Aqueduct Racetrack Notes 01/15

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Aqueduct Racetrack Notes

Ramify looking to further legacy of Sightseek in $125K Busanda
Beautiful Blome brings experience to $125K Busanda
Poster to return to New York for G3 Withers
Bless the Broken to contest Silverbulletday

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – When multiple Grade 1-winner Sightseek was retired from racing in 2004, the international powerhouse Juddmonte held high hopes that the daughter of Distant View would continue to produce top progeny as her dam Viviana and Reine-de-Course broodmares Nijinsky Star, Chris Evert and Miss Carmie did further down her bottom line.

After six foals to race yielded Grade 3-placed stakes-winner Raison d’Etat and Russian stakes performer Night Site, the dreams of continuing the blue-blooded line shifted to the next generation of Sightseek’s progeny, led by the promising sophomore filly Ramify in Saturday’s nine-furlong $125,000 Busanda at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Garrett O’Rourke, General Manager of Juddmonte U.S.A., said he is optimistic the daughter of Munnings, out of the Tapit mare Chamber, will relish two turns referencing the Juddmonte pair of dual graded stakes-winning millionaire Bonny South and graded stakes-placed Sun Path, also by Munnings and out of a Tapit mare in Touch the Star, who both proved successful at a route of ground.

“I’ve always been a fan of Speightstown, and Munnings was the natural progression to succeed him,” O’Rourke said. “I always felt like he was under the radar for quite a few years, and we’ve had good success with the likes of Bonny South, Sun Path, and now Ramify. I think the distance is a little longer than I might have thought ideal for her being a Munnings, but who knows?”

Chamber was trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, her three-start resume including a dominant 7 1/2-length win at second asking sprinting seven furlongs at Belmont Park. Short as her career was, O’Rourke said Chamber showed flashes of the talent Juddmonte had hoped to see from Sightseek’s progeny.

“We worked with the family a long time trying to get something to keep the Sightseek line going. I have to say that I was disappointed that as brilliant of a mare as Sightseek was, and as magnificent-looking she was, we couldn’t get anything out of her that was anywhere close to her ability,” O’Rourke said. “Chamber did show ability but had some issues. When she won, she won impressively, but we weren’t able to get her to black type level. It took going from stallion to stallion seeing what is it that can unlock the brilliance going back to Sightseek, and maybe it will be with Ramify.”

Five years after Chamber’s last trip around the racetrack, Ramify stepped into Brown’s barn with the same hopes her mother did. Though she did not debut until December 8, she proved well worth the wait as she overcame a 13-length deficit to pick off rivals down the lane of the one-turn mile and fend off the late run of returning rival My Sherrona. The half-length victory was awarded a 76 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest in the nine-horse Busanda field.

“She’s a filly that looked like she was going to be a precocious type but injured a hock last year. We gave her all the time she needed to heal, but it set her back a few months,” O’Rourke explained. “She got to Chad a little bit later, and in fairness, she didn’t skip a beat after that. Going into her race, I was confident she had ability, but with 2-year-olds you’re just trying to figure out how much. You can only see so much in the mornings and those races teach you a lot more. It was admirable the way she fought on to win it.”

A win in the Busanda would make Ramify a top prospect on the Kentucky Oaks trail as the race offers the top-five finishers a respective 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points towards the prestigious Grade 1 test on the First Friday in May at Churchill Downs.

“At this time of year, you’re just trying to find out what level of ability these horses have and where we’re at with them,” O’Rourke said. “Coming off that nice maiden win, it seemed like the natural progression. We get all of that education on Saturday, and hopefully it’s to our liking.”

Ramify boasts a trend of route proficiencies on her bottom line with six of Sightseek’s seven Grade 1 wins coming at 1 1/16 miles and nine furlongs. Sightseek is also a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Tates Creek, a dual Grade 1-winner on turf at both nine and 10 furlongs.

O’Rourke concluded he is comfortable leaving race tactics in the capable hands of Brown and jockey Jose Lezcano as he rides the filly from post 3 on Saturday.

“The fact is, all of the horses have to run the distance and maybe they’re all in the same boat where they all find it a bit of a stretch this time of year,” O’Rourke said. “She definitely was running on well at the end of her last race. I would hope she jumps and will be a bit closer, keep a nice and steady pace, and finish the same way. This is the stuff you have to learn.”

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Beautiful Blome brings experience to $125K Busanda

Teresa Haupt and breeder Charles Blanford’s Beautiful Blome brings the lone stakes win and is tied for the most starts among nine entrants in Saturday’s $125,000 Busanda, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Busanda awards the top-five finishers a respective 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Anthony Pecoraro, Beautiful Blome won the one-mile White Clay Creek two starts back on October 9 at Delaware Park. The Blofeld chestnut traveled off the pace around the two-turn mile configuration before a rail-skimming surge to win by 8 1/4 lengths.

Beautiful Blome exited to run a last-out distant sixth in the one-turn mile Listed Tempted on November 2 at Belmont at the Big A. There, she traveled in last-of-nine early and had far too much work to do as eventual winner Stunner led through splits of 22.92 seconds, 45.87 and 1:10.76 on the fast dirt.

“I think she needs two turns. I don’t think one turn justifies her,” said Pecoraro. “She doesn’t like to be rushed, or anything like that. It [the Tempted] was too fast for her. It was more like a sprint that race. They went 45, that’s rocking. Those horses were more difficult than this group, I’d assume.”

Pecoraro said Beautiful Blome has an experience edge through a 6-2-0-2 record, which includes a stakes placing when third in the restricted Small Wonder sprinting six furlongs in September at Delaware. Busanda contender Carmen’s Candy Jar also has six starts but was cross-entered in a Friday state-bred optional-claimer for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who also sends maiden-winner Ruth.

“I think you’ll get a couple of horses in here that just broke their maiden, who will be on or close to the lead. My horse has a little seasoning in her,” said Pecoraro. “She comes from behind, if it sets up for her, it’ll be perfect.”

Pecoraro believes the stretch out to nine furlongs is more ideal for Beautiful Blome than the one-turn mile.

“That wasn’t her thing at all. She’s had a couple of months off and is nice and fresh. I just hope she is good enough that’s all,” Pecoraro added. “She’s slowly getting better each time she runs, if you watch and look at her numbers, we’ll see.”

Bred in Maryland by Blanford, Beautiful Blome is out of the winning After Market mare Best Mom Ever. Eric Cancel has the call from post 2.

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Poster to return to New York for G3 Withers

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Poster, last out winner of the Grade 2 Remsen, will look to double up on graded wins in New York when he returns for the nine-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on February 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Eoin Harty, the Munnings chestnut notched a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure for his narrow nose victory on December 7 over Aviator Gui in the Grade 2 Remsen, a nine-furlong route for 2-year-olds, to close out his juvenile campaign. The Remsen effort secured 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Poster returned to his Turfway Park base following the Remsen, working three times over the synthetic before severe winter weather forced the Kentucky track to cancel recent cards. Live racing is slated to resume this evening at Turfway.

“He’s doing very well. He’s missed a bit of training because of the weather here in Kentucky,” Harty said. “I’m thinking about what I’ll do here with him in the next couple of days, but he’s doing very well and if everything goes according to plan, he’ll be in New York on February 1.”

Poster made his dirt debut in the Remsen following a pair of prominent one-mile wins on turf, graduating in August at Ellis Park and following with an allowance score in October at Keeneland that garnered a 69 Beyer.

Flavien Prat was aboard for the Remsen effort as Poster rated off the pace before rallying strongly through the turn and opening up a two-length advantage at the stretch call. He stayed on strong to the wire to turn back the lugging-in Aviator Gui by a nose in a final time of 1:50.37.

Harty said he was impressed with how Poster handled the dirt and the stretch out in distance.

“He handled the kickback, and he was traveling very well on the surface. He showed that he’s not one dimensional,” Harty said.

Harty said he’s hopeful Poster will continue to improve in the Withers, which offers 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

“The distance is fine for him, absolutely,” Harty said. “Everything’s on track, it’s just a matter of no interruptions in his training.”

The Withers is followed on the Big A’s Road to the Kentucky Derby by the one-mile Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham [50-25-15-10-5] on March 1 and the nine-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino [100-50-25-15-10] on April 5.

Poster is out of the winning Tapit mare Pin Up, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-victor Bernardini, who took the 2006 Grade 1 Travers, Preakness and Jockey Club Gold Cup en route to Champion 3-Year-Old Colt honors. Harty trained Poster’s half-brother Stately Order, along with half-sisters Fancy Dress and Betty Grable – all Godolphin homebreds out of Pin Up.

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred First Resort earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his last-out victory over Jonathan’s Way in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club on November 30 at Churchill Downs.

The Uncle Mo bay worked back twice at Turfway before winter weather interrupted plans.

“He missed an extra work. I had planned on working him on a Saturday and we got snowed in,” Harty said. “He’s doing great. We’re waiting to see if we can get a work into him this weekend, figure out his level of fitness and figure out where I’m going with him.”

First Resort, out of the Grade 1-winning Street Boss mare Fair Maiden, graduated on debut in July sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over a muddy and sealed track at Ellis Park. He followed one month later with a prominent 3 1/4-length second to Showcase in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Saratoga Special before a fourth-place effort in the Grade 1 Summer traveling one-mile over firm turf in September at Woodbine.

Harty said he will look to keep First Resort and Poster separated as they maneuver their separate paths to the Kentucky Derby.

“Off his race at Churchill, I think he can go further. It would be very nice if he could get a mile and a quarter,” said Harty, with a laugh. “That’s the way we’re pointing right now. He hasn’t disappointed me yet.”

Calumet Farm’s Very Bold was elevated to second in an eventful edition of the seven-furlong Pasco on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs after Owen Almighty, who crossed the wire first, was disqualified for interference and Naughty Rascal subsequently elevated to victory in the sophomore sprint.

Piloted by Jesus Castanon, Very Bold was last-of-6 in the early running before rallying down the lane to cross the wire third, 5 1/2-lengths back of Owen Almighty.

Harty indicated the Union Rags chestnut will look to stretch out at Tampa Bay Downs with the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Sam F. Davis [20-10-6-4-2] a potential target on February 8.

“He’s good. He was back at the track today. We’ll continue on that path with him,” Harty said. “He was a bit one-paced early on, but he finished strongly and galloped out well. I don’t know if a mile and a quarter is in his wheelhouse, but he’s certainly going to stretch out in his next start.”

Very Bold, a $45,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, is out of the Candy Ride mare Sweet Revenge, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Danzing Candy and a full-sister to dual stakes winner Cedartown. His third dam, Bendita, produced multiple Grade 1-winner Better Talk Now.

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Bless the Broken to contest Silverbulletday

Cypress Creek Equine’s Kentucky homebred Bless the Broken cross-entered in Saturday’s $125,000 Busanda at Aqueduct Racetrack and the $150,000 Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds Race Course, with trainer Will Walden confirming Wednesday morning that she will run in Louisiana.

The Silverbulletday is a one-mile and 70-yards test for sophomore fillies that awards 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks. Bless the Broken has worked three times at Fair Grounds since a seventh in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on December 7 at Aqueduct.

“She’s going to stay down there,” Walden said. “I thought on paper the races looked pretty similar, and if you give the edge as far as class to New York, and add a ship from Louisiana, it would have to be just a tremendously easier spot. You’re going to give the edge to running out of your own stall rather than shipping.”

The Laoban dark bay traveled in 8th-of-10 in the Demoiselle and never made up ground in the nine-furlong Kentucky Oaks points event won by Muhimma. It came shortly after a head defeat in a November 15 optional-claimer traveling 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs.

“We took a shot to maybe hit the board when wheeling her back in three weeks with the ship which was not ideal and she kind of ran flat,” said Walden. “She’s got six weeks into this race and has been breezing well over the surface. We think it sets up.”

Bless the Broken is out of the Tapit mare The Nightingale, who is a half-sister to 2013 Kentucky Oaks-winner Princess of Sylmar. Walden said Bless the Broken acts like a horse built for Classic distances.

“She’s kind of a grinder, doesn’t have a ton of early speed, but isn’t completely void either,” Walden said. “We think we have the distance pedigree; we’re just trying to find the spot.”

OXO Equine’s Prides Crossing, a 4-year-old Quality Road bay filly, finished sixth as the favorite in a one-turn mile optional-claimer on Sunday at Aqueduct. It was just the second career start for the $1.3 million 2022 Keeneland September Yearling purchase. She bobbled at the break, improved to a close third position in the turn, but ultimately weakened.

“You know, she’s probably going to be grass,” Walden said. “We felt like if she was dirt, she’d prove it there. She’s a Quality Road, who has had plenty of success on grass, out of a Galileo mare. She will probably find her best success on grass.”

TEC Racing’s Big Blue Line will look to bring stakes success to the Walden barn in Saturday’s one-mile $75,000 Jennings at Laurel Park. The 6-year-old Atreides gelding boasts a 23-4-7-0 record, entering from a pair of off-the-board efforts in turf graded stakes and most recently a sixth on synthetic in the 1 1/16-mile Listed Prairie Bayou on December 14 at Turfway Park.

“He’s a pretty handy individual. We’re super excited to have him,” Walden said, of the first-off the $80,000 claim winner in August at Saratoga Race Course. “I think we’re coming into it the right way. We decided to play around after he won off-the-claim, we figured we’d take some [graded stakes] shots. Now, we’re back at one-mile, which he certainly likes.”

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