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Morning Matcha Tops Field Of 11 For NYSSS Fifth Avenue

Cash Is King Racing, LC Racing and Gary Barber's two-time winner Morning Matcha headlines a field of 11 for Saturday's 35th running of the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Aqueduct Racetrack.

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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Japan: Six Undefeated Colts Among 18 Contenders For Asahi Hai Futurity

It's the turn of the colts this coming Sunday, when Hanshin Racecourse once again stages a Grade 1, with the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes run over a mile on the outer turf course at the Kansai track. It'll be the 73rd running of the race for 2-year-olds, with the exclusion of geldings, and the colts carry an allotted weight of 55kg.

This year sees 19 nominations for a maximum 18 runner field, and just to show the competition involved, six of the nominated horses are unbeaten in their short careers so far.

The winner's purse this year is JPY 70 million (about US$610,000). The race is timed to start at 15:40 Japan time, and will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Hanshin.

Here's a look at some of the horses bidding for a win in the race:

Serifos: Trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida won the race last year with Grenadier Guards, and while leading the trainers' table this year, he sends out this unbeaten colt by Daiwa Major here, who has won both the Grade 3 Niigata Nisai Stakes and the Grade 2 Daily Hai Nisai Stakes, as well as one other race in the three times he's been to the races. Visiting jockey Cristian Demuro has been booked for the ride, and the horse looks sure to be one of the favorites, as he tries to keep his unbeaten record intact. Serifos runs in the colors of the G1 Racing Co. Ltd.

Geoglyph: There's no doubting the potential of the chestnut colt by Drefong, who came home a four-length winner in the Grade 3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes over 1,800 meters (1 1/8 miles) at Sapporo in September. He won his only other race on his debut at Tokyo in June, also winning over 1,800 meters.

Assistant trainer Yu Ota said: “He ran well in the Sapporo Nisai Stakes, even though he was a bit too relaxed. Returning from the farm recently, he looks sharp, and the jockey reports the horse to be in good shape in training. With two wins over 1,800 meters, there shouldn't be any problem over a mile.”

Geoglyph looks set to be ridden by Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden the colt in both his starts to date.

Danon Scorpion: Another unbeaten colt, the son of Lord Kanaloa is coming off a win in the Hagi Stakes over 1,800 meters at Hanshin in October, and won his other race on his debut in June, also at Hanshin, over the course and distance of the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes. Step by step, he looks good for a shot at a Grade 1, and in a recent piece of work at Ritto on the woodchip course under race jockey Kohei Matsuyama, he posted a six furlong time of 81.9 seconds, with a final furlong time of 11.7 seconds, his third time to clock under 12 seconds in recent trackwork. The horse was bred at K.I. Farm and is trained by Takayuki Yasuda.

Dobune: The colt by Deep Impact was purchased for quite a sum at the 2021 Chiba Thoroughbred Sale, and has got his career off to a good start, winning both his races since September, the latest being the Kikyo Stakes over 1,400 meters at Chukyo in October, after winning a 1,500-meter race on his debut at Sapporo. He's trained by Koshiro Take, and the trainer recently said: “He's an intelligent horse and knows a lot already, as well as being quite relaxed. He can certainly take on a Grade 1 with the ability he shows, although he will need to run to his best.” Jockey Hayato Yoshida looks set for the ride on Dobune.

Do Deuce: Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi and jockey Yutaka Take team up here with the Heart's Cry colt, who is out of the American bred mare Dust and Diamonds, who in turn is from a strong line of other American bred horses. Do Deuce won on his debut at Kokura in September, and since then has won his only other race, the Listed Ivy Stakes over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in October. He's developing the right way, and has been working well, if only lightly, on the woodchip course at Ritto, as he also aims to stay unbeaten in the big race on Sunday.

“He's a horse with a lot of power and has good racing sense. He showed what a good finish he has when winning the Ivy Stakes last time,” said the trainer recently.

Otaru Ever: A confirmed frontrunner in what he's shown so far, the striking dark bay colt by Leontes cuts quite a dash when he's out in front, racing in the green and white checked colors of owner Ikuko Sumitani. He finished third in the Grade 3 Niigata Nisai Stakes, behind Serifos, over 1,600 meters in August, and he led all the way to win the Shumeigiku Sho over 1,400 meters last time at Hanshin in November. He's already repaying some of the JPY 45 million he cost at the 2020 Select Sale, and he's an interesting entry here.

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Coolmore May Send Two-Time Breeders’ Cup Winner Golden Pal To Race In Australia

Coolmore-owned turf sprinter Golden Pal could go head to head with stablemate Home Affairs in Australia, according to JustHorseRacing. While there are not yet nominations out for the races that the pair could participate in, it would be a thrilling match up if the two run against each other.

Home Affairs, a son of I Am Invincible trained by Chris Waller, won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington Racecourse a week before the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Golden Pal, a 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo out of the top turf sprinting mare Lady Shipman, is a two-time Breeders' Cup winner trained by Wesley Ward.

“If they think Golden Pal is the best sprinter in the world, maybe we need to bring him here to Australia, so we may bring Golden Pal down to Australia in the autumn and try him in one or two of the sprint races down here,” Coolmore's Tom Magnier told JustHorseRacing. “There haven't been too many US sprinters come to Australia, so it's going to be something different that we are looking to do. Both horses will probably go to Ascot in the (UK) summer after that.”

‘We Hope He Goes Out A Winner’: Knicks Go’s Pegasus World Cup Start Will Be Bittersweet For Brad Cox

Having built one of the largest stables in America, trainer Brad Cox doesn't have much time to reflect on his escalating accomplishments. But he acknowledges thinking a lot about Breeders' Cup Classic Grade 1 winner Knicks Go's final career start coming in Gulfstream Park's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on Jan. 29.

In his first start since taking the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Knicks Go won the 2021 Pegasus to kick off a season that saw him go 5-for-7. The only defeats came in one-turn races: New York's Metropolitan Mile (G1) and the Saudi Cup.

“It's kind of weird, knowing this is going to be his last run,” Cox said. “We're enjoying still having him in the barn. Hopefully we're going to have prepared to the best of our ability when we lead him over there Pegasus Day. It's going to be very exciting. It's going to be bittersweet, but excited to give him one more run. Obviously, we hope he goes out a winner and we'll definitely be sorry to see him go.”

Until the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, the 2021 Pegasus was the most lucrative stakes that Cox had ever won. Knicks Go won't be his first champion, but he almost assuredly will be the trainer's first Horse of the Year.

Cox said that in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus he just wants “to see more of the same from him that we've seen the last two years.”

Knicks Go had his second workout since the Breeders' Cup on Sunday at the Fair Grounds, working a half-mile in 49 4/5 seconds.

“It's icing on the cake for sure,” Cox said of the Pegasus, “because he's delivered in a big way over the last few years – actually his whole career, what he accomplished at 2 as well. It will be neat to get one more run in him at the age of 6. He certainly doesn't look like a horse needing any time off or anything. He was let down a little bit for around five days at Taylor Made just for inspection for breeders to come over and look at him. But he was ready to get back and go to work, and hopefully it is icing the cake with the Pegasus.”

The “Go” part of the horse's name has proven fortuitous. Knicks Go indeed is a horse who stays on the engine.

“He's on the go, no doubt about it,” said Cox, who assumed training Knicks Go for his 4-year-old season. “He's just a really cool horse, he really is.”

While Knicks Go — a son of Haskell (G1) winner and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up Paynter — might not have the most fashionable pedigree, Cox believes that is countered by being a “throw-back” horse. He notes that Knicks Go won Grade 1 races at 2, 4 and 5, while winning two Breeders' Cup races and finishing second in the Juvenile — and could add another G1 at age 6.

“And he's got really what was everybody is looking for: speed,” he said. “I hope he gets an opportunity to get some top mares. Because he's got heart, determination, and speed, and hopefully he's set up for a big stallion career.”

“I thought [Gulfstream] going a mile and an eighth, would benefit his style,” Cox said of the Pegasus. “He runs the turns really well; we've seen that over the last year-plus. He does like that (two-turn) configuration of the mile and an eighth there at Gulfstream. Hopefully he'll get a good set up and be effective like he was last year. We know him a little better now than we did last year, and he's been super consistent.

“He kind of puts them away through the far turn, is where he gets his separation. People have to go all in. They go into chase mode, and they can't get to him while he's still cruising. Speed, that's his weapon. Horses are going into chase mode probably three-quarters of a way through the race, and he's still on cruise control.”

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