New York Thoroughbred Breeders

Spirit of St Louis returns a winner and against open company in Saturday’s Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct. Walter Wlodarczyk/NYRA Photo.

By Paul Halloran

Saturday’s Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct may have been the first foray into open company for Spirit of St Louis, but when you have stared City Man in the eye twice in your last three races – and beaten him once – how hard could it be?

As it turned out, not very.

Confidently handled by jockey Manny Franco, who was seeking his fourth straight win on the card, the Chester and Mary Broman-bred Spirit of St Louis swung wide on the far turn and rolled down the middle of the fresh turf course to win the $150,000 stakes for 4-year-olds and up.

“He can compete in open company,” said Franco, who has ridden the 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding in five of his eight races, winning four of them. “He’s a nice horse. I’m glad to be on him.”

Franco had Spirit of St Louis in sixth, well off the pace set by Heaven Street, who went a quarter-mile in :23.25 and a half in :46.35. He maintained that position before asking his horse to pick it up midway on the far turn and getting the response he was looking for.

“I cut the corner at the three-eighths pole and I had a lot of horse,” Franco said.

The winning margin was 1 3/4 lengths with a final time of 1:33.57, a track record over a course that was being used for the first time this year.

“He’s a hell of a nice horse,” said trainer Chad Brown, who also ran second with Equitize and last with pace-pressing Masen. “We gave him a little break and he’s really used his time off well to refresh himself. I couldn’t ask for anything more from his first race back. It was an excellent race for him.”

Spirit of St Louis was coming off a win over City Man in the Mohawk Stakes, after getting caught by the $1.2 million earner and Grade 2 winner two races prior in the West Point Stakes on New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course August 27. That is one of only two blemishes on his record, the other coming when he ran second in a state-bred allowance in his second career start.

Purchased by Michael Dubb for $280,000 at the 2023 Keeneland April horses of racing age sale, Spirit of St Louis is a full brother to 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner and New York-bred champion Bar of Gold. They are out of the Lemon Drop kid mare Khancord Kid, a Grade 3 winner who has produced five winning foals. Madaket Stables and Richard Schermerhorn bought in after the purchase.

“I’m just fortunate to have bought the horse,” Dubb said. “I knew when he was at the sale last year that he had all kinds of ability. He, to me, seems a lot better than just a restricted, state-bred type of New York-bred, but I’ll leave it to Chad to tell me what is next.”

After winning three of his first four starts, Spirit of St Louis, a $300,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2020, tried state-bred stakes company for the first time in the West Point. He bounced back by taking the Ashley T. Cole Stakes, followed by a win in the Mohawk, with City Man second.

The Bromans bought Khancord Kid’s dam, Confidently, in 2000. In addition to Bar of Gold and Spirit of St Louis, Khancord Kid produced stakes-placed Land Mine and Homeland, as well as Im Just Kiddin. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Uncle Mo named Mo Khanfidence, and a yearling full brother to Bar of Gold.

The Danger’s Hour is named for a Grade 1 winner who made 21 of his 25 career starts in New York and was owned by Rokeby Stables, trained my Mack Miller and ridden by Jerry Bailey.

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Hip 928, a daughter of New York-bred Horse of the Year Tiz the Law bred by Elser & Raine, sold for $600,000 Friday at the OBS April sale. Photo courtesy of On Point Training & Sales.

A pair of New York-breds – including a filly by New York-bred Horse of the Year and classic winner Tiz the Law – sold for $600,000 to close out the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale Friday in Ocala.

Those two juveniles were part of a group of six that sold for $300,000 or more during the four-day sale and two of 25 that brought $100,000 or more. Overall, 58 of the 74 New York-breds through the ring brought $7,392,500, an average price of $127,457 and median of $87,500.

The two $600,000 juveniles sparked a strong final session, which saw 13 New York-breds bring $1,884,500, an average price of $144,962 and median of $50,000. The $600,000 prices were also co-second best at the sale, only behind the $800,000 paid by Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing Stable, for Hip 411, a colt by Vekoma bred by Chester and Mary Broman.

The Tiz the Law filly, offered as Hip 928 out of the On Point Training & Sales consignment, sold to Three Amigos. Bred by Elser & Raine and a $30,000 buy out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, the filly is out of the stakes-placed Leroidesanimaux mare Animal Appeal.

Animal Appeal is the dam of New York-bred wines Ableton (by Twirling Candy) and Sandy Sweet Tooth (by Blame), who were also bred by Elser & Raine. Animal Appeal, a New York-bred who won four of 14 starts and $220,298, sold in foal to Twirling Candy for $35,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She sold in foal to Solomini for $9,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Tiz the Law, named New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male in 2020, won six of nine starts and earned $2,735,300. He won the Grade 1 Champagne at 2 before a sophomore campaign – interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic – featuring victories in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby, Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 1 Travers Stakes. He stands at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky and his first foals are 2-year-olds.

Hip 972, a colt by Quality Road out of Bar of Gold bred by Chester and Mary Broman, also brought $600,000 Friday at the OBS April sale. Photo courtesy of Sequel Bloodstock.

Hip 972, the son of Quality Road named Metallix, went to Pedro Lanz, agent for KAS Stables for $600,000.

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, the colt is out of New York-bred champion and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold. A half-brother to graded stakes winner Coinage, the colt breezed an eighth in :10 during presale workouts.

Consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent for the Bromans, the colt is the fourth foal out of the 12-year-old Medaglia d’Oro mare Bar of Gold. Coinage, a 5-year-old son of Tapit who remains in training, has won three of 20 starts including the Grade 3 With Anticipation in 2021 and Palm Beach Stakes in 2022 and earned $354,272. She’s also the dam of Coinage’s 3-year-old full brother Slammin Gold, a winner for the Bromans last fall at Aqueduct; and the 4-year-old Justify colt Chilligan, who sold for $825,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale.

The Bromans also bred and Sequel sold the top-priced New York-bred, the colt by Vekoma named Rookie Racer who brought $800,000 during the second session. Offered as Hip 411 and foaled at Chestertown Farm, the colt is the seventh foal out of Newbie, who is the dam of Grade 3 winner Classy Edition, multiple stakes winner and $516,738-earner Newly Minted and stakes-placed winner New Girl in Town.

Classy Edition, who sold for $550,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, won six of 10 starts including the Grade 3 Royal Delta in 2023 at Gulfstream Park. She is a finalist for 2023 champion New York-bred older dirt female honors.

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Hip 613, a filly by Munnings bred by West End Thoroughbreds LLC, sold for $350,000 during strong session at the OBS April sale Thursday. Photo courtesy of Niall Brennan Stables.

A pair of fillies sold for $350,000 and another brought $300,000 to spark a strong showing by New York-breds during Thursday’s third session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April 2-year-olds in training sale.

That trio of New York-breds – daughters of Munnings, Omaha Beach and Maclean’s Music – were part of a group of 11 that sold for six figures and five that commanded final bids of $235,000 or more.

Trainer John Kimmel, agent for Nedlaw Stables, landed the first $350,000 filly when he signed for Hip 613, a daughter of Munnings out of the stakes-winning New York-bred Posse mare Sheriffa. Bred by West End Thoroughbreds LLC and foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park, the filly originally sold for $160,000 to Niall Brennan, agent for JR International Holdings, at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She breezed an eighth in :10 during presale workouts.

Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent, the filly is the fifth foal out of $469,984-earner Sheriffa. She’s the dam of three New York-bred winners – Bobbies, Flattering Gal and Kid Billy – and the unraced 3-year-old Nyquist gelding Home Front who sold for $125,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale.

Hip 637, a daughter of Omaha Beach bred by Joseph DeRico, also brought $350,000 Thursday at the OBS April sale. Photo courtesy of Wavertree Stables.

Bloodstock agent Justin Casse bought the second $350,000 filly, Hip 637, a daughter of Omaha Beach out of the winning Pulpit mare Sister Margaret. Bred by Joseph DeRico and foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort, the filly originally sold to Bronco Bloodstock for $65,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale.

Consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables Inc., agent, the filly breezed an eighth in :9.4 during presale workouts. She’s the fifth foal out of Sister Margaret, who is out of New York-bred stakes winner Dance Gal Dance and is the dam of the stakes-placed New York-bred Palace Malice 3-year-old filly Maggy’s Palace.

Those two fillies played a role in strong returns for New York-breds Thursday. OBS reported sales on 16 of 18 New York-breds offered in the session for a total of $2,627,000, an average price of $164,188. Overall, 43 New York-breds have sold for $5,453,000, an average price of $126,814.

Hip 611, a filly by Maclean’s Music and half-sister to New York-bred Grade 1 winner Varda, sold for $300,000 to Mike Ryan, agent. Bred by Masters 2013 LLC and foaled at Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Mechanicville, the filly is out of the winning Sky Mesa mare She’ll Be Right. She’s the dam of Varda, winner of the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes in 2020 and a $1.15 million broodmare prospect sale at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale. She’ll Be Right is also the dam of Grade 3-placed winner Big Family, stakes-placed winner Getouttamyway and three other winners.

Thursday’s session also featured the sale of Hip 870, a daughter of New York-based freshman sire Honest Mischief to Carson McCord for $235,000. Bred by Sequel Stallions New York LLC, foaled at Sequel New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, the filly is out of the unraced Woodman mare Woodflower. She’s the dam of nine winners, including stakes winner and $167,560-earner Magna Rose and stakes-placed $274,820-earner Where’s Dominic.

Honest Mischief stands for $6,500 at Sequel New York in Hudson.

Hip 752, a colt by three-time leading New York-based sire Central Banker, also factored in Thursday’s six-figure haul on a bid of $140,000 from BSW/Crow, agent for Team Hanley & 30 Year Farm. Bred by Spruce Lane Farm, Edition Farm, Mashnee Stables, Copper Beach Stables and partners and foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park, the filly is out the second foal out of the unraced Candy Ride mare Tanmawwy. An $8,000 purchase out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale, the filly then sold for $32,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale to Bronco Bloodstock. She was consigned at the OBS April sale by Wavertree Stables, agent.

Central Banker stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.

The sale concludes with the final session at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

 

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Hip 411, a colt by Vekoma named Rookie Racer bred by Chester and Mary Broman, sold for $800,000 to highlight Wednesday’s bidding at the OBS April sale. Photo courtesy of Sequel Bloodstock.

A pair of colts bred by Chester and Mary Broman, including a son of multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma that commanded a bid of $800,000, highlighted the action during the second session of the Ocala Breeders Sales Co.’s April 2-year-olds in training sale Wednesday.

Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing Stable, signed for Hip 411, a son of Vekoma out of the winning Bernardini mare Newbie. Bred by the Bromans and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, the colt named Rookie Racer was consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent. He breezed an eighth in 9.4 during presale workouts and was the co-fourth most expensive juvenile sold during the second session.

The colt is the seventh foal out of Newbie, who is the dam of Grade 3 winner Classy Edition, multiple stakes winner and $516,738-earner Newly Minted and stakes-placed winner New Girl in Town.

Classy Edition, who sold for $550,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, won six of 10 starts including the Grade 3 Royal Delta in 2023 at Gulfstream Park. She is a finalist for 2023 champion New York-bred older dirt female honors.

Hip 487, a colt by Game Winner named Win Me Gold and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, sold for $190,000 Wednesday at OBS. Photo courtesy of Sequel Bloodstock.

Hip 487, a colt by Game Winner named Win Me Gold and also bred by the Bromans, went to Mr. B LLC, agent for Golden Bear Racing on a bid of $190,000.

The gray or roan colt, who breezed an eighth in 9.4, is out of the Grade 3-winning Silver City mare Promise Me Silver. Purchased in foal to Ghostzapper at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, Promise Me Silver won 10 of 14 starts including the Grade 3 Eight Belles Stakes in 2015 at Churchill Downs, and earned $486,681.

Promise Me Silver is the dam of winners Cyclone and Silver Smoke, along with the New York-bred 3-year-old Ghostzapper filly Pont Neuf who sold for $100,000 at last year’s OBS March sale.

Hip 592, a daughter of New York-based freshman sire Honest Mischief, brought the second session’s top price for a New York-bred filly on a bid of $30,000 from Gatsas Stables. Bred by Sequel Stallions NY LLC and Scott Miller and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the filly is out of the Tiznow mare Sea Gazer. Consigned by Universal Performance Horses, agent, the filly breezed a furlong in 10.1 and was a $32,000 RNA at last year’s OBS October yearling sale.

OBS reported sales on 12 of the 18 New York-breds offered during Wednesday’s session for a total of $1,477,000, an average price of $123,083. Overall, 27 New York-breds have sold for $2,826,000, an average price of $104,667.

The sale continues with the third of four sessions at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

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Michael Spielman, as at home watching a race from the backstretch at Saratoga as an owner’s box in the clubhouse, passed away in early April.

By Tom Law

Longtime successful New York owner and breeder Michael Spielman, who made the shrewd purchase of Compliance out of a horses of racing age sale and played a key role in the stallion becoming a leader in the Empire State, died in early April in South Florida at the age of 83.

A native of Brooklyn who grew up in Cedarhurst, New York, Spielman attended Lawrence High School and Union College. He met his wife Alix during those years and the couple later had three daughters – Amy, Wendy and Stacey.

A longtime resident of Oyster Bay, New York, Spielman ran a manufacturing company in Hudson. Spielman stayed in touch with his many friends from childhood throughout his life and joined with one of those friends, the late owner and breeder Richard Bomze, in 1982 to purchase Compliance as a stallion prospect for $125,000 out of the Windfields Farm dispersal at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga horses of racing age sale.

A stakes-placed son of Northern Dancer and full-brother to eventual European classic winner El Gran Senor and Group 1 winner Try My Best, Compliance started his stallion career in New York at Keane Stud in Amenia. He later stood at The Stallion Park in Millbrook. One of the Empire State’s leading sires of all-time, Compliance is perhaps best known for siring full brothers Fourstardave and Fourstars Allstar.

“He loved the early morning workouts, talking with the trainers, going back to the barn and chatting and sharing stories with other horse people,” Spielman’s family said. “As much as he enjoyed the owner’s box, he equally if not more loved watching a race from the backstretch in Saratoga. He would take everyone there.”

Top horses bred by Spielman include multiple graded stakes winner Casa Eire and stakes winners Seminole Spirt and Dreamboat Annie.

Casa Eire and Seminole Spirt were foaled at Tom and Dr. Mia Gallo’s Blue Stone Farm in Cambridge. Tom Gallo, former president of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., remembered Spielman as relaxed and savvy.

“I knew him for years and years. We did a lot of business, not lately, but for a long time,” Gallo said. “He was a real, super, easy-going guy, but he was game. He put his money where his mouth was.”

Casa Eire, a daughter of Compliance out of the Upper Case mare Casarette, went 4-4-3 in 30 starts and earned $279,778. She won the Grade 3 Astoria Breeders’ Cup Stakes as a 2-year-old on the dirt at Belmont Park and defeated males in the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes as a 3-year-old on the turf at Belmont. Casa Eire also won the Egret Stakes at the Meadowlands, placed in the Grade 2 Adirondack and Grade 3 Miss Grillo and placed in five other stakes.

Seminole Spirt compiled a record of 6-9-9 in 61 starts, over eight seasons and including a lengthy stint over jumps, and earned $198,320. Third in the Empire Stakes and fourth in the Grade 3 Pilgrim, the son of Compliance out of the Hasty Flyer mare Hello Poppy won the Damon Runyon in 1993.

Dreamboat Annie, a daughter of Freud out of the Honour and Glory mare Extra Impact, won the 2015 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Belmont. She won four of 17 starts with five placings and earned $195,645.

Spielman also teamed with Bomze to purchase Morning Bob for a price reported to be more than $1 million in May 1984 and before making a run at the 116th running of the Belmont Stakes.

Previously trained by Woody Stephens and in the same barn as the likes of Swale and Devil’s Bag, Morning Bob won the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby in late May for his prior connections and started for Mike-Rich Stable in the Belmont 11 days later. Supplemented for $7,500, Morning Bob finished third and 7 lengths behind Swale in the Belmont.

“He loved the excitement of owning and racing horses, especially taking Morning Bob to the Belmont, but the real joy to him was being around the stables, especially in Saratoga,” Spielman’s family said. “Of course he loved Belmont, and later Gulfstream, but our summers in Saratoga were the highlight of his love for racing.”

Morning Bob made 25 additional starts for Spielman and Bomze after the Belmont and through the end of the 1985 season, winning the Grade 2 Excelsior Handicap and placing in six other stakes, including the 1984 Travers at Saratoga.

“I had mares on my farm for him for years and years,” Gallo said. “He was the nicest guy in the world, always had a smile on his face and never had a bad word to say about anybody. He invested a lot, had a farm in Hudson and at one time owned like 20 something mares.”

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Hip 197, a filly by Mendelssohn bred by David and Christine Stack, sold for $210,000 Tuesday at the OBS April sale. Photo courtesy of Niall Brennan Stables.

A filly by Mendelssohn from the family of graded stakes winners Caroline Thomas and Bit of Whimsy sold for $210,000 to highlight the New York-bred returns during Tuesday’s opening session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April 2-year-olds in training sale.

Phil Hager’s Taproot Bloodstock signed for Hip 197, named Tralee Girl, on behalf of trainer Christophe Clement.

Bred by David and Christine Stack and foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, the filly is the first foal out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Kerry Girl. Unplaced in one start, Kerry Girl is out of Grade 2 winner and $406,387-earner Caroline Thomas, who is out of Grade 1 winner Bit of Whimsy.

Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent, Tralee Girl turned in an eighth-mile breeze in :10 during presale workouts. She originally sold for $50,000 to Ryston Stables at last year’s OBS October yearling sale.

Tralee Girl was one of six New York-breds to sell for $100,000 or more during the opening session. OBS reported sales on 15 of the 20 New York-breds offered Tuesday for a total of $1,349,000, an average price of $89,933.

Hip 253, a filly by Vino Rosso bred by Gold Square, sold for $190,000 Tuesday at the OBS April sale. Photo courtesy of Wavertree Stables.

Hip 253, a filly by Vino Rosso who breeze in 9.4 during presale workouts, sold for $190,000 to Carolyn Wilson. Bred by Gold Square LLC and foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, the filly is the first foal out of the winning Super Ninety Nine mare Little Miss Raelyn.

Consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables Inc., agent, the filly originally sold for $65,000 to Bronco Bloodstock at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Lucky Man Racing LLC paid the highest price for a New York-bred colt during the opener, going to $140,000 for Hip 37, a colt by Tapiture. Bred by Phillips Racing Partnership, Christopher Elser and George Elser and foaled at Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Mechanicville, the colt is out of the winning Kitten’s Joy mare Full of Joy. A half-brother to stakes-placed winner Thirty Four Coupe, the colt breezed an eighth in :10 during presale workouts.

Consigned by Harris Training Center LLC, agent, the colt sold for $30,000 to HTC at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

Hip 204, a daughter of Solomini who breezed in 9.4 during presale workouts, commanded the top price for a juvenile by a New York-based stallion on a bid of $95,000 from Clear Stars Stable. Bred by Torie Gladwell, foaled at Stonegate Stables in Fort Edward and consigned by Top Line Sales, the filly is the second foal out of the Into Mischief mare Kiska.

Solomini, a 9-year-old son of Curlin who currently ranks third on the New York general sire list, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.

The sale continues with the second of four sessions at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

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Sanford Bacon, who bred New York-bred superstars Say Florida Sandy and Dancin Renee, passed away last week. NYRA Photo.

Successful and longtime New York owner and breeder Sanford Bacon passed away April 12 at a rehabilitation facility in South Florida. Bacon’s death at age 95 was first reported by Daily Racing Form.

Bacon bred and raced New York-bred champions Say Florida Sandy and Dancin Renee – half out of the Sweet Candy mare Lolli Lucka Lolli who have stakes named in their honor on the NYRA circuit – along with stakes winners Ricky Rachel and Ete Indien.

Say Florida Sandy, campaigned by Bacon for his first 15 starts, earned New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion sprinter honors in 2000 and 2001. Also honored as champion New York-bred 4-year-old and up male in 2001 and champion New York-bred 2-year-old in 1996, Say Florida Sandy won 33 of 98 starts, including five graded stakes, and earned $2,085,408.

Dancin Renee also earned New York-bred Horse of the Year honors, in 1997, along with champion sprinter and 4-year-old and up female honors that season. She won 14 of 21 starts and earned $490,258 racing for her owner and breeder Bacon. Dancin Renee is the dam of Risky Rachel, who won nine of 27 starts and earned $493,736 for Bacon.

Lolli Lucka Lolli was a multiple winner campaigned by Bacon’s Bacon Barn. She was named New York-bred Broodmare of the Year in 1997 and 2001.

Bacon campaigned Ete Indien in partnership with several other owners including trainer Patrick Biancone. The son of Summer Front won three of eight starts, including the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes in 2020 at Gulfstream Park, and finished third in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby.

Bacon’s breeding program earned national headlines in 2018 when a New York-bred colt by Scat Daddy out of Risky Rachel – later named Yale and campaigned by Coolmore in Ireland – sold for $1 million at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream 2-year-olds in training sale.

Bacon is survived by his daughter Jill Brookner and granddaughters Erin and Rachael.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Montefiore Cemetery, 121-83 Springfield Boulevard, St. Albans, New York. Funeral arrangement are being directed by Hellman Memorial Chapels in Spring Valley, New York.

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Sunday Girl improves to 2-for-2 with victory in Sunday’s Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

Sunday Girl ran to her odds and added another stakes winner to three-time leading New York sire Central Banker’s resume with a victory in Sunday’s $200,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old filly, fresh from an eye-catching debut victory February 10 at Aqueduct, rolled to a 3-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Park Avenue under Katie Davis. Owned by Mitre Box Stable, Clear Stars Stable and Eighth Note Stable and trained by David Duggan, Sunday Girl won in 1:16.91 as the 6-5 favorite in the field of eight.

“I gave her [Davis] no instructions,” Duggan said. “I knew she [Sunday Girl] was going to be a little bit sharper again and she had a clear trip on the outside. She had to pass the test today and she did that. The question mark going in was seasoning and she passed that test.”

Longshot Bustin Time took the early initiative in the Park Avenue, setting the pace through the opening quarter-mile in :22.36 with Davis and Sunday Girl content to track from her outside down the backstretch.

“Honestly the first time she ran, she broke great, but she was more, ‘What’s going on?’ kind of thing,” Davis said. “She broke out of the gate and was like ‘what do you want me to do,’ but she was nicely in my hands. Today, the post really helped us nicely and I got to take advantage of the outside post and being where I wanted to be and she was game.

Sunday Girl pulled Davis to the lead around the bend and approaching the half in :45.18. In control coming off the turn, Sunday Girl spurted away in the stretch as My Shea D Lady, Fast and Frisky and Sohana tried to cut into her advantage. Sunday Girl switched leads late and held off her rivals in hand, cruising under the wire as her sire’s 13th blacktype winner.

“I knew warming up,” Davis said about when she knew Sunday Girl was ready. “The pony guy goes, ‘Oh my god’ and I go, ‘Oh, I know, if you want to stop galloping, I’m good, we can keep her calm and relaxed.’ A filly like that the best thing you can do is keep their heart rate down and let them know it’s OK.”

My Shea D Lady, a stakes winner in her final start of 2023, finished second in her 3-year-old debut and led a 2-3-4-5 finish for her sire Solomini with Sohana third, Fast and Frisky fourth and Handle On You fifth.

Sunday Girl collected $110,000 for her connections in the Park Avenue to boost her earnings to $148,500. Duggan said Sunday Girl could show up next in the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on the Sunday, June 9 card of the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

“You roll on to the next challenge that they give us which will probably be the Bouwerie at Saratoga,” he said. “If she gets seven-eighths – there will be a different type of horse coming in there, so with a little more time and maturity you’d like to think that you’re going to improve again. I don’t think she needs to improve a whole lot but that was quite a nice performance today.

“The punches are going to get tougher now. I’m very realistic. You’re in a good position going into the next stake. If she holds form or improves a little bit, she’ll be right there.”

Sunday Girl brought the highest price for a New York-bred in the open portion of the 2022 OBS October yearling sale on a bid of $43,000 from Kathryn Martin. Mitre Box Stables purchased her for $100,000 about seven months later at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, out of the de Meric Sales consignment.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC and Spruce Lane Farm and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, the chestnut filly is out of the winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Lady Daphne.

Sunday Girl is a half-sister to Lady Jasmine, a New York-bred daughter of Cairo Prince also bred by McMahon and Spruce Lane who won her debut in 2022 at Saratoga Race Course. She’s earned $79,068 in 11 starts. Lady Daphe is also the dam of the winning New York-bred Laoban filly Proper Grammar, who pushed her bankroll to $53,134 this month.

Lady Daphne, purchased by McMahon of Saratoga for $17,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Solomini and a yearling full brother to the Park Avenue winner.

Central Banker, a three-time defending leading sire in New York, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs. Solomini also stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.

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Antonio of Venice rolls to another stakes victory in Sunday’s Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

Antonio of Venice followed up on convincing stakes victory last month with another professional performance winning Sunday’s $200,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old son of the late former leading New York-based freshman sire Laoban collected his third stakes victory in the Times Square, adding the 6 1/2-furlong stakes to his victory in the March 17 Damon Runyon and last year’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the NYSS.

Under regular pilot Manny Franco as the 6-5 favorite in the field of seven, Antonio of Venice won by 2 1/4 lengths over 2-1 second choice Doc Sullivan with 34-1 first-time starter Grand Opening third. Antonio of Venice won in 1:15.32 over the fast track.

“He looks like he’s improving every time,” said winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who co-owns the colt with Michael Imperio, Robert Cotrone and Hibiscus Stables. “The other day when I worked him in the morning, I looked at my watch and I said, ‘wow.’ This horse is just in a different league right now, so we’re just happy he keeps improving and hopefully keeps doing that.”

Franco, aboard for Antonio of Venice’s last four starts which include those three stakes victories, also noticed the improvement.

“I want to give all the credit to the horse, the team, and Rudy Rodriguez,” Franco said. “The horse is turning good at the right time. He’s improving every race he runs and you could see today that he just ran really hard. I’m just happy to be on him and part of the win.”

Bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC, Antonio of Venice sold for $35,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and for the same price at the 2023 OBS March sale. Antonio of Venice is the third foal out of Stella Performance, who also produced winning full siblings to the multiple stakes winner winner in New York-breds Modern Midas ($79,860 in earnings) and I’m Wide Awake ($158,603).

Stella Performance is also the dam of yearling New York-bred colt by McKinzie and filly by Keepmeinmind born February 18 in New York, and both bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC.

A maiden winner at Saratoga Race Course in his third start, Antonio of Venice finished off the board in his first two stakes tries in Skidmore at Saratoga and Aspirant at Finger Lakes before a victory in the $500,000 Great White Way in mid-December. He started the season with a runner-up effort in the Rego Park in late January at Aqueduct before a 9 1/4-length victory in the Damon Runyon March 17.

The victory in the Times Square boosted Antonio of Venice’s earnings to $535,744.

Rodriguez kept the door open for several possible spots for Antonio of Venice.

“We’re going to enjoy the New York-bred, Stallion Series, maybe we take him to Finger Lakes,” he said. “Maybe we’ll take him to Saratoga, to Finger Lakes, and then try Saratoga again. We’ll see.”

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Bustin Bay, less than a week removed from runner-up in Biogio’s Rose Stakes, wins the Sis City starter on NY Claiming Championship card at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.

Winning Move Stable’s Bustin Bay, six days removed from a runner-up stakes effort that came just 10 days after an open-company allowance-optional victory, led the New York-bred contingent during Saturday’s New York Claiming Championship at Aqueduct.

Bustin Bay, a 6-year-old daughter of Bustin Stones, rolled to a front-running 2 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Sis City starter for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2023-24. Kendrick Carmouche rode the winner for trainer Linda Rice.

Bred by Robert Rosenthal, Peter Rosenthal and Martin Greenberg, Bustin Bay improved to 13-for-43 with nine seconds, six thirds and $740,490 with the Sis City victory.

Claimed by Rice for $45,000 out of a victory in a state-bred allowance-optional September 24 during the Belmont at the Big A meeting, Bustin Bay finished second in the March 24 Biogio’s Rose Stakes at 1 mile at Aqueduct. Racing on the lead in the Sis City at the same distance, Bustin Bay clicked off splits of :23.50, :46.39 and 1:11.24 en route to victory over Movie Moxie in 1:36.36 over the fast track.

Bustin Bay is one of three winners out of the multiple stakes-winning Frost Giant mare Frosty Bay, who is also the dam of New York-breds Frosty Invasion ($86,680) and Icey Cash ($24,447).

The Sis City victory also produced significant awards for Bustin Bay’s connections – $16,500 to the breeders, $4,125 to stallion and $8,250 to the owners.

The New York Claiming Championship card featured six starter allowance events at various distances. Sue Ellen Mishkin, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Mohaymen owned and trained by Rice, also finished second in the $55,000 Videogenic on the card.

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Set, a son of Oscar Performance bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, wins Saturday’s Cutler Bay Stakes. Lauren King/Gulfstream Park Photo.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ and Gary Barber’s Set stayed undefeated Saturday with a victory in the $125,000 Cutler Bay to kick off the stakes portion of the Florida Derby Day card at Gulfstream Park.

Bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, the son of Oscar Performance added the 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes to his victory at the same trip February 24 at Gulfstream. The 3-5 favorite in the field of seven, Set raced in second early under Emisael Jaramillo as King Julien set the pace. King Julien led by a length through the opening quarter-mile in :24.14 and a half-length through the half in :47.83 over the firm turf.

King Julien didn’t have much left to hold off Set around the turn as the New York-bred quickly challenged and took over by the time the field reached the stretch. The only pressure Set endured down the was from his own jockey’s urging with no serious challenges coming from the rest of the field. Set won by 1 1/4 lengths over Double Your Money in 1:28.10.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Barber purchased Set for $150,000 at last year’s OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale from consignor Gene Recio.

Trained by Mark Casse, Set is out of the Irish-bred Strategic Prince daughter Three Am Tour, who won three races in her career. Set is the second stakes performer for the mare, who is also the dam of the New York-bred stakes-placed Busy Morning. Overall, she has produced three winners from four to race.

“He trained really well going into his first race, and we were pretty high on him,” said Casse’s assistant Nick Tomlinson. “We weren’t 100 percent sure if he was fit enough but he still got there. He trained wonderfully again coming into this race. Jaramillo came into the paddock and said that there was some speed on the inside. I said, ‘It’s up to you. You know him best.’ He sat off them, made a nice run and kept on with it.

“He’s a lovely horse. … I think as everybody knows Graham [Motion] had him before us and he gave him a lovely foundation, so a lot of the credit has to go to his crew, as well. Lovely horse, bright future, and we’re excited to see what happens.”

Three Am Tour is out of a half-sister to the British stakes placed Falak with her granddam a three-quarter sister to top broodmare Maryinsky. The pedigree also includes Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner and Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile winner War of Will among the 10 Grade 1 winners under Set’s fourth dam Minnie Hauk.

Three AM Tour produced a colt from the first crop of Hidden Lake Farm’s Galilean last year before returning to Oscar Performance for a full sibling to Set.

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The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. are collaborating on an effort to expand the TRF sanctuary farm network in New York with a focus on bringing New York-breds back to the Empire State for their retirement.

The TRF, the country’s oldest and largest Thoroughbred retirement operation, set a goal of finding farms in the state to home rescued and retired New York-breds in 2024. Farm owners in the state are encouraged to consider partnering with the TRF to provide land for these Thoroughbreds, most of whom were raised, raced and reared in New York.

“It would be so impactful for the TRF to have a sanctuary farm in New York,” said TRF Chief Operating Officer Maggie Sweet. “These horses are born here, raised here and race here and it would be a true full-circle moment to retire them here as well.”

Based in Saratoga Springs and founded in 1983, the TRF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization entirely supported by private donations from individuals, organizations, and foundations.

The TRF is also known for its Second Chances Program, which provides incarcerated individuals with life-changing vocational training through an accredited equine care and stable management program. At eight correctional facilities across the U.S., including one juvenile justice facility, this program offers second careers to its horses and a second chance at life for program graduates upon release from prison.

The search for additional sanctuary farms in New York and the Northeast became necessary due to demand. The TRF will look to start small – two farms with 10 horses apiece, for example – with a goal to grow to a comfortable level based on need and support from the New York racing industry.

“We are thrilled to share this opportunity from the TRF with farm owners in New York state to create accredited sanctuary sites for the care of equine athletes beyond their career at the racetrack,” said New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Executive Director Najja Thompson. “Thoroughbred aftercare is of the utmost importance to our organization and members. The TRF has proven to be a leader in that regard.”

Farm owners in New York who are interested in a partnership are encouraged to contact Chelsea O’Reilly, TRF Director of Equine Programs, at chelsea@trfinc.org.

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Stonewall Star, sixth in back-to-back starts in open allowance-optional races, returns to winner’s circle in Sunday’s Biogio’s Rose Stakes. NYRA Photo.

Horacio De Paz looked for answers when multiple stakes winner Stonewall Star turned in atypical performances in her three starts last fall and this winter since returning from a more than seven-month break.

He made a few changes with Barry Schwartz’s homebred daughter of Flatter, namely taking off blinkers for her morning breezes leading up to Sunday’s $97,000 Biogio’s Rose at Aqueduct. De Paz also took them off for the 1-mile stakes originally carded for Saturday but pushed a day later when New York Racing Association officials shifted the slate to avoid wet weather that blasted the region Friday and Saturday.

Stonewall Star, running without those familiar black blinkers she’d been decked out with in all 11 of her starts, returned to the form that landed her four victories in her first seven starts with a victory over Bustin Bay in the Biogio’s Rose. Ridden by Isaac Castillo, Stonewall Star won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:36.51 for the mile on the track labeled fast.

“We worked her in her second work back (March 9) and took the blinkers off and she was on the inside – she galloped out really well,” De Paz said. “I figured stretching out would make the pace a little bit easier and it would be a good idea to take them off. She’s a sharp filly and a happy type of filly.”

Stonewall Star raced close to the early pace set by Security Code with 6-5 favorite Venti Valentine to her outside. That trio raced as a team through the opening quarter-mile in :24.35.

Security Code, winner of the Broadway Stakes by a neck last time out over Venti Valentine, still led 9-2 fourth choice Stonewall Star by a tenuous head through the half in :47.61. Stonewall Star put her head in front midway around the far turn and led Security Code by a head past the quarter-pole and 6 furlongs in 1:11.95.

Castillo let Stonewall Star out in the lane and she opened up a 1 1/2-length lead in midstretch as Security Code and Venti Valentine backed up. Bustin Bay, coming back after winning an open-company allowance-optional March 14 for trainer Linda Rice, made a run from fourth in the lane to land the runner-up spot. Venti Valentine finished third with Security Code fourth and Sweetest Princess fifth.

“She’s really kind,” Castillo said. “The trainer did a very good job to get the filly to relax before the race. I know the [other] horses were coming, but she feels so comfortable up there. When I asked her, she still had so much left.”

De Paz was pleased with the decision to remove the blinkers and also race Stonewall Star in the state-bred ranks for the first time since winning the Franklin Square Stakes last January at Aqueduct. The Biogio’s Rose also marked the first time Stonewall Star raced at the 1-mile trip.

“She was always a talented filly, we just had trouble bringing her back to form,” De Paz said. “Just letting the pace be a little easier back in New York-bred company [helped] and I figured she could stretch out. She handled 7 [furlongs] just fine, especially at Laurel and when we tried Keeneland [third in the Grade 3 Beaumont last year]. Isaac rode a great race, controlled, and just let her be where she was comfortable and not rush her. I’m very happy for her to come back.”

Bred and foaled at Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Stonewall Star improved to 5-for-12 with a second and four thirds in the Biogio’s Rose. A stakes winner at 2 and 3 and an earner of $353,198, Stonewall Star is the fourth foal and one of three stakes winners out of the Proud Citizen mare Jonata.

Whatlovelookslike, a 5-year-old daughter of English Channel and finalist for champion New York-bred turf female honors in 2023, sports a record of 5-3-2 in 14 starts with earnings of $416,350 for Schwartz and trainer Todd Pletcher. Whatlovelookslike won last year’s Port Washington Stakes at Belmont Park and finished third in the John Hettinger Stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meeting.

La Fuerza, a now 8-year-old full brother to Stonewall Star, won three stakes carrying his owner and breeder’s black and white colors in 2018. He won four of eight and earned $261,610. Jonata is also the dam of New York-bred winner Citizen K, a gelding by Mizzen Mast with a record of 3-2-2 in 18 starts and a bankroll of $185,212.

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

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Sweet Brown Sugar adds Sunday’s East View to her victory last season in the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes at Finger Lakes. NYRA Photo.

Richie Rich Racing Stable’s Sweet Brown Sugar made a significant improvement off her first try in stakes company on the New York Racing Association circuit with a victory in Sunday’s $100,000 East View for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies.

The daughter of Collected, fifth in the Franklin Square Stakes in mid-January for Finger Lakes-based trainer Paul Barrow, used a pair of preps in allowance-optional company for her second stakes victory Sunday. Sweet Brown Sugar won the 6-furlong East View under Jose Lezcano, coming up the inside on the far turn and drawing off by 4 lengths over Bernietakescharge.

“We’ve won a few stakes at Finger Lakes, but this is the first good horse we’ve had at NYRA,” said Barrow, celebrating his first stakes score on the NYRA circuit. “It’s unbelievable; it’s great. When you start training, you want to win these races. I’m a big New York-bred guy, so to win it with a New York-bred, it’s great.”

Sent off as the 6-1 third choice in the field of seven and just two weeks after winning an allowance-optional on a muddy track, Sweet Brown Sugar raced third early as Bustin Time and Bernietakescharge sparred through the opening quarter-mile in :22.48.

Lezcano kept Sweet Brown Sugar down on the inside heading into the far turn and slipped through an inside at the midpoint of the bend to take the lead. Sweet Brown Sugar led by a half-length after a half in :46.12 and spurted clear turning for home.

“She doesn’t like the dirt too much in her face, and I got lucky with [Bustin Time], she stayed way out and I was able to keep [her] face clean,” Lezcano said. “She responded and came up with a good race and is feeling very good. I had a lot of horse when I asked her.”

Sweet Brown Sugar, winner of the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes back home at Finger Lakes to closer her 2-year-old season, widened through the lane and won in 1:10.55. Bernietakescharge held second as the 4-5 favorite, a length in front of 8-5 second choice Caldwell Luvs Gold. Thirteen Red Flags, Bustin Time, Ruming and Soloshot completed the field.

Barrow was quick to credit Lezcano, aboard Sweet Brown Sugar in her last two races before the East View.

“If you watch the race, Jose did keep her very clean in the race,” he said. “It was key to her finishing. The rider made the difference in this case, and she’s improving. Masterful ride. When he’s on the inside like that, it’s very tough to keep them clean, but I thought he did a great job.

“My biggest concern was her getting trapped behind a wall of horses and the kickback and all that, for him to [have to] negotiate a way to get outside. But he was smart enough to stay inside and keep her clean.”

Barrow said he’d ship Sweet Brown Sugar back to Finger Lakes and “give her a little time off” after coming back on short rest to win back-to-back starts. Sweet Brown Sugar picked up $55,000 for the East View and boosted her bankroll to $150,500 from a record of 4-0-1 in six starts.

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Sweet Brown Sugar originally sold for $10,000 through the Sequel New York consignment at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She was then offered as part of the Scenic Sales consignment at the 2023 OBS June sale and brought $32,000 from Nick Hines, agent for Richie Rich Stables.

Sweet Brown Sugar is the first and lone foal out of the Broman’s homebred Bodemeister mare Rachel’s Blue Moon, the winner of two of 11 starts and $97,096. Rachel’s Blue Moon is out of the Broman’s homebred multiple stakes-winning and Grade 1-place El Corredor mare Beautiful But Blue, who is also the dam of stakes-placed Montebello. Beautiful But Blue won five of 17 starts and earned $395,450. She’s out of the multiple stakes-winning Dixie Brass mare Beautiful America, who won six of 21 starts and earned $523,927 for the Bromans from 2002 to 2004.

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Antonio of Venice and jockey Manny Franco cruise to victory in Sunday’s Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct. Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo.

Antonio of Venice enjoyed a much smoother trip this time around and turned the tables on Mischief Joke in Sunday’s 49th renewal of the $93,000 Damon Runyon for 3-year-old New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Second by a length to that foe in the Rego Park in late January, Antonio of Venice took command shortly after the start and stayed in control through the 6-furlong stakes for his second stakes victory. Owned by Michael Imperio, Robert Cotrone, Hibiscus Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez, the 3-year-old son of former New York-based sire Laoban won by 9 1/4 lengths and improved to 3-for-8 with three placings in the Damon Runyon.

“He is a versatile horse,” winning jockey Manny Franco said. “He can do whatever you ask him to do. Today was a short field, I had to play the break and he broke that fast so I just went on with him, because I knew he could be on the front end, too. That is what we did. We got it done.

“You can see at the eighth pole that I just eased him down. I think I hit him once, but after that I did nothing. I just eased him down. He did it so easily.”

Antonio of Venice went to the post as the even-money second choice in the field of four reduced after the scratch of morning-line favorite Heavyweight Champs. Antonio of Venice and jockey Manny Franco led Mischief Joke by a half-length through the opening quarter in :22.96, with Mad Banker not far back and Aelfgar fourth of the quartet.

Antonio of Venice and Mischief Joke started to separate from the other two around the far turn and the former edged away from his rival after a half in :46.09. Antonio of Venice cruised from there, turning for home well clear, sliding past 5 furlongs in :57.81 and drawing clear late to win in 1:10.35 over the fast track. Mischief Joke finished second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Aelfgar with Mad Banker fourth.

“Those were the two best horses in the race,” Rodriguez said of Antonio of Venice and Mischief Joke. “I said to Manny, ‘if you hook up together, let it be,’ but I didn’t want to hook up with the one horse. When Manny asked him at the three-eighths pole, it looked like he had a lot of horse. I felt really confident when he asked him and he opened up half a length. He looked very comfortable.”

Bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC, Antonio of Venice sold for $35,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and for the same price at this year’s OBS March sale. Antonio of Venice is the third foal out of Stella Performance, who also produced winning full siblings to the Damon Runyon winner in New York-breds Modern Midas ($78,200 in earnings) and I’m Wide Awake ($144,228).

Stella Performance is also the dam of a New York-bred yearling colt by McKinzie and filly by Keepmeinmind born February 18 in New York, and both bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC.

A maiden winner at Saratoga Race Course in his third start, Antonio of Venice finished off the board in his first two stakes tries before a victory in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in mid-December. The victory in the Damon Runyon boosted his earnings to $425,744

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Hip 766, a filly by Munnings bred by Triumphant Trio, sold for $170,000 Thursday at the OBS March sale. Photo courtesy of Pick View.

A pair of New York-breds – a filly by Munnings and a colt by Goldencents – elicited six-figure final bids during Thursday’s final session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March 2-year-olds in training sale.

Those two added to the others from the prior to sessions, including a $700,000 colt by Justify out of champion New York-bred Pauseforthecause, to bring the sale total to 11 New York-breds that brought $100,000 or more.

Hip 766, a daughter of Munnings out of the winning Tizway mare Tizsomethingroyal, led the way Thursday on a bid of $170,000 ffrom Gary and Janet Anderson.

Bred by Triumphant Trio, foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park and consigned by Pick View LLC, agent, the filly originally sold to Stock Thoroughbreds for $130,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. She’s the third foal out of the $103,067-earner Tizsomethingroyal, who is also the dam of the New York-bred 3-year-old Practical Joke colt Yo Banana Boy who is placed in three starts and sold for $160,000 at last year’s OBS April sale.

Triumphant Trio also bred a yearling colt by New York-bred classic winner and Horse of the Year Tiz the Law out of the mare.

Hip 825, a daughter of Goldencents bred by Patricia Generazio, sold for $150,000 Thursday at OBS. Photo courtesy of Cesar Loya Training & Sales.

Ken McPeek, agent, signed for the top-priced New York-bred colt Thursday, going to $150,000 for Hip 825, a son of Goldencents out of the stakes-placed Midshipman mare Wave of Glory.

Bred by Patricia Generazio, foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort and consigned by Cesar Loya Training & Sales, agent, the colt previously sold for $80,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. He also brought $85,000 during the Generazio dispersal at the 2023 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Wave of Glory, a debut winner at 2 in 2015 and third in that season’s Furlough Stakes at Aqueduct for Generazio, is the dam of stakes winner and $154,058-earner Treasure King and the winner Glorious Wave. Wave of Glory sold for $40,000 at last year’s Keeneland January sale.

OBS reported sales on 10 of the 14 New York-breds through the ring Thursday for a total of $695,500, an average price of $69,550. Overall, 41 New York-breds sold for a total of $3,907,500, an average price of $95,305.

A colt from the first crop of New York-based stallion King for a Day brought the third highest price Thursday when J U Racing Stables went to $80,000 for Hip 731. Bred by Our Blue Streaks Stable and S G V Thoroughbreds, foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Steven Venosa’s S G V Thoroughbreds LLC, agent, the colt is the first foal out of the winning Freud mare Swayed.

King for a Day, an 8-year-old son of Uncle Mo, stands for $5,000 at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Stillwater.

Hip 539, the first foal out of Pauseforthecause, landed the sale’s top price for a New York-bred during the second session. Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing, signed for the colt offered by Pick View LLC, agent. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, the colt is the first foal out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Pauseforthecause, a multiple stakes winner and earner of $546,093.

Pauseforthecause, campaigned by the Bromans, earned champion New York-bred older dirt female and female sprinter championship honors in 2019. She went 3-2-2 in nine starts that season, including victories in the Iroquois Stakes at Belmont Park and Garland Of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct. She placed in six other stakes during her career and retired with seven wins in 25 starts.

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Hip 539, a colt by Justify out of Pauseforthecase bred by Chester and Mary Broman, sold for $700,000 Wednesday at OBS March. Photo courtesy of Pick View.

A New York-bred colt by Triple Crown winner Justify out of New York-bred champion Pauseforthecause sold for $700,000 to highlight bidding during Wednesday’s second session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March 2-year-olds in training sale.

Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing, signed for the colt offered as Hip 539 by Pick View LLC, agent. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, the colt is the first foal out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Pauseforthecause, a multiple stakes winner and earner of $546,093.

The colt, the seventh most expensive juvenile sold during Wednesday’s strong session, originally sold to Hoby Kight, agent for Halona PH, for $100,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

Pauseforthecause, campaigned by the Bromans, earned champion New York-bred older dirt female and female sprinter championship honors in 2019. She went 3-2-2 in nine starts that season, including victories in the Iroquois Stakes at Belmont Park and Garland Of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct. She placed in six other stakes during her career and retired with seven wins in 25 starts.

Pauseforthecause is also the dam of a New York-bred yearling colt by Gun Runner and a filly by undefeated Horse of the Year Flightline born February 19, both bred by the Bromans.

The Justify colt was one of four six-figure New York-breds sold Wednesday and OBS reported sales on 19 of the 24 New York-breds through the ring for $1,887,000, an average price of $99,316. Overall, 31 New York-breds have sold for $3,212,000, an average price of $103,613.

Hip 362, another Broman-bred and a daughter of Uncle Mo and Khancord Kid, sold for $200,000. Photo courtesy of Sequel Bloodstock.

The Bromans also bred the session’s second highest-priced New York-bred juvenile, Hip 362, a filly by Uncle Mo out of their stellar producer Khancord Kid, who brought $200,000 from Starship Stables.

Consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent, the filly is the ninth foal out of the stakes-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid and a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner and New York-bred champion female sprinter and champion older dirt female Bar of Gold, stakes winner Spirit of St Louis and stakes-placed winners Land Mine and Homeland.

A filly from the second crop of New York-based sire Solomini also landed among the day’s top sellers. Hip 486, a filly out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Myself, sold for $75,000 to Joseph Brocklebank, agent. She was the second most expensive New York-bred filly through the ring Wednesday.

Bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, the filly was consigned by Silvestre Chavez Thoroughbreds, agent. Solomini, a 9-year-old Grade 1-placed son of Curlin and the Empire State’s leading freshman sire in 2023, stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.

The OBS March sale concludes with the final session at 10 a.m. Thursday.

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Hip 243, a daughter of New York-based freshman sire Honest Mischief, sold for $310,000 Tuesday at the OBS March sale. Photo courtesy of Coastal Equine.

A filly from the first crop of New York-based sire Honest Mischief commanded a bid of $310,000 to spark the opening session of the Ocala Breeders Sales Co.’s March 2-year-olds in training sale Tuesday.

McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, agent, landed the winning bid for the co-fourth most expensive filly sold during the opening session. Offered as Hip 243 and consigned by Jesse Hoppel’s Coastal Equine LLC, the filly is the fourth foal out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Forget It. Hoppel purchased the filly for $40,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.

Bred by Scott and Debbie Pierce and foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort, the Honesty Mischief filly is a half-sister to stakes winner and $541,672-earner Red Danger and the winner How Sweet She Is. Forget It is also the dam of the 3-year-old New York-bred Maximus Mischief gelding Sorority Prank, who is twice placed after selling for $75,000 at last year’s OBS April sale.

Honest Mischief, an 8-year-old son of Into Mischief out of the Grade 1-winning Seattle Slew mare Honest Lady, stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.

The filly also ended the day as one of five New York-bred juveniles that sold for $100,000 or more. OBS reported sales on 12 of the 16 New York-breds through the ring Tuesday for $1,325,000, an average price of $110,417.

Hip 130, a filly by Bee Jersey, sold for $275,000 Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Tom McCrocklin.

Lane’s End Bloodstock, agent for West Point Thoroughbreds and C J Stable LLC, went to $275,000 to purchase Hip 130, a filly by Bee Jersey out of the winning More Than Ready mare Christmas Cove.

Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, agent, the filly was bred by Spruce Lane Farm, America’s Pastime Stable, All My Hart Racing, et al. She originally sold to Bronco Bloodstock for $30,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale before McCrocklin, agent for Champion Equine, purchased her for $110,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, the filly is the seventh foal out of Christmas Cove, who is the dam of stakes-placed winner and $316,940-earner No Sabe Nada and the winner Chris Cove Town.

Kimmel Salusto, agent for Flanagan Racing LLC, landed the session’s top-priced New York-bred colt, going to $105,000 for a son of New York-bred Grade 1 winner Audible.

Offered as Hip 64 and consigned by de Meric Sales, agent, the colt is out of the wining Not For Love mare Bitterroot. Bred by Lambholm South and Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, the colt is a half-brother to one winner out of the full sister to stakes winner, 18-time winner and $693,252-earner Clubman.

The OBS March sale continues at 11 a.m. Wednesday with the second of three sessions.

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Kinza improves to 3-for-3 with dominating victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita. Benoit Photo.

Kinza continued her ascent to the top of Southern California’s 3-year-old filly division with a powerful victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Michael Lund Petersen’s daughter of Carpe Diem took command at the start under Juan Hernandez, controlled proceedings from there and rolled to a 5-length score over Where’s My Ring in the 1 1/16-mile stakes.

Kinza improved to 3-for-3, adding the Santa Ysabel to her victory last month in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes. She’s won her starts by a combined 14 1/2 lengths, and the way trainer Bob Baffert sees it, there’s room for improvement.

“She is just so naturally fast, she gets wound up,” said Baffert, winning his fourth straight Santa Ysabel and eighth in his Hall of Fame career. “She is getting better. Her worst enemy is that she is just so cranked up. My team and my staff everyone works hard to school her and spends time with her.

“She is just a naturally gifted speed horse. She has a beautiful way of moving and just gets over the ground really nice and with her speed and the way she gets going it’s just perfect.”

A $350,000 purchase at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, Kinza set strong fractions of :22.53, :45.98 and 1:10.55 under light pressure from She’s a Tempest.

Hernandez gave Kinza her cue to kick on at the top of the stretch and the chestnut filly responded, drawing off to win in 1:44.16.

“She was feeling very sharp today in the post parade,” Hernandez said. “She was just feeling a little fresh and now she knows she was going to race, so she was feeling a little hot. I didn’t want to go that fast in the beginning, I wanted to go nice and easy.

“I just let her go, I didn’t want to fight her. She was really comfortable. I felt the pace fast earlier, so I said, ‘I’m just going to wait I’m not going to move.’ I was just checking making sure no one got too close to me and when she switched leads that’s when she picked it up again and gave me another gear. She is a nice filly.”

Bred by JD Business Ventures, Brushy Hill Stables and the Carpe Diem Syndicate, Kinza is the first foal out of the winning Quality Road mare Secret Wonder.

Kinza sold at auction three times before her debut. She brought $17,000 as a weanling from Marysue Stable at the 20121 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She was later purchased by Grassroots Training and Sales for $30,000 at the 2022 OBS October yearling sale. Grassroots Training and Sales consigned the filly at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of 2-year-olds in training, where she brought $350,000 from agent Donato Lanni.

The second most expensive New York-bred at the May sale, Kinza picked up $60,000 for her Santa Ysabel victory to boost her earnings to $159,000.

Secret Wonder, a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling and half-sister to the stakes-placed Mylastfirstkiss, is also the dam of a 2-year-old New York-bred filly by Instagrand bred by JD Business Ventures LLC.

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Today results from the American Horse Council (AHC) Economic Impact Study for New York State were released by the equine advocacy group SaddleUpNY!

The report shows New York’s racing sector remains an important hub of Thoroughbred & Standardbred racing in North America. This provides New York State with over $3 billion in economic impact and more than 19,000 jobs.

“The findings from the American Horse Council’s economic impact study for New York report that the breeding and racing industry is an invaluable asset to our state,” said NYTB President Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M. “Our state-bred program has positioned itself as the leading regional program in the nation, and we look forward to continuing to work with our fellow stakeholders to ensure that the additional investment in breeding and racing in New York will result in added revenue for all areas across the state.”

SaddleUPNY! Press release continues below Horse Racing in New York brings $3 Billion to the NYS Economy New York is one of the largest racing hubs in the United States, and the recent results of the American Horse Council (AHC) Economic Impact Study, along with those of the associated New York State ‘breakout’ study, document the strength and importance of the racing sector in New York’s Equine profile. Together, the Thoroughbred and Standardbred Racing sectors in New York bring an economic impact of $3 billion (inclusive of tourism impact) and employment impact of 19,785.

With 11 pari-mutuel racetracks (four Thoroughbred and seven Standardbred), New York hosted 1078 live race days in 2022, with avtotal handle reaching $2.7 billion and purses topping out at $295 million. In addition to race days, New York hosts some of the top sales in North America. The Thoroughbred sales venue at Saratoga’s Fasig Tipton lands in the top 10 for both the Saratoga Sale and the New York Bred Yearling Sale, both of which take place in August. In Middletown, NY, the Goshen Standardbred Yearling Sale in September is among the Top 10 public Standardbred yearling sales in North America.

Horse racing has a long and robust history in New York, drawing tourists to tracks, farms, towns and communities. The economic value of tourism is part of the $3 billion total impact, as $575 million of that $3 billion comes from racing tourism. Saratoga, as the preeminent and oldest Thoroughbred track in the country, attracts more than a million visitors a year. The Goshen Historic Track in Goshen, NY, established as a Standardbred facility in 1838, is the oldest continuously operated track in North America, regardless of breed. Although horse training occurs year round at the half-mile oval, it is a tourism hub for Orange County during its summer race meet. Because of the historic nature of both racing venues, Saratoga Springs and Goshen are home to their respective sports’ Hall of Fame Museums, a further tourism draw for New York.

While most of the highlights of racing come on the track at the sport’s various race meets, the behind-the-scenes work of the people that care for the horses – day and night – is what makes it all possible. That work takes place at home farms, stables and practice tracks across New York, including the rolling fields where young foals first stretch their legs, learning the basics and growing strong to one day become racing prospects. According to Tom Grossman, owner of Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, NY, “our standardbred nursery boasts an average population of 150 mares and their youngsters with enormous trickle-down economic benefits supporting agricultural entities like hay growers, grain and bedding suppliers, and equipment providers (tractors, trucks, hay balers etc.).” The expanded impact of horse farms is an often unrecognized benefit –including the impact on land preservation and associated capital improvement of the land. Based on the AHC study results, 51% of New York horse owners own or lease a farm, barn or stable, with total acreage estimated at 303,000. And while breeders hope those foals will make it to the track, that doesn’t always happen. Thoroughbred and Standardbred race prospects are highly desired for their ability to transition to new careers, however. New York was an early adopter of mechanisms to support such transitions, with programs such as Take2, TAKE THE LEAD, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Purple Haze Standardbred Adoption, and the Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program. In addition, the NY Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund has provided well over a million dollars to Thoroughbred aftercare facilities in the state, and annually provides more than $100,000 to facilities that re-train Thoroughbreds or provide sanctuary homes for those that cannot have a useful second career.

This summer, New York will see an additional boost to racing’s economic impact, with Saratoga playing host to the Belmont Stakes – the third leg of the famed Triple Crown. According to Najja Thompson, Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, “Last summer, the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (SCID) found that the Thoroughbred meet at Saratoga generated $371 million in economic impact and provided 2,900 jobs across the Capitol Region alone.” Those numbers will no doubt rise dramatically with the Belmont, and the buzz is growing around the potential for those figures. “The Saratoga Chamber of Commerce thinks the four-day Thoroughbred meet in June for the running of the Belmont Stakes will pump $50 million into the area – and that’s just an estimate of the tourism dollars,” says Tracy Egan, Executive Director of the NY Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund. Enthusiasm for horses in New York is strong, with 2.4 million households (30% of all households) containing a horse enthusiast – and New York racing has something for everyone. Racing schedules for Thoroughbred racing in the state can be found at the NYRA website (www.nyra.com) and the Finger Lake Racetrack website www.fingerlakesgaming.com. The Standardbred racing schedule can be found at www.nysirestakes.com . The New York State Economic Impact study was commissioned by SaddleUpNY! and made possible through the generous contributions of the following industry partners and friends: New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Old Field Farm, Ltd, Blue Chip Farm, John Madden Sales, Cornell University Hospital for Animals, New York Farm Bureau, New York State Horse Council, Karin Bump, Timothy Williams, Sally Lynch, Kent Nutrition and Triple Crown Nutrition. In addition, a linked GoFundMe campaign was also utilized for essential broader support from individuals across the state. This is the second in a series of press releases focusing on the results of the study. Additional highlights of the New York State Economic Impact study will be released in the coming weeks. Questions can be directed to Dr. Karin Bump, Executive Director of SaddleUpNY!, at Dr.kbump@gmail.com Photo credit: Photo Courtesy of Blue Chip Farms, Wallkill, NY. Photo credit to Tammie Jean Photography.

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