Kateri Proving a ‘Souper’ Purchase for Newtown Anner

In his early days in the Thoroughbred business, Hanzly Albina served the Foustok family's Buckram Oak Farm as assistant farm manager and later managed Four Roses Thoroughbreds for the same operation.

“As a young person in the business, you don't get to do a lot, but you get to study a lot,” Albina recollects.

The horseman is now applying that and other knowledge he's acquired over the years as an advisor to Maurice and Samantha Regan's Newtown Anner Stud, the breeders of 'TDN Rising Star' and GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton hopeful Souper Sensational (Curlin).

The broodmare band at Newtown Anner numbers around 65, split between their Versailles, Kentucky, farm on a little more than 1000 acres that once belonged to Standardbred operation Brittany Farm on Pisgah Pike. The couple also maintains a farm in Millbrook, New York, as well as a farm in Ireland.

On behalf of Newtown Anner, Albina and partner Nick Sallusto went to $167,000 for then 4-year-old Kateri (Indian Charlie), in foal to Paynter, at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. In signing for the mare, Albina was drawing upon the lessons he gleaned from one of Thoroughbred breeding's legends.

“I am big fan of John Nerud and I try to learn about everything he did and how his thought process worked. This is a family that connects to him–Cozzene is down the page,” Albina explained, referring to the 1985 Eclipse Award-winning turf male that was campaigned by Nerud. “Now, I'm not one of these guys that is going to breed mares based on sixth and seventh generation, but the short answer is, there was a lot going on in the first dam [Sue's Good News] and it was a beautiful first dam. There was a lot of beauty in the family and I thought I could work with that. She was a beautiful Indian Charlie mare. I loved the fact that it was Indian Charlie, because it goes back to Caro (Ire),” sire of the aforementioned Cozzene.

Albina was well-acquainted with the Caro-line, as Buckram Oak raced the sire's son Siberian Express, a $320,000 purchase out of the 1984 Keeneland July Sale by Mahmoud Foustok. Siberian Express was, in turn, the sire of In Excess (Ire), who was bred and raced through part of his career by Mahmoud Foustok's brother, Ahmed.

“It's been proven time and time again that this European influence of Caro coming through, for whatever reasons, has been very good for American racing and keeps on coming up.”

Kateri foaled a colt by Paynter the day after her purchase and Albina was pleased with what he saw.

“I thought the Paynter was a pretty good horse,” he said. “I kind of gave her a pass being her first foal, she wasn't a spectacular sort of specimen. Then we went to Tiznow and that was a magnificent horse. We took it to auction and no one wanted the horse. Nick and I decided we weren't going to let this beautiful horse go, Tiznow was a little cold. So we tried to sell him again and the same thing happened, we didn't get the money we wanted. Nick took the horse down to Florida and started prepping him. He went to the sale and that's when Red Oak bought in and we raced it together.”

Bought back for $275,000 at Keeneland September in 2018, the Tiznow colt was led out unsold on a bid of $175,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale. Connections' faith in the colt was rewarded when he fetched $420,000 at the OBS April Sale in early 2019.

“He was a stunning horse and the money we got from the 2-year-old sale kind of validated what we thought about the mare,” Albina said. “Since I held the Tiznow in high regard, I said, 'Now it's time to make a move with this mare' and overbreed her a touch. We made a jump to Curlin, he was a stallion we really liked at the time. He was much cheaper than he is now and physically, we loved him.

He continued, “In [Kateri's] second dam you have Easyfromthegitgo (Dehere), Deputy Minister-line, similar to Curlin on the bottom, and it had worked on the pedigree with Conquest Curlgirl [a daughter of Easyfromthegitgo's GSW half-sister Sue's Good News]. Typically I look for something a little closer, but it was close enough to where I was OK with it and the physical really worked.”

Kateri dropped her Curlin filly Mar. 28, 2018, and she was as straight-forward as could be, Albina remembers, as she grew up and as she was prepped for a date in the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

“What stood out about her was how unremarkable the process was,” he said. “She was always a very good-looking horse, always well-balanced, there were never any issues. She got to the sale and looked beautiful, took it all in stride, never any hiccups. It's not always that way. I don't remember her ever being sick, I don't remember any issue with her. She got to Saratoga and we had a very good sale. She was our highest-priced horse that year.”

The Kateri filly caught the eye of the team at Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation, who were extended to $725,000.

“This was the best horse we had for Newtown Anner that year,” he said. “We thought about keeping her, but we set a line on her and if we get more than our number, we'll let her go and if not, we'll race her. That's kind of the exercise we do with all our horses.”

Albina, who consigns yearlings with Ron Blake as Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, also sold Peter Brant a Quality Road filly for $525,000 that year. Now named Boston Post Road, that full-sister to MSW & GSP Top Quality was a maiden winner at first asking at Gulfstream Park Feb. 7.

Albina said that the philosophy of Newtown Anner is to “breed the horses we typically don't go out and buy.”

“Then we test the market and we trade,” he explained. “For [Souper Sensational], our reserve would have been very high and if someone paid it, they could have her and if not, then she comes back and we get to keep a nice horse. We aren't going out there and buying million-dollar horses or consistently paying $500,000 and $600,000 for horses. If we can sell the ones that bring in excess of what they're worth, that's kind of the goal. The stuff we don't like, we put little to no reserve on and move them on. We just try to make good decisions and I think offering all our yearlings at auction is a mechanism by which we can keep ourselves sharp and that we're making good business decisions.”

After graduating and earning her 'Rising Star' at first asking, Souper Sensational added a facile success in the Glorious Song S. at Woodbine last October. The chestnut exits a good second when trying two turns and dirt for the first time in the Jan. 16 Silverbulletday S., and Albina believes she'll continue to improve from here.

“I think she's going to get better and better with distance,” he said. “We'll let her show us. I'm not worried about any surface with her, I think her action tells me she can be very good on the dirt. I think she got a little unlucky in her last start, but she finished well. Some people are disappointed when they finish second, but I think the races she has to win are ahead of her. I'm very pleased with everything she's done so far.”

While Souper Sensational has done her part to enhance her page, the family remains live elsewhere. Kateri's Grade I-winning half-sister Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow) is not only the dam of the Japanese-based, UAE Group 3-placed Serein (Uncle Mo), but also of $2.5-million KEESEP graduate Tatweej (Tapit), a hugely impressive allowance winner at Aqueduct Feb. 4. Another half-sister, Tiz News (Tiznow), is the dam of 2020 Trapeze S. runner-up Tiz Splendid News (Maclean's Music), who has returned to the worktab at Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward. Tiz News changed hands for $190,000 in foal to Curlin's champion son Good Magic at KEENOV last fall.

Albina reports that Kateri's foal of 2019, a colt by Maclean's Music, was ticketed for last year's Saratoga Sale, but was sadly put down after suffering a freak injury. The agent said that Souper Sensational's yearling full-sister “resembles her sister greatly and we're very excited about her” and will be aimed at one of the major yearling sales later this year. Kateri is currently carrying to American Pharoah on a later cover and is booked back to Curlin for this year.

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Casse Holds Strong Hand In Both Autumn, Maple Leaf Stakes At Woodbine

Six hopefuls, including Mark Casse trainees Dream Maker, Salute With Honor, and Skywire, are set to contest the $175,000 Autumn Stakes (G2), while 10 starters set their sights on top spot in the $125,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.

Casse, who won the Autumn in 2008 with Marchfield, will be represented by a pair of graded stakes winners, Salute With Honor and Skywire, and graded stakes placed Dream Maker, in the 1 1/16-mile main track Autumn for three-year-olds & upward.

A 6-year-old son of To Honor and Serve, Salute With Honor arrives at Saturday's race off a one-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Durham Cup (G3) on October 11. Bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, the chestnut gelding bested his stablemate Skywire by a length in the Tapeta race.

Holding a 3 ½-length advantage at the stretch call, Salute With Honor went on to notch his second straight score. It's the second time the Florida-bred has rattled off two straight wins, the first time coming last year when he recorded victories on July 20 and September 27.

He now owns a mark of 7-2-2 from 19 starts.

“He's fast,” said Casse. “When they leave him alone, he's tough to beat. He's on a roll now.”

Skywire, a 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex, has endured an uneven campaign, having recorded one win and a pair of seconds in six starts.

The lone triumph came in the Eclipse Stakes (G2) on July 4. Dismissed at 17-1 on the tote board, the Ontario-bred rallied stoutly and secured a 1 ¼-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event.

In the Durham Cup, he was once again rolling late, closing two-wide late in the turn and making up ground with each step.

Although he didn't net top prize, Skywire, bred by the late Bill Graham, earned high praise from Casse for the determined display.

“He needs some help up front. He comes with a big run. I thought he ran extremely well last time because he got hung up a little bit. Salute With Honor was able to use his speed to get away from him. I think both horses are pretty equal in their abilities. I think it's just kind of who gets the trip when it comes to Salute With Honor and Skywire.”

Dream Maker, a three-time winner from 10 races, won his last start on September 27 at Woodbine.

The 4-year-old son of Tapit, bred and owned by John Oxley, notched a 2 ¼-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Tapeta race.

“Dream Maker is a horse I thought a lot of,” offered Casse. “At one time, I thought he was a [Kentucky] Derby horse. He's extremely tough to train. I thought Emma [jockey, Wilson] did a superb job with him when he won his allowance race last time out. He has a ton of ability, he just doesn't always show it.”

Casse is hoping for a repeat performance from the grey colt, who will make his fourth straight appearance at the Toronto oval on Saturday.

“Dream Maker has to bring his A-game. If he comes with his A-game, he'll be very tough. The problem is that you just don't know when he's going to come with it. I think, even with him winning last time, that was his B-game.”

Are You Kidding Me won consecutive (2015-16) editions of the Autumn. Starting in 1920, Kentucky Derby champion and U.S. Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Exterminator, won the race three straight years.

***

Casse is represented by the duo of Heavenly Curlin and Tappitty Tappitty in the 1 ¼-mile main track Maple Leaf Stakes, for fillies & mares, three-year-olds & upward.

Bred in Kentucky by Elevage II, Heavenly Curlin, a 3-year-old daughter of Curlin, has compiled a record of 2-0-1 from four starts.

Owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, the bay is on a winning roll ahead of her spot in the Maple Leaf starting gate.

On July 12, Heavenly Curlin rallied to win a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race at Woodbine, getting up for a 1 ¾-length score in a maiden special weight event.

Just shy of three months later, she was back in the winner's circle, winning at the same distance and on the same surface, this time a half-length victory with Emma-Jayne Wilson in the irons.

Prior to those efforts, Heavenly Curlin finished 10th in her career bow on the turf at Gulfstream in December of 2019, followed by a third over the Aqueduct main track in her three-year-old debut at Aqueduct in February.

“She's three and I normally don't like them taking on older fillies just yet,” explained Casse. “But she's training really well and I thought her last race was really good. I think she'll run well.”

Live Oak homebred Tappitty Tappitty, a 4-year-old daughter of Tapit, will go after her third career win in what will be her ninth start.

“She's been a bit of an underachiever so far,” said Casse. “She's done her best running on the grass, but we feel she trains well enough on the Tapeta to give her a chance. Both fillies, they have really good pedigrees. So in the future, for them to be broodmares, it's important for them to get black type.”

The Casse pair will meet up with a group of rivals that includes multiples graded stakes placed Art of Almost, multiple graded stakes winner Elizabeth Way and 2019 South Ocean stakes champ Gun Society. All three are from the barn of trainer Roger Attfield.

Attfield has won three Maple Leafs crowns, including back-to-back scores with Triple Wow in 1987 and Arcroyal the following year.

Hockey Hall of Fame legend and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Conn Smythe won six runnings of the Maple Leaf, including four straight editions (1974-77). Last year, Lift Up took the Maple Leaf in a time of 2:04.23.

The Autumn goes as race eight and the Maple Leaf is listed as race six. First post for the 12-race card is 12:25 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com.

Beginning this weekend, Woodbine is adding a Late Pick 5 to its wagering menu every Saturday and Sunday. The 20-cent minimum wager includes the last five races on the program.

$175,000 AUTUMN STAKES (GRADE 2)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Dream Maker – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

2 – Timeskip – Justin Stein – Renee Kierans

3 – Armistice Day – David Moran – Barbara Minshall

4 – Vanzzy* – Luis Contreras – Michael Pino

5 – Skywire – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

6 – Salute With Honor – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

* supplemented

$125,000 MAPLE LEAF STAKES (GRADE 3)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Peace Seeker – Kazushi Kimura – Nicholas Nosowenko

2 – A Broken Breeze – Simon Husbands – Alexander McPherson

3 – Silent Tango – Justin Stein – Richard Morden

4 – Auntie Katherine – Juan Crawford – Alison Jennings

5 – Gun Society* – Daisuke Fukumoto – Roger Attfield

6 – Juliana – Luis Contreras – Ignacio Correas

7 – Heavenly Curlin – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

8 – Elizabeth Way* – David Moran – Roger Attfield

7 – Tappitty Tappitty – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

8 – Art of Almost – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

* supplemented

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Curlin’s Souper Sensational Earns ‘Rising Star’ Tag at Woodbine

Sent off the 1.35-1 favorite in what appeared to be an above-average Woodbine maiden Saturday afternoon, Live Oak Plantation’s Souper Sensational (Curlin) lived up to her name at first asking, pulling confidently clear to graduate by a bit more than two lengths in a ‘TDN Rising Star’-worthy performance.

Beaten for speed, the $725,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad sat the box seat from third, but traveled nicely on the bridle, with her chief market rival-‘Rising Star’ Shirl’s Speight’s full-sister Speightstown Shirl (Speightstown)–lapped to her outside. The Fipke homebred got first run on Souper Sensational, accelerating from the two path to carry the lead into the stretch, but Souper Sensational had the move covered, descending on Speightstown Shirl approaching the eighth pole before going on to a very soft, 2 1/4-length success. Speightstown Shirl proceeded to gallop out strongly into the backstretch. Diamond Ore (Tapit), a $750,000 Keeneland November weanling and half-sister to the late Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song), ran on well for third while no menace to the top two.

The winner’s unraced dam is a daughter of Sue’s Good News, a Grade III winner and dam of GISW Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow), whose son Tatweej (Tapit)–a $2.5-million Keeneland September yearling–ran his record to three wins from four starts with a handy Gulfstream allowance score at Gulfstream Sept. 25. Tiz Miz Sue’s Group 3-placed 3-year-old daughter Serein (Uncle Mo) also saw action Saturday, dead-heating for second in an allowance race at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.

Kateri is the dam of a yearling Maclean’s Music colt and a foal full-sister to Souper Sensational. She was bred to American Pharoah this year.

5th-Woodbine, C$73,600, Msw, 9-26, 2yo, f, 7f (AWT), 1:23.54, ft.
SOUPER SENSATIONAL, f, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Kateri, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Sue’s Good News, by Woodman
3rd Dam: Montera, by Easy Goer
Sales history: $725,000 Ylg ’19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $32,269. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Live Oak Plantation; B-Newtownanner Stud (KY); T-Mark E Casse.

 

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Win Win Win From the Clouds in the Forego

Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) did just that in Saturday’s GI Forego S., coming from out of the clouds as yet another round of rain poured down over the Saratoga main track to secure his first top-level success. A step slow from the stalls, the Live Oak homebred was not even in the picture early, trailing the field by several lengths as Complexity (Maclean’s Music) and True Timber (Mineshaft) duked it out through an opening quarter in :22.28 and a half in :44.63. Rushing up into the frame approaching the bend, the dark bay was 10-wide on the turn for home and unleashed a furious late rally in the lane, storming past Complexity in the final strides for a jaw-dropping upset score.

“I honestly don’t know what to say,” said winning conditioner Michael Trombetta. “He dropped so far back and his chicklet and number actually went off the screen and I couldn’t even see across the track. Honestly, I assumed something bad might have happened where he took a bad step or something. I thought he was absolutely out of the race and might not have had a chance to even finish. But then turning for home, he came back on the screen. It’s just unbelievable. He’s truly a good horse and deserves this. I thought we were back at the [Kentucky] Derby, that’s how hard it rained. I think he can handle just about any surface.”

He continued, “It’s a distance he likes, but he doesn’t have the best gate speed. The way this track has been playing, it’s very hard to close. Well, what he did, I haven’t seen the whole meet.”

Jockey Javier Castellano was also in awe, saying, “What an amazing horse. I’m truly honored to ride the horse and very blessed with the way everything went. He was very far back and made a huge run to win the race. Not too many horses can do that. He did it and in a nice way.”

The Hall of Fame pilot added, “I got a little concerned when I got to the eighth pole. I didn’t have any contact with the field. I was way too far back. I had to start riding because I felt like I wasn’t going to get there, but the horse put in a lot of effort from the quarter-pole to the wire. He made me look good.”

Winner of the Pasco S. last term prior to a third in the GII Tampa Bay Derby, Win Win Win was second to now MGISW Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Keeneland’s GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in April. Promoted to ninth in the GI Kentucky Derby, he was seventh in the GI Preakness S. and closed out his sophomore season with a victory in turf in Belmont’s Manila S. last July. Returning 11 months later in the grassy First Defence S. at Belmont June 7, the FL-bred was 10th that day and improved dramatically when second behind the Complexity in a one-mile optional claimer on the main track downstate July 2.

Pedigree Notes:

Win Win Win is the seventh Grade I winner for Hat Trick and the second to achieve the feat in North American, following 2012 GI Jamaica H. victor King David. He is also the 17th graded scorer for that stallion and one of his 34 stakes winners. Win Win Win is the third and final foal out of Miss Smarty Pants, who is a half-sister to GSW Unbridled Humor (Distorted Humor).

Saturday, Saratoga
FOREGO S. PRESENTED BY AMERICA’S BEST RACING-GI, $300,000, Saratoga, 8-29, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.71, sy.
1–WIN WIN WIN, 118, c, 4, by Hat Trick (Jpn)
1st Dam: Miss Smarty Pants, by Smarty Jones
2nd Dam: Devotion Unbridled, by Unbridled
3rd Dam: Icy Warning, by Caveat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Live Oak
Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL); T-Michael J. Trombetta;
J-Javier Castellano. $165,000. Lifetime Record: 12-5-3-1,
$601,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Complexity, 118, c, 4, Maclean’s Music–Goldfield, by Yes It’s
True. ($375,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-Klaravich
Stables, Inc.; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
3–True Timber, 119, h, 6, Mineshaft–Queen’s Wood, by Tiznow.
($170,000 Wlg ’14 KEENOV). O-Calumet Farm; B-Mr. & Mrs.
Marc C. Ferrell (KY); T-Jack Sisterson. $36,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.10, 4.60, 37.75.
Also Ran: Funny Guy, Lexitonian, Everfast, Whitmore, Mind Control, Majestic Dunhill, Fortin Hill, Firenze Fire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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