Falcone Giving Maiden Beauty Short Break After Quick Turnaround Win

Trainer Robert Falcone Jr. continued his hot streak when John Grossi's Racing Corp.'s Maiden Beauty notched a gate-to-wire victory off 11 days' rest in the $100,000 Bay Ridge on December 30 at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Falcone has hit the board with nine of his last 10 starters dating back to December 11 at the Big A, posting a record of 4-3-2, including a pair of wins with Maiden Beauty along with scores by Hoopla and Castle Chaos.

The 28-year-old conditioner said he has the one-mile $100,000 Biogio's Rose for older New York-bred fillies and mares on March 6 at the Big A in mind for Maiden Beauty.

The 6-year-old Revolutionary bay mare was claimed by Falcone for $45,000 in June and made her first start for new connections when second in the restricted Saratoga Dew on August 12 at Saratoga. She arrived at the nine-furlong Bay Ridge off a one-turn mile allowance optional claiming win on December 19 at Aqueduct.

Falcone admitted some concern with the quick turnaround.

“It's always concerning, especially when you consider her past performances before I had her,” Falcone said. “She had never run back that quickly, but as long as they're eating up and doing well, which she was, you've got to take a shot sometimes. Even though it was quick back, she came out of the race really well.”

Falcone said the option of remaining around one turn at seven furlongs in today's La Verdad was possible but that the mare's front-running style suited the Bay Ridge. Six of Maiden Beauty's nine lifetime wins were captured when leading at every point of call, including her last four victories.

“There's a lot that goes into picking your spots, especially stakes,” Falcone said. “We had talked about it. When she gets to the lead, she gets so brave. We figured we had an easier time going a mile and an eighth, than seven eighths so that was a big factor.”

Because of the quick turnaround, Falcone said he will go easy on Maiden Beauty for the time being.

“I'll let her tell me,” Falcone said. “She ran quick back, so she'll get some time in between. Our main goal would be the Biogio's Rose from here, but she could run in February if it's the right time.”

Falcone spoke volumes of owner John Grossi, complimenting his knowledge and understanding of the sport of horse racing.

“He's one of those owners that knows and understands the game. He's intelligent and supports the game very heavily,” Falcone said. “He breeds some of his own horses, he claims horses. We went to California last year and he was game to do that. He's easy to work with and understands the whole game. He's a great guy, he brings his granddaughter around the barn and she loves it. It's great to see young people getting involved.”

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Maiden Beauty Scores Fifth Win Of 2021 In Thursday’s Bay Ridge

John Grossi's Racing Corp.'s Maiden Beauty rounded out a five-win year with a gate-to-wire conquest in Thursday's $100,000 Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares going nine furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 5-year-old Revolutionary bay mirrored her last winning effort from 11 days ago, where she defeated open company at a one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

Despite the short rest, Maiden Beauty still displayed winning ways with Kendrick Carmouche aboard for the fourth straight time.

“She came back out of the race really good,” trainer Robert Falcone, Jr. said. “The way she ran, that's how she acts around the barn – she's laid back and relaxed, but once she gets the lead just goes around there. That's how she acts. She wasn't blowing after that race, cooling out. She actually had more energy than she usually does the next few days when we took her back into training. We knew this race was coming up light and we decided to take a shot.”

Maiden Beauty broke sharp from post 2, leading the five-horse field through opening fractions of 24.74 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.76 for the half-mile with stakes-winner Ice Princess tracking to her outside in second.

Around the far turn, Jose Lezcano started to get busy aboard Ice Princess while Carmouche remained patient. In upper stretch, Carmouche asked his filly for more run with Ice Princess looming to her outside. Maiden Beauty never relinquished in the stretch drive, crossing the wire a 3 ¾-length winner in a final time of 1:51.76 over the sloppy and sealed main track.

Ice Princess finished three-quarter lengths to the better of third-place finisher Sharp Star. Byhubbyhellomoney and Amity Island completed the order of finish.

Maiden Beauty scored her first stakes triumph since taking the Lynbrook at Belmont Park in July 2018 in her career debut when trained by Gary Contessa.

This year proved to be Maiden Beauty's most successful season in racing, sporting a consistent ledger of 10-5-3-1, which included a second-place finish in the Saratoga Dew in August at the Spa. She now brags an overall record of 35-9-6-4 with a bankroll of $628,912.

Maiden Beauty returned $8.60 for a $2 win wager as the third choice in the field.

“That filly always runs one way for me – she runs really good on the lead,” Carmouche said. “The question today was going to be the mile and an eighth coming back so quick, but with a short field I pretty much dominated the race from the beginning. She did most of the work. She ran awesome. I'm just glad she got to repeat that effort off of the flat mile race [on December 19]. Rob brought her into the race good and I'm very happy that we went in this spot and made us all a winner before the first of the year.”

Falcone, Jr. tipped his hat to owner John Grossi, and said he had considered waiting a few more days to race Maiden Beauty in Sunday's seven-furlong $100,000 La Verdad for New York-bred fillies and mares.

“John Grossi is a really great owner. I said we could run in this race after she came back good, but she may not run until February after this. I don't like running horses back that quick, usually,” Falcone, Jr. said. “He's an amazing owner and I'm happy he won this race. He puts money into the game. He breeds horses. He has horses in Florida and he sent horses out to California last year. He's into claiming and a really good guy for the game to have. I'm happy to win a stakes with him.

“We were thinking about the La Verdad as well, but she's just completely different on the lead,” Falcone, Jr. added. “It's just that simple with her. If you look at her past performances – and now you can add this one on – the last five times she won, she's on the lead.”

Bred in New York by Sandy Glenn Stables, Maiden Beauty is out of the Eddington mare Alpha Charlie.

Live racing resumes on December 31 at the Big A with an eight-race program, featuring the $100,000 Alex M. Robb [Race 7, 3:36 p.m.] for New York-bred 3-year-olds and upward travelling nine furlongs over the main track. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter 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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85-Year-Old Bob Dunham Fishing For Another Stakes Score With Byhubbyhellomoney

Trainer Bob Dunham, who turns 85-years-old on Tuesday, will try to keep the celebration rolling when he saddles Jupiter Stable's Byhubbyhellomoney in Thursday's $100,000 Bay Ridge at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Byhubbyhellomoney worked an easy five-eighths over the Belmont Park dirt training track on Dec. 23, in preparation for the nine-furlong test for New York-breds 3-years-old and up.

“I enjoy it. Training horses is a passion. I was there on Christmas Day,” Dunham said.

Earlier this summer, Byhubbyhellomoney won the Fleet Indian at Saratoga Race Course. Dunham said he loves his summers at the Spa which allow him to dabble in his favorite pastime – fly fishing.

“Training horses is like fly fishing – it gets into your blood,” said Dunham, with a laugh. “I love going up to Vermont. It's only 55 miles from Saratoga and you can smell the change in the air, it's so much clearer and so fresh. There's a beautiful river I like there that goes from Manchester all the way down to New York to the Hudson called the Battenkill.”

The veteran conditioner, who trained 4-year-old filly Chou Croute to Champion Sprinter honors in 1972, has met a lot of interesting people through his career, both on and off the track – including broadcaster Charles Osgood and the late actor Steve McQueen.

“I was in the water fishing one morning – maybe seven years ago – at 6:30 in Arlington, Vermont and this guy gets in about 40 minutes later,” Dunham recalled. “As the morning moves along we end up closer together and he hollers at me, 'catch anything?'”

While Dunham had caught a couple, the friendly fisherman upstream had been shut out. When the fishing was done, the two strangers sat down for a cup of coffee and traded tall stories as 'Bob' and 'Charlie.'

“He had on these sunglasses that wrapped around, a Tilley hat and waders,” Dunham said.

Before he left, Dunham asked the man for his surname and he replied, 'Osgood' – as in Charles Osgood, longtime host of the CBS News Sunday Morning and The Osgood File.

“I told him I enjoyed his show on Sunday mornings. He's really a nice guy,” Dunham said. “Later, I invited him to the races at Belmont and he showed up for a nice lunch and we talked about the horses and the radio.”

Dunham also recalled shipping a small string of horses to Santa Anita nearing the tail end of 1972, including Chou Croute, who won the Las Flores Handicap on Dec. 28 and came back Jan. 16, 1973 to win the Grade 2 Santa Monica Handicap.

Dunham said he enjoyed spending time at Santa Anita with the late Willard Proctor, father of conditioner Tom Proctor.

“He was a good friend of mine and he liked to go out for a drink. He knew a lot of actors out there,” Dunham said.

On one occasion, Proctor introduced Dunham to racing fan and acting legend Steve McQueen, who was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor in 1967 for his portrayal of Jake Holman in The Sand Pebbles.

After a few drinks, McQueen asked Dunham if he had any horses entered that he liked.

“I had a filly in that I loved. She'd had a couple races at Fair Grounds,” Dunham said. “We'd sprinted her a couple times and she was a route filly. She was entered going a mile and a sixteenth and I didn't think she could get beat, but I didn't tell Steve McQueen that. I said, 'I think she's got a chance.'”

Sure enough, the filly came through at a price.

“She won and McQueen came up and gave me a hug. I'm not sure how much money he bet,” Dunham said, with a laugh.

McQueen, known as a 'The King of Cool', kept in contact with Dunham through the years.

“He took us out to dinner several times and we exchanged numbers. Every time I had a horse in he called me,” Dunham said.

And while Byhubbyhellomoney, listed at 6-1 on the morning line, may be a little cool on the board Thursday, Dunham said he expects a big effort.

“She'll do good, but I don't know that she'll win,” Dunham said. “But every little bit helps.”

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Effinex Filly Byhubbyhellomoney Stretches Out In Thursday’s Bay Ridge Stakes

Jupiter Stable's Byhubbyhellomoney will look to provide trainer Bob Dunham a belated birthday gift in Thursday's seventh renewal of the $100,000 Bay Ridge, a nine-furlong test for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Dunham, who celebrates his 85th birthday on Tuesday, said the sophomore daughter of Effinex has trained well out of her distant runner-up effort to Bank Sting in the seven-furlong NYSSS Staten Island on Dec. 5 at the Big A.

“I was a little disappointed with that race. I didn't like the way she finished up,” Dunham said. “She came out of it fine. She ate well and was training well, but I thought she had a chance. I wasn't sure she could beat that filly, but I thought she'd be closer.

“She's done well since,” Dunham added, regarding an easy breeze in 1:03.11 December 23 over the Belmont dirt training track. “I haven't gone fast with her because she's fit. She went five-eighths in 1:03 over a slow track. She trains well.”

Byhubbyhellomoney was claimed for $40,000 out of a second-out graduation in June sprinting six furlongs over turf against fellow state-breds at Belmont Park.

She made her next three starts in restricted company at Saratoga Race Course, finishing a close third in an off-the-turf allowance sprint against older horses in July ahead of completing the trifecta in the NYSSS Statue of Liberty for sophomore fillies on Aug. 4 at one mile over the inner turf.

“I actually think she's better on turf. The day she broke her maiden on the turf, she was so impressive,” Dunham said. “She just ran good on the dirt so we kept her on the dirt, but I want to try her again on turf this coming year.”

Dunham entered Byhubbyhellomoney in the Fleet Indian, a nine-furlong route against fellow state-bred sophomore fillies over the Spa main track on Aug. 27, and the $30,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase responded with a rallying neck score over multiple graded stakes placed Make Mischief.

Dunham said pedigree may have played a part in the Fleet Indian effort as her sire, the $3.3 million earner Effinex, excelled at a route of ground.

“I was a little surprised but she is bred to go a route by Effinex. I thought she had a chance and she was training better at Saratoga than she was anywhere,” Dunham said. “She was really sharp at Saratoga. That's the only difference I see in her now is she used to play a lot coming off the track at Saratoga, but she's settled down.”

The versatile Byhubbyhellomoney returned to sprinting in October over Big Sandy, closing to finish second in a six-furlong state-bred optional claiming event and three weeks later was off-the-board at the same venue against the victorious Sharp Starr in the 1 1/16-mile Empire Distaff for state-bred sophomore fillies which was contested over a sloppy and sealed main track.

Dunham said he is hopeful for a big effort from Byhubbyhellomoney in her final start before a freshening.

“I'm running a sound horse. She'll run well but I don't know if she'll win,” Dunham said. “I think we'll give her a break after this and plan for the races in the spring.”

Bred in the Empire State by Anderson Boulton Thoroughbreds, the New York-sired bay out of the El Prado mare Shocking Behavior will exit the inside post under Eric Cancel.

Sharp Starr, a 4-year-old daughter of Munnings, will look to make amends after a distant fourth last out when attempting to defend her title in in the one-mile G3 Go for Wand Handicap on December 4 at the Big A.

Trained by Horacio DePaz, the Barry Schwartz homebred boasts a record of 15-4-3-3 and will be attempting her first win at the nine-furlong distance in her fourth attempt. She has breezed twice out of her Go for Wand effort, including an easy half-mile in 51.55 seconds on Dec. 24 over the Belmont dirt training track.

“She's doing really well. She came out of the race in good order. Her appetite has been good and her breezes have been good,” DePaz said. “We had an easier breeze the other day a week out from the Bay Ridge. We don't want to put a lot of speed into her. She's fit and ready to go.”

Sharp Starr entered the Go for Wand from a visually impressive 3 1/4-length last-to-first score in the Empire Distaff at Belmont over returning rival Ice Princess.

DePaz, who had also considered entering Sharp Starr in the seven-furlong La Verdad slated for Sunday at the Big A, said the filly showed determination at nine furlongs last year at Saratoga when second in a state-bred allowance ahead of a third in the Fleet Indian.

“I thought seven furlongs would be too short for her and this race is a smaller field,” DePaz said. “She ran well going a mile and a sixteenth at Belmont coming from off the pace and in her two races at Saratoga going nine furlongs she was always closing and finishing up well.”

Sharp Starr has demonstrated an affinity for Aqueduct with a record of 7-2-2-2, including a romping 15 3/4-length state-bred allowance win in November 2020 that registered a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jose Ortiz, aboard for three of Sharp Starr's four career wins, retains the mount from post 3.

“He knows the filly and rode her going long at Saratoga. He's very familiar with her,” DePaz said.

DePaz will also saddle Amity Island, a sophomore daughter of Brody's Cause owned by Michael Dubb, Take a Shot Stables and Liberty House Racing.

Amity Island was claimed for $40,000 out of a runner-up effort in an open one-turn mile on Oct. 2 at Belmont. Following an even fourth in November in a state-bred one-turn mile over Big Sandy, Amity Island returned Dec. 10 at the Big A with blinkers on for the first time to post a head score at the same level with a last-to-first effort.

“She stepped up. Thar race came back to her last time, but she put a good effort in. I was really happy with how she adjusted to blinkers,” DePaz said. “Hopefully, second time out with the blinkers she'll be much more focused. It's a good spot for her and her running style suits the distance.”

Out of the A. P Jet mare Anjorie, Amity Island is a half-sister to stakes winner Fierce Lady. Initially campaigned by Chad Brown, she was claimed for $25,000 out of a third-out graduation traveling a one-turn mile over a muddy main track at the Big A.

DePaz said he is hopeful Amity Island will continue to improve with racing.

“She's a very honest filly and very competitive in the races she ran before we claimed her,” DePaz said. “We were looking at the winter meet when we claimed her and hoping she could come up and get into allowance company and improve as she matures.”

Bred by Sugar Maple Farm, Amity Island will emerge from post 4 under Manny Franco.

Ice Princess, trained and co-owned by Danny Gargan with Flying P Stable and R. A. Hill Stable, will look to turn the tables on Sharp Starr when stretching back out to two turns.

The 4-year-old graded stakes placed Palace Malice grey entered the Empire Distaff from a trio of nine-furlong efforts, including an open allowance win in August over a sloppy and sealed surface at the Spa and a closing second in the John Hettinger against fellow state-breds over the Belmont turf on Oct. 1.

Bred in New York by Mina Equivest, Ice Princess sports a perfect in-the-money record of 5-2-3-0 at the Big A, including a win in the one-mile Maddie May in February 2020 and a runner-up effort in the nine-furlong G3 Comely in November 2020.

Jose Lezcano will pilot Ice Princess for the first time from the outermost post 5.

Rounding out the field is stakes winner Maiden Beauty, who enters from a gate-to-wire optional claiming win against open company on Dec. 19 at the Big A. Trained by Robert Falcone, Jr., Maiden Beauty will exit post 2 under three-time Bay Ridge winner Kendrick Carmouche.

The Bay Ridge is slated as Race 7 on Thursday's eight-race card, which will also offers a $49K carryover in the $1 Pick 6 which begins in Race 3. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter 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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