Susie Raisher Photo

Carson’s Run readies for return in $125K Woodhaven

by NYRA Press Office

• Carson’s Run readies for return in $125K Woodhaven; Northern Invader eyes New York graded events
• G3 Gotham winner Deterministic works at Belmont Park but will skip G1 Kentucky Derby
• G1-winner Blazing Sevens earns 97 BSF in victorious return, may target G1 Met Mile
• Thin White Duke aims for Elusive Quality to G1 Jaipur; Fingal’s Cave points to G2 Ruffian
• First work of 2024 at Saratoga goes to Dew; Nutella Fella points to G1 Woody Stephens
• Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet Week 4 stakes probables

West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey’s Grade 1-winner Carson’s Run will make his return to the races in Saturday’s $125,000 Woodhaven, a one-mile turf test for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Carson’s Run put together a strong juvenile campaign that included a debut win in July at Saratoga Race Course and a Grade 1 triumph when shipping to Woodbine to capture the Summer in September.

In between those efforts was a game runner-up finish to the filly Gala Brand in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at the Spa, where he was defeated a half-length. He closed out the year with a ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Santa Anita Park.

The talented colt is named in honor of Carson Jost, who was born with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Carson is the son of Wade Jost, a former classmate of West Point Thoroughbreds’ founder Terry Finley at the United States Military Academy.

Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said the group is excited to see Carson’s Run make his much-anticipated return to the races.

“He’s doing well,” said Blewitt. “He had an unbelievable season last year with the ride he took us on – winning first out at Saratoga, nearly winning the With Anticipation, getting that Grade 1 win in the Summer, and taking us to the Breeders’ Cup with his feel-good story. After the Breeders’ Cup, Christophe thought it would be best to give him a well-deserved vacation. He had a super promising campaign as a 2-year-old, so we’re excited and hoping he keeps progressing and evolving.”

Carson’s Run has worked regularly at Payson Park since February, and had his first work at Belmont Park this morning, covering five furlongs in 1:05 flat over the dirt training track.

“He’s a pretty horse to look at and I expect him to be better on the turf [than he worked on dirt],” said Christophe Clement. “We’ve got a race for him next Saturday and that’s the plan at the moment.”

Blewitt added the Woodhaven is a great starting point for Carson’s Run, and that his long-term goals include the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 6 at Belmont at the Big A, the Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 3 at the Spa, and the Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational this fall at Belmont at the Big A.

“There’s so much opportunity for 3-year-old turf horses in this day and age, with the Belmont Derby, Saratoga Derby, and Jockey Club Derby,” said Blewitt. “The dream is to have him build off that 2-year-old season and compete at the highest level.”

Along with Carson’s Run, West Point Thoroughbreds has another top prospect in the sophomore turf male division in Cugino, who finished a heartbreaking second in the Grade 3 Transylvania traveling 1 1/16 miles on April 5 at Keeneland.

Co-owned by Jimmy Kahig and trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the Twirling Candy bay was five-wide in the early stages under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano and angled in two paths down the backstretch while going head-to-head for the lead with Musical Act. He stuck his head in front at the top of the lane and battled on bravely but was caught at the wire by the rallying Neat to his inside and defeated a nose.

“I’m so proud of him,” said Blewitt. “He’s such a cool dude and we have his half-brother Battle of Normandy. It was crushing for him to have that kind of trip, run that well, and not win. The effort he put in is probably good enough to win a race 99.9 percent of the time, but he came out of it in great shape."

Blewitt said Cugino will now look to the Grade 2 American Turf, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for sophomores on the May 4 Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs, with an equipment change.

“He’ll go to the American Turf in blinkers,” said Blewitt. “Javier said that as big as he ran, he felt he was a little unfocused at times. It will be amazing to have him run on Derby Day. Much like Carson, the Belmont Derby and those 3-year-old turf races in New York are the goal with him.”

In the older male turf division, stakes-winner Northern Invader made a strong return to the winner’s circle on Friday at Keeneland for trainer Cherie DeVaux and co-owner David Ingordo.

The chestnut son of Collected won the Gio Ponti in October here ahead of runner-up efforts in a pair of stakes at Fair Grounds, one off-the-turf and one on, to close out his sophomore campaign. He returned in March to be fourth in a Fair Grounds turf allowance before claiming victory again last out with his tidy 2 1/4-length score over stakes-winner Belouni in the one-mile turf tilt.

Blewitt said the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap on August 10 – offering a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Del Mar - could be a good long-term target, with the one-mile Grade 3, $350,000 Poker on June 8 at Saratoga as a bridge.

“Cherie just does such a great job,” said Blewitt. “Northern Invader set the bar so high last year, and I was a little underwhelmed with his races this winter, so I just don’t think he loved Fair Grounds. It was great to see him put that so-so winter campaign behind him with that win at Keeneland. He’s through that allowance condition, and I don’t know what Cherie has planned, but he may be a horse for the Fourstardave. I’ve thought all along this horse could be a Grade 1 quality miler on the grass. Cherie always sends a string to Saratoga, and I’m sure he’ll be nominated to the Poker.”

Dual graded stakes-winner Integration, trained by McGaughey, finished a hard-trying third in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile on April 12 and is being pointed to the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Blewitt said Integration did not care for the yielding footing in the Maker’s Mark, where he finished 4 1/2 lengths behind Master of the Seas and got his neck down for show honors over Shirl’s Speight.

“Both Shug and Frankie Dettori said the horse was spinning his wheels and wasn’t comfortable on that softer ground,” said Blewitt. “We’re looking forward to a beautiful day in Louisville.”

Should Integration perform well in the Turf Classic, Blewitt said it may warrant a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard at Saratoga.

“It’s been in the back of my mind that he can be a legit Grade 1 talent on the turf, and the race I really want to make with him is the Manhattan,” said Blewitt. “Assuming things go well Derby Day, we’d have to take a serious look at it. We love supporting New York racing.”

Blewitt added the Clement-trained graded stakes-winner Kertez, who won the Grade 2 Pan American by a nose in March at Gulfstream, is likely being pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Man o’ War on May 11 here.

“We won the Grade 2 with him on Florida Derby Day and there’s more in the tank with him,” said Blewitt. “He’s going to have to be better in the Man o’ War, but I think he’ll be up to the task.”

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G3 Gotham winner Deterministic works at Belmont Park but will skip G1 Kentucky Derby

St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, C. Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable’s Grade 3 Gotham-winner Deterministic posted his first work back since an off-the-board finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino when covering five furlongs in 1:02.63 in company with The Shoe Lady over Belmont Park’s dirt training track Sunday.

“He came back alright, he had a maintenance work,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “He looked well.”

Deterministic earned 50 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs, placing him 16th on the Derby leaderboard and securing him a place in the starting gate, but Clement confirmed Sunday the talented colt will skip the “Run for the Roses.”

“I spoke to the owners and we decided to keep him in New York and we will keep all the New York options open,” Clement said.

A logical spot for Deterministic would be the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan on May 11 here, the traditional local prep for the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

The sophomore son of Liam’s Map was an emphatic winner of the Grade 3 Gotham on March 2 at the Big A, making his first start in nearly seven months after a strong debut victory in August at Saratoga Race Course. He was last seen finishing eighth in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial on April 6 when rating 2 1/2 lengths off the early pace before losing ground through the latter stages of his first start around two turns.

A $625,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Deterministic is out of the winning Speightstown mare Giulio’s Jewel. His third dam, the turf stakes-winning Amelia, produced graded stakes-winning turfers Rainha Da Bateria, Assateague and Kindergarden Kid.

Also on the Sunday work tab for Clement was dual graded stakes-winning New York-bred City Man, who returned to work two weeks ago after a six-month respite. The fan-favorite son of Mucho Macho Man covered a half-mile in 51.51 seconds in his third work since returning to the track.

“He’s doing well and is still a bit rusty,” said Clement. “It was a maintenance work, galloping out five-eighths. Everything is good.”

Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles, the now 7-year-old City Man posted two state-bred victories last year in the Kingston at Belmont Park and the West Point presented by Trustco Bank at Saratoga. He then finished third in the Ashley T. Cole and second in the Mohawk to close out his campaign, both of which were won by Spirit of St Louis, who came back to win yesterday’s Danger’s Hour in a Big A inner turf record time of 1:33.57.

Clement said he has not yet picked out a spot for City Man to return.

“I need a bit more time,” said Clement. “He’s a fun horse to be around and he’s a very pretty horse, but he’s not quite ready to run, so we’ll give him more time.”

City Man boasts a lifetime record of 32-11-6-5 with total purse earnings of $1,244,870. He made the grade in 2022 with victories in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple at the Spa and the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstream Park.

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Grade 1-winner Blazing Sevens earns 97 BSF in victorious return, may target G1 Met Mile

Rodeo Creek Racing’s Grade 1-winner Blazing Sevens was victorious Saturday in his return from a nine-month layoff dating to a third in the Curlin at Saratoga Race Course, taking a one-mile allowance optional claimer by one length [Race 7], at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the 4-year-old Good Magic dark bay found himself two-lengths back in last-of-six after a half-mile in 45.39 seconds, before steadily advancing and going five-wide under pilot Manny Franco to pounce to the lead with a sixteenth remaining. He denied late tries from stakes-winners Full Screen and fellow Brown-trainee Artorius for a final time of 1:34.55 over the fast main track.

Blazing Sevens’ performance was awarded a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, just one tick shy of his career-best 98 earned in a head defeat to National Treasure in last May’s 1 3/16-miles Grade 1 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.

Brown, who won four races Saturday including the Danger’s Hour with Spirit of St Louis, said the performance was enough to consider the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, a one-mile test on June 8 at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes Day, offering a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“He had a wide journey and was fit enough to gut it out in a fairly quick time. We'll see how he comes out of the race and go from there, but I'll consider a race like the Met Mile,” said Brown. “I think he's good enough. It's quite a tough race, but that's at the top of my list.”

John Capek of Rodeo Creek Racing said he was equally as impressed with the performance after the time off.

“We are glad to have him back on the track. After nine months off, I think he ran well,” said Capek. “He got a little bit of a challenge coming out of the gate, but he showed his capability in the turn.”

Blazing Sevens, who had worked weekly at the Payson Park Training Center since February 4, entered the race off a half-mile breeze in 48.90 seconds on April 14 over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“Chad said he has been training extremely well. He is in as good of a condition as he was right before the Preakness,” Capek said. “I think the nine months of a layoff has done him well.”

The last win for Blazing Sevens came at one-mile in the Grade 1 Champagne during October of his juvenile season at Belmont at the Big A. He subsequently finished off-the-board at 1 1/16-miles in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, before a third in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland and his second in the Preakness.

“He has done well at the mile distance. We’ll [someday] see if he can stretch it out a little bit, but I think winning is everything now,” said Capek.

Blazing Sevens has nearly reached the one million-dollar mark in earnings with $957,650 through a record of 9-3-1-3. Out of the winning Warrior’s Reward mare Trophy Girl, he was a $225,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale 2021.

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Thin White Duke aims for Elusive Quality to G1 Jaipur; Fingal’s Cave points to G2 Ruffian

Dual Grade-3 placed turf sprinter Thin White Duke, trained by David Donk for breeder and former trainer Phil Gleaves, who co-owns with Steven Crist, Ken deRegt and Bryan Hilliard, has been working impressively towards his seasonal debut in the Listed $150,000 Elusive Quality, a six-furlong sprint for older horses on May 4, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Thin White Duke breezed a half-mile Sunday morning in 48.73 seconds over the Belmont dirt training track, 21st-of-188 workers, following last week’s 47.44, which was good for 4th-of-179.

“He’s worked extremely well by himself over the dirt. He is in great form and is ready to run,” said Donk, who last ran him in November’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. “He’ll run in the Elusive Quality in two weeks.”

Last year, Thin White Duke finished fourth in the Elusive Quality before running tenth in the six-furlong Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont Park. He improved later in the summer at Saratoga Race Course, finishing third in the Grade 3 Troy for the second consecutive year and winning the Harvey Pack, both 5 1/2-furlongs.

Donk said he would ideally take the same route to this year’s Grade 1 Jaipur presented by Resolute Racing on June 8 Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga, but with more success as the 6-year-old Dominus gelding has taken a liking to the Spa turf.

“He’s had an affinity for the turf course at Saratoga. I would certainly like to do that [route again],” said Donk. “[The location] certainly doesn’t hurt. We are looking forward to it.”

Phil Gleaves, Joseph Straus, Jr., and The Estate of Hugh A. Fitzsimons, Jr.'s Yes and Yes was scratched from Saturday's 5 1/2-furlong King T. Leatherbury at Laurel Park with Donk electing not to ship. The 8-year-old Sidney's Candy gelding, a half-brother to Thin White Duke, is now under consideration for the Elusive Quality, which last year he finished second in by a nose.

"He'll come back in the Elusive Quality, barring there isn't something else to run him in, we'll take it race-to-race," said Donk. "He had an affinity for the Belmont course, so it wasn't as big a surprise that he ran as well as he did."

Yes and Yes also next contested the Jaipur, finishing ninth. In subsequent stakes action, he finished second in August's Select at Monmouth Park and July's Van Clief at Colonial Downs, before an off-the-board finish in the Belmont Turf Sprint in October.

Alifyfe Racing and Mo Speed Racing’s New York-bred Fingal’s Cave will point towards the Grade 2 $200,000 Ruffian, a one-turn mile for older fillies and mares, also on May 4, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 5-year-old Carpe Diem mare was third last-out in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Distaff on April 6 here, sitting a half-length off the early pace before being overtaken by the victorious Shidabhuti and runner-up Ain’t Broke. The effort came off a layoff dating to a win at one-mile versus state-breds in the local Bay Ridge on December 28.

“She’s doing very well. She’ll work tomorrow. The intention is to run her in the Ruffian,” said Donk. “I think the Distaff was shortening her up. I think she will be better at one mile or farther.”

Fingal’s Cave is 2-for-2 at beyond one mile, winning at nine-furlongs in the Fleet Indian and an open-company allowance as a sophomore at Saratoga. She subsequently finished second in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Raven Run in October 2022 at Keeneland before a more than one-year respite that ended with her Bay Ridge conquest.

Donk said the Distaff showed the New York-bred has what it takes to compete versus graded stakes company again in the Ruffian.

“It was a good race for her. She needed to run, she’ll benefit from the racing,” said Donk. “I think the distance suits her, and the timing. She deserves the opportunity to run there. I’d like to think she’ll move forward off her last race.”

Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, the $75,000 purchase from the 2021 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is out of the winning Mineshaft mare Barbie On a Budget, who is a full-sister to multiple stakes-winner Mineralogist. Fingal’s Cave’s second dam is Grade 2-winner Seeking the Ante, a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Friends Lake.

Fingal’s Cave boasts an impressive record of 7-5-1-1 with $391,500 in earnings.

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First work of 2024 at Saratoga goes to Dew; Nutella Fella points to G1 Woody Stephens

Lee Pokoik's Dew, a 2-year-old Frosted colt trained by Gary Contessa, posted the first breeze of the year recorded over the Oklahoma dirt training track at Saratoga Race Course when he fired off a three-eighths work in 39.99 seconds Sunday.

The Oklahoma Training Track opened Thursday as preparations continue for the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 8, the Festival will include 24 stakes races with purses totaling $10.25 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.

"It was a nice easy quarter-mile and he galloped out strongly to make the tab. The track looked good and the horse moved well over it," Contessa said. "We had this 2-year-old in the March sale at Ocala and he didn't quite bring what we wanted, so we decided to bring him to Saratoga and race him at NYRA. It was a good work and the track is in great shape."

Dew is out of the unraced Will Take Charge mare Charge It Please, who is a half-sister to 2022 Grade 2 Vosburgh-winner Following Sea.

"He's very quick," Contessa said. "He's a gorgeous mover. He's very Tapit like - Frosted is by Tapit - and this colt is a light grey and looks like your prototypical Tapit horse. Today was just about getting a little air in his lungs."

Also among the 10 horses currently stabled with Contessa at Saratoga is Bell Gable Stable's Grade 1 Hopeful-winner Nutella Fella.

The Runhappy colt graduated in July at Delaware Park before posting a 54-1 upset over next-out Grade 1 Champagne-victor Timberlake.

Nutella Fella sustained a hind-ankle injury training up to the Champagne and underwent surgery. He worked his way back to fitness at Oak Ridge Training Center in Ocala, Florida.

"He hasn't looked back. He worked five-eighths in 1:01 in Ocala before I brought him up last week," Contessa said. "He'll probably have his first work the middle of next week. I'll wait until the weather is good and the track is to my liking."

Nutella Fella will look to return with a statement score in the Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores on June 8 at Saratoga.

"His first race of the year should be the Woody Stephens on Belmont Day," Contessa said. "He's a good horse and it's the perfect distance for him - same distance as the Hopeful and he's already worked five-eighths. He's going to be really ready for that race in June. I know it's a tough ask to come back in the Woody Stephens, but that distance is what he's best at.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm, Nutella Fella is out of the Candy Ride mare Krissy’s Candy, who is a half-sister to the graded stakes-placed duo Danny Boy and Meal Penalty.

Pokoik's Becky's Joker, who won the Spa's Grade 3 Schuylerville on debut in July at odds of 21-1, will soon join the Contessa contingent upstate.

The Practical Joke bay followed her debut score with a distant seventh one month later in the Grade 3 Adirondack at Saratoga.

Contessa said Becky's Joker needed time off after her Adirondack effort to ease temperamental issues. She has since wintered at Eclipse Training Center in Ocala.

“Mentally, she just fell apart on me after that race,” Contessa said. “We gave her the winter off and that’s what you’ve got to do with these young horses when they’re not progressing mentally the way you want them to and Lee is the type of owner who will let you do the right thing.”

Contessa said the $130,000 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale purchase is coming along nicely and will ship to Saratoga next week.

“I worked her five-eighths last Friday in 1:02 at Eclipse,” Contessa said. “My game plan is to work her there this Friday and then ship her on the weekend.”

Contessa said he hasn’t picked out a return spot just yet for Becky’s Joker, but noted the sizable filly would have no issue stretching out to the nine-furlong distance of the Grade 1, $500,000 DK Horse Acorn on June 7 at Saratoga.

“I want to see how she’s progressing and how she’s doing,” Contessa said. “Obviously, during the Belmont Stakes weekend there is a mile and an eighth race for her and I don’t think distance is going to be a problem for her because she’s 17.2 [hands]. She’s the biggest filly you’ll ever want to see, but she’ll have to tell me when she wants to come back. She’s eligible for allowances and all the 3-year-old stakes races – there’s so many opportunities for her, so we’ll play it one step at a time.”

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Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet Week 4 stakes probables

Saturday, April 27

$125K Woodhaven

Probable: Carson’s Run (Christophe Clement), Elysian Meadows (Bill Mott), Gallic Charm (Chad Brown), The Big Torpedo (Tom Morley)

Possible: In a Jam (Mark Casse), Old Flag (Fernando Abreu), Please Advise (George Weaver)

Sunday, April 28

Listed $150K Memories of Silver

Probable: Curlin’s Girl (Anthony Dutrow), Dynamic Pricing (Brown), Expatriate (Brown), Miss Mottley (Brown), Most of All (Mott), Youknownothing (Clement)

Possible: Living Magic (Phil Schoenthal), Munny Grab (Horacio De Paz)