“The work went very well, we couldn't be any happier. He did it well and came out of it great this morning, ate up everything last night,” said Reid. “We had a horse in front of him to chase after and he went after him.”

Due to a now-lifted Equine Herpesvirus quarantine at Belmont Park, Uncle Heavy shipped to a farm in Pennsylvania following the Withers and returned to Reid's Parx base Feb. 25.

“The time off, believe it or not, actually did him a bit of good. He put his weight back on,” said Reid. “He's big and fat and healthy now, so we are very happy with the way he is going.”

Cash is King and LC Racing's Carmelina (Maximus Mischief), a last-out runner-up in the Mar. 2 Busher S., is expected to line up in the GIII Gazelle S.

“I think a mile and an eighth is the edge of how far she wants to go, but we will see how it comes up and she definitely could get involved,” Reid said. “Speed can be dangerous at a mile and an eighth, too.”

Reid, LC Racing and Cash is King's Maximus Meridius (Maximus Mischief), who earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points with his fourth-place effort in the one-mile GIII Gotham S., will ditch the Derby trail in pursuit of the seven-furlong Bay Shore S.

“We like a little bit of a turn back. He had to go from the one-hole last time and used a little bit out of the gate to not get swallowed up,” said Reid. “Right now, it doesn't look like he is going to be a Classic horse, so this race should be a nice turn back, to keep him going shorter.”

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Trained by John Sadler, Slider turned in bullet five-furlong work in :59.00 (1/121) at Santa Anita Sunday.

“He worked very well,” Sadler said Sunday. “He ended up catching a couple horses that broke off in front of him, but for me, it was more about how he galloped out since this will be the furthest he's ever run. If he looks good tomorrow, he gets on a plane early Tuesday to be there Tuesday afternoon to run Saturday.”

Sadler said timing was the main reason Slider was making the 2,792-mile journey from Santa Anita to Ozone Park for the Gotham.

“The spacing is good from his last race and we like a one-turn mile with him, so there's a lot of things to like for him [in the Gotham],” said Sadler.

Jose Lezcano, who won last year's Gotham aboard Raise Cain (Violence), will pick up the mount Saturday.

Sadler nominated two other colts to the Gotham, but said the duo will have other Derby prep assignments.

West Point Thoroughbreds' Scatify (Justify) returned from a debut win at Los Alamitos in December to be third behind the runaway winner Nysos (Nyquist) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita Feb. 3.

“He might be looking at the [Mar. 2 GII] San Felipe or the [Mar. 9 GIII] Tampa Bay Derby,” said Sadler. “We were anxious to get him started and he was a little later getting to me than some of the other ones. We were pleasantly happy with his first race, and missed a little time before the Bob Lewis. He wasn't going to beat the winner that day, but I think if things had gone a little differently, he could have been second.”

Hronis Racing's Tapalo (Tapiture), most recently second in the Feb. 10 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate, will likely remain on the synthetics and make his next start in the Mar. 23 GIII Jeff Ruby S. at Turfway Park.

“Tapalo will probably go to the Jeff Ruby,” said Sadler. “That was synthetic at Golden Gate and he ran a really nice race up there. I think he's a developing horse and it was a close race. He's progressing.”

Maximus Meridius Set to Make Stakes Debut in Gotham

Trainer Butch Reid is pointing Maximus Meridius (Maximus Mischief) to the Gotham. The bay colt worked four furlongs in :47.68 (2/33) at Parx Saturday.

“He breezed beautifully in :47 and change like breaking sticks. He's ready to go,” Reid said. “He did it on his own, he tends to get a little keyed up in company.”

Owned by LC Racing, Cash is King and Wellesley Stable, Maximus Meridius romped to a 10 1/2-length debut victory at Parx last November. He was third, beaten two lengths by Frankie's Empire (Classic Empire), who exited that race to win the Swale S. at Gulfstream Park, in a Dec. 26 optional claimer. Adding blinkers for his third start, Maximus Meridius returned to the winner's circle with a front-running victory going 6 1/2 furlongs at Parx Jan. 30.

Reid said the colt came to him via his brother, the retired Pennsylvania Hall of Fame trainer Mark Reid, who is known by the family as 'Uncle Heavy.'

“He's been very impressive from the beginning,” Reid said of Maximus Meridius. “He's a big, strong horse that we found out of a field in Chester County, Pennsylvania at my brother's place. He's been very forward the whole time we've had him.”

Reid said Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion), a last-gasp winner of the GIII Withers S. Feb. 3, will aim for the Apr. 6 GII Wood Memorial S.

Due to an Equine Herpesvirus quarantine at Belmont Park, Uncle Heavy was shipped to a farm in Pennsylvania following his Withers victory, but was able to return to his Parx base Sunday with the quarantine now lifted.

“He was on the jogging machine and he didn't lose any fitness. He looks fantastic,” Reid said. “We'll have time for three or four good breezes. I'm not worried about fitness at all.”

Reid said he was impressed with Uncle Heavy's late-running win in the Withers.

“The key was the way he finished up. His last five strides were huge, big strides and he gobbled that horse up,” Reid said. “That was very impressive his first time going a mile and an eighth and we'll see if we can confirm that coming back in the Wood.”

Owned by Michael Milam, Uncle Heavy was bred by Reid's sister-in-law Barbara Reid and named for his brother.

“It's a great story and he's been a real find so far,” Reid said.

Uncle Heavy has banked $293,580 with a 4-3-0-0 record.

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At the end of trade, a total of 91 head had changed hands for gross receipts of $2,212,500. The average was $24,313, down from $27,222 during last year's corresponding session; while the median also dipped, from $14,000 last year to $11,500. The buyback rate was 19.5%–not far off the 18.5% it was 12 months ago.

This year's catalogue of 412 yearlings is down from the 526 it was in 2022. The opening session of 124 offerings, with a 3:00 p.m. start time, will be followed Tuesday by a longer session that begins at 11:00 a.m.

Glenn Bennett's LC Racing signed for the day's top two lots, the aforementioned New Jersey-bred Classic Empire colt consigned by Gracie Bloodstock, agent; and hip 116, a $130,000 son of leading freshman sire Maximus Mischief. The latter, a Pennsylvania-bred, was consigned by Marshall W. Silverman, agent.

LC Racing co-owns the session topper's MSW half-sister Girl Trouble (Fast Anna), and co-campaigned Grade II winner Maximus Mischief, who was acquired in the same Timonium, MD sales ring as a juvenile.

While five of the session's top six lots were colts, they were somewhat more diverse in their origins, with the breeding programs of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Maryland and Minnesota all represented.

Kilka and Connelly Cash in Early

A colt by Classic Empire provided an early jolt to the proceedings in Timonium Monday, as the well-related New Jersey-bred, consigned by Chris Gracie's Gracie Bloodstock as hip 3, was hammered down to LC Racing LLC for what was ultimately a session-topping $135,000.

Bred by Greg Kilka in partnership with Christine Connelly's Bright View Farm, the Apr. 29 foal is the third out of unraced Adorabella (Ghostzapper), a half-sister to 2022 stakes winner Alydiva (Quality Road) from the family of GSW/MGISP Gastronomical.

Kilka and Connelly paid just $14,000 for Adorabella at the 2020 Keeneland January sale, and the aforementioned black-type earned by her half-sister was certainly not the most noteworthy of updates the mare has gotten since then. The Fast Anna filly Adorabella was carrying at the time, who brought $15,000 at this auction in 2021, blossomed into multiple runaway Parx stakes winner and $283,000-plus earner Girl Trouble (Fast Anna). Adorabella's second foal is the flashy juvenile Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who crushed fellow Jersey-breds by 9 1/2 lengths first out at Monmouth for Atlantic Six Racing and trainer Derek Ryan in August before adding the open Smoke Glacken S. back at the Shore last month.

“I think it aligned with expectations. We've struck it rich, so to speak, with this mare that Chris Gracie picked out for us a few years ago,” said Kilka. “The mare, Adorabella, is throwing really nice babies and they all kind of have a similar way about them–they're all smart, they all walk very well, and now it has translated to the racetrack with the first two babies being Girl Trouble and Book'em Danno. This one's very similar to those.”

Kilka is a shareholder in Book'em Danno's young Florida-based sire, and was acquiring mares for Bucchero at the time.

“Chris picked the mare out,” Kilka said. “The page was a little light, but it was a young and active family and Chris suggested taking a shot. She's turned out to be a great purchase… Initially we acquired a few mares [for Bucchero], both with Chris and some I did on my own–the ones I did with Chris have been the most successful. We thought she aligned really well with Bucchero and we wanted to support the stallion in his first couple seasons. [Book'em Danno] has turned out to be very good so far.”

Book'em Danno was solid privately as a yearling after Girl Trouble had broken her maiden, but before she successfully stepped into stakes company. While Kilka and Connelly hadn't fully been able to cash in on Adorabella's production prowess as sellers until Monday, Kilka was quick to dismiss the notion that seeing Book'em Danno's success on the track might be bittersweet.

“It's all positive feelings; this is not an easy game,” he said. “We bred the horse to sell him, and we thought he would be a nice horse–you never know how nice they're going to be–but there are no regrets. We're happy to see the current ownership group having success with him. They're a group of Jersey guys and I'm happy to see that.”

Kilka and Connelly have set themselves up for further financial gain down the road, as they leveled up significantly from a stud fee perspective in choosing Adorabella's most recent mate, Medaglia d'Oro, who commanded a fee of $100,000 this past season.

“We have no plans to sell the mare as of now, although there have been inquiries. I guess for the right inquiry it's always possible,” Kilka said. “We'll see what happens with this Medaglia d'Oro baby and go from there.”

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There are now 381 sophomores eligible to compete in the Triple Crown series. Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through a supplemental nomination payment due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($150,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

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“He came out of [the City of Brotherly Love S.] really well and happy,” trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said. “I was happy to see him come back after that effort in the Withers and be no worse for wear. The jockey [Abner Adorno] said he was kind of choking up down the backside last time and maybe he flipped his pallet, but he didn't show any signs of that this time.”

Of a potential start in the Wood, Reid added, “It's possible. “There are several races around that time and we wonder if he handled that surface there, so we've got some questions to think about. But we'll see how the races shape up and make our decision from there. I don't think shipping is his best thing, but he'll probably have to go on the road again for his next start. We will probably ship him in a little earlier to get him used to his surroundings.”

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The seven-furlong test for eligible New York-sired juvenile fillies is one of two stakes races on Saturday afternoon for state-sired 2-year-olds, along with its counterpart race, the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way.

“We're pleased to be offering these important races – the richest juvenile sire stakes races in the country – which demonstrate the strength of the New York-sired program and offer a great incentive to breed to New York stallions,” said NYRA racing secretary Keith Doleshel. “Our New York-sired and New York-bred programs are integral to NYRA racing and we look forward to continuing to support the New York breeding industry.”

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Morning Matcha will cut back a furlong after defeating winners by 6 ¼ lengths going a two-turn mile on Nov. 16 at Parx. She registered a field-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure last out, saving ground along the rail before angling several paths wide around the far turn and drawing off to a 6 ¼-length victory as the 1-9 favorite.

The daughter of leading New York stallion Central Banker, who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for a $7,500 stud fee, has never finished out of the money in six career starts.

The consistent bay earned a stakes-placing in the Finest City on Sept. 13 at Presque Isle Downs en route to a 6 ½ furlong Parx maiden score 12 days later.

Reid, Jr. kept a small division of horses at Saratoga this past summer, including Morning Matcha, and said he had been looking forward to more ground since watching her train at the Spa. Morning Matcha sprinted against restricted maiden company twice at Saratoga, finishing a respective third and second.

“No doubt the longer distances have helped,” said Reid, Jr. “We've been waiting to stretch her out in distance since we had her at Saratoga. A mile was perfect for her so this won't be out of reach either.”

Reid, Jr. will have five stalls at Gulfstream Park this winter. Following the NYSSS Fifth Avenue, Morning Matcha is scheduled to join his small South Florida division.

“After this, we'll stretch her back out. She'll head to Florida after this and train in some nicer weather,” Reid, Jr. said.

Kendrick Carmouche, the pilot in both victories, will return aboard Morning Matcha from post 6.

“It'll be up to the jock wherever she's most comfortable,” Reid, Jr. said. “Inside or outside, she appears to have no qualms with anything. Kendrick has done a great job with her.”

Bred in Pennsylvania by Crane Thoroughbred Services, Morning Matcha is out of the stakes-placed Iam the Iceman mare Home Ice and was bought for $18,000 out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic Sale.

Trainer Michael Trombetta will send out Howdyoumakeurmoney, a dual-surface winner and the lone stakes-winner in the Fifth Avenue field.

The Commonwealth New Era Racing-owned Freud bay graduated at second asking on turf against fellow New York-breds on September 3 at Saratoga and one month later captured the 6 ½-furlong Presque Isle Downs Debutante, defeating next-out winner Battle Charge.

Howdyoumakeyourmoney, bred in New York by Davie Bloodstock and Peter Colon, arrives from a runner-up effort in the seven-furlong Glorious Song on Oct. 30 at Woodbine.

Mychel Sanchez will be aboard from post 7.

Joseph Bucci's Laoban's Legacy will seek her first stakes victory, coming off a runner-up effort against open company winners for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Bred in New York by Sequel Thoroughbreds, the daughter of the late Laoban was a dazzling 7 ¾-length winner in July over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track on debut en route to a distant third in the Seeking the Ante the following month at the Spa.

Breaking from post 3, Laoban's Legacy will be ridden by Manny Franco – a two-time winner of the NYSSS Fifth Avenue.

Trainer Christophe Clement will send out Barry Schwartz's Shigeko following a 6 ¾-length maiden win at second asking. Bred in New York by Schwartz's Stonewall Farm, the daughter of Japan found the winner's circle on Oct. 30 over a sloppy and sealed main track in an off-the-turf mile for state-breds at Belmont Park.

Dylan Davis will ride Shigeko from post 11.

Completing the field are She's a Big Deal [post 1, Raul Mena], Alicia's Way [post 2, Benjamin Hernandez], Laochi [post 4, Eric Cancel], Yo Cuz [post 5, Jose Ortiz], Half Birthday [post 8, Trevor McCarthy], Bank On Anna [post 9, Jose Lezcano], and Mrs. Banks [post 10, Mike Luzzi].

The NYSSS Fifth Avenue is carded as the penultimate event on Saturday's nine-race program. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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The special 10-race card devoted to horses bred in the Empire State boasted six stakes worth a combined $1.35 million.

“Today's Empire Showcase Day was a prime example of the success and integral role the New York-bred program has in the thoroughbred racing industry,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “Each of our three annual showcase days highlight the quality of talent being produced by the breeders of our state and the opportunities available in incentives for breeders, along with exceptional purses for owners and horsemen.”

Americanrevolution, a sophomore son of Constitution bred by Fred W. Hertrich, III and John D. Fielding, completed a hat trick of wins in August with an impressive five-length win in the nine-furlong Albany on New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The talented chestnut entered Saturday's test from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. He made his return to state-bred company a winning one with a convincing 11 3/4-length score in the nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up which was contested over a sloppy and sealed main track in Race 9.

Sea Foam, winner of the Evan Shipman in August at the Spa, led the field through splits of 22.85 and 45.84 with two-time Empire Classic winner Mr. Buff tracking in second and Americanrevolution outside rivals and clear in third. Americanrevolution advanced at will through the turn, overtaking Sea Foam at the head of the lane and powered home to a visually-impressive score in 1:49.11.

Wild Banker completed the exacta by a nose over Sea Foam. Danny California, Captain Bombastic, Tiergan, Three Jokers, and Mr. Buff rounded out the order of finish.

Americanrevolution graduated at second asking sprinting six furlongs against older company over Big Sandy on June 20 and followed with a romping 7 1/4-length score in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes ahead of his Albany coup. A $275,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Sale, Americanrevolution is out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. Sent to post as the 2-5 mutuel favorite, Americanrevolution paid $2.90 for a $2 win bet.

Elliott Walden, President and CEO of WinStar Farm, said the Constitution chestnut has proven to be among the elite sophomores currently in training.

“He's a very nice horse. I think he's probably the ninth or tenth best 3-year-old in the country right now,” Walden said. “Some of the better ones are retiring after this year so if he comes back well, who knows how it goes next year. He's certainly done nothing wrong and I'm very excited of what's ahead for him.”

Barry Schwartz's Sharp Starr made a triumphant return to stakes company, rallying from last-of-10 to post a 3 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Empire Distaff for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/16 miles in Race 8.

The 4-year-old Munnings filly, who won the Grade 3 Go for Wand to cap her sophomore season in December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., looked fresh in her first start in more than two months, overtaking Make Mischief at the top of the stretch and powering home a winner in a 1:44.23 final time for trainer Horacio DePaz.

Sharp Starr, off at 16-1, was put under a hold by Jose Ortiz as Trinni Luck led the field through the opening quarter in :23.19, the half in :46.62, and three-quarters in 1:10.91. Ortiz utilized a ground-saving trip before tipping Sharp Starr out entering the turn. With Make Mischief overtaking the tiring pacesetter, Sharp Starr took aim at her rival and overtook her in the stretch to register her first win in five starts this year. Sharp Starr, bred by Stonewell Farm, returned $34.40 in improving to 4-3-3 in 14 starts while increasing her career bankroll to $224,545.

DePaz said Sharp Starr could look to defend her title in the one-mile $250,000 Grade 3 Go for Wand on December 4 at Aqueduct.

“It's definitely a possibility,” DePaz said. “She handled the mile and a sixteenth fine here, so we'll see what her perfect distance will be. We'll keep that race under consideration.”

Ice Princess rallied for second under Saez, with Make Mischief running third. Mrs. Orb, Bank Sting, Maiden Beauty, Dancing Kiki, Byhubbyhellomoney, Trinni Luck, and Vienna Code completed the order of finish.

Iris Smith Stable's Shipsational kicked off the stakes action on Empire Showcase Day by fending off 4-5 favorite Overstep's re-rally effort to win the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow for juveniles contesting a one-turn mile in Race 3.

The Edward Barker-trained Shipsational, who captured the Bertram F. Bongard on September 26 at Belmont, notched his second consecutive stakes win by leading the six-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :24.09, the half in :47.74, and three-quarters in 1:12.45 over a sloppy and sealed track.

Entering the stretch, Saez kept 6-5 Shipsational to task, repelling Overstep's bid from the outside under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to post a half-length victory, completing the course in a final time of 1:38.32 while paying $4.60 on a $2 win bet. Following Overstep was Who Hoo That's Me, Sterling Hill, Excursionniste, and Sundaeswithsandy completing the order of finish.

Shipsational, now 3-for-4 to start his career, could now target the 1 1/8-mile $250,000 Grade 2 Remsen on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Barker said he is looking forward to trying the Midshipman colt [bred by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone] around two turns for the first time in a race that offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the 2022 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic splashed to an emphatic 8 3/4-length victory in the $150,000 Hudson, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up in Race 5.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the 4-year-old Cross Traffic gray, bred by Brian Culnan, returned from a two-month layoff with vigor, taking over from pacesetter Foolish Ghost at the top of the lane and powering home in a final time of 1:17.51. The late-running Chestertown, who advanced up the rail through the turn before angling out for the stretch run, completed the exacta. Jemography, Foolish Ghost, Amundson, Our Last Buck, Judge N Jury, and Bronx Bomber rounded out the order of finish. Kaz's Beach was scratched.

Joseph, Jr. said the 2020 Grade 1 Haskell runner-up will now target the $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap on December 4 at the Big A.

“He won well. The slop was a bit of a concern, but he had trained really well into this race and ran good,” Joseph, Jr. said. “It seems like one-turn is what he wants to do. I think we'll give the Cigar Mile a shot.”

Ny Traffic improved his record to 16-4-4-2 with purse earnings of $754,920. He paid $3.90.

Bloom Racing Stable homebred The Important One broke sharp and led the six-horse field gate-to-wire to notch her first career stakes win by posting a 6 1/4-length score in the $150,000 Iroquois for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 6.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, The Important One was sent to the front from post 2 under jockey Jose Lezcano, posting an opening quarter-mile in :23.04 with the half in :45.70. In the stretch, the 4-year-old Majestic City filly drew away from runner-up Miss Jimmy, hitting the wire in 1:18.03. The Important One, making her first stakes appearance in eight starts, ran her win streak to three while improving to 5-0-3 in 13 career starts for purse earnings to $278,190.

The Important One, one of three horses in the race off at 2-1, returned $6.20. Completing the order of finish behind Miss Jimmy was slight favorite Espresso Shot, Hannah Dances, Fight On Lucy, and Letmetakethiscall.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Venti Valentine, trained by Jorge Abreu with Ortiz Jr. up, made her stakes debut a winning one in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies in Race 7.

Sandy's Garden set splits of :23.24 and :46.68 under pressure from Sue Ellen Mishkin as Venti Valentine, who broke a step slow, saved ground in third. Ortiz, Jr. gave Venti Valentine her cue through the turn, advancing with purpose and finding racing room outside the tiring Sandy's Garden as the field straightened away. Once presented, the Firing Line chestnut, bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, drew off impressively to win by 3 3/4-lengths in a final time of 1:39.78. Captainsdaughter rallied from far back to complete the exacta.

Dufresne, Velvet Sister, Classic Lynne, Sandy's Garden, Vallelujah, and Sue Ellen Mishkin rounded out the order of finish. Luz was pulled up in the stretch run and vanned off. Starship Laoban was scratched.

Undefeated in two starts, Venti Valentine returned $8.70.

Due to significant rainfall from a coastal storm that impacted Long Island Tuesday and Wednesday, a pair of $200,000 state-bred turf races originally scheduled for Saturday – the Ticonderoga for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, and the Mohawk for 3-year-olds and up – have been rescheduled for Friday, November 5, and Saturday, November 6, respectively.

Live racing returns Sunday at Belmont Park with a nine-race card highlighted by $200,000 Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up along with two divisions of the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie at seven furlongs over Big Sandy for fillies and mares. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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The 5-year-old Gone Astray mare missed her 4-year-old campaign with a tendon issue but has enjoyed a productive season after joining the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., winning 3-of-6 starts.

“She was very gutsy,” said Joseph, Jr. of the Noble Damsel effort. “She always shows up and her numbers were trending in the right direction. It was a competitive race also and you could finish second or third and still run your race, but I'm glad she got the job done and is a Grade 3 winner.”

Shifty She was reunited Saturday with jockey Edwin Gonzalez, who had piloted the hard-trying bay to victories in the open-company Powder Break in May and the Ginger Punch against Florida-breds in June, both at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

“He's 3-for-3 on her now. He gave her a very good ride,” Joseph, Jr. said.

Joseph, Jr. said he knew he'd landed a talented mare when she battled gamely on the lead in her seasonal debut traveling one-mile over firm Gulfstream turf in April to finish a close fourth off a 16-month layoff.

“I gained so much respect for her that day. There was a wicked speed duel but she never gave in off the layoff,” Joseph, Jr. said. “She gives you her all each and every time.”

Joseph, Jr. said Shifty She's long-term target is the $500,000 Grade 3 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf on January 29 at Gulfstream.

“That's the dream goal. The Pegasus is at home at Gulfstream so it makes sense to backtrack from that and maybe get one more race in before,” Joseph, Jr. said.

Joseph, Jr. said Shifty She bounced out of the race in good order and will ship back to his care at Gulfstream this afternoon.

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman, and Team Hanley's New York-bred Ny Traffic breezed a half-mile in :48.27 Sunday over the Gulfstream main track.

The 4-year-old Cross Traffic gray, bred by Brian Culnan, enjoyed a productive sophomore season through a record of 7-1-3-1, including a game runner-up effort to Authentic in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Ny Traffic opened his current campaign with a dominant 6 3/4-length score in a seven-furlong state-bred optional claiming sprint, garnering a career-best 103 Beyer. He returned with a good second to Informative in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile ahead of off-the-board efforts traveling nine furlongs in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup in July and the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on August 27.

Joseph, Jr. said he is hoping that Ny Traffic will return to winning form in Saturday's 6 1/2-furlong $150,000 Hudson on Empire Showcase Day with an eye towards a start in the $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“His comeback at seven [furlongs] at Belmont was in a New York-bred race and he ran well. After that, we ran him long at Monmouth and it was OK,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I've always wanted to bring him back to one turn because that seven-eighths race was so impressive. If he runs well our target would be the Cigar Mile in December, but we'll go one race at a time.”

Joseph, Jr. said Ny Traffic has worked consistently well at Gulfstream dating back to late September.

“He's coming into good form,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He worked very good this morning. All being well he should run a good race.”

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The Miami Beach, a mile overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up, closed out the stakes action on Saturday's 10-race program that also featured the $60,000 Journeyman Stud Juvenile, a mile-and-70-yard race for Florida-bred 2-year-olds on Tapeta, and the $60,000 Khozan Juvenile Fillies Sprint, a six-furlong stakes for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies.

A couple of hours after Joseph was represented in the Belmont Park winner's circle by Shifty She following her victory in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at the Elmont, N.Y., track, Girolamo pulled off an upset in the Miami Beach that caught his trainer by surprise.

“I'm surprised to be honest with you,” Joseph said. “I know he wants to do this (one-turn mile), his race at Belmont (one-turn 1 1/16-mile) was really good. He doesn't want seven-eighths. Today was a tough race. I didn't think he could win. I thought if he ran his best race, he could be pretty close. Then, he acted up in the race, and I said 'Aww, everything is done.'”

A showdown between graded-stakes winners Eye of a Jedi and King Guillermo had been expected by the bettors but it never developed between the two 5-2 betting chances. King Guillermo broke alertly to press the pace set by Quenane but weakened on the turn into the homestretch, while Eye of a Jedi raced in traffic and was never a factor.

Girolamo's Attack, who finished off the board in two sprints at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in his last two starts, stalked the pace while racing three-wide into the stretch before taking command in mid-stretch. Glory of Florida, a 20-1 long shot ridden by Miguel Vasquez, made a serious late bid, but Girolamo's Attack responded to the urging from Edgard Zayas to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

“At the quarter-pole, it looked like he was going to win pretty easy, but at the sixteenth-pole, it looked like he was going to get beat,” Joseph said. “That horse was coming at him, but that was where Edgard made the difference. He got him to engage and find a little bit more.”

Girolamo's Attack ran a mile in 1:35.95 in his return to Gulfstream, where he last won an optional claiming allowance before shipping to New York.

Glory of Florida finished 3 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Pro Quality. King Guillermo finished fourth. Eye of a Jedi finished seventh.

The post Girolamo’s Attack Victorious In Miami Beach Handicap At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A 4-year-old son of Into Mischief, Mischevious Alex retired with seven wins in 15 starts with earnings of $734,355. He was trained by John Servis and Saffie Joseph Jr., for owners Cash Is King and LC Racing.

Mischevious Alex started in the Servis barn, where he won on debut as a juvenile at Parx Racing and finished that season with a win in the Parx Juvenile Stakes. He started off his 3-year-old campaign with a pair of Grade 3 wins in the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

The colt was moved to the Joseph barn for his 4-year-old season, where he won his first three starts of the season: a Gulfstream Park allowance optional claiming race, the G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes, and the G1 Carter Handicap. He also finished third in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Mischevious Alex is out of the winning Speightstown mare White Pants Night. His extended family includes Grade 3 winner Hebbronville.

Mischevious Alex is expected to arrive in Japan in November, and he will stand at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido. He joins a JBBA roster that also features stallions with North American ties including Creator, Aldebaran, Came Home, Cape Blanco, David Junior, Eskendereya, Johannesburg, Squirtle Squirt, and Stravinsky.

The post Mischevious Alex Retired To Stand In Japan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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