NYRA Photo

Hot Fudge looks to $150K Interborough next after Garland of Roses score

by NYRA Press Office

• Hot Fudge looks to $150K Interborough next after Garland of Roses score
• Atras lining up stakes contenders at Fair Grounds and the Big A
• De Paz mulling NYSSS starts for Tour Jete, Palace Boss

KEM Stables’ Hot Fudge scored her first stakes victory in Saturday’s seven-furlong $120,000 Garland of Roses at Aqueduct with a rallying trip under Kendrick Carmouche, landing the neck score over Kant Hurry Love in a final time of 1:10.45. She was awarded an 87 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“She came out great,” said trainer Linda Rice. “We’re so proud of her.”

Hot Fudge’s win came just eight days after taking a one-mile optional claimer at the Big A, giving her a perfect 2-for-2 record since returning from a near six-month layoff. The 4-year-old Liam’s Map dark bay boasts a stellar 2023 record of 7-5-0-1, including additional allowance-level triumphs in January, April and June.

“That filly, we’ve had a few strange things happen with her when she was young, and then she had such a nice winter. We elected to give her this summer off, because I just felt like she needed it,” Rice explained. “She came back really well and of course we wheeled her back on short rest, but once they’re older and more mature, it can work out.”

Hot Fudge is the latest short rest success story for Rice, who also won last year’s Garland of Roses with Betsy Blue after a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Go for Wand just one week prior. Additionally, Rice enjoyed quick turnaround triumphs with Mommasgottarun in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap this April off five days’ rest, and with Pioneering Spirit in the Bernard Baruch after contesting the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer nine days prior.

“It doesn’t always work as well as you’d like, but it [has this year],” said Rice.

Hot Fudge showed new dimensions with her stalking tactics in the Garland of Roses as Rice felt there would be enough speed to allow for a strong late bid. Though Hot Fudge’s last three trips to the winner’s circle came in wire-to-wire fashion, the intelligent filly had no qualms about being asked for patience down the backstretch behind a swift pace set by Olga Isabel with Headland a close second.

“I told Kendrick, ‘She can stalk and it looks like there’s two big speed in there,’” Rice recalled. “I told him to plan on sitting in third behind them, and Kendrick rode a beautiful race.”

Rice added the next likely target for Hot Fudge will be the local $150,000 Interborough, a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, on January 20.

While Hot Fudge has become the latest star in the Rice barn, some familiar names have appeared on the work tab once again for the veteran conditioner as top trainees Joey Freshwater, Arctic Arrogance and El Grande O each worked this week at Belmont Park.

Winning Move Stable’s graded stakes-winner Joey Freshwater posted his first work since an off-the-board finish in the Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint in August at Parx Racing. The sophomore son of Jimmy Creed, who won the Grade 3 Bay Shore in April at the Big A, returned to the Belmont training track to cover a half-mile in 50.40 seconds on Thursday.

“Joey had three months off and he looks good,” said Rice. “He’s fresh. He should be ready sometime in January, not really any target yet. Maybe we’ll start him in a ‘two-other-than’ allowance and go from there. Baby steps.”

Chester and Mary Broman’s New York homebred Arctic Arrogance was a strong presence on New York’s Road to the Kentucky Derby series late last year and early this year, posting runner-up efforts in the Grade 2 Remsen, the Jerome and the Grade 3 Withers ahead of a fourth-place effort in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April. The son of Frosted has not raced since, and returned to work on Sunday with a half-mile breeze in 52.60 seconds.

“The breeze was good,” said Rice. “He’s on the fat side and was always hard to get weight off of, so he’s heavy right now. It will take us a little while. We’ve just got to get him going.”

Barry Schwartz’s New York homebred El Grande O received a brief freshening after a strong victory over stablemate B D Saints in the one-mile Sleepy Hollow on October 29 at Belmont at the Big A. The son of Take Charge Indy returned to the track on Sunday, breezing a half-mile in 50.91.

Rice said there are a few possible targets for El Grande O, including another try against open company in the one-mile $150,000 Jerome on January 6 or the six-furlong $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield on January 27; or another start in state-bred competition in the 6 1/2-furlong $100,000 Rego Park on January 21.

“We sent him to Barry Schwartz’s farm for a month of turnout and then he came back with his first breeze today,” said Rice. “We’ll be running him in January. The Jerome, the Jimmy Winkfield, or the Rego Park – it all depends on how he trains.”

As for Cypress Creek Equine’s New York homebred B D Saints, the winning son of Laoban is on target for a start in the seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way against fellow eligible state-sired juveniles on Saturday at the Big A.

“We’re excited for him,” said Rice. “He’s shortening up a little, but it’s the right company.”

Rice's NYSSS contenders could be bolstered by the unraced Laoban filly E Stormy, who was prepared at The Training Center At Copper Crowne by trainer Ricky Courville for Cypress Creek Equine in Louisiana.

Courville conditioned Cypress Creek Equine's Un Ojo, also by Laoban, through a trio of starts in 2021 before shipping the one-eyed gelding to Tony Dutrow to run a game second in that year's NYSSS Great White Way. Un Ojo, who would later post a shock 75-1 score for Courville in the 2022 Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, is now stabled in New York with Rice.

E Stormy, out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare E Storm, was initially slated to debut in the spring at Keeneland and is nominated to Saturday’s $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue for eligible state-sired juvenile fillies.

"We broke her and had her ready to run," Courville said. "We sent her to Keeneland and then she tied up, so she was turned out. I've had her back here for a few months. She'll ship up to Linda."

E Stormy has breezed consistently at The Training Center At Copper Crowne, including a five-eighths breeze from the gate in 1:04.10 on December 5.

"She's a fast little filly. She does everything right," Courville said. "That might be a tough spot first time out, but it would be up to Linda to make a decision. If not, they could just run her in a maiden race."

***

Atras lining up stakes contenders at Fair Grounds and the Big A

Trainer Rob Atras is currently overseeing a bustling outfit with 10 horses stabled at Fair Grounds Race Course and 32 more at Belmont Park, including maiden winner My Perfect Mistake, who is targeting Saturday's $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue at the Big A.

Bad Boy Racing's New York homebred My Perfect Mistake, a 2-year-old daughter of Freud, edged clear to win her debut by 1 3/4-lengths on November 10 here as the mutuel favorite. With Kendrick Carmouche up from post 5-of-6 in the six-furlong state-bred sprint, My Perfect Mistake broke inward causing Tour Jete to steady.

She raced wide down the backstretch from fourth position before advancing three-wide through the turn to take command once straightened away. The dark bay stayed on strong to the wire to hold off the late charge of Tour Jete, who is also nominated to the Fifth Avenue at seven furlongs for eligible state-sired juvenile fillies. The winning effort garnered a modest 40 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Hopefully, a race under her belt does her good,” Atras said. “As they say, you can work them as many times as you want but a race really helps them. She's always showed good speed and there's ability there.”

Atras also trained My Perfect Mistake’s 3-year-old half-sister She’s a Nine.

“Her sister would go to the front and just stop. This filly is a little bigger and can rate a little bit. I'm hoping she can improve,” Atras said.

My Perfect Mistake worked a half-mile Friday in 50.95 in company withPerliano over the Belmont training track.

“She worked an easy half this morning with Perliano. I think she's getting better and I'm hoping she'll take another step forward,” Atras said.

My Perfect Mistake, out of the Super Saver mare To the Nines, is a half-sister to the stakes-placed G Munning, who Atras claimed Saturday for $25,000 out of a fifth-place finish here.

Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Kentucky homebred Law Professor breezed a half-mile in 50.80 this morning at Fair Grounds in preparation for a start on December 23 at the Louisiana oval in either the $100,000 Tenacious at 1 1/16-miles on the main track or the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial at the same distance on turf.

The 5-year-old Constitution gelding made the grade in December 2021 in an off-the-turf renewal of the Grade 2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile while in the care of trainer Michael McCarthy.

Law Professor debuted for Atras four starts later with a winning effort in the restricted Tapit traveling one mile and 70 yards in September 2022 over the Kentucky Downs turf. He followed one month later with a game second to Life Is Good in a compact renewal of the nine-furlong Grade 1 Woodward contested over a sloppy and sealed main track here.

Law Professor has since won a pair of nine-furlong stakes on the Big A main track, taking the Queens County over good going in January and the Excelsior on muddy and sealed footing in April. He was last seen finishing a distant sixth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Fayette on October 28 at Keeneland.

Atras said a return to turf is plausible for the ultra-consistent Law Professor, who has banked $906,765 through a record of 19-6-2-3.

“We've talked a couple times about going back to the turf, but just didn't find the right spot for him in New York,” Atras said. “I think he's a horse that runs better out of his stall, and we're hoping to campaign him down there for the winter.

“He's unbeaten on the turf for me,” added Atras, with a laugh. “But then we wanted to try that short field on the dirt [Woodward] and he ran so good that day that we kept him on the dirt. Whatever spot we think he's more competitive in, we'll probably target.”

Red White and Blue Racing’s Neat, a 2-year-old Constitution colt, is perfect in two starts following a difficult debut when 11th in September traveling 6 1/2-furlongs over good turf at Kentucky Downs.

The $200,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase scored in a pair of 1 1/16-mile turf events, romping to a 4 1/4-length maiden win over next-out winner St James the Great on October 21 at Laurel Park and following with a professional 3 1/2-length optional-claiming score on November 25 at Fair Grounds.

“He's a pretty cool horse. We threw out the race at Kentucky Downs - it rained a lot and he just didn't handle it that day,” Atras said. “We talked about running him on dirt and actually thought the race might come off that day at Laurel, but it didn't and he won impressively there. He won again the other day pretty impressively.”

Atras said Neat, a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-placed turf Louder Than Bombs, is possible to make his dirt debut on the above noted December 23 card at Fair Grounds in the $100,000 Gun Runner at 1 1/16-miles

“He's trained pretty good on the dirt,” Atras said. “He's really starting to develop and get bigger and stronger. It's nice to see them develop when you know the raw ability is there and they turn into racehorses as he has over time.”

Lianna Stables’ aforementioned New York-bred maiden winner Perliano is entered in Race 7 Friday here, a six-furlong allowance optional-claimer for state-bred juveniles.

The Mitole gelding, a $55,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, graduated at fourth asking in a six-furlong state-bred sprint in gate-to-wire fashion to best the odds-on Todd Pletcher-trained favorite Quiet Wisdom over a sloppy and sealed Big A main track on October 20.

He followed with a fourth-place finish in the six-furlong Notebook on November 18 here when 2 3/4-lengths back of the victorious Works for Me.

Atras said Friday’s test, which features six returning Notebook rivals, has come up very strong.

“Most of the horses came out of the stake, so it will be just like a stakes race,” Atras said. “I was really happy with him last time. He really had to step up in class. The horse he beat [Quiet Wisdom] didn't run a jump out of that race and I knew we'd really have to move up. He only got beat two lengths. He was right there. He's a fighter that horse. He tries every time.”

Perliano will exit post 8 in rein to apprentice rider Luis Rivera, Jr.

Michael Dubb and Gandharvi Racing Stables’ graded stakes-winner Battle Bling was purchased for $325,000 by Coteau Grove Farms at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. Coteau Grove Farms confirmed that Battle Bling is now retired and is booked to Into Mischief for 2024.

The 5-year-old Vancouver dark bay made the grade in last year’s Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap here for Atras, adding to stakes scores last year in the Big A’s Ladies and the Twixt at Laurel Park.

Bred in Kentucky Royal Oak Farm and E. Kiely, Battle Bling is out of the E Dubai mare Soleil Rouge, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes placed Justice for Auston, multiple stakes-winner Bound, and stakes winners Lune Rouge and Road to Mandalay.

Battle Bling banked $674,317 through a record of 26-6-9-2.

***

De Paz mulling NYSSS starts for Tour Jete, Palace Boss

Trainer Horacio De Paz will consider a start in Saturday’s $500,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series races at Aqueduct with maiden trainees Tour Jete and Palace Boss. The former has been nominated to the Fifth Avenue division for eligible state-sired juvenile fillies while the latter nominated to the Great White Way division for eligible state-sired juveniles, each run at seven furlongs.

“I’m not sure if they will run, but we might enter and take a look at the races,” said De Paz. “Nothing is set as of now.”

Team Penney Racing and Carem Stables’ Tour Jete made her first start in a six-furlong state-bred maiden on November 10 at the Big A, rallying from last-of-6 after a troubled break to close willingly under Manny Franco and land place honors 1 3/4-lengths back of the victorious My Perfect Mistake. The daughter of War Dancer would stretch out an extra furlong should she contest the Fifth Avenue.

“We’ve nominated and can decide once we see how the field looks,” said De Paz.

Out of the multiple stakes-placed Sligo Bay mare Dancing Bay, Tour Jete is a half-sister to the Canadian stakes-winner Pay for Peace.

Dragon Slayer Racing’s New York homebred Palace Boss would make his career debut in the Great White Way off a series of works at Belmont Park. The dark bay Laoban gelding most recently covered a half-mile in 50.81 seconds Saturday.

“Both are training well, and to debut a horse in this race where horses have already raced and won is a hard feat,” said De Paz. “But his family seems to be competitive, so it’s a possibility.”

Palace Boss’ sire Laoban graduated in style in 2016, earning his first trip to the winner’s circle in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy by 1 1/4 lengths. Out of the three-time-winning Flatter mare Queen Victoria, Palace Boss is a half-brother to Castle Chaos, who recently finished a game third in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on December 2.