stakes-winning Rose and Shine, was the biggest money-earner among Florida's freshmen with $356,003. General Quarters Comes to Stonewall Farm
(December 6, 2011) - Just a few short weeks ago, it appeared that the influx of new stallions to Marion County was going to be very sparse, but that has changed drastically, with Stonewall Farm, Journeyman Stud and Northwest Stallions all announcing the arrival of multiple new sires to their respective farms.
Stonewall's latest is General Quarters, a big, good-looking horse by Sky Mesa out of the Unbridled's Song mare Ecology. The 5-year-old gray first began to make headlines at three in 2009 after he won the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs just before the close of 2008 for his 75-year-old owner/trainer, Tom McCarthy. General Quarters was the only horse in McCarthy's barn at the time.
A couple of months later, General Quarters captured the Gr. III Sam F. Davis Stakes, but was off the board in the Tampa Bay Derby. He came back to score an upset in the Gr. I Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland, and was off the board again in the Kentucky Derby. As a 4-year-old , he won the Gr. I Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, was second in three stakes at Fair Grounds, the Gr. II New Orleans Handicap, Gr. III Mineshaft Handicap and the Louisiana Handicap. He was also third in the Gr. I Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. At five, he was second in the Gr. II WinStar Kentucky Cup Stakes.
General Quarters retired with a record of four victories, nine seconds and two thirds and earned $1,226,655.
Woojciechowski Named OBS Director of Sales
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company announced that Tod Wojciechowski has been named Director of Sales, succeeding Tom Ventura who will assume the OBS presidency upon the retirement of Tom Chiota on June 30, 2012.
Wojciechowski, who will begin his duties shortly after the first of the year, is a Cornell University graduate with extensive experience in many facets of the horse industry. He has been involved with OBS in several capacities in recent years.
"We are pleased to add Tod to our management team on a permanent basis," said OBS board chairman Mike O'Farrell. "His previous experience at OBS assures a smooth transition when Tom Ventura takes over for Tom Chiota. Tod is a good horseman with a unique combination of an Ivy League education and practical experience as both a buyer and consignor. He brings a valuable perspective to OBS."
Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud announced no increases in fees for its 14-stallion roster for 2012, headlined by Wildcat Heir, Florida's 2011 Leading General Sire, and Awesome of Course, Florida's 2011 Leading Juvenile Sire.
Despite having just three crops to race, Wildcat Heir tops the sire ranks for the second consecutive year in Florida. He has a state-high eight stakes-winners and progeny earnings approaching $4.4 million.
After setting the all-time record for 2-year-old winners in his first crop in 2009, Wildcat Heir became North America's Leading Second-Crop Sire and Florida's Leading General Sire in 2010. His fee will remain at $10,000, stands and nurses.
Awesome of Course is also enjoying repeat honors in the Sunshine State. The Awesome Again stallion is the Leading Juvenile Sire in Florida in 2011 for the second consecutive year.
Awesome of Course, who will again stand for $5,000, is the sire of 2-year-old stakes winners Fort Loudon, Awesome Belle and Redbud Road � winners of five of the six Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder in 2011. He's also the sire of undefeated Gr. I winner and champion Awesome Feather. The other stallions at Journeyman will also have no change in their respective fees.
Journeyman has added a pair of new stallions for 2012 � Gr. I winners J P's Gusto and Vineyard Haven. Both won major Gr. I races as 2-year-olds.
J P's Gusto, who will stand for $3,500, was California's top juvenile of 2010 after winning four straight stakes including the Gr. I Del Mar Futurity. Vineyard Haven, who will stand for $3,000, captured back-to-back Gr. I's in the Hopeful and Champagne to become the leading 2-year-old of his crop on dirt.
The 2012 Journeyman Stud roster with fees are as follows:
Vineyard Haven retires to Journeyman Stud
Vineyard Haven, a three-time Gr. I winner and leading 2-year-old of his generation, has been retired and will stand his first season in 2012 at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud.
In 2008, Vineyard Haven was the top 2-year-old in New York after decisive back-to-back Gr. I wins in the Hopeful at Saratoga and Champagne at Belmont. After wintering in Dubai, he returned to the U.S. at three to finish ahead of a top field in the Gr. I King's Bishop S. at Saratoga but was disqualified and placed second. In his following start, he proved to be one of the top sprinters in the country, defeating older horses in the Gr. I De Francis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel.
Vineyard Haven competed in eight Gr. races among his 12 starts, and also placed in such top races as the Cigar Mile and Forego S. The 5-year-old gray retires with earnings of $772,750. By Lido Palace (Chi), Vineyard Haven is a Florida-bred and hails from the multiple stakes-producing mare Princess Aloha.
Stud fees for the Journeyman Stud roster, including Vineyard Haven, will be announced soon.
J P's Gusto to Stand at Journeyman Stud
(November 12, 2011) J P's Gusto, a Gr. I-winning juvenile and top 3-year-old sprinter, has retired to Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud and will stand his first season in 2012.
By champion sire Successful Appeal, J P's Gusto was one of the top 2-year-olds in the country in 2010, reeling off four consecutive stakes victories. Based in California, he broke his maiden in the Willard L. Proctor Memorial S. at Hollywood Park before winning the Gr. III Hollywood Juvenile Championship S., Gr. II Best Pal S. and Gr. I Del Mar Futurity. J P's Gusto also showed his quality by stretching out with a pair of game runner-up finishes at 1 1/16 miles in the Gr. I Norfolk S. and Gr. I CashCall Futurity.
As a 3-year-old, J P's Gusto was a troubled second behind Gr. I winner Archarcharch in the Gr. III Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park, and he turned back to sprinting in June to impressively win the $400,000 Red Legend S. by a decisive 6 � lengths, stamping himself as one of the fastest sprinters of his age in North America.
J P's Gusto was being pointed for the seven-furlong, Gr. I King's Bishop S. at Saratoga before sustaining a career-ending training injury. He retires with an impressive record of five stakes victories in six starts at sprint distances, and owns three runner-up finishes in graded stakes around two turns. As a 2-year-old, J P's Gusto was weighted at 120 pounds, sixth highest on the Experimental Free Handicap.
Owned and campaigned by Gem Inc., J P's Gusto hails from the multiple stakes-winning Caller I. D. mare Call Her Magic, who is a half-sister to the dam of champion Proud Spell.
An earner of $811,760, J P's Gusto joins a current roster that now numbers 13 stallions at Journeyman Stud, which was the Sunshine State's leading stud farm by mares bred. Stud fees for all Journeyman stallions will be released shortly.
High Cotton to Stand for $5,000
J. Michael O'Farrell Jr.'s Ocala Stud announced stud fees for its 2012 roster of stallions, which is headlined by four-time Florida champion sire Montbrook, and Florida's leading freshman sire of 2011, High Cotton. High Cotton, already the sire of three 2-year-old stakes horses including Gr. I winner Currency Swap, is the lone Ocala stallion with a change of fee for 2012. The son of Dixie Union will stand for $5,000, stands and nurses.
The full 2012 roster with fees are as follows:
Lambholm Runners Still Going Strong in New York
(November 9, 2011) - In a recent edition of Notes, Roy Lerman's success upon the return of racing to Belmont Park was emphasized, as the owner of Lambholm South sent out the three winners Spa City Lover, A La Moda and Scotchirish. In a short span, the trio earned checks totaling $50,400. Lerman has since come back to score twice more, with Ostensibly and Purplegreenngold.
Ostensibly, a 5-year-old Cozzene mare, dead-heated with Style Squad in a $51,000 maiden special at a mile on the grass. Lerman's mare was the lone older horse in the field, competing against six 3-year-old fillies. The dead-heaters both came from off the pace and each collected a check for $20,400.
Purplegreenngold is a 3-year-old from the first American crop of Agnes Gold, the son of Sunday Silence who stood briefly at Lambholm South. The gelding captured a $20,000 maiden claimer by 1 1/2 lengths and took home a check for $12,000. That brought the five winning paydays to $82,800 and gave Lerman five winners from his first 10 starters at the meeting.
NO LET-UP FOR SEA GAZE - Of all the runners from Graeme Hall's (Winding Oaks Farm) first crop in 2004, the one who has stood the test of time with the most success is Sea Gaze. The 7-year-old gelding bred in Kentucky by Winding Oaks owner Eugene Melnyk has won two straight at Belmont at the current meeting, the last running for $20,000, and has boosted his record to 16-7-6 in 51 career starts. The $16,200 check from his latest score for owner Robert Falcone brought his earnings to $317,071. Graeme Hall is approaching the $3 million mark in progeny earnings for 2011 and $16 million for his career. It would be the third straight year over $3 million for the son of Dehere.
HELP FOR HIALEAH BUILDING FUND - The proposed racino at Hialeah Park is going to cost a pretty penny, and two of John Brunetti's runners at Monmouth Park helped contribute to the building fund. Trainer Greg Sacco sent out the winners for the owner of Hialeah and Red Oak Farm in a span of 22 hours.
First, Tuff Tri won a $50,000 maiden claimer by nearly 10 lengths under Chris DeCarlo, clocked in 1:06:26 for 5 1/2 furlongs. The 2-year-old filly by The Third Dan had finished third in her previous start, and paid $6.20 as second choice. The New Jersey-bred filly earned a check for $19,500. The following day, Sacco sent out Southern Decadence to win a $20,000 maiden claimer by a length under Angel Serpa. The 2-year-old Florida-bred by Repent paid $14.60 and earned $9,600 for her first score.
Tampa Bay Downs' Capital Improvements Include Lowered Takeouts
Fans, horsemen and the environment all stand to prosper when Tampa Bay Downs kicks off its 86th season of live thoroughbred racing Dec. 3, the earliest opening date in track history.
Once again, we look forward to meeting the challenges of enhancing our live racing product and providing our fans and horsemen the most enjoyable experience possible, said Vice President and General Manager Peter Berube. As the economy continues to rebound, we believe we are in position to continue our growth as a premier winter racing destination and multifaceted entertainment complex.
While trainers and their horses stream onto the backside from tracks across the country for the 92-day meeting, workers are putting the finishing touches on a $1.5-million capital improvements project that will keep Tampa Bay Downs at the forefront of the racing and sports entertainment industries.
Among numerous upgrades, the most noticeable to fans and horsemen will be the introduction of Trakus, the electronic tracking system which displays the exact position and location of each horse on television monitors during the entire race.
Already in place at such major tracks as Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Woodbine in Toronto, the technology system gives serious handicappers an added edge in evaluating horses running styles and progress.
We believe Trakus will be a welcome addition for our regular Tampa Bay Downs customers, occasional visitors and our vast simulcast audience, Berube said.
Fans will also welcome the addition of 55 energy-efficient, flat-screen televisions to the 400-plus already in place throughout the grandstand and clubhouse. And getting to Tampa Bay Downs is easier than ever, with road access at an all-time high from each direction. The parking area has also been enlarged.
On the structural front, Tampa Bay Downs is in the initial stages of a green initiative that may one day result in the facility having a net-zero impact on the environment. The improvements in place for the upcoming meeting include a CREE LED lighting system throughout the clubhouse and grandstand and the installation of a Gaco Sil S-20 Cool Roof coating system.
More than 1,000 new LED fixtures have been installed inside the plant. LED fixtures can operate 16 hours a day for nine years with no maintennce.
The" Cool Roof" system, meanwhile, provides a weather-tight seal that prevents degradation caused by ultraviolet light, water and other weathering hazards. A Cool roofing system is in use at Disney World and has been used to treat military structures in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it has been proven to lower indoor temperatures by 20 degrees.
Tampa Bay Downs management and our employees are well aware of the importance of wise energy use and practices, and this is only Phase One of our environment-friendly initiative, Berube said. Our objectives are to use less energy and substantially reduce our carbon footprint.
In the barn area, storage sheds have been replaced as the track continues its annual program of barn improvements. Track superintendent Tom McLaughlin and his crew have worked diligently during the summer and early fall to ensure a bright, clean environment for the horses and their handlers.
On the wagering side, bettors are sure to embrace the new 50-cent Pick-5 wager, which features an attractive 15-percent takeout rate. The50-cent Pick-5, which requires bettors to select five consecutive race winners, replaces the Pick-6 and will be offered on the final five races of each card.
Takeout on win, place and show wagers have been lowered to 17 percent. Tampa Bay Downs takeout structure is among the most bettor-friendly in the country, and when combined with full fields of runners, makes the track's simulcast signal hugely popular across the United States throughout the winter and early spring months.
Tampa Bay Downs will conduct its live meeting through May 6. Post time each day is 12:25 p.m. In addition to world-class horse racing and pari-mutuel simulcasting, Tampa Bay Downs offers poker and other card games and tournaments, along with fine dining, in The Silks Poker Room, open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-4 a.m.
Directly south of the racetrack is The Downs Golf Practice Facility, featuring 22 acres with a full range, chipping, putting and sand play areas. Pro shop hours are from 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
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The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company has announced that director of sales and general manager Tom Ventura will be promoted to president of OBS upon the retirement of long-time president Tom Chiota on June 30, 2012.
Mr. Ventura joined the company in 1994 as assistant director of sales and has served as general manager and director of sales for the past 12 years
Mr. Chiota has been with OBS since 1978, overseeing the company's substantial growth and diversification with the addition of OBS Feed & Supply, Ocala Jai Alai and Inter-Track Wagering.
"We appreciate Tom Chiota's long and dedicated service to OBS," said OBS' board chairman Mike O'Farrell."We're sorry to see him leave and wish him the best in retirement. Tom Ventura has worked alongside Mr. Chiota for many years and is a well deserved successor. A new director of sales will be named at a future date."
Rose and Shine Tops Freshman Money-Winners
(November 1, 2011) - In an ironic twist, despite the fact that the Florida freshman sire list is headed by Saint Anddan with 12 winners, High Cotton and Exclusive Quality with 10, Simon Pure with eight, and recently-departed Shakespeare with six, the stallion with the single most successful 2-year-old runner is Bridlewood Farm's Mr. Sekiguchi.
Saint Anddan's best runner is Saint D'aroak, who has compiled earnings of $78,388. High Cotton is led by Currency Swap ($180,000), Exclusive Quality by Exclusively Maria ($98,258) and Simon Pure by Aracelis Baby M. ($45,160). Mr. Sekiguchi has but one winner from his 10 starters, but Rose and Shine has earned $326,573, racing exclusively at Woodbine.
The Ontario-bred filly has started six times, with three victories and a third, and has won a pair of stakes. The latest came on Saturday in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth for fillies foaled in Canada. At odds of 4-1, Rose and Shine came from off a slow pace with Luis Contreras aboard to win by a length, getting the mile and a sixteenth in 1:45:56. With those monster purses at Woodbine, this one was worth $151,260 in American bucks.
Due to the prowess of Rose and Shine, despite the fact that she is her sire's only winner, Mr. Sekiguchi is third in progeny earnings with $352,989, behind High Cotton ($460,356) and Saint Anddan ($378,223).
Horses Pre-Entered in the 2011 Breeders� Cup with Calder History(Oct. 29, 2011) Seventeen of the 193 horses pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4 and 5 have competed at Calder Casino & Race Course. Following is a list of these horses along with their Calder connection. Entries for the Breeders' Cup will be taken on Monday, Oct. 31.
Calder will offer simulcast wagering on the Breeders' Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing's two-day, 15-race, $25.5 million event. Calder will also have live racing on both days with an early first race post time at 12:15m p. m. Advance wagering on Saturday's Breeders' Cup card will be available on Friday. Trinniberg Champagne d'Oro Golden Mystery Musical Romance Awesome Belle Frolic's Revenge First five career starts at Calder; won the Lindsay Frolic Stakes on Aug. 27; second in the Brave Raj Stakes on Sept. 17 going a mile and 70 yards. Birdrun Apriority Big Drama Giant Ryan Jackson Bend Holiday for Kitten Rapport Fort Loudon Irrefutable Teaks North Winchester Bonnie and Kim Heath Score at Calder and in Pennsylvania
(October 20, 2011) - A Great many horses have earned the nickname "The Arkansas Traveler" over the years, but if anybody deserves it now it's Mad Flatter, winner of Saturday's Gr. III Spend a Buck Handicap at Calder.
The 6-year-old son of Flatter out of the Honor Grades mare Miss Pangea began the year at Fair Grounds, where he finished fourth in the Louisiana Handicap. From there, it was a fifth-place finish in the Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs, sixth in an optional claimer at Keeneland, a victory in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs, fourth in the Golden Bear at Indiana Downs, and then the Spend a Buck score.
Owned by his breeder, Bonnie Heath Farm, in partnership with Holiday Stable and Hinkle Farms, Mad Flatter has made 26 starts in his career, with a record of 8-1-4, and piled up earnings of $337,843. And Bonnie and Kim Heath can add on another $6,000 breeder's award for his latest victory, which came at the direct expense of 1/2 favorite Mambo Meister, a multiple stakes-winner who is zeroing in on $700,000 in career earnings. Mad Flatter completed a mile and one-sixteenth in 1:46:07, and collected $60,760 for the effort.
Three days before the Spend a Buck, the Heaths made a nice breeder's award score with Good News Billy, a 3-year-old Honor Glide gelding they bred in Pennsylvania and who is up north racing for Ocala trainer Gary Caple and partners. Good News Billy was 1/2 for a $7,500 claimer at Penn National and won the 1 1/6-mile race by no less than 17 1/4 lengths under Harry Vega. The winner's share came to $11,400 and the rules in PA reward a breeder with 30 percent, so this one will come to $3,420.
MORE SUCCESS FOR PRINCESS FREEBIE - In Chicago, the saga of Princess Freebie, the filly Mike Eckman bred in his back yard off Airport Road near OBS, continued to escalate, as the 4-year-old won a $5,000 starter handicap with a purse of $14,000. The daughter of Freefourinternet won by three lengths in her first try over a muddy track and collected $8,400 for Mike and his nephew and niece, Mark and Debbie Ravenscraft. That sent the filly's earnings to $103,059 on a smart record of 9-5-0 in 19 starts in two seasons at the track. This year alone, she's 5-2-0 in 10 tries with earnings of $71,339 and she shows no signs of slowing down. She needs to be in Tampa for the winter to take advantage of the owner's and breeder's awards.
Lambholm Runners Achieve Success in New York
(October 18, 2011) - In 2007, Roy Lerman, owner of Lambholm South, bred the Smarten mare Queen St. West to the Mr. Prospector stallion Not for Love. Two years later, he put the result of that mating, a New York-bred filly now named Spa City Lover, into the August Saratoga sale where she went for $27,000 to Wesley Ward, the former jockey who now reigns as one of the most successful trainers in North America.
Ward started the filly twice at Saratoga as a 2-year-old in 2010 and picked up a solid pair of seconds. She earned $18,200, but didn't make another start during the year. In fact, Spa City Lover didn't make her return to the races until the recent Saratoga meeting, in a $20,000 maiden claimer on Aug. 1. At odds of 7/2, the filly picked up her third straight second.
On Aug. 31, she was back in the entries, again for $20,000, and this time she broke her maiden by four lengths. And Roy Lerman claimed her. He waited 28 days before getting Spa City Lover back in the entries for a $42,000 Belmont Park allowance at six furlongs. And the claim paid off in spades as the filly came from behind under Ramon Dominguez to score by a length in 1:10:26. The paycheck came to $25,200, besides any New York incentives involved. After five races, Spa City Lover sports a record of 2-0-3 and has earned $56,600.
The day after Spa City Lover's victory, Roy sent out a Florida-bred filly named A La Moda in a $20,000 maiden claimer at Belmont. With Alan Garcia aboard, the 4-year-old daughter of former Lambholm stallion Lido Palace drew off by four lengths going six furlongs on an off track. She earned $14,400.
One week later, on Oct. 6, Roy sent out a 4-year-old maiden named Scotchirish, a gelding by another former Lambholm stallion, Safe in the U S A, in a $16,000 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs. The gelding came from off the pace and scored by three-quarters of a length in 1:18:10. The winner's share was $10,800, and brought the Lambholm take for the three races to $50,400, not counting the New York breeder's award for Spa City Lover.
Speak Easy Gal Speaks Volumes at Keeneland
(October 11, 2011) - On the list of unheralded auction purchases who have gone on to make a name for themselves, Speak Easy Gal has to rank near the top of the list. Bred by Bill and Annabel Murphy at Elangeni Farm in Ocala, the daughter of Stonehedge Farm's West Acre was a $5,000 RNA at the 2007 OBS August yearling sale, later winding up in the barn of the new Farnsworth Stables.
In the care of top Florida trainer Marty Wolfson, Speak Easy Gal won four races in a row between Jan. 30 and April 24 of 2010, including back-to-back victories in the Gr. III Orchid at Gulfstream and the Florida Thoroughbred Charities Stakes at OBS. However, she was unable to win again and had been on the shelf after the Gulfstream meeting this spring. She returned at Calder and finished seventh in the Connie Ann Stakes in August, then made it back to the winner's circle when Wolfson shipped her to Keeneland for a mile and a sixteenth optional claimer on Oct. 9.
In her first shot on a synthetic track, the now-5-year-old mare shot to the lead and led every step of the way, getting her seventh career victory. Now 7-2-2 in 17 starts, Speak Easy Gal has earned $332,565, and is the third-leading money-winner for West Acre.
Stakes Success for Florida's Freshman Sires
(October 3, 2011) - With the stallion population in Ocala having declined to almost miniscule proportions in the last three years, it would seem that this year's handful of freshman sires wouldn't have a legitimate chance to perform up to the standards of the past. But they are proving that theory to be false.
Although not producing as many winners - thus far - as such stalwarts as former Florida leaders Wildcat Heir and Chapel Royal, the current crop has made up for it with a solid performance in the stakes department. Following is a capsule look at the leaders as of today, and their stakes successes.
High Cotton (Ocala Stud) - The son of Dixie Union has seven winners and progeny earnings of $390,571. On September 5, his Currency Swap made it 2-for-2 by winning the Gr. I Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga by three lengths, The colt has earned $180,000. On Sunday, Angel's Tune finished second in the $75,000 Garden State Stakes at Monmouth Park and is 1-1-0 in three tries with earnings of $39,350.
Saint Anddan (Journeyman Stud) - By A. P. Indy, he is the Floria leader with nine winners and has progeny earnings of $296,270. On Sept. 9, Saint D'aroak captured the City of Anderson Stakes at Hoosier Park by three lengths and is 2-0-1 in four starts with earnings of $78,388. On Saturday, the maiden Another Romance, who had a previous second and third, finished second to Exclusively Maria to complete a 1-2 Journeyman Stud finish in the $100,000 Cassidy Stakes at Calder.
Shakespeare (Signature Stallions) - From just nine starters, the son of Theatrical has five winners, including Shkspeare Shaliyah, who came from last place in a six-horse field to win the Gr. III Pilgrim Stakes on the grass at Belmont Park Sunday. The colt is 2-0-1 in three starts, with earnings of $96,700. Shakespeare's progeny earnings have reached $281,634.
Exclusive Quality (Journeyman Stud) - The son of Elusive Quality has six winners and earnings of $248,927. His Exclusively Maria captured the $100,000 Cassidy at Calder Saturday. The filly is 2-0-3 in five tries with earnings of $98,258.
Mr. Sekiguchi (Bridlewood Farm) - The son of Storm Cat is represented by Rose and Shine, third in the $151,200 Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine, and winner of the $200,000 Muskoka Stakes at the same track in her most recent start. The filly is 2-0-1 in four tries with earnings of $170,502, second only to Currency Swap among Florida's freshmen.
Teuflesberg (Journeyman Stud) - The third member of the Journeyman Stud trio has three winners from 12 starters, and earnings of $145,851. His best runner is Trinniberg, who, after a runner-up finish at 68-1 in the Hopeful, finished second by three-quarters in Saturday's Gr. II Nashua Stakes at Belmont Park, which was run in 1:10:71. Trinniberg is 1-2-0 in four starts with earnings of $101,300.
FESTIVAL DAY, STAKES PURSE INCREASES HIGHLIGHT TAMPA SCHEDULE Tampa Bay Derby entrants have won two of the past five editions of the Kentucky Derby, so the eyes of the thoroughbred world will focus on Tampa Bay Downs when the 32nd renewal of the $350,000 showcase for 3-year-olds is contested March 10. The 86th season of racing at the picturesque racetrack and entertainment facility features 25 stakes offering an approximate $2.6 million in purses. The 92-day meeting begins Dec. 3 and runs through May 6, the day after the 2012 Kentucky Derby. The mile-and-a-sixteenth Tampa Bay Derby, which was elevated to Grade II status last year, is the highlight of Festival Day, which features $600,000 in guaranteed stakes purses. Top sophomores will attempt to use the Tampa Bay Derby as a springboard to success at Churchill Downs, following in the footsteps of 2007 Tampa Bay Derby winner Street Sense from the barn of Carl Nafzger and 2010 third-place finisher Super Saver, trained by Todd Pletcher. Locals longshots dominated the 2011 race, with the Kathleen O�Connell-trained Watch Me Go winning at odds of 43-1 from Crimson Knight, an 86-1 shot trained by Gerald Bennett. The lucrative March 10 Festival Day includes the $150,000, Gr. III Hillsborough Stakes for older fillies and mares at a mile and an eighth on the turf and the $100,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and 40 yards. Including the Suncoast Stakes, seven stakes have been increased by $25,000 from last season. The Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds, one of three stakes on the Feb. 4 racing card, has been increased to $250,000 while retaining its Gr. III status. The race has often been used as a prep for the Tampa Bay Derby. Also on the Feb. 4 card are a pair of $150,000 turf races at a mile and a sixteenth: the Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies and the Gr. III Endeavour Stakes for older fillies and mares. This is the second year the Florida Oaks will be contested on the turf. Last year�s winner, Dynamic Holiday, earned her Oaks score as one of three consecutive stakes victories (including the Gr. III Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream) for owner Augustin Stable and trainer Graham Motion, the conditioner of 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. The fourth-place Florida Oaks finisher, Her Smile, won the Gr. I Prioress at Belmont on July 4 and also finished second in the Comely Stakes at Aqueduct. Another graded race on the calendar is the Gr. III Tampa Bay Stakes for older horses at a mile and a sixteenth on Feb. 25. The $150,000 purse represents a $25,000 jump from last season. Racing fans will also look forward to the 10th annual Florida Cup Day on April 7. Geared toward Florida-bred horses, the non-stop afternoon of excitement features six stakes worth $75,000 each. The stakes schedule begins on opening day, Dec. 3, with the $75,000-guaranteed Lightning City at five furlongs on the turf for fillies and mares 3-and-upward. The following Saturday, Dec. 10, Cotillion Day features the six-furlong Inaugural for 2-year-olds and the six-furlong Sandpiper for 2-year-old fillies, both offering $75,000. Stall applications for the 2011-12 racing season are due Friday, Sept. 30. The Tampa Bay Downs barn area opens at 8 a.m. on Nov. 3 and the first day of training is Nov. 10. Big Drama Returns With Stellar Performance
Harold Queen's 2010 champion sprinter Big Drama returned from a layoff of more than 6 months with an impressive 2 -length victory in the $75,000, 6 1/2-furlong Whippleton Stakes on Sunday at Calder Casino & Race Course, a race that should put him on track to defend his title in the $1.5 million Breeders Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.
With Daniel Centeno aboard, Big Drama broke from the one post in the field of just four (after three scratches) and sat second behind a first quarter in :22 flat down the backstretch. He took command easily going into the far turn and held a safe margin over second-choice Black Cat Diamond at the wire, clocked in 1:17 3/5 over the fast track. Peace At Dawn and Accredit completed the order of finish. The race marked Big Drama's first start since winning the $100,000, Gr. III Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 15 in track record time for six furlongs, his only appearance since sealing his championship campaign winning the Breeders Cup Sprint at Churchill last Nov. 6. The 5-year-old Florida homebred by Montbrook ran his career record to 11-4-1 in 18 starts with earnings of nearly $2.75 million. Eckman's Back Yard A Major Source of Income
(August 18, 2011) - The 2007 foal crop out of Mike Eckman's back yard just off Airport Road in Ocala numbered just three. But it continues to outperform a great many of the larger nurseries in the business.
One of the three foals is Princess Freebie, a 4-year-old filly by Freefourinternet out of the Honor Grades mare Honor n' Charm. She left her home grounds in Chicago for an Aug. 13 trek to Canterbury Park, where she finished second in a $35,000-$25,000 allowance optional claimer. The check for $3,400 lifted her earnings to $87,459 for Eckman and his nephew and niece, Mark and Debbie Ravenscraft, who live in Lexington. Princess Freebie broke her maiden by 6 1/2 lengths for a $15,000 tag in her career debut at Hawthorne on Feb. 24 of 2010. Since then, she's been in for a tag as low as $5,000 and as high as allowance races, compiling a record of 17-8-4-0. This year alone, she's 4-2-0 in eight starts. But she's never raced in Florida, so there are no breeders' awards to go along with those eight victories and four seconds. That could end, however, as she's pretty much run out of options in Chicago.
Princess Freebie's 3-year-old back yard half-sister is Sweetprincesscharm, who raced for the Eckman group for eight starts in Florida, winning once, finishing second once and posting a fourth in the Susan's Girl Stakes. Sold to Kenwood Racing, the daughter of Sweetsouthernsaint is now 2-2-1 in 13 tries with earnings of $52,505. Eckman says there's a 2-year-old out of the mare by Western Pride training in Chicago who could be the best of the lot.
Breeders' awards are the order of the day with another of Eckman's 2007 foal crop, the Wildcat Heir gelding Black Diamond Cat. Sold for $6,000 at the OBS Winter Sale in 2008, Black Diamond Cat has been a steady source of income for Eckman and his niece and nephew, posting a record of 6-4-4 in 27 starts, all six victories coming at Calder. He's earned an impressive $187,684 for Bluestone Thoroughbreds.
On Aug. 6, Black Diamond Cat won the $55,000 Major Moran Stakes, good for a $5,000 breeders' award. It was the gelding's third straight victory at Calder, which also included a nose score in the $75,000 Turf Spint on July 4.
(August 2, 2011) - Prior to opening day at Saratoga, the last time Jackson Bend raced a distance of less than a mile was back in August of his 2-year-old season when he captured the 7-furlong Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. Fred Brei's son of Hear No Evil went on to capture the rich In Reality and sweep the series, and went 5-1-0 in six starts for the campaign for South Florida trainer Stanley Gold.
Brei then sold an interest in the colt to Robert LaPenta, who is always looking for a colt withTriple Crown potential. Moved to the barn of Nick Zito, Jackson Bend finished second in the Wood Memorial behind highly-touted Eskendereya, was 12th in the Kentucky Derby with a troubled trip, and third in the Preakness behind Lookin at Lucky. After a fourth in the Gr. III Ack Ack at Churchill Downs in November of last year, Jackson Bend wound up back in the Gold barn. Four starts at Gulfstream and Calder produced no better than a second and a third, and in Jackson Bend's next start, he was sent off at 8-1 in an eight-horse field in the $75,000 James Marvin Stakes on opening day at the Spa.
Reunited with Zito, and with Corey Nakatani aboard, Jackson Bend ended his drought with a 2 1/2-length score clocked in a rousing 1:20:91 for the seven furlongs. The track record of 1:20 2/5 was set by Darby Creek Road in August of 1978. With his first victory in nearly two years, Jackson Bend boosted his record to 6-5-2 in 19 starts, while his earnings jumped to $912,450. And the Brei-LaPenta-Zito triumvirate probably has found the colt's optimum distance, and, possibly, Florida's next millionaire.
Belmont Stakes Winner Sarava Finally Living Up to Promise
(July 24, 2011) - When Sarava arrived at Martin Stables South to stand his first season at stud in 2005, nobody expected the Belmont Stakes winner from three years earlier to set the world on fire with his first crop. Breeding to a Belmont winner means waiting around for the foals to develop, and patient breeders aren't going to send them out in April or May of their 2-year-old season.
But Sarava's first crop didn't even get warm as 2008 was coming to a close. When the Florida Horse Stallion Register came out in December, the son of Wild Again was listed with 23 registered foals, nine runners, no winners, total progeny earnings of $20,861, and average earnings per runner of $2,318. One of his sons, Sweetest Rhythm, earned $10,000 of the total.
One year later, the Stallion Register listed Sarava with 73 registered foals for the first two breeding seasons, with 29 runners, nine winners, crop earnings of $203,429, and average per runner of $7,015. Sweetest Rhythm was still his biggest money-winner - with $27,317. And the stallion was now going to the breeding shed at Don Dizney's Double Diamond Farm for 2010.
With 15 of his first crop runners and 29 from his second crop campaigning in 2010, plus 11 from his third, Sarava began to pick up a little steam. The next Stallion Register listed him with 31 winners for the year, total progeny earnings for the three years of $815,777, and average per runner of $14,832. Sweetest Rhythm remained his leading earner, with $78,237 in the till. There were no black-type runners.
Sarava's stay at Double Diamond lasted just the one season - he began this year at Bridlewood Farm. And his career is beginning to gather up some steam. On July 3, he had a pair of winners at Calder, Lucky Afternoon in a cheap claimer worth a check for $6,880, and Star of Sarava in a $30,000 allowance, worth another $18,300. On July 15, Rhythm in May scored at Calder in a $16,000 claimer and earned $9,190. Less than two hours later, Shot Gun Marty won a $10,000 claimer at Monmouth Park for owner/breeder Gina Silvestri and collected $8,400 for the effort. The next day, back at Calder, Lake Nona was two lengths the best in a $29,400 maiden claimer and another $18,300 was in the bank. In those five races alone, Sarava picked up $61,070, a far cry from the total take of $20,861 for that first season.
Today, Sarava is actually 32nd on the Florida sire list with for 2011 with earnings of $487,962. He has 46 runners, 21 winners, and, more importantly, a Gr. II stakes-winner. The 4-year-old Gladding began his career a little more than a year ago at Calder for owner/breeder Kathyrn Schultz, and, although he was competitive in every start, it took the gelding seven tries in maiden special company before he broke his maiden on Oct. 22. After a fourth-place finish in allowance company in November, Gladding was sold to C R K Stables and trainer John W. Sadler, and the gelding shipped to California, where he has flourished.
In his first start for Sadler, Gladding won an allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita, followed by a score in the Gr. II San Antonio Stakes. He was then 10th in the Gr. I Santa Anita Handicap won by Game On Dude, then second in the Gr. III Texas Mile Stakes at Lone Star on April 23. He's working at Hollywood Park for his next start, no doubt at Del Mar. Gladding is 3-3-1 in 12 starts with earnings of $199,825, and Sarava is on his way to possibly piling up higher earnings this year than his first three combined.
He's a textbook example of why not to give up on a stallion prematurely.
Another Five Percent Purse Increase for Calder
(July 21, 2011) - Officials at Calder Casino & Race Course announced a 5-percent purse increase beginning with today�s racing program. The increase will be applied evenly to base overnight purses, excluding overnight stakes, Florida Owners Awards (FOAs), and maiden special weight races; the latter two were both increased last month.
Purse contributions from slot machine gaming offered through the Calder Casino have been better than expected, said Vice President & General Manager John Marshall. �As always, we'll continue to manage the purse account responsibly.
Owner Phil Combest, who was named the new Florida HBPA president after the resignation of Sammy Gordon last week, said, �We're pleased to see that Calder is implementing this five percent increase after the initial purse bump last month. Hopefully, we'll be able to build on this momentum and see further increases going forward into the meet.
Calder announced a 7.5-percent increase to base overnight purses on June 3. This increase brings Calder�s average daily purses, including stakes, to $230,000 in 2011, up from $209,000 in 2010 and $187,000 in 2009.
The Calder meeting began on April 25 and runs through Sept. 30. The Tropical meet will be held from Oct. 1 through Dec. 2.
Florida-Bred Stars on the Rise
(July 10, 2011) - Calder Race Course: White Merlot, the Proud Accolade filly Robert Smith bought for $4,500 as a weanling at the 2008 OBS October sale, continues to be the steal of the sale, or the year, for that matter.
Now three, White Merlot missed by a head of catching old nemesis Devilish Lady in the $150,000, Gr. III Azalea on Calder's Summit of Speed program. The $29,700 runner-up prize fattened her bank account to $109,570 on a record of 3-2-3 in eight starts, and she's missed winning three of those second and third-place finishes by a head, a neck and a half-length.
It all began with a three-length victory in a $25,000 maiden claimer at Tampa Bay Downs (at odds of 9-1) back on Feb. 5. She hasn't seen the claiming ranks again and still hasn't won a stakes, but she's been second in two and third in three. Robert has turned down numerous tempting offers for her, but says they continue to come in and it may be just a matter of time before she lands in a new barn.
Arlington Park - Like White Merlot, Princess Freebie continues to be a source of great enjoyment for Mike Eckman, former owner of PM Eckman Advertising in Ocala. The 4-year-old daughter of Freefourinternet finished a fast-closing second behind Honeymoon Hotel in a $7,500 starter allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass. Princess Freebie, who Mike raised in his back yard on Airport Road, just a few minutes north of OBS, was three-quarters of a length behind at the wire in her 16th career start under regular rider Tanner Riggs. She's now 8-3-0 and her earnings for Mike and his niece and nephew, Debbie and Mark Ravenscraft, have reached a tidy $84,059. Incredibly, despite her record and the fact that she's been in for a $5,000 tag several times in her career, Princess Freebie has never been claimed.
Hollywood Park - All it took for First Dude to reverse his fortunes for owner Don Dizney was a change in geography and a change of strategy. As soon as new trainer Bob Baffert got the colt to the West Coast and began instructing jockey Martin Garcia to take him off the pace, the Florida-bred son of Stephen Got Even has become a different horse.
In his first 14 starts, First Dude became famous as the front-running colt who earned nearly $900,000, finished second in the Preakness, third in the Belmont, third in the Haskell, third in the Travers, and second in the Pennsylvania Derby, and was still eligible for a race "for colts and geldings who have not won a race other than maiden, claiming or starter."
When First Dude was up in time to win the Gr. I Hollywood Gold Cup by a nose in a three-horse photo, it raised his bank account to $1,442,140 on a record of 4-5-4 in 17 starts. Since the Gold Cup is a "win and you're in" race, First Dude is automatically eligible to run in the Breeders' Cup Classic, and his pre-entry and entry fee fees will be waived. Plus, Breeders' Cup throws in $10,000 for shipping costs. Pretty good deal for a 4-year-old who didn't win his second race until April 9.
High Cotton Colt Second in Gr. II Futurity
(July 6, 2011) - Ocala Stud's High Cotton became the first Florida freshman sire to have a stakes-placed horse when Tarpy's Goal finished third in the Gr. II Futurity at Belmont Park on July 3. Tarpy's Goal, owned by Mike Tarp, had become his sire's frist winner with a 2 3/4-length victory at Churchill Downs on May 19.
Jack's in the Deck, a son of Love of Money who finished second in his debut at Delaware Park, won the Futurity in 1:13:36 for the six furlongs. Tarpy's Goal, wide on the turn and drifting out in the stretch, missed by a nose of catching pacesetter Team Six for second. He earned $15,000 for the effort and pushed his total to $39,240. Bred by Chad Schumer and Nancy Sexton, Tarpy's Goal was a $70,000 Fasig-Tipton February 2-year-old.
Success for Bonnie and Kim Heath, Patricia Generazio
(June 23, 2011) - Most smaller breeders would be happy if the products of their breeding program won races at any track in the country twice a month. Bonnie and Kim Heath had the rare distinction of winning three races at three prestigious ovals in the span of three days.
On June 10, the 7-year-old gelding Astute, a son of Honor Glide who had won just one race through his 6-year-old season, made it two in a row by capturing a $30,500 allowance at Arlington Park. Astute, now owned by Carolyn Wilson, went wire-to-wire under Jermaine Bridgmohan and scored by nearly five lengths in 1:44:01 for the mile and one-sixteenth. In his previous start at Tampa Bay Downs on April 22, the gelding secured his first and only breeder's award for Bonnie Heath Farm, winning a $32,000 claimer at a mile on the grass. The lightly-raced Astute is now 3-2-2 in 15 lifetime tries and the check for $18,300 boosted his earnings of $57,662. His dam is the Royal Academy matron Summer School.
The next day, at Calder Race Course, the Heaths did pick up a breeder's award when first-time starter Hello Prince captured a $40,000 maiden special by 3 1/4 lengths for owner Rey Wan Racing. The 2-year-old son of Halo's Image out of the Doneraile Court mare Jestress was a $14,000 OBS August yearling last year and Jesus Rios took him wire-to-wire in :52:99 for the 4 1/2 furlongs. The winning check came to $26,700 and the breeder's award for the Heaths was a nifty $3,300. Hello Prince paid $16.20.
One day later, the star of the Heaths' racing stable, Mad Flatter, returned from a month and a half layoff and scored by nearly two lengths in a $51,284 allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs, caught in 1:43:95 for the 1 1/16 miles. Owned in partnership with Holiday Stable, Bright Brook Farm and Hinkle Farms, Mad Flatter added $29,040 to his bank account, which now stands at $265,692 on a record of 7-1-3 in 23 starts. The last victory for the 6-year-old son of Flatter-Miss Pangea, by Honor Grades, had come under Jon Court in the Gr. III Spend a Buck at Calder on Oct. 16 of last year. Court was back aboard for this Churchill score.
In the column labeled "Leading Breeders by Earnings," the Heaths' total was boosted to the tune of $74,040 from the three races.
Not to be outdone, the same day that Astute won at Arlington, longtime Florida breeder Patricia Generazio celebrated three victories in the span of six races at Monmouth Park. In the sixth race, Generazio won with Wicked Tune, a 4-year-old Florida-bred Concorde's Tune colt who won by half a length under Elvis Trujillo and collected $18,000 for his owner. In the seventh, she scored again with Image of Don, a 3-year-old gelding by her own stallion Don Six, who used to stand at Joe and Helen Barbazon's farm in Morriston. Image of Don won by 2 1/4 under Joe Bravo and earned another $15,600 for his owner/breeder.
In the 11th race, Generazio hit the winner's circle with Crafty Concorde, a 3-year-old New York-bred gelding by Crafty Friend, out of the Concorde's Tune mare V for Vera. With Trujillo riding, the gelding won by nearly four and picked up $10,500. Generazio's take for the three races was $44,100.
Follow Those Freshman Sires
(June 20, 2011) - One winner doesn't make a pattern, but when it comes to freshman sires, it isn't a bad idea to take a shot.
I don't know how many times I've written that the average horseplayer hurts his chances of making a score in baby races by not following the current list of freshman sires. If a first-year sire gets out of the gate quickly, finding his first-time starters at tracks all over the country can prove to be very profitable. I understand that we're just starting to get winners for Florida's freshman sires, and only four of them have a winner so far, but for those willing to take the shot, Simon Pure (Hartley/DeRenzo) could have made their day on June 12.
The son of Silver Deputy was the first freshman to get a winner, and on June 12, Pure Whim's Gem was making her debut at Parx in Philadelphia. Again, just one winner on the list doesn't constitute a pattern, but it was worth a chance. Pure Whim's Gem went off at 15-1 in a $61,380 maiden special at 4 1/2 furlongs and won by three lengths in :53:88. The filly bred in Pennsylvania by Glenn Brok paid $32.
Wildcat Heir's Top Earner Returns With a Flourish
(June 15, 2011) - The last time Derwin's Star had been seen on the racetrack was Sept. 18 of last year when she captured the Charles Town Oaks for owner/trainer Steve Klesaris. It was the first stakes victory for the daughter of Wildcat Heir, who had previously finished second in the Jostle Stakes and third in the Gr. II Delaware Oaks. Klesaris put her away after the Charles Town victory with a record of 5-1-1 in 11 starts and earnings of $373,050, highest for any son or daughter of her Journeyman Stud stallion.
Derwin's Star showed up for her first 2011 outing at Parx in Philadelphia on June 7 in an allowance optional claimer with a purse of $50,000. With Kendrick Carmouche riding, the 4-year-old filly from her sire's first crop was last early in a five-horse field, swept by the leaders in the stretch and waltzed to a 6 1/2-length victory in 1:16:07 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. Her sixth career victory was worth $30,000 and boosted her bank account to $403,050, still most of any of Wildcat Heir's progeny.
Florida Runners and Stallions Enjoy Banner Day
(June 12, 2011) - Ocala-based stallion Leroidesanimaux didn't get Animal Kingdom to the winner's circle in Saturday's big race, but a slew of Florida runners excelled everywhere else on Belmont Stakes day.
Live Oak Stud's Brilliant Speed finished third in the Belmont and had a good chance to win it through the stretch, and Bim Bam, formerly owned by J D Farm, finished second in the Gr. I Manhattan Handicap, edging out Gio Ponti and collecting $80,000 to go over the $500,000 mark in earnings. Trappe Shot, bred by Hobeau Farm, won the Gr. II True North Handicap and reached $576,384 in earnings, while This One's for Phil, bred by Gilbert Campbell, finished second and picked up $50,000.
Leroidesanimaux did strike in the Gr. II Honeymoon Handicap at Hollywood Park with Sarah's Secret, who is now 4-for-4 in a short career with earnings of $177,000. Coil won the Gr. III Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood and is 3-0-1 in four tries with earnings of $118,560, while Pomeroy's Pistol won Monmouth Park's Just Smashing Stakes in 1:09 flat for Hardacre Farm and boosted his earnings to $260,178. Zero Rate Policy, bred by Lybby and Ronald Gay, won the Rumson Stakes at Monmouth in 1:08 4/5 and increased his take to $124,184 after cruising home in 1:08 4/5.
Beso Grande, a son of Mass Media, is 4-2-3 in 10 starts after winning the Leave Me Alone Stakes at Calder and pushing his earnings to $231,492. Drake Smith's White Merlot, by Proud Accolade and one of the season's major surprises, finished third and has never been off the board. Musical Romance, by Concorde's Tune, bred by Ocala Stud, won the U Can Do It Stakes at Calder and is 6-3-6 in 27 starts with earnings of $291,849.
Ever Always: 4-for-4 Over Three Years
(May 31, 2011) - On June 25 of 2008, Ever Always made her career debut at Monmouth Park for owner Brian Drazin and trainer Jason Servis in a $46,000 maiden special going five furlongs. With Jose Lezcano aboard, the 2-year-old New Jersey-bred daughter of Mr. Nugget finished second by a neck, but was soundly bumped with a sixteenth of a mile remaining and eventually moved up to first. She collected $27,600 for her owner via the disqualification.
Ever Always wasn't seen on the track again until she showed up for a $51,000 Monmouth allowance test at six furlongs on May 16 of 2009. Elvis Trujillo was the pilot this time and the filly - at even money - scored by 9 1/4 lengths, clocked in a sensational 1:08 4/5. The winner's share came to $30,600.
Less than four weeks later, Trujillo was aboard again as Ever Always was sent off at five cents to a dollar in a $52,000 allowance at six furlongs over a track labeled "good." Elvis guided her to a 15 1/4-length victory in 1:08 2/5. Another $31,200 for her owner.
With $89,400 in the bank, Ever Always disappeared again, finally returning this past Saturday at the age of five in a $50,000 allowance race at her favorite distance, and Trujillo still around for the ride. This time, at odds of 20 cents to a dollar, the fleet filly won by 11 3/4 with Elvis enjoying another rocking-chair ride. She was caught in 1:11:24 but it could have been much faster. The $30,000 check brought her earnings to $129,400 and with the DQ victory in her debut, she's officially 4-for-4 over the span of two years and 11 months.
Her next start will be greatly anticipated by Jersey race-goers, assuming it comes at this meeting
Teuflesberg Gets First Winner.
Journeyman Stud's Teuflesberg sired his first winner on May 21, when This One for Me captured a maiden race at Hipodromo de las Americas racetrack in Mexico. The colt's dam is the stakes-winning Prospectors Gamble mare This One for Abbey, winner of the 2004 Iowa Breeders' Oaks. This One for Me was bred in Kentucky by Benjamin Berger.
Teuflesberg scored his biggest win on the racetrack in the Gr. II Woody Stephens Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day as a 3-year-old. The top sprinter also stretched out his speed to capture the one-mile Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park earlier that season, defeating Hard Spun and jumping onto the Triple Crown trail. As a 2-year-old, he won the Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds. Teuflesberg retired to stud in 2008 with earnings of $621,981.
By Johannesburg out of the Devil's Bag mare St. Michele, Teuflesberg stands at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud for a fee of $3,500.
Ward Needs More Deposit Slips for His Early Birds
(May 18, 2011) - There are a slew of horsemen, no doubt, who might question Wesley Ward's penchant for getting 2-year-olds ready to race so early in the year - every year. But even though the doubters may have valid reasons for not wanting to put so much strain on the youngsters so soon, they certainly can't question the results obtained by the former jockey-turned-trainer. And this season has been especially bountiful to Ward and his barnful of owners.
Here's a breakdown of just how well Ward fared in the 24-day period from April 8 through May 1, and the numbers are astounding. They include the purse money each horse earned from its finish.
April 8 - Everyday Dave won a maiden special at Keeneland and collected $26,400.
April 9 - Tiz Terrific finished second in a maiden special at Keeneland ($10,000).
April 14 - Rockstar Richie is second in a maiden special at Keeneland ($8,800). (The same day, Ward wins a $20,000 claimer with 3-year-old Sweet William {$12,600}.)
April 15 - Ward finishes third and fourth in a maiden special at Aqueduct with Lord Chelsie ($4,200) and Steve's Adventures ($2,100); Judy the Beauty wins a maiden special at Keeneland ($26,400); Forever Noble finishes sixth in a maiden special at Pimlico ($600).
April 17 - Firefall wins a maiden special at Gulfstream ($21,000), while Sweet Moonbeam finishes third ($4,900).
April 21 - Zingwella wins a maiden special at Gulfstream ($21,000), while Fan Out finishes third ($3,150); Holdin Bullets wins a maiden special at Keeneland ($30,880).
April 22 - Gypsy Robin wins a maiden special at Keeneland ($30,000).
April 27 - Isle of Skye finishes fifth in a maiden special at Keeneland ($1,320).
April 29 - Sweet Moonbeam makes her second start in 12 days and finishes third in a maiden special at Keeneland ($4,400).
May 1 - Billullu finishes ninth in a maiden special at Calder ($270).
Again, while some may question the logic of running babies too early, it's difficult to question the purse money the 2-year-old group earned in such a short span. How can one argue about cashing in for $182,120? Ward and his owners are showing remorse all the way to the mint.
A Good Day for Journeyman and Mass Media
(May 15, 2011) - It was a day to remember at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud. Two $75,000 stakes races at Calder Race Course, two victories for their resident stallion, Mass Media.
In the six-furlong French Village, Beso Grande defeated a tough field that included Devilish Lady, Without Love, Evil Queen and White Merlot, all accomplished stakes performers. White Merlot took the lead at the outset and held off her main foes until mid-stretch until Luis Jurado sent Beso Grande through on the inside and she was up to score by half a length. She had previously been second or third in four stakes, including a third in the $365,000 My Dear Girl, but this was her first stakes victory. She boosted her earnings to $186,492 for Half Hollow Farm and trainer Stephen DiMauro.
For White Merlot, whom trainer Robert Smith bought as a weanling for a mere $4,500 at the OBS October sale in 2008, this was her first stakes second after thirds in the Sophomore Fillies at Tampa Bay Downs and Cherokee Frolic at Gulfstream Park. She's 2-1-2 in five starts with earnings of $53,320, and will head to Colonial Downs the first week of June with the rest of the Smith stable.
In the In Summation, Leo Azpurua Sr. continued his improbable run with Manicero, the 3-year-old Mass Media colt who has now won six of eight starts and $279,008. Trained by Azpurua's son, Leo. Jr., Manicero has won five stakes, with his lone poor performance coming in the Gr. II Hutcheson at Gulfstream, where he was bumped hard at the break and never recovered. Manicero came from off the pace to run down Dual Exhauzt by three quarters of a length in 1:12:54.
With only 27 runners this year, Mass Media has three stakes-winners, second in Florida only to the four by Journeyman Stud's Wildcat Heir and Vinery's Pomeroy. He has five stakes victories, tied with the latter two stallions, and earnings of $373,396.
Freshman Sire Simon Pure Gets First Winner
(May 9, 2011) - Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds enjoyed the honor of winning the Freshman Sire Derby of 2011 when Simon Pure had the first winner of the year for first-crop Florida sires.
Pure Hawaiian, bred in Florida by Ibrahim Arce and Kimberly Lucille Seek, scored in a 2-furlong race at Camarero in Puerto Rico on April 13. The filly earned a check for $5,700.
Simon Pure is a son of Silver Deputy who compiled a record of 3-5-2 in 15 starts, earning $274,382. He finished second in the Gr. III Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Stakes at Churchill Downs as a 3-year-old, and third in the Gr. II Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga at four. His dam is the two-time champion Cox's Ridge mare Life's Magic, who earned $2.2 million, winning five Gr. I Stakes (including the Breeders' Cup Distaff and the Alabama) and two Gr. II's.
Racing returns to Calder Casino & Race Course on Monday, April 25 for its 40th Anniversary Celebration Season. Calder opened in 1971, adding a poker room in 2009 and a slot casino in 2010.
Important facts about the 2011 season:
Easter Sunday No Longer a Pick 6 Problem
(April 14, 2011) - Gulfstream Park was to close in about 10 days with a major dilemma in the making. The Rainbow Pick 6 that has been building up since Mid-February has now reached $1,148,956, and, as Steve Crist pointed out in his Sunday DRF column, closing day at the track is April 24, which is Easter Sunday. If the pot isn't collected by a single bettor before then, it must be given out that day, and wagering for the gimmick would be astronomical, possibly up to $5 million, or even more.
However, as Steve mentioned, all New York betting outlets will be closed that day, along with several prominent tracks, including Keeneland. Gulfstream officials had the option of asking the state to allow the pool to be distributed a day earlier if it is not hit by Friday, the 22nd, and now that has happened. If the pot continues to grow, and isn't distributed until the final Saturday, it will spur one of the biggest betting days in the history of the track.
STILL CLAIMING AT GULFSTREAM - Unlike last year, I haven't kept track of the massive number of claims this season at Gulfstream, but a quick check of the weeks ending March 27 and April 3 showed the box was kept quite busy once again. In the five racing days from March 23 to 27, there were 43 claims, seven of them made by Frank Calabrese, who recently announced he would bring his stable south to Calder for the summer instead of going back to Chicago, where he usually races after Gulfstream. The following week, from March 30 to April 3, there were another 30 horses with new barns, but only one for Calabrese.
GOING STRONG - The runners Trippi left behind when he left Ocala Stud and headed for Drakenstein Stud Farm in South Africa a couple of years ago are still making daddy proud. As of this morning, Trippi was the third-leading sire in North America this year with progeny earnings of $1,871,041, and he had 42 winners, with 12 repeat winners, five stakes-winners who won seven stakes, and two graded stakes-winners. At Gulfstream alone from April 1-3, Trippi had five winners - Safety Squeeze in a $30,000 claimer, Hoopla in a $25,000 claimer, R Heat Lightning in the Gr. II Gulfstream Oaks, Bidham in a $25,000 claimer, and Travelin Man in the Gr. II Swale. Total purse money earned by the stallion's winners in the five races came to $335,400.
(April 5, 2011) - On March 16, Flying Zee Stable's 4-year-old filly, Ciminella, finished fifth at Aqueduct in a $15,000 claimer at six furlongs under Channing Hill. The daughter of Afleet Alex came out of the race with a record of 1-4-2 in 15 starts and earnings of $31,329. I don't know who Kentucky breeders John Murphy and Michael Gorham named her after, but the only Ciminella I have ever heard of is Michael Ciminella, who was the advertising director for the Florida Horse magazine for several years in the 1980s under the Fern Audette regime.
Mike was married to a girl named Ellie, whose maiden name was Van Meter, of the Kentucky horse family of Van Meters. But the marriage didn't last, and Ellie soon went back to Kentucky. One day during the week, Mike and I played golf at Marion Oaks, then decided to head out for a late lunch. But Mike said he had to go home first, because "Ash" was coming home from school and he had to meet her at the house. Not having a clue who "Ash" was, I asked Mike and he told me it was his daughter, Ashley; her mother, Diana, had sent her down from Kentucky to spend some time with dad. That's the first I knew that Mike had been married before.
Ashley Ciminella came home from school dressed in a blue and white cheerleader's outfit; I don't remember if it was from Vanguard High or St. John Lutheran. She was as cute as a button, about 13, and I told her I'd make a deal with her - I volunteered to be her agent in three or four years. "You and a hundred other guys," Mike said, laughing.
Several years later, Mike left Ocala and returned to Kentucky, where he began hosting the replay shows from several of the Kentucky tracks. That's when I found out something about him that literally floored me. Diana Ciminella, Mike's first wife, had gone back to using her maiden name, changed her first name, and was now known as Naomi Judd. Yup, Mike is Ashley Judd's father, and I figure "Ash" owes me plenty based on our "deal" about 25 years ago.
I still don't know which Ciminella the Afleet Alex filly was named after.
By the way, the race in which Ciminella finished fifth was won by Chaka Bwana, a 4-year-old Bwana Charlie filly who was scoring for the second time and raised her earnings to $31,559. Five races later, Journeyman Stud's Bwana Charlie struck again,this time with Bwana Babe, who won an allowance optional claimer and collected a check for $28,200. That boosted her earnings to $180,330 and her record to 6-4-2 in 19 starts.
SOME EXCHANGE - Last Aug. 25, Jr's Exchange won a $7,500 claimer at Presque Isle Downs by 4 3/4 lengths, racing 5 1/2 furlongs over the synthetic track in 1:04 1/5. The then 4-year-old Exchange Rate gelding was later disqualified from the purse money in what would have been the first of five straight visits to the winner's circle for owner Patrick Scanlon and trainer Gerald Bennett. Jr's Exchange won again at Presque Isle for $12,500, at Thistledown in an $8,500 allowance, and in two optional claimers at Tampa Bay Downs at five furlongs on the grass. The streak ended when he finished fifth, beaten just two lengths, in the $75,000 Turf Dash on Feb. 19, the day Bridgetown cruised home in 55 1/5.
But Bennett had the gelding right back in a $30,000 handicap at five furlongs on the grass over the weekend, and the race was moved to the main track after the mid-week rains soaked the turf course. Jr's Exchange never missed a beat. With Ronnie Allen Jr. aboard, the gelding bred by Leslie LaLande not only scored by 5 1/4 lengths, he was clocked in :56: 57, becoming the first horse ever to break 57 seconds on Tampa's main track. The old record of :57:04 was set by Blind River Fox in 2007.
Even with his disqualification last season, Jr's Exchange is 7-2-2 in 14 lifetime starts with earnings of $89,973. More importantly, he's worked his way up through the ranks, has a track record to his credit, runs equally as well on dirt, grass or synthetic surfaces, and just keeps getting better. His sire entered stud in 2002 at the old Padua Stables in Summerfield, but has since moved to Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky. He stands for $25,000, and his progeny earnings are nearing $16 million.
Spanish Steps Runners Making Their Mark
NAME SHOULD BE BIG MIKE - Before Spanish Steps left Florida, he was just a little fish in a big pond. Now holding court in Indiana, he's the second-leading sire in that state, less than $33,000 behind Domestic Dispute. However, the way Little Mike is performing, Spanish Steps should soon be able to take over the No. 1 spot.
Little Mike's victory in the Gr. III Appleton at Gulfstream Sunday marked his seventh victory in 13 starts; he also has a pair of seconds. The 4-year-old gelding raced a flat mile on the grass in a sizzling 1:32:87 for his third Gr. III victory this year. He previously won the Ft. Lauderdale Handicap and the Canadian Turf, all under veteran Joe Bravo. His earnings for Carl and Priscilla Vaccarezza have reached $365,970 and there appears to be no end in sight. So far this year, Spanish Steps has 13 winners, four repeat winners and progeny earnings of $427,118.
(March 31, 2011) - Just about a year ago, when Martin Stables South north of Ocala was experiencing severe financial woes, there was a massive, albeit uncoordinated attempt by various concerned horsemen to rescue the many horses who were left on the farm to fend for themselves. There was a vast array of broodmares, weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds and older horses to be dealt with, and eventually, most found new homes.
Several of the mares and a few older horses wound up at Capstone, Kathy Taylor's five-acre operation less than 15 minutes north of town. Kathy figured a few of the mares with solid pedigrees and produce records would be best served by getting them in foal in order to have more value to anyone interested in giving them a new home. One by one, Kathy found homes for most of her rescued band, and now she is down to just three mares.
One of them is an 11-year-old Crown Ambassador matron named Do I Make Ya Randi, who is ready to drop a foal by Two Step Salsa, the millionaire son of Petionville standing at Get Away Farm. Do I Make Ya Randi has just one foal to race, the 5-year-old Spanish Ambassador, a daughter of Spanish Steps, the stallion who used to stand at Martin Stables until being moved to Indiana when the farm's monetary problems began.
Spanish Ambassador was claimed from Voodoomon Stables for $10,000 at Tampa Bay Downs in January of last year, but her owners thought enough of her to claim her back for $16,000 at Presque Isle Downs in June. The move has proved to be fruitful because Spanish Ambassador is back in Tampa this season with trainer Jim McMullen and has moved out of the claiming ranks. After finishing second, fourth and second in allowance company in Oldsmar, Spanish Ambassador won an allowance optional claimer by half a length this past Saturday, racing seven furlongs in an excellent 1:23:81 under Luis Garcia. The victory boosted her record to 4-6-4 in 26 starts while the $14,320 check increased her earnings to $71,599.
One of Kathy's other remaining mares is My Working Gal, by Seattle Slew, who was not bred in 2010. Her best runner is Unleash the Power, who is graded stakes-placed and compiled earnings of $198,979 on a record of 11-7-10 in 62 tries. Three of the mare's runners are campaigning now, and one of them, Rock 'n' Roll Gal, scored a head victory at Fair Grounds on March 20, getting 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04:99. Rock 'n' Roll Gal is 3-5-3 in 17 starts with earnings of $108,950. She is also by Spanish Steps, who is currently the second-leading sire in Indiana with progeny earnings this year of $347,918.
PRETTY GOOD FOR A FREEBIE - Mike Eckman's backyard-bred filly, Princess Freebie, continues to improve in Chicago. The daughter of Freefourinternet captured an allowance optional claimer at Hawthorne yesterday, her fourth straight victory for Mike and his nephew and niece, Mark and Debbie Ravenscraft. Princess Freebie paid $3.40 after winning by half a length under Tanner Riggs, racing six furlongs in 1:11:93. The check for $17,400 boosted her career earnings to $73,097 and her record to 7-2-0 in 12 starts. She's 3-for-3 with earnings of $41,377 this year alone.
Tackleberry A Real Find for Olivares
(March 23, 2011) - In his more than 30 years as an owner and trainer, Luis Olivares has been responsible for a slew of top runners in South Florida. But he's never owned one quite like Tackleberry, whom he bought privately from Ocala Stud as a 2-year-old. When the now 4-year-old Montbrook gelding added the Gr. II Gulfstream Park Handicap to his list of successes, it boosted his record to 8-2-0 in 12 starts and the $180,000 check increased his earnings to a gaudy $757,225, $550,000 of it coming this year via victories in the Sunshine Millions Classic, Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship and Gulfstream Park Handicap.
Tackleberry's pedigree is Ocala Stud through and through. His dam is Box of Joy, who is a daughter of Concerto out of the Notebook mare Cricket Box. Box of Joy previously produced stakes-placed Trippin Star (by Trippi, $102,585); Big Blue Martini (by Montbrook, $108,120); and Everybodywantsone (by Montbrook, $128,490). Since Tackleberry, there are three more foals waiting in the wings, a 3-yer-old gelding by Forest Wildcat, and a yearling colt and 2-year-old filly by Discreet Cat.
The second dam, Cricket Box, also produced Super Derby winner Outofthebox ($734,008), stakes-winner Ruff and Ready and stakes-placed Unlimited Pleasure. Oddly enough, both Box of Joy and Cricket Box were unraced. By the way, Cricket Box was named after a place of business on Silver Springs Blvd. in Ocala.
Montbrook is currently the leading sire in Florida, again, with progeny earnings of $944,629. In the next few months, his lifetime earnings will surpass $40 million. Tackleberry has quickly moved into third place among Montbrook's earners, passing Outofthebox, Shadowbdancing and Trust N Luck with his latest victory, and behind only millionaires Big Drama and Shake You Down.
Smith's Fortunes Changed Rapidly at Tampa Bay Downs
(March 17, 2011) - On the morning of Feb. 5, trainer Robert G. Smith's record at Tampa Bay Downs looked like this in the Daily Racing Form: (25- 0-0-1, .00). In other words, 25 starters, one third, and a winning percentage of zippo. The third had come when Get Your Shine On was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Rebar under Carlos Montalvo on Jan. 22. At the time, a flat $2 win bet on each horse and you'd be out 50 bucks.
Then a funny thing happened - the racing gods took over. On that afternoon of Feb. 5, in the third race, Smith sent out a first-time starter by Proud Accolade named White Merlot, and Montalvo guided the filly to a three-length victory in 1:12:25 for the six furlongs. The winner's share came to $9,000, and the filly paid $20.20. The drought was over, the trips to the oasis just beginning.
On Feb. 24, Smith saddled the 5-year-old gelding Golf Pal for Julian and Maria Serna, and the son of Max's Pal was nearly two lengths the best with Montalvo aboard once again. The gelding picked up a check for $5,400 and rewarded his backers to the tune of $49.80. Three days later, White Merlot was back in the entries running for $75,000, and this time Montalvo got her home by half a length in 1:10:96. The purse came to $14,320 and, with the bettors not yet believers, she paid $27.80. Smith also saddled French Kissin to a third-place finish at 7-1 on the same day.
Fast forward to March 9, and Get Your Shine On, owned by Smith's wife Saronda and Rick George, makes her sixth start of the meeting. Montalvo gets her home on top going five furlongs, good for an $11.40 mutuel and a $6,000 check.
After that race, Smith's updated line in DRF reads: 42-4--0-2, .10. Now, a $2 play on every Smith runner would have cost $84, and his four winners would have brought back $109.20, for a profit of $25.20. Good for the gods of racing.
Princess Freebie Paying Her Way in Chicago
(March 10, 2011) - Back on Feb. 4 of 2010, Princess Freebie made her career debut at Hawthorne for former advertising and marketing guru Mike Eckman and his nephew and niece, Mark and Debbie Ravenscraft, who live in Chicago. Princess Freebie, a 3-year-old daughter of Freefourinternet, made the $15,000 claimer her own special showcase, going wire-to-wire in 1:12:53 for the six furlongs, and jogging home by 6 1/2 lengths.
Despite the fact that she's a Florida-bred, the filly remained in Chicago for the remainder of the year so the Ravenscrafts could enjoy the moment, and she made eight more starts for trainer Joel Berndt in varying levels of competition. When she closed out the year on Dec. 17 with a 6 1/4-length victory under regular rider Tanner Riggs, it was in $5,000 claiming company and brought her record to 4-2-0 in nine starts, but there were no takers. The winner's share of $5,700 lifted her earnings to $31,720.
On Feb. 11, Princess Freebie made her 2011 debut in a $10,000 claimer and Riggs guided her to a five-length score in 1:11:17 for the six furlongs, good for a check for $7,777. One filly was claimed out of the race, but not the Princess. She returned for her second outing of the season on March 4 with a major jump in class - an allowance test at six furlongs, and this time Riggs made it look even easier. He guided her to an 8 1/2-length victory in 1:10:42 and the filly rewarded the Eckman-Ravenscraft trio with her biggest payday thus far, $16,200. The three consecutive victories were accomplished by a total of just under 20 lengths.
Princess Freebie was bred by Eckman using the same modus operandi with which he breeds all his mares, in the back yard of his home, which sits on six acres about five minutes up the road from the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. The filly's dam, the Honor Grades matron Honor n' Charm, has produced eight foals for Eckman and previous owners since Gold Way West became her first in 2001, and six of the seven who have run are winners. Gold Way West earned $93,010, followed by Go Ricky Go ($42,980), Prime Honor ($28,893), Louie Tre ($15,410), Princess Freebie, and Sweetprincesscharm ($25,199). The 2004 foal, Princess Paulina, never started, and Eckman has the '09 filly, Western Charm, by Signature Stallions' Western Pride, who will make her debut this year. The last four foals have been bred by the current partnership. Louie Tre won his last start on Feb. 4 at Turf Paradise, and Sweetprincesscharm is campaigning for the trio at Gulfstream Park with trainer Bill Kaplan.
(March 5, 2011) - Silky Sullivan's thrilling late runs while racing in California from 1957-'59 have become the rallying cry for come-from-behind horses ever since. Any horse who comes from out of the clouds is always compared to the legendary Silky, who won races at all distances despite being 20 or 25 lengths behind at some point in the race.
Chapel Royal now has such a horse; his name is The Reverend James and he made his debut for owner/breeder Michael Collins and trainer Patrick Mouton in the 10th race at Fair Grounds on Feb. 20. With Rosie Napravnik riding, the Louisiana-bred 3-year-old walked out of the gate in the six-furlong, $25,000 maiden claimer and was last of 12 at the quarter, 20 lengths behind leader Who Dat Max, who was sailing along in :21:52.
At the half, which Max passed in :45:68, The Reverend James was still last, but now "only" 17 lengths off the pace. Napravnik then took her colt three wide on the turn, came four wide into the stretch, and was still 14 lengths behind at the stretch call. But the colt exploded with his Silky Sullivan move from the eighth pole home and in a nail-biter, got up to catch Slightly Used by a neck. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Who Dat Max in third.
The Reverend James was 11-1 for his debut and paid $25.80, picking up a check for $14,400. He was clocked in 1:12:53. And Louisiana race goers will be anxiously awaiting his next outing.
Riders Enjoying Success In New Year
(February 21, 2011) - In days gone by, the instances of former jockeys winning a race as a trainer were fairly commonplace, but winning as a breeder or owner were pretty much on the rare side. In the last 10 years or so, the number of riders who have enjoyed success as an owner or breeder, or both, has increased dramatically. On Feb. 6, the 4-year-old filly Snow Fair went wire-to-wire in a $32,000-$30,000 maiden claimer at Tampa Bay Downs, winning by three-quarters of a length under Rosemary Homeister Jr. The daughter of Snow Ridge paid $9.40 as third choice in the nine-filly field, raced the mile and 40 yards in 1:44:23, and picked up a check of $8,100 for her owner/breeder, former jock Darcy Scudero.
Darcy owns Center Stage Farm in Ocala and she's also a pinhooker, and sells at the OBS sales - but she brought Snow Fair home after the bidding didn't pass $9,000. Darcy worked for trainer Dennis Manning after her riding career ended, often at Tampa in the winter and Delaware Park in the summer. She still works closely with Manning, who has named a filly Scudero in her honor.
Prior to her maiden-breaker, Snow Fair finished second in her previous start at Tampa after shipping up from Calder; she had started her career with three starts at Charles Town in 2009. She came out of the winning race, originally scheduled for the turf, with a record of 1-1-1 in eight starts and earnings of $16,484. The filly is working well at Oak Ridge Farm in Ocala and Darcy is searching for another race on the grass for her next start.
Clyde Martin went Darcy one better. The long-time veteran trains Nathan's H Q for owner Thomas Carey, and also rides the 4-year-old Yonaguska colt, who came into an $80,000 optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 12 with a record of 3-1-1 in six starts and earnings of $124,800. Martin rode Nathan's H Q in five of those six starts, including a victory in the $76,000 New Castle Stakes at Delaware in his previous try back on Oct. 16. In the only race somebody else was aboard, Jose Valdivia Jr. finished second the $93,000 Rumson at Monmouth Park in June.
In his latest, Martin hustled the colt away quickly from the No. 1 post and turned away all challenges to win the six-furlong test by a neck in 1:10:60. He paid $10.80 and earned a check of $27,000 for his owner. For Martin, he enjoyed the rare distinction of collecting the 10 percent share as the rider, as well as the 10 percent share as the trainer.
Ocala's Stallions Off To Fast Start In 2011
(February 3, 2011) - Every once in a while, it's good to pump up the bigger stallion stations in Ocala when there are positives to report concerning their runners or stallions. Here's a look at the week of Jan. 17-23.
Journeyman Stud:
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Jan. 17 - Freight Forwarder, a 4-year-old by Consolidator, was strong in the stretch at Parx, running down the leaders to score by half a length going a mile and 70 yards. The gelding bred by Becky Thomas Ray had finished second in his previous start.
Jan. 20 - Evil Powder, a 4-year-old colt by Hear No Evil, came from off the pace under Jeffrey Sanchez and scored a two-length victory in a $10,000 claimer at Gulfstream Park. The colt owned and bred by Jacks or Better Farm raced a flat mile in 1:38:96 as he posted his third career victory while lifting his bank account to $40,952.
Jan. 21 - Da Blaz N Bells was 8 1/2 lengths best racing a mile and 70 yards under Shaun Bridgmohan at Fair Grounds. It was the second straight victory for the 4-year-old Consolidator filly, who is 5-3-1 in 15 starts with earnings of $49,025; Wild Memories, who had been off since racing at Woodbine on Nov. 26, returned with a 6 1/2-length score at Gulfstream Park with Paco Lopez aboard. The 4-year-old Wildcat Heir gelding drew in off the also-eligible list in the $30,000 claimer, and raced a mile in 1:37:77. The check for $17,400 raised the gelding's earnings to $74,082 for owner/trainer Joe Orseno, on a record of 3-2-1 in seven starts.
Jan. 22 - This was a good day all around for the locals, and it included a neck victory by Wild About Marie in the $59,400 Dr. A. B. Leggio Memorial at Fair Grounds. The 4-year-old Wildcat Heir filly led every step of the way under Richard Eramia, clocked in 1:05:49 for the "about" 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass. It was her second straight turf victory and raised her record to an imposing 4-3-0 in nine starts. The $36,000 paycheck for owners Ike and Dawn Thrash boosted the filly's earnings to $122,950. Wild About Marie could have been claimed for $15,000 out of her maiden-breaking victory at Hoosier Park back on Aug. 4; Earlier in the day, Splendid Behavior, a 4-year-old son of Wildcat Heir bred by Brent Fernung, scored a 6 3/4-length victory at Aqueduct in a $15,000 claimer going six furlongs. The gelding trained by Steve Asmussen is 2-1-1 in eight starts with earnings of $35,550. He was clocked in 1:10:28.
Lambholm South:
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January 19 - Presumptive, a 4-year-old colt by former Lambholm stallion Lido Palace, is 2-for-2 after winning a $21,200 allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs. The colt owned, bred and trained by Lambholm owner Roy S. Lerman, was much the best in the mile and one-sixteenth race which was originally scheduled for the grass, and scored going away by 1 1/2 lengths at the wire. Presumptive, ridden both times by Carlos Montalvo, lifted his bank account to $23,920 andf has now won a race on dirt and turf.
Ocala Stud:
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Jan. 17 - Private Saint made his career debut racing "about" 1 1/16 miles at Laurel Park and immediately visited the winner's circle for owner/breeder Paul Fowler. The 3-year-old gelding by Sweetsouthernsaint came from well off the pace and drew off to a three-length victory under Joshua Navarro.
Jan. 22 - Dance Caller went wire-to-wire at Fair Grounds in a six-furlong allowance optional claimer with a purse of $43,000. The 5-year-old son of Concorde's Tune held on by a neck with Shane Sellers riding, clocked in 1:10:14. Dance Caller, who won the $75,000 Northern Spur at Oaklawn Park in 2009, collected $25,800 while winning for the seventh time. He's earned $201,394 in 17 lifetime starts; Saint Sarah, another first-timer by Sweetsouthernsaint owned and bred by Nancy Lee Farms, made a monster run through the stretch to get up by a length racing six furlongs at Laurel Park; Burgandy Blush, a daughter of Concorde's Tune, went wire-to-wire and scored by 2 1/4 lengths, racing six furlongs in 1:12:68 at Turfway Park. The 5-year-old mare hadn't been out since Nov. 2 at Beulah Park.
Signature Stallions:
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Jan. 17 - Big Shot Syd rallied for a 1 3/4-length victory in a $59,400 allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old son of Chapel Royal raced a mile and an eighth in 1:47:98 after a layoff since Nov. 13. The gelding collected $35,400 for the victory. Big Shot Syd had been on the shelf from April 19, 2009 until Sept. 30, 2010 and since his return has won two of his last three to boost his earnings to $108,120. He's entered in the Gr. II San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 6.
January 21 - More Is Better, a 4-year-old Unbridled Time filly, returned to the races after a layoff of five months and captured a $30,000 off-the-turf claimer at Gulfstream Park by two lengths for owner/breeder William C. Schettine, owner of Signature Stallions. It was the second victory in seven tries for More Is Better, who broke her maiden on the grass at Belmont Park last May 2. She upped her earnings to $54,299.
Jan. 22 - Chapel Royal struck again at Santa Anita when his 3-year-old filly, Coy Princess, broke her maiden in her third start for owner Judi Partridge. Coy Princess battled head-and-head for the lead for the entire 5 1/2 furlongs in the $40,000 claimer and prevailed by half a length. She was clocked in 1:04:16 and earned a check for $12,600.
(January 17, 2011) - Like all thoroughbreds at the racetrack, Champagne Account had a birthday on Jan. 1. But's that where any similarities end.
Unlike 99 percent of the others, the gelded son of Top Account turned 11. Unlike most of the others, he's had 73 lifetime starts. And, very unlike, no doubt, all the others who have racked up a sizeable number of starts, every one of Champagne Account's have come in Florida: 62 at Calder, 10 at Gulfstream, and one at Tampa Bay Downs. And all under the tutelage of trainer Barry Croft.
The gelding is owned by his breeder, Joy B. Carpenter, who packed up and left Ocala a couple of decades ago with her husband, Dee, who owned EquiFab, a popular horse health products operation based on Highway 40 near I-75. But the Carpenters longed to return to their roots and headed back to St. Matthew's, South Carolina, where they have lived since and where EquiFab has not only prospered, it has taken great strides forward, expanding with the times.
Despite the move north, Joy continued to breed a mare or two every year, including Champagne Blonde, the dam of Champagne Account. Racing in Joy's colors, Champagne Blonde had raced nine times in 1994-'95, winning two times, with two seconds and earnings of $27,503. She broke her maiden in her career debut at Laurel on July 1, 1994 and paid $67.60. Sent to the breeding shed, her first foal arrived in 1997, and was named Out of Champagne, who won the Carterista Handicap at Calder en route to earnings of $187,383 and a record of 9-8-7 in 45 starts. Next came Champagne On Ice, who started just 10 times, went 1-1-2, and earned $31,870.
Champagne Account was the third and last foal for Champagne Blonde, and was born in 2000. His first start as a 2-year-old came at Calder on Nov. 24, 2002, and he finished third in the maiden special, earning $2,400, the first of many checks to come over the next eight years. He's averaged about nine starts per year and on Dec. 31, Croft had him entered in a $5,000 claimer at six furlongs. It was to be his 73rd career start and his ninth of 2010. It turned out he beat the deadline for getting his first 2010 victory by a day, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths under Eddie Nunez and paying $9.80. That boosted his record to 12-14-9, while the $6,200 paycheck sent his earnings to $263,355. His lone excursion from South Florida came in the $60,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa in 2006. He finished 11th in his only career stakes try.
Joy Carpenter has a few other runners with Croft at Calder, and Champagne Account will remain in the barn. "She'll keep racing him," Dee says, "because he doesn't want to do anything else but run."
(January 8, 2011) - On Sept. 23, 1999, at Belmont Park, Richard Kent dipped in and took the filly Luricon out of a $40,000 maiden claimer for his employer, Harold Plumley. The daughter of Lure had raced four previous times in maiden special company for owner Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud, but Kent couldn't resist the opportunity the first time Luricon was in for a tag.
It took four more attempts, racing in the Plumley Farm colors, before Luricon broke her maiden at Aqueduct, on Dec. 15 of the same year. She wound up 1999 with $60,290 in the bank, then added $99,380 in 2000 and $28,200 in one winning start in 2001 before retiring to the Plumley Farm breeding shed and being bred to Thunder Gulch. Her career totals read: 22 starts, four victories, six seconds and six thirds, once stakes-placed, with earnings of $187,870.
Luricon's first foal, Thunder Lure, was unraced, and her second, Gold Gram (Touch Gold), went 1-2-0 in seven starts and earned $11,524. Her 2004 foal, Bam Bam (Grand Slam), raced in Canada and was 3-7-7 in 33 starts with earnings of $44,159. There were no foals in 2005 and 2006, before she dropped Royal Tricon, a son of Trippi, in 2007, and Salsa Bullet, a daughter of Omega Code, in 2008.
Nov. 13 was a red-letter day for the latter two runners at Calder Race Course. Royal Tricon won the third race, a $25,000 claimer, by 6 1/2 lengths for trainer Joe Calascibetta and co-owners James Steil, Madeline Calascibetta and Mike Plumley. It was the colt's second victory in six starts.
Six races later, Salsa Bullet, racing for Commonwealth Stable, captured the $100,000 John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf and its $60,000 paycheck. It brought her record to 2-1-0 in three starts with earnings of $80,460. While Salsa Bullet hasn't started since, Royal Tricon came back to finish second in a $28,000 allowance on Dec. 9, then won a $28,000 allowance on Dec. 26 by 6 1/2 lengths and is now 3-1-2 in eight starts with a bank account of $50,188. Salsa Bullet is headed for the Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park, then, perhaps, the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs, which will be run on the grass this year for the first time.
Luricon is in the catalogue for the upcoming OBS Winter Sale (HIP #176) as part of the Plumley Farm dispersal. She has a 2-year-old Trippi colt, no yearling, and is in foal to Ocala Stud Farm's High Cotton. Gold Gram, her 2003 foal, is also being sold as HIP #492.
Smile Winner Mach Ride Retires To Bridlewood
(December 18, 2010) - Mach Ride, winner of the Gr. II Smile Sprint at Calder Race Course, has been retired and will stand at Bridlewood Farm for the 2011 breeding season.
Bred and raced by George and Karen Russell of Rustlewood Farm, Mach Ride was a leading sprinter in Florida for several years. The handsome black-coated horse sped to his biggest victory in the $500,000 Smile, defeating several of the country's top sprinters. The final time of 1:09 4/5 for six furlongs represents the fastest Smile clocking in the last five runnings, and he earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.
Mach Ride was precocious from the start, beginning his career with four consecutive victories, including a decisive score over several of Florida's top 3-year-olds in the Valid Video S. That served as the local prep for the $300,000 Carry Back S. on the Summit of Speed program at Calder. He finished a game second after setting a fast early pace, still earning a 103 Beyer while suffering his first defeat.
An earner of $640,050, Mach Ride retires with a record of 6-3-2 from 18 starts. He is by long-time Florida leading sire Pentelicus out of the multiple stakes-producing mare April Invitation, who herself is by a long-time Florida leading sire � Formal Dinner.
Mach Ride will stand his first season for $2,000 live foal, stands and nurses.
(December 13, 2010) - Here are some of the highlights posted by Florida-breds, Florida sires and Florida breeders during the last week of November.
AQUEDUCT -
Nov. 26: Signature Stallions' Straight Man, who has surpassed the $1 million mark in progeny earnings for the past six years, is also a broodmare sire. The 3-year-old gelding Five Aces, by Alke out of the Straight Man mare Queen Hi Straight, won for trainer Gary Contessa for the second time in his last three starts.
CALDER RACE COURSE -
Nov. 25: Tikitocki, by former Lambholm South stallion Safe in the U S A, scored by 1 1/4 lengths in a $30,000 maiden special that was taken off the grass and picked up a check for $19,200. Safe In the U S A, a son of Gone West who now stands in Massachusetts, got off to a slow start in Florida with his first crop in 2008, but has picked up considerably this year and is headed toward $800,000 in earnings with 18 winners from just 30 starters.
Nov. 26 - The late Bridlewood Farm stallion Black Mambo has also picked up his steam after his untimely death in 2009. King Combo won a $6,250 claimer, one of several good performances by the stallion's progeny during the week. The son of Kingmambo has passed the $1.3 million mark this year; Stella Thayer, owner of Tampa Bay Downs, collected a breeder's award at Calder just prior to her own track's opening when Michelle's Trip won a $28,000 allowance at a mile on the turf.
Nov. 27 - Bloodstock agent Gary Mesnick and his wife, Cassandra, scored a double as breeders and co-owners of Niki's Ice, an Indian Ocean filly who broke her maiden for $25,000 as the 7/10 favorite; Murray Smith, owner, breeder and pinhooker, collected her fourth breeder's award with John Johnny Jak, a 3-year-old colt by red-hot Journeyman Stud stallion Wildcat Heir. The colt has won two straight, 4 of 12 lifetime, and has earned $77,978 as his second-crop sire heads toward $4.4 million in progeny earnings this year, the best season a second-crop sire has ever enjoyed in Florida. Wildcat Heir has seven stakes-winners this year, eight stakes victories, and 83 winners from 130 starters; Black Mambo had another winner a day later when Ashley's Code captured a $6,250 claimer by 5 1/4 lengths at odds of 70 cents to a dollar.
Nov. 28 - Lucille Geranis, who raced the game multi-millionaire Sir Leon, is still campaigning some of his babies. Miss Leonardo, a 5-year-old mare, won a $5,000 claimer by nearly seven lengths racing in the colors of Mrs. Geranis and earned a check for $6,200.
CHURCHILL DOWNS -
Nov. 27: Handicappers with even a little knowledge of Florida's hot young sires had a field day with first-time starter Depeche Chat. The 2-year-old Wildcat Heir colt made his debut going seven furlongs in a $55,276 maiden special, winning by 1 3/4 lengths at odds of 10-1, paying $22.40. Three other first-time starters went off at shorter prices.
Nov. 28: Strong Hope, the more unheralded of the two stallions standing at Eugene Melnyk's Winding Oaks Farm, is quietly having a solid year with his third crop at the races. Strongly So, a 3-year-old filly bred in Kentucky before the stallion moved south, broke her maiden by a length in a $59,370 maiden special and picked up a check for $35,232. Strong Hope, a son of Grand Slam, has progeny earnings this year of $1,856,707 despite not having a stakes-winner. He has 65 winners and 19 repeat winners.
FAIR GROUNDS -
Nov. 25: Mambo Galliano, a 4-year-old gelded son of Black Mambo, won the $60,000 Thanksgiving Handicap by four widening lengths in the excellent time of 1:09:56 for six furlongs. The check for $36,000 boosted the gelding's earnings to $102,950.
Nov. 26: Hallway, a 6-year-old Louisiana-bred by Winding Oaks Farm's bread-and-butter stallion, Graeme Hall, captured the $60,000 Mr. Sulu Stakes by a length at odds of 7/2. Hallway is one of five stakes-winners for Graeme Hall this year, helping his sire to earnings of just shy of $3.8 million. Hallway, owned by Heiligbrodt Stable, sports a lifetime record of 7-10-4 in 35 starts with earnings of $397,857. Graeme Hall has 50 repeat winners in 2010, most of any Florida stallion.
GOLDEN GATE FIELDS -
Nov. 25: Strong Hope had another pair of sharp winners in Northern California. First, Sister Glady Oh La broke her maiden for $12,500, winning by 10 lengths going a flat mile under Russell Baze and earning $5,225.
Nov. 28: Dark Dolores, a 3-year-old Strong Hope filly, was 4 1/4 lengths the best in an $18,000 starter allowance at a flat mile. She earned $10,800.
HAWTHORNE -
Nov. 24: One of Safe in the U S A's streaking runners made it three in a row in Chicago. See I A, bred by Roy Lerman and Jayeff Stables, won a $50,000-$40,000 allowance optional claimer by a length with six furlongs in 1:09:58. The 4-year-old gelding was claimed for $10,000 at Tampa Bay Downs earlier in the season and has steadily moved up the ladder with five victories this year. Overall, he's 10-3-2 in 26 starts and his earnings jumped to $123,277. Among the runners he defeated was millionaire Coach Jimi Lee.
HOLLYWOOD PARK -
Nov. 27: Black Mambo's winners stretched all the way out west as Dancing At Dark won a $26,400 starter allowance by 2 1/4 lengths under Joe Talamo. The 2-year-old colt had broken his maiden in his previous start by 3 1/4 and he's earned $26,880 in five starts.
LAUREL PARK -
Nov. 25: Bellamy Road raced formidably in the silks of George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Farm, is best known for winning the Wood Memorial, and is now one of the leading freshman sires in the country, standing at Hurricane Hall in Lexington. Toby's Corner, bred in Florida by his owner, Dianne Cotter, broke his maiden by nearly 11 lengths with a mile in 1:38:78, earning a check for $15,960. The runner-up was John Brunetti's Intensivist.
Wildcat Heir's Stud Fee $10,000 Journeyman Stud announced its 2011 stud fees for its 14 stallions on Wednesday, headlined by Florida's leading sire, Wildcat Heir, who will stand for $10,000.
Fresh off a record-breaking first crop that included 39 2-year-old winners in 2009, Wildcat Heir has enjoyed an even stronger 2010 with seven stakes-winners and progeny earnings of $4,243,030 and counting � both tops among Florida sires despite having just two crops to race.
Mass Media is Florida's leading freshman sire by number of stakes-winners and stakes horses, and currently has 26% stakes horses among his starters. He will stand in 2011 for a fee of $2,000 stands and nurses, and will offer a unique incentives program that can be learned about on JourneymanStud.com.
Journeyman also stands the top three 2010 second-crop sires in Florida. Just behind Wildcat Heir are Consolidator and Bwana Charlie, who both sired graded stakes-winners this year. Consolidator will stand for $4,000 stands and nurses, and Bwana Charlie will stand for $2,500 stands and nurses. Also among the leading second-crop sires is Hear No Evil, sire of the top Florida-bred performer Jackson Bend. Hear No Evil will stand for $3,500, stands and nurses.
Journeyman's new stallions for 2011 include Awesome of Course and Kiss the Kid. Awesome of Course, sire of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and probable Champion 2-year-old filly Awesome Feather, will stand for $5,000, stands and nurses. Kiss the Kid, a multiple graded stakes-winner by Lemon Drop Kid, will stand his introductory season for a fee of $3,500, stands and nurses.
The full 2011 Journeyman Stud roster with fees are as follows:
A Horse By Any Other Name Is A Graded Stakes-Winner
(November 28, 2010) - When trainer Peter Miller forked over $22,000 for HIP No. 86 at the OBS sale on April 19, the 2-year-old by Bwana Charlie out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Maggies Storm was named Bwana Storm. First name of the sire, last name of the dam. Very simple.
Just 31 days later, the gelding was in the entries at Hollywood Park in a $40,000 maiden claimer at 4 1/2 furlongs. But there was no Bwana Storm in sight.
The gelding's new owners had wasted little time in re-naming him - he was now Comma to the Top. With Tyler Baze aboard, Comma to the Top made a strong closing bid and finished a head short in 52 2/5 seconds. In his next start at Hollywood 23 days later, the gelding tired to finish sixth after battling for the lead all the way in a 5-furlong test that went in 58 seconds flat. But he broke his maiden in style 10 days later in his third try, in a $50,000 maiden claimer, with Rafael Bejarano easing him to the wire nearly nine lengths in front in 1:03 3/5 for 5 1/2 furlongs.
Miller aimed for the moon after that impressive score, and Comma to the Top finished fourth in the Gr. II Best Pal (Aug. 8) at Del Mar, and sixth in the Gr. I Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 8. That was the last time he lost.
On Saturday, Comma to the Top won his fourth straight race, a wire-to-wire score in the Gr. III Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park, his first try over a grass course. With Corey Nakatani aboard, Bwana Charlie's first stakes-winner was 1 3/4 lengths in front at the wire, clocked in 1:34:77 for the mile; the course record is 1:32:59. The $60,000 winner's check raised his earnings to $176,600 on a record of 5-1-0 in eight starts, and elevated him into one of the bargain buys of 2010.
Prior to the Generous, Comma to the Top had won a $40,000 starter race at Golden Gate Fields by four lengths, and a $31,262 allowance at the same track by six. Then he became Bwana Charlie's first stakes-winner with a 6 1/4-length romp in the $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood on Nov. 6. Now he's a multiple stakes-winner and another success story born at the OBS April Sale. His last four victories have come by a combined total of 18 lengths.
Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud, where Bwana Charlie stands, is having another bang-up season in 2010. Wildcat Heir is Florida's leading sire and the second-leading second-crop sire in the country, barely behind Afleet Alex with progeny earnings of $4,224,915. Consolidator is the 12th-leading second-crop sire with earnings of $1,956,901, and now Bwana Charlie has moved up to 24th with $1,127,287 (28 winners from 47 starters). In addition, Mass Media is Florida's fourth-leading freshman sire with 11 winners from just 19 starters, including three repeat winners, two stakes-winners, and earnings of $493,520.
Sarava Moves To Bridlewood Farm Belmont Stakes winner Sarava, who has three crops at the races, has moved to Bridlewood Farm for the 2011 season. He stood the 2010 season at Double Diamond Farm. By Wild Again out of Rhythm of Life by Deputy Minister, Sarava ranks among the top 10 Florida third-crop sires of 2010. His biggest victory came in the 2002 Belmont over Medaglia d' Oro, as he dashed the Triple Crown bid of War Emblem. His stud fee has not yet been set. "Sarava is the only Belmont winner at stud in Florida, and the success of Belmont winners as sires has been proven time and time again" said Bridlewood General Manager George Isaacs. "Sarava has already enjoyed some success with his young runners, and they only figure to get better. He promotes soundness and versatility, and he has the added bonus of being Florida's only son of Wild Again, sire of last year's Champion freshman sire, Offlee Wild, and of the very versatile sire Milwaukee Brew." Add Kiss The Kid Retires To Journeyman Stud Roster
Kiss the Kid, a multiple graded stakes-winner and earner of $820,873, has been retired and will stand stud in 2011 at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud. His fee will be announced along with all 2011 Journeyman Stud stallions in the coming days.
A versatile performer by Lemon Drop Kid, Kiss the Kid held stakes-level form for five seasons on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces, winning four stakes � two graded � with 17 stakes placings. He won the Gr. III Appleton S. at Gulfstream and Gr. III Cliff Hanger S. at Meadowlands on turf, and is graded-placed in such top dirt races as the Gr. I Donn H. at Gulfstream, as well as the Gr. III Ben Ali S. on Polytrack at Keeneland. He retires with a record of 8-7-7 in 40 starts.
Trained by Amy Tarrant for owners Hardacre Farm LLC, Kiss the Kid compiled 10 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures and is retiring sound. He enters stud as the only son of Lemon Drop Kid standing in Florida, and he hails from a solid female family, as his dam, Black Tie Kiss, is a half-sister to Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair.
Imperialism Colt Can Handle Grass, Too
(November 18, 2010) - Imperialism, who stands at Get Away Farm for owner Manny Andrade, compiled an impressive record over dirt tracks during a four-year caeer, including three important Gr. II's in California - the San Rafael Stakes, the San Vicente and the Pat O'Brien. He also finished second in the Santa Anita Derby, third behind Smarty Jones in the Kentucky Derby, and lost the Gr. II Strub by a nose to Rock Hard Ten. He wound up his career with a record of 6-5-3 in 29 starts and earnings of $899,772.
Along with his prowess on the main course, the son of Langfuhr also turned in a couple of solid performances on the turf, finishing third in the Gr. I Hollywood Derby and second in the Mecke Stakes at Calder.
So, it wasn't surprising when one of his eight freshman winners, Master Dunker, took to the turf course at Calder Monday in his fifth start and romped home by three lengths in racehorse time. Master Dunker had started four times on the dirt and had posted a victory and two thirds for trainer David Fawkes. But the $39,000 OBS April purchase by Get Away was a ton the best, racing five furlongs in :56:25 under Daniel Centeno - the course record of :54:78 is held by the superior grass filly Whenthedoveflies. Master Dunker is now 2-0-2 in five tries with earnings of $39.323.
Imperialism's eight winners come from just 13 starters (62 percent) and three of them - including Master Dunker - are already repeat winners.
Awesome Of Course Moves To Journeyman Stud
(November 9, 2010)Awesome of Course, sire of undefeated Breeders' Cup winner and Fasig-Tipton November Sale Topper Awesome Feather, will stand the 2011 season at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud. His fee will be $5,000, payable when the foal stands and nurses.
The nation's No. 3 juvenile sire with progeny earnings just shy of $1.5 million, Awesome of Course has had exceptional results from limited opportunity. From just 26 named foals, he has 20 starters, 15 winners, and four stakes horses. His 3.06 AEI has been accomplished with a 1.35 mares' Comparable Index.
Awesome of Course shot onto the national radar this year due to the accomplishments of Awesome Feather at Calder Race Course. She captured all three filly divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes series, the Desert Vixen, Susan's Girl and My Dear Girl. Prior to that, she broke her maiden by nearly six lengths going 4 1/2 furlongs, then won the $100,000 JJ's Dream Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs. She won the three races in the series by a combined total of 17 lengths.
Bred in Florida by Fred Brei at his Jacks Or Better Farm, the 2-year-old filly is now undefeated in six starts, the last five of them stakes. On Nov. 5, Awesome Feather exploded in the stretch for a decisive victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Two days later, she sold for $2.3 million to Frank Stronach at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Breeding Stock Sale, easily highest price at the venue. One of just four fillies in history to sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes Series, Awesome Feather is a cinch for Champion 2-year-old filly honors.
(November 3, 2010) - The annual horsemen's golf tournament for the benefit of Florida Thoroughbred Charities received rave reviews from its 137 participants at Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club. The event raised more than $9,000 for horse rescue operations in Marion County, and was a huge success on many levels, from the nearly 80 sponsorship signs sprinkled throughout the course and the grounds, to the food, to the more than 60 raffle prizes offered at the end of the day.
The raffle prizes included two tickets for the 2011 U. S. Open to be played at Congressional in Maryland, donated by Goldmark Farm; two framed pictures of Zenyatta winning the Breeders' Cup Classic last year, signed by jockey Mike Smith; two pictures of the great Ruffian, signed by Hall of Fame rider Jacinto Vasquez, a Golden Hills member; a picture of Affirmed and Alyadr, signed by Alydar's Hall of Fame rider, Jorge Velasquez, free rounds of golf at many local courses, gift certificates to several Marion County restaurants and men's shops, and much more.
Winners in the gross and net divisions all received sky caddies, second-place finishers received golf bags, and third-place finishers received gift certificates for golf shoes.
Gretness Gelding Proves His Mettle
(October 25, 2010) - If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again!. It certainly worked with the 2-year-old gelding Pulgarcito, winner of the $55,000 Governor's Cup Stakes at Zia Park on Sunday.
Pulgarcito is a son of Greatness out of the Storm Cat mare Cat Attack. Bred in Florida by Ed Seltzer and Murray Durst, he was originally consigned to the OBS October sale as a weanling in 2008, and was sold for $3,000. He came back in the 2009 OBS August yearling sale and went for $3,600. At the OBS April sale earlier this year, the ante was upped - but he RNA'ed for $37,000. Then, at the June sale, he was sold to Patty Miller of EQB, agent, for $40,000 and wound up in the formidable stable of William Heiligbrodt.
Pulgarcito captured the Governor's Cup by two lengths at odds of even money and collected $33,000 for the score. It raised his earnings to $61,170 on a record of 2-1-0 in four starts. He raced six furlongs in 1:10 4/5, so a lot of horsemen missed the boat somewhere along the way.
First Winner For Leading The Parade(October 15, 2010) - Lambholm South's Leading the Parade became the ninth Florida freshman sire to gain his first winner when Parade of Colors scored an impressive victory going 5 1/2 furlongs in a $24,000 maiden special switched from the turf to the main track at Laurel Park on Oct. 14. The filly bred by Roy Lerman, owner of Lambholm South, raced next-to-last early in the field of eight, and was about eight lengths off the leaders on the turn. But jockey Sheldon Russell gunned her along the rail at the top of the stretch and she inhaled the field in the final sixteenth, drawing off to score by more than three lengths.
Parade of Colors was clocked in 1:06:91 over a sloppy track, earning $15,960 for the victory. Purchased by Clover Hill Racing for $15,000 at this year's Timonium May sale, the filly had finished third in her Sept. 23 debut on the grass, going off at 41-1 and earning a check for $2,640.
Congrats Passes $1 Million Mark
(October 11, 2010) - It isn't often that a Florida sire surpasses $1 million in progeny earnings with his first crop, but it has now happened two years in a row. In 2009, Journeyman Stud's Wildcat Heir, a son of Forest Wildcat, went over $1 million by the first week of December. This season, Vinery's sensational Congrats has run away and hidden against the other top freshmen, and the son of A. P. Indy passed $1 million over the weekend.
The big surge came on Friday when Wickedly Perfect captured the $400,000, Gr. I Alcibiades at Keeneland by two lengths over Harlan's Ruby, racing the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:46:26. It was the third victory in four starts for the filly, who was a $70,000 OBS April purchase bred by Y-Lo Racing Stables. Wickedly Perfect had previously won the Gr. III Sorrento at Del Mar and finished second in the Gr. I Darley Debutante. The $240,000 winner's check for the Alcibiades boosted her earnings to $404,600.
In addition, Harlan's Ruby was up for second by a nose over Jordy Y, another daughter of Congrats who earned $40,000 for third and has banked $93,500. In her lone prior stakes engagement she was second in the Gr. III Arlington-Washington Lassie and she's 2-1-1 in four starts. Unfortunately, it was announced over the weekend that Wickedly Perfect has chips in a stifle and will miss the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She will be operated on by Dr. Larry Bramlage.
On Saturday, Congrats picked up his sixth stakes-placed horse when I'm Steppin' It Up finished third in the Gr. I Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.
Congrats went into Monday with 17 winners, two stakes-winners, an incredible eight stakes horses, six of them stakes-placed, and earnings of $1,056,692. He's the leading freshman sire in the country in every category and is more than $300,000 ahead of runner-up Bluegrass Cat in progeny earnings. He's more than $600,000 ahead of stablemate Pomeroy among Florida freshmen.
On Saturday, a pair of fillies broke their maiden for the stallion who stands at Vinery in Florida - The Marikutana won at Calder and Servin Aces at Philadelphia Park. The next day, Turbulent Descent scored at Hollywood Park, giving the son of A. P. Indy 17 winners in his first crop. He leads fellow Vinery mate Pomeroy by two winners, but is way ahead of the pack on the national list with progeny earnings of $735,845.
Also on Saturday, Days Like This finished second by a head to 3/5 favorite Summer Laugh in the Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware Park. Days Like This, who had broken her maiden at Delaware back on Aug. 12, was 19 1/4 lengths ahead of the third horse and collected $18,750 for the effort.
First Dude's Half-Sister Can Run A Little, Too
(September 15, 2010) - Before Run Sarah Run produced Florida-bred First Dude for Double Diamond Farm owner Don Dizney, her first foal - produced in 2006 - was the Orientate filly Via Veneto.
First Dude has received all the plaudits this season, compiling a record of 1-2-4 in 10 starts and earning $662,160. Despite the fact that he's still eligible for a "non-winners of a race other than maiden, claiming or starter," he's been a major factor in the Triple Crown events and the recent Travers. He's headed next for the Indiana Derby.
Although not achieving nearly the success of her older half-brother, Via Veneto has been better than an empty stall, as owners and trainers like to say. In her first 11 career starts, the 4-year-old filly trained by Bob Baffert went 2-3-1 with earnings of $95,450. On Sunday, however, she broke into the black-type ranks, albeit in a small way, at Fairplex Park. With Martin Pedroza riding, Via Veneto captured the $50,000 Bangles and Beads Stakes, winning by 1 1/2 lengths and paying $3.20. She covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18 flat, boosted her earnings to $123,950 and became the first stakes-winner for her dam. First Dude is destined to join her sometime soon.
Run Sarah Run, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Smart Strike, went 6-3-7 in 26 starts, was stakes-placed, and earned $181,022.
Freshman Sires Still Going Strong
(September 14, 2010) - There are five freshman sires in North America who have reached double digits in number of winners and three of them stand in Ocala.
The unquestioned leader in every category is Vinery's Congrats, whose progeny earnings have reached $616,189, which is $127,000 ahead of runner-up Bluegrass Cat. Congrats and Bluegrass Cat are tied with the most winners - 13 - followed by Hartley/DeRenzo's With Distinction and Vinery's Pomeroy with 11 each. Silver Train, who stands at Vinery in Kentucky, is fifth with 10 winners.
Congrats is also the leader with five repeat winners, is tied with Bellamy Road with two stakes-winners, leads with two graded stakes-winners, has three other stakes-placed horses, and is tied with Bluegrass Cat with six overall stakes horses. The son of A. P. Indy has 109 named foals in this crop, and 39 have started, so he has a percentage of 33 with respect to winners from starters. With Distinction, with 115 registered foals, has 11 winners from 33 starters and earnings of $288,326, while Pomeroy, with 96 foals, has 11 winners from 28 starters and $275,227 in earnings.
Florida's Freshman Sires Still On Fire
(September 2, 2010) - The Florida freshman sires who have achieved early success this season were at it again last weekend, adding to their number of winners, along with several stakes-placed performances.
Congrats, who is owned by John Sykes and stands at Vinery, picked up his 11th winner when Starship Crystal won Saturday's second race at Calder, a $36,700 maiden special at a mile on the grass. For the sharp-eyed handicappers who were aware how well Congrats has been doing, the payoff for this first-time starter was $10. The $35,000 OBS February filly was bred by Brent and Crystal Fernung, who picked up a nice breeders' award of $4,455.
In addition to his latest winner, Congrats had three previous winners become stakes-placed. Motin finished third in Calder's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash; Silverest finished third in the $100,000 Susan's Girl division of the Florida Stallion Stakes, and Congrats and Roses finished second in the Northern Lights Debutante at Canterbury Park. Three days later, Sykes announced he was re-opening his CloverLeaf Farms II in Reddick so the stallion will benefit from the many stakes-winning and stakes-producing mares added to his book by his owner.
Pomeroy, who also hails from Vinery and has 10 2-year-old winners, had recent winner Rough'n Royal finish second in the $100,000 Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion Stakes.
With Distinction, from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, picked up his ninth winner when Pontification, a Kentucky-bred, scored at Charles Town on Saturday.
Mass Media (Journeyman Stud) gave the Fernungs more reason to celebrate, getting his sixth winner and adding some stakes-placed runners. Winner No. 6 was Luna Grande, who also won at Calder during Saturday's Juvenile Showcase program. Later in the day, Beso Grande finished third in the $100,000 Lindsay Frolic Stakes, and My Mass Media was fourth in the Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash. The previous week, Rivrav finished third in the $100,000 Gold Rush Futurity.
Congrats In Order For Vinery Freshman Sire
(August 19, 2010) - Congrats, who stands at Vinery south of Ocala, has made a huge move in the past few weeks and is now the leading freshman sire in the country. The son of A. P. Indy has nine winners, and with $400,385 in progeny earnings, is more than $43,000 ahead of runner-up Old Forester, who stands in Canada.
The intriguing facet of Congrats' early success is not just the number of winners, but the quality of his runners, who include two graded stakes-winners. The stallion's first winner was the unbeaten Check My Cheeks, who broke her maiden at Camarero in Puerto Rico on May 1. But the filly bred by Rick Sutherland has since stretched her streak to five straight, including a score in the Gr. III Eduardo Cautino Insua. Then there's Wickedly Perfect, who broke her maiden by five lengths at Hollywood Park back on June 27, then came back to capture the $150,000, Gr. III Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar. She's earned $114,600 in her two starts.
Jordy Y is another unbeaten daughter of Congrats. She broke her maiden by 2 3/4 lengths at Arlington Park on July 5, then returned on Aug. 1 to score by 1 1/4 lengths in a $50,000 allowance optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs and has banked $35,100 for owners Darrell and Evelyn Yates.
The leading freshman sire in Florida by number of winners is Pomeroy, who also stands at Vinery. The son of Boundary, who has had 24 starters, picked up his two latest winners - Rough'n Royal and Roy's Girls, at Calder on Aug. 13.
Imperialism's First Winner Scores By A City Block
(August 6, 2010) - Get Away Farm's freshman sire Imperialism picked up his first winner when Master Dunker scored a stylish victory at Calder Race Course today. Racing in $40,000 claiming company, the colt was sent off at 90 cents to a dollar after finishing a fast-closing third in his July debut.
With Luis Saez aboard, Master Dunker hit the gate at the break, dropped back in the pack, then staged a four-wide rally on the turn and drew off to win easily by 8 1/4 lengths. He was bred by Stanley S. Moles and is owned by Manny Andrade's Get Away Farm, where Imperialism stands. His two-race earnings come to $15,403.
Imperialism is a son of Langfuhr who earned $899,772 at the track, with three Gr. II stakes victories and a third in the 2004 Kentucky Derby behind Smarty Jones and Lion Heart.
RETURN TO THE VINEYARD - After Vineyard Haven won the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park by nearly six lengths under Edgar Prado in 2008, he took a giant leap from the ho-hum list onto the early list of Kentucky Derby wannabes. Owned at the time by his trainer, Bobby Frankel, in partnership with Louis Lazzinnaro and Diamond Pride LLC, Vineyard Haven was then sold to Godolphin Racing and didn't make his next start until February of 2009 at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai. In a widely publicized return, the son of Lido Palace not only didn't win, he finished fourth, 12 lengths behind Desert Party.
The colt then went on the unable to perform list for the second time, and re-emerged at Saratoga in August for the seven-furlong, Gr. I King's Bishop Stakes. Vineyard Haven won the race by a head over Captain Candyman Can in 1:22 1/5, but was disqualified and placed second for taking the runner-up out to the grandstand in the stretch. Two months later, Vineyard Haven came back in the slop at Laurel and captured the Gr. I DeFrancis Memorial Dash by half a length in 1:09 3/5 for the six furlongs.
Then it was bye-bye - again - until July 23, when the colt showed up for his first race as a 4-year-old in the $75,000, seven-furlong James Marvin Stakes on the opening-day card at Saratoga. At odds of 3/5, Alan Garcia took Vineyard Haven wire-to-wire in 1:22:30, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. In his on-again, off-again career, Vineyard Haven, who was bred in Florida by Lynne Scace, is 5-1-1 in eight starts with earnings of $716,500.
Hot Freshman Sires Continue To Excel
(August 4, 2010) - Following up on the recent notes column about how spotting the runners of the hot freshman sires has always proved to be a good handicapping tool, here's the latest.
Congrats (Vinery) picked up his eighth winner when Go Maire Tu broke his maiden on July 31 at Laurel Park. The colt won by five lengths and paid $8.80.
With Distinction (Hartley/DeRenzo) remained tied with Congrats for the lead when Bear Chocolated became his eighth winner via a head decision at Woodbine. The colt bred by Lloyd and Lisa Carnes raced six furlongs in 1:11:02, paid $6.90, and earned a check for $33,260 (U. S.).
When Decisive Moment became With Distinction's seventh winner at Calder on July 24, the first-time starter from Just For Fun Stable paid $77.60.
Pomeroy (Vinery) stayed in the hunt with a pair of winners that lifted his total to seven. No. 6 was Winking Star, who scored by 2 1/4 lengths at Presque Isle Downs on July 29 and paid $4.40. Pomeroy's Star was No. 7, and his victory came at Camarero in Puerto Rico on July 30. Bred by Cashel Stud, the colt won by 8 1/2 lengths and paid $3.40. All the winners who paid short prices had run well in their previous starts.
The Daddy, who stood for several years at Martin Stables South, picked up his first winner when Please Daddy scored at Delaware Park on Aug. 2. The Brereton Jones homebred won by 1 1/4 lengths and paid $10. The Daddy is now at Jones' Airdrie Stud in Kentucky,
Watch Those Freshman Sires
(July 28, 2010) - For bettors looking for a little edge as 2-year-old racing comes into full swing around the country, here's a reminder - once again - about the advantage of following the progress, or lack of it, of this year's crop of freshman sires. It doesn't always happen this way, but most of the time it does: the first-crop sires who begin the season strongly continue that way right up until Dec. 31. It was true for Chapel Royal and Wildcat Heir, the last two Florida leaders, and a check of the records will show it was true for several years before 2008.
So, here are the hot freshmen as we head into August. Congrats, who stands at Vinery, is tied for the lead with seven winners with With Distinction, from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. Pomeroy, also from Vinery, is third with five winners, and Mass Media, from Journeyman Stud, has four.
Mass Media can also boast of the first stakes-winner from the freshman group, the gelding Alert the Press (his second winner), capturing the Capitol City Futurity at Lincoln Race Course in Nebraska on July 18. Alert the Press went wire-to-wire in the six-furlong race and won by 5 1/4 lengths. He's now 2-for-2, with a combined winning margin of 11 lengths. He paid $9.60.
(July 12, 2010) -
CALDER RACE COURSE - The seven stakes races making up Saturday's popular Summit of Speed program had it all - about $1.5 million in purses, four graded races, including the Gr. I Princess Rooney, two races with the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' designation, and a slew of runners each with more than a half-million dollars in earnings, including one millionaire. The races, in retrospect, also had a great impact on the Florida General Sire List.
The Princess Rooney was won by Jessica Is Back, who accomplished the most for her sire, Bridlewood Farm's Put It Back. The 6-year-old mare collected $203,980 for her two-length victory over Warbling, with six furlongs in 1:11:48. That lifted her career earnings to $771,765, second behind only millionaire In Summation among Put It Back's runners. Jessica Is Back is 12-13-3 in 44 starts for Farnsworth Stables LLC and trainer Marty Wolfson. The jackpot moved the stallion up to fourth place on the Florida list, behind Graeme Hall, Wildcat Heir and Montbrook, with progeny earnings of $1,571,173. It was one of the 'Win and You're In' races.
Big Drama and Little Drama provided plenty of drama in the Smile Sprint Handicap and Frank Gomez Memorial, respectively. Big Drama is a 4-year-old colt by Montbrook out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama, owned and bred by Harold Queen of Clearwater, who also raced millionaire Burning Roma. The colt captured the other 'Win and You're In' race, getting six furlongs in 1:10:93 and winning by 1 1/2 lengths over fast-closing Mambo Meister. The $201,810 check in the Gr. II test boosted the colt's bank account to $1,459,550 on a record of 8-2-1 in 13 tries. He's a three-time graded stakes-winner, and as a 2-year-old, swept Calder's Florida Stallion Stakes series.
Little Drama is his 2-year-old little brother, by Queen's millionaire stallion Burning Roma, and he won the Frank Gomez Memorial as a maiden. He had finished second in his June 12 debut behind Alley Oop Oop, a colt from Jacks or Better Farm who was the runner-up this time. Little Drama was nothing short of sensational this day, scoring by 9 1/2 lengths with 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05:59, and with Eiber Coa wrapped up on him in the stretch. He earned another $60,000 for his owner/breeder. Queen could accomplish a unique double if the little brother also swept the Stallion Stakes.
Another highlight of the Summit of Speed program was the victory of Coffee Boy over heralded D' Funnybone, who went off at 10 cents to a dollar in the Gr. II Carry Back at six furlongs. D' Funnybone went in with five graded stakes victories under his belt, including one at Saratoga and two each at Belmont and Gulfstream Park. But he couldn't hold off Coffee Boy, a 3-year-old son of Yonaguska who is the first runner, winner and stakes-winner bred by Manny Andrade, owner of Get Away Farm. The colt, owned by Gary Barber, is 3-1-0 in five starts with earnings of $207,750. He was clocked in 1:11:55 and ran down the favorite to win by a length under Jermaine Bridgmohan.
SUFFOLK DOWNS - On the other end of the Put It Back spectrum is Puttingonthemist, a 4-year-old filly who has been campaigning in $5,000 claiming company and thereabouts for owner/trainer John Rigattieri. After her 21st career start on June 14, the filly's record was 2-3-1 and she had barely passed $35,000 in earnings.
On that day, however, Carlos Quinones guided her to a 14 1/2-length score going a flat mile, and as the 2-1 favorite to boot. Rigattieri sent her back today in the first in Boston, going a mile and 70 yards. At odds of 7/10, Puttingonthemist went to the lead, opened up a few more lengths at each furlong marker, and galloped to the wire 21 1/2 lengths in front. The winner's check was a measly $4,260 and increased her total to $45,921. Fortunately for Rigattieri, nobody claimed her and it's doubtful he'll be able to run her back without a sizeable jump in class.
Carpenter's Runners Have Only Just Begun
(June 16, 2010) - When it comes to getting the most out of a small family of related runners over an extended period of time, Joy Carpenter stands out among the rest.
Joy and her husband, Dee, were long-time Ocala residents before moving back to their roots in St. Matthews, South Carolina, sometime in the 1990s. They lived just off the second tee at Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club and Dee owned and operated Equi-Fab, a horse health products company with offices behind Berrettini Feeds on Highway 40. Dee made constant trips to the South Florida tracks and often could be seen early in the a. m. at the barns at Calder, Hialeah, Gulfstream and Pompano Park delivering his products to a great many of the tracks' most successful trainers.
After they went back to St. Matthews, Dee's business mushroomed, and he began dabbling in harness horses, eventually buying one for $8,500 which went on to earn just short of a cool million. Joy, meanwhile, continued to breed a few mares at the Pilchers' Shade Tree Farm in Fairfield, including the Hooched matron Champagne Blonde, and racing their foals down south. In 1997, Champagne Blonde dropped Out of Champagne, a colt by Out of Place who wound up having a solid career that included a victory in the Carterista Handicap at Calder and a third in the Primal Stakes. He earned $187,383 on a record of 45-9-8-7.
Next came Champagne On Ice, a 1998 filly who enjoyed a relatively short career - 1-2-2 in 10 starts with earnings of $31,870 - but produced, in 2005, Myconfederaterose, a daughter of Trippi.
In 2000, Champagne Blonde produced Champagne Account, a son of Top Account, and the 10-year-old gelding is still campaigning at Calder with trainer Barry Croft.
On May 27, Myconfederaterose made her 17th start for Joy and trainer Croft, in a $16,000 optional claimer going five furlongs on the dirt. Coming from just off the pace, she drew off to score by 2 1/4 lengths and earn a check for $18,000. It was her third consecutive victory - the first two came on the grass - and boosted her record to 6-1-2, while her earnings jumped to $92,613. And nobody claimed her.
Three days later, Champagne Account made his 68th start in Joy Carpenter's colors, in a $6,250 claimer at six furlongs. He finished third, collected a check for $1,155, and raised his career total to $252,325. The gelding sports a record of 11-13-7 and earlier in his career, he was stakes-placed at Calder.
Finally, as Dee's business continues to flourish, he has bought a part interest in a 3-year-old by Candy Ride who will also be campaigning at Calder with Croft.
Dee is now 78, but as a non-related Carpenter once sang, "We've only just begun."
KIDZ OF THE HALL IMPRESS - With his new unbeaten sensation - Belle of the Hall - leading the way, Winding Oaks Farm's Graeme Hall is set to pass the $2 million mark in progeny earnings this year and it's not even at the halfway point. Belle of the Hall made Saturday's $200,000 Jostle Stakes her third straight victory for West Point Thoroughbreds, defeating Derwin's Star (Wildcat Heir) by three-quarters of a length. The 3-year-old filly earned $120,000 for the victory, accomplished in 1:15:44 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. The track record is 1:14 1/5.
Belle of the Hall was sold three times at auction, the first for $62,000 as a weanling at the 2007 OBS October sale. Then she went for $155,000 at 2008 Keeneland September, and finally, for $340,000 at 2009 OBS February. In her first start in April, she broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park by five lengths, following that up with a victory in a Belmont allowance on May 26. She's now earned $172,200.
Graeme Hall's progeny earnings reached $1,994,850 to lead the Florida general sire list on June 15. Journeyman Stud's Wildcat Heir is second with $1,585,196. Belle of the Hall became her sire's fifth stakes-winner this season; Wildcat Heir has three.
Blockbuster May For Signature Stallions
(June 5, 2010) - May was a blockbuster month for Bill Schettine's Signature Stallions as four of the farm's stallions accounted for no less than 32 winners spanning 19 tracks in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Leading the way with 16 winners was Chapel Royal, the outstanding son of Montbrook whose 16 winners for the month came at 12 tracks. Included in the group were Chapel Run, who won twice within 10 days at Calder, the second victory coming by 5 1/4 lengths; Faithful One, who won at Suffolk Downs and has four career victories and earnings of $95,872; River's Chapel, a 2-year-old colt who captured a $41,000 maiden special at Hollywood Park in :58:33 after finishing second in his debut; and Iberian Gate, who won an allowance test at Finger Lakes and went over the $100,000 mark in earnings.
Also, Mr. Instigator, another 2-year-old who won at odds of 4/5 in maiden special weight company at Hastings Park in his first start; and Rowdy Royal Rascal, who won his second start at Will Rogers Downs by 10 lengths. Chapel Royal is nearing $1 million in progeny earnings for the year.
Straight Man and Unbridled Time both kicked in with seven winners during the month. Straight Man boasted of Wildman Mac, who scored at Mountaineer Park for his eighth career victory; Green Lite Special, who won twice at Calder, and Era's Boy, who won in Puerto Rico and is 10-7-2 in 34 starts. Among his seven winners, Unbridled Time had Lullabytime win at Hollywood Park and boost her earnings to $194,620 with her seventh career victory, while Hasta Luego's fourth career win, which came at Delaware Park, jumped his earnings to $106,860.
Western Pride received two victories in 14 days at Philadelphia Park from Corcho, who has won five of 11 with earnings of $78,357.
Nobody's Laughing At Just Playin Around (June 1, 2010)
Six years ago, Larry Foggle bred his Out of Place mare Very Laughable to Ocala Stud Farm's Drewman. Foggle, who lives in East Otis, Massachusetts and winters in South Florida, named the foal Just Playin Around and has raced the now 5-year-old with a measure of success. Coming into the Memorial Day weekend, the gelding had earned $108,730 on a record of 3-3-0 in 20 starts.
On Sunday, however, Just Playing Around reached a high point for his owner, winning the seventh race at Belmont Park in a scintillating performance. With Jose Lezcano aboard in the 6-furlong test over the inner turf course, Just Playin Around sat second behind 7/5 Redefined, roared past the favorite in the stretch and went on to score by 1 1/4 lengths. Even though the gelding had won his final start at Gulfstream on April 3, he was sent off at 11-1 and paid $24.
What made the effort special for Foggle was that Just Playin Around was clocked in a sensational 1:07:10, just six-hundredths off the course record set by Florida-bred Weigelia back on June 17 of 2006. The winner's check of $33,600 raised the gelding's earnings to $142,330, making him the second-leading money-winner for his sire behind Cigar Man ($299,219). Ironically, Drewman has left Ocala Stud and now stands in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, not far from Foggle's home.
Just Playin Around has one sibling named Our Friend Harvey, a son of Bridlewood Farm's Put It Back, and he's a multiple stakes-winner with a record of 4-4-3 in 26 starts and earnings of $190,271. The half-brothers, like all of Foggle's horses, were raised at Peaches Robinson's Blue Sink Farm west of Ocala, long known for turning out runners who are well-prepared for the racetrack.
(May 27, 2010) - Graeme Hall was Florida's second-leading sire of 2009 behind Ocala Stud Farm's Montbrook with progeny earnings of $3,613,266. But Winding Oaks Farm's son of Dehere has put daylight between himself and the rest of the field in the race for the 2010 title.
Graeme Hall had two solid winners at Belmont Park on Wednesday, and his earnings for this season have jumped to $1,683,930. His numbers have increased substantially every season since his first runners reached the races in 2006 and posted earnings of $617,895.
In Wednesday's fourth in New York, Eugene Melnyk's Merlin Bay broke his maiden in his second start in a $50,000 state-bred claimer with a purse of $29,000. The 3-year-old colt had problems early in the six-furlong race, then came from last place in a field of six to get up by a neck, clocked in 1:10:92. After his fifth-place finish in his May 6 debut, Merlin Bay was sent off as the longest price on the board and paid $20.60 under Jose Lezcano. He's earned $18,270 for the owner of Winding Oaks.
Four races later, Belle of the Hall made it 2-for-2 with a 2 3/4-length victory in a $52,000 allowance test at seven furlongs. The 3-year-old filly, a $340,000 OBS February purchase last year by West Point Thoroughbreds, was 9/10 for her second try and paid $3.90 after negotiaitng the distance in 1:23:09 with Ramon Dominguez aboard. Belle of the Hall had broken her maiden in her Gulfstream debut back on April 8. The Florida-bred's two-race bank account reached $52,200.
Preakness Week A Bonanza For Dizney World 05-25-2010
Don Dizney's Preakness week became something special with First Dude's gutsy second-place finish in the second leg of the Triple Crown. The Florida-bred colt by Stephen Got Even earned two things for his effort - a $200,000 check and a trip to the Belmont Stakes.
But the memorable week had begun on Thursday when Adams Circle made his return to the races at Churchill Downs after a layoff of nearly a year. The 4-year-old Dixieland Band colt came back for trainer Albert Stall in a $30,000 maiden claimer at seven furlongs, with celebrated Calvin Borel in the irons. Adams Circle was bet down to second choice at 2-1 but Borel made it look like he should have been odds-on. The colt came out running and went wire-to-wire, drawing off by 5 1/2 lengths, clocked in a sharp 1:23:28. The winner's share came to $10,800.
On the Sunday after the Preakness, the 4-year-old ridgling Interlachen carried Dizney's Double Diamond Farm colors in a $12,500 maiden claimer going six furlongs at Louisiana Downs. With Jesse Campbell aboard, Interlachen justified his even-money price and came from off the pace to score by two lengths in 1:12:67. The son of Gulch, also trained by Stall, collected $5,100 for his maiden-breaker.
SUCCESS FOR 'THE HORSEMEN' - At Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club, there is a group of long-time golfers who have become affectionately known at many Marion County courses as "The Horsemen." That's because most of the players - past and present - are trainers, owners, breeders or jockeys - and even a turf writer. The odds of any two of those players breeding stakes-winners on the second-most important day of any racetrack's schedule are remote. But it happened on Black-Eyed Susan day at Pimlico, the afternoon before the Preakness.
The eighth race was the $52,200 Jim McKay Turf Sprint and it was won by Central City, a 4-year-old colt by City Place bred by "Horseman" and Golden Hills resident Charlie Dobbs along with partner Frank Berris. Central City, owned by Preston Stable, won by a neck under Julien Leparoux, paid $8.40 and received a check for $30,000. That boosted his earnings to $133,367 on a sterling record of 6-0-2 in nine starts. The $80,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling had been stakes-placed previously, finishing third by a neck in the Gr. III Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in his prior start on April 30.
Three races later, the $51,800 Skipat Stakes was won by Lights Off Annie, a 5-year-old who shipped in from New York, where she had been competing with great success. The daughter of Freud was bred by Dick Powers, another member of the "Horsemen" who is an Ocalan in the winter and a New Englander in the summer.
Lights Off Annie was winning her third stakes - she captured the Broadway for New York-breds at Aqueduct in 2009 and again in February - and also sports an enviable record. She's 6-1-1 in 11 starts with earnings of $209,671. Owned by Repole Stable, Lights Off Annie returned from a 10-month vacation in January and is 2-1-1 in four starts since.
For the record, another of "The Horsemen," Jimmy Alexander, is Dizney's farm manager at Double Diamond Farm.
Going Their Separate Ways 05-14-2010
Bluegrass Cat was 2/5 under John Velazquez in the 2006 Tampa Bay Derby. Deputy Glitters was the 8-1 third choice under Jose Lezcano. But Deputy Glitters was the better colt that day and Lezcano steered the son of Deputy Commander to a two-length victory over the favorite, clocked in a solid 1:44:26 for the mile and one-sixteenth.
But Bluegrass Cat went on to a sterling career, finishing second in the Kentucky Derby behind Barbaro, second to Jazil in the Belmont Stakes, and winning the Haskell Invitational by seven lengths. He went 5-4-0 in 11 starts and earned $1,761,280 before going off to stud at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
Deputy Glitters captured the Ohio Derby after a poor effort in the Belmont, but never was able to recapture that form for owner Joe LaCombe, losing his next seven starts at a variety of tracks. He wound up at Journeyman Stud in Ocala for the 2009 breeding season. But, according to Brent Fernung, Deputy Glitters was caught up in that deadly combination of the economy and a depleting mare population, and had too small a book in his first season. So LaCombe sent him back to the races at Gulfstream Park in March.
After a sixth-place finish in his debut, the now 7-year-old made his second start at Calder on Derby day and finished ninth after being bumped and steadied early at two different junctures.
Bluegrass Cat, on the other hand, has his first 2-year-olds at the track this season and he had his first winner on April 28 at Churchill Downs. The aptly-named Speed Demon sped to a four-length victory under H. J. Theriot II, getting 4 1/2 furlongs in :52:67 and earning a fat check of $28,800. The colt had finished third in his Keeneland debut on April 2.
SIGNATURE STALLIONS HOT - Sires from Bill Schettine's Signature Stallions had a successful run over three turf courses on Kentucky Derby weekend, beginning with the seventh race at Calder on Saturday. Green Lite Special, by Signature's Straight Man, scored by two lengths after a hard-fought front-running battle that lasted the entire mile and one-sixteenth trip. The 3-year-old gelding owned and trained by Bill Kaplan was bred by Rick Sacco, one of Schettine's own trainers.
Several hours later, Ringolevio won a $16,000 starter allowance at a mile at Golden Gate Fields for owner/trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who also trains and co-owns Kentucky Oaks winner Blind Luck. Ringolevio scored by a length in 1:36:25.
The 4-year-old gelding by Unbridled Time collected $9,600 for his effort.
The next day, Schettine struck himself at Belmont Park with More Is Better, a 3-year-old Unbridled Time filly he bred and owns. Cornelio Velasquez guided the filly home by two lengths in the $51,000 maiden special, getting the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:41:08 in her third career start. The winner's check came to $30,600.
There must be a great many trainers at Tampa Bay Downs kicking themselves for not taking a shot with the 4-year-old filly Prissy Proxy.
On Jan. 31, the South Carolina-bred daughter of Cat in Town returned to the races after a 10-month layoff, in an $8,000 claimer for non-winners of three lifetime. Prissy Proxy had raced just four times in her career for owner William D. Miller Jr., twice in 2008 and twice in '09. She had posted two victories, a second and a third and her winning margins were 8 3/4 lengths (at Canterbury Downs) and 11 1/2 (at Tampa).
Nobody was willing to dip in for the $8,000 that January day and Prissy Proxy ripped off five furlongs in 58:77 under then-10-pound apprentice Kristina McManigell, scoring by 4 1/4 lengths. She was sent off at 6/5 and the Racing Form comment was "drew off when roused."
Trainer Vincent Reedy had her back in the entries on April 21 in an allowance optional claimer at "about" five furlongs on the turf, her first time trying that surface. Prissy Proxy was entered for the $32,000 tag, and with McManigell aboard again (this time at seven pounds), the filly went wire-to-wire in a slick :58:54, winning by 1 1/2 lengths. Few felt she could overcome all the apparent obstacles, except for the brilliant handicapper for the St. Pete Times, who had her on top, and Prissy Proxy paid $40.80. Of course, nobody claimed her.
Ironically, when Prissy Proxy raced at Tampa last year, she won by 11 1/2 in $12,500 company, and when she moved way up into a $50,000 optional claimer, she finished third, but went off at 5/2.
Prissy Proxy is now 3-1-1 in five starts, has won on dirt and grass, and the $10,440 check boosted her earnings to $34,621.
FRESHMAN SIRE-WATCHERS SCORE AGAIN - In the Feb. 1 notes column discussing several types of handicapping hints, I mentioned that too few people pay attention to the freshman sire list, where paying attention to a hot first-year sire can make the pockets jingle. That's not only true during his freshman year, but when runners turn up making their career debuts as 3-year-olds. And, of course, catching the second crop early can be just as important.
The two examples used in the Feb. 1 column were Chapel Royal and Wildcat Heir.
On April 9, the first Wildcat Heir 2-year-old of 2010 showed up at Keeneland in a $50,000 maiden special at 4 1/2 furlongs. She'll Heir did just that, coming from off the pace and scoring by 1 1/2 lengths in :51:65. The most important part for the bettors who pay attention was her price - $44.40.
MUST BE A RECORD - There are no official stats concerning the claiming game at Gulfstream, but this season has to be setting a record. There were 30 claims made between April 5-11, most for any week of the meeting That lifted the total for the first 14 weeks to an eye-opening 283, an average of 20.21 per week.
After
Expedition
finished
second
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race
at
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Park
in
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of
2008,
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and
owners
Gene
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and
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sent
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farm.
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the
road
to
recovery,
the
New
York-bred
son
of
Hook
and
Ladder
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told
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to
get
rid
of
Expedition,
but
Gene
had
a
particular
fondness
for
this
horse,
and
spent
two
years
nursing
him
back
to
health.
On
March
26,
the
now
5-year-old
made
his
return
to
the
races in
a
$25,000
claimer
at
Gulfstream
with
Manny
Cruz,
the
same
rider
who
had
piloted
him
to
his
second-place
finish
two
years
before.
At
odds
of
6-1,
Expedition
battled
for
the
lead
for
most
of
the
5
1/2
furlongs
over
a
sloppy
surface
before
tiring
to
finish
fourth,
beaten
eight
lengths
in a
field
of
eight.
On
April
17,
Expedition
was
back
in
the
entries
in a
five-furlong
maiden
special
on
the
grass,
this
time
with
Joe
Bravo
aboard.
At
odds
of
5-1
from
the
rail,
Bravo
sent
Expedition
to
the
front,
fought
off
a
challenge
by
favored
Backstabber
with
Jesus
Castanon,
and
outgamed the
favorite to
the
wire
by
three-quarters
of a
length.
The
resurrected
runner
paid
$13.60,
was
clocked
in
56
seconds
flat,
and
the
$21,000
check
brought
his
earnings
for
three
races
to
$29,750.
Gene's
patience
has
paid
off.
PILING
IT
ON
-
The
Tri
Jet
mare
Clever
Lou
was
bred
by
the
late
great
Fred
W.
Hooper,
but
never
accomplished
much
at
the
race
track
for
the
grand
old
man
of
Florida
breeding.
In
the
breeding
shed,
however, she has
been
a
superior
producer
for
two
decades
for
Ocala
Stud
Farm
and
Manny
Estevez.
Clever
Lou
is
the
dam of
12
winners, and
her
biggest
money-earner to
date
is
Heroofthegame,
who
won
18
races
and
earned
$447,255.
But
that
could
change
this
season
as
the
seven-year-old
Mr.
Silver
threatens
to
take
over
that
money
lead.
The
son
of
Concorde's
Tune
held
on
for
a
nose
victory
in a
$15,000
claimer
at
Gulfstream
on
April
4.
With
Paco
Lopez
riding,
Mr.
Silver
battled
for
the
lead
throughout
the
five-furlong
grass
race
and proved
to
be best
in a
three-horse
photo,
clocked
in a
snappy :56:24.
The
$14,600
winner's
share
boosted
his
earnings
to
$410,604
on a
record
of
8-7-7
in
48
career
starts.
Owners
Thorobeam
Farm
and
Henry
Mast
and
trainer
Eddie
Plesa
Jr.
lost
Mr.
Silver
for
the
$15,000
claiming
price
to
Sherri
L.
Matlock
and
trainer
Monte
Brinsley.
NEVER-ENDING
CLAIMS
-
With
the
Gulfstream
meeting
winding
down,
the
claiming
box
remained
in
full
throttle
during
the
13th
week
from
March
31
to
April
4.
An
additional
22
horses
were
claimed
in
the
five-day
period,
bringing
the
total
for
the
meeting
to
253
and
raising
the
average
per
week
to
19.46.
Double For Sainer Homebreds At Gulfstream - 04-13-2010
Other
than
a
lucrative
stakes
victory,
what
can
be
sweeter
for
a
breeder
than
winning
two
races
in
the
span
of
three
days
with
homebreds
out
of
the
same
mare?
Joel
Sainer
of
Sarasota
experienced
the
thrill
at
Gulfstream
Park
on
March
24
and
26
with
homebreds
Miss
Muffin
and
Mize
the
Big
Cat,
both
out
of
the
Fortunate
Prospect
mare
Stan's
Love.
Sainer
was
a
partner
in
Fortunate
Prospect
when
the
stallion
stood
so
successfully at
Farnsworth
Farms
before
Mike
Sherman
sold
the
farm
and
dispersed
all
its
horses
several
years
ago.
Miss
Muffin
won
a
$12,500
claimer
at 6
1/2
furlongs
by 3
1/2
lengths
under
Eddie
Castro,
taking
home
a
pot
of
$9,000.
The
3-year-old
daughter
of
Alke
paid
$25.80
after
a
10th-place
finish
in
her
return
to
the
races
at
Gulfstream
on
Jan.
31.
She
had
finished
second
in
her
debut
at
Calder
back
in
June.
Miss
Muffin
is
4-1-1-0
with
earnings
of
$12,050.
Sainer
tacked
on
another
$1,500
in
the
form
of a
breeder's
award.
Two
days
later,
Mize
the
Big
Cat
scored
by
three-quarters
of a
length
in a
$10,000
claimer
at
six
furlongs
under
Paco
Lopez.
The
4-year-old
colt
by
Deputy
Wild
Cat sports
a
record
of 3-1-1
in
six
starts
and
the
$9,300
pot
boosted
his
total
to
$26,338.
The
breeder's
award
came
to
$1,575.
Both
horses
are
trained
by
David
Braddy,
whose
relationship
with
Sainer
goes
back
about
three
decades.
Besides
Miss
Muffin
and
Mize
the
Big
Cat,
Stan's
Love
has three
previous
runners
who
earned
more
than
$100,000
-
Liberal
Media
(Robyn
Dancer),
Liberal
Bias
(Double
Honor)
and
Lookin
for
Biscuit
(Robyn
Dancer).
Liberal
Media
collected
$155,548
during
a
career
in
which
the
gelding
started
104
times,
compiling
a
record
of
13-15-18.
NO
LET-UP
AT
GULFSTREAM
-
The
claiming
box
continued
to
bulge
at
Gulfstream
through
the
12th
week
of
the
meeting,
from
March
22-28.
Another
24
claimers
found
new
homes
in
that
period,
raising
the
total
for
the
meeting
to
231.
That's
an
average
of
19.25
per
week.
The
two
most
active
trainers
during
the
week
were
Terri
Pompay
and
Peter
Walder,
both
of
whom
have
been on
a
claiming
spree since
the
meeting
began
the
first
week
of
January.
GOING
FOR
THREE
-
Advertising
guru
Mike
Eckman's
unbeaten
filly,
Princess
Freebie,
will
try
to
make
it
three
straight
in
the
seventh
race
at
Hawthorne
on
Friday.
The
3-year-old
daughter
of
Freefourinternet
goes
in a
six-furlong
allowance
optional
claimer
($50,000-$40,000)
with
a
purse
of
$26,000.
Princess
Freebie
has
won
her
first
two
starts
by a
combined
total
of
about
16
lengths.
Elvis Gets 'Em All Shook Up At Tampa - 04/05/2010
Elvis
has left
the
building.
That's
Elvis Trujillo
and he
left
with
three
lucrative
mementos
of his
latest
visit to
Tampa
Bay
Downs.
Elvis
swept
into
town for
Florida
Cup Day
on
Saturday
and
captured
three of
the six
$85,000
stakes
for
Florida-breds,
the
Ocala
Breeders'
Sales
Sophomore
Stakes
with
Thank U
Philippe,
the
Stonehedge
Farm
Sophomore
Fillies
with
Dances
With
Ashley,
and the
Kinsman
Turf
Classic
with
Picou.
Each
race was
worth
$51,000
to the
winner,
meaning
Elvis
picked
up a
cool
$15,300
for his
trouble.
In
the
other
stakes,
Jesus
Castanon
guided
Glen
Hill
Farm's
Closeout
to her
sixth
victory
in the L
& D Farm
Turf
Classic,
Davis
Amiss
won the
Hilton
Garden
Inn
Sprint
by two
lengths
with
Tommy's
Memory,
and
Thunder
Brew
captured
the
Dayton
Andrews
Dodge
Sophomore
Turf
aboard
Thunder
Brew.
Thank U
Philippe,
a
$140,000
OBS
March
2-year-old, boosted
his
earnings
to
$216,970
with
only his
second
victory,
while
Closeout's
bank
account
rose to
$442,846
with her
sixth
victory
for
owner
Leonard
Lavin.
In
the ' you-hadda-be-there-to-believe-it' category,
the
winner's
circle
presentation
for the
OBS
Sophomore
Stakes
was made
by Jay
Friedman
and his
wife,
Marilyn
Mayden,
and
Marilyn
proved
to be
very
sensitive
to
Trujillo's
appearance.
Before
photographer
Tom
Cooley
snapped
their
picture,
Marilyn
graciously
wiped
the dirt
off
Elvises'
face so
he would
look
more
presentable
for the
camera.
Tommy's
Memory
is a
4-year-old
Good and
Tough
gelding
who won
his
first
three
races at
Finger
Lakes
and
Tampa
before
finishing
sixth in
the
Sunshine Stakes
at
Gulfstream
Park.
But he
rebounded
with a
sharp
performance
in the
Hilton
Garden
Sprint,
winning
by two
lengths
over
Blind
River
Fox in
1:09:56
for the
six
furlongs,
just
two-fifths
off the
long-time
track
record of
1:09
flat set
by
Bootlegger's
Pet in
1974.
Just
three
weeks
earlier,
Blind
River
Fox had
broken
the
track
record
for five
furlongs
with a
clocking
of 57
flat.
Picou
hadn't
won a
race
dating
back to
Oct. 3
of 2008,
and he
raised
his
earnings
to
$201,386.
In
the
third
race on
the
program,
a maiden
special
for
3-year-old
fillies
at seven
furlongs,
Joyce's
Angel
came
from 15
lengths
out of
it on
the
backstretch
to score
a
one-length
victory
over
first-time
starter
Even
Classier
(53-1),
clocked
in
1:25:12.
Joyce's
Angel is
the
daughter
of
Afleet
Alex who
was
named by
Fantasy
Lane
Stable
after
the
little
Dutch
girl,
Joyce de
Vogel,
who died
recently
after
getting
her wish
to visit
the U.
S., and
getting
to see
Rachel
Alexandra
win the
Haskell.
A
crowd of
6,129
was on
hand
for Florida
Cup Day,
and the
all-sources
handle
was
$6,282,650.
It would
have
been
somewhat
higher
if not
for the
fact
that in
mid-day
a fuse
blew
somewhere
in the
area and
wiped
out much
of the
electricity at
the
track.
In fact,
half the
mutuel machines
were
shut
down for
a while.
CLAIMING
BOX
STILL HUMMING
- The
claiming
game at
Gulfstream
Park
picked
up
momentum
during
the
two-week
period
from
March
8-14 and
15-21 as
trainers
continue
to stock
their
barns
for the
upcoming
meetings
up
north. Like
Monmouth
Park? It
will be
interesting
to keep
track when
the
Oceanport
meeting
begins
to see
how many
of the
Monmouth
entrants
were
claimed
at this
Gulfstream
meeting.
That
will go
a long
way in
determining
just
how much
early
impact
the new
Monmouth
purse
structure
has had
on the
game.
There
were 19
claims
made in
Hallandale
during
the week
of March
8-14 and
another
29 for
March
15-21,
the 11th
week of
the
meet.
That
boosted
the
number
of
claims
for the
season
to 207
and the
average
number
of
claims
per week
to
18.81.
Sky's The Limit For Princess Freebie - 03-27-2010
What
could be
more
satisfying
than having
a filly who
has won both
of
her starts
and has
"never been
hit with the
stick?"
That's
how Mike
Eckman
describes
the two
victories of
the
3-year-old
Princess
Freebie,
whom he bred
and owns in
partnership
with his
nephew, Mark
Ravenscraft,
and Mark's
wife,
Debbie.
Princess
Freebie comes
from the
first
crop of multiple
graded
stakes-winning
millionaire
Freefourinternet, the
son of
Tabasco Cat
who formerly
stood at
Bill
Schettine's
Signature
Stallions in
Ocala. Her
dam, the
Honor Grades
matron Honor
n' Charm,
has produced
four other
winners from
five
foals, at
one of the
most
unlikely
thoroughbred
nurseries in
Marion
County, a
paddock
right behind
Eckman's
home in the
Saddlebrook
complex,
just off
Airport Road
between
highways 27
and 40.
The most
accomplished
of Honor n'
Charm's
foals has
been Gold
Way West, a
gelding by
Way West who
won five
races and
earned
$93,010.
Next was Go
Ricky Go, a
gelding by
Straight Man
who won
twice and
collected
$42,980.
But
Princess
Freebie
appears to
have the
talent to
eclipse them
all, based
on her two
impressive
races at
Hawthorne.
Unraced at
two, she
made her
debut for
trainer Joel
Berndt on
Feb. 24 in a
$15,000
claimer going
six
furlongs.
Jockey
Tanner Riggs
put her on
the lead and
Princess
Freebie
toyed with
the field,
drawing off
by 6 1/2
lengths
with the
Racing Form
comment,
"widening
her
advantage
under
intermittent
urging." She
went off as
the second
choice and
paid $6.20.
Riggs
was aboard
again for
her next
start on
March 17, a
$25,000
claimer at
six
furlongs,
and her
auspicious
beginning
led to her
going off at
90 cents to
a dollar
with the
possibility
she might be
in a new
barn at the
end of the
day. But no
one made the
trip to the
claiming box
and several
Chicago
trainers are
probably
wishing they
had.
Princess
Freebie
raced
alongside the
pacesetter
for half a
mile, then
put it in
another
gear,
opening up
by three
lengths in
the stretch
and widening
it to nearly
nine at the
wire. Along
the way, she
posted
fractions of
:22:65,
:46:85 and
:59:01 en
route to a
final
clocking of
1:11:55.
In a
real case of
irony,
Berndt is
the grandson
of Alvin
Berndt, whom
Eckman
trained for
many decades
ago in South
Dakota.
Princess
Freebie has
collected
$15,600 for
her two
scores and
the group is
anxiously
awaiting the
next spot
for her. She
has two
siblings at
the Eckman
"farm," a
2-year-old
filly by
Sweetsouthernsaint
named
Sweetprincesscharm,
scheduled to
go to
trainer Bill
Kaplan at
Calder, and
a yearling
by Western
Pride. She's
due to foal
any day
now on a
cover to the
A. P. Indy
stallion
Indy Wind,
who stands
at
Journeyman
Stud.
UNBELIEVABLE
- Proving
once again
that
"anybody"
can win a
race, Tufao
captured the
10th at
Tampa Bay
Downs on
March 25 for
owner
Carolyn
Wilson and
trainer
Wayne
Catalano.
Tufao, a
4-year-old
Kentucky-bred
gelding by
Holy Bull,
had run five
times in his
career in
2008 and
2009, and
had been
laid up
since last
Sept. 15.
In his
first start
at Saratoga,
he didn't
finish, then
proceeded
to be
beaten by 32
1/2 lengths
(at
Saratoga),
76 1/4
(Churchill
Downs), 14
3/4 (Ellis
Park) and 80
(Kentucky
Downs).
However,
for this
$32,000
claimer,
Tufao was
sent off at
5/2, won by
a length in
1:12:79 for
six
furlongs,
and paid
$7.20. What
a game!
Andrade And Get Away Celebrate On Several Fronts - 03/19/2010
GULFSTREAM PARK
- A trip to
Keeneland was
the next order
of business for
Manny Andrade
and his farm
manager, Larry
Anderson, after
they brought
Imperialism to
stand at Get
Away Farm in
2007. "We went
to buy mares to
breed to him,"
Anderson said
Friday.
One of the
mares they
brought back
from
Lexington was
the Unbridled's
Song matron
Heythisis Sarah,
at the time in
foal to
Yonaguska, one
of the most
successful young
sires in the
country for the
past few years.
The result of
that mating was
Coffee Boy, who
was scheduled to
be sold at the
OBA April Sale
last year, but
had to be
scratched when
he was found to
have a chip in
his knee. "We
took it out,"
Anderson said,
"and sent him to
Todd Pletcher."
On Jan. 27,
Coffee Boy made
his first start
in the Get Away
colors at
Gulfstream Park
in a $35,000
maiden special
for Florida-breds
going six
furlongs; he
finished a solid
fourth under
John Velazquez.
The colt had
been working
well for
Pletcher at Palm
Meadows in
Boynton Beach
and was sent off
at 9/5 for his
debut.
Coffee Boy
didn't make his
next start until
Thursday in a
race similar to
his first, but
this one at 6
1/2 furlongs.
Velazquez put
the colt on the
lead and Coffee
Boy responded
with fractions
of :22:94,
:46:14 and
1:10:69 en route
to romping by 8
1/2 lengths in
1:17:22, while
paying a
generous $6.20.
The race was
ultra special
for Andrade
since it was the
first runner
bred by Get Away
Farm to ever win
a race and the
first winner for
Andrade himself.
Coffee Boy has
earned $22,750
in his two
starts.
As for
Heythisis Sarah,
she was bred
back to
Imperialism as
scheduled and
has a 2-year-old
half-brother to
Coffee Boy
selling at the
April Sale. She
has one other
foal to race,
Ban Garda, by
Officer, who won
three of six
starts.
The victory
by Coffee Boy
capped off a
big three-day
period for
Andrade,
Anderson and Get
Away since the
first
Imperialism to
sell as a
2-year-old
brought $225,000
at the Tuesday
session of the
OBS March sale.
Consigned by
Greg and Karen
Dood, HIP No. 95
was purchased by
Jess Jackson's
Stonestreet
Stables.
Imperialism,
a son of
Langfuhr, won
three Gr. II
stakes in
California, the
San Rafael and
San Vicente at
three and the
Pat O'Brien
Breeders' Cup
Handicap at
four. He was
second in the
Santa Anita
Derby and third
behind Smarty
Jones in the
2004 Kentucky
Derby, earning
$899,772. He
stands for
$5,000.
STILL FIRING
AWAY -
The claiming box
at Gulfstream
may be in danger
of being
engulfed in
flames due
to the amount of
action it has
had to withstand
since opening
day. Week No. 9
saw another 21
horses change
owners, boosting
the total for
the meeting to
159 and the
average per week
to 17.67.
Finally, Tampa Gets True Five-Furlong Record 03/12/2010
On March 20 of
1982, a cheap
claimer named Arion
Fair proved to be
much the best in a
$5,000 claimer going
five furlongs at
Tampa Bay Downs.
After the race, the
clocking put up on
the teletimer was 56
2/5, which would
have shattered the
old record by
about half an
hour. Management
knew it was an
impossibility, so
they asked clocker
Ralph Baltimore to
hand-time the race
to get a proper
clocking. Baltimore
complied, and
settled on 57 1/5.
The track wasn't
playing particularly
fast that day - and
Arion Fair WAS
a $5,000 claimer -
so few who witnessed
it, including me and
Dave Goldman,
believed the new
clocking was a true
track record. But
Arion Fair cemented
his place in Tampa
Bay Downs history by
having his name
listed next to the
record in the
American Racing
Manual for the next
28 years. That will
change, finally,
thanks to a popular
runner who deserves
to have his name
enshrined somewhere.
Yesterday,
the charismatic 8-year-old
gelding Blind River
Fox lowered the
five-furlong mark to
:57:04, winning the
ninth race by half a
length over 7/10
favorite Sweeten
With Gold. The son
of Foxtrail was bred
by Adena Springs
(there are some
things Stronach can
do right) and this
victory raised the
gelding's incredible
record to 24-21-8 in
66 starts. The
$13,240 winner's
check pushed his
earnings to
$430,122.
Blind River Fox
has been thrilling
Tampa bettors with
his exploits for
years, as is
evidenced by his
local record of
8-7-2 in 20 starts.
He has
more victories than
most of today's
pampered stars will
have starts by the
time they
are shipped off to
the breeding shed.
Congrats to trainer
Gerald Bennett and
rider Ronnie Allen
Jr.
STAKING
THEIR CLAIMS
- - There has been
no let-up in the
claiming game at
Gulfstream Park as
owners and trainers
continue to try to
fill their barns
with money-making
runners to ship
north when the South
Florida winter
season winds up.
During the week of
Feb. 15-21, the
seventh week of the
meeting, 20 horses
changed barns to
raise the total to
120. There were
another 18 claims
made from Feb. 22 to
28, the eighth week,
to boost the number
to 138. That's an
average of 17.25 per
week.
CAN
CELLA'S COLT FOLLOW
SMARTY? -
In 2004, Smarty
Jones was the talk
of the racing world,
winning the Kentucky
Derby and Preakness
before losing his
Triple Crown bid to
Birdstone in the
Belmont Stakes. The
Belmont marked the
final race of a
brilliant, albeit
short eight-race
career in which
Smarty won seven
times and earned
$7.6 million.
Prior to the
Derby, Smarty had
prepped for the
Triple Crown at
Oaklawn Park -
winning the $100,000
Southwest Stakes,
the $200,000 Rebel,
and the $1 million,
Gr. II Arkansas
Derby. Oaklawn's
owner, Charless
Cella, apparently
was so taken with
Smarty he plunked
down $170,000 for
one of his sons at
the 2006 Keeneland
September sale. The
colt, named Follow
the Leader, made his
career debut at
Cella's track in
March of '09 and
finished a strong
second in a $36,000
maiden special at
six furlongs.
Follow the
Leader wasn't seen
again until last
month, when, on Feb,
11, he broke his
maiden by nearly
five lengths. The
colt out of the
Cozzene mare Follow
Betsy went off at
3/5 under Calvin
Borel and was caught
in 1:10:42 for the
six furlongs. Two
weeks later, the
colt bred in
Kentucky by Betty
Biszantz turned up
in a $37,000
allowance going a
flat mile and
Borel guided him to
a four-length score
in 1:38:20. Follow
the Leader was sent
off at 50 cents to a
dollar and the
$22,200 winner's
check raised his
total to $63,540. It
will be interesting
to see where this
budding star shows
up next. Could
trainer Lynn Whiting
get him ready
for Cella's second
biggest showcase,
the Oaklawn
Handicap?
Yes TVG, It Was A Track Record - 03/07/2010
The track record
for 1 1/16 miles at
Tampa Bay Downs has been
an elusive mark to shoot
at since Sunny
Prospector raced the
distance in 1:43 2/5
back on March 29, 1989.
Despite the appearance
in the Tampa Bay Derby
of such big-name runners
as Champagneforashley,
Marco Bay, Parade
Ground, Wheelaway,
Burning Roma, Limehouse,
Sun King, Deputy
Glitters, Bluegrass Cat,
Menifee and Doneraile
Court, that record stood
for some 17 years. Then
Cherokee Prince lowered
it to 1:43:13 on March
11, 2006; however, not
in the Derby.
Cherokee Prince was
able to lay claim to his
record for just one year
and six days, until
March 17 of 2007, when
Street Sense won the
Tampa Bay Derby with a
clocking of
1:43:11, before going on
to capture the Kentucky
Derby.
On Saturday, the
6-year-old Bold Start,
in his 36th career try,
broke the record in the
$65,000 Challenger
Stakes, putting a
clocking of 1:42:83 on
the teletimer. Bold
Start went wire-to-wire
over a lightning-fast
Tampa strip, with the
favorite, Arson Squad,
coming on to get second
but never really
threatening the winner.
If the track remains
as quick as it has
been, the record could
be threatened again this
coming Saturday as
front-running Rule
goes to the post as the
probable favorite in the
30th running of the Gr.
III Derby.
The fact that Bold
Start turned in
a record-breaking
performance was missed
by the announcers at TVG. Of
course, they wouldn't
have missed it if the
race had been run at
Santa Anita.
SHE'LL BE
BACK - Joyce de
Vogel was a little Dutch
girl with an uncurable
illness who was
befriended by the
partners in the Fantasy
Lane Stable. The large
Fantasy group includes
Jen Weigand, whose life
was spared on 9/11 when
she arrived late for
work at the World Trade
Center. Fantasy Lane is
known in Florida as the
owner of the 3-year-old
Uptowncharlybrown, a
two-time winner at the
Tampa meeting, third
behind Rule in the Sam
F. Davis Stakes, and a
nominee for the Tampa
Bay Derby.
Joyce de Vogel's
fondest wish before she
died was to visit the
United States. So the
Fantasy Lane people
invited the brave
youngster and her family
here last year and gave
her the grand tour.
Included was a trip to
Monmouth Park to watch
Rachel Alexandra win the
Haskell.
In April of '09, the
partners had purchased
an Afleet Alex filly for
$60,000 out of the OBS
April sale. They later
named her Joyce's
Angel, with the
words, "Our new Afleet
Alex filly is your
angel to watch over
you."
Joyce's Angel, like
Uptowncharlybrown, is in
the barn of trainer Alan
Seewald, who said before
the filly's debut on
Feb. 27 that she was
working as well as her
famed stablemate.
Joyce's Angel's story
preceded her, and she
was 1/5 on the first
flash of the board,
gradually moving up but
eventually being sent
off as the even-money
favorite in the $20,000
maiden special at seven
furlongs.
Rosemary Homeister
Jr. put the filly in
fourth place early, then
decided to take her four
wide on the turn, a move
that often backfires at
Tampa. Joyce's Angel
took the lead in the
stretch and began to
open up, but her wide
trip took its toll and
she was nailed in the
closing yards by
Yournotthebossofme, who
went on to score by a
length in 1:25:00.
It could have been
a wonderful beginning
to what promises to be a
storied career, but
Joyce's Angel will come
back and win next time.
She'll also be odds-on,
and she'll make an awful
lot of people happy.
FESTIVAL DAY DRAWS 117
STAKES NOMINATIONS -
03/01/2010
Nominations
for March 13's Festival Day
have drawn 117 horses for
the four-stakes card that
includes the Gr. III,
$300,000 Tampa Bay Derby for
3-year-olds going 1 1/16
miles on the main track, the
Gr. III, $175,000 Florida
Oaks for 3-year-old fillies
competing at 1 1/16 miles,
the Gr. III, $175,000
Hillsborough Stakes for
older females running about
1 1/8 miles on the grass,
and the $75,000 Turf Dash
for 3-year-olds and up
traveling about 5 furlongs
on the turf.
The 30th
running of the Tampa Bay
Derby has attracted 32
nominations; among them are
nine stakes-winners and six
graded stakes-winners.
Headlining the list is Rule,
who has won his last four
starts, including his most
recent victory in the Gr.
III Sam F. Davis Stakes at
Tampa. The 3-year-old Roman
Ruler colt is under the care
of trainer Todd Pletcher and
carries the colors of
breeder WinStar Farm; he has
accrued more than $700,000
in his six journeys postward.
Joining Rule in the
nominees is Noble's Promise,
who was most recently second
in the Gr. I Cash Call
Futurity at Hollywood Park.
The Cuvee colt has banked
$733,500 in his six-race
career and is conditioned by
Kenneth McPeek for owner
Chasing Dreams Racing 2008,
LLC. Caracortado is
undefeated in his five
starts for trainer Michael
Machowsky and owners Blahut
Racing, LLC and Lo Hi
Racing. The son of Cat
Dream won the Gr. II Robert
B. Lewis Stakes on at Santa
Anita on Feb. 13, and would
make his first start on
conventional dirt if he opts
to start in the Tampa Bay
Derby.
The Gr. III Florida Oaks
has attracted nominations
from 24 3-year-old fillies;
among them are eight
stakes-winners including
four graded stakes-winners.
The nominations include She
Be Wild, winner of the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Fillies. The Wayne Catalano
trainee has finished in the
money in five of her
lifetime starts for owner
Nancy Mazzoni; two of her
four victories have come in
graded company.
Also nominated to the
Oaks is Diva Delite, who has
won seven of her 14 attempts
and has finished out of the
money only once. Diva Delite,
who is owned by Barbara
Vivian and Dominic Vittese
and trained by David Vivian,
won both the Gasparilla
Stakes in January and the
Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 13's
Festival Preview Day. Ailalea,
who captured the Gr. III
Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct
in November, scored both of
her career victories in
races over a mile for owner
Starlight Partners and
trainer Todd Pletcher.
The Gr. III Hillsborough
Stakes has 32 nominees
and 16 are stakes-winners,
eight of whom have won
graded races. Highlighting
the hopefuls is Mushka,
runner-up in the 2009
edition of the Breeders' Cup
Ladies' Classic for owner
Brushwood Stable and trainer
William I. Mott. The
3-year-old Empire Maker mare
has banked more than $1
million in her 18 career
starts, and is a specialist
running about 1 1/16 miles,
having finished in the money
in seven of 10 attempts at
the distance.
Joining Mushka in the
list of nominees is Tottie
(GB), who won Gulfstream's
Gr. III Sewanee River Stakes
on Feb. 6. She is undefeated
in her 2010 season, having
won both of her of her
starts over American turf
for owner J. H.
Richmond-Watson and
conditioner Chad C.
Brown. Tight Precision, a
Pure Precision mare under
the care of Tom Proctor for
owner E. J. Sukley, won the
Sunshine Millions Filly and
Mare Turf in her last
outing. She clocked a bullet
work over the Tampa Bay
Downs surface on Feb. 27 and
has finished in the money in
10 of her 14 starts.
The $75,000 Turf Dash, a
test for 4-year-olds and up
going about five furlongs on
the lawn, has drawn 29
nominations, including 11
stakes-winners, with three
graded stakes-winners. Among
them is Musket Man, an
interesting nominee since
the 4-year-old Yonaguska
colt has competed in main
track tests for all of his
9-race career. The Derek
Ryan trainee has carried the
colors of owners Eric Fein
and Vic Carlson to three
stakes victories (including
last year's Tampa Bay Derby,
the Gr. III Illinois Derby
and the Super Stakes here on
Feb. 6). Musket Man is best
known for his third-place
finishes in the Kentucky
Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Also included in the
list of Turf Dash nominees
is Castles in the Sky, who
won last year's edition of
the race. The 7-year-old Sky
Classic gelding, who is
owned by Jagger Inc. and
trained by Jamie Ness, has
never finished out of the
money over the Tampa turf
course, and has finished in
the money in eight of nine
attempts at the five-furlong
distance. Canadian Ballet, a
5-year-old City Zip mare
owned by Obviously NY Stable
and trained by Linda Rice,
has bankrolled over $500,000
in her 17-race career. In
her last 10 starts, Canadian
Ballet has competed
exclusively in stakes
company, finishing in the
money in seven of those
attempts.
To view full Festival
Day stakes nominations and
past performances, please
visit:
http://www.tampabaydowns.com/Racing/HorsemenInformation/StakesNomsandPPs.aspx
.
Sea Gaze Has Become Cash Cow For Asmussen - 02/25/2010
OAKLAWN PARK - The last time Sea
Gaze was entered in a claiming race
was on April 30 of 2009, when
owner/trainer Steve Asmussen entered
him for $15,000 at Churchill Downs.
The then-5-year-old won by five
lengths that day and began a
remarkable run which has continued
into the third week of February.
After his victory in Louisville, the
Graeme Hall gelding proceeded to win
seven more races in his next eight
starts, including six in a row at
Hoosier Park (3), Churchill (1),
Delta Downs (1) and Fair Grounds
(1). Along the way, Sea Gaze passed
the $100,000 mark in earnings and
began the climb to the next level.
The
six-race winning streak came to a
halt in Hot Springs on Feb. 7 with
Corey Nakatani aboard for the first
time. The gelding broke in the air
at the start, raced last for most of
the mile and a sixteenth trip,
fanned five wide for the drive and
still was able to get up for second.
Asmussen wheeled him back two weeks
later in a $20,000 allowance
optional claimer with a purse of
$21,000 and with a cleaner trip, Sea
Gaze returned to his winning ways,.
He scored by nearly four lengths at
odds of 4/5, getting the 1 1/16
miles over a sloppy track in
1:45:68.
Sea
Gaze has now won nine of his last
11, sports a career record of 11-5-4
in 38 starts, and passed his second
plateau with earnings of $206,461.
Graeme Hall stands at Eugene
Melnyk's Winding Oaks Farm for
$5,000. He's currently Florida's
leading sire with 2010 earnings of
$554,651. The 13-year-old son of
Dehere is also the leader in number
of winners, 26; repeat winners, 5:
stakes-winners, 3, and stakes wins,
3.
Claimers Continue To Move At Gulfstream - 02/23/2010
GULFSTREAM PARK - The claiming game
continued full force during the week of
Feb. 8-14, with another 14 horses
changing barns. That lifted the total
for the meeting to an even 100.
The
leaders from the first five weeks didn't
let up, with trainer Peter Walder taking
three more, the same as owner Frank
Calabrese, who claimed two with trainer
Nick Canani and one with trainer Danny
Miller . . . Sires from Bill Schettine's
Signature Stallions in Ocala accounted
for three victories between Feb. 11
and 14. On Feb. 11, Unbridled Heat (by
Unbridled Time) won his second in a row
under John Velazquez and boosted his
earnings to $194,059. The 5-year-old has
been first, second or third in eight
straight races. The next day, Notecard
(Chapel Royal) scored under Eddie Castro
for his second career victory, and on
Feb. 14, Straight Count (Straight Man)
won for Elvis Trujillo for the second
straight time at the meeting. The
5-year-old gelding pushed his earnings
to $139,490 and was claimed for the
third straight race, this time Calabrese
and Canani losing him.
Double Honor Gelding Passes $200,000 Mark - 02/22/2010
OAKLAWN PARK - There
are precious few sons and daughters of Get
Away Farm's Double Honor who were bred in
Illinois, but one who has quietly made a
name for himself is the 5-year-old
Wildeydsouthernboy.
The gelding
owned and bred by Homewrecker Racing came
from near the back of the pack under Rene
Douglas to win his career debut at Arlington
Park on June 19, 2008, and has been rallying
from behind ever since to compile an
outstanding record. By the time 2008 ended,
Wildeydsouthernboy had won four of five at
Arlington and Hawthorne.
In 2009, he
left Illinois long enough to finish second
in his March 28 seasonal debut at Oaklawn
Park, but was back in the Prairie State by
April. In five subsequent starts at
Arlington and Hawthorne, he picked up three
more victories, including one by nearly
three lengths in the $53,000 Zen Stakes. But
an injury sent him to the sidelines after
his final score on July 31.
Wildeydsouthernboy made his return to the
races in Hot Springs once again on Sunday
and picked up right where he left off seven
months ago. With Cliff Berry aboard, he was
up in the final stride to win a $75,000
optional claimer, racing six furlongs over a
sloppy track in 1:11:14. Because of the
layoff, the gelding was allowed to go off at
5-1 and paid $13.20, his highest payoff
since he lit up the board at $24 in his
first lifetime start.
The Homewreckers
now have a runner whose record jumped to
8-1-0 in 12 lifetime starts, while his
earnings soared to $200,468. He became the
10th runner by Double Honor (stud fee
$3,500) to go over the $200,000 mark.
Claiming Business Is Booming At Gulfstream - 2/18/2010
GULFSTREAM
PARK - Business at the claiming box has been
particularly brisk since the meeting opened the
first week of January. Owners and trainers have
been jumping in with both feet after a modest
nine runners were claimed during the first full
week of racing from Jan. 6-10.
It picked up
dramatically the second week, ending Jan. 17,
when no less than 22 runners changed barns, and
continued the next week with 18 claims through
Jan. 24. There was a decline the next week,
ending Jan. 31, with 13 runners finding new
homes, but business exploded between Feb. 1-7
with 24 successful claims being made.
For the first
five weeks, 86 horses had new grooms pick them
up at the unsaddling area as trainers sought to
fill their barns for the coming year. The most
active owner during that period was Frank
Calabrese, who had trainer Nick Canani dip in to
halter 10 new runners, while another of his
trainers, Danny Miller, took two more. It's been
reminiscent of the days several years back when
Michael Gill swooped in from Maryland and
seemingly took home everything that wasn't
hitched to a post.
The second most
active trainer was Peter Walder with six new
acquisitions, while Terri Pompay and Robert
DiBona snared four apiece. With depleted barns
and short fields being the norm these days, the
claiming game doesn't figure to end before the
meeting winds up.
TAMPA BAY
DOWNS - Perhaps no track in North America
begins its season with runners having shipped in
from more areas of the continent than Stella
Thayer's popular facility in Oldsmar. This year,
however, there was a much greater influx of
horses from Woodbine than in any prior season.
And the horses from up north haven't had much
success. Through Feb. 7, only three runners
whose previous start came at Woodbine had made
it to the winner's circle, one each on Dec. 18,
19 and 31.
In the past few
weeks, there have been more and more winners
whose last start came at Gulfstream.
Brushing Up On An Obscure Sire - 2/9/2010
In the 2009
edition of the American Racing Manual, under
'Records of Sires,' Brushing Up is listed as having
had three starters the previous year, with one
winner, and total progeny earnings of $9,996. A son
of Broad Brush, the stallion is listed as being in
Ocala, but so far he hasn't been located.
At the racetrack,
the 1993 model started no less than 100 times,
compiling a modest record of 7-6-14. But in New
York, he won two Gr. III handicaps, the Grey Lag
and Stymie, finished second in the Gr. III Aqueduct
Handicap, and third in two Gr. IIIs, the Gallant Fox
and Westchester. He retired with earnings of
$386,045.
In 2009, Brushing Up
had a much better year, mainly because of one horse
who raced at Calder all season - Nineinthenine.
Owned and bred by Elena Arocha, the Florida-bred
gelding posted a record of 2-4-0 in 12 starts,
winning his last race of the year on Dec. 23 in
$16,000 claiming company. He was sent off at 24-1
that day and paid $50.80 under Antonio Gallardo,
who, in 2008, had posted a record of 1-0-0-0.
Gallardo was aboard
again on New Year's Day, when trainer Herberto
Toledo moved Nineinthenine up to $25,000, and
the gelding responded with his third career victory
and second in a row. This time he paid $36.20. Both
races were on the grass, the first at 1 1/16 miles,
the second at five furlongs.
On Jan. 18, Gallardo
climbed aboard Nineinthenine again at Gulfstream
Park in a starter allowance with a purse of $29,000,
back at 1 1/16 miles on the turf course. The pair
came from way back for the third straight race,
winning by two lengths and collecting a check for
$20,200. That brought his lifetime mark to 4-4-0 in
14 starts and his earnings to $61,902. Usually, a
horse looking for three in a row gets some respect
at the mutuel windows, but Nineinthenine lit up the
board again, paying $46.80.
Gallardo, by the
way, according to Daily Racing Form, had a 2009
record of 175 mounts, seven winners, two of the
seven coming aboard Nineinthenine. The horse and the
rider seem made for each other.
Globemaster Deserves To Have His Name Preserved - 2/3/2010
The ninth race at
Aqueduct Wednesday highlighted another of the great
traditions of the sport that has been trashed in recent
years. And from an entity you would never have expected
- The Jockey Club.
The horse who finished a
distant seventh in the $15,000 claimer was Globemaster,
a 4-year-old gelded son of Forbidden Apple bred in New
York. There was a time when it was not only the great
horses of the past whose names could not be used again,
by Jockey Club rules, but those of superior horses, too.
Horses who accomplished much while not achieving the
status of Seattle Slew, or Buckpasser, or Forego, or
Kelso, or Native Dancer, or all the rest.
In 1958, the first
Globemaster was born and his accomplishments should have
earned him a place in the not-for-sale column. But The
Jockey Club allowed Parma Stable of New York to have the
name. It shouldn't have happened.
Globemaster, the
original, was a son of Heliopolis and he enjoyed a
solid, if not spectacular career in an era of special
horses in the New York arena. At two, he finished second
in the Futurity, Cowdin and Juvenile. At three, he won
the Wood Memorial over Carry Back, won the Arlington
Classic and Saranac (carrying 125 pounds), finished
second behind Carry Back in the Preakness, second behind
Sherluck in the Belmont, second behind Ambiopoise in the
Gotham, and third in the Jersey Derby and Swift.
At four, Globemaster won
the Westchester under 125 and was second in the John B.
Campbell Handicap, then a major event at Bowie. At two,
he equaled a track record at the Big A and at three set
a record for a mile at Arlington Park. He retired with a
record of 10-9-2 in 27 starts and earnings of $355,423.
In this age that would have been three or four million.
The original Globemaster deserved
more respect than to have the Jockey Club give his name
away, especially to a bum.
Jet Propulsion Becomes Leader For
Double Honor -
2/1/2010
When
Jet Propulsion won the
$300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Saturday, he vaulted past
Railroad and All Night Labor as Double Honor's leading
earner. The gelding bred by defunct Farnsworth Farms is now
seven and he's every bit as good as he was four years ago.
Probably better.
Jet Propulsion took the lead
at the start of the mile and an eighth grass test and was in
command every step of the way, clocked in 1:45:96. The
course record is 1:44:51, set by the talented English
Channel at the 2007 meeting. English Channel went on to win
three Gr. I's, including the Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth
Park in the fall.
Jet Propulsion went through
2009 without winning a stakes race, but he did win three
times in seven tries and earn $78,290 for the year. With his
latest score, the gelding out of the Northjet mare Her Jet
has earnings of $564,523, becoming Double Honor's first
runner to pass the half-million-dollar mark. His record is
13-10-3 in 45 starts and this was his fourth stakes
victory.
With eight crops to race and
349 runners, Double Honor has sired an enviable 41 sons and
daughters whose earnings have surpassed the $100,000 mark;
13 of those have surpassed $200,000 and the stallion's
lifetime progeny earnings are nearing $18 million. He stands
for a bargain $3,500.
Heaths Discover Rewarding Way To Spend A Saturday - 1/27/2010
Most thoroughbred owners would
be ecstatic if they were lucky enough to win two races a month.
For many, one a month would do just fine. Bonnie and Kim Heath
took a crack at accomplishing the near-impossible a couple of
weeks ago, attempting to win two races in a span of about three
minutes.
It all took place on Saturday,
Jan. 16, when the owners of Bonnie Heath Farm in Ocala entered
Betty Lou in the first race at Fair Grounds with trainer Jeff
Thornbury, and Kalukahua in the second at Gulfstream Park with
trainer Laura Posada.
Betty Lou is a 4-year-old
Kentucky-bred Holy Bull filly who was dropping from $30,000
maiden claiming company to $15,000. In 10 previous starts, she
had picked up three seconds and a third while earning $22,600.
She drew the one post going a mile and 40 yards with Robby
Albarado and was the prohibitive favorite at odds of 20 cents to
a dollar. Post time: 12:40 Central Time, or 1:40 Ocala time.
Kalukahua is a 3-year-old
Kentucky-bred Thunder Gulch filly who was making her first
start away from Calder, in a $35,000-$30,000 claimer at one mile
on the grass with Pedro Monterrey Jr. aboard. Her best finish in
four starts had been a distant third (16 1/2 lengths behind) two
races back, and her earnings totaled a meager $1,527.
Accordingly, she was sent off at 101-1. Post time - 1:43 Ocala
time.
As Bonnie Heath watched on TV,
relaying the call of the race to Kim on the phone, Betty Lou
survived a tough stretch battle with 9/2 Auto Be a Bear and drew
out to score by 3 1/2 lengths, paying $2.40. The winner's share
of the $15,420 purse was $9,000.
Before the horses were even
pulled up after the Fair Grounds race, they sprung the latch for
the second at Gulfstream. Kalukahua was 11th and next-to-last
for much of the mile, then it happened with Monterrey. The filly
made a monster run on the turn and into the stretch, and Bonnie
was all ready to settle for second as Anne Margaret had darted
off to a 10-length lead in the stretch. But a combination of the
leader tiring badly and the 101-1 shot never giving up and
Kalukahua surged under the wire half a length in front. She paid
$204.80, $75.40 and $20 across the board, and the winner's share
of the purse came to $10,200. Most of the Heaths' horses are
bred in Florida, but because they foaled this filly in Kentucky,
it cost them a $5,000 Florida Owners' Award.
However, collecting $19,200
(not including any wagering that might have been involved) isn't
too bad a payday for about five minutes of work.
|
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