Bank Frenzy, Doc Sullivan rematch in NYSSS Thunder Rumble

After a strong stretch battle in the nine-furlong Empire Classic, the victorious Bank Frenzy and runner-up Doc Sullivan will square off again in Saturday’s $125,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible New York-sired 3-year-olds and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.  

LSU Stables’ New York-bred Bank Frenzy notched his sixth career stakes win in the state-bred Empire Classic on October 25 here, doing so after tracking in third through the first quarter-mile under regular pilot Manny Franco before improving position and taking command in the turn. He edged clear of the pacesetting favorite Iron Dome at the top of the lane and was challenged by Doc Sullivan to his inside through the final eighth, but dug in to fend off his foe by a neck in a final time of 1:50.08.  

“He’s such a cool horse, and he tries hard every time,” said trainer Rudy Rodriguez. “I was just happy he [Doc Sullivan] went inside instead of outside, because we have an extension blinker [over his right eye]. When that horse went in, it looked like he was going by, but Bank Frenzy is such a fighter. He went after him, and that comes natural to him.”  

The 5-year-old son of Central Banker cuts back to seven furlongs two starts after finishing an even fifth at that distance from post 1-of-10 in the state-bred John Morrissey in July at Saratoga Race Course, which was won by Doc Sullivan over muddy and sealed footing.  

Rodriguez said that while Saturday’s distance is likely not ideal for Bank Frenzy, who is 1-for-6 sprinting, he is confident his class will prevail in the field of five.  

“This isn’t as big of a field, and at Saratoga, it was 10 horses and he had the one hole,” Rodriguez said of the Morrissey. “He can be competitive here in this race. Without a doubt, his class will help him.”  

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Bank Frenzy has put together a 20-10-5-0 record with $839,420 in total purse earnings. His other wins this year came going one-mile against open company in the Listed Stymie here, and against fellow state-breds in the local one-mile Haynesfield and nine-furlong Commentator at the Spa.  

Franco returns to the irons from post 2.  

The cutback will likely be of benefit to Tristar Farm’s Doc Sullivan [post 4, Joel Rosario], whose two career stakes wins have come at Saturday’s distance.  

Trained by John Ortiz, the 4-year-old son of Solomini stretched out to nine-furlongs for the first time since last September for the Empire Classic and landed his hard-fought second after an off-the-pace trip engineered by regular Hall of Fame pilot Joel Rosario.  

“It’s kind of heart-wrenching to get beat at the wire like that, but you’ve got to love the effort,” Ortiz said. “This horse has been nothing but consistent, strong, and he trains so brave and always shows up.”  

Bred in New York by Seamus Coughlan, Doc Sullivan notched his pair of stakes wins at Saratoga Race Course in last year’s Mike Lee and the aforementioned Morrissey in his first start for Ortiz after transferring from the Michael Miceli barn.  

Following the Morrissey, Doc Sullivan finished a game fourth in both the Grade 1 Forego at the Spa and the Grade 3 Vosburgh presented by Army Mule over the Thunder Rumble course and distance ahead of the Empire Classic.  

“Cutting back to seven, we already know he can do the distance, but more importantly, we’re running against state-sired horses,” Ortiz said. “He’s been running in open-company, so it should make it where he can compete a little better.” 

Ortiz noted that it has been a special experience to have Doc Sullivan in the barn.  

“To win the Morrissey was meaningful in many different ways,” Ortiz said. “It was our first win for Tristar – Mr. Glenn Lostritto – and it’s a big deal for him to see his horse win a stakes race in New York, at Saratoga, and recently after his father passed away. It was special, and we absolutely love Doc Sullivan. 

“He’s been a bit of a handful of a horse, but each week, we see him really develop and mature with us,” Ortiz added. “We’re very happy to have Mr. Lostritto and Doc Sullivan in the barn.” 

Trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci has entered a pair of contenders in stakes-winner Jackson Heights [post 5, Jaime Rodriguez] and dual stakes-placed Dr. Kraft [post 1, Flavien Prat].   

Zilla Racing Stables, Black Jack Racing and Acqua Nova Stable’s Jackson Heights graduated in the 2022 Bertram F. Bongard over this course and distance, and has posted four wins since, most recently taking a July 5 optional claiming sprint at the Spa by 1 1/4 lengths in his second outing for Kantarmaci. Bred in the Empire State by Sequel Stallions New York, the son of Union Jackson enters from a 3 1/4-length third in a local state-bred optional claimer going 6 1/2 furlongs on November 7.  

Dr. Kraft, co-owned by Kantarmaci with Zilla Racing Stables, Black Jack Racing and Steven Forst, was last seen finishing a 2 3/4-length fifth in the Empire Classic, where he tracked in second early and made a five-wide move into the lane before weakening. The 5-year-old The Lieutenant horse, bred in New York by Sequel Stallions New York, was claimed for $50,000 out of a runner-up effort over course and distance in April, and has won a pair of optional-claimers since, including against open company in August at Parx Racing.  

Completing the field is Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England’s New York homebred General Banker [post 3, Luis Rivera, Jr.], a stakes-winning son of Central Banker that looks to return to form for trainer Jimmy Ferraro off two distant sixth-place efforts in June.  

The Thunder Rumble, which honors the 1992 Grade 1 Travers winner for trainer Richard O’Connell, is slated as Race 1 on Saturday’s 10-race card, which co-features the NYSSS Staten Island in Race 4. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern. 

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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