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Bloodlines: Patience Paid Off On Many Levels For Nutella Fella, Sire Runhappy

Was anyone cheering as hard for Nutella Fella in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga as racing man and sports gambler “Mattress Mack” McIngvale?

Jim McIngvale bought and raced the winner's sire, champion sprinter Runhappy, a bay son of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (by Maria's Mon). McIngvale had famously backed Runhappy at good odds in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint and saw his stable star roar to victory in track-record time and earn an Eclipse Award as top sprinter.

When Runhappy went to stud at historic Claiborne Farm outside Paris, Ky., McIngvale backed his horse just like he backs his selections for championships anywhere. To the hilt.

Through the sponsorship of races, as well as advertising in television and online media, McIngvale kept his horse's name in front of the public, as well as breeders, buyers, and trainers.

Now, with Runhappy's fourth crop racing at two, the sire has his first Grade 1 winner in Nutella Fella, and McIngvale is all in with Nutella, the product. The colt was scarcely under the wire when the promotional guru was on the internet with jars of the hazelnut and cocoa cream spread in front of him, offering congratulations to all those connected to this year's Hopeful Stakes winner, including sire Runhappy.

The 11-year-old bay stallion stands at Claiborne Farm for a stud fee of $15,000 and has all but grabbed Grade 1 glory before. Runhappy's first-crop star Following Sea won the G2 Vosburgh and was second in the G1 Haskell and G1 Cigar Mile; the stallion's second-crop star Smile Happy won the G2 Alysheba this year, as well as the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at 2, then in between finished second in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes.

The unbeaten Nutella Fella, however, was not going to be denied his Grade 1, but even that success came perilously close to being a shot in the rough.

Trainer Gary Contessa said, “This is such a nice colt, but he is absolutely claustrophobic at the gate. There is something about being in the gate that really gets to him. Before he came to me, he was scratched at the gate more than once. The day of the race [his debut] at Delaware [July 26], he was bad in the paddock, bad on the track, bad at the gate.”

In that race, Nutella Fella broke last, worked his way through the field, came outside late, and won by 2 1/4 lengths from the race favorite Linzer (Street Sense), with the third horse 7 1/2 lengths farther back.

Contessa noted: “I advise Bell Gable Stable, and the owner Nick (Beaver) said 'This colt's coming to you,' and I got him the day after he won at Delaware; I've had him five weeks and he's training like a champ … but he's a maniac at the gate.

“For this colt, talented as he is, to make this kind of racehorse,” Contessa continued, “credit the NYRA gate crew; Hector (Soler, NYRA's head starter) spent hours with this guy because this colt was the worst kind of bad actor at the gate. He'd figured out that he could flip and go home. So, he was sitting back on his hind end, going onto his back, just awful.

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“But they kept working with him, and a couple weeks ago, they tried a new device on him, put it on him so that it put a little pressure on his withers, they got him in the gate, and then he took a deep breath and relaxed. You could see him take that breath and relax, because I was standing there in front of the gate, and I said, 'We've got him.' We broke him of that bad habit, and I don't believe it could have happened without the gate crew.”

So Nutella Fella's behavior before the Hopeful, fidgety and uncooperative, was pretty good for him. Contessa said, “This colt wants to be a racehorse, handles himself well and professionally in the race, but he will be continuing his gate schooling. He'll probably be at the gate 25 times between now and the Champagne [the next projected start for Nutella Fella]. That's his Achilles' heel, but we couldn't give up on him because he had trained as well as any graded stakes colt I'd ever had.”

Bred in Kentucky by the Lyster family's Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stable, Nutella Fella is the second foal of Krissy's Candy (Candy Ride). The dam had sold for $210,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale to Mike Ryan, agent for e Five Racing, and Stephen Lyster claimed the filly out of her third start, a maiden claiming event at Churchill Downs in November 2017, for $50,000.

Ashview had acquired the second dam, G2 Adirondack Stakes second Unbridled Beauty (Unbridled's Song) for $135,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November sale in foal to Harlan's Holiday. The third dam is a full sister to champion sprinter Housebuster (Mt. Livermore).

As a yearling, Nutella Fella brought only $12,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, and his dam has a yearling colt by Preakness Stakes winner War of Will (War Front) to sell at the September sale that begins next week. The mare has a weanling colt by G1 winner Yaupon (Uncle Mo) and was bred back to Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie).

This pedigree has its fair share of champion sprinters. And who bred Runhappy? The Lysters at Ashview.

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SUNY Cobleskill’s Thoroughbred Industry Course Launches With Behind-The-Scenes Day At Saratoga

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc., and the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill's accredited course designed to expose upper-class students in the Animal Science program to various segments of the Thoroughbred industry started last weekend at Saratoga Race Course.

The visit by students focused on the culmination of the breeding and racing industries and allowed for observation of the finished product during morning training and afternoon races. Students received a behind-the-scenes tour of the Oklahoma Training Track Saturday during training hours led by NYTB President Tom Gallo.

The group spent the afternoon at the races, with visits to the paddock, watching from the rooftop and helping the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.) selected the “Best Turned Out Award” for the day.

“The NYTB, through Tom Gallo's leadership, provided SUNY Cobleskill students an experience at Saratoga Race Course that was second to none,” said Raymond Whelihan, SUNY Cobleskill Associate Professor in Animal Science who collaborated with Gallo to develop the program. “Time spent observing training at the Oklahoma track, lengthy discussion with a Hall of Fame trainer, comped racetrack entry and seats, a roof top view and the opportunity to enter the paddock and select the groom of the day. Every student was enthusiastic and appreciative. What a wonderful way to kick off the new Thoroughbred Industry course at SUNY Cobleskill.”

The pilot program is offered to 15-20 junior undergraduate students that have met prerequisites. The course, which runs from late August to early December, falls in line with the NYTB's goals to make outreach with upper-level science students majoring in equine studies and finding the next generation of the industry's workforce and leaders in racing and breeding.

“When I first introduced the idea of the NYTB educational seminars years ago, along with raising the standard of care and awareness for the general population of the New York breeders, my ultimate goal was to use these seminars for the education of young people who may be interested in coming into our industry,” Gallo said. “This could not have been done without the help of NYTB Executive Director Najja Thompson and our forward-thinking board members. With the help of my longtime friend, Ray Whelihan, we were able to put together a program which not only exposes these students to many different aspects of the horse industry in New York, but also allows them to gain college credits for their participation. These are seniors in college, and they have participated in the equine studies program for the length of their college career. This is a targeted-interested and engaged group of students, who hopefully will find one aspect of our industry interesting enough for them to enter with career expectations. I can't tell you how happy I am that this is finally happening.”

The course continues through the remainder of the year, with a guided tour of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame led by legendary announcer Tom Durkin along with a tour Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga in Saratoga Springs in late September. In October, the students will attend the NYTB Annual general membership meeting, educational seminar and the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale. The course concludes in November with a tour of a Thoroughbred breeding farm and a visit to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs.

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2023 Aqueduct Fall Meet Features 33 Stakes Worth $6.385 Million

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the stakes schedule for the 2023 fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will offer 33 stakes, 10 of them graded events, worth a total of $6.385 million.

Following the conclusion of Belmont at the Big A fall meet which spans Thursday, September 14 through Sunday, October 29, the 31-day Aqueduct fall meet will run from Thursday, November 2 through Sunday, December 31.

The Aqueduct fall meet will be highlighted by the Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap for 3-year-olds and upward on Saturday, December 2. The lucrative Cigar Mile Day program co-features the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen going nine furlongs for juveniles as well as the nine-furlong Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle for juvenile fillies. Also slated for the card is the Grade 3, $200,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward traveling a one-turn mile over the main track.

The stakes action begins on Friday, November 3 with the listed $150,000 Turnback the Alarm for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going nine furlongs and the listed $150,000 Discovery for sophomores traveling the same distance. The stakes action continues Saturday, November 4, with a pair of $120,000 turf sprints in the Atlantic Beach for 2-year-olds and the Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies. The Sunday, November 5 program will offer a pair of listed $150,000 one-mile dirt routes with the Nashua for 2-year-olds and the Tempted for juvenile fillies.

The following weekend will see a trio of graded stakes events, including the Grade 3, $200,000 Pebbles for sophomore fillies going one mile on the turf on November 11, which was previously run during the Belmont Park fall meet. The card will also feature the Grade 2, $300,000 Red Smith for 3-year-olds and upward going 11 furlongs on the grass. On Sunday, November 12, fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward will contest the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island going 11 furlongs over the grass while 3-year-olds and upward will line up for the listed $150,000 Artie Schiller – a one-mile turf test.

Stakes action resumes on Friday, November 17 with a pair of turf stakes, including the $150,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going six furlongs and the $120,000 Tepin for juvenile fillies traveling one mile.

The following day will see an action packed program of four stakes events, including the Grade 2, $250,000 Hill Prince for sophomores going nine furlongs on the turf which was previously run during the Belmont fall meet. The day also features the listed $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs, as well as a pair of six-furlong main track stakes for New York-bred juveniles in the $100,000 Key Cents for fillies and the $100,000 Notebook.

Sunday, November 19 will feature a pair of turf stakes in the $120,000 Central Park for juveniles traveling one mile, as well as the $150,000 Forever Together for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going 1 1/16 miles.

Thanksgiving weekend will feature a pair of Grade 3 events carrying a $200,000 purse in the Fall Highweight Handicap for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs on Friday, November 24 and the Comely for sophomore fillies going nine furlongs on Saturday, November 25.

The popular New York Stallion Stakes Series (NYSSS), open to progeny of eligible New York sires, returns to the Big A with four divisions offered this December. Sunday, December 3 will feature the $125,000 NYSSS Thunder Rumble for 3-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs on the main track, as well as the $125,000 NYSSS Staten Island for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at the same distance.

Saturday, December 9 will feature the $120,000 Garland of Roses for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going six furlongs. The NYSSS returns for a pair of $500,000 stakes for juveniles on Saturday, December 16 with a lucrative card that will see eligible New York-sired fillies contest the NYSSS Fifth Avenue at seven furlongs, alongside the NYSSS Great White Way going the same distance.

Following a 10-day break from December 18 to December 27, the stakes schedule concludes with the $100,000 Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going a one-turn mile on Thursday, December 28 one day before the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for 3-year-olds and up at the same distance. Rounding out the yearly stakes action are the listed $150,000 Gravesend for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs on Saturday, December 30 and the listed $150,000 Queens County for 3-year-olds and upward going nine furlongs on Sunday, December 31.

For the complete Aqueduct fall meet stakes schedule, please visit NYRA.com.

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Canuck Racing Club Continues To Build Momentum During Sales Season

The quartet of Ontario-bred yearlings Canuck Racing Club purchased at last week's Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) Canadian Premier Yearling Sale are the same age as the club itself which has burst onto Ontario's racing scene in the past 12 months, building an impressive stable, and making up for what it lacks in service time with a deep conviction to achieve its own lofty goals.

The brainchild of three childhood friends who grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canuck Racing Club is run by Donato Lanni, Mark Halloran, and Rob van Blokland who are now based in Kentucky, Ottawa, and Montreal, respectively.

Lanni is one of North America's leading bloodstock agents, having bought champions such as Arrogate and Authentic. Halloran and van Blokland have been partners in their business advisory and leadership development firm for two decades leveraging backgrounds in HR, networking, marketing, and communications.

“We've known each other for 40-plus years,” said Halloran. “We wanted this club to make its mark on Canadian horse racing while transforming the sport of kings and queens into the sport of friends.”

The friendship shared by the three managing partners is emblematic of the spirit they want Canuck Racing Club members to feel as they engage in their horse ownership journey.

“It's easy to get a group of people together, pool some money, and buy a horse,” said van Blokland. “The way we approached this is much more than just ownership. It's a 24-7 club experience connecting member-owners to racing's rich history and brilliant horsepeople, their process and strategies, and a whole lot of fun.”

The seed that grew into Canuck Racing Club was planted during the years Halloran managed several 'one horse at a time' syndicates for Thoroughbreds that Lanni bought to race with friends in Canada.

Ontario-bred gelding Clayton was the most successful of those horses. He was on the 2020 Triple Crown trail, finishing third in the Queen's Plate, second in the Prince of Wales Stakes, and fifth in the Breeders Stakes.

There had always been talk about doing something more, and coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the time was right for a venture that promised unique and unforgettable experiences, and van Blokland was brought on to help with the club's marketing and communications.

“It all starts with Donato,” said Halloran. “He's the best in the business at what he does, but he's a sentimentalist at heart. Like us, he's proudly Canadian and he wants to build something great here together.”

In 2022, Canuck Racing Club dove headfirst into the game. Responsible for all thoroughbred-related decisions, Lanni purchased eight yearlings for the club in Ontario and Kentucky, including four at the 2022 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale.

Cementing the club's commitment to racing in Canada, all eight of the yearlings they purchased were Ontario-breds and the club has already tasted victory with its freshman group.

Souper Speedy filly Vandoo gave the club its first victory with a win over the boys in a maiden affair on July 29 at Woodbine Racetrack, and War Painter has hit the board twice in two maiden special weight attempts.

Canuck Racing Club also bought into Enjoythesilent, a Silent Name (JPN) gelding who ran a game sixth in the King's Plate, despite starting from the far outside post position in the 17-horse field.

While on-track success is the ultimate goal, Canuck Racing Club's approach to communicating every step of a Thoroughbred's journey has provided members with memorable experiences before their horses even make the races.

“Spending the day backside at our trainer Kevin Attard's stable and at the training track was even better than the races,” shared club member Carter Wilkie. “Hearing Kevin and Donato talk about how the horses are maturing and where they plan to race them next and why gives you a whole deeper appreciation for the sport and these athletes.”

Those backstretch visits are part of an overall package that members consider a form of experiential investing. Another example is the club's visit to the 2023 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale where club members rode shotgun with Lanni as he inspected yearlings, spoke with breeders, and ultimately bid on horses.

“There is such a wealth of knowledge in our crew,” said van Blokland. “The beauty of hanging with pros like Donato, Kevin, and Dave Anderson is it is that you get the insiders to give you their tremendous insight first-hand.”

Canuck Racing Club signed for four yearlings, including forming a partnership with Terra Racing Stables on Hip 113. Reflecting their commitment to excellence, the Souper Speedy filly out of Ghostzapper mare Kin's Ghost was one of just four horses to hammer for $100,000 or more.

“We have elite vets and an awesome trainer supporting the best bloodstock agent in the game who is also your fellow co-owner,” said Halloran. “It's hard for others to access that. And while we provide it all within a fun atmosphere, let's be clear, we're here to win.”

One year into their story, Canuck Racing Club has already achieved some of their short-term goals such as winning races, infusing energy into the game, and creating a club culture that appeals to industry veterans and first-timers alike.

But they're just getting started. The club's red and white silks are here to stay, and as more members join and their horses continue to move forward, Canuck Racing Club wants to establish itself as a major player in Ontario's racing industry.

“At the end of the day, it's our owners who really make all of this possible,” added Halloran. “So, while we're building our business and club on the talent and work ethic of a really solid team, it's being done with a members-first mindset. Along the way, we're hoping to cultivate a new generation of horsepeople who grow to love this sport and appreciate the remarkable contributions that Canada's legendary thoroughbreds, owners, and breeders have made to global racing.”

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