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Raging Sea earns 89BSF for G3 Comely victory

by NYRA Press Office

• Raging Sea earns 89BSF for G3 Comely victory
• Dornoch, Ringy Dingy work for graded stakes engagements
• Cozee Rags set for stakes debut in G2 Demoiselle

Alpha Delta Stables’ Kentucky homebred Raging Sea garnered an 89 Beyer Speed Figure when scoring her first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Comely, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the daughter of Curlin pounced from fifth under Manny Franco to make a five-wide bid for the lead at the top of the stretch and ran on strongly down the lane to collar post-time favorite Defining Purpose, but was left to deal with the eye-catching rally from Julia Shining, who was last down the backstretch. Raging Sea found another gear when faced with the challenge and had enough left to hold onto victory by a nose in a final time of 1:50.86.

“She really dug in there and found a little more. I was quite impressed with the race. It’s nice to see her round back into form," Brown said.

Raging Sea was a winner on debut last August at Saratoga Race Course and two starts later, finished third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. She did not return to the races until this August at the Spa and won third off the layoff in an October 20 allowance at Keeneland.

“She’s definitely progressed throughout the year, albeit her year got started a little later than we had hoped,” said Brown. “Nevertheless, she’s rounded back into form.”

Brown added that Raging Sea will now get a freshening with future goals to be determined.

The regally-bred Raging Sea boasts a pedigree connected to some of the most recognizable names in horse racing. Her third dam, the multiple graded stakes-winning Reine-de-Course mare Weekend Surprise, produced the pair of multiple Grade 1-winning influential stallions A.P. Indy and Summer Squall, as well as Lassie’s Legacy, the second dam of Grade 1-winner Happy Saver. Weekend Surprise is also the second dam of multiple graded stakes-winner and sire Court Vision, the Canadian Champion-producing broodmare Smart Surprise, and Grade 1-placed sire Mambo in Seattle.

Raging Sea now boasts $464,628 in total purse earnings through a record of 7-3-1-1. She was a $300,000 RNA at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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Dornoch, Ringy Dingy work for graded stakes engagements

Trainer Danny Gargan will be represented by a pair of promising 2-year-olds in Grade 2, $250,000 nine-furlong routes on Saturday’s Cigar Mile Day card at the Big A in Dornoch and Ringy Dingy, who will take on the Remsen and Demoiselle, respectively.

Dornoch, by Good Magic and out of the graded stakes-placed Big Brown mare Puca, is a full-brother to Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mage.

Owned by West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables, the $325,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase was a game second on debut in July at Saratoga Race Course ahead of a deceptively strong runner-up effort one month later in the one-mile Sapling at Monmouth Park.

Dornoch put in an eye-opening effort last out, drawing off to graduate by 6 1/2-lengths in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on October 14 at Keeneland.

With returning pilot Luis Saez up, Dornoch put away the pace pressing Lat Long and widened down the lane to win in 1:45 flat despite racing on his left lead in the stretch until late. The impressive score garnered a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

"He switched [leads] maybe 20 yards before the wire. He heard the crowd and was looking over at them,” Gargan said. “Once he got separated from the other horse, Saez said he was wanting to look over at the crowd. He cocked his head to see them and when he yanked him back over, he thought he would switch but he was just goofing off. He switched in all his other races. He was just playing around.”

Dornoch worked a half-mile in company Saturday over Big Sandy in 49.43 seconds in his final serious work for the Remsen, which offers 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

“Dornoch always works pretty fast. He's a big, strong horse,” Gargan said. “He was the fifth fastest work of the day and I was trying to slow him down. We just wanted to get a nice, easy work in him. He galloped out in 1:01 and change and is doing really well."

Gargan won the Remsen last year with Dubyuhnell but said Dornoch is a superior talent.

“I think he has a lot more left in him that we haven't seen yet, which is the exciting thing. I think he has a big future,” Gargan said. “I won the Remsen last year and I wouldn’t compare them - this horse is in a different atmosphere in my mind.”

Peter Callahan and James Reiley McDonald’s Ringy Dingy worked a half-mile in company in 51.34 Saturday over Big Sandy in her final work for the Demoiselle which offers 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

“Ringy Dingy went easier - she's a smaller, lighter filly," Gargan said.

The $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase, a distant fifth in her July debut at the Spa, graduated at second asking in September traveling 6 1/2-furlongs at Belmont at the Big A with Katie Davis aboard for the first time.

Ringy Dingy settled in fourth position in that event and made a three-wide bid to take command at the stretch call en route to a 1 3/4-length score. The heavily favored third-place finisher, Catherine Wheel, exited that event to graduate nicely here and will be a returning rival for trainer Chad Brown.

Gargan credited Davis with helping Ringy Dingy to settle and use her strong turn-of-foot at the right time.

“We've always liked the filly and thought she had a lot of talent,” Gargan said. “Katie breezed her - and she's a little bit of a nervous horse and Katie gets along with her - so we decided to let Katie ride her and she rode her perfect that day.”

Last out, Ringy Dingy overcame a difficult start to rally from last-of-6 and post a ground-saving 6 1/4-length score under Davis on October 13 in the one-mile White Clay Creek traveling two turns at Delaware Park. 

The Dialed In chestnut, out of the multiple stakes-placed Touch Gold mare Wind Caper, is a full-sister to dual Grade 1-winner Defunded.

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Cozee Rags set for stakes debut in G2 Demoiselle

Twin Oaks Bloodstock's Cozee Rags will make her stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong route for juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Demoiselle, which offers 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers, is part of a stacked Saturday card headlined by the Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets. Saturday’s program also features the Grade 3, $200,000 Go for Wand and the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen, offering 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Trained by Brian Michael, Cozee Rags, who was purchased for just $15,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, posted an 88-1 upset in her October debut sprinting seven-furlongs at Keeneland.

With Andres Calleja up from post 10, Cozee Rags was eighth in the early stages as Nandina showed the way through splits of 22.48 seconds and 46.20. Cozee Rags advanced willingly outside rivals into the far turn to be third at the stretch call, and responded to right-handed encouragement inside the final sixteenth to draw off to a comfortable win in a final time of 1:25.70.

Michael said Cozee Rags suited the seven-furlong event more so than the shorter sprints offered earlier in the season for 2-year-olds.

“We held back on her a little bit. She was a $15,000 yearling, overlooked because she was long and lean and most people perceived she wouldn't do early but we had no problem waiting for that particular day at Keeneland,” Michael said. “I figured if there was a hot pace down the backside, which there was, the race could fall apart a little bit on the front end and we could pick up some of the pieces. Now, I was as shocked as everybody else, at 88-1, that she picked up all the pieces that easy.”

The 54-year-old Michael oversees a stable of 10 horses at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky, where Cozee Rags showed promise leading into her debut.

“Her works were good here. We have a deep surface and it really legs one up,” Michael said. “It's not a racetrack, it's a conditioning track. Mage was conditioned here to win the Derby and there have been several good horses train over it.

“She was fit and legged up and sound,” Michael added. “She's just got what I call star quality. She carries herself well. She's sweet and fiery all at the same time.”

The Union Rags bay followed in a one-mile optional-claiming event traveling one-turn on November 10 at Churchill Downs and finished third in a race won emphatically by Thorpedo Anna, who exited that effort to finish second in Saturday’s Grade 2 Golden Rod.

“She did take a bump out of the gate. It was the same thing at Keeneland. It just takes her awhile to settle in and get her feet under her and build up her momentum,” Michael said. “I don't think that hurt us too bad, but you always want to establish the best position you can at the break. She was closing - she never quit.”

Cozee Rags exited the effort in good order and has trained well since at The Thoroughbred Center.

“She came out better than she went into it. It was a learning experience - a dress rehearsal - getting her ready to go around two turns, which I haven't been able to do with her yet,” Michael said.

Cozee Rags has not breezed back out of her most recent effort, but did put in her final serious piece of work Saturday with Michael’s partner, Heather Ferris, at the helm.

“It was an open mile building gallop. Heather worked for Jonathan Sheppard for five years and she's an ex-steeplechase jockey. When I leg her up on one, she's gone for a while,” Michael said, with a laugh. “The horse has a tremendous foundation in her, just miles and miles. She never gets sour. She's very happy and the type of horse you want in your barn.”

Michael, who will saddle his first starter at the Big A, said Cozee Rags will appreciate the added ground in the Demoiselle and the opportunity to travel two turns for the first time. 

“I think she'll show really good tactical speed. She's smart. She'll rate, that's what Heather has taught her. She'll put her head down and is push button to ride,” Michael said. “The gallop outs were the best part of her breezes - just like her race when she won, she galloped out 10 in front which is why the mile and an eighth is as appealing as it is.”

Bred in Kentucky by Kim Nardelli, Rodney Nardelli and W. S. Farish, Cozee Rags is out of the stakes-placed Cozzene mare Rosee Is Cozee.