Seven Stakes Victories for OBS - What a Weekend

Monday, July 11, 2022

Bernies Blog

From New York and Florida in the east, through Ohio, Indiana and Iowa in the Midwest and out west to California, OBS graduates posted weekend stakes victories from coast to coast.

Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso’s Hot Peppers fought a three-way battle for the lead in Saturday’s $145,500, Gr. III Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont Park, took charge in the stretch and held off a late challenge to score by three quarters of a length. It’s the second straight stakes victory for the 3-year-old Florida-bred filly by Khozan, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, now 7-5-1-0 with $277,950 in earnings. A two-time OBS graduate, she was sold at the 2020 October Selected Yearling Sale and then purchased for $16,000 out of the De Meric Sales consignment at the 2021 June Sale after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5.

Flurry Racing Stables’ Interstatedaydream scored her second straight graded stakes win in the $200,000, Gr. III Indiana Oaks on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The 3-year-old Gr. I stakes-placed daughter of Classic Empire pressed the pace, took the lead, was headed by another rival, regained the lead in the stretch and drew away to a 2 1/4-length victory. Purchased for $175,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2021 OBS Spring Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5, she’s now 6-4-1-1 for trainer Brad Cox, and has earned $468,825.

HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud’s High Connection tracked the early lead in Saturday’s $125,000 Las Alamitos Derby, took the lead on the outside after turning for home and eased away late to win by a length and three quarters. Fellow OBS graduate Win the Day (April ’21) settled for third. It’s the first stakes victory for the lightly-raced 3-year-old graded stakes-placed colt by Connect, trained by Bob Baffert, now 4-2-2-0 with earnings of $149,000. After breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat at the 2021 OBS March Sale, he was purchased by Narvick International for $290,000 out of the Sequel Bloodstock consignment.

OBS grads picked up a pair of stakes wins at Prairie Meadows.

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine, Zane Carruth and Brady Carruth’s Jilted Bride was rated off the pace in the $100,000 Iowa Distaff Stakes, circled horses to reach contention on the turn and was up in the final yards to score by a head. It’s the first stakes score for the 5-year-old graded stakes-placed Florida-bred mare by Wicked Strong, a two-time OBS graduate. After going through the ring at the 2018 October Selected Yearling Sale, she was purchased out of the de Meric Sales consignment for $150,000 after working n Under Tack quarter in :20 4/5. Trained by Steve Asmussen, she’s now 19-5-6-7 and has earned $470,922.

William L. Heiligbrodt, Corrine Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables and Spendthrift Farm’ s Macron, rated in the early going of the $100,000 Iowa Sprint Stakes, moved to challenge for the lead on the turn, took command a furlong from home and drew away to a 2 3/4-length victory, with fellow OBS graduate Oil Money (June ‘18, October ’17) checking in third. It’s the first stakes win for the 4-year-old son of Frosted, also trained by Asmussen, now 13-4-4-1 with $340,973 in earnings. Consigned to the 2020 OBS March Sale by S B M Training and Sales, Agent, he went through the ring after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat.

Omar Aldabbagh, Todd Todd and Ty Leatherman’s Vegas Magic is 2-for-2 and a stakes-winner after closing with a rush in deep stretch to get up in the final jump and take the $76,800 Everett S. Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton by a nose. The 2-year-old daughter of Good Magic, trained by Doug O’Neill, has earned $85,200. She was purchased for $100,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2022 OBS March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5.

Jason DaCosta and Calypso Stable’s unbeaten Lady Lottie got the ball rolling on Friday at Belterra Park with a wire-to- wire victory in the $75,000 Jim Morgan Memorial Tah Dah Stakes, holding off a late run by fellow OBS graduate Back to Ohio (April ’22) by a neck. Two for two for trainer Jason Dacosta, she has earned $65,340. The 2-year-old daughter of Tamarkuz was purchased for $5,500 out of the Thoroughstock consignment at the 2021 OBS Winter Mixed Sale.