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Breeders Ashview Farm, Santulli Hit Remsen-Demoiselle Double

It was 32 minutes that breeders Richard Santulli and the Lyster family will not soon forget. That was all the time it took for the partnership, which owns a limited number of mares, to have bred the winners of two graded stakes races on the same day at the same racetrack.

The feat occurred Saturday at Aqueduct where the Lysters' Ashview Farm and Santulli's Colts Neck Stables bred the winners of the GII Demoiselle S. and the GII Remsen S., contested as the eighth and ninth races on the Big A card. It began in the Remsen with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and continued with Nest (Curlin) in the Demoiselle.

“My family has been around long enough to know this was a really special accomplishment because it's so hard to breed a graded stakes winner,” said Gray Lyster, who runs Ashview, located in Versailles, Kentucky, with his father Wayne, his mother Muffy and his brother Bryan. “To breed two and to win two-late season 2-year-old races in New York that everyone is watching back to back on the same day is a perfect storm. That doesn't happen very often, so we are enjoying it.”

Santulli and Wayne Lyster are friends who have known each other for about 40 years and have been long-time partners. Wayne Lyster and Santulli's Jayeff “B” Stables were the breeders of Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Johannesburg and they also teamed up to breed Sweet Loretta (Tapit), the winner of the 2016 GI Spinaway S.

They're always on the lookout for good mares. They bought Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the dam of Nest, who was in foal to Pioneerof the Nile, for $400,000 ast the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Callingmissbrown (Pulpit), the dam of Mo Donegal, was bought privately. From there, it's a pretty simple formula–breed to the best stallions out there. (Marion Ravenwood will be bred to Curlin in 2022, and the partnership hasn't finalized plans for Callingmissbrown.)

“We really try to stay in our lane when it comes to breeding,” Lyster said. “We like to breed to really good, top, proven stallions. If not that, we will play the first-year market. Uncle Mo and Curlin are no-brainers for us. They are obviously good stallions and everybody should be using them.”

Mo Donegal was purchased for $250,000 at Keeneland September and races for Donegal Stable. Trained by Todd Pletcher, he broke his maiden in his second career start before stretching out to the mile-and-an-eighth in the Remsen. With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, he won by a nose and had to survive a stewards' inquiry.

Nest races for the partnership of Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House and cost $350,000 at the same Keeneland September sale. Also trained by Pletcher and ridden by Ortiz, the Demoiselle was her third career start and came after a third-place finish in the Tempted S. She was also a narrow winner, scoring by a neck.

“That was something else,” Santulli said. “What a fun afternoon.”

It was the second straight year that Pletcher won the Demoiselle with a daughter of Curlin after winning the race last year with likely 3-year-old filly champion Malathaat (Curlin).

At this year's Keeneland September sale, Ashview and Colts Neck sold an Into Mischief filly who is a half-sister to Mo Donegal for $500,000. They also sold a colt by Violence who is a half-brother to Nest for $275,000.

The two yearlings give the Santulli-Lyster partnership something to look forward to in 2022, and so do Nest and Mo Donegal. They've both won graded stakes races around two turns, which bodes well for the GI Kentucky Oaks and the GI Kentucky Derby.

“That's what we're dreaming of, the Oaks and the Derby,” Lyster said. “How can you not? I don't want to say it is surreal, but we kind of had to pinch ourselves Saturday. We're really excited. Even if we don't make it to the Derby or Oaks, what we did Saturday was already a huge accomplishment.”

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Hialeah Park NHC Qualifier: Cigar Mile Day At Aqueduct

This weekend marks the opening of winter meets at both Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. and at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. At Oaklawn, Saturday's card features the $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, while Gulfstream's Saturday card is highlighted by the nine stakes races that make up the annual Claiming Crown for blue-collar racehorses.

It is also closing weekend at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario, and Sunday's card features the G3 Valedictory Stakes.

Graded stakes action includes the G1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, featuring a pair of Todd Pletcher-trained sophomores against the likes of Independence Hall, Ginobili, and Code of Honor; as well as the G1 Starlet at Los Alamitos for 2-year-old fillies.

Here's a quick look at some of those races:

Saturday

2:43 p.m. – G3 Go For Wand Handicap at Aqueduct

Barry Schwartz's New York-homebred Sharp Starr will look to defend her title in this a one-turn mile handicap for fillies and mares. Trained by Horacio DePaz, Sharp Starr boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 6-2-2-2 at the Big A, including an impressive 15 3/4-length romp last November that registered a career-best 101 Beyer ahead of her Go for Wand coup.

Sharp Starr captured the $250,000 Empire Distaff last month at Belmont, off a two-month layoff, where she notched a 16-1 upset coming from last-of-10 under jockey Jose Ortiz, who will retain the mount from post 7 carrying 119 pounds. She earned a 92 Beyer for the win, her first of the 2021 season in five starts.

Go For Wand Entries

3:14 p.m. – G2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct

Jeff Drown's impressive maiden winner Zandon will attempt to rise to the occasion in the 106th running of the $250,000 Remsen for juveniles going nine furlongs. Trained by Chad Brown, who won the 2014 Remsen with Leave the Light On, Zandon was a 1 ½-length winner of his six-furlong debut on Oct. 9 at Belmont Park.

Despite hitting the gate at the break, the son of second crop sire Upstart recovered and sat two lengths off the pace while saving ground in fourth down the backstretch. Joel Rosario angled Zandon a couple of paths wide down the lane and he garnered command in the final furlong to register an 80 Beyer Speed Figure on debut.

The Remsen offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Remsen Entries

3:43 p.m. – G2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct

Manzanita Stables' well-bred Tap the Faith will make her stakes debut in this nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies. Trained by Christophe Clement, the Tapit bay rallied from last-to-first to win her debut by a head travelling a one-turn mile on Nov. 7 at Belmont Park.

A $1.25 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, Tap the Faith is out of the Super Saver mare Embellish the Lace, who captured the 2015 Grade 1 Alabama at the Spa.

The Demoiselle offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Demoiselle Entries

4:13 p.m. – G1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct

An accomplished field of eight horses will seek the calendar year's final opportunity for Grade 1 glory on the NYRA circuit in the 32nd running of the $750,000 Cigar Mile.

Owned by WinStar Farm and CHC Inc. and bred in New York by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, Americanrevolution makes his return to graded company after finishing third two starts back in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 25 at Parx, which was won by Hot Rod Charlie over Midnight Bourbon.

Spendthrift Farm homebred Following Sea was a troubled third in the last out Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint and seeks his second graded stakes triumph in Saturday's engagement. The son of second crop sire Runhappy was victorious in wire-to-wire fashion against multiple graded stakes winner Firenze Fire in the six-furlong Grade 2 Vosburgh on Oct. 9 at Belmont.

The one-turn mile will be a swan song for multiple graded stakes-winner Independence Hall who returns to Aqueduct for the first time since capturing the 2020 Jerome. Trained by Pletcher's former assistant Michael McCarthy, Independence Hall arrives off a 7 ¼-length runaway victory at 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2 Fayette on October 30 over a sloppy and sealed Keeneland main track, where he registered a career-best 105 Beyer.

Trainer Richard Baltas will ship Ginobili cross-country, attempting to give the son of Munnings a second graded stakes triumph. Owned by Baltas in partnership with Nick Casato's Slum Dunk Racing, Jerry McClanahan and Michael Nentwig, Ginobili ended a nine race losing streak in July at Del Mar capturing a one mile allowance optional claimer by 9 ¾ lengths. He followed with a score in the Grade 2 Pat O' Brien one month later at Del Mar, which offered a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, where Ginobili finished second to Life Is Good on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

As the lone millionaire in the race, William S. Farish's Code of Honor boasts a field-best $2,951,320 in lifetime earnings and seeks a third Grade 1 victory for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. This year, he captured the Grade 3 Phillip H. Iselin in August at Monmouth Park. He enters from a last out second to Independence Hall in the Fayette.

Bill Mott will attempt a fourth victory in a race named after one of the greatest horses he has ever trained when the Hall of Famer saddles 3-year-old Olympiad. Owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, Olympiad defeated older winners last out in a first-level allowance at Keeneland going seven furlongs. He broke his maiden in October 2020 against subsequent stakes winners Caddo River and Greatest Honour travelling the same distance at Belmont Park.

Cigar Mile Entries

6:58 p.m. – G1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have three opportunities to win the Grade 1, $300,000 Starlet – the final Grade 1 of 2021 for 2-year-old fillies – for a fifth consecutive year Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Baffert, whose streak of Starlet victories includes Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019) and Varda last year, entered Grace Adler, Eda, and Benedict Canyon in 2021.

Owned by Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen, Grace Adler will be seeking the second Grade I success of her young career. The daughter of Curlin and the Newfoundland mare Our Khrysty dominated seven opponents by 11 ¼ lengths in the Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5.

Eda, a Munnings filly out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, is the most accomplished of the Baffert trio in terms of wins. She's 3-for-5 with a bankroll of $190,000. Owned by Baoma Corporation, Eda enters off consecutive victories, taking the Anoakia Oct. 24 and the Desi Arnaz Nov. 13. The Starlet will mark her first start beyond seven furlongs.

Starlet Entries

Sunday

5:53 p.m. – G3 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine

The 2019 Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston resumes his rivalry with Special Forces in this 1 1/2-mile contest over the Tapeta.

Most recently, Sir Winston, the 5-year-old son of Awesome Again trained by Mark Casse, ran second in the G2 Autumn Stakes, while Special Forces ran third. That order was reversed two starts back in the G3 Durham, with Special Forces besting Sir Winston by a half-length.

A full field of 14 with one also-eligible has signed on for this marathon event.

Valedictory Entries

7:30 p.m. – G3 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos

Two-time Grade 2 winner As Time Goes By will have six rivals in her return to Los Alamitos Sunday. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, As Time Goes By will get some class relief after finishing eighth of 11 in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, who won the 2017 Bayakoa with Majestic Heat, will be represented Sunday by Moonlight d'Oro. Owned by MyRachorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC, the 3-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly was runner-up as the odds-on choice in a restricted stakes at Del Mar Nov. 3 after nine months on the sidelines.

Benjamin and Sally Warren's homebred Warren's Showtime will make her Los Alamitos debut for trainer Craig Lewis. The California bred daughter of Clubhouse Ride and the Affirmative mare Warren's Veneda has been effective on turf and dirt, winning eight of 23. The 4-year-old has earned $794,431.

Bayakoa Entries

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Seven-Figure Purchase Tap The Faith Steps Up In Saturday’s Demoiselle

Manzanita Stables' well-bred Tap the Faith will make her stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Demoiselle, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race program, which is headlined by the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile and also includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, and the Grade 3, $250,000 Go for Wand. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Tapit bay rallied from last-to-first to win her debut by a head travelling a one-turn mile on Nov. 7 at Belmont Park.

A $1.25 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, Tap the Faith is out of the Super Saver mare Embellish the Lace, who captured the 2015 Grade 1 Alabama at the Spa.

“She is very well bred, so it's very exciting for us. She won well first time out,” Clement said.

Bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club International, Tap the Faith has breezed back twice out of her maiden score, including an easy five-eighths in 1:03.21 Saturday over Big Sandy.

Clement said he is hopeful Tap the Faith can impress again while returning on relatively short rest.

“I'm running back a little bit quick in the Demoiselle, but she's been working too well so I've got to go,” Clement said. “She's sound and she looks good. I would have liked an extra week or two, but that's the way it goes. She'll get a rest after this.”

Joel Rosario has the call from post 6.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a pair of strong contenders in Nest and Miss Interpret as he looks to secure a record-extending seventh Demoiselle win.

Pletcher has previously won the Demoiselle with Smok'n Frolic [2001], Ashado [2003], Disposablepleasure [2011], Unlimited Budget [2012], Stopchargingmaria [2013], and Malathaat [2020]. Of that group, Ashado and Malathaat went on to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

Owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, Nest has posted a pair of starts over the main track at Belmont Park, including a five-length debut score traveling 1 1/16-miles on September 25 ahead of a close third in the one-mile Tempted last out on November 5.

The Curlin bay, out of the stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, was purchased for $350,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Idol.

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Nest has breezed back twice over the Belmont dirt training track since the Tempted, including a half-mile effort in 49.79 seconds Saturday.

Pletcher said Nest will appreciate the stretch out in distance.

“She should love the mile and an eighth. She had a good work on Saturday morning so she's right on course,” Pletcher said.

Laurie Wolf and Glen Hill Farm's Miss Interpret, by Street Sense, was purchased for $100,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

A maiden winner at third asking sprinting six furlongs over a muddy track at Saratoga Race Course, Miss Interpret rallied to a 1 1/2-length score in her stakes debut in the seven-furlong P.G. Johnson on September 2 at the same track.

Last out, the Kentucky-bred bay failed to fire when eighth in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades on October 8 at Keeneland.

Nest will leave from post 5 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., while Miss Interpret will emerge from the inside post under Luis Saez.

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J.W. Singer's Magic Circle registered a field best 82 Beyer Speed Figure for her second-place effort in the Tempted, finishing a half-length back of Gerrymander.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the Kantharos chestnut graduated by 4 1/2-lengths on debut, after exiting post 2 to best a field of nine maiden fillies sprinting seven furlongs in September at Saratoga.

She followed with a distant fourth in the Grade 1 Frizette, a one-turn mile on October 3 at Belmont won by Echo Zulu by 7 1/4-lengths over Gerrymander. Echo Zulu exited the Frizette to win the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 5 at Del Mar.

Rodriguez said he instructed jockey Manny Franco to sit back and try to close late in the Frizette.

“I wanted to be far back and make one run with her, but sometimes plans don't work out the way you wanted,” Rodriguez said. “When Manny went outside it looked like she would finish second against Echo Zulu, but she got a little tired. I want to blame myself a little bit, I don't think I had her as tight as I wanted to. She still ran good and maybe if she had finished third, I could have taken her to California.”

Rodriguez said the sizable Magic Circle should appreciate her first two-turn test.

“She's a big filly and I don't think it will be a problem for her to stretch out another eighth of a mile, but you don't know until they do it. Hopefully, she's good enough,” Rodriguez said.

The veteran conditioner, who won the 2014 Demoiselle with Condo Commando, said Magic Circle is likely to utilize a stalking trip.

“I think she can settle. She's not the type that needs the lead,” Rodriguez said. “When she broke her maiden she was on the inside and she settled and then made the lead pretty comfortable. So, I know she can take dirt behind horses.”

Bred in Kentucky by Manitou Farm, the $110,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase will exit post 7 with Franco aboard.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds' New York-bred Venti Valentine will put her undefeated record on the line when stepping into open company for the first time.

Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, the Firing Line chestnut, out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Glory Gold, is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Espresso Shot.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, Venti Valentine rallied from 6 1/4-lengths off the pace to win her debut by a nose in a six-furlong maiden sprint in September at Belmont. She stretched out to a one-turn mile last out on October 30 to capture the Maid of the Mist by 3 3/4-lengths over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track.

Venti Valentine will emerge from post 3 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

Godolphin homebred Nostalgic will make her stakes debut from a 7 3/4-length first-out maiden score traveling 1 1/16-miles over Big Sandy on October 22.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Medaglia d'Oro bay garnered a 48 Beyer in her debut score. She will exit post 4 under returning rider Jose Ortiz.

Rounding out the field are maiden Full Count Felica [post 8, Tyler Gaffalione], who switches from turf to dirt after hitting the board in two of her three career starts for trainer Chad Summers; and Golden Essence [post 2, Dexter Haddock], a maiden winner at fourth asking last out on November 8 at Parx for trainer Uriah St. Lewis

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NYRA Releases Aqueduct’s Fall Stakes Schedule Worth $4.9 Million

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the stakes schedule for the 18-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack that will include 26 total stakes, including 10 graded contests, which will run from Friday, November 5 through Sunday, December 5.

Offering total stakes purses of $4.9 million, the fall meet will be highlighted by a four graded-stakes card on Saturday, December 4, headlined by the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap for 3-year-olds and up.

The stacked Cigar Mile undercard will also include the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen for juveniles going 1 1/8 miles with 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the 2022 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on the line. Its counterpart for 2-year-old fillies, the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle, will offer 10-4-2-1 points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Also on tap for the December 4 card is the Grade 3, $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up competing at one mile.

The Big A fall meet stakes action begins on Opening Day, November 5, with the $150,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies going one mile and the $100,000 Atlantic Beach for 2-year-olds at six furlongs on the turf. Opening weekend at the Big A continues on Saturday, November 6, with the Grade 3, $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles and the $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies at six furlongs on the grass. The Grade 3, $150,000 Nashua will bookend the Opening Weekend stakes offerings.

Following the $150,000 Artie Schiller and $150,000 Winter Memories on November 13-14, the Grade 2, $200,000 Red Smith highlights a strong weekend on November 20-21, which will include the $100,000 Key Cents and $100,000 Notebook on Sunday, November 21.

Thanksgiving weekend will offer ten stakes over three days beginning Friday, November 26 with the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles; the $150,000 Gio Ponti for sophomores at 1 1/16 miles on the turf; and the $150,000 Forever Together for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Four stakes will be contested on Saturday, November 21 including the Grade 3, $400,000 Long Island for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in a marathon 1 1/2 miles on the turf; the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs; the $150,000 Discovery for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the main track; and the $100,000 Central Park for juveniles at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Thanksgiving weekend racing at the Big A will close with three stakes on Sunday, November 28, including the Grade 3, $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap for 3-years-olds and up at six furlongs; the $150,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at six furlongs on the turf; and the $100,000 Tepin for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

The Big A fall meet will conclude on Sunday, December 5 with a pair of $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series races going seven furlongs on the main track, with the Thunder Rumble for 3-year-olds and up and the Staten Island for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up.

The Aqueduct winter meet will commence on Thursday, December 9, with seven stakes carded through the end of the calendar year. The first stakes of the winter meet will be the $100,000 Garland of Roses for fillies and mares 3-and-up at six furlongs on Saturday, December 11.

The following Saturday will again showcase a pair of NYSSS contests with half-million dollar purses for juveniles competing at seven furlongs, with the $500,000 Great White Way for males and the Fifth Avenue for fillies.

The next day, Sunday, December 19, will offer the $125,000 Queens County for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and the $100,000 Gravesend for 3-years-old and up sprinting six furlongs in the final stakes action before a 10-day holiday break.

Live racing will resume Thursday, December 30 with the $100,000 Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles. New Year's Eve will feature the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for state-bred 3-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles.

For the complete Aqueduct fall meet stakes schedule, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/stakes-schedule/.

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