New York Thunder Takes Perfect Record To GI Jerkens

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Unbeaten and hardly challenged so far through four starts, New York Thunder (Nyquist) will not be an unknown Saturday in his second visit this summer to Saratoga Race Course.

New York Thunder made a grand entry on the big stage at the Spa on July 28 with a resounding victory in the GII Amsterdam S. Sent off at 11-2 in his first race on dirt, he rolled to a 7 1/2-length score under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Though he was eased up in the stretch when the outcome was no longer in doubt, New York Thunder completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.65. His six-furlong split of 1:07.77 was faster than the 1:07.92 track record set in 2019 by Imperial Hint (Imperialism) in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. He got a Beyer Speed Figure of 110.

In the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, New York Thunder will step into Grade I competition for the first time. He drew Post 5 in the field of six and will be flanked by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's runners, Fort Bragg (Tapit) and Arabian Lion (Justify). Both of the Baffert horses are coming off wins at Belmont Park. Arabian Lion prevailed in GI Woody Stephens S. on June 10 Belmont Stakes program. Fort Bragg stumbled at the start of the GIII Dwyer on July 1, recovered and won by a nose over Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming).

If trainer Jorge Delgado had his way, New York Thunder would be a low-profile outsider in the Jerkens. He understands that it is not a likely scenario with a horse that has won his races by a combined 23 1/4 lengths and is now proven on dirt.

“Hopefully, we can stay under the radar and let the horse do the talking for me,” Delgado said. “I would not like too many expectations and just approach the race like we did last time. We didn't have any pressure from the outside.”

“When we were approaching the Amsterdam, no one was actually paying attention to him. When I was in the walking ring, I saw that they were interviewing a couple of other trainers on camera with other horses. With the way he won, I know he's going to be in the spotlight. People are going to be watching him and a couple of other horses. I'm sure people are going to be looking forward to see what he can do.”

Delgado, 33, is the nephew of trainer Gustavo Delgado, whose GI Kentucky Derby winning colt, Mage (Good Magic), will run in the GI Travers S. three races after the Jerkens. Jorge Delgado worked for his uncle in Venezuela and the U.S. before opening his own stable in 2017.

For Jorge Delgado, New York Thunder has been an exciting adventure. Though the colt with a dirt pedigree was bred in Kentucky and was purchased for $130,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, he was prepared for the races in Europe. New York Thunder arrived in Delgado's care last year from the training center with a reputation of being very fast.

“In the very beginning with him we really didn't know what direction to go as far as the surface,” Delgado said, “since he was training in (Europe) and they don't have a main track there to train on. They have grass, and run on synthetic and grass.”

New York Thunder connections | Sarah Andrew

Brazilian-born former jockey Robson Aquiar, was on the team that selected New York Thunder at Keeneland for Kai Joorabchian's AMO Racing USA and did the pre-training.

“Robson told me that he was excellent on both but he liked the synthetic more,” Delgado said. “That was the reason, since I was in Gulfstream in the winter, it makes sense to put him on the Tapeta.”

Delgado was right. New York Thunder debuted on Nov. 27 and scored in a five-furlong race by 6 1/2 lengths.

“He was like 70 to 80% ready for racing and when he wins the way he did it, you think he's a Tapeta horse or a grass horse,” Delgado said. “That's the first thought that comes to your mind.”

One month later, New York Thunder picked up his first level-allowance victory, taking a five furlong turf race by 1 3/4 lengths.

“He won but he wasn't as excellent like he was on the other surface,” Delgado said. “So I spoke to the owner and said, 'let's keep going the Tapeta direction.'”

Joorabchian, 52, is an Iranian-born entrepreneur, who has a long involvement in soccer in Europe and South America. He has been a horse owner in Europe for two decades and has had a North American AMO division since 2021. AMO's first U.S. graded stakes winner was Affirmative Lady (Arrogate), who earned that victory for trainer Graham Motion in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks on April 1. She finished 11th in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Affirmative Lady and New York Thunder came to AMO out of the 2021 Keeneland sale, as did King of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who has emerged as a top 3-year-old in England with a narrow second in the GI Epsom Derby and a win in the GII King Edward II S. at Royal Ascot.

New York Thunder scratched out of the $250,000 Animal Kingdom S. on March 25 at Turfway Park and made his stakes debut on April 30 at Woodbine in the six-furlong Woodstock. He romped by 7 1/2 lengths.

“We won the race at Woodbine and right away, we were targeting a race on dirt,” Delgado said. “The owner was insisting he wants to run back in a graded stakes race.”

Jorge Delgado | Sarah Andrew

Drawing the rail in the Woody Stephens, he was scratched with a foot bruise before Delgado shipped him up from his summertime base at Monmouth Park for the Amsterdam.

“That for some people didn't make any sense,” Delgado said. “To switch the horse's surface in a graded stakes race is not like the best idea always. But it turned out to be something really good. Now the horse has a name. Most people in the country know him. We have received a few offers for the horse and the owner is actually not a big seller, but at least we were sitting in that spot.”

Speedy Ryvit (Competitive Edge) stumbled leaving the gate and New York Thunder was alone on the lead. He ran the first quarter mile in :21.48 seconds and followed that with a 22.08 to reach the half-mile in 43.46. Even-money favorite Drew's Gold (Violence) moved up alongside on the turn, but New York Thunder and jockey Tyler Gaffalione responded quickly to the threat and were gone.

Delgado said that since the Amsterdam and the Jerkens are only 29 days apart, he has been very careful with New York Thunder in the interim. The two breezes have been slow by the colt's standards: four furlongs in :52. Delgado said New York Thunder is showing him that he is ready for another big outing.

“This horse hasn't said no once,” Delgado said. “He hasn't said, 'I'm not eating' or 'I'm not feeling well,' or 'I don't have energy.' He hasn't given any of those signals. He hasn't communicated any of that.

“Actually, he's been the opposite. Since the day he came back, the day after the Amsterdam, he was proud, he was moving around in his stall, he was looking around.

I know it's very tough to repeat the same performance, to repeat the same number, but he's really going to need that and more to win the race. But I believe in the horse, I believe in his heart and I believe in what we do.”

 

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New York Thunder Roars to Victory in the Amsterdam

Undefeated in three career starts, but facing a steep trifecta of challenges to scale–trying dirt, graded company, and the tough New York circuit for the first time–New York Thunder (c, 3, Nyquist–Start Over, by Midshipman) set sizzling fractions on the front end of Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S. Friday and held sway to win by 7 1/2 lengths while eased up late despite spending most of the stretch on his wrong lead. His 1:07.77 six-furlong split was faster than the 1:07.92 track record set in 2019 by Imperial Hint (Imperialism) in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H., the same Grade I event which will be among the features on Saturday's 2023 GII Jim Dandy S. card.

When the Amsterdam gates flew, attention centered on joint second-choice and GSW Ryvit (Competitive Edge), who was riding a five-race win streak, as he stumbled and recovered but lost position after being on the lead in his last three. One gate to his outside, New York Thunder was unaffected and immediately found the front. After a blazing first quarter in :21.48, June 10 GI Woody Stephens S. runner-up Drew's Gold (Violence), in the clear in second, took a run at New York Thunder and got within a half-length at the :43.56 half. That was the closest he or anyone else got. New York Thunder quickly found another gear and immediately opened up while on the incorrect lead. By the time he swapped leads and bested the six-panel track record, the race was already long over. The bay strutted home a much-the-best, facile winner in 1:14.65. GSP Deer District (Oscar Performance) nosed out Drew's Gold for the place.

“I wasn't really worried [about the fractions],” said winning trainer Jorge Delgado, the nephew of this year's GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Gustavo Delgado. “I worry in the mornings because he breezes so fast that it scares you. He goes :46 and :47 in hand and you can relate it to the afternoons. Every surface he's been on–Keeneland, here, at different racetracks–he's breezed the same fractions, so that tells you that he can handle any surface in my opinion and he proved that today.

“I have really good chemistry with [rider Tyler Gaffalione] and I can feel when he has a lot of horse. I saw him looking back and I know he had a ton of horse; he wouldn't play like that unless he had tons of horse. Once he asked the horse, I knew my horse was prepared and it was just so fun.”

New York Thunder has done nothing wrong in his brief career. He debuted last November in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream on the all-weather surface, set all the fractions, and sizzled to a 6 1/2-length score with a 93 debut Beyer Speed Figure. He followed that up with a five-furlong turf win at Gulfstream while dropping his Beyer by 10 points, and finally reappeared in late April at Woodbine going six furlongs in the Woodstock S. on the synthetic to mark another daylight score and a 97 Beyer. His five works since have included three bullets. He was entered in the Woody Stephens won by Arabian Lion (Justify), but scratched with a bruised foot and a rail draw to await this spot. Delgado said the Aug. 26 GI Allen H. Jerkens Memorial S. might be the colt's next target.

 

 

Pedigree Notes:

Darley's Nyquist, whose champion Vequist won the 2020 GI Spinaway S. and whose Randomized won the July 14 Wilton S. at Saratoga, added another top performance by his progeny at the Spa with New York Thunder's Amsterdam. A former champion 2-year-old and GI Kentucky Derby winner, Nyquist made it eight graded winners and 21 black-type winners with New York Thunder's latest score. Nyquist's fourth crop is two this year and already includes Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S. winner Crimson Advocate. Midshipman, who stands alongside Nyquist at Darley, is damsire of New York Thunder. He has five stakes winners out of his daughters, including dual Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal, who is bred similarly to the Amsterdam winner as he is by Nyquist's sire, Uncle Mo.

New York Thunder is the lone foal out of the unraced Start Over, who died the year he was born. Start Over's unraced dam is a half to 2012 GI Forego S. winner Emcee (Unbridled's Song) and to $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton November broodmare Baffled (Distorted Humor), the dam of MGISW and WinStar sire Constitution (Tapit). Other members of the family include GI Spinaway S. winner Awesome Humor (Distorted Humor).

Friday, Saratoga
AMSTERDAM S.-GII, $194,000, Saratoga, 7-28, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 1:14.65, ft.
1–NEW YORK THUNDER, 122, c, 3, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Start Over, by Midshipman
                2nd Dam: Wipe Out, by Hard Spun
                3rd Dam: Surf Club, by Ocean Crest
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($130,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-AMO
Racing USA; B-Gatewood Bell & Forgotten Land (KY); T-Jorge
Delgado; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $110,000. Lifetime Record:
4-4-0-0, $232,323. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Deer District, 118, c, 3, Oscar Performance–Eagle Sound, by
Fusaichi Pegasus. ($140,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-James J. Bakke
and Gerald Isbister; B-Springhouse Farm, Vision TBs, Bruce &
Patricia Pieratt (KY); T-Dale L. Romans. $40,000.
3–Drew's Gold, 122, r, 3, Violence–Frolic's Revenge, by
Vindication. ($25,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-James K. Chapman
and Stuart Tsujimoto; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-James K. Chapman. $24,000.
Margins: 7HF, NO, 6HF. Odds: 5.50, 8.40, 1.00.
Also Ran: Gilmore, Ryvit. Scratched: Joey Freshwater.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Making Waves: Milestone Week For Dubawi

   In this new series, the TDN takes a look at the success of European-based sires in North America, on a semi-weekly basis. This week's column (Feb. 18-Feb. 25) is highlighted by the victory of Godolphin homebred Lake Lucerne (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Albert M. Stall Memorial S. at Fair Grounds on Feb. 18.

A worldwide influence for class, Dubawi celebrated his 250th stakes winner with Lake Lucerne's two-length victory for Brendan Walsh and Tyler Gaffalione in a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes in New Orleans eight days previously. The 6-year-old mare was previously placed in Belmont's GIII Athenia S. and five other black-type races.

Part of the extensive international breeding programme of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Lake Lucerne is a daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and GI Acorn S. heroine Round Pond (Awesome Again), who joined the Darley broodmare band after selling for $5.75 million out of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale of 2007. Lake Lucerne's half-brother Long River (A.P. Indy) won the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, while another half-sister produced GI Carter H. victor and new Darley American stallion Speaker's Corner (Street Sense). Classic winners and subsequent sires Black Minnaloushe (Storm Cat) and Pennekamp (Bering {GB}) are under the third dam.

Looking at the stakes success and winners by Dubawi in North America, of his 69 runners, 35 (51%) have won, with 18 of those 69 (26%) winning at least one black-type race. Leading the charge are Grade I winners In Italian (GB), Dubawi Heights (GB), last year's American Champion Turf Male Modern Games (Ire), Almanaar (GB), Yibir (GB), Mubtaahij (Ire), Wuheida (GB), Rebel's Romance (Ire), and Space Blues (Ire). The last-named is standing his first season at Kildangan Stud in Ireland.

 

Sharing Is 'Caring' Down In Florida

Coolmore Stud's Australia (GB) celebrated a new maiden winner in Florida on Feb. 18 in the form of Ashbrook Farm, Matthew O'Connor, Upland Flats Racing and Amy E. Dunne's Just A Care (Ire). A 1 1/2-length winner of a five-furlong turf maiden for trainer Rusty Arnold (video), the filly was making her second start. From just 19 North American runners, Australia has 10 winners (53%) and five stakes winners (26%) led by GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order Of Australia (Ire), GI Gamely S. victress Ocean Road (Ire) and GIII Endeavour S. heroine Counterparty Risk (Ire).

Bred by China Horse Club International, Ltd. in Ireland and consigned by David Cox's Baroda Stud, the bay went through the Tattersalls October Book 1 ring in 2021, where Kerri Radcliffe snapped her up for 105,000gns. Just A Care made her racetrack debut with a fifth-place effort in a six-furlong turf affair for Dew Sweepers and Arnold at Belmont Park last June. Sent back through the sales ring at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale last year as a member of the Grovendale Sales draft, Just A Care was picked up by Bo Bramagen, agent, for $150,000.

Out of the one-time winner Greater Good (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Just A Care is a half-sister to a 2-year-old filly by first-season sire Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and a full-sister to a yearling colt. Second dam is GIII Hollywood Juvenile Championship S. heroine Necessary Evil (Harlan's Holiday), and young sire Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy), who won the G3 Cornwallis S., is under the third dam.

Just A Care | Ryan Thompson

Synthetic The Answer For Thunder Love

One day before Profitable (Ire)'s Kimngrace (Ire) became his newest stakes winner (number seven) in Lingfield's Listed Betuk Hever Sprint going just over five furlongs on the all-weather, Turfway Park in Kentucky hosted AMO Racing USA's Thunder Love (GB), who managed to take a six-furlong synthetic allowance optional claimer by a half-length on Feb. 24. It was the daughter of G2 Mill Reef S. third Nantyglo (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire})'s second consecutive win at the northern Kentucky track for Paulo Lobo, although she has been based in America for some time.

Bred by Richard Kent and Clare Lloyd's Mickley Stud, the now-4-year-old filly was offered by her breeder at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and caught the eye of Joanna Morgan for 13,000gns. Re-offered during the 2020 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale by Bill Dwan's The Castlebridge Consignment, the Apr. 30 foal was knocked down to Robson Aguiar for £18,000. Bearing the deep purple Amo Racing silks of Kia Joorabchian, Thunder Love made her first pair of starts winning ones over the Kempton synthetic in the spring of 2021 for trainer George Boughey, and was transferred to Lobo after several stakes attempt in the UK.

Thunder Love's dam has a 3-year-old colt named Alfil (GB), an 11,000gns purchased by Wallhouse at the 2020 Tattersalls December Foal Sale and a juvenile filly, who was acquired by Rabbah Bloodstock for 20,000gns out of the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale last September, both by Massaat (Ire). Her extended family features the Classic heroine Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}).

 

Lope De Vega Colt Shines At Gulfstream

As chronicled extensively in Sunday's edition of the TDN, Lope De Vega (Ire) sired his ninth 'TDN Rising Star' and third in America with the success of Bob and Kristine Edwards of e Five Racing's Carl Spackler (Ire) in a one-mile turf maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park (video). Previous American 'Rising Star's by the Ballylinch Stud resident include GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GI Just a Game S. victress Newspaperofrecord (Ire), and fellow Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Aunt Pearl (Ire), trained by Chad Brown and Brad Cox, respectively. His rate of runners to winners in America and Canada sits at 46% (28 winners from 61 runners), and four of his five stakes winners (8.2% from runners) are graded winners Stateside.

The Fifth Avenue Bloodstock-bred was making his second start after finishing runner-up there when unveiled on Jan. 21. He was a 350,000gns buyback out of the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 when offered by Ballylinch. His dam joined the e Five fold for $550,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale and went on to take the GII Goldikova S. later that year. A half-sister to Grade I winner Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley), she foaled a Frankel (GB) half-sister to the winner that made 450,000gns at the 2022 edition of the October Sale and she also has a yearling filly by Lope De Vega.

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