Adding in $75,000 in Virginia Stallion awards — up $25,000 from 2020 as well — a total of $1,050,000 in bonus monies will be distributed via the Breeders Fund. A total of 46 different breeders will share in the prize pool, which comes from 161 winning Virginia-bred horses that accumulated purse earnings of $2,916,905. The bonus averaged 32 percent of each winning purse. As recently as 2019, that figure was 19 percent.

The Virginia Breeders Fund is generated by one percent of every dollar wagered in Virginia on live racing and via OTB and ADW betting. Each year, the Virginia Racing Commission approves how the money in the Fund is allocated. A large portion is set aside for payments to breeders of registered Virginia-breds that win a race at any track in North America. There is a $25,000 cap on any single award.

Morgan's Ford Farm, based in Front Royal, led the charge with $126,694 from 15 wins. Chess Chief, who scored a pair of stakes wins, and Bella Aurora, who connected in a single stake, were both key. The former, a 6-year-old Into Mischief horse, scored a maximum $25,000 award in winning the New Orleans Classic and a $19,027 bonus in the Tenacious Stakes. Both were held at Fair Grounds. Bella Aurora won the Interborough Stakes, good for $17,441 while Supply and Demand, with three wins in New York, produced over $32,000 in awards.

Mr. & Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III finished second in awards with $113,855 led by several key contributors — Passion Play, Virginia Beach and Attachment Rate. Passion Play's victories in the Bert Allen and Edward P. Evans Stakes each returned a $19,027 award as did Virginia Beach's win in the Camptown Stakes. Attachment Rate, a former Kentucky Derby participant, captured an $11,035 payday for winning a February allowance at Gulfstream.

Knockgriffin Farm did not have any five-digit award winners but did have 14 overall. Multiple victors Vincent Van Gogo and Gimme Some Mo collected three each and Mucho Mas and Mo Clare's each had a pair. The combined total of $72,346 was good for third in the standings. Gimme Some Mo's $9,944 award from a Churchill Downs claimer was tops and Shastee's maiden special weight $8,562 bonus score at Gulfstream was next best.

Audley Farm Equine's bonus tally of $69,353 came from just five wins, but three were $100,000 stakes. Determined Kingdom prevailed in the Jamestown, Tasting the Stars was best in the Nellie Mae Cox, and Urban Fairytale finished first in the Brookmeade. Each provided an extra $19,027 on top of purse money earned.

With Repo Rocks' three wins and American Dubai's two, Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin took fifth place with $69,166. She had seven triumphs in all but benefitted most from American Dubai's dominating 7-length allowance win at Oaklawn with a $106,000 purse. Repo Rock's hat trick of wins all took place in New York — a maiden special weight at Belmont followed by two winning allowance efforts at Aqueduct.

Carlos Moore and Gillian Gordon-Moore's bonus of $55,443 was good for sixth among breeders. All came from Steve Asmussen trained Boldor, who prevailed in three stakes last year — the Sam's Town at Delta Downs, the King Cotton at Oaklawn and the Punch Line at Colonial.

Quest Realty's $49,799 figure came from six different horses, two of which reached the winners circle three times each — Drosselmoon and Stay Out. Another trio had their picture taken twice — Jestful, Point of Grace and Stay In.

The William Backer Revocable Trust reached the $40,000 level thanks to Shaaz's late season win in a $67,000 maiden special weight at Santa Anita. The Uncle Mo colt, a Bob Baffert trainee, was making his first lifetime start.

Tango Charlie's three wins in 2021 helped Morgan's Ford Farm and Godolphin reach $38,361 in bonus earnings. The 4-year-old Hard Spun gelding took a maiden claimer at Oaklawn followed by claiming wins at Ellis Park and Churchill. Oviatt Class chipped in with a maiden special weight victory at Del Mar, good for a $13,318 check.

Rounding out the top ten was Lazy Lane Farms with $37,659 from nine wins. Forloveofcountry was best on three different occasions while Dublin Yinz Money and Sing Along Suzy won twice each.

A total of $75,000 in stallion awards were distributed among six owners with 11 winners and combined purse earnings of $250,920.

Horses sired by Smallwood Farms' Friend or Foe won three and took $39,248 of the stallion reward pool. Mr. Buff led the way again with two stakes scores in New York — the Stymie and Jazil. The 8-year-old gelding has amassed $1.4 million from 17 lifetime wins.

Goodluckchuck, sired by Anne Louise Bonda's Big Picture, won three races to produce a $14,481 bonus. The 6-year-old gelding won an allowance at Charles Town, a claimer at Timonium and a starter optional claimer at Laurel.

Third largest award went to Lady Olivia at North Cliff, whose $8,967 bonus came courtesy of Heart Light's maiden special weight win at Colonial on Aug. 2. The 3-year-old Cosa Vera filly was best by a nose.

Other awards were received by Leanne Hester (Gone Clubbing), Ruxton Farm (Fierce Wind) and the late Sara Collette (Xenodon).

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A New York homebred, the millionaire chestnut son of Friend Or Foe was foaled in 2014 and was eventually gelded and named Mr. Buff, a fitting name for a horse standing 17.2 hands tall.

Trainer John Kimmel recalled the gelding towering over his stablemates even as a 2-year-old.

“He looked like two men in a horse suit. He was this huge 2-year-old and was just big and awkward,” said Kimmel. “You never know where a good horse will come from. Sometimes, you get one you think will be ordinary and they wind up being really good. And sometimes you have one you think will be really good and they turn out ordinary. He was one that really matured into a special horse. We miss him; he was such a big presence.”

Out of the Speightstown mare Speightful Affair, Mr. Buff's size did not inhibit his racing talents, breaking his maiden in his juvenile season at second asking when stretching out to seven furlongs from six furlongs on debut.

With two allowance wins as a sophomore, Mr. Buff made 14 starts as a 4-year-old, capped off by a year-end win in the Alex M. Robb at Aqueduct to score the first stakes win of his career. Mr. Buff's Alex M. Robb would prove to be the start of a long list of stakes accomplishments, the first of 11 career stakes wins with five other placings, including a third in the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park last year.

Of his three Jazil victories, Mr. Buff's most impressive effort came in last year's edition when he took down the Jazil for the third consecutive time. Ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, who also earned his third Jazil win that year, Mr. Buff contested the pace set by Musical Heart and was held 1 1/2 lengths back in second down the backstretch.

Given the cue from Carmouche rounding the turn, Mr. Buff took command and bounded away to a dominating seven-length victory, wrapped up at the wire in the penultimate victory of his career.

Mr. Buff won two other stakes on multiple occasions, taking back-to-back editions of the Alex M. Robb [2018, 2019] and the Empire Classic [2019, 2020], both at Aqueduct.

The second of Mr. Buff's Empire Classic wins came on the heels of a short layoff in 2020, regrouping for two months after off-the-board finishes in the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont and the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga.

Kimmel shared that his fondest memory of Mr. Buff's 48-start career was his repeat win in the Empire Classic.

“He came in off two bad races and people were writing him off like he was done,” said Kimmel. “He hadn't run since August and I had him ready to run at the end of October from nothing but training and to have him run that kind of race was good. That was a happy day.”

Mr. Buff's final win came in last year's Stymie, grinding out a half-length victory over Limonite in the one-mile event at Aqueduct. After a third in the Grade 3 Westchester next time out, he ran off the board in his last three starts, prompting his connections to retire the then-7-year-old gelding after six seasons of racing in November of 2021.

Mr. Buff retired to Chestertown Farm with a record of 48-17-8-5, earnings of $1,403,536, and two New York championship titles [Older Dirt Male in 2019 and 2020], cementing him as an all-time fan favorite in the New York racing scene.

Loretta Lusteg, assistant to Kimmel, emphasized that it takes a dedicated team to campaign a horse like Mr. Buff to so many successful seasons on the racetrack.

“I give so much credit to Arturo [Sanchez, Mr. Buff's groom], and his exercise rider and our barn foreman Jorge Munoz,” Lusteg said. “They were very hands on and there with him through the winters. It was a team effort.”

Sanchez, Mr. Buff's groom for his entire career, recalled his affection for Mr. Buff and said things around the barn are a bit different now that the large chestnut has left for retirement.

“I worked for six years with him,” Sanchez said. “That's a long time to work with a nice horse. For me, he's the best horse I've worked with. I miss having him around. I've seen lots of pictures of him and he's doing well.”

Gregg Falk, manager of Chestertown Farm, has been keeping Mr. Buff's connections up to date on his retirement ventures and shared that he has been in fine order since arriving in the beginning of November.

“He's relaxing and hanging out here on the farm. He let down very well and he's a smart horse,” Falk said. “He figured out things pretty quickly. He's turned out by himself right now because we didn't want him to get attached to other horses and make friends if he's going to be leaving to do something else. I'm not sure what that would be yet but I'll leave that up to Mr. Kimmel and Mr. Broman.”

Kimmel indicated that the gelding's professionalism and experience on the racetrack may make him a good candidate to return to his barn as a pony.

“I don't think he likes the cold up in Chestertown,” Kimmel said. “I think he wants a second career; he needs to do something. I'm thinking maybe he could be a pony for me. He could teach the 2-year-olds a lot and do well with them. I do worry he may try to take off with the racers, but he could be a good pony. He's a natural leader. There's also someone interested in making him a jumper.”

Lusteg shared Kimmel's sentiments, noting Mr. Buff's leadership around other trainees.

“He was very strong but kind. You could put him in company with another horse and he would babysit the younger ones. He was good in that way,” Lusteg said.

No matter what Mr. Buff ultimately finds himself doing in a second career, it is almost certain that the large fanbase he garnered in his racing career will continue to follow him wherever he goes. Lusteg recalled what it was like to have a local celebrity in the barn for so many years.

“It was so special to see the fans,” said Lusteg. “He was a horse that you could walk up to in the stall and pet him. You didn't have to worry about him biting anyone and he loved the attention. People loved to come and get a picture with him.

“He had no idea how strong he was and was kind in the stall,” Lusteg added. “He loved his peppermints and was a good dude. He's a part of our family and is missed around the barn.”

Now enjoying retirement at the place of his birth, Mr. Buff is sure to be enjoyed for years to come as his fans and connections continue the journey with him into his next career.

The post Millionaire Mr. Buff Settling Into Retirement As Connections Consider Second Career appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 7-year-old retires with two New York-bred championships – Older Dirt Male of 2019 and 2020 – in six seasons on the track. He won 11 stakes and made every start but two in New York. For now, the chestnut gelding heads to his birthplace, owners/breeders Chester and Mary Bromans' Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, N.Y.

“It's sad, but happy too,” said trainer John Kimmel. “It's hard to find a horse that could win 17 races and retire sound. He's the winningest horse I've ever had. We'll miss him, but he goes to the farm as a sound horse.”

Mr. Buff foaled at Chestertown (about 50 miles north of Saratoga Springs) in February 2014. The son of Friend Or Foe (who won five races and earned $349,134 for the Bromans and Kimmel) and the Speightstown mare Speightful Affair finished fifth in his debut at Saratoga in 2016 and won his next start at Belmont Park in September.

Mr. Buff won twice more in 2017, but endured eight losses to start 2018 before closing with wins in four of his final six starts – topped by the Alex M. Robb Stakes for New York-breds at Aqueduct. The success carried over, as he opened 2019 with a victory in the open-company Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct. Later that season, he added the Saginaw, Evan Shipman, Empire Classic and another edition of the Robb while piling up a career-high $455,750.

Awarded his first New York-bred divisional crown after that season, Mr. Buff duplicated the feat in 2020 thanks to wins in the Jazil, Haynesfield and Empire Classic and $307,500 in earnings.

Kimmel loved the success, and the ride the burly chestnut took everyone on.

“He gets better and better all the time. He's just been an iron horse,” the said in early 2021. “Once we figured out a few things about him, he kept losing his shoes, we've been gluing his shoes on for two-and-a-half years now. He's got white feet, they're kind of brittle, once he had shoes that didn't fall off, he's run a little better and a little better. He can use that big stride to his advantage.”

Mr. Buff opened 2021 with a third consecutive win in the Jazil and another stakes score in the Stymie. That Aqueduct victory would be his last as he followed with a third in the Westchester, fifths in the Commentator and Evan Shipman and a well-beaten eighth in the Empire Classic Oct. 30. Kimmel but pinned some of the dull performances on the inability to use Lasix in New York stakes races starting in 2021.

“He was always a bleeder, and benefitted from the use of Lasix,” Kimmel said. “He's not gushing, but he's bleeding like a two out of five and he's so smart, and he's such a veteran that I think he can tell he's going to bleed if he tries any harder. In the morning, he works well. He's right there with other horses breezing, but he's treated with Lasix. Without it, running in the afternoon in tougher races, he's taking care of himself. He's been too good to us to push the envelope anymore.”

Though he hesitated to single out one race as the most memorable, Kimmel called the 2020 Empire Classic a favorite. Facing six foes, coming off three losses and making his first start in almost three months, Mr. Buff controlled the race from the inside post position and made the lead last 1 1/8 miles while winning by 3 1/4 lengths for Junior Alvarado.

“He had run a couple clunkers against the better horses and hadn't run in a while,” Kimmel said. “I was real tickled because they were kind of writing him off and for him to come back and show at the age of 6 that he could come back and do that against a pretty good group of New York-breds was something.”

Kimmel tried graded company seven times with his stable star, but Mr. Buff never broke through – finishing ninth in the 2019 New Orleans Handicap-G2, seventh in the 2019 Woodward-G1, 10th in the 2019 Clark-G1, fifth in the 2020 Suburban-G2, Whitney-G1 and Cigar Mile-G1 and third in the 2021 Westchester-G3.

The Bromans bought Mr. Buff's dam for $80,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky mixed sale in February 2013. Her 12-start racing career yielded two wins and a second in a Grade 3 stakes. As a broodmare, she has produced two winners for the Bromans in addition to Mr. Buff – a full-brother Cain Is Abel and the Scat Daddy gelding Daddy Knows. Miss Buff, a 3-year-old full-sister, has yet to race. The top side of Mr. Buff's pedigree starts with Friend Or Foe, whose career included wins in the Mike Lee, Empire Classic and Easy Goer stakes plus a fourth in the Grade 1 Whitney in 2011 for Kimmel and the Bromans. His sire Friends Lake also raced for the Bromans and Kimmel, winning the Grade 1 Florida Derby and starting in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in 2004.

Retirement plans, other than no racing, weren't quite finalized. Mr. Buff headed to Chestertown with no plans, though his trainer wouldn't rule out a second career as a stable pony.

“I used to use him with the babies,” Kimmel said. “He's so big that he's good at it. He's over 17 hands and he'd go, 'Come on, Sonny, this is the way we do it.' And the 2-year-olds would follow him like, 'I better pay attention to this guy. He knows what he's doing.'

“I don't know if we make him into a pony on the track, but I'm sure he's sound enough that he could do something. Right now, he's going to get a break. He's going to be a happy horse.”

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Off as Race 8 on the 11-race card, the Excelsior is part of an action-packed day at the Big A that features the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, the final local prep for the Kentucky Derby offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top-four finishers, as well as the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap, the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore and the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle, offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the Kentucky Oaks.

Mr. Buff, who has already secured millionaire status, still stands out as a leading attraction. The Chester and Mary Broman homebred has 17 wins to his credit, 11 of them in stakes races, but has been unable to seal the deal in a graded race in five attempts.

Despite his graded woes, the 7-year-old son of Friend Or Foe has compiled an imposing resume. His ledger at Aqueduct features 10 wins and earnings in excess of $600,000.

After a distant fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap to begin the Big A winter meet on December 5, Mr. Buff rebounded with an encouraging runner-up performance in the Alex M. Robb for New York-breds just seven days later and has since rattled off wins in the Stymie and Jazil, the latter of which he accomplished by seven lengths at the Excelsior distance.

With his affinity for Aqueduct well established, his trainer John Kimmel hopes at long last the Excelsior will mark his first graded triumph.

“He's doing terrific,” Kimmel said of the chestnut gelding. “He's been acting great, breezing great, and he certainly has a good record at Aqueduct. He's been so consistent on this track that I have to think he's going to give another good performance. He's beaten a lot of graded winners, so we'll see what happens.”

Kendrick Carmouche, who was aboard for his runaway score in the Jazil when he came from just off the pace, will have the call from the outermost post.

“If he's ridden the right way I think he's going to win,” said Kimmel. “Kendrick understands the kind of horse he is; he knows he doesn't need to be committed to the lead. He can find his rhythm with that big stride of his and high cruising speed and hopefully he can make a comfortable lead, but if not Kendrick knows to be patient.”

An eclectic group of challengers will enter the starting gate to face Mr. Buff, with small barns being well represented in the Excelsior.

Limonite has been a revelation since being claimed by trainer Amira Chichakly three starts ago for $40,000. While Limonite began his career as a highly promising 2-year-old and a potential Kentucky Derby prospect in 2019, his development had plateaued by 2020 as he bounced around the claiming ranks in the latter half of the year.

His fortunes changed suddenly when haltered by Chichakly and owners Brian and Kerry Novak on January 30 at the Big A, and in his first start for his new connections, which came little more than a week later, Limonite exploded to a five-length win over optional claiming company.

Last out he proved that performance was no fluke with a game runner-up finish in the Stymie behind Mr. Buff, missing by just a half-length to that one in the end.

Fresh off his first NYRA jockey title at the Aqueduct winter meet, Eric Cancel will be aboard Limonite from post 4.

Backsideofthemoon, another popular older claimer, will rejoin the stakes ranks in the Excelsior after being taken back by trainer Robert Klesaris in his last start for $62,500. Like Mr. Buff, Backsideofthemoon has a history of running his best races at Aqueduct, and the 9-year-old even ran a career best race here on December 19 in the Queens County, which he won by six lengths with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

He will break from post 3 with jockey Trevor McCarthy in the irons.

Representing the bigger stables will be trainer Todd Pletcher, who looks to saddle a horse-for-course with Haikal. Formerly under the care of now-retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, the Shadwell homebred made a name for himself over this track in early 2019, when he won the Grade 3 Gotham and looked like a legitimate Derby prospect before being forced to hit the sidelines following a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial that same year.

Haikal nearly returned a winner at the Big A to begin his 2020 campaign, but three subsequent tries, all at Gulfstream Park, have produced underwhelming results.

“He didn't seem to like Gulfstream at all,” said Pletcher, who took over Haikal's training duties when McLaughlin retired early last year. “His form is good at Aqueduct. Hopefully by getting him back to Aqueduct, we'll get him back on course.”

Haikal will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are Modernist [post 5, Junior Alvarado], a former graded winner for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott who finished second in his 2021 bow in the Grade 3 Challenger; the Tom Albertrani-trained Tintoretto [post 6, Jose Ortiz] looking to improve off a fourth in the Stymie; and Grumps Little Tots [post 2, Manny Franco], who steps up in class for conditioner Rob Atras following a nose win in a $50,000 claimer traveling nine furlongs on February 26 at Aqueduct.

First post on Saturday's 11-race program is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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A Chester and Mary Broman homebred, Mr. Buff arrived at the open company one-turn mile for older horses off his third straight win in the Jazil going nine furlongs at the Big A. The John Kimmel trained son of Friend Or Foe owns triumphs in multiple New York-bred stakes events for older dirt horses on the NYRA circuit including the Alex M. Robb, the Empire Classic, the Evan Shipman, the Saginaw and the Haynesfield, which he won last February by an astounding 20 lengths.

Mr. Buff was asked from the gate by jockey Manny Franco and established a one-length lead ahead of Alwaysmining and Musical Heart to mark the opening quarter-mile in 22.96 seconds over a sloppy and sealed main track.

Alwaysmining dropped out of contention approaching the turn with the half-mile in 45.51, leaving Mr. Buff and Musical Heart alone on the front end. Franco remained relaxed aboard Mr. Buff as Dylan Davis asked Musical Heart for more run through the turn.

Franco gave Mr. Buff his cue at the quarter pole with a stubborn Musical Heart 2 ½ lengths back in second. The pair continued to race one-two a sixteenth out from the wire, as Limonite launched a furious late bid on the far outside from the four-path. Class prevailed in the end as Mr. Buff held on for a half-length victory in a final time of 1:36.97. It was another half-length back to Musical Heart in third.

Tintoretto and Alwaysmining completed the order of finish.

Mr. Buff registered his 11th career stakes win and added $68,750 to his already lucrative bankroll, which now stands at $1,364,536 through a 44-17-8-4 career. A stakes winner at all three NYRA circuit tracks, Mr. Buff has displayed quite the affinity for Aqueduct with a consistent 17-10-4-0 record.

Franco said he wanted to establish a good early tempo.

“I wanted to make sure I broke out of there running,” Franco said. “The two horse [Musical Heart] kept pushing my horse and I know my horse can rate but I just wanted to let him do his thing. When I got to the front, I was happy, and I know that's the way he likes to run.

“He's got a big stride and he just outrun the other horses,” Franco added. “The last sixteenth I felt he was tiring, but I know he went pretty quick the first part, and that was my plan.”

Jockey Eric Cancel, aboard runner-up Limonite, said he was pleased with his horse's late-charging effort.

“They were putting in a pretty decent pace at the beginning. It was a little quick for my horse to keep him up close,” Cancel said. “But my horse, at the end, gave me all that he had, and we almost got there. He tried. He doesn't have any problems in the slop, hopefully he keeps on improving.”

The Amira Chichakly-trained runner-up also pleased his co-owner Brian Novak, who claimed the 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid two starts back for $40,000. Limonite entered the Stymie from a five-length optional-claiming win on February 8 at the Big A.

“For a $40,000 claimer, he seems like a completely different horse,” Novak said. “We almost won this one, if he wasn't so far out. The speed was just a little much for him. But I'd like to see his Beyer [Speed Figure] after this one.”

Bred in the Empire State by his owners, Mr. Buff is out of the graded stakes-placed Speightstown mare Speightful Affair. He paid $3.40 to win.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

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The 7-year-old son of Friend Or Foe has put together a notable resume, which includes back-to-back wins in the Alex M. Robb at Aqueduct in 2018-19 and Empire Classic at Belmont Park in 2019-20 as well as victories in the 2019 Saginaw and Evan Shipman and the 2020 Haynesfield at the Big A, which he won by an astounding 20 lengths while recording a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mr. Buff arrives at the Stymie off a seven-length romp in the nine-furlong Jazil on Jan. 23, which he won for the third straight year in a stellar 2021 bow. The sizable homebred, who sports a 43-16-8-4 lifetime record, has banked $1,295,786 in earnings while boasting a highly consistent 16-9-4-0 ledger at Aqueduct.

Mr. Buff has trained forwardly for conditioner John Kimmel since earning a 102 Beyer for his Jazil score. He has breezed three times over the Belmont training track, most recently a half-mile move in :48.40 on February 20.

“He's doing fine and even though he's seven he's acting like he's three. He's handling everything really well right now,” said Kimmel, who won the 2001 Stymie with Windrush.

Kimmel said that Mr. Buff's optimal conditions include the freedom to get into his own rhythm and avoid being forced into speed duels.

“He's got good tactical speed, but the times he's gotten in trouble is when he's been pushed past his comfort zone and intent on going to the lead,” Kimmel said. “As he has shown in races past, he has been able to sit behind horses that have shown a little more speed. That's key to this race being an eighth of a mile shorter. There might be a little more pace in there. He's always been a good gate horse. The most important thing is getting him to find his rhythm in the first part of the race.”

Jockey Manny Franco will ride Mr. Buff from post 3.

Runnymoore Racing's Alwaysmining ships to New York from Laurel Park for trainer Austin Trites, who saddled the son of Stay Thirsty to a one-mile optional-claiming score on January 30 at Laurel Park. The 10-time winner of 24 starts has won at least two stakes races in his last three seasons, which began with a pair of juvenile victories in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity and the Heft in December 2018 at Laurel while under the care of trainer Kelly Rubley.

Alwaysmining's sophomore campaign encompassed victories in the 2019 Miracle Wood, Private Terms and the Federico Tesio at the Maryland oval before a distant 11th in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

In 2020, Alwaysmining kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with two more stakes victories, beating fellow Maryland-breds in the Jennings before stepping to open company in the John Campbell, where he garnered a career-best 101 Beyer.

Despite capturing most of his stakes wins in frontrunning fashion, Alwaysmining registered his most recent victory coming from fifth, four lengths off the pace, and was in command inside the eighth pole kicking clear to a three-length win last month.

Jorge Vargas, Jr. has the mount from post 5.

Michael Dubb's Musical Heart will try and build on stakes black type from his last two efforts for trainer Rob Atras.

The 6-year-old Maclean's Music chestnut was claimed by Atras for $62,500 following a close second to Backsideofthemoon going nine furlongs on November 13 over a sloppy and sealed Aqueduct main track. He followed up with a more distant second to his familiar foe in the Queens County on December 19 before finishing third in the Jazil behind winner Mr. Buff.

Musical Heart, who has placed in seven of his last eight starts, will break from post 2 under Dylan Davis.

Completing the field are Brian and Kerry Novak Inc.'s Limonite [post 4, Eric Cancel], who is fresh off a five-length allowance score going nine furlongs at Aqueduct for trainer Amira Chichakly; and John O'Connor's Tintoretto [post 1, Trevor McCarthy], a German-bred who seeks his first triumph in North America for trainer Tom Albertrani.

The Stymie is slated as Race 3 on Saturday's nine-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

The race honors Ethel D. Jacobs' 1945 Champion Older Horse, who captured some of New York's marquee events such as the Whitney, the Metropolitan Handicap and the Manhattan. Campaigned by Hall of Famer Hirsch Jacobs during his prosperous years, Stymie retired with $918,475 in earnings and a record of 131-35-33-28. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1975.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post ‘Acting Like He’s Three’: Ageless Mr. Buff Returns In Saturday’s Stymie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mr. Buff, a homebred who has produced a 16-8-4 record in 43 career starts with earnings of nearly $1.3 million, will next target the $125,000 Stymie for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on Feb. 27 at Aqueduct.

“My assistant says he's acting like a 2-year-old; he's got a great look in his eye and his energy level is high,” said Kimmel, who is currently working with his contingent at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida. “He's been prancing around the barn.”

Mr. Buff has found a comfort zone running in listed stakes, finishing in the money in his last 13 appearances with a gaudy 10-2-1 record dating to the Alex M. Robb in December 2018. Since that victory at the Big A, the only times Mr. Buff has not earned black type have been in graded stakes efforts, which included respective fifth-place efforts in last year's editions of the Grade 1 Whitney, Grade 1 Cigar Mile and Grade 2 Suburban.

The Friend Or Foe gelding has been a force with Kimmel crediting finding the right riders to coax the most out of him. Kendrick Carmouche has been aboard Mr. Buff's last two starts, including a runner-up effort in the Alex M. Robb on Dec. 12.

“I'm sure he'll break through sooner or later [in graded stakes] and I think it's going to come down to having the right guy riding him and not taking him out of his comfort zone,” Kimmel said. “He has good tactical speed and in those races, there's other horses who have that speed and they don't give up quite as easily. I think the main thing is to let him find his own rhythm and don't push him out of his comfort zone. That's what's going to be the riding rule for anyone who gets on him. Kendrick did a great job on him.”

Mr. Buff has historically fared well at Aqueduct, compiling a 9-4-0 record in 13 starts, including last out when he earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his Jazil victory.

“Last time, he stayed in his rhythm and went comfortably and he switched leads on a dime at the top of the stretch and you knew it was over from there,” Kimmel said.

While Kimmel has plans for a consistent presence on the stakes circuit, a pair of talented sophomore fillies will look to make their mark at a higher level as Frost Me and Secret Love breezed in company on Saturday ahead of expected starts in the $100,000 Maddie May for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on Feb. 20 at the Big A.

Nedlaw Stable and Tobey Morton's Secret Love has a pair of wins and a runner-up effort to her credit through three career starts, including a triumphant stakes debut last out when she outkicked Laobanonaprayer by 1 1/2 lengths in the 6 1/2-furlong Franklin Square on Jan. 16 at Aqueduct.

Whisper Hill Farm's Frost Me is also 2-1-0 in three starts, winning her debut on a race moved off the turf on Oct. 12 at Belmont before running second next out to Laobanonaprayer in the Maid of the Mist at one mile over Big Sandy on Oct. 24. The daughter of Frosted bested optional claiming company by a length in her Aqueduct debut on Jan. 8 going a one-turn mile.

The stablemates were each clocked going four furlongs in :50.85 over the Belmont dirt training track Saturday.

“I've worked them in company many times and I think Secret Love may just be a little quicker than the other, so that might spill out to the race where she goes and the other one might be sitting back,” Kimmel said. “We'll see what happens.”

Kimmel said Frost Me could eventually project as a turf contender later in the year.

“I always wanted to try Frost Me on the grass; I think she might jump-up her ability level when we try her there,” Kimmel said. “She's been putting in the effort, but I think she'll even improve when she gets to the grass.”

The Maddie May, contested at one mile, will mark the first time Secret Love will be tested in a non-sprint.

“I think she can run on anything. She's a nice mover and tries hard,” Kimmel said.

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Morton passed away suddenly in December, collapsing in the middle of the night. He'd had horses in Kimmel's barn for over seven years, and the two grew particularly close after the death of Kimmel's own father in 2018.

“He was almost like a father figure for me in many ways,” said Kimmel, 66. “He had more experience than me in so many things, and he always had a story to tell. He loved talking, this guy, and we talked pretty much every day for the last seven years.

“You always knew it wasn't going to be a short call when the phone rang, but he was such an interesting man. He grew up in the Bronx with nothing, came from pretty much nothing. Each of our conversations usually came accompanied by some sort of story of something he did as a kid, like being a bat boy for the Yankees, or having polio.”

Morton had purchased Pacific Gale for $72,000 at the 2017 OBS 2-year-old sale, and it took several years for the filly's talent to show up on her resume. Racing under the name of Morton's wife, Tobey, Pacific Gale usually finished on the board in her races but had only three wins from 27 starts entering Saturday's contest at Gulfstream Park.

This time, however, the daughter of Flat Out stepped up to win the G2 Inside Information by 2 ¾ lengths.

“I'm sure he's looking down and I hope he had a big bet,” said Kimmel shortly after the race. “He loved to bet on his horses and it's a very generous price she has on the board (16-1). My congratulations to Tobey. I know it's a difficult time but hopefully this filly can put a smile on her face.”

Later in the same afternoon, Kimmel watched via simulcast as his assistant saddled Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff for an easy win in the Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct. Now a 7-year-old gelding, Mr. Buff has won 16 of his 43 lifetime starts for earnings of nearly $1.3 million.

“He's probably the winningest horse I've ever trained,” said Kimmel. “It's a great story in its own right: I also trained his grandsire and sire, and for all the expensive stud fees Mr. Broman has paid in his breeding program, the fee to breed Mr. Buff was one dollar.”

Kimmel trained Friends Lake to win the 2004 Florida Derby, then his son, Friend or Foe, to win a trio of New York stakes races. Both were Broman homebreds, but the owner/breeder did not want to support another stallion in New York, so Friend or Foe was sent to a woman in Maryland to become a jumper on the condition that Broman could breed three mares a year to him for $1.

One of the first mares Broman sent to Friend or Foe was the graded stakes-placed Speightful Affair (Speightstown).

Mr. Buff was foaled in 2014, and while he's yet to add a graded stakes score to his tally, the gelding is regularly competitive in the older dirt division. Kimmel thinks it's just a matter of time before Mr. Buff wins his first graded race, but that it will require sticking to the race tactics that have worked for the horse.

“I think the main thing is that whoever's ridden him on those days has been so concerned about being on the lead, but really the most important factor with him is that when he breaks he needs to find his own rhythm, really drilled it into (jockey) Kendrick (Carmouche's) head. If you take him out of the comfort zone he seems to run out of gas, and he has a much harder time changing his leads.

“Last race he sat back, and his lead transition turning for home was perfect. I think in the future that if whoever's riding him will apply that concept, he certainly runs races that are fast enough that he can be competitive in graded stakes races.”

Of course, Kimmel has been in the racing game long enough to know that talent isn't always enough to win races. Still, he wouldn't change his decision to abandon his veterinary practice for a trainer's license 30 some-odd years ago.

“Unless you were actually involved in a specialty of some sort, like surgery or reproduction, working at the track as a vet just became extremely routine,” said Kimmel, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980. “I could train my assistant to do about 95 percent of the work; there was very little challenge and very little reward.

“As a trainer, every day is different. There may be lots of disappointment, but there are also lots of rewards, lots of positive things that keep you energized and involved.”

Telling his father, legendary Thoroughbred owner Caesar Kimmel, about his decision to step away from veterinary medicine was another matter entirely.

“Jimmy Toner was training my dad's horses then, and I think he wanted to test out my ability level before he even sent me a horse,” Kimmel remembered. “As time went on he got Jimmy to send me a horse he didn't think much of, Chachi Man, and I won with him first time out at Calder. Eventually he started to believe I knew what I was doing, and we had a really good run for quite some time.

“It was quite an enjoyable thing to work with your father; I couldn't get fired!”

Among the pair's best horses together were G2 Pennsylvania Derby winner Timber Reserve, G1 winner Flat Fleet Feet, G1 winner Hidden Lake, and G2 winner Miss Golden Circle.

“He really enjoyed the horse racing business; it was his favorite thing to do,” Kimmel said of his father. “He used to sit in his office at Rockefeller Plaza writing names down that he thought he could get by The Jockey Club. Ed Bowen was over there, and they always had a funny relationship.

“They interviewed him on television one time, and they wouldn't even let him say some of the names of his horses! It was a lot of fun back then, but it was a very different time, of course.”

One of the horses most often attributed to Kimmel's father's penchant for risque names is the filly Bodacious Tatas. In fact, she was actually owned by the younger Kimmel in partnership with Dennis Drazin.

“Dennis named that horse,” Kimmel said, laughing. “We put that name in at The Jockey Club for three consecutive years, and finally bingo, it went through.”

The 1985 filly was sired by Distinctive Pro, a son of Mr. Prospector in which the younger Kimmel and Drazin had purchased a share. The young partners had wanted to buy a share in Mr. Prospector himself several years earlier, but Kimmel had been unable to convince his father of the horse's stallion potential.

“You see how that worked out,” Kimmel quipped.

When the chance to have a share in one of his sons arrived, Kimmel and Drazin jumped on it with both hands. They bought a few mares to breed to him, including the dam of Bodacious Tatas, Key to Paree.

Bodacious Tatas won her debut at Monmouth Park, encouraging Drazin to bring in a couple of his friends. They paid $100,000 for half-interest in the promising, provocatively-named filly.

“The first time the two new owners come to the races, of course it's a rainy, horrible day,” Kimmel recalled. “Bodacious ran bad, and I remember jockey Craig Perret came back and said, right in front of the new owners, 'Nope, it's not the track, she's just a piece of sh*t.'

“She ran one bad race after another after that, and eventually the two owners wanted us to buy them out. We did, and then ended up sending her to New York for longer races with wider turns, and she must have won by 10 lengths the first time up there!”

The next year, Bodacious Tatas easily defeated the favored mount of Perret in Monmouth's G2 Molly Pitcher Handicap at odds of 13-1. The filly wound up earning over $430,000 on the track.

These days, Kimmel's numbers are down from the 100-plus horses he had in the barn 20 years ago, but he still maintains an active group of approximately 40 horses split between New York and South Florida over the winter months.

“I've done a little bit of everything, from breeder to pinhooker, vet, bloodstock agent, consignor, and even hotwalked back when I was a kid,” Kimmel said. “I like to be really hands on, and I think I have past performances that are not paralleled by too many people in the business, with 10 Grade 1 winners I developed.”

Perhaps part of Kimmel's longevity in the Thoroughbred business can be attributed to his commitment to physical activity. His alarm goes off at 4:15 a.m. each morning, and he spends most of the day at the barn or riding the stable pony on the track. Still, Kimmel finds time to go biking or swimming several afternoons each week.

During the winter he spends dark days fishing on his boat, and he takes special care to plan an annual vacation that includes skiing by helicopter.

“I'm in my mid-60's, but I think I have another trip or two left in my bones,” Kimmel said. “At a resort, you can ski fresh powder maybe one or two times before it gets all tracked up. When you're going into untouched country by helicopter, you can ski powder run after run after run.”

Age is just a number, after all.

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The initiative is just one of three offered annually by the VTA. Almost $​​​1.8 million was awarded in the popular Certified Residency program while another $1 million was doled out to breeders in the Commonwealth via the Virginia Breeders Fund program.

“These are exciting times to do business in Virginia,” said VTA executive director Debbie Easter. “Even though Colonial Downs will offer seven weeks of racing this summer, these three incentive programs offer year-round bonus opportunities for breeders and owners. The 2020 monies awarded are all very positive developments. Historical horse racing revenues have just started kicking in so there is lots of growth still to come. We anticipate awarding $3.1 million this year in the Certified program alone. Doing business in Virginia really pays right now.”

The top award of $30,000 went to Chester and Mary Broman, whose Virginia-sired homebred Mr. Buff — with career earnings of $1,295,786 — had a trio of stakes victories in 2020. The 7-year-old New York-bred prevailed in the Empire Classic Handicap, Haynesfield and Jazil Stakes, all at Aqueduct or Belmont. The gelding is by Friend of Foe, who stands at Robin Mellen's Smallwood Farm in Crozet. Mr. Buff kept right on winning as 2021 kicked off with a dominant seven-length triumph in the Jazil again, on Jan. 23.

Louis Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion's three wins translated into a $16,000 reward, second among the 57 recipient owners. The 3-year-old Great Notion gelding had victories in a maiden special weight at Delaware and in the Maryland Million Nursery and Jamestown Stakes at Laurel. Bred by Althea Richards, Kenny Had a Notion started out the new year — just like Mr. Buff — with a stakes win in the Spectacular Bid Stakes.

Sir Rockport's six wins, as an 8-year-old, provided the Sola Dei Gloria Stable with $14,100 in reward monies. The ageless Rockport Harbor gelding won four at Penn National and one each at Monmouth and Laurel. Bred by Legacy Farm and Larry Johnson, Sir Rockport also kicked off 2021 with a victory — an impressive four length, gate-to-wire effort at Penn National. That was his 12th win in just over 24 months.

New Farm in Marlton, N.J., had two nice wins with their 4-year-old Summer Front gelding, Reconvene, which triggered a $13,762 bonus. Both victories came at Monmouth and were maiden special weight and allowance scores. Reconvene was bred by Lazy Lane Farms.

Rounding out the top five was Gillian Gordon-Moore and a trio of co-owners who earned $11,835 in awards courtesy of Great Camanoe's two wins last year. The 4-year-old Tonalist gelding, bred by Corner Farm and Patrick Lawley Wakelin, won a maiden special weight at Delaware and an allowance at Laurel.

Paul Hirsimaki's 8-year-old gelding, Divine Interventio, earned over $62,000 in purse monies and a $9,832 incentive bonus last year from three claiming wins at Laurel. The son of Malibu Moon was bred by the William Backer Revocable Estate. His career bankroll of $376,000 has come from 30 “top three” finishes.

Michael Overfelt's Goodluckchuck had a pair of claiming wins at Laurel which spearheaded $9,712 in bonus earnings. The 5-year-old Big Picture gelding was bred by Heidi Overfelt and ushered in the new year with a wire-to-wire allowance victory at Charles Town at 16-1 odds.

My Meadowview Farms was eighth in bonus monies with $9,625 courtesy of Lenstar's win in a $70,000 allowance optional claimer at Belmont. The 7-year-old Shackleford gelding is trained by Nick Zito and was bred by Lazy Lane Farms.

Reiley McDonald's Passion Play was best in a $66,178 allowance at Delaware Park, which led to a $9,450 reward. The 5-year-old Hold Me Back gelding was bred by Mr. and Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III.

Finishing out the top ten in bonus awards is eFive Racing Thoroughbreds, whose Tan and Tight prevailed in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct last January. The 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare was bred by Jim and Katie FitzGerald. She followed up that success with runner-ups in a Monmouth allowance and the Camptown Stakes at Colonial Downs.

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The veteran Mr. Buff ended his 2020 campaign with a strong stakes showing, running second in the Alex M. Robb against fellow New York breds on December 12. Returning to open company for his 7-year-old bow, the Friend Or Foe gelding broke well from post 4 under Aqueduct meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche, pressuring pacesetter Musical Heart through the opening quarter-mile in 23.96 seconds and the half in 48.95 on the fast main track.

Mr. Buff took command out of the turn and Carmouche sustained the push through the stretch, outkicking a rallying Tenderfoot to complete the course in 1:53.47 and match his margin-of-victory to his age for trainer John Kimmel.

“That was perfect. I told Kendrick that he doesn't have to be on the lead,” Kimmel said. “The race was perfect. He looked terrific. He just looks good and is just an amazing animal.”

Competing without Lasix, Mr. Buff still showed the form that saw him close 2020 with three consecutive efforts that garnered Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or better.

Mr. Buff improved to 16-8-4 in 43 career starts. He has never won the Jazil by less than five lengths, with his combined margin for the three-peat 17 ¼ lengths. He has won at least one race every year since 2016.

“I think he's the winningest horse I've ever had,” Kimmel said. “He's settled more and more. He's just a very good and sound horse. He's stayed very healthy all through the years. That's the key with these horses; to keep them sound and healthy.”

Off as the 2-1 second choice, Mr. Buff returned $6.10 on a $2 win wager. The millionaire improved his career earnings to $1,295,786.

“He broke really good,” Carmouche said. “Mr. Kimmel said to do what I think is best in the race. If they don't break, go. If they want to go, you can sit. I just sat on him all the way around there. He does it all on his own. You just have to stay out of his way and let him get into his stride.”

Tenderfoot, a 4-year-old making his stakes debut in his eighth career start, held off Musical Heart by 1 3/4 lengths for second for trainer Charlton Baker.

“He's improved a lot,” said Tenderfoot jockey Eric Cancel. “Today, he was facing a much tougher field and he came with his A game. He tried hard against Mr. Buff. He is a really, really good horse and he still gave his run. He ran a huge race and I think he'll definitely keep on improving.

“Charlie [Baker] always gave me the confidence just to try to do everything right with him and take my time,” he added. “I gave him his time and was patient with him. Once I felt he was ready to go, he went for it.”

Backsideofthemoon, who broke slowly as the 9-5 favorite, and Fame to Famous completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card, highlighted by the $100,000 Busanda for sophomore fillies going 1 1/8 miles in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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