Shipsational Best In Bertram F. Bongard At Belmont Park

Iris Smith Stable's Shipsational, with Luis Saez up, overtook pacesetter Senbei in the stretch run en route to a two-length score in Sunday's $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred juveniles at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Edward Barker, the Midshipman chestnut impressed in his 6 3/4-length debut win in July sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs against fellow state-breds over a sloppy and sealed main track at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He entered from a difficult trip in the 6 1/2-furlong Funny Cide in August at the Spa where he was bumped repeatedly at the start, finishing fourth.

Funny Cide-winner Senbei, with Manny Franco up, set splits of :23.04 and :46.48 on the fast main track in the Bongard under close watch from Whittington Park as Shipsational saved ground along the rail.

Shipsational angled to the two path through the turn as Happy Happy B chased wide with Whittington Park dropping out of contention. Shipsational engaged Senbei for the stretch run, and took command near the eighth pole en route to a convincing win in a final time of 1:23.64.

“He's a really nice, nice colt. He's trained well since the day we got him,” Barker said. “I think he's going to be a special New York-bred. The last race was a throw out. He had trained super coming into this race and I am really, really happy for Mrs. Iris Smith and the whole team.”

Saez said Shipsational finished up strong.

“We had to work a little bit, but he gave me a good kick. He ran pretty great,” Saez said. “Last time, he had a lot of trouble in the race. He missed the break and got bothered a lot. Today, things went our way. He got a good break, he was right there and he won.”

Senbei, Surprise Boss, and Whittington Park completed the order of finish. Happy Happy B fell at the wire unseating rider Jose Ortiz.

Ortiz will attend local area hospital for x-rays on his left ankle. Dr. Anthony Verderosa, NYRA's Veterinary Department Director, advised Happy Happy B incurred a catastrophic injury to his right foreleg and was humanely euthanized on track.

Barker said Shipsational, a $210,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, could target the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow, a one-turn mile for state-bred juveniles here on October 30.

“Probably. We'll have to give him some time and see what we've got,” Barker said.

Bred in the Empire State by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone, Shipsational banked $82,500 in victory while improving his record to 3-2-0-0. He returned $6.80 for a $2 win wager.

Live racing returns Thursday at Belmont Park with a 9-race card. First post is 2:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Essential Quality Earns 107 Beyer Speed Figure In Travers Win, BC Classic Ultimate Goal

Godolphin homebred Essential Quality continued to display his excellence with a superb performance in Saturday's $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., picking up a fourth Grade 1 triumph.

Essential Quality, traveling in second position under meet-leading rider Luis Saez, was 3 ½ lengths off pacesetter Midnight Bourbon down the backstretch before inching his way closer to the front nearing the far turn. The pair engaged in a dramatic stretch battle, with the 2020 Champion 2-Year-Old coming out on the winning end by a neck and recording a 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

Winning dramatic stretch duels in prestigious races are nothing new for Essential Quality, who won the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 5 after battling with Hot Rod Charlie in the stretch. He arrived at the Runhappy Travers off a half-length win in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 30 at the Spa, fending off an inside rally from Keepmeinmind, who was fourth in the Travers.

Essential Quality became the first Champion 2-Year-Old to notch a Travers win since Street Sense in 2007 and joined Tiz the Law [2020], Summer Bird [2009], Birdstone [2004], Point Given [2001], Lemon Drop Kid [1999], and Thunder Gulch [1995] as horses to sweep the Belmont Stakes-Travers double. Additionally, he became the first horse since Arts and Letters in 1969 to win the Belmont, Jim Dandy, and Travers.

Trainer Brad Cox said the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic is the ultimate goal but has not yet decided whether Essential Quality will race once beforehand.

“He looked great this morning. He's in good shape,” Cox said. “[Godolphin USA President] Jimmy Bell and I spoke about that this morning, there's no pressure to make a decision right now. We'll just let the dust settle and enjoy this victory for a little bit. I think that's the right thing to do. We'll make a decision in a week or two weeks. The most important thing is watching him and how he trains.”

Through eight victories in nine lifetime starts, Essential Quality has displayed various tactics, having won from just off the pace in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity and the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland, as well as from far back in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where he made up nine lengths to secure a victory.

“He's a versatile horse,” Cox said. “He seems to show up regardless of the pace. He's shown that he knows how to negotiate a trip and accept what's thrown his way. He knows how to overcome things.”

Cox spoke volumes of this year's 3-year-old crop and said it's a testament to Essential Quality's accomplishments.

“It's very, very good, and that's not just because we have two very good ones in Essential Quality and [Grade 1 Haskell Invitational winner] Mandaloun,” Cox said. “Horses like Hot Rod Charlie, Midnight Bourbon, Jackie's Warrior, and Keepmeinmind were all good horses that played a role as 2-year-olds last year and have been able to continue on at 3. Jackie's Warrior and Essential Quality were both dual Grade 1 winners at two and three. It means a lot. Hopefully, we can keep marching forward and on to the Breeders' Cup.”

Cox has been more involved in the Spa meet this season than he has in years past, which has paid dividends to the Louisville-born conditioner. Three weeks ago, Cox saddled Knicks Go to a victory in the Grade 1 Whitney.

“I've kind of been in and out of Saratoga in years past, but this year I've been here a good bit and it's really grown on me,” Cox said. “Moving forward, I'd like to spend all of my summers here. Being here and doing well in big races, that makes you enjoy it. It's a special place. Between the Travers and the Whitney, these are great accomplishments. It's a lot of teamwork and we have a great team.

“I can see myself spending more time here in years to come,” Cox added. “It's a great place, the whole town is all about racing. It's a special place for sure.”

Essential Quality is out of the multiple-stakes placed Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality. He is a direct descendant of the influential broodmare La Troienne.

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Cox potentially holds a strong hand for the Breeders' Cup Classic with Essential Quality and Knicks Go, who breezed for the first time since his Whitney triumph on Friday morning. The four-time Grade 1-winning son of Paynter went an easy half-mile in :49.15 over the Oklahoma training track.

Knicks Go will target the $400,000 Grade 3 Lukas Classic on October 2 at Churchill Downs as his final prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“It was an incredible move and I was proud of him,” Cox said. “I didn't ask him to do much, but he did it the right way. We'll keep him here until the first of September and go from there.”

Cox saddled Ten Strike Racing's Whittington Park, a New York homebred, to a maiden special weight victory on Saturday at second asking. Third in his debut on August 1 at Saratoga, the son of Midnight Lute led the 6 ½-furlong race at every point of call, winning by 7 ½ lengths under Manny Franco. He registered a 69 Beyer for the win.

“We've always liked him. I had the opportunity to see him in Florida in March and he had a good physical,” Cox said. “We didn't feel that we had him quite ready to win first time, but he really got something out of it. We added the blinkers and had a couple of good moves since.”

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