‘Hopefully She Breaks A Little Better’: Soloshot Seeks More Stakes Success In $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue

Bregman Family Racing, Jackpot Farm and Swinbank Stables' Soloshot headlines a robust field of 12 in Saturday's $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Fifth Avenue, slated as Race 8 for eligible New York-sired juvenile fillies, co-headlines a lucrative Saturday program also offering the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way for eligible state-sired juveniles in Race 9. Both races are contested at seven furlongs on the main track. First post on the 10-race card is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

Trained by George Weaver, Soloshot, one of five Solomini progeny entered here, won her first two career outings in gate-to-wire fashion traveling 5 1/2-furlongs on the main track against fellow New York-breds. The speedy chestnut graduated by 7 3/4-lengths on debut in August at Saratoga Race Course ahead of a two-length score in the Lady Finger on September 25 at Finger Lakes.

Soloshot bobbled at the break last out in the six-furlong state-bred Key Cents and rushed into contention before fading to finish a distant fifth.

Blair Golen, Weaver's New York-based assistant, said she is hopeful returning rider Manny Franco can work out a smoother trip when they exit post 11.

“She's doing well. Hopefully, she breaks a little better to be able to get the lead. I think that helps her,” Golen said. “She's filled out a little bit since I've got her and I think she's going to be a very useful horse. She's training well and doing well. Her two wins were at 5 1/2-furlongs, but I think she'll be fine at seven.”

The $290,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale purchase, bred in the Empire State by Rhapsody Farm, is out of the multiple stakes-placed Twirling Candy mare Sweet Queen, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Queen Ofthe Catsle.

Bad Boy Racing's New York homebred My Perfect Mistake [post 6, Kendrick Carmouche] graduated by 1 3/4-lengths on November 10 here as the mutuel favorite for trainer Rob Atras.

With returning rider Kendrick Carmouche up from post 5-of-6 in the six-furlong state-bred sprint, the Freud dark bay broke inward causing returning rival Tour Jete to steady. My Perfect Mistake raced wide down the backstretch before making a three-wide move through the turn to take command once straightened away. The dark bay stayed on strong to the wire to hold off the late charge of Tour Jete.

Atras said he used the maiden effort as a prep for Saturday's lucrative test.

“With her being New York-sired we've had this race in mind, but we wanted to get a race into her,” Atras said. “I knew she might be a little green and a little short, but she did show a little bit of ability and I wanted to get her started. She ran a little green but Kendrick gave her a great ride and she won. I'm hoping she'll move forward off that race.”

My Perfect Mistake worked a half-mile Friday in 50.95 seconds over the Belmont training track in company with Perliano, who is entered in a Friday state-bred allowance here.

Out of the Super Saver mare To the Nines, My Perfect Mistake is a half-sister to the stakes-placed G Munning.

Shea D Boy's Stable's stakes-placed My Shea D Lady [post 2, Javier Castellano] will make her fourth straight appearance in stakes company for trainer Carlos David.

The Solomini dark bay graduated at first asking by 3 1/4-lengths out of a key five-furlong maiden special weight in July at Gulfstream Park that runner-up Fiona's Magic and third-place Cherokee exited to graduate.

My Shea D Lady, bred in New York by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, then shipped north to contest a trio of state-bred sprints, finishing a distant third in the six-furlong Seeking the Ante in August and fourth here in both the seven-furlong Joseph A. Gimma in September and six-furlong Key Cents last out on November 18.

The $100,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the Teuflesberg mare Ladyberg, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Hoosick Falls and stakes-placed Manor Prospect.

Artemis Girl [post 10, Jose Gomez], a Solomini chestnut bred in New York by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds and Empire Equines, will make her dirt debut following a fourth-place finish in the one-mile Tepin on November 17 here.

Trained and co-owned by David Donk with John Behrendt, Charles Marquis, Suzanne Haslup, Sean Carney, William Punk, Jr. and Philip DiLeo, Artemis Girl stalked and pounced to a three-quarter length score in her November 2 debut traveling 1 1/16-miles against fellow state-breds over good Big A turf at 50-1 odds.

The $30,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale purchase followed last out with an even fourth-place finish in the Tepin while racing on two weeks' rest.

Artemis Girl, a half-sister to turf stakes-winner General Ken, is out of the Malibu Moon mare Dancing Onthemoon, who is a half-sister to Mail – a frontrunning winner of the 2013 Traskwood here traveling 1 1/16-miles over the old inner dirt course.

Wizard Stables' maiden winner Walk With Me [post 8, Dylan Davis] maiden a winning debut in a six-furlong state-bred sprint on November 9 for trainer David Duggan.

The Central Banker bay, bred in the Empire State by Richard Nicolai, made every pole a winning one to post a narrow head score over Call Her Bluff, who subsequently finished fourth when stretched out one furlong at the same classification. Walk With Me, a $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale purchase, earned a 52 Beyer in her debut score.

She is out of the multiple stakes-placed Posse mare Might Be, who is a full-sister to multiple stakes-winner Sheriffa and a half-sister to stakes-winner Tiergan.

Adam Madkour's maiden-claiming winner Sun and Wind [post 12, Ruben Silvera] will step up in class for three-time Fifth Avenue-winning conditioner Rudy Rodriguez.

The Freud dark bay dropped in for a $30,000 tag at the state-bred level last out on October 20 and made every pole a winning one in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint contested over a sloppy and sealed main track.

Sun and Wind, bred by Sequel New York and Stonegate Stables, sports a ledger of 5-1-0-2.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who won this event in 2021 with the maiden Yo Cuz, will look to repeat that feat when he sends out a pair of maidens in Book of Wisdom [post 7, Junior Alvarado], who boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 4-0-3-1, and Miss Lao [post 1, Eric Cancel], who finished a distant fourth on debut.

Other maidens looking to graduate in style are the Horacio De Paz-trained Tour Jete [post 5, Jose Lezcano] and the James Ferraro-conditioned Holder Close [post 4, Eliseo Ruiz]; as well as debutantes Elite Status [post 9, Trevor McCarthy] for trainer John Terranova and E Stormy [post 3, Romero Maragh] for three-time Fifth Avenue-winning trainer Linda Rice.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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Santa Anita’s Beloved Former Paddock Captain John Shear Passes At 102

A nice man who was quick with a smile, loved everything about the racing industry and greeted thousands of fans as Santa Anita's popular Paddock Captain, John Shear passed away Tuesday from natural causes at age 102 in a rehabilitation facility in Arcadia, according to a statement from the Shear family.

Beloved by the many fans with whom he came in contact, as well as by his fellow employees, jockeys and horsemen, Shear opted to retire while in good health at age 100 in July of 2021.

“John will be deeply missed by countless life-long friends here at Santa Anita,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager. “We were honored to have him as part of the Santa Anita family for more than 60 years of dedicated service and we'll never forget him.”

Born Jan. 17, 1921 in England, Shear was raised in an orphanage from age four to 14. At four feet, 11 inches, Shear, who sustained a shoulder injury while serving in an anti-aircraft unit during World War II, originally aspired to be a jockey and following the war, he emigrated to Vancouver, B.C., from where he came to Santa Anita as an exercise boy in 1954.

“I was exercising horses for a guy in Vancouver and he asked me if I'd like to go with him to Santa Anita that fall,” said Shear on the occasion of his 99th birthday. “I said 'Sure,' and as soon as I stepped off that van in the stable area here, I said 'Lord, this is where I want to be.' The place was so incredibly beautiful and I've never gotten tired of it.”

Shear, who was an assistant trainer when he first began working in Santa Anita's parking lot in 1961, led an amazing life and remained fit thanks to a good diet, a consistent exercise regimen that included daily push-ups, walks and regular trips to Las Vegas with friends to play poker and laugh, had this very basic advice on the occasion of his retirement:

“Find something you love, stay positive and exercise!”

Although well known and liked for decades at both Santa Anita and at Hollywood Park, Shear earned national acclaim at age 90, when on March 12, 2011, he likely saved a 5-year-old girl from catastrophic injury or worse when he shielded her from a loose horse that bolted out of Santa Anita's Seabiscuit Walking Ring and headed back to his home in the stable area.

Although Shear was run over, sustaining multiple fractures, including a broken pelvis, as well as life-threatening internal bleeding, Roxy Key, who was accompanied by her father, escaped unscathed.

Young Roxy's mother would later refer to John Shear as her daughter's “guardian angel.” Roxy's father, Michael Key, said, “He didn't save a daughter, he saved a family.”

John Shear is survived by his wife, Diane and their son, Michael Shear, who said that at some point in the near future, the family would have a private ceremony in honor of his father.

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Japan Road To The Kentucky Derby: Forever Young Grabs Lead After Dominant Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun Victory

Unbeaten in three career starts, all on dirt, Susumu Fujita's Forever Young grabbed the lead on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday with a dominant victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun. The 2-year-old son of Real Steel (Deep Impact) bested 11 rivals by seven lengths, completing the one-mile distance at Kawasaki Racecourse in 1:43.50 under jockey Ryusei Sakai.

“Around the far turn and at the top of the stretch we had pretty much confidence,” Sakai told bloodhorse.com. “I did not think we would be winning by that big a margin. He is a very nice colt, and there appears to be many more things we would be looking forward to.”

Forever Young is out of the U.S.-bred Forever Darling (Congrats), winner of the G2 Santa Ynez Stakes.

Forever Young's trainer Yoshito Yahagi has become a commonly-seen face on the international racing circuit, known especially for his iconic hat collection; he sent out the winners of two Breeders' Cup races in 2021, Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine, as well as the winner of the 2023 Saudi Cup (G1), Panthalassa.

Yahagi also trained Continuar, who qualified for the 2023 Kentucky Derby but was withdrawn shortly before the race when the trainer decided he was not fit enough for the race.

“Of course, the Kentucky Derby is my dream, but we will make a decision after talking with the owner,” Yahagi said after the race. “Yes, I will continue to train this horse so that we would not disappoint the expectation of many people, which includes running him in the international circuits.”

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A Loving Owner Takes a Chance, Spares No Expense to Save a Claimer’s Life

Minutes after a $40,000 claimer named Jack a Rose (Midshipman) broke down in an Apr. 3 race at Parx Racing, part owner Lisa Novak got a call and was told she had two choices, have the gelding euthanized or go through with an expensive and complex surgery that may or may not save his life. She didn't see it that way. There was only one choice. She would do whatever it took to save Jack a Rose's life.

“I have so much love for him,” Novak said. “You can't just throw a life away.”

Not everyone would have seen it that way.

It was the tenth race at Parx that day, a $40,000 claimer for the type of horses who come and go without hardly anyone noticing. Trained by Michael Stidham, Jack a Rose had won two of eight career starts and earned $87,430. He would never be a stallion, be a star or make a lot of money, but Novak didn't care. She instructed the veterinary team at Parx to send Jack a Rose to Dr. Patty Hogan's clinic, where he would undergo a surgical procedure known as arthrodesis. An arthrodesis is where surgeons artificially fuse the joints through the use of ancillary devices like plates and screws.

“This horse is just so sweet, kind and intelligent,” Novak said. “I had to do this for him.”

The injury occurred in the left hind leg.

“You hear the common term breakdown injury all the time, on the newscasts and TV shows,” said Hogan, who would perform the surgery on Jack a Rose. “They are very serious injuries that happen to the ankle. It's when the horses lose the integrity of the function of the ankle whether by breaking a sesamoid or suspensory. These surgeries are difficult and they are expensive. It has a lot of complications associated with it. It's a huge investment.”

Jack a Rose on his day of admission | Hogan Equine

Performing an arthrodesis on a horse is not uncommon. Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) underwent the surgery after she broke down prior to the Breeders' Cup and so did Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) before he was also injured while preparing for the Breeders' Cup. Echo Zulu survived; Geaux Rocket Ride did not. For those horses, the surgery made economic sense. Both had tremendous residual value and were worth far more than the cost of the surgery. No matter what happened with his surgery, Jack a Rose would never race again and could not even be ridden. He would be a pasture pet, one with no economic value.

“The people who owned this horse are working-class people who bred and loved this horse,” Hogan said. “He was a modest race horse but they didn't feel like bailing on him. They wanted to fix him even if that meant he was just going to live somewhere for the rest of his life. He has no economic value whatsoever. What they did, that kind of got to us. It was really touching that they took this to the extremes they did as responsible horse owners. Euthanasia was an absolutely reasonable choice for this kind of injury.”

And there were no guarantees that he would survive the surgery.

“There are a lot of problems with this surgery,” Hogan said. “They are prone to laminitis in the other leg. They get infections because of all the metal. There's a lot of stress and a lot of tissue trauma. It's a big undertaking. Even if you have a horse that is insured many insurance companies consider the surgery an extreme measure and they won't honor the insurance policy.”

Jack a Rose's fused ankle | Hogan Equine

Hogan normally gives a horse a break of a few days between the time they are injured and when she operates. Novak could have changed her mind, something a lot of people might have done when they started to add up the numbers. The cost of the operation plus the payments for the time the horse is laid up and recovering would come out to about $25,000.

Novak grew up in Chicago and followed racing since she was very young. The first horse she fell in love with was Timely Writer, who had to be euthanized after breaking down in the 1982 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. She said she was always haunted by his death and that it was never far from her mind when she had to start making decisions about Jack a Rose. Then there was the finances.

“I am a supervisor at a carwash here in Chicagoland,” Novak explained. “I've made $61,000 so far this year and my take home pay has been about $48,000. No, I really didn't have the money to do this. I've been through hard times financially before. I had to do it.”

She said she used credit cards to make the payments.

Jack a Rose was operated on Apr. 18 and everything went according to plan.

“We removed all the cartilage of his joint and put it back in perfect alignment with screws and wiring and a plate and let bone heal to bone so it becomes one single unit of bone that's very functionable,” Hogan explained. “It no longer bends but horses who have had this surgery can get around fine.”

Jack a Rose in the paddock | Dr. Patricia Hogan

Hogan said that she and her entire team rallied around the horse.

“This was a completely heart-warming story,” Hogan said. “We do this surgery for horses, but it's always for ones that are worth a ton of money. To do one for a horse who is a 5-year-old gelding was just amazing. Our whole crew, we were heavily invested in this horse. He's a wonderful horse. Just an amazing animal. To know how much these people cared about him was special. It was very satisfying to have been able to do a good job for them. Horse racing get bashed so much. I like to get these stories out there to educate people and show them there are plenty of people out there who really love their horses.”

Unable to have a second career, Jack a Rose is among the newest arrivals at Old Friends. Novak is hoping to visit him in January.

“I love animals,” she said. “If I could save every horse I would.”

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