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Ritvo Takes One-Two Punch Into Saturday’s Carry Back Stakes

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Double Crown and Ournationonparade will join forces or Saturday's $75,000 Carry Back at Gulfstream Park, giving trainer Kathy Ritvo a potent 1-2 punch in the seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.

The Carry Back highlights the July 4th program, along with the $75,000 Azalea, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Double Crown is coming off a gutsy half-length victory over graded-stakes winner and Grade 1 stakes-placed Green Light Go in the May 16 Roar Stakes at Gulfstream, in which he rallied from mid-pack to get an edge over the 2019 Champagne (G1) runner-up to Tiz the Law in mid-stretch that he would maintain to the wire.

“He's so professional. What you see in his races is what you get,” Ritvo said. “He's just a nice classy horse.”

The gelded son of Bourbon Courage won at first asking for trainer Lacey Gaudet in a Sept. 8 maiden special weight race at Laurel Park, finishing a head in front of pacesetter Ournationonparade, who was debuting for trainer Bernie Haughton. Impressed by both efforts, Dean and Patti Reeves went ahead and privately purchased both promising Maryland-bred 2-year-olds.

Double Crown was given time off after his debut victory and returned to action for Ritvo at Gulfstream with a second-place finish in an April 26 allowance, in which he ran into traffic before falling a half-length short of victory with a strong late rally. Double Crown, who came back to win the Roar, hasn't raced beyond 6 ½ furlongs in three starts.

“I think he'll go long. He's a nice enough horse that we decided to do everything right by him and give him the best opportunity to have a great career,” Ritvo said. “We're trying to give him time to develop into a good horse.”

Cristian Torres has the return mount.

The Carry Back will mark the fourth meeting between Double Crown and Ournationonparade, who made a wide bid on the far turn in the Roar before running evenly in the stretch to finish fourth, beaten 5 ¾ lengths by his stablemate.

Ournationonparade lost his rider after clipping heels in his previous race, in which Double Crown finished second April 26.

“He hasn't had the best of luck,” Ritvo said. “He's going into this race really well. I'm really happy with him too.”

After being purchased by the Reeves out of his debut, Ournationonparade returned immediate dividends, breaking his maiden in the $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery Oct. 19 for Haughton. Ournationonparade went on to finish third in the Feb. 29 Hutcheson, in which he was beaten a half-length in his first start for Ritvo.

Luca Panici is scheduled to ride Ournationonparade for the first time Saturday.

Eric Worth's With Verve looms as a strong opponent for the Ritvo-trained duo while cutting back to seven furlongs Saturday after finishing fifth behind graded-stakes winner Sole Volante in a mile allowance at Gulfstream June 10. The Larry Bates-trained son of Kantharos previously finished third in the Road, 1 ½ lengths behind Double Crown, and won the Hutcheson, in which he finished two necks ahead of Ournationonparade.

Hall of Famer Edgar Prado has the return mount.

Newtown Anner Stud and KimDon Racing LLC's Prince James is slated to make his 2020 debut in the Carry Back after finishing fifth in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct in his juvenile finale. The Kelsey Danner-trained son of Tiznow previously won his debut at Monmouth and finished second in an allowance race at Churchill Downs.

Edgard Zayas has the call on Prince James, who has run around two turns in all three of his career starts.

Shadybrook Farm Inc.'s Cajun Brother will be seeking to rebound from his first career loss while cutting back from a mile to seven furlongs. The Michael Yates-trained son of Cajun Breeze set a hotly contested pace before fading to sixth in a May 16 allowance. Previously, Cajun Brother scored back-to-back wins in a maiden special weight race and an optional claiming allowance, both at six furlongs.

Regular rider Miguel Vasquez has the call.

Arindel's Poe is slated to make his 2020 debut Saturday after winning two of seven starts last year. Emisael Jaramillo has be mount aboard the stakes-placed son of Brethren, who is trained by Juan Alvarado.

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Belmont Stakes: Sole Volante ‘The Best He’s Ever Been’ Off 10-Day Turnaround

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante will be coming off the shortest turnaround of any of the 10 contenders in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, but his connections said having a prep race before starting the Triple Crown series provided a much-needed boost.

The ultra-consistent Sole Volante stalked the early speed and used his late-closing turn-of-foot to post a three-quarters of a length victory against allowance company at one mile on June 10 at Gulfstream Park. The victory netted the Karakontie gelding a 95 Beyer Speed Figure – exceeding 90 for a fourth consecutive race – and marked his first race in three months since running second to King Guillermo in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7.

The Patrick Biancone trainee shipped to Belmont, where he alertly schooled in the paddock Wednesday mere hours before he drew post 2 and was listed as the 9-2 morning-line second choice behind 6-5 favorite Tiz the Law.

“He just came out of that allowance race so well and we did an open gallop with him on Monday,” said Andie Biancone, assistant trainer for her father in addition to being Sole Volante's co-owner. “We really waited for him to do the talking. He's behavior is great, and he came out of it so fresh and so happy and so well, we couldn't not go to this race.”

Sole Volante is 4-1-1 in six career starts. He began his career 2-for-2 on turf, including a win in the Pulpit in November at Gulfstream Park to cap his juvenile year. The elder Biancone moved him to dirt to commence his sophomore campaign and never looked back, with Sole Volante running third in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man before registering a 2 ½-length score in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis in February at Tampa Bay Downs, earning a personal-best 96 Beyer.

His come-from-behind running style was on full display in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, where he was 11th at the half-mile mark before rallying second. With restrictions in place nation-wide to mitigate risk and combat the spread of COVID-19, Sole Volante continued to train in Palm Meadows, Florida awaiting his next start.

Andie Biancone said that next spot finally came last week. That victory at Gulfstream Park will now be used as a springboard to the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes.

“We wanted to run him before the Belmont,” Andie Biancone said. “To go almost 100 days without a race, they're itching for it. They're athletes. Mentally, he wanted to do more. Once he got that race him, it was like he said, 'I'm all right, everything is OK.' They love to run. Mentally and physically, he's just perfect right now. We couldn't be happier.

“I think the rest did him well at the end of the day,” she added. “He's put on a lot of weight and grown. For any young horse, I think some time off can do them well. This situation hasn't been done before, but he came out of it well.”

This year's Belmont Stakes will be held at a one-turn 1 1/8 miles, marking the first time since 1925 the American Classic will not be held at its traditional 1 ½ miles. After posting wins at one mile and 1 1/16 miles, Biancone said the Kentucky-bred's late-closing speed could set up well down the stretch on Big Sandy.

“I think he's a closer. With a lot of speed in the race, hopefully he can sit back comfortably and pick his route from there,” she said. “Also, this is the best he's ever been right now, both fitness-wise and mentally.”

After making all six of his starts in Florida, Patrick Biancone said his charge shipped in well to New York and was getting comfortable in New York.

“So far, so good,” Patrick Biancone said. “He's very talented. He's been very good for us and trains his best all the time. We'll see how good he is Saturday. No question, Tiz the Law is the horse to beat, but he totally [deserves] this opportunity.”

Andie Biancone echoed that sentiment after riding Sole Volante under the sunshine in the Belmont paddock Wednesday.

“He was alert but not nervous,” she said. “I think that's something good to look for.”

Andie Biancone, a fourth-generation horsewoman, is the youngest of Biancone's four children. For her 22nd birthday last April, Patrick Biancone bought an interesting gift, purchasing the 2-year-old Sole Volante for $20,000. She now shares ownership with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, headed by Dean and Patti Reeves, who campaigned Mucho Macho Man, who ran third in the 2011 Kentucky Derby and was the stable's only previous Belmont Stakes entrant, finishing seventh that year.

“When I first heard that Dean Reeves wanted to buy a part of Sole Volante, I was star-struck,” she said. “I was such a huge fan of Mucho Macho Man growing up. They are great ambassadors of the sport. To be partners with them is great. They are great people and great horsemen. His best interests is always with the horse. I admire that. They are fun to work with.”

If there's one thing New Yorkers appreciate, it's authentic Italian, and Andie Volante said in that spirit, the pronunciation of Sole Volante's name was authenticated by a stellar source: jockey Luca Panici, who was born in Milan and began his racing career in Italy before expanding into North America, where he's won more than 600 races multiple graded stakes, including the Sam F. Davis.

Sole Volante, Italian for “Flying Sun,” is a nod to his sire's name, with Karakontie Mohawk for “Flying Sun.”

As the exclusive broadcast partner of the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, NBC Sports will present live coverage from Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 2:45 p.m. Eastern.

Belmont Stakes Day June 20 will feature six graded races including four Grade 1 events led by the historic Belmont Stakes, which will offer 150-60-30-15 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Rounding out the Grade 1 entertainment on Belmont Stakes Day are the $300,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies going one mile; the $250,000 Woody Stephens presented by Claiborne Farm, a seven-furlong sprint over Big Sandy for 3-year-olds; and the $250,000 Jaipur, presented by America's Best Racing, for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on turf, which offers a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. A pair of one-mile turf races for sophomores, previously contested at nine furlongs, completes a stakes-laden card with the Grade 2, $150,000 Pennine Ridge and the Grade 3, $150,000 Wonder Again for fillies.

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Sole Volante To Wheel Back In 10 Days For Belmont Stakes

Following a strong performance in an allowance race last Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Sole Volante will run back in just 10 days to start in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, reports the Daily Racing Form. To be run this Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., the Belmont will be the first leg of the 2020 Triple Crown due to sweeping schedule changes caused by the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

Sole Volante, a 3-year-old son of Karakontie trained by Patrick Biancone, won the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes back in February before finishing second to King Guillermo in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby. The late-running colt is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone.

Wednesday's allowance race saw Sole Volante fall back to the rear of the field, as much as 10 lengths off the pace, then close around the outside with a sustained bid and cross the wire a comfortable 3/4-length winner.

“His energy level is very high, very good,” Biancone said. “We gave him a prep for the Belmont, and he came out of it the way I was expecting. The only way you cannot win a race is if you don't run.”

Sole Volante will ship to New York on a Tuesday flight out of South Florida.

Blew’s Clues: Sole Volante A Gift Horse Who Keeps On Giving

Just 22 years old, Andie Biancone is living her dream in Thoroughbred racing.

Not only is she the assistant trainer for the successful stable of her father, Patrick Biancone, but she's co-owner of the graded-stakes winner and possible Belmont Stakes (G1) or Blue Grass (G2) starter Sole Volante.

Sole Volante, by Karakontie, was purchased by Patrick Biancone for $20,000 at the OBS April Sale in 2019 as a birthday present for his daughter.

After winning both of his starts last year on turf, Sole Volante finished third in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes in his dirt debut at Gulfstream on Jan. 4, then won the Grade 2 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay Downs. He then finished second to King Guillermo in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7 before returning to win an allowance race at Gulfstream last Wednesday, June 10.

Andie Biancone now races Sole Volante in partnership with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.

Gulfstream host and analyst Jason Blewitt spoke to Andie Biancone for the latest edition of “Blew's Clues” about working and helping her dad, long trips in horse vans accompanying the stable's stars, and getting gifted Sole Volante by her father on her birthday.

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