After enjoying quite the prosperous season at Saratoga Race Course last summer, Dean and Patti Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing are primed for more success at racing's most prestigious meet.
The residents of Suwannee, Georgia won five stakes during the eight-week 2022 meet, visiting the winner's circle twice with Big Invasion in the Grade 3 Quick Call and the Mahony. They also garnered stakes glory at the Spa with Dakota Gold [NYSSS Cab Calloway] and Isolate [Tale of the Cat], as well as City Man [Grade 3 Forbidden Apple], who they co-own with Peter and Patty Searles.
Most Thoroughbred owners can only dream of having the meet the Reeves had last year, but Dean expressed confidence that just as much success can be had this summer.
“Last year, we didn't really expect to win five stakes, but I think we're pretty confident this year,” he said. “I don't know if we can match or better that number, but I think we're coming into this year in good shape. We have confidence in our horses and we're hopeful that we have a good group. I think we're coming in with a good group of horses to compete. How well we do at the end of the day, we'll just have to wait and see.”
The Reeves are hopeful to kick off his meet in similar fashion on Saturday, when they have three entrants for the 11-race card, including Grade 3 Kelso aspirant Big Everest – co-owned with Steven Rocco and William Branch – who rides a four-race win streak into the one-mile inner turf test for trainer Christophe Clement. Also representing Reeves are the Clement-trained Breeze Easy, co-owned by R.A. Hill Stable, and Steven Rocco and Tango Uniform Racing co-owned Silver Skillet, who targets Saturday allowance company.
“I would love to jump to an early lead in the owner's standings,” Dean said, with a laugh. “I think all of them have a good shot. Having three horses in on Saturday will be a big day for us. We'll have our family up here that weekend and we're really looking forward to it.”
Big Everest is sure to show his frontrunning fashion when he contests Grade 1 winners Annapolis and Casa Creed in the Kelso. A 5-year-old British-bred son of The Gurkha, Big Everest makes his graded debut following stakes scores at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Artie Schiller in November and Danger's Hour in April before taking Monmouth Park's Cliff Hanger on May 27.
“I think he's put it all together,” Dean commented. “He wasn't hard on himself like he used to be and now he can set a good pace and we're excited about the Kelso. He'll be tough if he's out there on the lead.”
Reeves' confidence is partly fueled by the fact that three of their four stakes heroes from last year will return to the Spa this summer in pursuit of more stakes glory. All but Isolate, who was privately sold to Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi after last season, will be amongst their arsenal.
The Reeves hit the ground running last year when Clement trainees City Man and Big Invasion captured their respective graded stakes wins on Opening Weekend.
City Man, a New York-bred son of Mucho Macho Man, earned his first graded stakes triumph in last year's Grade 3 Forbidden Apple [now run as the Kelso] after previously winning four stakes. The hardy 6-year-old rounded out last year with state-bred stakes scores in the Ashley T. Cole and Mohawk at Belmont at the Big A before taking the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale on New Year's Eve at Gulfstream Park. City Man has not raced since a late-rallying score in the May 29 Kingston at Belmont Park and will eye a mid-August return.
Big Invasion returned from his Quick Call win to capture Saratoga's Mahony in August. He began his 2023 season with a victory in the Silks Run on March 4 at Gulfstream two starts before finishing second in the Grade 1 Jaipur on June 10 at Belmont and 13th in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee two weeks later at Royal Ascot. Big Invasion could potentially race back at some point during the end of the meet in the $150,000 Harvey Pack going 5 1/2 furlongs on September 2.
“Last year, we didn't know how good Big Invasion or some of those others that won some of those races were,” Dean said. “City Man stepped up and won a graded stake and had a phenomenal year. Whether he can match that this year, I don't know. He's back now jogging and probably will have a work sometime soon. That trip to England was a long roundabout for Big Invasion. I'm hoping he'll be ready by the end of the meet.”
Dakota Gold also returns to the Spa after capturing the state-bred Hudson Valley on July 3 at Belmont for trainer Danny Gargan with an eye on the $135,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure on August 5. The son of veteran New York sire Freud showed vast improvement from his sophomore season, where he had a tendency to be not as focused in his races. As a juvenile, he defeated open company in his second career start, taking the one-mile Nownownow at Monmouth Park.
“I think Dakota Gold has shown that he's been running well, so we may put him back in one of those [open company] stakes,” Dean said. “I thought I saw it in his last race. He was much more engaged the entire trip. When asked, he didn't fool around, he really got into a good mode of finishing and finished up strongly down the stretch. I think he's running as well now as he has since we've had him. Danny has done a good job getting him ready to go. You never want to miss any of those New York-bred stakes, but you would want to try an open company stake if they fit. So, we're going to have to see if we can fit some open company stuff around the New York-bred races.”
The Reeves additionally own Dakota Gold's Gargan-trained sophomore half-brother Ramblin' Wreck, owned in partnership with Peter and Patty Searles, who became a stakes winner in the last out NYSSS Spectacular Bid on June 18 at Belmont Park. The son of Redesdale made his 2023 debut in the seven-furlong test for eligible New York-sired 3-year-olds and is now on target for the $150,000 NYSSS Cab Calloway on July 20. Both Ramblin' Wreck and Dakota Gold are out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Dakota Kid.
“I think he's going to be really tough in the New York-bred races. He's consistently improving and hopefully, he'll match his big brother,” Reeves said.
Gargan spoke high volumes of training for the Reeves.
“They're very patient,” Gargan said. “The biggest factor is when you want to give a horse time and turn them out, Dean always says, 'Yes' and does the right thing. That really makes it easy. I love going to their farm and seeing all the babies train in the winter.”
The Reeves also have horses with trainers George Weaver and Tom Amoss and Patti Reeves noted her appreciation of their conditioners' dedication.
“It's a great testament to the trainers who keep them fit and our program, where we cycle them down and let them have some time off at our farm in Micanopy, Florida. We let them rest during the winter and get them ready for Saratoga,” Patti said.
Patti expressed a sense of enthusiasm to be back at the Spa.
“We're excited and ready to be back,” Patti said. “Win or lose, we have always have a great time in Saratoga.”
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