Tag: Spinaway

Flashy Maiden Winners Take on Saratoga Stakes Winners in Loaded Spinaway

'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke), one of the more impressive maiden winners this summer at Saratoga, will square off with unbeaten GIII Adirondack S. heroine Brightwork (Outwork) in a deep renewal of Sunday's GI Spinaway S. at the Spa.

Ways and Means, a homebred for Klaravich Stables, earned a field-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure for her geared-down 12 3/4-length debut victory going six furlongs Aug. 6. She'll take on an additional furlong in the Spinaway.

“She's had two easy works since, and she looks fine,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I'm excited to see her run again. We've been training easy.”

Brightwork made it three-for-three for trainer John Ortiz with an impressive win of her own in the 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack Aug. 6. The re-opposing GIII Schuylerville S. winner Becky's Joker (Practical Joke) was a distant seventh that day.

“The thing about her works is that she's only getting better and better,” Ortiz said of Brightwork. “Her heart rate is showing that she's asking for more distance and so we're going in there as confident as can be.”

The field of 10 also includes: Astoria S. winner and Schuylerville third Closing Act (Munnings); the Bill Mott-trained six-length debut winner on opening day Sugar Hi (Twirling Candy); and Alys Beach (Omaha Beach), who defeated next-out runaway winner Life Talk (Gun Runner) by a head on debut July 30.

Sunday's graded stakes action also includes: the GII Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby and the GIII National Thoroughbred League Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.

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Ways and Means “Leader of Her Crop” Since Day One

Klaravich Stables homebred Ways and Means wowed the crowd in her 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut on Sunday at Saratoga, but for the connections who have worked with the daughter of Practical Joke leading up to that 12 3/4-length romp, her impressive performance came as no surprise.

Out of the Klaravich-campaigned stakes winner Strong Incentive (Warrior's Reward), Ways and Means was a standout at Dell Ridge Farm since the day she was foaled. Sent to Nick de Meric's in Ocala to go through her early training, again she was one of the highest-rated horses in his barn. The story was much the same when she arrived at Chad Brown's barn early this summer.

“She's been the leader of her crop all the way until she got to us and she's been the leader here too,” Chad Brown said the morning after her maiden win. “Those horses that are really the leaders of their class from birth and everyone that has touched them has the same thing to say, that's really where the stars come from.”

Jockey Flavien Prat got to know the bay juvenile this summer in Saratoga leading up to her debut. On July 23, she worked out of the gate with Prat aboard, going five furlongs just a tick over a minute flat. From there, jockey and trainer made a plan to make her first start a learning experience.

“I really wanted Flavien to try to teach her something and not be on the lead,” Brown explained. “He executed beautifully. She was able to rate behind horses quietly and then when he made the lead, she was professional.”

Ways and Means launched her bid going around the turn, took the lead at the top of the stretch and then cruised down the lane without so much as a hint of urging from Prat.

“It's hard for an unraced 2-year-old to even breeze alone, let alone run alone–a whole stretch with no partner to either chase or follow,” said Brown. “You often see horses maybe get green, not travel straight or wait on horses. None of that with her. She just galloped through the lane like she was a 3-year-old. Flavien really took care of her through the lane. I'm happy that he never really asked her to run much because there's a lot of big stuff ahead of her.”

The filly is on to the Sept. 9 GI Spinaway S, according to Brown, who added that he wasn't concerned about the stretch in distance or the heightened competition.

“It just felt like she had a lot more in the tank,” he said of her debut.

The filly follows a pretty similar path as her sire Practical Joke, who also broke his maiden on debut on Aug. 6 for Chad Brown back in 2016 and went on to earn the GI Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. double.

The Ashford Stud-based stallion was competitive on the 2017 Kentucky Derby trail, running second in the GII Fountain of Youth S. and GII Blue Grass S. and finishing fifth on Derby day, but he returned to the winner's circle later that year for the GIII Dwyer S. and GI H. Allen Jerkens S.

“He was such an honest, hard knocking, reliable racehorse,” recalled Brown. “He raced at the highest level. He was effective running really from six furlongs all the way to a mile and an eighth. The more I do this, I find that those horses that have a wide range in distance and still are effective through various distances, oftentimes they become really good sires.”

Practical Joke is also the sire of this year's GIII Schuylerville S. winner Becky's Joker and he currently ranks second behind Gun Runner on the list of leading third-crop sires.

Ways and Means is one of six homebreds by Practical Joke this year for Klaravich Stables. Her dam has also produced GSW and Airdrie sire Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) and recent GIII Lake George S. winner Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}).

All three Klaravich-bred athletes are also campaigned by their breeder, which is a unique occurrence for the prominent racing entity.

“The Klaravich plan is we mostly buy horses in the marketplace and sell our very best horses as part of our business plan to pay for the new purchases,” explained Brown. “Seth [Klarman] loves racing and we're trying to constantly make minor changes to what we're doing to get to the races that we really want to get to together. That said, we may keep a broodmare or two along the way that we felt had a lot of ability. We've bred a few of these in conjunction with the breeding rights that we've started to accumulate from stallions that we've made. The breeding is never going to be the centerpiece of our racing operation, but it's an evolving plan all the time and we're always trying to get better at it.”

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Forte Works Towards Jim Dandy; Becky’s Joker To Spinaway

Reigning Champion 2-Year-Old colt Forte (Violence) logged his first breeze of the summer at Saratoga Race Course when covering a half-mile in :48.90 seconds over the Oklahoma dirt training track Friday with regular jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. up for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The colt worked in company with graded stakes-winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) in preparation for the GII Jim Dandy July 29 at the Spa.

“He jumped on the bridle a little early, so I kind of took a little hold away from the horse,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I allowed him to see the company and go after him. He did.”

Pletcher said he was pleased with the work, which he moved to the training track after heavy rains overnight led to the main track being sealed this morning.

“We fortunately had the option of coming over here on a harrowed track,” said Pletcher. “I thought he worked well. He's a pretty straightforward horse and he does what you ask him to do. I thought he was moving really well and he seemed happy. He usually sits a little off [his workmate] to keep him focused.”

Ortiz, Jr., who regularly works the colt, said Forte was as professional as usual.

“We went 48 and change. On this kind of track, it is really good,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He is doing good. He looked good, he looked happy, so let's see what happens. The way he does things [excites me]. He knows where the wire is. He loves to win. You can see in the Belmont Stakes, I kept trying with him and he kept coming. He's a fighter.”

“He's obviously a very fit horse and he just ran a mile and a half, so we don't feel like we have to do a lot with him leading up to this race,” continued Pletcher. “We'll probably come back with another maintenance work next week.”

“I think you can see he's a little more laid back. He's an intelligent colt and takes everything in stride, and you can see he's matured that way,” said Pletcher. “Obviously it was a frustrating spring and he ran terrific in the Belmont considering what he was up against. To me, he's a deserving divisional leader, but like everyone else, he's got to continue to win to hold that spot.”

Pletcher also provided an update on 2-year-old filly Wine On Tap (Tapit), who finished an even fourth in Thursday's GIII Schuylerville S. as the post-time favorite.

“She looks good. She was just kind of one-paced down the lane and I thought she recovered and galloped out really well,” said Pletcher. “She is a filly that we've always thought would be better going longer. It was just a little disappointing that she didn't finish up a little better than she did yesterday, but she came back well and looked good this morning.”

Speaking of the Schuylerville, trainer Gary Contessa was still watching replays on Friday morning of Lee Pokoik's Becky's Joker (Practical Joke), who launched what appears to be a promising career with a debut victory in the opening-day feature.

The sizable bay stands 16.3 hands high and, “towers over everybody” in the barn according to Contessa, who confirmed the filly for the seven-furlong GI Spinaway S. September 3 at the Spa.

“She came back sound and they tell me she looked great this morning,” said Contessa, who was catching a flight to Nashville to watch his son's baseball tournament. “She honestly can only get better. She's got a lot more left in the tank, so we're looking forward to seeing what she can come up with next. As big as she is, and as big as her stride is, she's going to get better as the distances stretch out. I think seven-eighths is going to hit her right between the eyeballs in the Spinaway.”

Contessa commented on the soundness and the good mind of his newly minted graded stakes winner.

“Knock on wood, she's been very, very sound and very healthy. Everything has gone our way so far, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it continues,” Contessa said. “She's trained as well as any horse I've ever had as a 2-year-old. No matter what you ask her to do, she's push button and picks it up to another gear. Her mind is so good. She had it figured out and she's really a smart filly.”

One can expect Contessa, who has 10 stalls on Saratoga's Oklahoma backstretch, to unleash more promising young talent throughout the meet.

“All these babies are ready to run, so we're going to have a real presence,” Contessa said. “This was a great win to start with and we have even more pretty nice horses awaiting their turn.”

 

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Background Check: Spinaway

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is the GI Spinaway S., currently the first Grade I of the year for 2-year-olds in the country.

Dating to 1881, back when the Kentucky Derby was running for just the seventh time, President James Garfield was assassinated in office, and there was what would become a legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral, the Spinaway has seen its share of history. The race itself is named after 1880's top 2-year-old filly, who beat colts seven times in stakes that year. She was by Leamington, who, among his spate of top progeny, also sired Aristides (winner of the inaugural Kentucky Derby) and Iroquois (the first U.S.-bred horse to win the Epsom Derby and St. Leger across the pond). Spinaway herself foaled a couple of nice runners and was granddam of 1904 Spinaway winner Tanya, remembered today for winning the 1905 Belmont S.

Contrary to more recent trends, the Spinaway S. has actually increased in distance from its beginnings. It started as a five-furlong contest, was bumped up to 5 1/2 furlongs in 1901, increased again to six panels in 1922, and has been run at seven-eighths since 1994. With the unprecedented Tapit filly deadheat in 2016 and a number of missed years early on, the Spinaway has officially recorded 131 individual winners. How they have fared as broodmares!

Some of the Spinaway winners who belong on this list were previously featured in our “Background Checks” for the GI Alabama S., GI Test S., or GIII Schuylerville S.; please see those earlier profiles for notes on Hot Dixie Chick, Meadow Star, Talking Picture, Numbered Account (who already appeared in two!), Moccasin, Risque, and Sallie McClelland. Following are the some of the other most important Spinaway winners by what impact they have had on the breed through their sons and daughters.

Alanesian (1954, Polynesian–Alablue, by Blue Larkspur): This E. Barry Ryan/Normandy Farm-bred mare produced three stakes winners, including Princessnesian, one of the handful of mares to win the Hollywood Gold Cup. A number of significant winners trace to her, including champion granddaughter Revidere, but the legacy she's left on the breed–through sons, grandsons, and the like–is absolutely staggering. Without her son Boldnesian, there would be no Seattle Slew. Without her grandson Ride the Rails, there would be no Candy Ride (Arg). And without her great-great grandson Harlan's Holiday, there would be no Into Mischief.

Sunday Evening (1947, Eight Thirty–Drowsy, by Royal Minstrel {GB}): She produced just one stakes winner–1964 Test winner Time for Bed–but this Greentree Stud homebred's daughters and descendants produced champion 2-year-old Silent Screen; champion 3-year-old filly Dark Mirage; multiple European champion Indian Skimmer; Irish champion Bluebird; GISWs Missy's Mirage, Classy Mirage, Java Gold, Swagger Jack, Timely Writer, and Timely Assertion; and many more.

Myrtle Charm (1946, Alsab–Crepe Myrtle, by Equipoise): One daughter won the Frizette and Alcibiades, but it was another daughter who produced My Charmer, dam of Horse of the Year and incredible breed-shaping sire Seattle Slew. A smattering of other nice horses appear in the family, including Seattle Slew's half-brother, G1 Two Thousand Guineas winner Lomond, but nothing else could compare to the accomplishments of the great Slew. Myrtle Charm was bred by Brownell Combs and Leslie Combs II.

Bellesoeur (1945, Beau Pere {GB}–Donatrice {GB}, by Donatello II {Fr}): Bred in California by Louis B. Mayer, co-founder of MGM Studios, this mare was extremely prolific, with nearly four dozen stakes winners produced by her and her daughters in just the first couple of generations alone. She remains relevant although distant in pedigrees today, as last year's ill-fated Medina Spirit traced directly to her, as did 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse.

Our Page (1940, Blue Larkspur–Occult, by Dis Donc {Fr}): This Royce G. Martin homebred produced five foals, all colts. All were stakes winners and all were sires, the best of whom was undoubtedly Bull Page. He was Canadian Horse of the Year in 1951 and an influential Canadian sire. His most long-lasting effect on the breed is as broodmare sire of Nijinsky II and a son of his was the broodmare sire of Storm Bird. Our Page was named Broodmare of the Year in 1948 when Bull Page was just a yearling.

Loves Only You traces to 1939 Spinaway winner Now What | Horsephotos

Now What (1937, Chance Play–That's That, by High Time): She produced Next Move, a dual champion in the U.S. and a 12-time stakes winner of races that are almost overwhelmingly designated as Grade I today. A number of other top horses trace to the Three D's Stock Farm-bred as well, but her pièce de résistance is surely great-great granddaughter Pasadoble, who singlehandedly founded a dynasty of champions. Pasadoble's greatest foal was her first: multiple French, English, and U.S. champion Miesque, who in turn produced champion East of the Moon, additional MG1SW Kingmambo,  and two other GSWs. Other champions of the last two decades descended from Pasadoble include Alpha Centauri (Ire), Six Perfections (Fr), Rumplestiltskin (Ire), and Loves Only You (Jpn).

Blue Warbler (1922, North Star III {GB}–May Bird {GB}, by Thrush {GB}): It may be more of a challenge to find this mare of a century ago in pedigrees today, but it can still be done. Her handful of foals included champions Barn Swallow and Balladier. The latter was a good sire whose sons Double Jay and Spy Song can still be found buried in many a current runner.

Court Dress (1904, Disguise–Hampton Belle {GB}, by Hampton {GB}): Records start getting spotty this far back, but there's no doubt this mare has a vast number of top-class horses tracing to her, including leading sires Deputy Minister and Exclusive Native.

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