Chelsea Durand Photo

Atras duo Officer Hutchy and Sadie Lady headline $100K NYSSS Staten Island

by Keith McCalmont

Trainer Rob Atras will saddle a pair of top contenders in Sunday’s $100,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Atras has entered Sanford J. Goldfarb, Irwin Goldfarb and Ira Davis’ Officer Hutchy and Dennis Narlinger’s Sadie Lady in the seven-furlong main track sprint for eligible New York-sired fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward.

Officer Hutchy, a 3-year-old daughter of Boys At Tosconova bred in the Empire State by Green Polka Farms, was claimed for $25,000 three starts back on August 16 at Saratoga Race Course out of a winning effort against older sprinters.

“The owner, Sandy Goldfarb, picked her out,” said Atras. “She had run a couple races going into that race that weren't great, but before that he liked her numbers. She was well put together and I liked the way she looked, so we took a shot and she ran huge that day. We were the only ones in for her. It helps to have a really sharp owner.”

The dark bay paid immediate dividends by winning the NYSSS Park Avenue traveling 6 ½-furlongs on the Saratoga main track on September 3 under Dylan Davis.

“We thought she'd be a useful filly and off that race we put her in a stakes race. She ran a big race that day, too. She's worked out really well,” said Atras.

Last out, with Manny Franco up, Officer Hutchy was an even fourth after a tiring trip in the 6 ½-furlong Iroquois when racing from post 2 in a field of 10 fellow state-breds on October 24 at Belmont Park.

“She had to run all the way from the gate,” said Atras. “She was down on the inside and he had to hustle her out of the gate and she pretty much ran the whole race. I thought she ran a pretty good race considering. She was fourth and only beaten a couple lengths. I expect her to run a good race.”

Sadie Lady, by Freud and bred in New York by Narlinger’s JMJ Racing Stables, boasts a record of five wins and three thirds from 15 career starts. The speedy 4-year-old reeled off a trio of wins at the Big A over the winter beginning in January with a 4 ½-length score in an open claiming sprint. She followed in February by wiring a state-bred optional-claimer by 5 1/4-lengths and completed the hat trick with a half-length score against open allowance company on March 8.

The dark bay made a pair of starts at the Belmont spring/summer meet, including a third in an open optional-claiming sprint on July 12 and will be making her return to the races off of a four-month layoff.

“She ran all winter and we thought we'd give her a little freshening. We sent her down to Florida to Rudy Delguidice Jr., who keeps all the JMJ horses down there,” said Atras. “He freshened her up and said she was doing really well and sent her back up. I’ve put about four works into her now and I was searching for a spot for her.

“Seven furlongs is probably not her best distance," continued Atras. "But she does like Aqueduct. She's won going six and a half [furlongs] and seven furlongs might be stretching it, but we'll see what the race looks like. Speed is her weapon. If she can get out of the gate and get on top, maybe she can go a little further."

Franco will pilot Officer Hutchy from post 3, while Kendrick Carmouche has the call aboard Sadie Lady from post 7.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Maspeth Stables and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Espresso Shot will look to notch her first win since capturing the Busher in March 2019 at the Big A. Bred in the Empire State by Twin Creeks Farm, the 4-year-old Mission Impazible bay finished fifth last out in the Iroquois with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up for trainer Jorge Abreu.

A multiple stakes winner, who bested state-breds in the 2018 East View at the Big A, Espresso Shot boasts a record of 16-3-3-1 with $347,105 in purse earnings.

Velazquez retains the mount from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are Bankers Daughter [post 2, Dylan Davis], Steal My Heart [post 4, Tamay Alpander], Prairie Fire [post 5, Jose Lezcano], and Fight On Lucy [post 6, Benjamin Hernandez].

The Staten Island is slated as Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race card which also features the $100,000 NYSSS Thunder Rumble in Race 3. First post is 11:50 a.m. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the Aqueduct fall meet with coverage to air on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the 18-day fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.