Belmont at the Big A Notes 05/14

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Belmont at the Big A Notes

German-bred Sirona to ship stateside for G1 Just a Game
New York-bred Whatchatalkinabout makes the grade in G3 John A. Nerud
Crazy Mason works for G3 True North
Phileas Fogg in top form for G3 Pimlico Special
One Nine Hundred makes stakes debut in $150K Chick Lang

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Multiple Group 3-placed mare Sirona is slated to make her U.S. debut in the Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game, a two-turn turf mile for older fillies and mares set for Friday, June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by David Menuisier, the 5-year-old German-bred daughter of Soldier Hollow exits a hard-fought fourth in the right-handed one-mile Listed Conqueror Fillies on May 3 at Goodwood. There, she took a prominent route under Rossa Ryan and led to the final 110 yards before being defeated three-quarter lengths by the John and Thady Gosden-trained Crimson Advocate, who won the 2023 Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot for her former conditioner George Weaver.

“It was a good effort, but I was frustrated after the race because I think we should have won, really,” Menuisier said. “There was no pace whatsoever and we were drawn wide. We came out of the stalls OK and all the ones that were drawn on the inside took a pull, so we ended up in front. This filly is not a frontrunner. She wants cover otherwise she can run a bit free and that’s exactly what she did. She did a bit too much throughout the race to be able to keep a bit of energy to finish it off.

“She will definitely be fitter for the race, but circumstances were not ideal despite the fact that the race was pretty good,” he added. “That’s why I felt that she is definitely as good as she was last year. It was a good start to the season, so why not venture there and do something bigger.”

Sirona was previously trained by Charlie Johnston, winning a 7 1/4-furlong Handicap over soft ground at Ayr in October 2023 before joining the Menuisier stable for her 4-year-old campaign last year.

The bay showed marked improvement last season with a game neck win in the Listed Rosemary on September 27 traveling a straight mile at Newmarket. Along the way she picked up a trio of placings in Group 3 events when third in the seven-furlong Chartwell Fillies on the straight at Lingfield, second in the 7 1/4-furlong John of Gaunt traveling left-handed at Haydock and second in the one-mile Prix Perth going left-handed in October at Saint-Cloud.

Menuisier said Sirona, out of the Group 3-winning Kallisto mare Si Luna, is up to the challenge of traveling two turns over a tighter Spa turf configuration.

“Until she proves me wrong, I really don’t think that it should be an issue because she’s so versatile,” Menuisier said. “She’s not a massive filly, so I think she will be agile enough to go around two bends.

“She’s run on every sort of ground from quick to heavy and she’s been very versatile,” Menuisier continued. “Now, she’s coming to an age where you have to take risks because I don’t think she will stay another season in training. She’s used to traveling in Europe, so why not take her on an airplane and discover new things.”

Menuisier said the quicker early tempo in U.S. racing should suit Sirona.

“In Europe, the faster they go the better she is,” Menuisier said. “She used to be a bit free, a bit keen, but now she’s more settled and the faster they go the better she is and then she can show her change of gear towards the end of the race. I would assume she will be trailing towards the back and trying to make some headway towards the end of the race.”

While Sirona will represent the U.K.-based Menuisier’s second starter in North America after a runner-up effort with Thundering Blue in the 2018 Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine, he is no stranger to racing on this side of pond, having previously served as an assistant to Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.

The French-born Menuisier grew up in a racing family in Lorraine and worked as an assistant to Criquette Head-Maarek in Chantilly, France, before being hand picked to work for Mandella in 2005-06, where he worked with top horses such as The Tin Man, Pleasantly Perfect and Rock Hard Ten.

On his return to Europe, he served as an assistant to John Dunlop OBE before going out on his own in 2014.

Menuisier said he has some unfinished business in North America as he looks to improve on the result by Thundering Blue, who had the lead at the stretch call only to be collared late by Desert Encounter.

“I was a bit unlucky that day, to be fair. The horse saw daylight a little too soon and came a bit early and got pipped on the line. We need to put that right,” Menuisier said, with a laugh.

Win or lose, the veteran conditioner said he is excited to make his first trip to the Spa.

“It’s always great to discover a new place and I’m looking forward to it,” Menuisier said.

***

New York-bred Whatchatalkinabout makes the grade in G3 John A. Nerud

Ice Wine Stable’s New York-bred Whatchatalkinabout made his graded stakes debut a winning one with a gutsy head score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 John A. Nerud, at Belmont at the Big A.

The victory provided David Reid’s Ice Wine Stable with their first solo graded score, joining past success with No Nay Never, who was owned in partnership with Susan Magnier, Michael G. Tabor and Derrick Smith.

“No Nay Never won a graded race for us at Keeneland, and he won at Ascot and in France – that was in partnership with Coolmore,” noted Reid of No Nay Never’s scores in the Group 2 Norfolk at Ascot and Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville in 2013 along with a win in the 2014 Grade 3 Woodford at Keeneland. “Saturday was our first solo graded stakes winner, and it was quite a thrill. It was a great day. We’ve been fortunate to have horses that are able to compete in stakes races and besides No Nay Never there hasn’t been a graded winner. So, it’s good to do it and it’s good to do it in New York.”

Trained by Wesley Ward, the 4-year-old Dialed In gelding was making his first start since an eight-length romp in a state-bred optional-claiming sprint here in January that registered a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Whatchatalkinabout was slated to return in the Grade 3 Commonwealth on April 8 at Keeneland, but was rerouted after he acted up in the gate and was scratched in response to a fractious Nutella Fella, whose antics delayed the start of the race significantly.

“It was a big field, and he had an outside post and they couldn’t get that other horse in the gate,” Reid recalled. “He’s always been a good actor in the stalls but that day unfortunately he got a little restless. He sat down more than anything and it warranted a scratch. You turn the page and try to find the next option and we found a good option. I was very happy to be there and celebrate the win at NYRA.”

Whatchatalkinabout exited post 3 in good order Saturday under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and, along with Surveillance, pressed a swift pace set by Silver Slugger of 21.89 seconds and 44.84 over the fast main track. The trio were heads apart at the stretch call with Silver Slugger on the inside and Surveillance on the outside, but a game Whatchatalkinabout refused to give way and dug in gamely to score by a head over Silver Slugger. It was another neck back to Surveillance in third. Whatchatalkinabout stopped the clock in a final time of 1:09.03 and registered a 94 Beyer.

The victory improved the gelding’s record to 7-4-2-1 and includes a win in the state-bred New York Breeders’ Futurity in October 2023 at Finger Lakes Racetrack.

“Every start that horse has made, he always shows a great desire and he’s always been strong in the lane to his credit,” Reid said. “Going 21 and 44, you’d generally prefer not to see those fractions, but in sprint stakes that’s what you get nowadays. I knew down the lane he would give a good fight, and it was just going to be a matter of who would get their nose down first at the wire. I was very proud of him. It was an exciting race, and you were on the edge of your seat the whole stretch.”

Ward told the Daily Racing Form this week that Whatchatalkinabout would likely point to the Grade 1, $400,000 Bing Crosby on July 26 at Del Mar, which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November there.

“The Bing Crosby is a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup and I think Wesley maybe feels that that’s a year-end target for Whatchatalkinabout,” Reid said.

Bred in the Empire State by Newtown Anner Stud, Whatchatalkinabout banked $96,250 in victory while improving his lifetime earnings to $335,328. Whatchatalkinabout was selected by Ward for $82,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Reid noted that he’s always on the lookout for good New York-bred stock for his program, which includes about a dozen active horses split evenly between trainers Ward and Philip Antonacci. He also has a number of broodmares currently stabled at the NYRA-owned Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, New York.

The Westchester, N.Y. resident said he is paying close attention to the construction of the new Belmont Park, which will re-open in 2026 and offer a fully renovated main dirt track, two turf courses and a new one-mile Tapeta oval which will become the exclusive winter racing surface on the NYRA circuit.

“I’m a big supporter of the New York program. I live in Westchester and I’m from the Saratoga area originally growing up, so I’m pro-New York and planning accordingly. I like the change,” Reid said of the synthetic course. “I think it’s going to be a good alternative surface. I still like dirt and turf, but being up here in the northeast, it gives you another option. We’ve had runners on it, and I think it’s another added surface that will be beneficial to racing.”

Ice Wine Stable has enjoyed plenty of past success on synthetic footing, including with the Ward-trained No Nay Never who graduated over the Keeneland Polytrack in 2014.

“I’ve had a fair amount of luck with Wesley on Tapeta. I’m looking forward to it and planning accordingly – both for the breeding and we buy yearlings every year,” Reid said. “We like New York-breds and when we go to the yearling sales and even when we’re buying privately, we take that into consideration.”

Reid said he plans to be regularly involved in New York racing going forward, if only to appease NYRA’s Sr. Director of Racing Keith Doleshel and its Racing Secretary Rob MacLennan.

“We don’t want to disappoint the race office, we like to keep Keith and Rob happy over there,” said Reid, with a laugh.

***

Crazy Mason works for G3 True North

Donna Wright and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Crazy Mason breezed a half-mile in 49.70 seconds Monday over the Belmont Park dirt training track in preparation for a start during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Crazy Mason was a last-to-first winner of the seven-furlong Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets last out on April 5 here. He will likely point to the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3, $400,000 True North, but will also be considered for the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Both races are to be contested on Belmont Stakes Day on June 7 and would be part of a campaign that aims towards the Spa’s seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Forego on August 23, which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“It was a good work,” trainer Gregg Sacco said. “He finished up really good. The gallop out was strong. The energy level is there. We’ll amp it up the next couple works prior to the race. He’ll have a stiff work next weekend here.

“He came out of the Carter in great shape,” Sacco added. “He’s continued to maintain his weight and we’re looking forward to his next race, which is looking like it will be the True North. There’s a possibility of the Met Mile, but the True North is the one we’re leaning towards.”

The 4-year-old Coal Front colt made the grade last out with a five-wide rally from last-of-7 and 10 lengths off the pace to capture the Carter. His Carter effort, with Manny Franco up for the first time, saw the talented grey arrive in time for a neck score over Quint’s Brew, who exited that effort to finish a game second in the Grade 3 Westchester.

“Quint’s Brew is a solid horse from Maryland with terrific form. He was reaching for the wire and Crazy Mason kept coming,” Sacco said. “It’s not like Quint’s Brew was stopping, it was very impressive optically and very impressive numbers wise.”

Crazy Mason, who tried his luck on the Kentucky Derby trail last year, has found revitalized form with a return to sprinting at the Big A. He landed a close fourth off a more than six-month layoff in a November allowance sprint and enjoys a 3-for-3 record in his current campaign, capturing a 6 1/2-furlong allowance tilt on January 18 when closing from last-of-11 to best Radio Red by half-length. He followed by closing from last-of-5 and 12 lengths off a moderate tempo to win a six-furlong optional claimer in February.

“We’re so pleased with his progression. They don’t have to progress from age 2-3 or 3-4,” Sacco said. “The cutback in distance has been ideal for him. It’s not like he needs pace, he’s closed in paceless races and obviously pace does help but he just sits back and comes with that strong rally. You have to hold your breath, but that’s his style and we’re not going to change anything.”

Sacco said he is buoyed by the fact that Crazy Mason graduated over the Spa main track with a 9 1/2-length romp in a restricted maiden sprint in July 2023.

“He’s 1-for-1 there which is great,” Sacco said. “You always wonder if a horse is going to take to a surface and Saratoga can be tricky, but he broke his maiden there and he’s no stranger to the surface. It’s one less thing to worry about on our end.

“He’ll have a couple more works at Belmont,” Sacco continued. “If all goes well, we’ll ship him up the Monday or Tuesday before the race and let him get settled in and train a few days there and paddock school him.”

Crazy Mason is out of the graded stakes-placed Maria’s Mon mare Izshelegal, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Comfort. His third dam is dual graded stakes-winner Katz Me If You Can, who captured the 2001 Grade 2 Genuine Risk Handicap at Belmont Park.

Sacco noted that Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s New York-bred My Magic Wand, last seen finishing off-the-board as the mutuel favorite in the state-bred Broadway here in February, is preparing for a return. The 4-year-old Gun Runner filly worked three-eighths in 36 flat Monday over the Belmont dirt training track and could point to the $125,000 John Hettinger, a six-furlong turf sprint for state-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on June 29.

“That was her first work back so we don’t have any immediate plans with her but there is a New York-bred stake at the end of June that might be a comeback race on the turf,” Sacco said.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Lakland Farm, My Magic Wand was a $155,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale and is out of the Trappe Shot mare Gun Club, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Beasley and Puerto Rican Grade 2-placed sire Conspiracy.

***

Phileas Fogg in top form for G3 Pimlico Special

Jupiter Stable’s last-out Listed Excelsior-winner Phileas Fogg is in top form for Friday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Pimlico Special, a 1 3/16-mile test for 3-year-olds and up, at Pimlico Race Course.

The 5-year-old Astern gelding has won 4-of-5 starts for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez, including Aqueduct Racetrack’s 10-furlong Excelsior by 5 1/4 lengths on April 5 and the nine-furlong Listed Queens County by eight lengths in December.

In the Excelsior, Phileas Fogg picked up the services of jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who was content to sit eight lengths off-the-pace in second position early, before surging to the front in the second turn and never being threatened. The victory was awarded a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, one tick shy of Phileas Fogg’s career-best 99 when a pacesetting victor of the Queens County.

“That was nice. That was very nice. We love this horse,” said Rodriguez. “Let’s hope he keeps improving. Last time, he showed us that he can sit, too. He doesn’t have to be on the lead to win. The last race, he showed us something different.”

Carmouche is slated to ride from post 1 in the Pimlico Special [Race 12], tabbed at morning line odds of 5-1 in the field of 10. In other upcoming stakes at Pimlico, the recent Aqueduct spring meet-leading rider is named to main track-only entrant Pleasant Embrace in the The Very One [Friday, Race 11] for trainer Kelly Breen; Striker Has Dial in the Listed Skipat [Saturday, Race 6] for conditioner Horacio De Paz; and Authentic Gallop in the restricted Sir Barton [Saturday, Race 10] for trainer Tom Amoss.

“We like the inside post. We have speed. I think that when you have speed, you want to be inside,” said Rodriguez. “Let’s see how it works. We are going to leave it up to Kendrick, he’s very smart.”

Rodriguez added that the 1 3/16-mile distance could fit Phileas Fogg perfectly.

“We love the distance. A mile and an eighth, a mile and three-sixteenths, a mile and a quarter, are all no problem for him,” Rodriguez said. “I think this race at Pimlico is tougher. The Pimlico Special is tough, I see better horses.”

Rodriguez is in pursuit of his first career graded stakes score. According to Equibase, Phileas Fogg already represents his highest lifetime earner.

“Let’s hope,” Rodriguez said of the graded stakes try. “This race is a step up. It is a tough spot, but we are going to give it a try and hope for the best. With Phileas Fogg, everything is beautiful. There are no knocks. Everything is good, training good, everything is beautiful.”

Phileas Fogg was claimed for $62,500 out of a ninth on turf in July at Saratoga Race Course. Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, he is out of the unraced More Than Ready mare Merino, a half-sister to Group 1-winner Capezzano.

***

One Nine Hundred makes stakes debut in $150K Chick Lang

Impressive maiden-winner One Nine Hundred is set to make his stakes bow in Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Chick Lang, a six-furlong sprint for sophomores, on the Grade 1 Preakness undercard at Pimlico Race Course.

Trained by Tom Morley for owners Steven Rocco, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Adelphi Racing Club, the son of Dialed In was last seen posting an eye-catching seven-length graduation sprinting six furlongs on March 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack, earning the same 92 Beyer Speed Figure he received for a pacesetting runner-up effort to subsequent stakes-winner Colloquial in a February 7 maiden there.

In his winning effort, One Nine Hundred led at every point of call under Jose Lezcano, setting splits of 22.50 seconds, 45.82 and 57.78 over the fast footing before opening up in the lane to post the easy victory in a final time of 1:10.51.

“He’s had plenty of time to get over his maiden win, he’s trained beautifully, and we’re looking forward to Saturday,” Morley said. “We don’t particularly want to see a wet track as he’s never run on it, but the weather forecast looks like it should be OK.”

One Nine Hundred enters the Chick Lang off two sharp half-mile works over the Belmont Park dirt training track, going the distance in 47 seconds flat on April 30 and in 47.20 on May 8.

“You’re always hoping with these very fast horses that you don’t see an awful lot from them in the mornings,” Morley said. “You know it’s there, so it’s a case of keeping him ticking over, happy and sound. He’s done all of the above. His works are fast because he’s a fast horse, not because I’m asking him to work fast. He’s an exciting talent, and he’s got to take a step up.”

One Nine Hundred’s maiden win came with a pacesetting trip, but he did show the ability to rate on debut when stalking in fourth early and rallying for a head third to eventual stakes-winner T Kraft in January. Morley said he will leave Saturday’s tactics in the capable hands of reigning Eclipse Award-winning rider Flavien Prat, who rides the colt for the first time in the afternoon.

“Flavien won the Eclipse Award for winning races last year, and I didn’t. I shall leave that to him,” Morley concluded.

One Nine Hundred was a $240,000 purchase at last year’s OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he worked an eighth of a mile in 10 seconds flat. He is out of the Curlin mare Hedonism, who also produced listed stakes-winner Real Macho.

“They all have the same expectations when they come into the barn, and that is that I hope they can win races,” Morley said. “He tipped his hand at the 2-year-old sale that he could be a fast horse, but trust me, I’ve had plenty of those that have turned out to not be fast horses. Steve Rocco bought him, and he sent me to see him and asked me if I liked him. He did all the work, so full credit to him.”

Prat will look to engineer a winning ride from post 8 [7-2ML favorite] in the field of 11.

Morley also has stakes action to look forward to at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course with Grade 1-placed stakes-winner Donegal Momentum targeting the one-mile Grade 3, $300,000 Poker on June 5, and dual graded stakes-placed Twenty Four Mamba eyeing a possible start in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3, $400,000 True North on June 7.

Donegal Racing’s Donegal Momentum was last seen making a return to turf with a game runner-up effort to Sherlock’s Jewel in a one-mile optional claiming tilt on May 8 at Belmont at the Big A. There, he tracked 1 1/2 lengths back in second through the first quarter-mile under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano and made an early move to battle head-to-head with the Joel Rosario-piloted Big Everest at the half-mile call. Donegal Momentum took a one-length lead at the stretch call, but was worn down in the final stages by Sherlock’s Jewel to be defeated a half-length.

Morley said a compact field of five, plus a turf course labeled as good, likely affected Donegal Momentum’s performance.

“He’s doing great, and I don’t feel like we lost anything in defeat. Difficult race dynamics with a short field,” Morley said. “I said to Javier, ‘don’t let Rosario turn this into a sprint.’ In hindsight, Javier and I both feel that if he had been a bit more patient down the backside, he probably would have hung on and won. We are also of the belief that he would have hung on if we didn’t have two inches of rain earlier in the week.”

Donegal Momentum seeks his first graded win in the Poker. He finished a game third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November at Del Mar on the heels of a two-length score in the Gio Ponti in October at Belmont at the Big A. His other starts this year were an optional claiming win in March at Fair Grounds Race Course and an off-the-board finish on dirt in the Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets in April ahead of his latest effort.

One race earlier on the May 8 card at Belmont at the Big A, Morley sent out Flying P Stable’s Twenty Four Mamba to a smart 2 1/2-length optional claiming win in his first start since being claimed for $62,500 out of a narrow win on April 5 that garnered a 96 Beyer.

The 6-year-old Classic Empire gelding scored his latest win with Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the irons for the first time in the afternoon, stalking the pace along the inside in the early stages before tipping out three-to-four-wide into the stretch and driving home a 2 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:22.74 for seven furlongs, earning him a 90 Beyer.

“A good win, and a beautiful ride – everything went right for him,” Morley said. “He’ll be nominated to the True North, which may be a sixteenth of a mile too short for his best distance, but we’ll have a look at it. He’s a high-class sprinter and he’s competed in stakes races before, so it’s something in the back of our minds moving forward.”

Morley said he was inclined to claim Twenty Four Mamba after surveying his resume, which includes a pair of thirds at Belmont at the Big A in the Grade 3 Runhappy last May and the Grade 3 Bold Ruler in October.

“I like sprinters with back class who seem to be finding their form again,” Morley explained. “There was just an inkling to make you think the horse was rounding back into good form, and obviously he ran unbelievably well the day we claimed him. The numbers will say he regressed a little bit off the claim, which is totally fair enough. He was liable to bounce, and I wish we had one more week just to give him the full five or six weeks, but the race came up at the right distance and he was doing very well.”

Twenty Four Mamba holds a lifetime record of 37-8-9-3 with total purse earnings of $591,926, as well as an additional stakes placing on synthetic in the 2022 Leonatus at Turfway Park.

As for the next crop of talented runners for Morley, a promising 2-year-old in the barn is the Yaupon colt Cerro Rico, a $230,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training where he breezed an eighth of a mile in 10 seconds flat. Bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, the dark bay colt is out of the graded stakes-winning Silver City mare Promise Me Silver, and had his first breeze on May 8 at Belmont when covering three furlongs in 38.90 seconds.

Morley said he is pleased with what he has seen so far from Cerro Rico, as well as other progeny of the Grade 1-winning Yaupon, a son of Uncle Mo.

“He’s a big horse and worked well at the 2-year-old sale, and he’s for the same connections as One Nine Hundred,” Morley said. “He’s a very classy horse and isn’t a fizzy horse at all mentally. I think he’s a very nice physical – a lot of Uncle Mo to him, and I saw a lot of that with the Yaupons. Mentally, he’s as good as I’ve ever had from a horse out of a 2-year-old sale. We haven’t done an awful lot with him yet, but we’ll start to amp things up shortly.”