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Deterministic registers 93 BSF in G3 Gotham

by NYRA Press Office

• Deterministic registers 93 BSF in G3 Gotham
• Abreu relishing third Busher victory with Jody’s Pride
• Super Chow could point to G2 Carter H. following G3 Tom Fool H. score
• Kinetic Sky earns 94 BSF for $150K Stymie score
• Reid Jr. pleased with Busher runner-up Carmelina and G3 Gotham pacesetter Maximus Meridius
• El Grande O notches career best 89 BSF for show honors in G3 Gotham; Hot Fudge pointed to $100K Correction
• Aqueduct Racetrack Week 10 stakes probables

St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable’s Deterministic earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for his impressive two-length score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Liam’s Map colt entered the one-turn mile for sophomores from a seven-month layoff following his successful debut in August at Saratoga Race Course and showed no signs of rust with a stylish score under Joel Rosario.

"He came back in good order. We're very much enjoying the fact that he won the Gotham yesterday. It was a very strong performance and we're happy with the way he looks this morning," Clement said. "We will probably ship him to Florida this week. He's done very well in Florida and the weather is more under control. He's been here for the last three months and training well here, so no need to change too much at the moment."

Deterministic worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:01.80 on February 17 over the Payson Park Training Center dirt in company with well-regarded New York-bred Pandagate, who subsequently shipped to New York and won the state-bred Gander here last weekend. That breeze completed a series of four bullet works at Payson Park for Deterministic, who put in an easy five-eighths in 1:02 flat on February 24 at the Indiantown, Florida, facility before heading north.

Deterministic was off slow and rallied from last-of-8 and five lengths off the pace to secure a half-length win in his Spa debut sprinting seven furlongs under Rosario. He handled the slight stretch out in distance with aplomb on Saturday, stalking just off the pace from third position through three-quarters in 1:10.94 over the sloppy and sealed going. He rallied wide through the turn and took aim at the leading El Grande O, eventually surging past his New York-bred foe with an inside move just before the sixteenth pole en route to victory in a final time of 1:36.37.

“I had a long talk with Joel last night and he was delighted with the horse,” Clement said. “He thought that he was a lot more mature yesterday than what he was in his first race, so there's a lot to enjoy and a lot to like."

The Brad Cox-trained maiden winner Just a Touch closed to finish second with El Grande O in third in front of fourth-place Maximus Meridius and the Clement-trained Capital Idea in fifth secure to 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on offer to the top-five finishers.

Clement said Deterministic, a $625,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, will be nominated for a number of Derby preps, including the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 6 at the Big A. The historic nine-furlong test for sophomores awards 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

"No decision whatsoever made for the next start,” Clement said. “At the moment, the only worry is the wellbeing of the horse and we'll go from there. We'll get him to a work and the work will tell us what to do with him.”

Clement, who won the 2014 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes with Tonalist, said he would appreciate saddling his first Derby starter provided his charge is in with a shout.

"To run, no - to win, yes," said Clement, with a laugh. "Running is not very exciting, but winning is. If he was to go that route, that would be very exciting. At the moment, we need to evaluate a next start and I believe, most probably, he would need to run before the Derby.

"It was a good performance,” Clement added. “I don't want to put pressure on anybody - just common sense, bring him back, apply regular horsemanship and go from there.”

Bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, Deterministic is out of the winning Speightstown mare Giulio’s Jewel – his turf stakes-winning third dam, Amelia, produced graded stakes-winning turfers Rainha Da Bateria, Assateague and Kindergarden Kid.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Capital Idea entered the Gotham from an 8 1/4-length second-out graduation score traveling a one-turn mile here on January 28 that garnered a lofty 84 Beyer. He traveled wide throughout the Gotham from the outermost post 11 under returning rider Trevor McCarthy and stayed on well enough down the lane to finish fifth.

“I thought he ran OK. He had a very bad post and he was carried wide all the way, but he actually tried and he finished,” Clement said. “We'd love to go a mile and an eighth and two turns with him next time, but where, I don't know. I think the longer the better. He came back in good order. He trained in New York all winter, so I left him in New York.”

Clement said he will keep all options for Capital Idea, including the Wood.

“There are other races, but the Wood is a possibility,” Clement said.

The $260,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the stakes-placed Distorted Humor mare Rever de Vous, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Dreaming of Drew.

Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stables and On The Rise Again Stable’s Pandagate, bred in the Empire State by Fred W. Hertrich, III., overcame a troubled start under Dylan Davis to post a 5 1/2-length score in the one-turn mile Gander on February 25 here. He has since shipped back to Clement’s care in Florida at Payson Park.

The sophomore son of Arrogate was a debut winner over the same distance here against fellow state-breds in October with Davis up before closing to finish third in an open-company optional-claiming route in December at Laurel Park.

Clement said Pandagate has a number of potential options, including the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino; the nine-furlong Federico Tesio on April 20 at Laurel Park; or the Group 2 UAE Derby on March 30 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai which offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

“He came back last week and we'll get to a work at the end of this week. We're very happy with him. He's another one that we'll leave eligible for everything,” Clement said.

A $130,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, Pandagate is out of the Clement-trained stakes-placed Sky Mesa mare Kitty Panda.

***

Abreu relishing third Busher victory with Jody’s Pride

Trainer Jorge Abreu and co-owner Parkland Thoroughbreds teamed up yet again to score their third Busher victory with Jody’s Pride in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 test for sophomore fillies traveling a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.

For her victory, Jody’s Pride secured the maximum allotment of the 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks points awarded to the top-five finishers, adding to the 15 points she received for a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, placing her atop the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 65 total points.

“She came back great, everything is great,” said Abreu. “It’s very exciting for us. Going to the Breeders’ Cup was such a fun ride for us and she showed up over there. To see the performance she put in on that day, we were like, ‘Wow,’ so we gave her 30 days [off], and then she grew up and got bigger and stronger. Yesterday, she showed it.”

The American Pharoah dark bay, who is co-owned by Sportsmen Stable, follows in the footsteps of Espresso Shot and Venti Valentine to add her name to the list of Abreu’s Busher victresses that tie him with John Kimmel for most Busher scores by a trainer. Additionally, Steve Weston’s Parkland Thoroughbreds became the first owner to campaign three Busher winners.

“That’s what everyone dreams about – to show up in the mornings and have horses like this in the barn,” said Abreu. “It gets you going every day when you have to get up at 4:30 in the morning – it pushes you out of bed. It means a lot to me and my whole team.”

Jody’s Pride made her seasonal debut in the Busher and showed no signs of rust after a four-month respite that followed a game runner-up effort to Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Just F Y I in the two-turn 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Santa Anita Park.

Jose Lezcano climbed aboard for the first time in the afternoon on Saturday and guided the talented filly to her prominent score after pouncing from one length off the pace and taking over at the top of the lane to power home a 2 1/4-length winner over pacesetter Carmelina. She was awarded a career-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.

Abreu reflected on his three Busher winners and said Jody’s Pride has proven to be special.

“I think she’s a better horse,” said Abreu. “She’s got more quality and she can handle distance more, and has a better mindset than the other fillies. Venti Valentine is very good, but with every race, she gets more and more aggressive. This filly, she’s pretty laid back. Espresso Shot was a good horse and wasn’t as good as Venti, and this horse is [better than Venti].”

The win was Jody’s Pride’s second over the Aqueduct main track, adding to a dominant 3 1/4-length triumph in an off-the-turf edition of the Matron sprinting six furlongs in October. She graduated in August sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga Race Course in rein to Flavien Prat, who also piloted her next two outings.

Abreu said he would prefer to keep Jody’s Pride in the Empire State and target the local nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifier on April 6, which would see her return to two turns for the second time in her career.

“I don’t want to keep moving her around,” said Abreu. “She’s already run four races at three different tracks and four different distances. She likes Aqueduct, too.

“At first, we started off at five and a half [furlongs], and her body type looked like she would be a sprinter,” Abreu added of her distance capabilities. “After her race, Flavien breezed her a couple times and her gallop outs were really, really good and she kept on going. Flavien said I shouldn’t be afraid to stretch her out. Then we ran her at three-quarters and she galloped out strong.”

Bred in Kentucky by Weston, Jody’s Pride is out of the undefeated New York-bred Abreu trainee Jody’s Song, who is a half-sister to the multiple graded stakes-placed Make Mischief. Jody’s Pride now owns a lifetime record of 4-3-1-0 and total purse earnings of $590,250.

***

Super Chow could point to G2 Carter H. following G3 Tom Fool H. score

Lea Farms’ Super Chow picked up his second consecutive graded score with a gritty frontrunning effort under Maddy Olver to capture Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, the 4-year-old Lord Nelson colt carried a field-high 124 pounds from post 3 and dueled for the early lead with mutuel favorite Rotknee through splits of 22.74 seconds and 46.06 over the sloppy and sealed main track. He put away his pace rival through the turn and had plenty in the tank to stave off the bid of graded stakes-winner Manny Wah despite drifting out late, as is his custom, to notch the 1 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:10.86.

“With his post position and the other speed on the outside, she [Olver] had to work the horse a little bit in the beginning because the plan was definitely to take the lead and not get too much mud in his face. He likes that style and thankfully he was able to go gate to wire,” Delgado said.

Delgado said Super Chow exited the Tom Fool in fine fettle.

“He came back really good. He's in good shape,” Delgado said. “It was a hard race considering the weather conditions and going to the lead with that other fast horse, Rotknee, and doing all the hard work and still being able to separate in the end - it was remarkable for him. He's in really good form right now.”

Super Chow entered the Tom Fool from a frontrunning score under Olver in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Toboggan, providing both horse and rider their first career graded stakes win.

Olver was aboard Super Chow for a trio of stakes placings last year in the My Frenchman [2nd] and Jersey Shore [2nd] at Monmouth Park and in the Carle Place [3rd] at Belmont at the Big A.

Delgado praised Olver’s skill and work ethic in helping to prepare Super Chow for the Tom Fool.

“I give all the praise to her because she has worked with the horse every day since he won the Toboggan,” Delgado said. “She breezed the horse twice and did all the hard work with the horse, so I give most of the credit to her.”

Super Chow previously finished third in the 2022 Grade 2 Saratoga Special and second in last year’s Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream Park. He was a four-time stakes winner prior to making the grade, capturing the Bowman Mill at Keeneland and Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs in 2022 along with last year’s Limehouse and Hutcheson at Gulfstream.

Super Chow now boasts a record of 17-8-4-4 for purse earnings of $686,900 with wins at five different racetracks.

“He's like an iron horse. He's solid everywhere and always in that good desire mood,” Delgado said. “He looks forward to training every day and he's actually upset when he doesn't go to the track. He's a very playful horse. He can adjust to every surface that he goes, every track, any weather - he's been very consistent for the past two years.”

Delgado said Super Chow will likely target the seven-furlong Grade 2, $250,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on April 6 as part of a stacked Wood Memorial Day card.

“We're in no rush. If he can go in that direction, we'd be happy to go there. It's a distance that suits him very well and he likes that track,” Delgado said.

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, the $75,000 purchase at the 2022 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, out of the Warrior’s Reward mare Bonita Mia, is a full brother to stakes winner Princess Indy.

***

Kinetic Sky earns 94 BSF for $150K Stymie score

Sanford Goldfarb, Alan Kahn, David Tanzman and Steven Speranza’s Kinetic Sky earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure for his first career stakes score in Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the 6-year-old son of Runhappy rallied from 4 1/2 lengths off the pace under Jose Lezcano to swing 10-wide in the turn and make his run for the front after stalking in sixth-of-8 in the early stages. The determined bay gained with every stride down the lane to creep past his favored stablemate Petulante and nail Quality Chic by a nose in a final time of 1:37.08. Petulante finished third another half-length back.

Blake Dutrow, Dutrow, Jr.’s nephew and Belmont Park-based assistant, said both horses, who were cross-entered in a Thursday allowance at the Big A as a backup plan, exited the Stymie in good order

“We’re very proud of both horses – they both tried hard and ran big. It was a big day for Kinetic Sky,” said Dutrow. “I don’t know that we expected he would win, but we were hoping he would like the off track and it all just kind of came together. He’s a special horse and I wish they could all be like him. He was born to be a racehorse. We’re not going to run him back in that race and we’ll take our time and see what makes sense.”

Kinetic Sky was haltered for $62,500 out of an April route at the Big A and has been a model of consistency for his current connections, hitting the board in 7-of-8 outings that include his Stymie win and a game third-place effort in the nine-furlong Queens County on just three days’ rest in December. He now boasts earnings of $598,768 through a 27-7-8-7 record.

Lugamo Racing Stable’s Petulante made his first outing for Dutrow, Jr. after a near nine-month layoff that followed a gritty half-length score in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile in June at Monmouth Park when in the care of conditioner Victor Barboza, Jr. The consistent 5-year-old son of Arrogate has earned a Beyer of 90 or better in 6-of-7 outings, including a 93 for his Stymie effort.

“He was coming off a long break and we figured he would need a race,” Dutrow said. “He ran big and tried hard. I think next time, we’ll be able to get a pretty good line on him. We knew he was going to run big, but we just didn’t know if he would win. An off track might not be his best surface, so we’re going to take our time. It took a bit out of him and we’ll gather the pieces.”

Petulante is out of the graded stakes-placed Uncle Mo mare Auntjenn, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed He’s So Fine. Petulante has banked $254,555 through a lifetime record of 7-4-2-1.

***

Reid Jr. pleased with Busher runner-up Carmelina and G3 Gotham pacesetter Maximus Meridius

Cash is King and LC Racing’s Carmelina is in good order after a strong runner-up effort in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Busher, which earned her 25 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., the 3-year-old daughter of Maximus Mischief broke alertly from the outermost post 7, sweeping past the field and to the front under rider Mychel Sanchez.

Carmelina set swift fractions for the one-turn mile over a sloppy and sealed track, leading the field through splits of 23.61 seconds, 46.82 and 1:11.96, before being overtaken in the stretch by Jody’s Pride, runner-up of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Santa Anita.

“She came out of it very well. She was good and tired this morning, but sound and happy. She ate her dinner last night and I think she will get a lot out of that race,” Reid, Jr. said. “I think she really ran hard and tried all the way until the end. We were pleased with our race.”

The Pennsylvania-bred Carmelina faced more adversity than her prior two starts, where she wired the field in Laurel Park’s Gin Talking in December and Penn National’s state-bred Shamrock Rose in November, by two and 8 3/4 lengths, respectively.

Out of the St Averil mare Complete St., Carmelina is now 7-4-1-0 with $261,800 in earnings.

LC Racing, Cash is King and Butch Reid’s Maximus Meridius ran a pacesetting fourth in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000, Gotham, holding the lead a long way into the one-turn mile, before being passed near the top of the lane, beaten 4 3/4 lengths.

“He actually seemed more zippy this morning. I don’t think we’ve really gotten to the bottom of this horse yet, he’s still kind of figuring things out,” said Reid, Jr. “Mikey [Sanchez, jockey] said when the horses came on the outside, he went to look around and kind of lost his concentration.”

The sophomore son of Maximus Mischief was hustled to the front of the field after breaking from the inside post following the scratch of Khanate. After making the lead, he was pressed hard down the backside by a pesky El Grande O, giving way just before the stretch call, attempting to re-engage as El Grande O, Deterministic and Just a Touch went by.

“After the race when they spread out, he galloped on again. We’ve got some stuff to work on, I think he’s a horse with a lot of talent but just hasn’t put it all together yet,” Reid, Jr. said. “It was over a track that wasn’t favoring speed too much either. So I was very pleased with the effort.”

Maximus Meridius earned a career best 84 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort through the slop. Out of winning Quiet American mare Quiet Virtue, he raised his lifetime earnings to $109,700.

“Both my horses came back sound and happy, that is all you can ask for,” Reid, Jr. added.

The effort garnered 10 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby for Maximus Meridius. Uncle Heavy, who is targeting the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets on April 6 here, leads the way in the Derby standings for Reid, Jr. with 20 points earned for his victory in the Grade 3 Withers.

***

El Grande O notches career best 89 BSF for show honors in G3 Gotham; Hot Fudge pointed to $100K Correction

After taking third-place honors in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, Barry Schwartz’s New York-homebred El Grande O now has 30 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. He earned a career high 89 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Trained by Linda Rice, El Grande O broke alertly under regular pilot Kendrick Carmouche and sat within a length of pacesetter Maximus Meridius down the backside. The Take Charge Indy-colt pulled up alongside the leader entering the turn then established a length and a half lead by the stretch call, before being passed in the final sixteenth and beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Deterministic. He was edged out of place honors, a half-length back of Just a Touch.

“He looks good, he came out of it really well. I thought all in all it was a tough race, a big field, tough field, and I was pretty pleased with his race,” Rice said. “There was quite a bit of speed in the race. We wanted to get him underway and get a good position because of the sea of mud and slop, and I thought Kendrick did a beautiful job.”

After the race, Carmouche noted that the sophomore could take another step forward if his blinkers were to be removed, despite having worn them for the past seven outings.

“I think we are going to take his lead. He was very adamant that he is a much better horse than he ran and that the blinkers hindered him,” Rice explained. “We thought there was a chance to sit and I thought he did that beautifully. He got past that rival [Maximus Meridius], then just got run down by a couple of nice horses.”

El Grande O improved his ledger to 11-3-5-2 with $435,000 in earnings, adding 15 more Derby qualifying points to his existing 15 earned in the Withers [10] and Jerome [5].

KEM Stables’ Hot Fudge breezed five furlongs in 1:01.49 on Saturday as a final prep for Saturday’s $100,000 Correction, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares.

Rice has just begun serving a two-week suspension and the classy 4-year-old Liam’s Map mare will race in the care of her nephew Adam.

“She’ll be running in the Correction. She will be handled by my nephew Adam Rice in the Correction,” said Rice. “It is what I had her pointed towards, so my nephew will deal with that.”

Hot Fudge enters off a brief layoff following a four-race win streak, featuring last out scores in the local Interborough and Garland of Roses, on January 27 and December 9, respectively.

“We had intended on taking her to the Barbara Fritchie in Maryland but due to the quarantine, those plans did not come to fruition,” said Rice, “The backup plan was the Correction.”

Hot Fudge holds an impressive record of 12-7-1-1 that has banked $438,905, and she seeks a third consecutive stakes win at the Big A in the Correction.

***

Aqueduct Racetrack Week 10 stakes probables

Saturday, March 9

$100K Correction

Probable: Baba (Michael E. Jones, Jr.), Hot Fudge (Linda Rice), Kant Hurry Love (David Duggan), Music City Star (Jena Antonucci), Quick Munny (Rob Atras), Secret Love (John Kimmel)

Possible: Prodigy Doll (Phil Schoenthal)