OBS Grads Win from Texas to Dubai

Monday, January 29, 2024

Bernies Blog

Kaleem Shah’s Bellamore (Empire Maker – Smaft N Soft), rated off the pace in Saturday’s $300,000, Gr. III Houston Ladies Classic Stakes, rallied wide on the turn, then kept closing down the stretch and was up late to win by a neck. It’s the first stakes victory for the 6-year-old mare by Empire Maker, trained by Steve Asmussen, now 20-4-4-5 with $644,992 in earnings. After working an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5 at the 2020 OBS Spring Sale, she was purchased for $350,000 out of the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment.

OBS grads captured a pair of stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.

KEM Stables’ Hot Fudge (Liam’s Map – Nelle’s Mischief) chased the pace from the outside in the $150,000 Interborough Stakes, took the lead on the turn, then battled down to stretch and was best by half a length. It’s the fourth straight win and second straight stakes victory for the 5-year-old daughter of Liam’s Map, consigned to the 2021 OBS Spring Sale by Flying Fish, Agent, and sold for $235,000 after breezing an eighth in :9 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Linda Rice, she’s now 12-7-1-1 and has earned $438,905.

Martin Schwartz, Gandharvi, Big Easy Racing, Rick Kanter, James J. Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber Racing, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson’s Bergen (Liam’s Map – Toni’s Hollyday) rallied to take command of the $97,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes after turning for home and drew away to score by 5 1/4 lengths. It was the stakes debut for the 3-year-old colt by Liam’s Map, trained by Brad Cox, now 3-2-1-0 with $136,975 in earnings. At the 2023 OBS Spring Sale, he sped a quarter in 20 4/5 at the Under Tack Show and was purchased for $375,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Mouheeb (Flatter – Shananie’s Song) punched his ticket on Friday to the upcoming Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) with an impressive 6-3/4 length victory in the Gr. III Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) at Meydan. It’s the third stakes win for the 6-year-old son of Flatter, trained by Michael Costa. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin to the 2020 OBS Spring Sale, he was sold for $400,000 after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :20 4/5. McCrocklin has consigned a half-sister by Not This Time to the upcoming OBS March Sale.