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Donk Eyes Longer Distances For Geno After NYSSS Great White Way Win

Mendham Racing Stable's New York homebred Geno made a successful dirt debut in Saturday's seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way for eligible state-sired juveniles at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Trainer David Donk said Geno will eye a return to state-bred stakes company in the $100,000 Gander on February 12 at the Big A.

“He cooled out really well, it was a pretty easy race on him,” Donk said. “He'll stick around. If he was just a grass horse, I would have turned him out for a bit.”

The Big Brown bay made a winning debut in September at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., against fellow New York-breds, followed by two starts against open stakes company, including a close second in the November 5 Awad.

Donk said he would like to see Geno stretch out in distance in the one-mile Gander.

“I'm not going to shorten him up. I'd rather go longer than shorter,” Donk said. “He'll get a little spacing and we'll go from there. We'll see how he runs there, I could always come back on the dirt or back to the grass in April. It will give me a lot of options.

“I debated first time out whether I should run him on dirt or turf,” Donk added. “He's a very good workhorse and he breezed very well on dirt going into this race. It was a big effort.”

Donk trained Geno's dam Weekend Hottie, a Sun King mare, through her last eight of 27 career starts, all of which were on grass.

“She was an average mare, but this is a pretty good-looking horse. He's big and scopey,” Donk said.

Bred in New York by Pete Martine [Mendham Racing Stable], Geno brought his lifetime earnings up to $337,250 following Saturday's winning effort, which garnered a 61 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Donk said Joseph Bucci's Shesawildjoker, winner of the Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, N.Y., two starts back, will target the $100,000 Franklin Square on January 15 for 3-year-old New York bred fillies going 6 ½ furlongs. The daughter of first-crop sire Practical Joke was a last-out third in the November 21 Key Cents at the Big A.

Donk said five-time winning turf sprinter Big Package, also a New York bred by Big Brown, is currently turned out at Dr. Patty Hogan's Hogan Equine in central New Jersey.

The post Donk Eyes Longer Distances For Geno After NYSSS Great White Way Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gander Winner Nicky The Vest Sidelined After Surgery To Remove Chip

Trainer Jonathan Thomas said Robert V. LaPenta's Nicky the Vest had surgery to remove a chip in the lower joint of his right knee. He reported that the New York-bred son of Runhappy could return to his barn on June 1.

A winner of both career starts, Nicky the Vest was last seen winning the Gander on February 15 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., against his Empire State-bred counterparts. The 11 ¾-length romp in the one-turn mile promoted Thomas to consider the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, but ultimately stopped on the horse following his most recent work.

“In the grand scheme of things, it's hopefully inconsequential but it was enough to bother the horse,” Thomas said of the operation. “Dr. [John] Madison did it at Ocala Equine on Monday. He cleaned up nicely, the prognosis is good and fingers crossed he's back with us June 1.”

Bred in New York by Highclere, Nicky the Vest was purchased for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS October Yearling Sale. He is the sixth progeny out of the Cat Thief mare Tazarine, whose other five progeny are all winners.

While Nicky the Vest will be on the shelf for the time being, Hard Love will make his sophomore debut for Thomas in Saturday's $100,000 Woodhaven going 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds.

Owned by LaPenta in partnership with George Strawbridge, Jr.'s Augustin Stable, the son of Kitten's Joy was victorious on debut at 11-1 odds going 1 1/16 miles over the outer turf at Belmont Park. He stalked a moderate pace, established command in upper stretch and battled with runner-up Big Everest to a two-length win.

Hard Love saw similar tactics in his next-out stakes debut, where he stalked gate-to-wire winner Never Surprised throughout the 1 1/16-mile journey.

“He's going to be a little bit short, but he still has enough foundation for a spot like the Woodhaven,” Thomas said. “He's trained well and we're hopeful that this can lead him into longer races into the year. We're happy with him and we're a go for the Woodhaven.”

Thomas picked Hard Love for $200,000 out of last year's OBS April Sale, where he was consigned by Eddie Woods.

Other probable starters for Saturday's Woodhaven include Sifting Sands, Original, Shawdyshawdyshawdy and Extrasexybigdaddee.

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Nicky The Vest Gives Runhappy Initial Stakes Winner In Gander

Robert LaPenta's Nicky the Vest rewarded his even-money favoritism in his stakes debut, taking command in the turn and drawing away from a seven-horse field to win by 11 3/4 lengths in Sunday's $100,000 Gander for New York-bred 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

After Nicky the Vest won his first start on Dec. 18 in a one-turn mile at the Big A, trainer Jonathan Thomas saw him replicate that effort at the same track and distance, cruising in the stretch under meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche to easily outkick Lobsta. Nicky the Vest, a Runhappy colt, became his sire's first stakes winner.

Nicky the Vest broke sharply from post 5, staying in second position behind pace-setter Lobsta with the opening quarter-mile in 23.61 seconds and the half in 47.17 on the fast main track.

Carmouche urged Nicky the Vest outside of Lobsta to take command with three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.33. He continued to press on in the stretch, completing the course in a final time of 1:37.94 while geared down in the final 70 yards.

“He broke real sharp, had me in a good spot and the track has been good with forward positioning,” said Carmouche, who won his sixth stakes of the meet. “When I asked him, he responded very, very well. Jonathan Thomas and his assistant and their team did a good job of getting this horse back to the races after a couple months off.

“As long as I got my horse going at the pace he's going, I don't worry about the person next to me,” Carmouche added. “I figured once I asked him, he should respond and he got me to the winner's circle.”

Purchased for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS Yearling Sale, Nicky the Vest more than doubled his career earnings in improving to 2-for-2, upping his bankroll to $88,500.

“We were very pleased with him,” Thomas said. “He trained that way leading up to it and it's always nice to see what you're seeing in the morning replicated in the afternoon.

“We felt we needed to get him out of there,” he added. “His stamina is a key strength of his and we didn't want to get him in behind horses and have him take dirt. That's an unknown variable with him. We didn't want to do that today, so we planned on being aggressive.”

Nicky the Vest, bred by Highclere, returned $4.30 on a $2 win wager. Thomas said he could possibly target the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham going one mile on March 6 at Aqueduct in a race that offers 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top-four finishers towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“Because we gave him 60 days between his maiden win and this start, I'd feel comfortable we could contemplate that,” Thomas said. “But we'll leave that up to the team.

“John Panagot [LaPenta's racing manager] will be a big barometer here,” he continued. “We'll digest the race and see how he comes out of it and keep a lot of options open. If we do step out [outside of New York-bred company], he's run well here on this track so it stands to reason we would stay here.”

Lobsta, making his first stakes appearance in his third career start for trainer Gary Sciacca, finished a half-length in front of Perfect Munnings for second.

“This horse is a really classy horse,” said Lobsta rider Eric Cancel, who notched four victories on the day in addition to his runner-up effort. “He likes to run on the lead and his brother [2020 Gander winner Chowda] was the same way, so I just figured to ride him the same way. He was in a perfect spot. As soon as they pushed the button on the other horse. He kept on for second and fought well the whole way.”

Dancing Buck, Horn of Plenty, Uno and Re Created completed the order of finish.

Live racing at Aqueduct will continue with a special eight-race Presidents Day holiday card on Monday, highlighted by the $100,000 Hollie Hughes for state-bred 4-years-old and up going six furlongs in Race 7 at 4:25 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:20 p.m.

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