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‘Figuring Out What’s Best’: Velazquez Has Options For Remsen Winner Brooklyn Strong

Trainer Daniel Velazquez, who secured his first graded stakes win with New York-bred Brooklyn Strong in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen at the Big A, is considering a next spot with the son of second-crop sire Wicked Strong.

Brooklyn Strong battled gamely to the outside of Ten for Ten down the Aqueduct stretch, getting the better of his foe by a neck under jockey Joel Rosario.

With a triumph in the nine-furlong event for juveniles at the Ozone Park, N.Y., track Brooklyn Strong earned 10 qualifying points toward the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby scheduled for May 1, 2021, at Churchill Downs.

Brooklyn Strong returned to Delaware Park following the win and will eventually ship to Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa., where the conditioner keeps a stable of about 20 horses.

Velazquez said he will consider all options for Brooklyn Strong, including the nine-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on February 6 at Aqueduct, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

“We were so excited. We knew going in that it would be a step up in class against open company and he proved us right,” Velazquez said. “Right now, we just want to make sure we come back healthy. We'll give him a week or two to decompress, maybe Florida, maybe the Withers. We have options, it's just a matter of figuring out what's best.”

Velazquez learned the ropes under his father Alfredo Velazquez, who saddled Private Zone to Grade 1 victories in the 2014 Vosburgh and Cigar Mile.

Prior to the Remsen, he saddled Brooklyn Strong to a victory in the Sleepy Hollow on Empire Showcase Day, October 24 at Belmont Park and won the Maid of the Mist with Laobanonaprayer the same day.

“It's been getting better and better. A lot of hard work going into it,” Velazquez said. “It's almost unbelievable, we're all still shell shocked. We're excited.”

Brooklyn Strong, bred in New York by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, was purchased by owner Mark Schwartz for $5,000 from OBS April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale from the Coastal Equine consignment. He is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Riviera Chic.

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Baffert Runners Take Top Two Spots In Starlet But Third Entry, Heavy Favorite Princess Noor, Is Pulled Up

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Drayden Van Dyke teamed to win the Grade 1, $300,000 Starlet for a fourth consecutive year Saturday with 17-1 shot Varda at Los Alamitos race course in Cypress, Calif.

Baffert, however, wasn't in a mood to immediately celebrate the success in the final Grade 1 of the year for 2-year-old fillies.

He was concerned about the well being of Princess Noor, the 3-5 favorite who was pulled up early in the stretch by jockey Victor Espinoza.

After tracking the early pace of stablemate Kalypso, the daughter of Not This Time, a $1.35 million purchase earlier this year for Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., had breezed to the lead at the head of the long stretch and looked primed to draw away from her four rivals.

However, Princess Noor was guided towards the outside rail by jockey Victor Espinoza and pulled up. She walked into the van under her own power and was taken back to the Baffert stable to be examined.

“(Espinoza) said he pulled her up right away,'' said Baffert. “He said it didn't look real bad. It was her left front. We're going to take her back to the barn and have her X-rayed to see what the deal is. I can't believe it. She was running so easy.

“(Varda) had been working really well and she looked like the kind of filly that the farther the better with her, so that's why we've been waiting and waiting with her. I'm so upset (about Princess Noor) it's hard to focus.''

About 30 minutes after the race, Baffert told Daily Racing Form's Steve Andersen X-rays revealed there were no fractures. “It's soft tissue,'' he said. I don't know if she hit herself. She'll be fine. She didn't break anything.''

A $700,000 purchase at the OBS April sale, Varda is owned by Baoma Corp., which also campaigned Bast.

A daughter of Distorted Humor and the Sky Mesa mare She'll Be Right, Varda trailed early while kept outside by Van Dyke, drew alongside Kalypso with about a sixteenth of a mile and pulled clear late to win by 1 ½ lengths.

The victory was the second in three starts for the New York-bred and pushed her earnings to $254,500. She paid $37.80, $8.40 and $5.80 as the second longest shot in the field. Kalypso, who had a 2 ½ length lead with an eighth of a mile to run after Princess Noor was pulled up, returned $7.80 and $7.40 while finishing four lengths clear of 25-1 shot Nasreddine. Astute, the 13-10 second choice, was fourth, her first loss after beginning her career with a pair of sprint wins for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.

“She always tries hard,'' said Van Dyke of the winner. “She broke well and we just waited. She needed every bit of that long stretch.''

Van Dyke's previous three wins with Baffert in the Starlet had come with Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018) and Bast (2019).

Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m.

The main event is the $100,000 Bayakoa, a Grade 3 for fillies and mares – 3-year-olds and up – at 1 1/16 miles. The Bayakoa will go as the fifth race on the program with a scheduled post time of 2:28 p.m.

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Claiming Crown: Fiya Wins Fifth In A Row; Jakarta Rallies In Distaff Dash

Robert Masiello's Fiya blazed to victory in Saturday's $90,000 Claiming Crown Canterbury at Gulfstream Park, collecting his fifth straight victory since being transferred to turf.

The Canterbury was one of nine stakes in the 22nd edition of the Claiming Crown, an annual event that pays tribute to claiming horses that provide the backbone of day-to-day racing programs at racetracks throughout the country.

Tom Albertrani-trained Fiya was in control throughout the five-furlong turf race for horses that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower in 2019-2020, scoring by 1 ½ lengths while providing jockey Luis Saez with his fifth of six victories on Saturday's program.

“He really is an incredible turf horse, since we've seen him go from dirt to turf, he just does things so easily,” Albertrani said. “From the first day I got him in the barn, I fell in love with him. He got my attention right away and looked like a superstar.”

Fiya broke cleanly from his No. 1 post position and quickly opened a clear lead on the backstretch and was never threatened thereafter.

“He's a special horse. When I rode him for the first time at Belmont, he showed me a lot of ability. I couldn't wait to be on him today,” Saez said. “He broke from there fast and took the lead. I know he was rolling, but he loves to run. I just let him run into the stretch and he just took off by himself.”

Fiya, who ran five furlongs in 55.63 seconds, finished second and third on dirt in his first two career starts at Laurel, where he came back to break his maiden in his turf debut and win an allowance race. Purchased for $400,000 during the July 2020 Wanamaker's Online Auction and transferred to Albertrani, Fiya captured a Belmont allowance and the Maryland Million Turf Sprint at Laurel before capturing the Canterbury.

“Competition-wise for Claiming Crown, this was a good group of horses. He's an impressive horse,” Albertrani said. “Every time he runs, he just seems to run better and better. I think we'll give him a break now and bring him back later next year.”

Fully Loaded, who was closest in pursuit of Fiya throughout the race, finished second 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Harry's Ontheloose.

Jakarta Rallies to Win Distaff Dash
Three Diamonds Farm's Jakarta, third in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3) in October, rallied under jockey Luis Saez to win the Distaff Dash, covering five furlongs in :56.48 over a firm turf course.

A 5-year-old mare who won the Powder Break over this course in May, Jakarta provided trainer Mike Maker with his record 18^th victory in the Claiming Crown.

“Claiming Crown is always a fun day, a little different without fans this year,” Maker said. “I was glad to do it with Jakarta. She's been a great filly for us all year, so it's very rewarding. She didn't get away today as quick as she usually does, but her class prevailed.”

Jakarta raced third entering the turn behind the pacesetter My Sarasota Star before driving to the lead inside the final eighth. It was Jakarta's eighth victory in 18 starts. The Distaff Dash was open to fillies and mares who had started for a claiming price of $25,000 less in 2019-20.

Jakarta, who returned $3.60, was 2 ¼ lengths in front of Unaquoi, who rallied from 10^th for the place. Thinkin Cowtown was third.

Walder's $6,250 Claim Wins $80,000 Glass Slipper
Walder Racing's Descente, claimed for $6,250 Oct. 18, drove past favored stablemate and defending champion Liza Star around the turn to win the $80,000 Glass Slipper by 3 ¾ lengths. Don't Get Khozy was second and Sky Chaser third.

Trained by Peter Walder and ridden by Miguel Vasquez, Descente was rated in second behind Liza Star past an opening quarter in :23.58 before taking the lead around the turn past a :45.89 half mile. The 4-year-old daughter of Bodemeister was driven home from there and returned $9.20.

The filly, who had been claimed in six of her last eight starts, covered the mile in 1:36.99. It was her seventh victory in 24 starts, boosting her earnings to $176,260. The Glass Slipper was for fillies and mares who had started for a claiming price of $12,500 in 2019-2020. Walder also won the Glass Slipper in 2015 with Moonshine Promise.

Queens Embrace Wears the Tiara
Spedale Family Racing LLC and Flying P Stable's Queen Embrace, claimed out of her last race at Aqueduct for $80,000, provided jockey Luis Saez with his fifth winner of the day, closing from eighth to win the $95,000 Tiara by 2 ¾ lengths over favored Sugar Fix.

Queens Embrace covered the 1 1/16 mile turf course in 1:40.26. It was the 3-year-olds sixth win in 12 starts. The daughter of Real Solution broke her maiden at Tampa in January for a $16,000 claiming tag. The Tiara was open to fillies and mares who had started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less the last two years.

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High Noon Rider Uncorks 60-1 Shocker In Claiming Crown Emerald

GenStar Thoroughbreds' High Noon Rider, having spent the summer and early fall on the road, returned home to register the biggest win of his 55-race career with a shocking 50-1 upset of the $95,000 Claiming Crown Emerald Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 1 1/16-mile Emerald on turf for 3-year-olds and up which have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2019-20 was the fifth of nine starter stakes on the $835,000 Claiming Crown program.

This marked the ninth straight year at Gulfstream and 22nd overall for the Claiming Crown, created in 1999 to celebrate the blue-collar horses that are the foundation of the racing industry nationwide.

It was the first career Claiming Crown victory for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The runner-up, 2-1 favorite Temple, was one of five horses in the field trained by Mike Maker, the event's all-time leader with 18 wins including seven in the Emerald.

“We're just thankful,” Joseph said. “We've claimed horses that won graded-stakes, but had never won a Claiming Crown race. It's good to get it done finally. He's a cool, old horse. To be honest, I didn't think he was coming in at his best so the confidence wasn't there. We're thankful and blessed. He stepped up and ran the race of his life today.”

Jockey Edgard Zayas settled High Noon Rider well behind Grade 3-winning stablemate Tusk, racing for the first time in 11 months, who posted fractions of 25.10 and 48.77 seconds pressed by Maker-trained Hieroglyphics and Over the Channel three wide. Hierolyphics assumed the top spot on the turn and went six furlongs in 1:11.74 with Over the Channel poised to strike, but Zayas worked his way outside and High Noon Rider powered through the stretch once in the clear.

“Saffie told me before the race this horse had a really good kick on him,” Zayas said. “Once on the turn, I cut the corner and I was following Temple through the corner. I knew Tyler had a lot of horse and he was the horse to follow, really. I was just trying to save enough until I got into the stretch and once he got into the clear he kicked on really hard from there.”

It was the sixth win with one second and one third from 10 lifetime tries at Gulfstream for High Noon Rider, an 8-year-old Distorted Humor gelding whose last victory came in a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer June 28 over the course. The victory pushed his career bankroll over the $600,000 mark.

“He's just a horse for course, honestly. If you see his numbers before he left Gulfstream this year, they were good. Then we got ambitious. We went all around with him and he kind of lost his way. Today, he ran back his best race,” Joseph said. “I got so excited jumping up, my chest was hurting me after. Edgard gave him a dream trip, saved every kind of ground and got him out when he needed to.”

Maker-trained horses finished second through fifth, as Temple and defending champion Muggsamatic dead-heated for second with Artie's Rumor fourth and Hieroglyphics fifth.

Defending Riding Champ Ortiz, Krsto Skye Claim Express
Krsto Skye, second in September in the Smile Sprint (G3) and third last time out in the De Francis (G3), led gate-to-wire under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to win the $75,000 Express, covering six furlongs in 1:10.14.

Owned by Daniel Feit and Carlos David and trained by David, Krsto Skye broke from the rail and set fractions of :22.35 and :45 before driving home 1 1/4 lengths in front of Whyruawesome. for his 14th victory in 61 starts. David claimed the 8-year-old gelding in February for $16,000 out of a five-furlong turf race at Gulfstream.

For Ortiz, it was his first win of the Championship Meet. He is the two-time defending riding champion.

“It feels great to be back at Gulfstream,” Ortiz said. “It feels great to have the support from the owners and trainers here. This is a nice horse. Carlos told me to let him do his thing in you can control the pace from the inside post. He put me in a good position, so I just held it there and when it was time to go he responded very well.”

The race was for horses that have started for an $8,000 claiming price at any time during their careers.

Avant Garde Gets Up in Time for Rapid Transit Win
Gelfenstein Farm LLC's Avant Garde, a 3-year-old gelded son of Tonalist, drove up the rail under jockey Leonel Reyes to win the $85,000 Rapid Transit by a half-length over Town Classic.

Trained by Jesus Lander, Avant Garde's only loss since claimed by Lander for $10,000 in June was a fourth-place finish Sept. 27 in the Oklahoma Derby (G3).

Avant Garde broke second to last but was moved up quickly to fourth by Reyes down the backstretch while Fix Me a Sandwich was taking the field through the opening quarter in :22.14. Entering the stretch, Town Classic took the lead after moving three-wide around the turn, but Reyes and Avant Garde drove to the front in the final 50 yards along the rail for the win, covering seven furlongs in 1:21.98.

The Rapid Transit was open to horses who had started for a claiming price of $16,000 or less over the last two years.

Frost of Frippery Takes the Iron Horse
Frost or Frippery, a 7-year-old gelding trained by Brad Cox, shipped in from Kentucky to win the $75,000 Iron Horse over a late-closing Bobby G. The victory was jockey Luis Saez's sixth of the afternoon. The victory for the son of Lewis Michael was No. 21. The gelding has now placed first, second or third in 46 of 66 career starts.

Frost or Frippery, owned by Steve Landers Racing LLC, covered the 1 1/16 mile in 1:44.57.

The Iron Horse was open to horses who had started for $8,000 or less during their careers.

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