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Duggan hoping to stay lucky into spring with strong New York stable

by NYRA Press Office

• Duggan hoping to stay lucky into spring with strong New York stable
• Ghalia Princess awarded 85BSF for sharp Cicada score
• Pandagate works for G2 UAE Derby; Otello tries Tapeta in G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks
• Reid, Jr. targeting G2 Wood Memorial card with Uncle Heavy, Carmelina, Maximus Meridius
• Englehart eyes G2 Carter H. for Haynesfield-winner Whittington Park; Lady Mine targets Biogio’s Rose
• Security Code keying in on $100K Biogio’s Rose; G1-winner Leave No Trace back in the winner’s circle
• Jockey Ruben Silvera out for 3-5 weeks with broken collarbone; Eliseo Ruiz to return Monday
• Aqueduct Racetrack Week 12 stakes probables

Trainer David Duggan has celebrated a career revival over the past three years, and looks to keep that momentum going this spring with a bustling stable of competitive horses, including three stakes-level trainees that have proven themselves this winter at Aqueduct Racetrack.

While many with Irish heritage have taken Sunday off to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the hardworking Duggan spent his day as he usually does, exercising and caring for his horses at his Belmont Park barn. Coincidently, Sunday is also his wife Lara’s birthday.

“We’ll be celebrating Lara’s birthday more than anything,” said Duggan, with a laugh.

Duggan, who enjoyed two of his best years in earnings to date in 2022 and 2023, has gotten off to a strong start in 2024, scoring five wins through 26 starts with 10 other on-the-board finishes, good for an in-the-money rate of nearly 58 percent.

“If you had told me that number five years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Duggan said, with a smile. “It’s been a long road, but I have been too blunt and too stubborn to quit. There’s always pathways to success, but you find them in small places sometimes.”

The road to consistent success has been a long one for Duggan, who was born and grew up in Tipperary, Ireland. The 55-year-old conditioner, who manages his stable with Lara, first began riding horses in his native Ireland where his family had ties to horse racing.

“I grew up with farm life and my uncle introduced me to jump racing – he was a permit trainer and had a couple of horses,” said Duggan. “That led to me be a rider, and I was a jockey for six or seven years.”

During his tenure as a rider, Duggan traveled the world to ride horses mostly on the flat, and over jumps in the latter part of his riding career. His life took an unexpected turn when he suffered an injury that brought his time as a jockey to an end.

“I was traveling and riding in Germany, France, India, when I was 17 and 18. I was in Australia for two years. My bags were always packed and ready to go,” said Duggan. “I did well for several years, but I had a bad fall and a head injury, so I left for California for a sabbatical and never went back.”

The Duggans moved to California in 1993 and he began working for Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale. After 18 months in California, he moved to the Empire State to work for John Kimmel for five years ahead of a move back to California to work for Eoin Harty. But a boost to New York’s purses led Duggan to return to New York in 2005, and allowed the seasoned horseman to venture out on his own for the first time as a trainer.

“We stumbled our way through it and Lara’s been along for most of the journey,” said Duggan. “When they added the casinos in New York, I figured we could make a living here. We did OK for a while, but then we crashed and burned.”

For his first four seasons, Duggan got off to a strong start and steadily improved his earnings each year, posting his best year to date in 2008 with 23 wins from 134 starts and more than $1 million in earnings. But from there, his annual earnings fell with each year, banking less than $300,000 in 2012 before rising slightly and falling again to less than $200,000 in 2016. Duggan said by that point his operation was at a crossroads.

“We got back on it again like a surfboard,” said Duggan. “Five or six years ago, we were in the back of Linda Rice’s barn and we didn’t have anything. We were at a point where you ask if you should continue doing this or get the hell out of it.”

While Duggan scraped his way through the next few years and contemplated giving up his training operation, his determination and hard work were rewarded handsomely when a horse almost as well-traveled as him stepped into his barn in 2020.

The gray gelding Drafted, who had spent over three years racing in Dubai, may have appeared to some as having left his best form overseas as his tenure with Duggan got off to a rocky start. Drafted had won two Group 3 sprints at Meydan and had previously run in Kentucky, California and England. The then 7-year-old struggled in his first eight tries for Duggan, missing the winner’s circle but showed signs of life when hitting the board in a pair of Listed stakes at the Big A.

February 2022 proved a turning point for both the gelding and for Duggan when Drafted posted his first win in nearly three years with a 4 1/2-length romp in the Grade 3 Toboggan at Aqueduct. That race was the start of something special for the Duggan team, who went on to celebrate additional wins in the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont Park, the Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park and the Gravesend at Aqueduct along with four other stakes placings with Drafted. The gelding banked just shy of $500,000 for his last connections.

Drafted retired in July, and has since been adopted out by New Vocations Racehorse Adoption, who recently posted and update on “X” [formerly known as Twitter] to say the now 10-year-old is on target to compete in the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover this fall.

“Drafted put me back on the map,” said Duggan. “He was always the quietest horse in the barn, and they’re doing so well with him now in retirement. Isn’t that such a great story?”

Shortly after the start of Drafted’s run of success, Duggan’s expert handling of the gelding drew the attention of several new clients, as well as Clear Stars Stables, who turned over several of their trainees’ care to him once conditioner Rick Schosberg retired.

With a barn now full of quality, talented stock, Duggan has continued to enjoy success at the highest level in New York, including a stakes triumph with Ken Wheeler, Jr.’s New York-bred Kant Hurry Love in the Dancin Renee in June at Belmont, where she defeated the Tom Morley-trained Grannys Connection by a nose. The 5-year-old Kant Hurry Love has gone on to hit the board in four additional stakes, including a last-out second by a nose to Hot Fudge in the Correction on March 9 here with regular pilot Trevor McCarthy aboard.

“Trevor said it took him three days to recover,” said Duggan, with a laugh. “Look, we did the same thing to Morley with Grannys Connection, so I was due a bit of payback. Respect to the winner – it was a great horse race.”

Duggan added Kant Hurry Love is targeting the six-furlong Primonetta on April 13 at Laurel Park, with a long-term goal of a return to the Dancin Renee at Belmont at the Big A and the Union Avenue this summer at Saratoga Race Course, the latter of which she finished second in last year.

There is also hope for the next generation of runners for Duggan, as promising newly-turned 3-year-old New York-bred fillies Walk With Me and Sunday Girl have their sights set on stakes engagements at Aqueduct.

Walk With Me demonstrated her precocity with a gritty head score on debut in November here, and followed with a valiant second-place finish in the $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue in December, where she banked $100,000 for the effort. Last-out, she was fourth in the state-bred Maddie May after a bumpy start and troubled trip to finish well behind the victorious My Mane Squeeze, who has won three consecutive state-bred stakes.

“She’s doing very well,” said Duggan. “She’ll run in an allowance race on the 7th. She ran into a buzzsaw last time and she was a little immature. But, she’s got time.”

As for Sunday Girl, a romping debut winner against state-breds on February 10, the daughter of Central Banker has the lucrative option of targeting the $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue on April 14 due to her sire being nominated to the program.

“We’ll go there next,” said Duggan. “She was sharp and she’s a nice filly. That Stallion race fits in her schedule nicely.”

With his newfound success in New York and his ability to stay competitive in one of racing’s most difficult and prestigious racing circuits, Duggan said he is thankful for the support of his clients, and for the added benefits of the New York-bred program.

“The more I look at it and the more I absorb it, this program is giving people in the second tier more opportunity to accumulate money and to buy more horses,” said Duggan.

After thousands of miles traveled and nearly 1,500 starts completed under his watchful eye, Duggan humbly sums up his career resurgence to the most respected ranks of the sport.

“We’re a sustainable stable right now and that’s all you can ask for,” said Duggan. “Isn’t it nice to be competitive in these races and to be having this conversation?”

***

Ghalia Princess awarded 85BSF for sharp Cicada score

Sumaya U.S. Stable’s Ghalia Princess garnered a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure for her strong victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Cicada, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the daughter of American Pharoah stalked and pounced to collar pacesetter Reconcile in the stretch and draw clear of her three rivals to post a six-length score under jockey Manny Franco, earning her first stakes win in a final time of 1:09.85. She had entered from a game runner-up effort in her stakes debut sprinting seven furlongs in the local Ruthless on February 17, and was a winner on debut in January at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Dustin Dugas, Cox’s Belmont Park-based assistant, said he was impressed with the bay’s effort yesterday.

“She came back really good,” said Dugas. “We were really happy with it. It was a short field, so it might not have looked that tough to the eye, but she did it the right way. Manny did the right thing to sit behind Reconcile and she was never in doubt. She delivered, and everything worked out.”

Dugas said plans for Ghalia Princess are yet to be determined, but that her next start will likely happen outside of New York.

“I don’t want to send her away – we love her,” Dugas said, with a laugh. “But, I’m sure she’ll head down south. Brad ships where they’ll fit, and I think she can bounce right back from this. She does everything so proper and she’s a very classy filly.”

Bred in Kentucky by International Equities Holding, Ghalia Princess was a $575,000 RNA at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the stakes-winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Ghalia. She banked $55,000 in victory to improve her lifetime earnings to $111,000.

Dugas noted Calumet Farm’s homebred stakes-winner Gin Gin worked well Saturday over the Belmont dirt training track when covering a half-mile in 49.36 seconds. The daughter of Hightail captured the Busanda in January here and was last seen finishing third in the one-mile Busher on March 2 over muddy and sealed footing.

“She worked really good and went solo,” said Dugas. “It was a good little breeze, maintenance. She tried last time to throw in an effort and she didn’t like that track whatsoever.”

Gin Gin remains on target for a likely next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle on April 6 here, which awards 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to the top-five finishers. Gin Gin is currently fifth on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 41 points.

On Friday, Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel’s Just a Touch had his first work back since a game runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 2. The Justify colt covered a half-mile in 48.77 over the Belmont dirt training track.

Dugas said plans have not yet been finalized for Just a Touch, with the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 6 here, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier, still a potential option for his next outing.

“He worked good and came back good,” said Dugas. “I don’t know exactly where he’s going and he has options open. There’s a few spots, so he’ll have to ship soon if he’s going to go to Kentucky. He came back very well from his breeze.”

A $300,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, Just a Touch is out of the graded stakes-winning Tapit mare Touching Beauty and is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Corps of Discovery. He graduated impressively on debut in January at Fair Grounds with a 4 1/4-length score in a six-furlong sprint over sloppy and sealed footing.

***

Pandagate works for G2 UAE Derby; Otello tries Tapeta in G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks

Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stables and On The Rise Again Stable’s New York-bred Pandagate worked five-eighths in 1:03.20 Sunday in company with maiden Military Road at Payson Park in his final preparation for a start in the Group 2 UAE Derby on March 30 at Meydan Racecourse. The about 1 3/16-miles UAE Derby offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

Trained by Christophe Clement and bred in the Empire State by Fred W. Hertrich, III., Pandagate has been overseen through much of his preparations by Clement’s son and assistant, Miguel.

“It was a good work and, as of now, we're on course for Dubai,” said Miguel Clement. “He went in company and it was an easy maintenance work by design as he is leaving for Dubai on Tuesday. He's moving well and came back in good order, so it's time to be ambitious.”

The Arrogate grey has won 2-of-3 starts, graduating by nine lengths on debut in October here in a state-bred maiden special weight traveling a one-turn mile. Pandagate followed with a troubled third in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming route in December at Laurel Park before a successful seasonal debut in the one-mile New York-bred Gander on February 25 at the Big A.

The Dylan Davis-piloted Pandagate was bumped and squeezed at the break in the Gander and trailed in last-of-6 through the opening quarter-mile before making a wide move through the turn to take command at the stretch call. He drew off impressively inside the final furlong to score by 5 1/2-lengths and garner a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

Miguel Clement noted that Davis will retain the mount in Dubai.

"I've never been there, so I'm super excited that the connections want to take me there. I'm just going to take it all in, watch some replays and hope for the best," Davis said. "He is very easy to ride. You just break him well and he does whatever you want him to do. It takes him a little bit to get running, but once he does, he is really tough. I mean he drew away both times here. I really think that if he had a challenger, he would show a lot more, so I'm excited. I'm really hoping for the best for him and the team."

Clement said the son of the 2017 Grade 1 Dubai World Cup-winning Hall of Famer Arrogate, should appreciate a stretch out in distance at Meydan.

“He's a big horse and a very imposing physical - his sire handled it quite well,” said Clement, with a laugh. “It's a long stretch which is probably beneficial for us and the added distance is a big appeal, not to mention that it's a million-dollar race.”

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.

St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable’s undefeated Deterministic returned to Payson Park following his impressive seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 2 at Aqueduct. The rallying two-length victory earned Deterministic 50 Kentucky Derby points and he now stands sixth in the standings for a spot in the 20-horse starting gate.

“He's doing well. He's with us here at the moment at Payson. We're toying with the idea of working him the middle of next week,” Clement said.

The Liam’s Map sophomore overcame a slow start to win his debut sprinting seven-furlongs in August at Saratoga Race Course and returned with a sharp effort in the Gotham after breezing regularly with Pandagate at Payson Park, including a bullet five-eighths in 1:01.80 on February 17.

“It was a winning ingredient to work them together in the past,” Clement said. “These two worked together and assisted each other. It was great that the afternoon confirmed what they were doing in the morning.”

Deterministic is possible for a start in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 6 at the Big A.

“The Wood is a very strong possibility although we're keeping all options on the table, including maybe training him straight to the Derby,” Clement said.

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, an even fifth last out in the Gotham, worked five-eighths in 1:02.42 Sunday in company with maiden sophomore colt Berning Beauty over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“He had a good work. It was his first work back since the Gotham and it went well, we're quite pleased with him,” Clement said. “We put a jock on Berning Beauty and Capital Idea went quite well.”

The Classic Empire colt graduated at second asking traveling a one-turn mile over a sloppy and sealed main track here on January 28 ahead of his Gotham effort, which Clement said was better than it appeared on paper.

“The race was a little bit against him. It was a very sloppy track and it was very speed favoring,” Clement said. “He was at the back and wide and was the only one to make up any sort of ground in the Gotham. It's unfortunate he was a victim of how the track played out later in the card, but I think the fifth-place finish was a better performance than the results may indicate.”

Capital Idea could also target the Wood Memorial as he looks to add to his current total of five Kentucky Derby points.

“It's under consideration. We're toying with the idea of running him there or in an allowance, but we'll let the works decide,” 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.

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm’s Otello will look to assert his presence on the Derby trail in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks over the Turfway Park synthetic. The nine-furlong test offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

The Curlin chestnut, bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms, graduated on debut in November at the Big A traveling a one-turn mile. He followed with a half-length win in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man on New Year’s Day at Gulfstream Park, besting next-out Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy-victor First World War by a half-length.

Last out, Otello was bumped at the break of the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream and failed to threaten when sixth in a race won by Hades over recent Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby-winner Domestic Product with Grade 1-winner Fierceness, the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in third.

“It was a bit of an odd race with pedestrian fractions early on which caught us all by surprise and a short sprint for home,” Clement said. “The form of the race has worked itself out as the second-place finisher came back to win the Tampa Bay Derby. We have yet to fully comprehend the lackluster performance.

“He's been training forward since,” Clement added, “But he was training forwardly ahead of the Holy Bull so that was a puzzling performance by all our standards.”

Otello has breezed back five times at Payson Park with his last two works coming over the turf, including a five-eighths effort Saturday in 1:04 flat.

“The works went well. We worked him on the grass in the hopes of having a better gauge if he could handle the Tapeta or not,” Clement said. “It will be a bit of a question mark how he handles the new surface, but the horse is training well.”

Otello, listed at 12-1 on the morning line in the overflow field, will exit post 8 in rein to Hall of Famer Javier Castellano. Otello is out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Eskendereya mare Isabella Sings.

***

Reid, Jr. targeting G2 Wood Memorial card with Uncle Heavy, Carmelina, Maximus Meridius

Trainer Butch Reid, Jr. is pointing three talented sophomores in Uncle Heavy, Carmelina, and Maximus Meridius to races on the lucrative Wood Memorial card on April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Grade 3 Withers-winner Uncle Heavy will take aim at the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points; Busher-placed Carmelina will try the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle with 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on the line; and Maximus Meridius cuts back in distance for the seven-furlong Listed $175,000 Bay Shore.

Due to a now-lifted Equine Herpesvirus quarantine at Belmont Park, Uncle Heavy shipped to a farm in Pennsylvania following the Withers but was able to return to his Parx base on February 25.

Michael Milam’s Uncle Heavy returned to the work tab Saturday, completing a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.09 at Parx. It was his first official work since his Withers conquest on February 3, that earned him 20 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby.

“The work went very well, we couldn’t be any happier. He did it well and came out of it great this morning, ate up everything last night,” said Reid, Jr. “We had a horse in front of him to chase after and he went after him.”

The Social Inclusion bay, bred in Pennsylvania by Reid, Jr.’s sister-in-law Barbara Reid, currently sits in 17th position on the Road to the Kentucky Derby standings.

“The time off, believe it or not, actually did him a bit of good. He put his weight back on,” said Reid Jr. “He’s big and fat and healthy now, so we are very happy with the way he is going.”

Uncle Heavy holds a lifetime record of 4-3-0-0 with wins at Parx including the state-bred Wait For It going one mile and 70 yards on December 27 and sprinting six furlongs on debut in October.

Cash is King and LC Racing’s Carmelina finished a strong second in the Busher on March 2 after setting a hot pace over sloppy and sealed footing. The place-honors earned her 25 qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, enough for 13th on the current standings.

“She’s doing very well. She is a harder filly on herself than say Uncle Heavy who is more laid back. She trains hard every day, so she doesn’t need a whole lot of breezing,” said Reid, Jr. regarding no timed workouts since the Busher. “It is more or less trying to keep weight on her and keep her relaxed, which is key with her.”

Reid, Jr. said Carmelina is on target for the nine-furlong Gazelle.

“I think a mile and an eighth is the edge of how far she wants to go, but we will see how it comes up and she definitely could get involved,” Reid, Jr. said. “Speed can be dangerous at a mile and an eighth, too.”

The Maximus Mischief bay has set the pace in her last four outings, featuring a two-length score in Laurel’s Gin Talking and a romp of Penn National’s Shamrock Rose, in December and November, respectively.

Reid, Jr., Cash is King and LC Racing’s Maximus Meridius, who earned 10 Derby qualifying points through a pacesetting fourth going one mile in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 2, will ditch the Derby trail in pursuit of the seven-furlong Bay Shore.

“We like a little bit of a turn back. He had to go from the one-hole last time and use a little bit out of the gate to not get swallowed up,” said Reid, Jr. “Right now, it doesn’t look like he is going to be a Classic horse so this race should be a nice turnback, to keep him going shorter.”

Reid Jr. said he will hope for an outside post position to allow the Maximus Mischief bay to sit just off of the pace, as displayed in a 6 1/2-furlong optional claiming triumph in January and a 10 1/2-length romp sprinting six-furlongs on debut in November, at Parx.

***

Englehart eyes G2 Carter H. for Haynesfield-winner Whittington Park; Lady Mine targets Biogio’s Rose

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said he is considering an elevation in class for Haynesfield-winner Whittington Park with an eye towards the seven-furlong Grade 2 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on April 6 at the Big A.

Ten Strike Racing’s New York-bred Whittington Park is 2-for-2 this year, closing from 5 1/2-lengths off-the-pace under regular rider Kendrick Carmouche to capture the state-bred Haynesfield on February 24 following an allowance score on January 13 here.

Englehart has a range of possibilities here for the talented Midnight Lute 5-year-old, including the Carter and the nine-furlong Listed $150,000 Excelsior on March 30.

“Obviously, we could go back in an open company allowance, try that last condition for him, but the Carter is coming up and we were going to nominate him to see how it came up,” said Englehart. “He’s won for me in New York at seven-eighths, so I think it is well within his striking distance, especially if he got a little bit of pace to run at.”

Englehart said Whittington Park has improved with age.

“Right now, he is a lot more mature with what he is doing in the afternoons. He wants to win and has that drive to win,” said Englehart. “He used to kind of lose interest during parts of the race but Kendrick said the last couple times he wants to take him there and win it.”

Whittington Park completed his second breeze back after the Haynesfield going a half-mile Saturday in 50.71 seconds over the Belmont dirt training track.

Ten Strike Racing’s Lady Mine was also on the work tab Saturday, breezing a half-mile in 50.09 over the Belmont dirt training track. It was her first work since a 3 1/2-length state-bred optional claiming score sprinting six-furlongs on February 29 here.

Englehart said Lady Mine may start in Saturday’s state-bred 100,000 Biogio’s Rose, a one-turn mile for older fillies and mares.

“My assistant told me that she worked very well," Englehart said. "She is on pace for that spot. Something we wanted to do today was at least get a work in her.”

The First Samurai chestnut, who placed in the state-bred Seeking the Ante in August 2022 at Saratoga Race Course, was haltered for $30,000 out of a winning effort and has since posted a 3-for-4 record for Englehart. She missed by a neck in an optional claimer on January 19 before her emphatic last out victory.

Mark Stanley’s New York-bred stakes-winner Tricky Temper has not returned to the work tab since a distant third in the state-bred Franklin Square on January 14 here. The race followed a layoff since a victory in November’s six-furlong Key Cents versus fellow state-breds.

“She’s doing well, she’s down at Niall Brennan’s and the plan was to give her a little bit of a break,” said Englehart. “We were going to run her as long as she ran well through the winter, if not, give her a break. It just seemed like the right time to give her a break.”

***

Security Code keying in on $100K Biogio’s Rose; G1-winner Leave No Trace back in the winner’s circle

WellSpring Stables’ Security Code will look to double up on stakes scores in Saturday’s $100,000 Biogio’s Rose, a one-turn mile for older New York-bred fillies and mares, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Phil Serpe, the 4-year-old Frosted bay worked a half-mile in 49.42 seconds Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track in her first breeze back since a narrow neck score in the seven-furlong state-bred Broadway on February 17 here.

“It was a very light work because the last race was a big effort and for as big and strong and tough as she is, she tends to like lighter training than pressing on her too much,” Serpe said. “It was a walk in the park kind of work for her as we just want to bring her into the race fresh.”

Security Code earned winning black type in her seventh attempt in the Broadway, tracking from third position before making a three-wide run at the pacesetting Kant Hurry Love to post a narrow neck win over the rallying returning rival Venti Valentine.

Bred by Rockridge Stud, Ascendant Farms and Godolphin, Security Code, a half-sister to stakes-winner No Mo' Spending, is out of the graded stakes-placed Montbrook mare Stopspendingmaria.

WellSpring Stables, operated by Dr. Robert and Laura Vuckovich, saw Leave No Trace return to the winner’s circle in Sunday’s opening race here for the first time since her score in the Grade 1 Spinaway in September 2022 at Saratoga Race Course.

With Jose Lezcano aboard from the outermost post 5 in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, Leave No Trace tracked the speed of Starship Defiant from second position through a half-mile in 45.57 seconds. She rallied three-wide into the stretch and took command at the eighth-pole en route to a narrow neck victory over the late-running Dame Cinco.

“I thought it was great. She's been through a lot, and it's taken forever, but it was just great to see her do that. Hopefully, she'll move forward off of that race. If her genius trainer can look at the fact that she's sprinted three times on the dirt and won three times, then he might figure out where to run her next,” said Serpe, with a laugh.

The 4-year-old Outwork bay won her first two outings, both at Saratoga Race Course, en route to a runner-up effort to Wonder Wheel in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. She had failed to hit the board in five starts since, including starts on dirt, turf and synthetic.

Serpe credited a team effort and the support of his assistant Rodrigo Ubillo in getting the talented filly back to winning ways.

“She's a very healthy, sound, fast filly and it's great that she could win today. Rodrigo and I love horses and it's emotional. As much as we love seeing them win, we hate to see them lose. Especially a filly like her,” Serpe said. “So many obstacles kept popping up and it seemed like we were always up against it, but today everything went well and I'm happy for him. Rodrigo has done a great job with her and been on her ever since she walked in the barn in April of her 2-year-old year.”

The Kentucky-bred Leave No Trace, a $40,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale, is out of the four-time winning Good Journey mare Tanquerray.

WellSpring Stables’ Safe Conduct, winner of the 2021 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack, has banked $777,624 through a 22-4-3-3 record. The now 6-year-old Bodemeister gelding made his seasonal debut Friday at Gulfstream Park when an even fifth, a nose back of the Chad Brown-trained favorite Kuramata, in a $50,000 claiming turf route.

“Chad's horse was the favorite and our horse were noses apart. That race did not really favor horses that were sitting back,” Serpe said. “I think Safe Conduct is a horse that likes to be forwardly placed, so we'll find a spot where he can win and run him back again.”

Safe Conduct hit the board in a pair of nine-furlong Grade 3 turf events in 2022 when second in the Monmouth and third in the Knickerbocker at Belmont at the Big A. His last win came in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer in May 2022 at Belmont Park.

Serpe said the drop in class was not a sign of lack of confidence in Safe Conduct, who he expects will make one more start at Gulfstream before shipping north to New York.

“These are good, heathy horses and the drop in class is so they're in a spot where they can win races,” Serpe said. “Believe me, horses know when they win and they know when they lose too many times. It's not good for them to do that.”

Bred in Ontario by Mitchell Kursner, Safe Conduct is out of the Congrats mare Duchess Dancer, who is a half-sister to Canada’s 2008 Horse of the Year Fatal Bullet.

WellSpring Stables' Kentucky-bred Best Impression graduated at second asking on March 10 here with a 1 1/2-length score in a one-turn mile against fellow sophomore fillies contested over a muddy and sealed main track. The stalk-and-pounce score garnered a 69 Beyer Speed Figure.

The Union Rags bay debuted in January sprinting seven furlongs over similar footing when finishing second, a neck back of Value Area, who exited that event to run third in the Ruthless.

“She ran an incredible race first time out. She's a real big, long filly and bred to run long,” Serpe said. “She's a filly that we might have pressed on her a little too much as a 2-year-old and she did not like that.

“The great thing about training for Dr. Vuckovich and his wife Laura is we could tell them she's fine and sound, but we had to stop breezing her,” added Serpe. “She has a big frame and she's grown into it and now those backward works last year when she was a 2-year-old started going in the right direction.”

Serpe noted that Best Impression had to miss a scheduled start one month before her eventual debut after spooking at branches on a windy day outside his Belmont Park barn.

“Our barn is right next to the training track and the branches were blowing around in the trees - it scared her and she kicked herself and we had to suture up her leg. That kept her out of her first race,” Serpe said.

Serpe said the sharp-working Best Impression will point to an allowance race next.

“We're hoping she turns into a nice filly. She's grown into herself and put a lot of weight on and filled in all those voids as far as her body is concerned,” Serpe said. “Her works are always in the top 5-or-10 percent and that means a lot in New York because we don't press on our horses to work fast so hopefully good things will come for her.”

Best Impression, out of the graded stakes-placed Thunder Gulch mare Delicate Lady, was purchased for $22,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton August Digital Selected Sale.

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Jockey Ruben Silvera out for 3-5 weeks with broken collarbone; Eliseo Ruiz to return Monday

Jockeys Ruben Silvera and Eliseo Ruiz were out of action this week after being injured in a spill Monday at Parx which saw a third rider, Julio Correa, return to the irons the following day.

Silvera's agent Richard Englander confirmed that Silvera will have surgery for a broken collarbone and be out of action for up to five weeks.

"He's in good spirits but unfortunately he broke his collarbone and will have surgery on Monday," Englander said. "Hopefully, he'll be back on horses three or four weeks after that.

"It's unfortunate as he was riding really well," added Englander. "We had a lot of business and it's never a good time to go down but thank God he's going to be OK.”

Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr., agent to Ruiz, said that the apprentice sustained minor abrasions on his arm and expects the rider will be back in the irons on Monday at Parx.

Silvera was unseated from Enforcer, who stumbled badly approaching the quarter-pole and created a chain reaction which saw Ruiz unseated from his mount Johnny Ritt and Correa dismounted from Dalton. According to the Equibase chart, Johnny Ritt was vanned off and the other two horses walked off under their own power.

Silvera was enjoying a strong winter meet at the Big A with a record of 137-20-19-19 which saw his mounts bank more than $1 million in purse earnings in addition to 16 wins from 124 starts at Parx.

Englander noted that Silvera will continue to split time between Aqueduct and Parx on his return with the possibility of trying his luck this summer at Saratoga or Colonial Downs.

"He's turned into a magnificent turf rider and that corresponds with the Saratoga meet, but we'll definitely be back in New York," Englander said.

Ruiz has posted a record of 82-6-12-16 at the Big A for purse earnings of $432,404. He is the second leading rider at Parx through a ledger of 157-29-24-25 with his mounts having banked $785,364. Ruiz is named on six horses Monday at Parx.

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Aqueduct Racetrack Week 12 stakes probables

Saturday, March 23

$100K Biogio’s Rose (NYB)

Probable: Bon Adieu (Rudy Rodriguez), Lady Mine (Jeremiah Englehart), Security Code (Phil Serpe), Stonewall Star (Horacio De Paz), Sweetest Princess (James Ferraro), Venti Valentine (Jorge Abreu)