Courvoisier Leads Prospective Field Seeking Kentucky Derby Points In Saturday’s Withers

Trainer Michael Trombetta said he is eyeing a return to New York for R. Larry Johnson homebred Mr Jefferson in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. The nine-furlong test for sophomores offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

The Maryland-bred Constitution chestnut shipped to Aqueduct for his last two starts, finishing a distant fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 4 ahead of a sixth-place finish in the one-turn mile Jerome which was contested over a sloppy and sealed track on New Year's Day.

A two-time winner, Mr Jefferson broke his maiden going six furlongs at Colonial Downs in August two starts before defeating winners in November at Laurel Park.

Trombetta said Mr Jefferson will benefit from the stretch out in distance.

“More than likely, I'll send Mr Jefferson up. The two turns definitely helps him,” Trombetta said. “The first time I brought him up, I thought he ran well. The last time I don't think he liked the track very much. That might have had something to do with the sub-par performance.”

Mr Jefferson was initially breezing over the synthetic surface at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, but has posted his last two works over the main track at Laurel. He went an easy half-mile in 50.80 seconds Sunday.

“The track was deep because of the cold weather, but he worked well,” Trombetta said.

Mr Jefferson is out of the Malibu Moon mare Clockstrucktwelve, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning sprinter Never Enough Time – a daughter of Munnings who also is trained by Trombetta.

While Mr Jefferson will make the trek to New York, Trombetta said his stablemate Conclusive, also a two-time winner, will likely remain in Maryland for the $100,000 Miracle Wood on February 19 going one mile at Laurel Park.

Owned by Sonata Stable, Conclusive defeated winners going 1 1/16-miles on January 2 at Laurel last out, where he set the pace and built on his advantage throughout, winning by 5 3/4 lengths.

On Saturday, Trombetta sent out Three Diamonds Farm's Jakarta to finish third in the Grade 2 Inside Information on the Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park.

The two-time black type stakes-winning Bustin Stones mare arrived at the Inside Information off a three-length triumph in the seven-furlong Mrs. Claus on December 28 at Parx. Trombetta said the Grade 3, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie on February 19 at Laurel Park, also run at seven furlongs, would be her likely next target.

“Finishing third in a Grade 2 is not bad. If she trains well, we could go back north for the Barbara Fritchie,” Trombetta said.

Unbridled Bomber gearing up for graded debut in G3 Withers
Edward Potash, Brad Yankanich, and trainer Jim Ryerson's Unbridled Bomber returned to work Tuesday in his second breeze since a fourth-place finish behind Courvoisier in the $150,000 Jerome on New Year's Day at Aqueduct Racetrack.

A dark bay son of Upstart, Unbridled Bomber breezed a bullet five-eighths in 1:00.60 over Belmont Park's dirt training track on Jan. 25, giving his connections the green light to point to the nine-furlong Withers.

“We're headed to the Withers next and we're happy with how he's doing. We're happy with how he ran last time and with his last couple races,” Ryerson said. “We'll see if he can stretch out and handle the ground.”

Unbridled Bomber finished eighth on debut at Saratoga in July sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs before stretching out to nine furlongs and then back to one mile to break his maiden at fourth asking on Nov. 7 at Belmont.

Unbridled Bomber stuck to a one-turn mile in the Jerome over a sloppy and sealed track next time out, held off the pace in seventh by regular rider Dylan Davis through the first quarter-mile after breaking a step slow. Swung three-wide in the turn, the 3-year-old colt seemed ready to unleash a bid for the lead but never kicked away and lost show honors to Cooke Creek by three-quarters of a length.

“As the way the day went, speed was so dominant over that track,” said Ryerson. “We really couldn't have put him into the pace and so we just had to see how it would go [from off the pace]. I thought he ran very well.”

Anthony Perri's Open Til Midnight graduated in a state-bred maiden special weight at the Big A on Nov. 18 in his fifth start for Ryerson, stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on the turf under Jose Lezcano after starting his career off sprinting.

The 3-year-old son of Midnight Storm cut back to six furlongs last time out to finish fifth in his first start against winners on Dec. 3, a move Ryerson said was due in part to the closure of the Aqueduct turf course for winter.

“That was the only race available for him before the turf closed. He can run one-turn races on the turf though and I think he's a nice New York-bred that we have hopes for having a nice three-year-old year,” said Ryerson.

The dark bay colt's recent works over Belmont's dirt training track include a bullet half-mile in 48 seconds flat on Jan. 25. Ryerson said a dirt debut will be in Open Til Midnight's future.

“He's been turf but we want to try him on the dirt,” said Ryerson. “He worked really well over it the other day and we'll see what the new condition book has and what happens with him.”

Multiple stakes-placed Market Alert exited well from a fourth-place allowance effort at the Big A on January 8 and will run again sometime in February. A 4-year-old New York-bred son of D'Funnybone, Market Alert flashed his talent early on with a pair of stakes placings as a juvenile in Aqueduct's Notebook and NYSSS Great White Way.

With an allowance win to start his sophomore campaign, Market Alert went on to earn another stakes placing with a second in the Mike Lee at Belmont and another allowance win in November. The chestnut gelding closed out the year in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on December 5, finishing a well-beaten ninth in the field of 11.

“He ran a couple nice races and then we ran him in the stakes and were a little disappointed, but it was a tough race,” Ryerson said. “We're happy with him so far.”

Ryerson also noted that Miss Marissa, winner of the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap and Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan last year, has been privately sold by her owners to Japanese interests.

Courvoisier ready to pour it on in G3 Withers
Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and James D. Spry's Courvoisier worked five-eighths in 1:02.41 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track in preparation for Saturday's Withers.

“He's doing well,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “He breezed Friday by himself. It was a maintenance workout and he's good to go.”

The regally-bred Tapit chestnut is out of Grade 1 winning 2014 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Take Charge Brandi, who is a half-sibling to multiple Grade 1-winner Omaha Beach. Courvoisier graduated at fourth asking traveling nine-furlongs in December at the Big A ahead of a 1 1/4-length score in the one-turn mile Jerome contested over a sloppy and sealed main track on New Year's Day, garnering 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Breen said he is taking a cautiously optimistic approach on contesting the Kentucky Derby.

“We nominated him, but one race at a time,” Breen said.

Breen said a decision on a jockey for Courvoisier will be made in the next few days.

Robert G. Hahn's multiple stakes-placed New York-homebred Daufuskie Island worked five-eighths in 1:02.65 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track.

The Goldencents sophomore graduated impressively by five lengths at first asking sprinting six furlongs in a state-bred maiden special weight in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Daufuskie Island picked up state-bred stakes placings in the six-furlong Aspirant [2nd] at Finger Lakes in September; six-furlong New York Breeders' Futurity [3rd] in October at Finger Lakes; six-furlong Notebook [3rd] in November at Aqueduct; and the 6 1/2-furlong Rego Park last out on January 9 at the Big A.

Breen said the one-mile $100,000 Gander for state-bred sophomores on Feb. 12 is a possible target, but he is also considering other options for Daufuskie Island.

“There's an allowance race right before it and if it goes, we'll probably run in the allowance,” Breen said.

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Miss Marissa Much The Best In Delaware Handicap

Miss Marissa upset the favorite Bonny South and added her name to the long list of great fillies and mares to win the historic Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del. Grabbing an early lead, Miss Marissa and jockey Daniel Centeno controlled the pace, maintained a steady one-length lead, and had no trouble holding off Gibberish and Queen Nekia in the stretch to win by a length and a half.

Out of the gate, Gibberish grabbed a short half-length lead over Miss Marissa, but Centeno pushed his gray 4-year-old filly to the front, with Gibberish and Saracosa just behind her. Through the backstretch, Miss Marissa maintained her advantage, with the favorite Bonny South moving up to fourth. With the first quarter in :25.15 and the half-mile in :50.10, Centeno held his mount steady, saving plenty for the stretch run.

Into the final turn, Dream Marie made her move on the outside of Gibberish, but no one could catch the eventual winner today. Despite an open rail for Queen Nekia, Miss Marissa was too good, stretching her lead to a length and a half as they approached the wire. Behind her, Gibberish held off Queen Nekia for second with Dream Marie, Bonny South, and Saracosa rounding out the field. Final Cut was scratched. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:04.50.

Find this race's chart here.

Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Miss Marissa is a daughter of He's Had Enough out of the Arch mare Ardara. She was consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds at the October 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sale for $11,000 with Antonio Sano purchasing the filly. She is owned by Cammarota Racing LLC and trained by James Ryerson. Her win in the Delaware Handicap is her fifth win in 16 lifetime starts for total winnings of $604,690.

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Black-Eyed Susan Winner Miss Marissa Among Seven In 150th Running Of Ladies Handicap At Aqueduct

Miss Marissa found a comfort level going two turns in a stellar sophomore campaign and will look to follow a similar recipe in her 4-year-old bow as part of a seven-horse field of fillies and mares 4-years-old and up in the 150th running of Sunday's $100,000 Ladies Handicap going nine furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Miss Marissa, sixth last out in the Grade 3 Comely on November 27 over an Aqueduct track rated good, is the field's most accomplished entrant, having won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on October 3, Preakness Day, at Pimlico Race Course for trainer James Ryerson.

Miss Marissa, owned by Cammarota Racing, won just once in her first nine starts. But the He's Had Enough filly found a comfort zone when placed at longer distances, winning three straight entering the Comely, including 1 1/8-mile victories against optional claimers on August 13 at Saratoga and the Black-Eyed Susan, where she edged Bonny South by a neck over a fast track.

After tiring in the stretch in the Comely to cap her sophomore year, Ryerson said Miss Marissa has been training forwardly at Belmont in anticipation of her 4-year-old bow. She breezed four furlongs in 47.40 seconds on Wednesday over the main track.

“We're happy with her. She breezed real well yesterday,” Ryerson said. “We're excited about running. We're hoping we get a good track, but whatever we get, we'll try either way and hopefully she'll show up.

“We'll race here and then I think we'll give her a break after this, but hopefully we'll be seeing her at Belmont later on,” he added.

Jose Lezcano will pick up the mount for the first time since riding her to a fourth-place finish in the seven-furlong Wide Country last February at Laurel Park. The duo will break from post 4 with Miss Marissa carrying the 122-pound highweight.

“We decided to make a change and Jose knows her; he got to ride her going seven-eighths and he never had the chance to ride her in a two-turn race, so we're really happy to have him,” Ryerson said.

Jeff Drown's Smooth With a Kick has finished in the money in three of her last four starts, including a victory against allowance company going the Ladies' distance on August 9 at the Spa and a 3 ¼-length score against optional claimers at 1 1/16 miles on October 11 at Keeneland.

Trainer Chad Brown moved the Candy Ride mare up to stakes company last out in the Grade 2 Falls City going nine furlongs on November 26 at Churchill Downs. Despite finishing fifth, she posted an 86 Beyer, the highest in her 13 career starts, and has trained at Belmont since December. Smooth With a Kick will carry 120 pounds.

“She's real straightforward,” said Whit Beckman, an assistant to Brown. “No bad habits and nothing too tricky about the filly. You just take her out there and she does the rest. She's easy to be around and has a professional attitude. That makes a good racehorse.”

Manny Franco will ride from post 2.

Bass Stables' Thankful earned black type in her stakes – and Aqueduct Racetrack – debut last out and will look to build on that effort in returning to the Big A.

Thankful capped her sophomore campaign with a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Comely. The Todd Pletcher trainee did not race as a juvenile but posted a 2-1-1 mark in five starts during her 3-year-old season, breaking her maiden at third asking on August 20 at Saratoga before edging next-out winner Mrs. Danvers in a one-turn mile on September 27 when facing older horses at Belmont Park, netting a personal-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

The daughter of 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah will look to register the trifecta at NYRA-operated tracks in her second start at Aqueduct as she seeks her first stakes win.

Thankful, a $625,000 purchase at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton New York Select Sale, will have the services of meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche from the outermost post 7 and carry 120 pounds.

Ten Strike Racing's Lucky Move dispatched fellow New York-breds in consecutive stakes, starting with the Empire Distaff Handicap in October at Belmont and the Bay Ridge last out on December 13 at Aqueduct, and will face open company for trainer Juan Guerrero.

Bred by Maltese Cross Stables and Stonegate Stables, Lucky Move will make the first start of her 7-year-old year, with the veteran compiling a 7-7-4 record through 32 starts. Jorge Vargas, Jr. will be in the irons from the inside post [121 pounds].

Ujjayi, a T.L. Wise Pennsylvania homebred conditioned by Mike Maker, bested optional claimers at the Ozone Park-based track on December 13 and has half of her four career wins at the Big A. The Smarty Jones mare will break from post 6 with Trevor McCarthy aboard carrying 120 pounds.

Am Impazible earned the right to try stakes company after returning from a 10-month layoff with a win against allowance company on December 18 going a one-turn mile at the Big A. Overall, the Kelly Breen trainee has won her last four starts dating to November 2019, with all those victories coming at Aqueduct.

Owned by Richard Troncone, Jr. and Troncone, Sr., the New York homebred will have jockey Eric Cancel's services from post 5 and carry 118 pounds.

Bridlewood Farm's Bridlewood Cat is seeking her first win since 2019 and will be making her third consecutive stakes appearance for trainer Jonathan Thomas. Dylan Davis has the call from post 3. Bridlewood Cat will carry 118 pounds.

The Ladies Handicap is slated as Race 8 on Aqueduct's nine-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Miss Marissa Seeks Fourth Straight

Cammarota Racing’s Miss Marissa (He’s Had Enough) goes for her fourth-straight victory and third over nine panels in Aqueduct’s GIII Comely S. Friday. The James Ryerson pupil kicked off her streak with a Monmouth allowance victory July 11, and cleared her next condition at Saratoga Aug. 13 at odds of 20-1. She added to her career ROI last out with a 10-1 upset in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. Oct. 3.

“We’re very pleased with how she’s training,” Ryerson said. “We gave her a little blowout before this and she’s done well since the Black-Eyed Susan and we’re looking forward to it… Early on, we thought she’d stretch out. She really likes the two-turn pace scenario. I think it’s just getting that stretch out and the two turns, her efforts have been much better.”

Project Whiskey (Tapizar), a 38-1 upset winner of the GIII Delaware Oaks July 4, was sixth in the Black-Eyeed Susan.

Gale (Tonalist), a $450,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic purchase, looks to add to her own streak. The Maryland-bred aired by 6 1/2 lengths on the Laurel lawn Oct. 22, then ran up the score to 13 1/2 lengths in a rained-off one-mile allowance back there Nov. 5. Both of those wins came when employing aggressive front-end tactics that she figures to use again under first-time pilot Jose Ortiz.

New York-breds Makingcents (Goldencents) and Ice Princess (Palace Malice) have both shown an affinity for this distance, having finished one-two in the restricted Fleet Indian S. at Saratoga Sept. 4. Both also own wins at Aqueduct.

Thankful (American Pharoah), a $625,000 FTSAUG yearling, defeated Mrs. Danvers (Tapit) in a Sept. 27 N1X allowance over a one-turn mile. The latter came back to clear that condition Oct. 25, and is the somewhat surprising 5-2 favorite on the morning line.

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