Mark Schwartz Derby Dreaming With Bargain-Priced Wood Entrant Brooklyn Stong

Owner Mark Schwartz, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, will live out a lifelong dream on Saturday when his New York-bred Brooklyn Strong bursts from the gate in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The historic Wood Memorial, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is the final local prep for the Run for the Roses slated for Saturday, May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Saturday's lucrative Big A card features the first Grade 1 of 2021 on the NYRA circuit in the $300,000 Carter Handicap, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, and is bolstered by a trio of stakes races, including the Grade 2, $250,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points; the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior at nine furlongs for older horses.

The 67-year-old Schwartz, a retired insurance executive, has fond memories of Aqueduct Racetrack.

“The first track I ever went to was Aqueduct,” said Schwartz. “My dad brought me to see the horses and I just loved it. I was seven years old and here we are 60 years later.”

Brooklyn Strong has stirred a renewed passion for racing for the Schwartz family after winning 3-of-4 career starts, including a last-out score in the Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen at Aqueduct.

Schwartz said his wife, Amanda, and their sons Jonathan and Bryan, are counting down the days to Saturday's main event.

“They're excited but no one could be as excited as I am,” said Schwartz, with a laugh. “They're enjoying the experience. My kids are big sports fans but were never really racing fans until now.”

Schwartz, a graduate of Brooklyn College, said coining a name for his stable star came easy, although another option was in the cards for the hockey-loving family who are fans of New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin.

“The name was easy. He's by Wicked Strong and I love Brooklyn,” said Schwartz. “But my kids liked the name Breadman. They like the Rangers and Panarin is called the 'Breadman' but the name happened to be taken.”

Oddly enough, Brooklyn Strong defeated Breadman, trained by John Terranova for owner Eric Fein, in the Sleepy Hollow in October at Belmont Park on Empire Showcase Day.

The victory marked just the second stakes score for Brooklyn Strong's trainer Daniel Velazquez, who had captured the race prior, the Maid of the Mist, with filly Laobanonaprayer, a $15,000 purchase owned by the young conditioner.

“Isn't it weird how that worked out,” said Schwartz. “Breadman is actually a very good horse and was an expensive purchase, but our horse got to be named Brooklyn Strong and I think it's the right name for him.”

The Wood Memorial holds strong memories for Schwartz, who was among the 43,416 in attendance on April 21, 1973 when Angle Light upset Secretariat.

“I remember it being crowded,” said Schwartz. “There was a buzz and big noise around Secretariat. I've never seen a horse so big in my life. He was huge. He's still the greatest horse ever. No other horse is comparable.”

Secretariat, the 1972 Horse of the Year, was set to be tested by Sham, who had won the Santa Anita Derby. But it was the unheralded Angle Light, Secretariat's entry mate, who would pull off a stunning frontrunning upset.

“Sham was sitting second and looking for Secretariat to make his move and because of that he moved too late,” recalled Schwartz. “Angle Light kept on going and won by a head. Sham was second.”

Schwartz said the crowd was stunned at the result.

“Secretariat ran third in the Wood if you can believe it. It was not his day. Later, they said he was sick that day. It just shows that anything can happen,” said Schwartz.

Angle Light, a $15,500 yearling purchase owned by Toronto, Ontario native Edwin Whittaker, had his day in the sun and Secretariat would win the Kentucky Derby next out en route to Triple Crown immortality.

Schwartz comes into Saturday's event with his own underdog in Brooklyn Strong, a $5,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. The handsome bay is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Riviera Chic, who had produced a pair of winners – Danielle's Pride and American Mission – from three foals.

“I bought him without asking anybody,” said Schwartz, who usually attends sales with his young trainer in tow. “Maybe Danny shouldn't have left me alone there.

“I liked his breeding and he ran a 10.2 and I liked the video I saw. Being a New York-bred was definitely a part of it. We live near the track and we can run him there, but I think I would have bought him no matter where he was bred,” added Schwartz. “When he was so cheap I thought I just had to buy the horse. The funny thing is you never get any of the big guys bidding against you when it's a $5,000 horse.”

Schwartz said he called Velazquez after the purchase and was immediately admonished.

“I called Danny and he said, 'You bought a $5,000 horse? What did I tell you!'” said Schwartz with a laugh.

Brooklyn Strong has proven to be an astute purchase. After a debut maiden claiming win in September at Delaware Park under Abner Adorno, Brooklyn Strong stepped into stakes company and finished third in the Bertram F. Bongard on October 2 at Belmont with Eric Cancel up.

The gelding redeemed himself when piloted to victory by Jose Ortiz in the Sleepy Hollow on October 24 at Belmont and followed with a neck score engineered by Joel Rosario in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on December 5 at the Big A, garnering a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure and 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Schwartz credits Velazquez for the development of Brooklyn Strong from a modest purchase to a legitimate Derby contender with $195,000 in the bank.

“Danny is like a third son. I can't imagine a harder worker,” said Schwartz. “He's a terrific trainer and when he tells me a horse is ready to win, he's almost always right. He really knows when he has a horse just right.

“I told him this is his breakout year and his chance to show people what he can do,” continued Schwartz. “He got a break getting these horses for so little money and making them good horses. He's a great evaluator of the talent that he gets. He's not the type of trainer that can go out and spend $300,000 at a sale. He got the Laoban filly for $15,000 and I got into a lucky spot on my own buying 'Brooklyn'.”

Manny Franco will pick up the mount on Saturday to become the fifth jockey in as many starts on the young horse and will need to hit the exacta to pick up enough points to jump from 33rd in the Kentucky Derby points standings into one of the 20 available stalls.

Schwartz said he is optimistic of a big effort after watching Known Agenda, who finished third in the Remsen, dominate in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

“I think now more than ever the Derby is wide open, but we have to finish first or second to get there,” said Schwartz. “I'd like to see Franco have him third or fourth on the outside and make his move at the top of the stretch and blow by everybody. That's been his action and I wouldn't want to change. I'd love to see him win big but any victory would be fine. I know he can run all day.”

Due to New York State COVID-19 guidelines, Saturday's Wood Memorial will be conducted without spectators and only a limited number of owners and essential personnel onsite. However, Schwartz ensures that his small group will do their best to make as much noise as the 40,000 fans that attended the 1973 edition.

“If you watch the TV replays of our other races, you can see Danny and I embarrassing ourselves up in the second level,” said Schwartz. “Our little group will be screaming, for sure. It's a little different for the big owners and big trainers – they've seen this before, we haven't. We react a bit differently. It's a lot of fun and a lot of excitement. I can't wait.”

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Remsen Winner Brooklyn Strong On Target For Wood Memorial

Trainer Daniel Velazquez wanted to point Brooklyn Strong to last weekend's Grade 3 Gotham at the Big A, but after a minor illness and lack of works due to inclement weather at his Parx Racing base, the New York-bred colt is on target for the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3 at Aqueduct.

On Saturday, Brooklyn Strong posted his third breeze since February 26, covering five-eighths in 1:01.13 on Saturday at Parx.

Velazquez was not on hand for the breeze after incurring a lacerated liver and torn bicep earlier Saturday morning in a training accident at the Bensalem, Pa., oval. The conditioner said he expects to be released from the hospital Sunday evening.

“He went by himself from the pole. Hopefully, we can hit one work a week up to the Wood,” said Velazquez of Brooklyn Strong's breeze.

Owned by Mark Schwartz, the Wicked Strong bay is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Riviera Chic. Bred in the Empire State by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, Brooklyn Strong was purchased for $5,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.

A winner at first asking in a one-mile maiden claimer in September at Delaware Park, Brooklyn Strong made his next two starts against state-breds at Belmont finishing third in the seven-furlong Bertram F. Bongard before capturing the one-turn mile Sleepy Hollow.

Brooklyn Strong stretched out to nine-furlongs on December 5 in the Grade 2 Remsen at the Big A and bested Ten for Ten by a neck to garner 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. A good result in the Wood, which offers 100-40-20-10 qualifying points, would put Brooklyn Strong in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.

“We know he can get the nine furlongs, I just want to make sure that he's ready,” said Velazquez. “We have another three weeks before the Wood and if we can get all the works in without interruption, I know we'll be ready.”

Velazquez said he does not have a rider lined up yet for the Wood. Joel Rosario was in the irons for the Remsen score while Jose Ortiz had the call in the Sleepy Hollow.

New York-bred sophomore filly Laobanonprayer, owned and trained by Velazquez, finished a disappointing fourth last out in the $250,000 Busher Invitational, an open one-turn mile on March 6 at the Big A.

With Big A winter meet leading rider Kendrick Carmouche up, Laobanonaprayer settled into a pocket trip in fourth but could not gain ground during the stretch run in which Search Results overtook the pacesetting Miss Brazil to earn the win.

“The race didn't set up well for her,” said Velazquez. “It was a dead track and the pace was extremely slow in front of her. It wasn't just that race in particular, every race was slow and the horses weren't coming back. Kendrick said she felt good and she fired, but the pace makes the race.

“We're going back to the drawing board with her. Maybe we'll just keep her in the New York-bred races,” added Velazquez. “She heads back to the track tomorrow for the first time after she ran and I'll know more after that.”

Bred in New York by Christina Deronda, the talented bay is by Laoban and out of the Raffie's Majesty mare Raffie's Chance. She was purchased for $15,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Laobanonaprayer kicked off a memorable day for Velazquez on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park when capturing the Maid of the Mist to provide the conditioner his first career stakes win. Brooklyn Strong followed up one race later by winning the Sleepy Hollow.

The next likely open-company stakes spot on the NYRA calendar for Laobanonaprayer is the nine-furlong Grade 2, $250,000 Gazelle on April 3.

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Brooklyn Strong Works for Wood

Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong), off since winning the GII Remsen S. last December, tuned up for a start in the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial with a five-furlong work in 1:01.13 (3/13) at Parx Saturday.

“He went by himself from the pole. Hopefully, we can hit one work a week up to the Wood,” said trainer Daniel Velazquez, who wasn't on hand for the drill after being hospitalized with a lacerated liver and torn bicep suffered during a training accident earlier Saturday morning.

Velazquez had hoped to start Brooklyn Strong in last Saturday's GIII Gotham S., but missed the race after a minor illness and lack of works due to inclement weather.

His win in the nine-furlong Remsen last year earned Brooklyn Strong 10 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Derby and the Wood Memorial offers an additional 100-40-20-10 qualifying points.

“We know he can get the nine furlongs, I just want to make sure that he's ready,” said Velazquez. “We have another three weeks before the Wood and if we can get all the works in without interruption, I know we'll be ready.”

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Both Brooklyn Strong, Laobanonaprayer In Holding Pattern As Weather Disrupts Training Schedules

Trainer Daniel Velazquez enjoyed a remarkable end to his 2020 campaign with New York-breds Brooklyn Strong and Laobanonaprayer.

On Oct. 24, Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park, Velazquez won the first two stakes of his career when Laobanonaprayer, who he also owns, captured the Maid of the Mist to kick off the stakes action, followed in the next race by Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong taking the Sleepy Hollow.

In December at the Big A, Velazquez returned to New York with another strong one-two punch as Brooklyn Strong, bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, captured the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen and 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on Dec. 5. Laobanonaprayer followed a day later with an eight-length romp in the NYSSS Fifth Avenue.

Velazquez said illness along with inclement weather at his Parx Racing base has disrupted the training schedule for both his stable stars. Brooklyn Strong is looking to get back on the work tab and Laobanonaprayer – who finished second in the Franklin Square on Jan. 16 at Aqueduct- is also in need of timed workouts.

“It's frustrating because everything went perfect going into the Remsen and Fifth Avenue, but since then it's been one hiccup after another,” said Velazquez. “Brooklyn got sick and we missed almost two months. We're starting from scratch. He was supposed to have his first breeze back and that got pushed back because of the weather.”

Velazquez said he wanted to point Brooklyn Strong to the Grade 3 Gotham on March 6 at the Big A, but is now hoping he'll have time to train into the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3 at Aqueduct. That 1 1/8-mile contest is a 100-40-20-10 Derby qualifier.

“I thought I'd have him ready for the Gotham, so the new target is the Wood or the Arkansas Derby [on April 10 at Oaklawn Park],” said Velazquez. “They're the only options we have to try and get into the Derby.

“I'm not worried about distance with him, but I want him to be ready,” added Velazquez. “Everyone goes into these races very prepared and right now I feel like we're short.”

Velazquez said Laobanonaprayer, bred in the Empire State by Christina Deronda, should make her next start in the $250,000 Busher Invitational on March 6 at Aqueduct. She last worked on Feb. 10 when covering three-eighths in :36.13 at Parx.

“The Laoban filly is pointed towards the Busher and I'm trying to squeeze two works into her but this weather has been horrendous. All we've been doing is shedrowing,” said Velazquez. “I got one work into her last week going three-eighths and she was scheduled to work this weekend a half-mile and then I wanted to work her five-eighths after that so she'll be ready. But this weekend is a bust because there hasn't been any training here.”

Velazquez said the weather also played a part in the Laoban filly's runner-up effort to Secret Love last out in the Franklin Square.

“We missed one key workout going into that race,” said Velazquez. “We just haven't been able to get into a flow.”

Velazquez said he is confident that things will turn around for his two New York-bred stars.

“Everything went so right up until the Remsen,” said Velazquez. “We had good weather. I was training at Delaware and everything was good. It's just the circumstances we're in right now.

“But I don't want to go to any race and feel unprepared,” he added. “These horses put 110 percent of themselves out there and I don't want to short them and dishearten them. I don't mind losing when I know they're ready and we get beat by a better horse. But if we go short and finish third because I know I'm not fit, that eats my soul.”

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