Trainer Christophe Clement captured a trio of stakes, including the featured $250,000 Albany with Drake's Passage, to cap a spectacular afternoon on Sunday's New York Showcase Day card. The 11-race program devoted to horses bred in the Empire State featured six stakes worth $1.25 million in purses at Saratoga Race Course.
Clement, who works closely with his son and assistant, Miguel Clement, combined with owner/breeder Robert S. Evans to win the $200,000 Yaddo Handicap at 1 1/16-miles on turf with New Ginya and the Albany, a nine-furlong route for sophomores, with Drake's Passage; as well as celebrating the successful return of millionaire hero City Man in the $200,000 West Point for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles.
Both Drake's Passage and New Ginya are by the Evans/Clement-campaigned Tonalist, a multiple Grade 1-winner, who captured the 2014 Belmont Stakes.
“He looks very much like the sire Tonalist, who I trained,” Clement said of Drake's Passage. “The filly who won on the grass [New Ginya] also is by Tonalist. His stud fee is a very good value in Kentucky. He had a book full this year. It's great for Mr. Evans, the owner and breeder. It's all working out.
“It's great,” added Clement, regarding the three-win day. “Well done, the team; well done, Miguel; well done, everybody.”
Drake's Passage tracked in second position under Manny Franco in the Albany as Mariachi set splits of :24.11 and :48.44 over the fast main track. Drake's Passage advanced with little urging into the final turn and was in command near the top of the lane en route to a 7 3/4-length score in a final time of 1:50.95. Jackson Heights closed to complete the exacta with Miracle Mike, Maker's Candy, Mariachi, Allure of Money and Leo and Royal completing the order of finish.
Franco won four races on the card, including the opener with impressive juvenile filly Soloshot for trainer George Weaver, the Funny Cide with undefeated The Wine Steward, and the off-the-turf finale with Sail With the Wind going one-mile for maiden fillies and mares.
“I was happy where I was. He was taking me since the beginning of the race,” Franco said of Drake's Passage. “I just wanted to wait as long as I could because I know I have a lot of horse. I know I've got the horse in the lead, so I take a peek back to see what the company was, and it was a matter of time. I just bide my time and when I asked him he was up for me.”
The bay colt, out of the graded stakes-placed Speightstown mare Raucous, graduated at third asking in December at Aqueduct Racetrack and returned from a nearly seven-month layoff to defeat older state-bred allowance company last out on July 3 at Belmont Park.
Clement said he will consider a number of options for Drake's Passage, who returned $4.50 for a $2 win bet, including the $250,000 Empire Classic on October 29 at Belmont at the Big A.
“I'll talk to Mr. Evans, take him back to Belmont to train him. We'll keep him eligible for everything,” Clement said. “There's the [Empire Classic] against older horses. I wouldn't mind having a look at open company, he's a nice horse.”
City Man returned from a three-month layoff to capture the 44th running of the West Pointin Race 3.
City Man, with Joel Rosario up, saved ground in third position as Jerry the Nipper led through splits of 23.91 seconds and 48.83 over the good inner turf under outside pressure from Spirit of St Louis, who advanced and took command by a head at the stretch call. A patient Rosario gave City Man his cue at the quarter-pole and made a four-wide bid, battling with a game Spirit of St Louis, before taking command inside the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:42.63. Spirit of St Louis completed the exacta by 1 3/4 lengths over Jerry the Nipper with Dakota Gold and Ocala Dream rounding out the order of finish. Somelikeithotbrown and main-track only entrants, Bankit, Sheriff Bianco and Un Ojo were scratched.
“He's fun. As soon as you get him in the clear at the quarter pole, I knew he was going to be tough cause he's got a really good turn of foot,” Clement said. “He likes to win, he's a good horse. He's not just a nice New York-bred, he's a good horse altogether. He has been competitive to go in open company.”
Bred by Moonstar Farm, the 6-year-old son of the Reeves' campaigned Mucho Macho Man was making his first start since a nose score in the state-bred Kingston on May 29 at Belmont. An 11-time winner from 30 starts for purse earnings in excess of $1.1 million, the dark bay horse has won at least one stake in each year of racing from ages 2-through-6 led by wins last year in the Spa's Grade 3 Forbidden Apple and the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstream Park. He banked $110,000 for his West Point score and returned $7.90 for a $2 win bet.
“Almost out of words for this horse,” said co-owner Dean Reeves. “Eleven wins, over a million dollars, stakes winner at two, three, four, five and six and he has speed and stamina – that's a tough combination to beat. I think he gets that from his Dad and the bottom side gives him some extra speed. He's special to us and a gorgeous horse.
“It really is everything you want in a racehorse,” Reeves added. “The Clements have done a great job of bringing him along, but to get one to continue to run this well at six through a career of 11 wins – that's solid. We're so proud of him.”
Robert S. Evans' homebred New Ginya demonstrated a devastating turn of foot in the final turn en route to an impressive 3 3/4-length score in her stakes debut in the $200,000 Yaddo Handicap, a 1 1/16-mile Mellon turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Race 5.
She's Dancing set the tempo through splits of 23.52 seconds and 48.90 over the good going as the Dylan Davis piloted New Ginya rated patiently at the back of the eight-horse field.
Whatlovelookslike loomed large into the final turn with Lisa's Vision and Golden Rocket lining up to launch their bids, but New Ginya came to life under urging from Davis and circled the field in an instant with a wide move to take charge at the top of the lane. New Ginya drew off to win handsomely, never threatened, in a final time of 1:43.06. Spungie, who endured a troubled trip, closed to finish second with Runaway Rumour,
Whatlovelookslike, Classic Colors, Golden Rocket, Lisa's Vision and She's Dancing rounding out the order of finish.
New Ginya sold for $25,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and was bought back for $250,000 at the 2021 OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.
“Mr. Evans is a very nice man, he likes people who buy from him to do well. He likes to share,” Clement said. “One of his advisors liked her as a 2-year-old and called him and said, 'if you like her, you might as well buy her back,' and you know what, he was right.”
The 4-year-old Tonalist bay banked $110,00 in victory while improving her record to 12-4-4-2. She returned $19.80 for a $2 win bet.
The stakes action kicked off in Race 2 with a Linda Rice-trained exacta led by Cypress Creek Equine's Ichiban in the $200,000 Fleet Indian, a nine-furlong main track test for sophomore fillies. The daughter of Street Sense notched her third victory this summer at the Spa after graduating at fifth asking on July 15, and following with a determined head score in a first-level allowance on July 26.
Ichiban emerged from the outermost post 4 under Jose Ortiz and showed speed early, but was quickly passed by the slow starting Timely Conquest to stalk in second through an opening quarter-mile in 24.07 seconds over the fast main track with stablemate Amanda's Folly in third.
Timely Conquest, the 3-5 mutuel favorite, maintained her advantage down the backstretch through a half-mile in :48.97, but was met with an outside challenge from Ichiban approaching the turn. With a shake of the reins by Ortiz, Ichiban easily overtook her pacesetting rival at the top of the lane and drew clear as Amanda's Folly took up second position under Irad Ortiz Jr. A loaded Ichiban was never threatened by her stablemate, and crossed the wire 5 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:53.23.
Amanda's Folly held second 15 1/2 lengths ahead of Timely Conquest with Krystalheir, who was never involved, completing the order of finish. Cairo Sugar was scratched.
Ichiban, bred by Southern Equine Stables, banked $110,000 in victory and now boasts a 7-3-1-0 record with $228,750 in total purse earnings. She returned $6.60 for a $2 win ticket.
Race 4 saw a thrilling renewal of the $200,000 Funny Cide as Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's The Wine Steward nosed out pacesetter El Grande O at the wire of the six-furlong sprint for juveniles.
Trained by Mike Maker, the son of Vino Rosso remained undefeated in three starts, adding to a debut maiden score in May at Belmont Park and a strong 2 3/4-length triumph against open company in the Bashford Manor on July 2 at Ellis Park.
Ridden to victory by Manny Franco, The Wine Steward broke awkwardly from the outermost post 6 and tracked near the rear of the field as El Grande O recovered from a slow start from the inside post to take charge through an opening quarter-mile in :22.54.
Works for Me kept close watch from second with Trust Fund in third as El Grande O coasted through a half-mile in 45.97 before the former pair put in their bids in the turn with The Wine Steward making steady progress widest of all. A determined El Grande O turned back the challenges from Trust Fund and Works for Me, but was left to deal with The Wine Steward as he drifted in to match strides with his rival in the final 100 yards. El Grande O dug in bravely under Jose Ortiz, but could not stave off The Wine Steward as he crossed the wire a head in front in a final time of 1:10.92.
The late-running Watchatalkinabout finished third 5 1/2 lengths behind El Grande O with Works for Me finishing fourth. Always a Warrior and Trust Fund completed the order of finish.
Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker, The Wine Steward banked $110,000 in victory to boost his total purse earnings to $274,010. He returned $4.20 for a $2 win ticket.
The flashy finishes continued in Race 7 when Caldwell Luvs Gold rallied from well off the pace to land a half-length victory in the $200,000 Seeking the Ante, a six-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies.
Owned by Dicke Racing and trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the daughter of Goldencents made her first start against winners after graduating on debut in a six-furlong state-bred maiden tilt on July 27 at the Spa.
Piloted by Florent Geroux, the bay filly emerged from the inside post and kept back as My Shea D Lady broke sharpest of all, but was unhurried with Tricky Temper, Cara's Time and Concerti engaged in a three-way battle for the lead through the opening quarter-mile in :22.51.
Geroux remained patient aboard Caldwell Luvs Gold as the top three began to separate approaching the turn after a half-mile in 46.76 and post-time favorite Stellamaris showed a strong turn of foot from the back of the field to make the lead entering the stretch. Stellamaris kicked clear nearing the eighth pole, but Caldwell Luvs Gold went wide and followed her run with purpose down the center of the course, running on bravely to pass a resolute Stellamaris just before the wire and complete the course in 1:11.29.
My Shea D Lady finished third 7 3/4 lengths back of Stellamaris with Tricky Temper, Cara's Time and Concerti completing the order of finish.
Bred by Jeremiah Desmond and Drumkenny Farm, Caldwell Luvs Gold banked $110,000 in victory to improve her lifetime earnings to $158,400. She returned $7.60 for a $2 win bet.
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