Susie Raisher Photo

Mr. Buff earns 106 Beyer Speed Figure for Haynesfield romp

by NYRA Press Office

• Jerry the Nipper another impressive maiden winner for Pletcher
• Manny Franco racks up another five-win day on NYRA circuit
• Max Player back on work tab; remains on target for G2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino
• Cross Country Pick 5 handles $97K
• Aqueduct Winter Week 9 Stakes Probables

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff came out of his impressive 20-length score in Saturday's $100,000 Haynesfield in good order, according to the accomplished New York-bred's connections on Sunday morning.

Mr. Buff registered his third straight stakes win and sixth in his last eight starts, dueling Syndergaard along the backstretch before powering away from the field to easily capture the one-turn mile on a fast track, completing the course in 1:36.22.

The John Kimmel trainee is 2-for-2 to start his 6-year-old campaign, building on a five-length score in the Jazil on January 25 at Aqueduct Racetrack. For his Haynesfield victory, Mr. Buff equaled his personal-best Beyer Speed Figure at 106.

"He looked great this morning. He's always the same after the race," said Kimmel assistant Jorge Munoz on Sunday. "After the race, he looked like he didn't do anything. They were going fast and they were going in 45, 1:10 and 1:36."

Kimmel said he'll consider going back to open company next out, with the Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester on May 2 at Belmont Park as a potential next spot for the Friend or Foe gelding. He also left open the possibility of the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 16 at Oaklawn Park.

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Jerry the Nipper another impressive maiden winner for Pletcher

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a couple of sophomores to maiden victories this week at Aqueduct, with New York-bred Jerry the Nipper graduating at second asking when stretching out to one mile.

Owned by Vincent Viola's St. Elias Stable, the son of second-crop sire Liam's Map led at every point of call and drew off to win by 8 ¾ lengths under meet-leading rider Jose Lezcano.

"He ran well. We stretched him out to a mile and he seemed to have liked that," said Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes. "He broke sharp and was able to draw off there and win impressively. He ran up to his training. He had been sharper in his morning workouts since his training and he was starting to put it all together and he came out of it in good shape this morning."

The maiden victory, which garnered a 75 Beyer, was Jerry the Nipper's first start since finishing second to the Mark Casse-trained Impetuous on January 25 in his career debut at 6 ½ furlongs.

"We always prepare horses to run well first out which he did. But he's really getting it," Hughes said. "Mentally and physically, he's really starting to put it all together. If he continues to run the way he's running, then I can imagine [a stakes would be in order]."

Bred in New York by the owner in partnership with Peta Ryan, Jerry the Nipper is out of the graded stakes-placed Pollard's Vision broodmare Aqua Regia.

Earlier that day, Pletcher saddled another St. Elias-owned son of Liam's Map to victory when Liam's Point secured a debut win at Gulfstream Park in a one-turn mile.

The well-bred Awesome Party won second time out for Pletcher, St. Elias and Mike Repole when stretching out to 1 1/8 miles on Monday. The son of Curlin, purchased for $700,000, was 10th at Gulfstream on debut but made amends in his second start. Guided by Eric Cancel, Awesome Party was hustled out of the gate, found position on the front end, and re rallied to the inside in the stretch drive when confronted by fourth-time starter Zuzudini.

"He came out of the race in good shape and I'm sure Todd will huddle up with Vinny and Repole and come up with a game plan for him," Hughes said.

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Manny Franco racks up another five-win day on NYRA circuit

Manny Franco has used Aqueduct as a springboard to great success and continued his stellar track record at the Big A by posting a five-win day on Saturday. Franco rode five winners on a single card for the third time in his career, becoming the first jockey to reach that plateau this meet.

Franco first won five races on March 11, 2018 at Aqueduct and added a second on September 13 last year at Belmont Park.

After piloting Desbordes to victory in the ninth-race finale on Saturday, Franco said he was glad to continue his success at Aqueduct, where he has won four of his five total individual NYRA meet titles, including both the 2019 winter and spring meets.

"This has been like my home," Franco said. "Winning here is big for me. I'm riding well and we'll see how things go. I'm very proud. Winning races here is not easy, so to get five, it's a dream come true. Here in New York, it's special."

Franco, who entered Sunday tied with Eric Cancel for second with 48 wins during the winter meet [Jose Lezcano, 52 wins], has been NYRA's year-end leading rider the last two years, compiling 244 wins in 2018 and 212 in 2019.

The 25-year-old native of Carolina, Puerto Rico won with four favorites on Saturday, starting with We Should Talk in Race 2. He then won on back-to-back favorites in Races 4 and 5 with Bertranda and Septimius Severus, respectively, and returned to the winner's circle aboard non-favorite Playwright in Race 7.

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Max Player back on work tab; remains on target for G2 Wood Memorial

George E. Hall's Grade 3 Withers victor Max Player resumed serious business on Wednesday morning for trainer Linda Rice, breezing an easy half-mile in 50.24 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

The dark bay son of second-crop stallion Honor Code garnered 10 qualifying points towards the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby in the 1 1/8-mile event, which he won by 3 ¼ lengths under jockey Dylan Davis.

The Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4 at Aqueduct remains the next target for Max Player. The 1 1/8 event is the final local prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby which offers top four finishers 100-40-20-10 points.

"He went fine, it was just get him going again," Rice said of the work. "We're training towards the Wood so we're getting him started again. We're going to give him a little time in between works right now and as we get closer to the race, we'll do an every-seven-day schedule."

Meanwhile, Chris Fountoukis' Jimmy Winkfield winner Montauk Traffic, a gray son of Cross Traffic, remains on target for the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 7. That race offers 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

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Cross Country Pick 5 handles $97K

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5, with a total pool of $97,853, returned $544.50 for the 50-cent wager.

The sequence began at Tampa Bay Downs in the $100,000 Lighting City for fillies and mares going five furlongs on the turf, where post-time favorite Jean Elizabeth [No. 9, $3.60] wired the field of 10 to win her seventh consecutive race for conditioner Larry Rivelli.

The action then moved to the Big A for a second-level allowance race for New York-breds when Playwright [No. 1, $7.50], with Manny Franco aboard for trainer Danny Gargan, traveled four-wide down the backstretch and tipped out in the upper stretch to extend away for a 1 ½-length victory.

Another second-level allowance event followed from Oaklawn Park, where 4-year-old graded stakes-winner Knicks Go [No. 4, $8] with Joe Talamo aboard, wired the nine-horse field earning his first victory since capturing the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity as a juvenile for new conditioner Brad Cox.

The penultimate leg, a maiden claiming race at Tampa Bay going 1 1/16 miles on turf, was won by 14-1 longshot Gator Posse [No. 7, $31] for conditioner Kent Sweezy. The 3-year-old New York-bred owned by Bergen Stables stalked from seventh position with Gary Wales aboard, moving to the three-wide in the stretch to grab the lead before besting the field by 1 ¼ lengths.

The final leg returned to Oaklawn Park for the Downthedustyroad Breeders' for fillies and mares. Post-time favorite Bye Bye J [No. 9, $3.20], with Ricardo Santanta, Jr. aboard, sat just off the pace before securing the lead in the stretch, posting a 1 ¼ length victory against an eight-horse field.

Owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old boosted her career earnings to $298,105 for her first victory of the season following a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness in May of 2019.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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Aqueduct Winter Week 9 stakes probables

Saturday, February 29

$100,000 Bernardini
Probable: Adventist (Uriah St. Lewis); American Tattoo (Todd Pletcher); Blugrascat's Smile (Gary Sciacca); Dynamax Prime (Rob Atras); Ekhtibaar (Michael Tannuzzo); Leitone (Jason Servis)
Possible: Heavy Roller (Atras); Krewe Chief (Michael Maker)