nicky the vest | Horse Racing Free Tips

Thursday’s Insights: Unbeaten Nicky the Vest Returns at the Big A

3rd-AQU, $74k, OC45k/N2X, (S), 3yo/up, 1m, post tme: 1:19 p.m. ET

NICKY THE VEST (Runhappy), sidelined since running his record to a perfect two-for-two with a runaway score versus state-breds in the Gander S. Feb. 14, returns to action at the Big A Thursday. The New York-bred, forced to miss the GII Wood Memorial S. due to a knee chip, faces seven rivals in a state-bred optional claimer with first-time Lasix in his comebacker. Both of his previous wins came over this same track and trip.

“He had trained like a very good horse and he backed it up in his races. We were fortunate to win with him in his only two starts,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said. “The timing of the injury was unfortunate, but he's well-represented with his owners Mr. LaPenta and Mr. Kumin, who wanted to do right by the horse.”

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Two-For-Two Nicky The Vest Returns From Nine-Month Layoff Next Week At Aqueduct

Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin's Nicky the Vest, a New York-bred sophomore son of Runhappy, is slated to make his return next week at Aqueduct Racetrack in what will be his first start in nine months after having to skip the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino due to a knee chip.

Nicky the Vest is undefeated in two career starts – both against fellow state-breds going a one-turn mile at the Big A – graduating on debut in December ahead of an 11 3/4-length score in the Gander in February.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas said the bay colt, who posted a half-mile breeze in 50.80 seconds Friday morning over the Belmont dirt training track, will be entered in a state-bred allowance.

“He had trained like a very good horse and he backed it up in his races. We were fortunate to win with him in his only two starts,” Thomas said. “The timing of the injury was unfortunate but he's well-represented with his owners Mr. LaPenta and Mr. Kumin, who wanted to do right by the horse.”

The bay colt was marking his ninth local breeze this morning dating back to September 19.

“He was sent to Ocala to Niall Brennan who did a wonderful job with him and the horse has come back and trained well. We're looking forward to getting him back,” Thomas said. “He had a nice little move this morning and it went really well.”

Thomas said Nicky the Vest had trained well into what would have been his two-turn debut in April in the Wood Memorial, a key prep for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“At that stage of his career against 3-year-olds, we certainly felt bullish enough about his ability to try it,” Thomas said. “As time goes on, some of these horses really identify themselves as true two-turn horses but I don't know yet. He might be a nice one-turn mile horse and if that's the case that's fine also.”

Bred by Highclere, Nicky the Vest, a half-sibling to stakes winner Moms Choice, is out of the Cat Thief mare Tazarine.

Augustin Stable's stakes placed Experienced [post 1, Manny Franco] is entered in Race 3 on Sunday at Aqueduct, an 11-furlong turf allowance for 3-year-olds and up. By Temple City, he is out of the Nureyev mare No Matter What who captured the 2000 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at nine furlongs on turf for Augustin Stable.

The well-related sophomore gelding is a half-sibling to graded-stakes winners Utley, Rainbow View, Winter View and Just as Well.

A nose winner on debut traveling one mile and 70 yards over the Delaware Park turf, Experienced followed with a closing second in the 12-furlong Bald Eagle Derby in July at Pimlico. He enters off a more than two-month layoff from a fifth-place finish in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Virginia Derby in August at Colonial Downs.

“He's training well. I love the post for him drawing the rail and getting the opportunity to save all the ground,” Thomas said. “There's limited opportunities, especially in the allowance ranks, to run horses this long. I feel the further he goes the better and we're looking forward to getting him started.”

McConnell Racing Stable's War Terminator [post 9, Manny Franco], a sophomore son of War Dancer, returns from a six-month layoff in Race 7 here on Sunday, a six-furlong turf sprint for state-breds 3-year-olds and up.

A state-bred maiden winner at first asking sprinting six furlongs over yielding Big A turf in April, War Terminator followed with a close second in a seven-furlong allowance sprint for New York-breds over firm Belmont turf on May 1 that garnered an 80 Beyer.

“He's come back pretty well. We've been able to get a couple of nice works under his belt,” Thomas said. “It's unfortunate that we're on the upswing with him at this time of year with the turf season coming to an end – especially as a New York-bred. But we're happy to be in the entry box and in with a shot.”

Thomas said recent stakes competitors Benbang and Bay Storm are likely to be freshened now with an eye to a return to stakes action in the New Year.

Bridlewood Farm's Bay Storm, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Kantharos, won the six-furlong Christiecat in September over firm going at Belmont and followed with a close second in the seven-furlong Glen Cove on October 15.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Benbang, a 2-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Shanghai Bobby, graduated on debut in an off-the-turf maiden tilt over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track and followed with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Spinaway.

Last out, the talented bay was a game fourth in the Stewart Manor, defeated less than a length by the victorious Mystic Eyes in the six-furlong turf sprint on November 6 at Belmont.

“We're getting to the end of the season and they'll get a rest now to come back,” Thomas said. “Bay Storm ran great both times at Belmont. It was probably a little longer than she wanted to run last time with a hot pace, but we were so proud of her.

“Benbang was a little green on us in the lane last out and was getting in and she cost herself a place,” Thomas added. “But there was a stride or two where I thought she'd get up to win. I think backing her up in trip to 5 1/2 furlongs, especially at Saratoga next year, she'd be pretty adept.”

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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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Red-Hot Jonathan Thomas Sets Sights On Wood Memorial With Nicky The Vest

Nicky the Vest, trained by Jonathan Thomas for owner Robert LaPenta, matched a career-best 83 Beyer last out in a dominant 11 3/4-length score in the $100,000 Gander, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomores on Valentine's Day at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.

In victory, Nicky the Vest, bred in the Empire State by Highclere, became the first stakes winner for his sire Runhappy. Purchased for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS Yearling Sale, Nicky the Vest is perfect through two starts which includes a 3 1/4-length score on debut in December going the one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

Nicky the Vest covered a half-mile in 49.95 seconds on the Belmont dirt training track on February 26 and Thomas said the bay colt will return to the work tab on Monday as preparations continue for the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3.

“He's doing well. He'll breeze tomorrow and so far we're on target for the Wood,” said Thomas. “He came out of the Gander well and his energy level was good. The weather has been a little contentious the past couple weeks, so we didn't want to take having a nice track for granted and we went ahead and got him back a week earlier than we'd anticipated.”

Thomas said he will look to provide the lightly-raced Nicky the Vest with valuable experience in upcoming works.

“I might try next week to give him two horses as a target and give him the opportunity to take a little kickback,” said Thomas. “You never know if he might need to overcome a trip with that kind of scenario. But we'll also focus on some longer works so he doesn't come in too fresh and settles well.

“It's exciting. He's undefeated and he's done it by open lengths thus far,” added Thomas. “Every task from here on out is only going to get incrementally harder, but we like him a lot and we're going to give him every chance to succeed.”

Thomas, a multiple Grade 1-winning conditioner, is off to a flying start in 2021 with a record of 22-10-3-3 and purse earnings of $285,445. He credits that success to patient owners and being able to focus solely on training at Belmont.

“Our owners have been patient and have let these horses develop into their 3-year-old years,” said Thomas. “A lot of these horses have longer winded pedigree and that's something we don't have control over. You may want to debut them in August, but it's not the right thing to do and probably wouldn't run their best anyway. The barn is cycling in the right way and we've had a really good couple of months.”

Thomas sent out a pair of promising maiden winners for Augustin Stable at Turfway Park earlier in the week in Be Here and Siraneuse.

Be Here, a Kentucky homebred by Ghostzapper out of 2009 Champion Female Sprinter Informed Decision, earned a 62 Beyer for her 1 1/2-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on March 4. The sophomore grey colt, who was prepared at Belmont, earned a 62 Beyer.

Thomas said the colt will likely be nominated to the Wood Memorial.

“The Wood offers some opportunity,” said Thomas. “He seems to be very stamina laden and going to a mile and an eighth off of that, I wouldn't be as worried. Obviously, you'd like a little more seasoning but it isn't out of the question.”

Siraneuse, a sophomore filly by Tapit, was purchased for $450,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by Vegso Racing Stable and Tapit Syndicate, Siraneuse earned a 78 Beyer for a rallying five-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on March 3.

Thomas said Turfway's Tapeta surface offered both young horses an alternative debut experience.

“Be Here doesn't act like a sprinter,” said Thomas. “The more ground he gets the better he will be. Also, after training here at Belmont, the verdict was out on whether or not he's a dirt horse. Obviously, we have no turf racing here on the immediate horizon, so I wanted to get him started.

“The same can be said of the filly, Siraneuse. Both horses were coming out of good works and those races were available,” continued Thomas. “I'm not certain they're dirt horses yet and I wanted to be careful and not debut them on the dirt and have a bad experience. There's a chance both will end up on the grass in New York.”

Last week's scores built on earlier Turfway success for Thomas with Augustin Stable sophomore filly homebreds Into Vanishing and Song of Innocence.

By Into Mischief and out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Vanishing, Into Vanishing graduated at third asking in December at Turfway and followed with a six-length optional-claiming win on January 15 at the Florence, Kentucky oval garnering a 70 Beyer in the one-mile trip.

Song of Innocence, by Munnings and out of the Pulpit mare Remember Then, rallied from seventh for a one-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on January 29.

Thomas said Siraneuse, Into Vanishing and Song of Innocence will be nominated to the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs on April 3 at the Big A offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers. The veteran conditioner also noted at least one is likely to enter the one-mile Bourbonette Oaks on March 14 at Turfway.

Thomas said Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert V. LaPenta's Gale has been retired following a 2 3/4-length score in the Geisha, a one-mile event for Maryland-bred or sired fillies and mares on January 16 at Laurel Park.

The 4-year-old Tonalist filly, who finished fifth in the Grade 3 Comely at the Big A in November, matched a career-best 86 Beyer for her first stakes score.

“She got really unlucky in the Comely,” said Thomas. “She went into that race as good as we've ever had her but it was an unfortunate trip and break. The whole thing was done before it got started.

“It was nice to get her a stakes win,” added Thomas. “She's a really pretty filly and from a talent perspective it was nice for her to go out a stakes winner. She has been retired and will be a broodmare. She's down in Kentucky at Gainesway.”

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