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Fasig Regional Tour Makes Stop in Maryland

Fresh off the heels of a solid yearling sale in California, and with an upcoming stop in New York in a couple weeks, the team at Fasig-Tipton shifts its focus this week to Maryland, where it will hold its two-day Midlantic Fall Yearlings sale in Timonium Monday and Tuesday.

Monday's session will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET and features a catalogue of 124 head. The remainder of the 412-horse catalogue will be offered on Tuesday beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Last year's catalogue was somewhat larger at 526, grossing $10,266,400 at an average of $26,597 (down 10.1% from $29,578 in 2021) and median of $15,000 (down 25% year-over-year from $20,000). The 2022 buyback rate was a relatively low 17% and in line with what it was 12 months earlier.

“Everyone has choices as to where they want to market their yearlings, so that certainly plays into it,” Fasig's Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said when asked about the smaller catalogue. “We do have a supplement of 20 horses. I think a lot of horses got sold as weanlings and a lot of the end users bought weanlings to race.”

She continued, “A lot of the programs [are strong]–Virginia has become really popular–and some people probably have some uncertainties with the market. If they know that the market is very strong at the top, some might feel that they aren't in that top percentile, and they have the ability to take them to the races, a lot of them are choosing to do that instead.”

The 2022 sale topper was a $320,000 Maryland-bred Uncle Mo filly (hip 158) purchased by Legion Bloodstock, agent from the consignment of Scott Mallory, agent for Matt Dorman's Determined Stud. The same buyers and sellers were also responsible for one of the co-second-toppers at $200,000.

Maryland and Pennsylvania-breds by popular Kentucky stallions dominated the top of the market last year, and this year's catalogue features plenty of sire power as well, with the likes of highly coveted established sires such as Good Magic, Gun Runner, Munnings, Nyquist and Twirling Candy represented; youngsters by each of the top seven 2023 freshman sires on offer; and yearlings from the first crops of many of the most popular first-season stallions, including one by that group's decided standout, Authentic, available.

“We have a lot of popular sires that people are looking for to either take to the races or pinhook,” Bennett said. “I think we have the sires, and from what I'm hearing from a lot of people, we have good physicals. Some people have said, 'This is a stronger consignment for me this year than it was last year,' and last year they had a good, strong consignment. So, we're hopeful that buyers will perceive these offerings the same way and, hopefully, come Monday and Tuesday, we'll have some good competition.”

Bennett also noted that there have been plenty of significant updates to the catalogue.

The seemingly ever-present phenomenon of market polarization will presumably remain relevant in Maryland, but Bennett notes that one strength of the Midlantic market is its diversity

“I don't think there's going to be anything different this year than from years past,” she said. “We're just fortunate that our marketplace can feed to so many different racing jurisdictions and avenues. We have lots of people who come to buy horses to pinhook to the 2-year-old sales next year–a lot come to Maryland to bring horses back to the May sale, which has been very popular and works well–and they've had a lot of successes that way. We also have horses who might work better for folks who run in the different [nearby] areas, be it Pennsylvania, New York; smaller outfits taking shots. Some of the horses might not be in some peoples' minds as commercially appealing, but that's not to say those horses can't run as well as a high-dollar one. You just really never know what's going to happen.”

With past sale graduates like 2022 GI Spinaway S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Leave No Trace (Outwork), purchased the prior year for just $40,000, there figure to be plenty of buyers from throughout the Midlantic region and beyond taking their shots Monday and Tuesday.

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Hong Kong Harry Resumes Winning Ways In City Of Hope Mile

Idle since May 29, diminutive Irish-bred gelding Hong Kong Harry was sharp early and in control late as he attended the pace and rallied for a deceptively easy neck score in Saturday's Grade 3 City of Hope Mile Stakes at Santa Anita. Contested over a course softened some by early rain, Hong Kong Harry, who is trained by Phil D'Amato, got the distance in 1:33.77 with Juan Hernandez aboard for the first time.

A joint fourth, about three lengths off Astronomer heading into the first turn, Hong Kong Harry was into the bridle in the run up the backside as he closed on the leader and War At Sea leaving the three-furlong pole. Approaching the quarter pole, Hernandez hugged the rail and when War At Sea tired at the top of the lane, Hong Kong Harry angled outside Astronomer and went on to win with his ears pricked in a thoroughly professional performance.

Third, beaten 1 ½ lengths as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita May 29, Hong Kong Harry won as the even money favorite among a field of nine and paid $4.20, $3.40 and $2.40.

A 6-year-old gelding who is now a two-time graded stakes winner over the Santa Anita turf, “Harry” has now won six of his 10 starts since coming to D'Amato's barn in 2022, four of them coming in graded stakes.

Barely 15 hands tall, Hong Kong Harry is owned by Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza. With an overall race record dating back to a first-out win at age 4 in Ireland of 17-10-2-2, he picked up $120,000, boosting his earnings to $775,097.

Off at 8-1 with Antonio Fresu, Astronomer stayed gamely, finishing one length in front of French-bred Twist and returned $8.00 and $4.20.

Twist, covered up in the run to the first turn, had two horses beat early and rallied well over a course that appeared to be speed favoring. With Hector Berrios up, Twist, who was the second choice at 3-1, paid $2.60 to show while finishing a half length in front of Hit the Road.

Fractions on the race were 23.51, 47.67, 1:10.91 and 1:22.49.

JOCKEY QUOTES

JUAN HERNANDEZ, HONG KONG HARRY, WINNER: “He had a really nice trip, this horse was sharp today. Out of the gate he was pulling, pulling. This is the kind of horse that he always relaxes and comes with one run, but today I am guessing that he was feeling really good because he was really aggressive at the beginning. He was in a good mood and was just trying to run. I was trailing really well behind the pace and was saving ground. I was hoping for a rail opening but the horse in front of me, he never came off the rail but the other horse (War At Sea) dropped back around the turn I had the opportunity to come out and start making my run. As soon as he switched leads, he picked it up really well and he hit the wire first. He's a professional. He does everything himself. I just had to push him a little bit today, but he made it.”

TRAINER QUOTES

PHIL D'AMATO, HONG KONG HARRY, WINNER: “He had his ears pricked ready to go and Juan just did a masterful job. Angled out just like you like to see a turf horse do and motor home. I loved seeing that because he's kind of more of a docile type horse in the stall, but when he had his heels kicking up the other day it gave me a good indication that he was ready to go. This is a total team effort, the groom Octavio, my assistants, Julie, Rudy and Odolfo, it is just a total team effort with this horse and also to win for the owners it is just awesome.

“He is just one of the barn favorite, he is just kind of one of those horses in the morning he does what he needs to do so you never know exactly how cranked he is but he knows when it is showtime.”

OWNER QUOTES
TONY VALAZZA, PART-OWNER, HONG KONG HARRY, WINNER: “It's an unbelievable thrill, we've been wanting to run him at Del Mar and things didn't work out. We are so excited that he is back and he's back in a big way. We have to think about it, for us it is a big feat to be in the Breeders' Cup if he is not nominated.”

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Lane Way Takes Eddie D Stakes For Hall Of Famers Mandella, Smith

Call 'em the Sunshine Boys. Hall of Famers Richard Mandella, 71, and Mike Smith, 58, combined more than 90 years of racing experience as they teamed for victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita, as veteran 6-year-old gelding Lane Way attended the pace and kept grinding his way to a half-length score, getting 6 ½ furlongs out of the turf chute in 1:14.47.

Named for the legendary Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, the Eddie D was moved from the hillside turf course to the turf chute earlier in the day due to approximately two-fifths of an inch of rain.

Breaking sharply, Lane Way was a joint third, about 2 ½ lengths off longshot Noble Reflection, as the field crossed the main track shortly after the break. Smith was then able to work his way closer at the rail in the run to the far turn and was a length off the leader to his outside turning for home. From there, he kept to his task, gaining the ascendancy a sixteenth out.

Away five months prior to finishing fifth in Del Mar's Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs Sept. 2, Lane Way was off as 9-5 favorite in a field of 11 and returned $5.60, $3.00 and $2.60.

A Kentucky-bred by Into Mischief, Lane Way is owned by MyRacehorse, which had about 150 people in the Winner's Circle. In garnering his first graded stakes win, Lane Way earned $120,000 and improved his overall race record to 19-5-6-5.

French-bred Bran, about two lengths off the lead at the top of the lane, finished well, prevailing by a nose over Noble Reflection for second money. Off at 7-2 with Juan Hernandez, Bran paid $4.00 and $2.60.

Off at 15-1 with Mario Gutierrez, Noble Reflection paid $6.80 to show while finishing a half length better than Irish-bred I'm A Gambler.

Fractions on the Eddie D, run over at turf listed as good, were 23.39, 45.86 and 1:08.49.

JOCKEY QUOTES
MIKE SMITH, LANE WAY, WINNER: “It is just an honor to win the Eddie D Stakes I look up to him and still do. I tried to ride him like he would so I come in and nail them at the last part. Just going from the five to the six, six and a half it is just much better for him. He was just coming off a layoff last time, he made a nice late run but he got a little tired in the end. He got so much out of that, and he should get so much out of this, it should put us right where we need to be come Breeders' Cup time.

“Mr. Mandella and his crew they did all the work.”

TRAINER QUOTES
RICHARD MANDELLA, LANE WAY, WINNER: “He is just a really nice horse. We gave him a good rest. Kind of planned to get him at his best at this time of year and it worked. It doesn't always, but it worked this time.”

(ON SWITCHING THE RACE TO THE CHUTE ON THE TURF): “No. I was just hoping for some good luck because he's kind of plagued with bad luck in some of his races. Today went perfect.”

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Slow Down Andy Earns First Grade 1, BC Classic Slot With Wire-To-Wire Awesome Again Victory

Breaking like a shot on wet-fast track, Reddam Racing's homebred Slow Down Andy never did, taking eight rivals on a merry chase en route to a smashing 2 ¼-length victory in Santa Anita's Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes, final steppingstone to the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic.

Trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, the 4-year-old California-bred colt by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist got 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.62.

A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, Slow Down Andy now has a fees-paid berth into the Classic, which will be run for the 40th time Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

On what turned out to be a spectacular afternoon, Slow Down Andy cut a striking figure as he kept both Defunded and National Treasure at bay to his outside around the far turn and he proved much the best late in an effort that suggested he'll be plenty tough at 1 1/4 miles.

Most recently a close third in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Sept. 2, Slow Down Andy was the 2-1 favorite in a field of nine 3-year-olds and up and paid $6.00, $3.60 and $2.80.

Out of Reddam Racing's Square Eddie mare Edwina E, Slow Down Andy notched his first Grade 1 win and his third graded score from an overall mark of 14-5-4-3. With the winner's share of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $1,276,600.

Off at 7-2 with Edwin Maldonado up, Defunded kept to his task gamely and finished one length in front of stretch-running Senor Buscador, returning $4.60 and $3.40.

With Geovanni Franco up, Senor Buscador was off at 8-1 and paid $4.40 while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of National Treasure.

Fractions, all set by the winner, were 22.97, 46.91, 1:10.59 and 1:34.92.

Slow Down Andy's owner-breeder Paul Reddam

JOCKEY QUOTES
MARIO GUTIERREZ, SLOW DOWN ANDY, WINNER: “He's always a good breaker. I think we took advantage of the good, clean break. He relaxed. I tried not to fight him, sometimes I fight him and he gives me his head, so my goal today was to let him run comfortable and it paid off.

“He's becoming better with age. You can see it on his record. His last few races he's just given us his all. Right now, he's fit, he's ready to run in the Breeders' Cup.”

TRAINER QUOTES
DOUG O'NEILL, SLOW DOWN ANDY, WINNER: “First of all he is a super easy horse to train and I have to thank the people at OBR. Zillah does a lot of work along with Ocean Breeze, Carlos and Casey they do such a wonderful job. If they are all like him, it is about as easy as a job as you can get. He just goes out there and gives 100 percent every morning exercising. Tony Romero gets on him, he used to get on the great Lava Man and he says this horse is very special. Just to get a Grade 1 for Paul, Zillah, and for Andy and OBR it is really special.”

OWNER QUOTES
PAUL REDDAM, SLOW DOWN ANDY, WINNER: “I was kind of surprised, I thought everyone would try to go. The track has been pretty speed favoring all day and he just broke so smoothly that he was on top in three jumps and that worked out.

“We are in for the Breeders' Cup Classic.”

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