Ny Traffic, Shipsational Take Stakes On Empire Showcase Day

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Americanrevolution, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and expertly piloted by Luis Saez, successfully stepped up against older company to capture the featured $300,000 Empire Classic on Saturday's lucrative Empire Showcase Day card, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The special 10-race card devoted to horses bred in the Empire State boasted six stakes worth a combined $1.35 million.

“Today's Empire Showcase Day was a prime example of the success and integral role the New York-bred program has in the thoroughbred racing industry,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “Each of our three annual showcase days highlight the quality of talent being produced by the breeders of our state and the opportunities available in incentives for breeders, along with exceptional purses for owners and horsemen.”

Americanrevolution, a sophomore son of Constitution bred by Fred W. Hertrich, III and John D. Fielding, completed a hat trick of wins in August with an impressive five-length win in the nine-furlong Albany on New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The talented chestnut entered Saturday's test from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. He made his return to state-bred company a winning one with a convincing 11 3/4-length score in the nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up which was contested over a sloppy and sealed main track in Race 9.

Sea Foam, winner of the Evan Shipman in August at the Spa, led the field through splits of 22.85 and 45.84 with two-time Empire Classic winner Mr. Buff tracking in second and Americanrevolution outside rivals and clear in third. Americanrevolution advanced at will through the turn, overtaking Sea Foam at the head of the lane and powered home to a visually-impressive score in 1:49.11.

Wild Banker completed the exacta by a nose over Sea Foam. Danny California, Captain Bombastic, Tiergan, Three Jokers, and Mr. Buff rounded out the order of finish.

Americanrevolution graduated at second asking sprinting six furlongs against older company over Big Sandy on June 20 and followed with a romping 7 1/4-length score in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes ahead of his Albany coup. A $275,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Sale, Americanrevolution is out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. Sent to post as the 2-5 mutuel favorite, Americanrevolution paid $2.90 for a $2 win bet.

Elliott Walden, President and CEO of WinStar Farm, said the Constitution chestnut has proven to be among the elite sophomores currently in training.

“He's a very nice horse. I think he's probably the ninth or tenth best 3-year-old in the country right now,” Walden said. “Some of the better ones are retiring after this year so if he comes back well, who knows how it goes next year. He's certainly done nothing wrong and I'm very excited of what's ahead for him.”

Barry Schwartz's Sharp Starr made a triumphant return to stakes company, rallying from last-of-10 to post a 3 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Empire Distaff for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/16 miles in Race 8.

The 4-year-old Munnings filly, who won the Grade 3 Go for Wand to cap her sophomore season in December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., looked fresh in her first start in more than two months, overtaking Make Mischief at the top of the stretch and powering home a winner in a 1:44.23 final time for trainer Horacio DePaz.

Sharp Starr, off at 16-1, was put under a hold by Jose Ortiz as Trinni Luck led the field through the opening quarter in :23.19, the half in :46.62, and three-quarters in 1:10.91. Ortiz utilized a ground-saving trip before tipping Sharp Starr out entering the turn. With Make Mischief overtaking the tiring pacesetter, Sharp Starr took aim at her rival and overtook her in the stretch to register her first win in five starts this year. Sharp Starr, bred by Stonewell Farm, returned $34.40 in improving to 4-3-3 in 14 starts while increasing her career bankroll to $224,545.

DePaz said Sharp Starr could look to defend her title in the one-mile $250,000 Grade 3 Go for Wand on December 4 at Aqueduct.

“It's definitely a possibility,” DePaz said. “She handled the mile and a sixteenth fine here, so we'll see what her perfect distance will be. We'll keep that race under consideration.”

Ice Princess rallied for second under Saez, with Make Mischief running third. Mrs. Orb, Bank Sting, Maiden Beauty, Dancing Kiki, Byhubbyhellomoney, Trinni Luck, and Vienna Code completed the order of finish.

Iris Smith Stable's Shipsational kicked off the stakes action on Empire Showcase Day by fending off 4-5 favorite Overstep's re-rally effort to win the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow for juveniles contesting a one-turn mile in Race 3.

The Edward Barker-trained Shipsational, who captured the Bertram F. Bongard on September 26 at Belmont, notched his second consecutive stakes win by leading the six-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :24.09, the half in :47.74, and three-quarters in 1:12.45 over a sloppy and sealed track.

Entering the stretch, Saez kept 6-5 Shipsational to task, repelling Overstep's bid from the outside under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to post a half-length victory, completing the course in a final time of 1:38.32 while paying $4.60 on a $2 win bet. Following Overstep was Who Hoo That's Me, Sterling Hill, Excursionniste, and Sundaeswithsandy completing the order of finish.

Shipsational, now 3-for-4 to start his career, could now target the 1 1/8-mile $250,000 Grade 2 Remsen on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Barker said he is looking forward to trying the Midshipman colt [bred by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone] around two turns for the first time in a race that offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the 2022 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic splashed to an emphatic 8 3/4-length victory in the $150,000 Hudson, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up in Race 5.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the 4-year-old Cross Traffic gray, bred by Brian Culnan, returned from a two-month layoff with vigor, taking over from pacesetter Foolish Ghost at the top of the lane and powering home in a final time of 1:17.51. The late-running Chestertown, who advanced up the rail through the turn before angling out for the stretch run, completed the exacta. Jemography, Foolish Ghost, Amundson, Our Last Buck, Judge N Jury, and Bronx Bomber rounded out the order of finish. Kaz's Beach was scratched.

Joseph, Jr. said the 2020 Grade 1 Haskell runner-up will now target the $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap on December 4 at the Big A.

“He won well. The slop was a bit of a concern, but he had trained really well into this race and ran good,” Joseph, Jr. said. “It seems like one-turn is what he wants to do. I think we'll give the Cigar Mile a shot.”

Ny Traffic improved his record to 16-4-4-2 with purse earnings of $754,920. He paid $3.90.

Bloom Racing Stable homebred The Important One broke sharp and led the six-horse field gate-to-wire to notch her first career stakes win by posting a 6 1/4-length score in the $150,000 Iroquois for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 6.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, The Important One was sent to the front from post 2 under jockey Jose Lezcano, posting an opening quarter-mile in :23.04 with the half in :45.70. In the stretch, the 4-year-old Majestic City filly drew away from runner-up Miss Jimmy, hitting the wire in 1:18.03. The Important One, making her first stakes appearance in eight starts, ran her win streak to three while improving to 5-0-3 in 13 career starts for purse earnings to $278,190.

The Important One, one of three horses in the race off at 2-1, returned $6.20. Completing the order of finish behind Miss Jimmy was slight favorite Espresso Shot, Hannah Dances, Fight On Lucy, and Letmetakethiscall.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Venti Valentine, trained by Jorge Abreu with Ortiz Jr. up, made her stakes debut a winning one in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies in Race 7.

Sandy's Garden set splits of :23.24 and :46.68 under pressure from Sue Ellen Mishkin as Venti Valentine, who broke a step slow, saved ground in third. Ortiz, Jr. gave Venti Valentine her cue through the turn, advancing with purpose and finding racing room outside the tiring Sandy's Garden as the field straightened away. Once presented, the Firing Line chestnut, bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, drew off impressively to win by 3 3/4-lengths in a final time of 1:39.78. Captainsdaughter rallied from far back to complete the exacta.

Dufresne, Velvet Sister, Classic Lynne, Sandy's Garden, Vallelujah, and Sue Ellen Mishkin rounded out the order of finish. Luz was pulled up in the stretch run and vanned off. Starship Laoban was scratched.

Undefeated in two starts, Venti Valentine returned $8.70.

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Due to significant rainfall from a coastal storm that impacted Long Island Tuesday and Wednesday, a pair of $200,000 state-bred turf races originally scheduled for Saturday – the Ticonderoga for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, and the Mohawk for 3-year-olds and up – have been rescheduled for Friday, November 5, and Saturday, November 6, respectively.

Live racing returns Sunday at Belmont Park with a nine-race card highlighted by $200,000 Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up along with two divisions of the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie at seven furlongs over Big Sandy for fillies and mares. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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Mr. Buff Strikes Again To Lead Empire Showcase Day Winners

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff got back on track to take the $175,000 Empire Classic Handicap in front-running fashion for the second straight year, putting the finishing touches on a thrilling day of New York-bred stakes action on Saturday's annual Empire Showcase Day card at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Winning trainer John Kimmel praised the Bromans for their continued support of his barn and the New York-bred program, which shined on Saturday with eight stakes worth $1.2 million.

“They have been with me since their inception in the thoroughbred game,” said Kimmel. “They've been big supporters and sent me a lot of top well-bred New York-breds over the years.

“They have really taken the New York-bred program to another level,” added Kimmel. “No one has done what he's done and bred his mares to the best stallions in the marketplace – Tapit, Storm Cat, American Pharoah, Justify – he's really tried to prove that you can raise a good horse in New York.”

A hard-knocking 6-year-old, Mr. Buff began 2020 with smashing wins in the Jazil and Haynesfield at Aqueduct, the latter of which was a 20-length tour de force against state-breds that netted him a sparkling 106 Beyer Speed Figure, but he was well beaten in each of his last two starts. His disappointing results in the Grade 1 Whitney and Grade 2 Suburban this summer led to many jumping off his bandwagon in the 1 1/8-mile Empire Classic for 3-year-olds and up on the main track, as he was sent off as a distant 7-2 second choice in the wagering.

Breaking from post 2 with regular rider Junior Alvarado aboard, Mr. Buff broke sharply and went out to lead the field through sensible splits of 23.50 seconds for the opening quarter mile, 47.56 for the half, and 1:11.50 for three-quarters, and while he readily yielded a soft lead in the stretch of the Whitney in his most recent outing, he had no such trouble on Saturday as he powered home a 3 1/4-length winner over a talented group of late-runners.

Mr. Buff completed the distance in 1:48.75 and returned $9.40 on a $2 win wager, and the win gave the millionaire his 15th victory from 40 career starts for the Bromans, who also bred the Friend Or Foe gelding.

“He's a 17.1 [hands] horse with a huge stride length,” said Kimmel. “The key is to get to the top of the lane and switch to his outside lead turning for home. I knew then it was over and there was no way they were going to beat him at that point.”

Alvarado said he was determined to make Mr. Buff's challengers work for a shot at defeating the defending champ.

“The big horse is back. I couldn't be any happier for him. I really wanted to do it for him. He deserves it. He's the best older New York-bred,” said Alvarado. “I like him when he takes a hold of the bridle. That's how he likes to be ridden. I just got out of there running. I wasn't intending to get to the lead. I just wanted to get him out of there going forward and take my position, whatever it will be.

“He's a horse that can go 22 and 45, too, but I just gunned him out of there to get a good position,” continued Alvarado. “If anyone else wanted the lead they were going to have to work hard to get it, I wasn't going to give it to them easily today.”

Bankit came out on top of the host of pursuers that lined up to take their shots at Mr. Buff in the stretch of the Empire Classic. The son of Central Banker trained by Steve Asmussen had similarly gone off form in recent starts after a promising start to his 4-year-old campaign, but he closed strongly on the inside and finished a clear second by three lengths over Sea Foam.

Heavy favorite Funny Guy had to settle for fourth in his return to the statebred ranks. The John Terranova trainee had previously beaten Mr. Buff in the Commentator on June 12 at Belmont and won the John Morrissey at Saratoga against New York-breds, but he couldn't get back to his best form in the Empire Classic and finished a neck behind Sea Foam.

Winston's Chance, Chestertown, and Evaluator completed the order of finish. Our Last Buck was scratched.

In the $175,000 Empire Distaff for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the class-dropping Lucky Move turned heads with an impressive sustained rally around the far turn that propelled her to victory for trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero and owner Ten Strike Racing.

A 6-year-old daughter of Lookin At Lucky, Lucky Move had been a frequent visitor to the New York-bred ranks over the winter at Aqueduct Racetrack, but the remainder of her 2020 campaign was spent in open company stakes races, which produced a win in the Obeah at Delaware Park in late spring. Despite her credentials, she was sent off at 4-1 in the Empire Distaff and fittingly made a four-wide blitz under Irad Ortiz, Jr. around the turn to seize control of the lead in upper stretch, with enough left in the tank to hold off a late-charging Mrs. Orb for a 1 3/4-length victory.

Bred by Maltese Cross Stables and Stonegate Stables, Lucky Move returned $10.40 as the third choice in the wagering and completed the distance 1:43.36.

Fellow 6-year-old mare and race favorite Ratajkowski finished fourth, just behind Makingcents in third. Singular Sensation, Forever Changed, and Critical Value completed the order of finish.

Trainer Daniel Velazquez made a splash on Empire Showcase Day taking the first two stakes on the card, which were also the first two stakes scores of the young conditioner's career.

Laobanonaprayer kicked off the stakes action on Empire Showcase Day with an emphatic upset in the $150,000 Maid of the Mist for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on the main track, which she won by 5 1/2 lengths at odds of 8-1.

Owned and trained by the mid-Atlantic based horseman Velazquez, Laobanonaprayer entered the race as a maiden but surged to an easy win in the stretch after settling off the early pace and drafting behind runners around the turn before being tipped into the clear by jockey Kendrick Carmouche turning for home.

Laobanonaprayer, a daughter of Laoban bred by Christina Deronda, completed the distance in 1:38.06 and returned $19.20 on a $2 win wager. Her breakthrough score happened to coincide with her donning blinkers for the first time in her young career.

Co-favorite Frost Me finished second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Chasing Cara, who was followed home by Party At Page's, Infringement, and Mashnee Girl. Cara's Dreamer was scratched.

Velazquez, who saddled his first winner in 2009, waited 11 years to notch his first career stakes win but needed a little more than a half hour to record his second stakes victory when Brooklyn Strong followed his stablemate with a 2 1/4-length score in the $150,000 Sleepy Hollow for juveniles going one mile in Race 3.

Like his stablemate the race prior, Brooklyn Strong stayed off the pace before showing late speed. Eagle Orb led the seven-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.63, the half in 47.17 and three-quarters in 1:11.86.

In the stretch, Brooklyn Strong continued to close strong under Jose Ortiz, overtaking Eagle Orb in the final furlong before drawing away to complete the mile in 1:37.16.

“We came in very confident with both horses. We loved the distances for them,” said Velazquez.

“You kind of foresee it and wish it but you don't know if it's going to happen, but it happened,” Velazquez added about his remarkable day. “There was a lot of hard work going into this.”

Owned by Mark Schwartz and bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, Brooklyn Strong, off at 7-2, returned $9.60 and earned blacktype for a second consecutive stakes after running third in the Bertram F. Bongard on October 2 at Belmont.

Eagle Orb ran 2 1/4 lengths clear of the favorite Breadman for second. Hold the Salsa, Masked Marauder, Let's Workout and Boss Bear completed the order of finish.

Lawrence Goichman homebred Myhartblongstodady made every pole a winning one to run her current win streak to four in the $150,000 Ticonderoga for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/16 miles on the firm inner turf in Race 4.

Trained by Jorge Abreu and perfectly piloted by Jose Lezcano, the 5-year-old Scat Daddy mare marked off moderate splits of 25.11, 51.05 and 1:14.51 with Short Pour tracking in second. The dark bay, who picked up her first stakes win last out in the Yaddo on September 4 at Saratoga, enjoyed a 2 1/2-length lead at the stretch call and despite bearing out in the stretch run extended her winning margin to three lengths in a final time of 1:44.66.

War Canoe earned place by a neck over Niko's Dream with Wegetsdamunnys, Pecatonica and Short Pour rounding out the order of finish.

Sent to post as the even money favorite, Myhartblongstodady returned $4.20.

Ronald A Brown's Tribecca led gate-to-wire in the 43rd running of the $125,000 Hudson going 6 1/2 furlongs for 3-year-olds and up in Race 7 to give Carmouche his second score of the afternoon.

Trained by Chris Englehart, the 6-year-old Bustin Stones gelding set swift splits of 22.27, 45.29 and 1:09.54 under pressure from Arthur's Hope. Under siege from Captain Bombastic and Big Engine in the stretch run, Tribecca continued to find more and powered home a three-length winner in 1:16.01.

Bred by Laurel Least and Joseph Lech, Tribecca improved his record to 39-13-5-5.

A loaded renewal of the $150,000 Mohawk in Race 8 went to 6-5 favorite Somelikeithotbrown, who prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/16-mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up, a division that has routinely produced some of the finest performances in the New York-bred ranks.

After trainer Jimmy Bond's Rinaldi broke on top over Belmont's inner turf course, the speedy Somelikeithotbrown, who's historically been at his best on the lead, was ridden aggressively to the front by Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano. Their gambit paid off handsomely as, despite carving out some taxing early fractions on a firm turf course that had some give to it, Somelikeithotbrown stayed on resolutely in the stretch to easily thwart a challenge from Therapist.

The win marked the first time Somelikeithotbrown faced fellow statebreds since he broke his maiden by eight lengths as a 2-year-old at Saratoga in August 2018. The talented son of Big Brown, bred in tandem by Hot Pink Stables and Sand Dollar Stables, won the Grade 3 Jack Ruby Steaks as a sophomore and the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch at the Spa earlier this year against open company for trainer Mike Maker.

Owned by Skychai Racing LLC and David Koenig, he completed the distance in a rapid 1:42.02 and returned $4.50.

Therapist finished second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Somelikeithotbrown's stablemate Cross Border, whose resume entering the race was nearly as impressive as the winner's. Dot Matrix, Sanctuary City, and Rinaldi rounded out the order of finish. Yankee Division and Opt were scratched.

Parx-shipper Collegeville Girl schooled the field in the $125,000 Iroquois in Race 9, rallying from last-of-10 heading into the turn before surging under jockey Joel Rosario in the stretch. Angled out wide in the straightaway, the 4-year-old Central Banker filly picked off rivals one-by-one before overtaking Timely Tradition in the final sixteenth and fending off Prairie Fire by a half-length.

Trained by Richard Vega, Collegeville Girl, bred by Andy Beadnell, won for the second time in three career Belmont starts, returning $48.20 as a 23-1 longshot. Owned by Robert Brittingam, Salvatore De Bunda and Wire To Wire Stable, she completed the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up over Big Sandy in a final time of 1:16.48.

Prairie Fire, trained by Linda Rice, edged Timely Tradition by a neck for second. Officer Hutchy, Espresso Shot, Fair Regis, Bertranda, Spin a Yarn, Newly Minted and My Roxy Girl completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes on Sunday at Belmont with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 3, $100,000 Athenia. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

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