Aqueduct: Stone Smuggler slips by in time in $500K NYSSS Fifth Avenue

Posted On 15 Dec 2024

Stone Smuggler slips by in time in $500K NYSSS Fifth Avenue

By Mary Eddy

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and SunsetRidge Racing Stable’s Stone Smuggler made all the right moves to notch her second career stakes victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible state-sired juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, the New York-bred daughter of Honest Mischief gave her sire a sweep of the two stallion stakes on today’s card at the Big A after Sacrosanct captured the $500,000 Great White Way division one race earlier. She adds to a maiden-breaking score in the 5 1/2-furlong state-bred Lady Finger in September at Finger Lakes Racetrack and improved from a prominent third last out in the local state-bred Key Cents on November 17.

Dan Zanatta, co-managing partner of NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, praised Sequel Stallions’ popular young sire Honest Mischief, who will stand in 2025 for $7,500. Stone Smuggler was purchased for $57,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Preferred Yearling Sale, and hopes are also high for their other Honest Mischief filly Oklahoma Smoke, who broke her maiden impressively one week ago here.

“We ended up buying four Honest Mischiefs pretty early at the weanling and yearling sales. They were all really balanced – maybe a little shorter legged horses, but they all had tremendous hips, great girths, great toplines and great walking motion,” Zanatta said. “We love New York-sired horses to go after because typically we can buy the best ones – we can afford to buy the best ones. We bought Oklahoma Smoke and we bought her as the two best Honest Mischiefs we found of the filly crop and it’s worked out for us.”

Guided to victory by Jose Lezcano, Stone Smuggler emerged sharpest-of-11 from the outermost post, but was unhurried as a quartet of foes led by the rail-skimming Bam’s Bliss Kiss all made a dash for the front as the opening quarter-mile elapsed in 22.72 seconds over the fast footing.

Bam’s Bliss Kiss remained in front approaching the turn as Stunning Sugar, Mischief Lady and Blossoming Erudite battled for second position and Stone Smuggler tracked wide and patiently in the middle of the tightly-bunched field. Bam’s Bliss Kiss and Mischief Lady remained at the front entering the turn as Blossoming Erudite toiled and Stunning Sugar quickly backpedaled, making things tight for Queen Atlas and causing her to lose ground significantly and shuffle to the rear of the field.

All the while, Lezcano kept Stone Smuggler in the clear in the four path and commenced his bid past the tiring Blossoming Erudite as Mischief Lady stuck her head in front of a stubborn Bam’s Bliss Kiss through the half-mile in 46.59. Stone Smuggler was no longer alone on the far outside as Princess Mischief and post-time favorite Boston’s Phinest ranged up even wider from well off the pace and gave chase into the lane with Stone Smuggler chipping away at the tiring pacesetters.

Boston’s Phinest spun her wheels and Princess Mischief appeared to be rolling down the center of the course under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, but Stone Smuggler inched clear and dug in valiantly to turn back her foe, scoring by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:24.90.

Material Girl found her best stride late under Dylan Davis and bested Princess Mischief for place honors by a neck at the wire. Boston’s Phinest, D’s a Rock, Mischief Lady, Storm Changer, Bam’s Bliss Kiss, Blossoming Erudite, Queen Atlas and Stunning Sugar completed the order of finish. Idyll Gossip was scratched.

Lezcano, aboard for the first time in the afternoon, said the filly was professional in her first start beyond six furlongs.

“She ran a good race. I think the seven-eighths was no problem for her,” Lezcano said. “The post helped my filly today. She broke clean and I sat where I wanted to be. When I asked her, she went on and won the race.”

The Fifth Avenue marked the largest purse won this year by Abreu, whose memorable season included his first graded stakes win with Scottish Lassie in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette in October here.

Abreu said he was pleased with the trip Lezcano worked out.

“She really ran well. I was a little concerned about the seven-eighths with her. I didn’t know if she could go that far – but she did it,” Abreu said. “I was a little bit concerned [about the outside post] but the race had a lot of speed inside of her, so that worked out well. I said to Jose, ‘whoever takes the lead, just park right outside of them.’ Stretching out I didn’t want to see her fighting for the lead. Jose rode a great race.”

Zanatta said the Fifth Avenue has been the long-term goal for Stone Smuggler.

“We have never had a horse in this race before. Over the past 2-or-3 years, we specifically went out and bought horses for this race,” Zanatta said. “We bought this filly at the yearling sale with this race in mind. So, 18 months later to be in this race, never mind win it, is a success. Very rarely do you buy a horse a year and half before a race target and actually get there.”

Abreu added Stone Smuggler will now head to Florida and prepare for the seven-furlong state-bred $125,000 East View on February 8 here.

Bred in the Empire State by Eaton and Thorne, Inc., Stone Smuggler is out of the winning Bustin Stones mare Bustinattheseams. She banked $275,000 in victory while returning $7.80 on a $2 win ticket.

Dylan Davis, aboard the Chad Brown-trained runner-up Material Girl, said he was proud of the daughter of Central Banker’s effort as a maiden in a competitive stakes in just her third career start.

“She ran great. I breezed her a couple times and she showed that what she was doing in the morning translated to here really nicely,” Davis said. “I was excited for her to run today and she performed well. She came with a good finish and second was really good.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack with a 10-race card. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Sacrosanct tested but remains undefeated in $500K NYSSS Great White Way

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Lady Sheila Stable, Net Birdie and Schwing Thoroughbreds’ Sacrosanct became 4-for-4 with three consecutive stakes wins when holding off National Identity by a head in Saturday’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible state-sired juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the New York-bred Honest Mischief bay entered off a pair of local state-bred stakes scores, capturing the Sleepy Hollow by 1 1/2 lengths last out on October 27 after a dominant 12-length victory in the Bertram F. Bongard on September 22. He was piloted by returning rider Manny Franco in both victories, along with a 3 1/4-length debut score in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Sheila Rosenblum, of winning co-owner Lady Sheila Stable, said it is special to own such a talented horse for New York-sired stakes races.

“I think it’s a great program and we’re lucky to be a part of it. I’m incredibly pleased with what he’s doing – Sacrosanct is a good talent,” said Rosenblum. “He and Manny Franco are becoming a good team together. I think the program needs this and is spectacular. I was always so pro-New York and the turnout – it’s wonderful to see the people out.”

The favored Sacrosanct exited the inside post under Franco and settled into second position to stalk the George Weaver-trained Bold Fortune who led through an opening quarter-mile in 22.30 seconds on the fast dirt.

“The Weaver horse, he was the speed. I let him clear me and I went around right away,” said Franco. “After that, I just put my horse where he was comfortable, and I don’t want to let the five horse [Bold Fortune] get away from me too easy neither.”

Bold Fortune, a last-out pacesetting 7 3/4-length victor of the state-bred New York Breeders’ Futurity on October 21 at Finger Lakes Racetrack, was tracked by Sacrosanct into the turn as the pair put a gap between themselves and the rest of the field through a half-mile in 45.01 seconds, with National Identity making up the most significant ground to grab third position.

“I was so happy because that was where I wanted to be,” Franco said. “I wanted to be outside him [Bold Fortune] and get the first run of the horses coming from behind.”

Sacrosanct put his head in front of Bold Fortune at the top of the lane to take a narrow lead, but National Identity improved down the center of the course and was quickly within a half-length under Kendrick Carmouche. As this pair battled head-and-head for the lead in the stretch, Soontobeking made a rapid move from further back and tried to go inside the tiring Bold Fortune for a run at the leaders but checked hard as the window along the rail shut.

“When the other horse came to me, I said, ‘Eh, I fight already, so let’s see if he’ll give me another gear,’” Franco said of National Identity’s challenge. “He did, and he was game. He didn’t want to lose today.”

Sacrosanct, despite enduring the sharp fractions on the front end, would not go down to National Identity without a fight, with Smilensaycheese three lengths back giving chase after three-quarters in 1:10.46.

Sacrosanct was tested more than ever before by National Identity, but ultimately kept his head in front to maintain his perfect record in a final time of 1:24.10.

“They were setting an honest pace and when the runner-up came up to him, he really dug in. I was really happy with the horse,” said Dustin Dugas, Cox’s New York-based assistant.

It was 2 3/4 lengths back to Smilensaycheese in third, with another five lengths back to Soontobeking rounding out the superfecta. Twohonestmischief, Buttah, Bold Fortune and Missing Rocks completed the order of finish. Friend Ofthe Devil, who is entered in a state-bred optional claimer on Sunday, and Man in Finance were scratched.

Carmouche said that the Danny Gargan-trained National Identity was game in defeat.

“He tried his best, just second best. Nothing you can do. I had him in the right spot and I thought he [Sacrosanct] was going quick enough in front where I could have run him down,” Carmouche said. “But his horse fought all the way through the wire. The best horse won today.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard fourth-place Soontobeking for Weaver, said he was unlucky when forced to check as the Dylan Davis-ridden stablemate Bold Fortune weakened.

“I thought I had it. I did the right thing. The horse comes from behind. I saved all the ground and tried to go through on the rail,” Castellano said. “The rail was open and when it was time to go Dylan dropped all the way to the rail. I had to check and had no place to go. I made the right decision, but it didn’t work out for me.”

Bred in the Empire State by Burleson Farms, Mckenzie Bloodstock and Sequel Thoroughbreds, Sacrosanct, out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Vibrato, was a $260,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. His second dam is dual stakes-winner Cuff Me.

Sacrosanct banked $275,000 in victory while improving his record to 4-4-0-0 and returning $3.10 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack with a 10-race card. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern.

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Contact: Christian Abdo