Bernietakescharge could command $125K Bay Ridge
Robert Rosenthal and Bradford Bernstein’s homebred Bernietakescharge could dictate the terms in the $125,000 Bay Ridge, a one-turn mile for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, on Sunday, December 28 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Domenick Schettino, the 4-year-old Take Charge Indy dark bay enters from a pacesetting 2 1/4-length second to Valtellina in the nine-furlong state-bred Empire Distaff on October 25 here. Bernietakescharge made her two prior starts at that distance at Saratoga Race Course, including a win in the state-bred Critical Eye in June ahead of a misfire in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign in August.
Bernietakescharge, prior to her aforementioned nine-furlong efforts, made a trio of starts over Sunday’s course and distance, including a gate-to-wire 6 1/4-length win versus open company in the Heavenly Prize Invitational in February. That performance earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I do prefer two turns for her, but she likes the Aqueduct track,” Schettino said. “She has won at this distance before. She has a win going a mile here in the Heavenly Prize and she is doing well.”
Schettino said Bernietakescharge [post 5, Ruben Silvera, 125 pounds] has stamped herself as a forwardly-placed type.
“That’s who she is, she enjoys being on the lead or right close to the pace,” said Schettino. “We aren’t going to change that, since it has been working so far.”
Bernietakescharge, out of the stakes-winning Freud mare Berning Rose, is a half-sister to sophomore filly Bernieandtherose, a New York-homebred for the same connections, who notched back-to-back state-bred scores this year in the local East View and the Maddie May.
“She and her younger sister had an excellent year this year. The mother just keeps on producing,” said Schettino. “There is also Roseberns Dream, the 2-year-old half-sister, who is entered on Friday [in Race 2 on December 26]. She seems like she is pretty much the same as the sisters. She is still a bit immature, but her sisters were the same way at that age.”
Lael Stables’ multiple stakes-winner Landed [post 2, John Velazquez, 125 pounds] seeks her first win in her third start since capturing the seven-furlong state-bred Broadway in February here.
Landed is trained by Wesley Ward, who is winning at a 33.33 percent clip [66-22-13-8] on the NYRA circuit this year, hitting the board with 65 percent of his runners, including four stakes wins at the Big A.
The 4-year-old Omaha Beach bay last ran fourth when trying turf in a one-mile optional claimer in September at Kentucky Downs. She is cross-entered in the My Charmer this Sunday [12/21] over synthetic at Turfway Park.
Landed holds a 10-5-1-3 record with additional state-bred stakes scores in the seven-furlong Bouwerie last June at Saratoga and the nine-furlong Fleet Indian that August there.
Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, Landed was a $500,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Glory Gold, making her a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed millionaire Venti Valentine and multiple stakes-winner Espresso Shot.
John Witte and Morris Kernan, Jr.’s dual stakes-winner Soloshot [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez, 121 pounds] was a last-out half-length second to Khali Magic in the seven-furlong NYSSS Staten Island on November 22 here. The 4-year-old Solomini chestnut was making her barn debut for trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci after being haltered for $45,000 out of a turf sprint in November here.
Soloshot boasts a 19-3-3-0 overall record including wins in the six-furlong turf NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy last June here for trainer Lolita Shivmangal and the 2023 Lady Finger at Finger Lakes Racetrack for trainer George Weaver.
Bred by Rhapsody Farm, Soloshot is out of the multiple stakes-placed Twirling Candy mare Sweet Queen, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Queen Ofthe Catsle.
Jon Madden’s Atlantis Queen [post 3, Yedsit Hazlewood, 118 pounds] steps up in class from an allowance win versus elders going 1 1/16 miles on November 15 at Laurel Park. Trained by Gary Capuano, the sophomore Mitole chestnut dominated under returning apprentice Yedsit Hazlewood when defeating next-out winning stablemate Intrepid Mo by 5 1/4 lengths.
Atlantis Queen enters with a 14-2-4-0 record, including two stakes attempts, most recently landing fourth in the seven-furlong Gin Talking last December at Laurel. Bred by ZBS Thoroughbreds, Atlantis Queen, a $30,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Haynesfield mare No Hayne No Gayne, who was second in the 2018 Bay Ridge.
Rounding out the field is four-time winner Cupid’s Heart [post 6, Manny Franco, 123 pounds] for trainer Bruce Levine; three-time winner Fast and Frisky [post 7, Flavien Prat, 121 pounds] for dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox; and two-time winner Five to Two [post 1, Samuel Camacho, Jr., 121 pounds] for trainer Joseph Parker.
The Bay Ridge is slated as Race 8-of-10 on Sunday, December 28. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern.
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