Tag: sam ross

Sam’s Treasure Switches to Dirt and Romps in Saratoga Maiden

by Bill Finley & Patrycja Szpyra

As he often does with his 2-year-olds, trainer Wesley Ward started Sam's Treasure (Munnings) off in a grass race, in this case a five-furlong maiden on May 11 at Belmont. She finished second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner–Cynane (Omaha Beach) had the distinction of being her sire's first winner and was Royal Ascot-bound for a time–but there was nothing about the performance to suggest that she could develop into a top horse. Maybe Ward should have been thinking dirt all along.

In a much improved effort, Sam's Treasure dominated nine rivals to win the $136,500 six-furlong race by 5 3/4 lengths. She tracked pacesetter Life's Joy (Mitole) down the backstretch, took over on the turn and then drew clear of her rivals to post a dominant victory. After being steadied early and losing ground, Colonial Rose (Constitution) managed to recover well enough to safely secure runner-up honors, but long behind the winner.

Sam's Treasure was ridden by John Velazquez, who was subbing for the injured Jose Ortiz.

The field included Camera (Curlin), a first-time starter from the Todd Pletcher barn who cost $1,050,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. The daughter of MGISP Cassies Dreamer (Flatter) bobbled a few steps out of the gate and never recovered. She finished ninth as the 70-100 favorite.

“Earlier on we had her on both surfaces,” Ward said of Sam's Treasure. “I just thought she's a big filly. She came to hand early but the races at Keeneland are at 4 1/2 furlongs and a horse needs to be a little quicker than she is to win those. The Belmont race came up. I like to run horses on grass there because it's a kind and forgiving surface. If she didn't win, I thought that would still set her up nicely for Saratoga and it did.”

Sam's Treasure, also a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate, was picked out at the sale by the team of Ben McElroy, Ward and Mike Hall, the managing director of the owner, Breeze Easy LLC. She sold for $700,000.

 

“She was beautiful here last summer at the Saratoga sale,” Ward said. “We went around and looked at all the horses and this was Ben McElroy's pick as well. We kind of pushed Mike Hall into buying her because it was a lot of money for her.”

At the time of the sale, Hall's partner in Breeze Easy was Sam Ross. Ross died in September at the age of 79.

“Unfortunately, Sam died last year so Mike Hall named her Sam's Treasure after Sam,” Ward said. “And Sam's Treasure came through for him today. Sam is shining down on us. Mike is someone you really want to get behind and win for. It's so hard to win, especially here at Saratoga. To have a filly as promising as this, I'm really excited.”

Bred by Baron Thoroughbreds in Kentucky, Sam's Treasure is the second offspring for her dam, Malibu Treasure, but the first to make the races ahead of elder half-brother Buckeye Don (Speightstown). The mare had back-to-back colts by Promises Fulfilled, a yearling and a 2023 foal. Hailing from a Graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes-winning half-sister to G1SP & MGSW Choctaw Nation, Malibu Treasure can also claim GSW Her Temper; GISW El Deal (Munnings); and GSW Thunder Achiever as members of her extended female family.

6th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-23, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.22, ft, 5 3/4 lengths.
SAM'S TREASURE (f, 2, Munnings–Malibu Treasure, by Malibu Moon) Sales history: $700,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $75,750. O-Breeze Easy, LLC; B-Baron Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Sam Ross, Co-Owner of Breeze Easy, Passes Away

Sam Ross, co-owner with Mike Hall of Breeze Easy, LLC, passed  Dec. 22, at the age of 79, in Jupiter, Florida.

Described as “a visionary behind many companies”–all of which were based in his hometown of Parkersburg, West Virginia–Ross sold his SBR group in 2006, but continued to own Woodcraft Supply, LLC, a chain of woodworking specialty related stores which operates in 34 states, and to participate in the oil and gas exploration and production industry. In addition to the sale of SBR, 2006 also marked the formation of the Ross Foundation, which supports charitable efforts in several West Virginia counties.

Ross entered the racing and breeding industry in 2016 when he and business partner, Mike Hall, founded Breeze Easy, LLC.  Quickly becoming a force at the track and in the sale ring–where it is now well represented as both a buyer and seller–Breeze Easy scored a notable racing triumph two years later when the Wesley Ward-trained Shang Shang Shang shipped to Royal Ascot and captured the G2 Norfolk S. The following year, another Ward trainee, Four Wheel Drive, was undefeated in three juvenile outings, culminating in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Other standouts to carry the Breeze Easy colors have been multiple graded stakes wining sprint star, Imprimis; Late Night Pow Wow, a West Virginia-bred, who captured the GIII Barbara Fritchie S. and was Grade I-placed; GIII Marine S. scorer Easy Time; multiple stakes winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf third Outadore; and other stakes winners Curlin's Honor (owned in partnership with John Oxley), Devine Mischief, Curlin's Catch and Karak. Most recently, Boppy O (owned in partnership with John Oxley) captured the 2022 GIII With Anticipation S. at Saratoga.

Ross is survived by his wife, Susan Storck Ross, sons Samuel B. “Tres” Ross, III and Spencer Brownell Ross, and four grandchildren. A “Celebration of Life” ceremony will be held at a later date to be announced.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Both Orseno, Imprimis Breathing Easier Ahead Of 2020 Turf Sprint

Though it's been 20 years since Joe Orseno saddled a pair of winners at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the 64-year-old trainer could be on the cusp of adding another victory to his record this fall at Keeneland.

In 2000, while employed by Stronach Stables, he sent out Macho Uno to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Perfect Sting to win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Last Saturday, the Orseno-trained Imprimis won the $700,000 Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs, earning an expenses-paid berth in this year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“It's a long time between, that's for sure,” Orseno said. “It's just a matter of you have to have the horses; you have to obviously get lucky. I believe you make your own luck in this business with hard work and paying attention. I get the most I can out of my horses, but the ability has to be there.”

Imprimis, a 6-year-old son of Broken Vow, finished sixth in the Turf Sprint in 2019, but Orseno said the gelding is in much better form in 2020. The difference, the trainer explained, can be chalked up to a pair of throat surgeries that have allowed him to breathe in more air during his races.

“I didn't feel like his race in the (2019) Breeders' Cup showed what he was capable of,” explained Orseno. “You know, I was looking at the same horse, his bloodwork was good, he was training the same way he always had. We finally galloped him with an aerodynamic scope because he'd always made a little bit of noise, and we found that he was getting little to no air through his throat. It's just unbelievable what this horse was accomplishing not being able to breathe; he's always trying.”

After the first surgery, Imprimis was better, but he still made a little more noise than Orseno liked when he was training. He decided to scope the horse again and found that one of the structures in Imprimis' throat was still interfering with his breathing.

“We just thought, 'Let's fix it so we have no excuse,'” Orseno said. “The horse didn't owe us anything, but we wanted to give him the best chance for success. The owners (Breeze Easy LLC) are all about the horse, I'm all about the horse, and we weren't trying to make any particular race, so why not fix it.”

It all seems to be going the right way for Imprimis now. The gelding has crossed the wire first in both of his 2020 races thus far, though he was disqualified for interference and placed third in the G3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga last month.

Orseno and daughter at Gulfstream Park (Gulfstream Park photo)

Now, heading into the Breeders' Cup with the potential favorite for the Turf Sprint, Orseno is even more grateful for the horsemanship lessons he learned early on his career; he was taught to always put the horse first, and it's paying off.

A native of Philadelphia, Orseno didn't grow up in a horse racing family. His father enjoyed the racetrack for the gambling opportunities, so Orseno was able to get an up-close look at the horses from an early age, but he didn't start to fall in love with the sport until high school.

“I lived in a town not far from Garden State Park,” he explained. “When I was in high school I had plenty of jobs, and one of them was parking cars across the street from the track. I wound up meeting a lot of owners and trainers and jockeys, just talking to them, and every now and then someone would give me a horse to bet on. I'd put my two dollars on the horse and sometimes it would win, and I just enjoyed seeing the sport from that new angle.”

Orseno's father was a builder who owned his own business, and he'd always imagined they would go into business together when he graduated high school.

“I grew up playing football, basketball, and baseball, so I probably would have gotten into business with Dad,” Orseno said. “But then Dad passed away after high school, so I went to the track full time. I was walking horses on weekends anyway. I did it all on my own, worked hard and learned all I could learn.

“I feel like I came around in a time when the trainer who brought me around, Mickey Crock, was a real horseman. He was a small trainer with about 15 horses from New England, and he went to Garden State in the winter. He was a horseman, he taught me from the ground up what I needed to know.

“There's a lot of trainers in the game now that aren't horsemen. I'm glad I came up the way I did; it allows me to be all about the horses.”

Orseno took out his training license in 1977, and did well during his early years, winning training titles at Atlantic City, Garden State Park and Delaware Park. By 1993, however, he was down to just seven horses at the Meadowlands, and thought he'd have to leave the business.

That's about the time owner Frank Stronach first noticed Orseno and sent him a few horses. By 1998, Stronach had hired Orseno to take over his 40-horse stable entirely.

It was for Stronach that Orseno won those two Breeders' Cup races in 2000. That year, he also saddled upset Preakness Stakes winner Red Bullet, as well as Pimlico Special (then a Grade 1) winner Golden Missile.

In 2002, Orseno reopened his stable to the public. He's sent out at least 30 winners and accumulated over $1 million in earnings almost every year since then, racing mostly out of Florida year-round.

In fact, Imprimis was purchased specifically for that Florida program. The Sunshine State-bred gelding didn't race at all as a 2- or 3-year-old, but won on debut in February of 2018. In his second start, Imprimis won an allowance optional claiming event by 2 3/4 lengths.

Orseno had tried to claim the horse that finished second to Imprimis that day, and took notice of the dark bay's turn of foot. When the chance came up to buy him with Breeze Easy, Orseno was all in. Even he didn't expect the horse to be this good, however.

“When we bought him, we never dreamt he was going to take us to this place and time,” Orseno said. “After his first start for us (a 4 1/4-length allowance win), I told them he might be better than we thought he was.

“He just accelerates at the top of the stretch, just poetry in motion. After that race I sat down with (Breeze Easy owners) Sam Ross and Mike Hall, and I told them, 'He's better than we thought guys, we might have to travel a bit with him.'”

Orseno was right, and Imprimis has taken them on a journey all the way to Royal Ascot: in 2019, the gelding ran a good sixth, beaten just four lengths, in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes.

“None of us were disappointed, though I think I should have run him in the Diamond Jubilee over six furlongs instead, and we might have been third behind Blue Point,” Orseno said, laughing good-naturedly.

This year, with his breathing fixed and all systems firing toward the Breeders' Cup, Orseno believes he really has a shot to compete with the best of the best at Keeneland.

“He doesn't need his racetrack, and he'll run over just about anything,” the trainer said. “I just have to keep him happy, that's my job now.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Both Orseno, Imprimis Breathing Easier Ahead Of 2020 Turf Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ward Retains Stranglehold On Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint With 1-2 Finish By Outadore, Fauci

Not only did trainer Wesley Ward continue his domination of the $500,000 Bal a Bali Juvenile Turf Sprint Saturday at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., he saddled the exacta finish, Outadore and Fauci.

Ward won the first two editions of the 6 1/2-furlong race, beating males with fillies, Moonlight Romance in 2018 and Cambria last year. With Kentucky Downs now offering a sprint stake for juvenile fillies, Ward turned to his colts and they delivered for him. Breeze Easy's Outadore stayed perfect in his second career start with a 1 3/4-length victory under Irad Ortiz, Jr. in 1:17.31. Fauci and jockey Tyler Gaffalione were 3 1/4 lengths ahead of the third-place horse, Cowan.

Ward, well-known for his success with 2-year-olds, answered a question about being unbeaten in the race with a question – “Isn't that what you're supposed to do?” – and punctuated it with a laugh.

Starting from the outside posts in the field of 10 running over the course rated as “soft,” Outadore (9) and Fauci (10) stalked from a few lengths back of the early pace set by County Final of :21.79 and :46.51. Outadore made his move first with a five-wide surge through the turn and took over the lead near the eighth pole. Fauci followed Outadore's rally on the outside, but could not catch his stablemate.

Outadore, the 9-5 favorite, paid $5.60 to win. The first-place money pushed his career earnings to $334,100.

“He's a nice horse, really nice horse,” said jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. “He broke good over there. He probably needed that first race when he won. He was ready today. He knew what he was doing. He broke and pulled me right there. He relaxed so nice, when I asked he just went ahead. It felt like he had a little more in the tank today.”

While pleased with their performances, Ward said he expects more from Outadore and Fauci as prospects for the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, to be run at one mile at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

“I think both will go a little farther, which is nice as well,” he said. “I think they'll both go a mile on the grass no problem. So, we'll probably split them up in their next start, one to the Bourbon (at Keeneland), one to the Pilgrim at Belmont. We're going to talk it over with both owners and make a plan. The way it looks, Irad (Ortiz) said he was wanting more ground and was kind of waiting. First thing Tyler (Gaffalione) said was, 'Wesley, please, run him farther.' So we're really excited about both colts.”

Outadore a gray/roan son of Outwork, was purchased for $290,000 as a yearling at 2019 Keeneland September. He won his debut at Saratoga on July 26, pressing the pace in a 5 1/2-furlong race that he won by 2 3/4 lengths, setting him up for his start at Kentucky Downs.

“Very nice colt,” Ward said. “He took a little while with some minor shin issues, as most 2-year-olds do. So we gave him the time. Sam Ross, his owner with Mike Hall, is a wonderful guy, and he's jumping up and down and screaming in West Virginia. That's the way you want these owners to be.”

Breeze Easy already has a Breeders' Cup victory on its resume: Four Wheel Drive, who won the 2019 Juvenile Turf Sprint for Ward at Santa Anita. Outadore could take his owners right back to racing's championship meet next month.

“The horse is going wonderful and Wesley (Ward) is doing a good job with the horse,” Hill said. “Mike Mollica and I picked this horse out at Keeneland sale last year and we're back shopping this year. We're really happy with this horse and looking forward to going to the Breeders' Cup.”

Fauci, co-owned by Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable, has never been worse that second in his four career starts. The son of Malibu Moon was purchased as a yearling at 2019 Keeneland September for $175,000. He is 1-3-0 from his four starts and with the $95,000 he earned in the Juvenile Turf Sprint has banked $166,800.

Gaffalione said that he and Fauci were a bit slow getting started.

“We didn't get away the cleanest,” he said. “I just wasn't settled in the gate; they sprung a little quick. I just never got his feet planted. But from there on, he traveled nice. I had a great stalking position following the winner most of the way. I got him out at the quarter pole. He had every chance from there. Just second-best today. Great effort. I think he could benefit from more ground. He doesn't have a real explosive turn of foot, but he keeps coming.”

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