December, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Florida HBPA Honors 2021 Award Winners

The Florida HBPA held its annual General Nominating Meeting and Awards Dinner Saturday night at Gulfstream Park, with nearly 100 owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms and racing executives in attendance at Ten Palms. The guest speaker was the new President and CEO of the NTRA, Tom Rooney and the evening closed with the annual FHBPA Awards Ceremony.

“Each year, the Florida HBPA recognizes the horses that shine not just during the Championship Meet, but year-round in South Florida,” FHBPA President Stephen Screnci said. “All of our Champions competed at Gulfstream during the Royal Palm and Flamingo Festival meets that run from April through November. We also changed it up a little this year to honor one of our owners or trainers not just for their accomplishments on the racetrack, but also for their contributions to our community. Steve Dwoskin is our first FHBPA 'Person of Distinction,' and we couldn't have found a worthier candidate for the award.”

An owner and trainer in South Florida since 1969, Dwoskin has long been a partner with Sylvester Comprehensive Care Center, a part of the University of Miami Health System (UHealth). A generous donation to Sylvester helped to fund the Dwoskin Proton Therapy Center, which began treating patients with advanced and precise radiation therapy last September. Dwoskin is also the owner/trainer of this year's Florida Champion Older Filly/Mare Choose Joy (Munnings).

Dwoskin, who lost his father and brother to cancer, was emotional when he said, “I can handle most anything, but I couldn't handle it when my brother and my father got cancer. When I first got involved [with Sylvester], it was strictly for research, trying to find a cure for cancer. But I got pretty strong there, and I started helping people, friends and family. If anyone from the horse industry ever needs help, I'm here for you. Helping people–that's what makes me feel really good.”

The night's other winners were:

• Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding: Octane (Brethen) Arindel, Owner; Carlos David, Trainer
• Two-Year-Old Filly: Outfoxed (Valiant Minister) LNJ Foxwoods, Owner; Bill Mott, Trainer
• Three-Year-Old Colt: Papetu (Dialed In) Magic Stables LLC, Owner; Antonio Sano, Trainer
• Three-Year-Old Filly: Con Lima (Commissioner) Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro & Troy Johnson, Owner; Todd Pletcher, Trainer
• Older Horse/Gelding: Miles Ahead (Competitive Edge) David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa, Owner; Eddie Plesa, Trainer
• Older Filly/Mare: Choose Joy (Munnings) Steve Dwoskin, Owner/Trainer
• Turf Horse/Gelding: Warrior's Pride (Poseidon's Warrior) Just for Fun Stables, Owner; Antonio Cioffi, Trainer
• Turf Filly/Mare: Shifty She (Gone Astray) Chris Pallas and Harvey Rothenberg, Owner; Saffie Joseph, Jr., Trainer

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Epiphaneia Filly Lands Group 1 at Hanshin

Circle of Life (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) became the third Group 1 winner for her sire in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin on Sunday. A third-generation homebred for Masatake Iida of Chiyoda Farm, the bay was also the race's 4-1 number three pick and likely sewed up 2021 Japanese Champion Juvenile Filly honours.

Near the tail of the field as Dark Page (Jpn) (Dark Angel {Ire}) zipped through a solid half-mile in :46.40, she began to make up ground with 1000 metres remaining. Camped six deep as the field reached the stretch, she spun even wider out into the centre of the course for her bid, and overhauled the leaders in the final 25 metres for a half-length win. A trio of horses had briefly appeared to have the race at their mercy late, but Lovely Your Eyes (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) settled for second, with G3 Fantasy S. victress Water Navillera (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}) third, the same margin back. Race favourite Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) closed resolutely with a rails run, but could not master the top three and was a neck behind in fourth.

“She was great today, she had a good break, and we had a smooth trip,” said Mirco Demuro. “We went wide at the stretch, but the track was really good on the outside and the horses (in previous races of the day) seemed to stretch well along that path. My filly has closed well over the smooth track, so I trusted her to make it and indeed she exhibited strong finishing speed. I was certain in the last 200 meters that she would win. I've ridden her since her debut, and she really takes it in her stride in new surroundings and unfamiliar tracks so she has plenty of energy to use in the race. I'm sure she can further extend her distance in future races so I'm really looking forward that too.”

Third in a Niigata newcomers' race over 1800 metres when unveiled in August, the bay graduated cut back to 1600 metres at Nakayama on Sept. 20. She captured her first black-type race, the G3 Artemis S. at Tokyo on Oct. 30.

Pedigree Notes
Already one of five black-type winners (four group) for her 11-year-old sire, Circle of Life joins MG1SWs and Classic scorers Daring Tact (Jpn) (2020 Japanese Fillies Triple Crown Winner) and Efforia (Jpn) (2021 Japanese St. Leger Winner) as Group 1 progeny of the Shadai resident.

The fourth foal, fourth runner and third winner out of the triple winner Sea Breeze Life, Circle of Life has yearling and weanling Declaration of War half-siblings. After producing a colt in 2020 and a filly this term, the dam returned to Declaration of War this spring. Circle of Life's third dam, Star My Life (Storm Cat), was a half-sister to American Horse of the Year and MG1SW Lady's Secret (Secretariat). She was purchased for $350,000 out of the Keeneland July Sale in 1995 by Iida prior to winning one of six starts in her adopted country, a 1000-metre dirt maiden in 1997.

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES-G1, ¥125,140,000, Hanshin, 12-13, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:33.10, fm.
1–CIRCLE OF LIFE (JPN), 119, f, 2, by Epiphaneia (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Sea Breeze Life (Jpn), by Admire Japan (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Precious Life (Jpn), by Taiki Shuttle
          3rd Dam: Star My Life, by Storm Cat
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Masatake Iida; B-Chiyoda Farm (Jpn);
T-Sakae Kunieda; J-Mirco Demuro. ¥66,288,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-1. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lovely Your Eyes (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Logotype (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Open Your Eyes (Jpn), by Victoire Pisa (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Ave (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
          3rd Dam: Anna Amalia (Ire), by In the Wings (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥10,000,000 Wlg '19 JRHAJUL).
O-Yasuyuki Iuchi; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥26,368,000.
3–Water Navillera (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Silver State (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Shining Sayaka (Jpn), by King Halo (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Shinsei Akari (Jpn), by Mayano Top Gun (Jpn)
          3rd Dam: Pink No Onepeace (Jpn), by Tosho Boy (Jpn)
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Masato Yamaoka; B-Fushikida
Farm (Jpn); ¥16,184,000.
Margins: HF, HF, NK. Odds: 4.10, 50.20, 5.60.
Also Ran: Namur (Jpn), Namura Clair (Jpn), Belle Cresta (Jpn), Sternatia (Jpn), Statistics (Jpn), Anegohada (Jpn), Kimiwa Queen (Jpn), Saku (Jpn), Sea Cruise (Jpn), Toho la Vie En (Jpn), Dark Page (Jpn), Tana the Wing (Jpn), Personal High (Jpn), Namura Lycoris (Jpn), Hinokuni (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Unique Unions Prepares For NYSSS Great White Way

Unique Unions, trained and co-owned by Rick Schosberg with Clear Stars Stable and Mitre Box Stable, put in his final work Saturday for next Saturday's seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way for eligible state-sired juveniles at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The Union Jackson gelding breezed a half-mile in :50.08 over the dirt training track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“It was hard to see because it was so foggy, but he did fine,” Schosberg said. “He doesn't need a whole lot coming off of his last race and I'm very pleased with the way he's coming along.”

Entering the Great White Way off a six-furlong state-bred maiden special weight victory on November 20 at Aqueduct, Schosberg said the gelding is ready for stakes company.

“We always thought he was a real quality horse and he's proving it,” said Schosberg. “He's got a wonderful personality and a good way of going. He stays low to the ground and I was impressed with his maiden victory.”

Unique Union's owners and Schosberg earned a stakes victory this year when A Bit o'Irish Sass won the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington, N.Y., in July, geared down and 4 1/2-lengths clear of runner-up U Guys Are No Fun.

The 3-year-old daughter of Laoban made her next start in the Fleet Indian at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on August 27, finishing a non-threatening fourth in the field of six. Away from the track since the Fleet Indian, Schosberg said the filly is making steady progress back to the races.

“She had a little issue after her last start and she just needed some time,” said Schosberg. “I was hoping I would have her back in time for the [NYSSS Staten Island] last weekend, but she needed more time. She's coming back to the barn from the farm [Saturday] and we are looking forward to having her back.”

Bossmakinbossmoves, a 2-year-old gelded son of Laoban, most recently finished fifth in a 6 ½-furlong state-bred maiden special weight at Aqueduct on December 5 after a pair of runner-up efforts earlier this year at Belmont.

Schosberg said the gelding could be a special one going forward.

“I was going to run him in the Great White Way also because he's eligible, but that race is going to be too short for him and he wants to stretch out,” Schosberg said. “He's going to be a nice horse, he just needs to cover some ground. He ran a good race last out, but I didn't want to run him in a stakes.”

Schosberg also serves as the president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association's Take The Lead program, which helps to facilitate the transition of racehorses from the track to new homes in retirement. Now in its eighth year, Schosberg says the program is continuing to see strong support.

“We are approaching our 900th horse [through the program] very rapidly,” said Schosberg. “At the moment, I have 12 horses who are transitioning off the track. At any time of the week, we have anywhere from five to 10 horses on our list in different phases of transition. We are very busy and have horses leaving for retirement all the time.”

For more information on Take The Lead, visit https://www.take2tbreds.com/about-take-the-lead/.

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Londono Aims For Biggest Win Yet With Stirdatpot In Great White Way

Genevieve Londono will be crossing her fingers for the biggest win of her career when juvenile Stirdatpot starts in Saturday's NYSSS Great White Way. Contested at six furlongs over Aqueduct's main track, the Great White Way offers a purse of $500,000 as part of the New York Stallion Stakes Series for eligible state-sired 2-year-olds.

Londono, who left a career as a vet tech to pursue training, has a long history in the equine world – her father was a rider and her mother runs a breeding operation. After starting her training ventures as an assistant to Wayne Catalano, Mike Maker, Michael Trombetta, and a few others, Londono went out on her own five years ago.

“I never really wanted to be a trainer; it was never really my goal,” said Londono. “I actually had wanted to be a vet. But after working around the horses with my parents and then working as an assistant to other trainers, I asked, 'why can't I do it myself?'”

Londono, based at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., currently trains five horses and exercises them in the mornings, preferring to be hands on with each of her trainees. Starters for Londono have finished on the board at a 51 percent clip for a career record of 96-14-18-17 and nearly $600,000 in earnings.

Cash Logistics, a gelding by Unbridled Express, is the top performer from Londono's barn, awarding Londono the first stakes victory of her career when he won Indiana Grand's Sagamore Sired in 2020.

Stirdatpot, who finished second on debut at Churchill last time out sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over a muddy track on November 14, will be the second stakes starter for Londono.

Bred in Florida by Londono and co-owner Charlie Hancock, Stirdatpot is a son of 2012 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Trinniberg, who stood in the Empire State for five seasons.

As a registered Florida-bred with a qualifying New York sire, Stirdatpot is eligible for a wide array of conditions in both Florida and New York, an opportunity Londono says she would not have in many jurisdictions.

“We chose to nominate to the Stallion Series to give us some options going forward,” Londono said. “The purse is great and we know the kind of competition we are getting into.”

Now with Stirdatpot awaiting a run at the biggest race of her career, Londono said she is eager to see how the colt stands up against fellow New York-sired competition.

“It's definitely nerve-wracking,” said Londono. “But I'm excited for it. This would be huge to win. He showed enough in his first start to make me think he'll do well here. I'm having the best year of my career so far and I hope we can continue that in this spot.”

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