Piedi Bianchi Splashes Into Indiana History With Victory In Cardinal Stakes

Piedi Bianchi, the standout Indiana bred mare by Overanalyze, has won races from coast to coast. Her connections always works in a stop in Indiana each year for stakes action, and her win in the $150,000 Cardinal Stakes Wednesday, Oct. 6 at Indiana Grand moved her into the record books. With total earnings now of $823,497, she is third on the list of all-time leading Indiana breds and second by only dollars behind Lady Fog Horn to be the all-time winningest Indiana bred female in Indiana history.

Based out of New York, Piedi Bianchi was accompanied by East Coast rider Tyler Gaffalione for her start in the Cardinal Stakes. Just as the field of eight was entering the starting gate, a torrential rain blasted down with horses almost at times unrecognizable on the television monitors.

Piedi Bianchi left from post seven and got into good early positioning as expected on the inside and was immediately joined by Magical Peapod and Florent Geroux, who placed pressure on them through the first half of the one and one-sixteenth mile race. Down the backstretch, Fireball Baby and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. joined in on the pressure, moving three wide at the halfway marker before slipping over to duel with just Piedi Bianchi.

In the stretch, Piedi Bianchi did what she does best, drew away from the field and was an eventual winner by four and one-half lengths at the finish line. Fireball Baby finished second over Bumble of Love and Rodney Prescott, who closed for third over the sloppy track.

Piedi Bianchi now has eight career wins in 27 career starts for owners Jay Oringer, Jack Bick, Lucien Bianchi and Jordan Rubenstein's Al Bianchi Racing, LLC, Adam Bayroff and Mike Maturo. Carlos Martin trains the striking grey filly who was a purchase by her connections for $80,000 out of the Ocala Breeders Two-Year-Old Sale in 2017. It was the fifth stakes win for Piedi Bianchi, who is a Graded Stakes placed six-year-old.

“She slipped a little at the start, so I didn't want to rush her, but she broke pretty good, so we were able to get near the front early,” said Gaffalione through an interview with Jimmy McNerney, guest racing analyst. “I wasn't concerned about the pressure because she was doing it easily and was pretty comfortable. When I threw to her a little, she gave me everything she had. She is just a classy horse.”

Piedi Bianchi is now behind all-time Indiana bred leader Bucchero, who has $947,000 in earnings, followed by Lady Fog Horn who earned in excess of $824,000 during her career. Piedi Bianchi is moving into the final strides of her racing career and her connections hope to retire her at the end of the 2021 racing season.

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Top Indiana-Bred Piedi Bianchi To Face Males In Belmont Turf Sprint

Jay Oringer, Jack Bick, Al Bianchi Racing, Adam Bayroff and Mike Maturo's multiple graded-stakes placed Piedi Bianchi will look to continue her recent good run of grass form when facing males for the first time in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational at six furlongs on the inner turf for 3-year-olds and up at Belmont Park.

A pair of Grade 1, $500,000 stakes highlight Saturday's card at Belmont with the Woodward for 3-year-olds and up going a one-turn 1 1/8 miles on Big Sandy; and the Champagne for 2-year-olds running one mile in a prestigious race, affording a spot in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile to the winner. The lucrative card is bolstered by the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational along with the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for juvenile fillies.

Trained by Carlos Martin, Piedi Bianchi was named the 2020 Indiana Horse of the Year for a campaign that included a runner-up effort in the Merrillville and a second career score in the Frances Slocum at Indiana Grand. The versatile mare also posted a win in the six-furlong Correction last March on the Big A main track.

The now 6-year-old Indiana-bred daughter of Overanalyze, who is multiple Grade 1-placed on dirt, has re-focused on turf racing in her current campaign, posting a game second to Change of Control in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Intercontinental in June at Belmont.

The talented grey, a four-time winner on the main track, finished second in the off-the-turf Perfect Sting at one-mile on a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track in July ahead of a 2 1/2-length score over multiple stakes winner Lead Guitar and graded-stakes placed Robin Sparkles last out in the 5 1/2-furlong Smart N Fancy over yielding turf at Saratoga Race Course.

Martin credited Oringer with the change of direction for Piedi Bianchi.

“She's really stepped up her game and Jay had emphasized to me her numbers on the turf and the way she gets into a race, it seems like she does it so easily,” Martin said. “She's so tactical. She doesn't have to be too far away. She breaks out of there and gets a good spot and places herself accordingly. She has a good kick, which you need in these turf sprints. She really finishes off her races.”

Piedi Bianchi was sent to post as the third choice in a compact field of four in the Smart N Fancy, tracking the early speed of Robin Sparkles from second position before taking control inside the eighth-pole en route to a 2 1/4-length score.

“She did it quite convincingly. We had got some rain on the turf course and it seems like she handles any type of turf, so it's a big advantage to have,” Martin said. “She's one of those Rodney Dangerfield types. I think she just doesn't get the respect she's due. But she showed it on the racetrack and won easy. She beat a nice field of mares and did it on the biggest stage at Saratoga on Alabama Day. I was very proud of her.”

Martin said Piedi Bianchi will be cross-entered in the $150,000 Cardinal, a 1 1/16-mile main track event for Indiana-bred fillies and mares slated for October 6 at Indiana Grand. The connections will examine both options before making a final decision where to run.

“She's doing great. She's come out of her last race really well,” Martin said. “Jay has been great helping me manage the filly and she's ready to go either way.

“She's really been flourishing on the turf,” Martin added. “I think she deserves a chance to run against the best, so if she stays here I'm fine with that.”

Charles Roberts is named to ride from the inside post.

Lael Stables' Arrest Me Red won the 5 1/2-furlong Mahony last out by a neck over firm Saratoga turf while making her debut for trainer Wesley Ward. The 3-year-old Pioneerof the Nile bay won the six-furlong Atlantic Beach in November on the Big A turf for former conditioner Arnaud Delacour.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Arrest Me Red from post 3.

Christophe Clement saddled the winner of three of the previous five runnings of the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational, scoring with Pure Sensation [2016] and Disco Partner [2017-18].

He will be represented Saturday by Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist, a stakes winner at state-bred and open company, who was scratched out of Friday's off-the-turf Ashley T. Cole.

The 6-year-old Freud chestnut, bred in the Empire State by Oak Bluff Stable and Clement, will be in search of his first win since the Artie Schiller in November 2020 at Aqueduct. The ultra-consistent gelding, who boasts a record of 26-9-3-6, has won at least one stakes race every year since his 2-year-old season in 2017.

Therapist enters from a game runner-up effort in the restricted West Point, rallying to finish a nose back of stablemate City Man in the 1 1/16-mile turf test on August 27 at Saratoga.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call from post 5.

Gatsas Stables' Backtohisroots stumbled at the start of last year's Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational, unseating Jose Lezcano. The 5-year-old Mark Valeski gelding returned to action off nearly a one-year layoff last out with a runner-up effort to returning rival Pulsate in the 5 1/2-furlong Lucky Coin on September 3 at the Spa.

Luis Saez retains the mount from post 2.

Rounding out the field are Lucky Coin-winner Pulsate [post 7, Manny Franco]; 2019 Awad victor Buy Land and See [post 4, Jose Ortiz]; Guildsman [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], winner of last year's Grade 3 Franklin Simpson at Kentucky Downs; Grade 1 Jaipur runner-up Chewing Gum [post 9, Eric Cancel], and Belgrano [post 8, Junior Alvarado], last-out winner of the Rainbow Heir at Monmouth.

The Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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

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Indiana-Bred Yearlings Hit Record At Keeneland September Yearling Sale

Over the course of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, all 10 Indiana-bred yearlings consigned to the sale went home to new barns and new destinations. The sale, which was breaking records before the second week was complete, saw the total for Indiana-bred yearlings selling totaling $483,500, a record in recent years.

The highest selling Indiana-bred was Hip 829, a yearling by Gormley and out of the Aljbar mare Northern Kraze, bred by Deann and Greg Baer, DVM, and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. The flashy filly sold to Tommy Town Thoroughbreds out of Santa Ynez, California, for $125,000 from the fourth session. The filly's half-sister by Jimmy Creed, Krunch, is a black-type stakes winner already earning $241,082 in limited racing at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino.

The second highest seller was Hip 1926, sold to Kenneth McPeek for $75,000. The colt by Kantharos and out of Ice Women (Street Sense) shined on a day where two other Indiana yearlings sold as well.

Jay Oringer, co-owner of 2020 Indiana Horse of the Year Piedi Bianchi purchased a yearling by Good Magic and out of Our Lesmis (Yes It's True) for $30,000. Oringer is excited for the prospect of another top Indiana-bred runner to campaign not only in Indiana, but nationwide, just as he has with the gray mare.

“I was so happy to see Jay purchased our Good Magic filly,” says breeder Dennis Farkas. “He's done such a nice job with Piedi Bianchi.”

Pocket Aces Racing Partnership has entered the regional racing scene by purchasing their first Indiana-bred yearlings at Keeneland September. Agent Marc Wampler had nothing but positive things to say for hip 3319, a filly by Sharp Azteca and by Sarah Elizabeth (Sky Mesa) consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock.

“Hip 3319 ticked all the boxes I was looking for… She is a leggy filly with a forearm-to-canon ratio I associate with a low and long stride,” Wampler says in his notes. “She has just enough strength where she needs it the most, in her hips and her gaskins, while the rest of her body has just enough strength to stay sound and not wear her down over the course of a two-turn race.”

The overall average for the yearlings sold was $48,350, with hopes of more positive gains as the sales season continues. Your next opportunity to purchase quality Indiana-bred and Indiana-sired racehorses is the ITOBA Fall Mixed Sale, to be held Oct. 16 in the Receiving Barn at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville.

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Piedi Bianchi Gets First Career Turf Win In Smart N Fancy At Saratoga

Jay Oringer, Jack Bick, Al Bianchi Racing, Adam Bayroff, and Mike Maturo's Piedi Bianchi notched her first career turf win in Saturday's $120,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 ½-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Carlos Martin, the 6-year-old Overanalzye mare, making just her fifth appearance on turf in 26 starts, demonstrated a strong turn-of-foot under Tyler Gaffalione down the lane to overtake pacesetter Robin Sparkles and post a 2 1/4-length score.

Robin Sparkles, with Jose Ortiz up, surged to the lead with Piedi Bianchi tracking in second position as Lead Guitar saved ground under Luis Saez in third through a quarter-mile in :23.09 seconds on the yielding turf.

Piedi Bianchi edged closer to the pacesetter late in the turn as Lead Guitar waited patiently for racing room along the hedge through a half-mile in :46.93. Robin Sparkles, the 4-5 mutuel favorite, attempted to open up on her rivals once straightened for home but was soon overtaken by Piedi Bianchi, who powered home in a final time of 1:04.95.

Lead Guitar squeezed up the rail to complete the exacta by 2 1/4-lengths over Robin Sparkles with Hydra, who leaped at the start and trailed throughout, completing the field. Pacific Gale was scratched.

Piedi Bianchi made a pair of starts on turf last year, including a fourth-place finish in the My Charmer in December at Gulfstream Park. She finished a prominent second in the Grade 3 Intercontinental sprinting seven furlongs over the Belmont grass in June.

Martin credited his owners for persisting with turf ambitions in Piedi Bianchi's 2021 campaign.

“I give the owners credit. When she went to Florida last year, I asked 'Do you really want to run this mare on the turf? She's so good on the dirt',” Martin said. “We got back together and we ran her on the turf and she ran a big second in the Intercontinental. Today, she just loved the going. It made a big difference. The other horses are great horses. I'm not taking anything away from our victory, but it worked out perfectly for us today.”

Gaffalione secured his fifth stakes score of the meet, adding to a ledger that includes wins in the Coronation Cup [Goin' Good], Grade 3 Troy [Fast Boat], Grade 1 Fourstardave [Got Stormy], and Skidmore [Averly Jane].

“Out of the gate, I took a nice hold and was getting over the ground well,” Gaffalione said. “Coming into the stretch, when I asked her, she gave me everything she had. She really relished the course today.

“It was a nice tempo in front of us,” he added. “It gave us a nice target, and when I asked, she finished up well.”

The victory marked the fourth career stakes win for the Indiana-bred, who previously captured the 2018 and 2020 editions of the Frances Slocum at Indiana Grand and last year's Correction at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Out of the Tactical Cat mare Adore You, Piedi Bianchi is a half-sibling to 3-year-old colt Outadore, by Outwork, who is a stakes winner on turf and synthetic and finished third in last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.

Piedi Bianchi banked $66,000 in victory while improving her record to 26-7-6-5. She returned $11.80 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the $120,000 Summer Colony, a nine-furlong main track event for older fillies and mares who have not won a graded stakes race in 2021. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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