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Bank Sting possible for G3 Distaff

by NYRA Press Office

• Bank Sting possible for G3 Distaff
• Dual stakes winner Thin White Duke returns to Belmont with trainer Donk
• Atras considers NYSSS Times Square for Impressionist
• Stakes winner Giacosa returns to work tab; Galaxina to try stakes next
• Dontletsweetfoolya to scratch from $100K Correction
• Aqueduct Racetrack Week 14 stakes probables

Hidden Brook Farm, Joseph G. McMahon and Anne McMahon’s Bank Sting, a game winner of Sunday’s Heavenly Prize Invitational, could make her next start in the seven-furlong Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by John Terranova, Bank Sting registered a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure from the one-turn mile Heavenly Prize, which was her third consecutive victory and first against open company. Piloted by Dylan Davis, who is 3-for-3 aboard Bank Sting, she fended off a late challenge from stakes-winner Battle Bling to win by a neck.

“She came out of her race in good order,” said Joe McMahon. “We don’t have any definitive plans yet, but I would say the Distaff would likely be where we go.”

Bred in the Empire State by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, the daughter of 2021 leading New York stallion Central Banker entered the Heavenly Prize off two stakes triumphs at seven furlongs at the Big A.

Bank Sting romped to an 8 1/4-length victory in the NYSSS Staten Island on December 5, and followed with a narrow neck score in the La Verdad on January 2.

McMahon said the ultra-consistent Bank Sting, who has won 7-of-9 starts, is in good order.

“She was tearing the barn apart the other day,” McMahon said. “She went to the track Friday morning and everything went well.”

A four-time stakes winner, Bank Sting is out of the Precise End mare Bee in a Bonnet and has amassed $475,050 in earnings.

Dual stakes winner Thin White Duke returns to Belmont with trainer Donk

Phil Gleaves, Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Bryan Hillard’s Thin White Duke has settled into the barn of trainer David Donk at Belmont Park.

Previously trained by co-owner Phil Gleaves, the 4-year-old son of Dominus has been away from the races since a well-beaten 12th in a restricted optional claiming race over the turf at Belmont last June.

The dark bay gelding, who wintered at Racing Edge Training Center in Ocala, Florida, posted his second breeze back over the Belmont dirt training track Friday, covering a half-mile in 49.92 seconds.

“He breezed well today and will probably run in an allowance next week,” Donk said. “I’m good friends with Phil and when he retired from training last fall, I took a couple horses for him. The horse trained well over the winter and came to me in good shape.”

Thin White Duke earned two stakes victories against fellow New York-breds as a juvenile, taking the 2020 Funny Cide at Saratoga Race Course and the Aspirant at Finger Lakes Racetrack. He picked up two more stakes placings in the 2020 New York Breeders’ Futurity and the Paradise Creek in May before his nine-month layoff.

“He had a small issue and a bunch of time off,” said Donk. “He was a pretty good 2-year-old. We’ll see where we stand with him.”

Empire Equines' three-time winner Water’s Edge exited an optional claiming victory at the Big A on February 10 in good order and may step up to stakes company next in the $100,000 Haynesfield, a one-turn mile for older New York-breds on March 20 at Aqueduct.

Water’s Edge, a 4-year-old son of Candy Ride, stretched out to nine furlongs for his 1 1/4-length victory under Jorge Vargas, Jr., taking the lead at the half-mile marker and galloping away to earn a second consecutive 91 Beyer.

“He stepped forward and it was a good effort going two turns,” Donk said. “It gives us some options going forward with him. We felt distance wouldn’t be an issue and he’s put together some good speed figures.

“At some point, we’re going to have to step into deeper waters,” Donk added. “The Haynesfield is under consideration and if we don’t go there, there’s an allowance the following week.”

Sophomore filly Succulent will make her return to the races in Race 4 on Sunday at the Big A for her first start since a fourth in the Seeking the Ante at Saratoga Race Course in August.

Owned by Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Phil Gleaves, Succulent was well-beaten by November Rein in her last outing after trailing the field and never firing. The dark bay daughter of Candy Ride will return to the maiden special weight condition for the first time since August.

Succulent worked a half-mile in 49.52 seconds over the Belmont training track on March 6.

“She’s had one breeze here since she’s been back,” said Donk. “We just want to get a race into her with an idea to get her to the grass, but we’ll see. This will just be the starting point for her. Getting back in a maiden race will probably suit her.”

Atras considers NYSSS Times Square for Impressionist

Trainer Rob Atras said Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ homebred Impressionist could make his next start in the $200,000 NYSSS Times Square on April 23 following two victories against fellow New York-breds by a combined 14 lengths.

The sophomore son of Mission Impazible earned a career-best 83 Beyer from a 5 1/2-length win in a six-furlong first-level optional claimer on Sunday at Aqueduct. He was a maiden winner at second asking over a sloppy and sealed Big A main track on January 1, winning by 8 1/2 lengths.

“We’re thinking possibly the sire stakes,” Atras said. “We’re still going to assess how he came out of the race. I’m not sure if we would run once in between races or not.”

Impressionist displayed frontrunning tactics in both of his career wins. He was a late-closing third in his December 5 debut at the Big A when bumped at the break and trailed 10 lengths off the pace before rallying to finish third behind eventual stakes-placed Agility.

“He’s got good speed, but I don’t think he’s solely a frontrunner,” Atras said.

Out of the Seeking the Gold mare Stirring, Impressionist is a half-brother to previous Triple Crown participants Nowhere to Hide [17th in 2009 Kentucky Derby] and Conquest Mo Money [seventh in the 2017 Preakness].

Atras said he was proud of the rallying runner-up effort from Michael Dubb’s Battle Bling in Sunday’s Heavenly Prize Invitational.

The 4-year-old Vancouver filly, who Atras claimed for $62,500 three starts back on December 19, won the nine-furlong Ladies on January 16 at Aqueduct in her first start for her current connections.

Atras said Battle Bling could stretch back out to nine furlongs in the $100,000 Top Flight Invitational on April 10 at Aqueduct.

“We don’t want to cut her back. A mile to a mile and an eighth are her best distances. We may try for the Top Flight,” Atras said.

Stud El Aguila’s Eagle in Love broke his maiden at 15-1 odds on February 3 over a good and sealed Big A for Atras, who said the Dialed In sophomore could ship to Laurel Park for the $100,000 Private Terms on March 19 – a 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-olds.

“He didn’t show a lot in the mornings, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him run so well first out. It seems to have woken him up,” Atras said.

Stakes winner Giacosa returns to work tab; Galaxina to try stakes next

Bond Racing Stable’s Giacosa, winner of the 2021 Yaddo at Saratoga, returned to the Belmont work tab in February and will aim for an April return to the races after a five-month layoff.

Bred in the Empire State by Bond’s Song Hill Thoroughbreds and Roderick Towle, Giacosa put together a consistent 4-year-old season in 2021 with a 5-for-6 in-the-money record that was highlighted by a win in the 1 1/16-mile Yaddo in August. The daughter of Tizway closed out the year with a close second in the Forever Together at Aqueduct in November, beaten a neck by Flower Point and earning a career-high 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

Giacosa is a daughter of two former Bond trainees, out of the twice-winning Smart Strike mare Smart Engagement and by Tizway, who Bond conditioned to dual Grade 1 wins in the Metropolitan and Whitney Handicaps.

Bond said he is thankful for the success he has had with Giacosa and her parents.

“That was typical her,” Bond said of her Forever Together performance. “She’s an awfully nice mare and we’re lucky to have her. She’s just game and her family has been very good to us. We’re hoping she just gets better with age.”

The dark bay mare breezed a half-mile in 51.12 seconds Friday over the Belmont training track.

Bond said he is hopeful Giacosa will return to stakes form and make a start in the $100,000 Plenty of Grace, a one-mile turf test for older fillies and mares at Aqueduct on April 16.

“We’re looking at the Plenty of Grace next for her if she keeps doing what she’s doing and gets fit and strong,” said Bond. “She had a nice few months off at the farm and got a little break. It’s time to get back to work and have some fun this summer.”

Bond said he will also consider stakes company for recent maiden winner Galaxina, who graduated at second asking in a state-bred maiden special weight on February 26 at the Big A.

Bond said he is hopeful that the Giant Surprise filly, who finished second to next-out Maddie May runner-up Stone Creator in her January 16 debut, can show stakes proficiency in the $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore state-bred fillies on April 24 at the Big A.

“Everything seems well and we’re pointing her to the stallion series race in April,” said Bond. “We’re looking forward to her coming back at 6 1/2 furlongs and hopefully get some stakes quality from her. She’s a big, good looking, gorgeous filly. Hopefully, the best is yet to come.”

Bond said Grade 3 Forbidden Apple winner Rinaldi will look to return in the $100,000 Danger’s Hour at one-mile over the Big A turf on April 9 after a disappointing 11th in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble at Aqueduct last time out in his dirt debut.

“Sometimes in life you take chances and I had some exercise riders who kept telling me to try him on the dirt,” Bond said. “It was the end of the year, we tried him, and it just didn’t work.”

A son of Posse, Rinaldi has won at least one stakes race in each of his three seasons of racing. He posted a half-length victory in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple at Saratoga last year that awarded him a career-best 102 Beyer.

“We gave him a rest and he had a good winter at the farm. He was awfully good to us last summer,” Bond said. “It was fantastic to win the Forbidden Apple. He’s a neat horse and tries his heart out. He’s getting fitter and stronger.”

Bond said Sandrone, a 3 1/2-length maiden winner on December 2 at the Big A, has resumed training and will target a return in a state-bred allowance sometime in April. The 3-year-old Run Away and Hide gelding finished third in his first three outings before his breakthrough win to close out his juvenile campaign.

“We put the blinkers on and he put it all together,” Bond said. “He’s a nice horse and we’ve always liked him. He showed how good he is last time and he freshened up this winter. Hopefully, he’ll go on and we’ll have some fun.”

Dontletsweetfoolya to scratch from $100K Correction

Five Hellions Farm's multiple stakes winner Dontletsweetfoolya will scratch from Saturday's $100,000 Correction at the Big A in favor of an allowance sprint on Sunday at Laurel Park.

"With the weather coming in this weekend it makes sense to sit still," said trainer Lacey Gaudet.

Dontletsweetfoolya put together a five-race win streak as a sophomore, beginning with a 9 1/2-length romp in the slop in July 2020 at Laurel Park and included stakes scores in the Primonetta in November 2020 and the Willa On the Move one month later at the same track.

The 5-year-old Stay Thirsty mare finished off-the-board last out in the 6 1/2-furlong Wishing Well on January 29 over the Turfway Park synthetic.

Jevian Toledo will pilot Dontletsweetfoolya from the inside post in Race 8 Sunday at Laurel.

KEM Stables and Five Hellions Farm's H P Moon, a $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase, garnered an 81 Beyer in a 9 3/4-length debut win sprinting six furlongs in August at Pimlico Race Course.

The 3-year-old Malibu Moon ridgling followed with an off-the-board effort as the mutuel favorite in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid on January 29 at Laurel.

H P Moon worked a half-mile in 48.60 March 6 at Laurel in his first breeze back following a throat surgery.

"He's doing well," Gaudet said. "He'd always had a displacement issue with his breathing. We gave him some time and did a minor throat surgery on him. He's coming back really well and had a really nice work the other day. His attitude has been much better since and hopefully that's the main reason he ran so poorly last time."

Gaudet said H P Moon will be pointed to an allowance race at Keeneland.

"We'll take him to Keeneland and try an allowance race there and then see where we go after that," Gaudet said.

Gaudet said she expects to return to New York this spring at Belmont with Five Hellions Farm's sophomore The Man to See, a New York-bred gelding, who graduated on the Laurel turf in October.

The Bodemeister bay is out of the unraced Tapizar mare Winsanity, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Ready Signal.

"The Man to See will definitely be up there for a summer campaign. We'll be up there for the spring and Saratoga. We have a couple of nice New York-bred babies from nice mares that we're looking forward to," Gaudet said.

Aqueduct Racetrack Week 14 stakes probables

Saturday, March 19

$100K Cicada (NYB)

Probable: Buff My Boots (John Salzman, Jr.), Exxaltress (Chad Brown), Lady Milagro (Carlos Martin), Monshun (Ray Handal), Rosebug (Bill Mott), Sweet Solare (Horacio De Paz)

Possible: Lady Scarlet (Mike Maker) 

Sunday, March 20

$100K Haynesfield (NYB)

Probable: Chestertown (Steve Asmussen), Chowda (Gary Sciacca), Lobsta (Sciacca), My Boy Tate (Michelle Nevin), Our Last Buck (Nevin)

Possible: Brew Pub (Marcelo Arenas), Water's Edge (David Donk)