Spirit of New York returns to state-bred company in Bertram F. Bongard

Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Winners Win and Mark Parkinson’s Spirit of New York will look to secure his first stakes win in Saturday’s $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for New York-bred 2-year-olds, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Adam Rice, the Honest Mischief bay will look to improve upon a third-place finish last out versus open company in the Skidmore on August 16 at Saratoga Race Course.

Spirit of New York [post 5, Manny Franco, 120 pounds], who made his first two starts sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over firm turf at the Spa, graduated in stalking fashion by 3 1/4-lengths in his July 16 debut in a race that featured returning rival Cristobal finishing third. The winning effort earned a 73 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He did everything we asked of him on debut,” Rice said. “He was as professional as can be and against New York-breds, he looked pretty damn good.”

Spirit of New York went to post as the odds-on favorite in the Skidmore, brushing the gate from the outermost post 5 at the break and traveling in third position throughout as Monster set splits of 21.85 seconds and 44.54. Bobrovsky made a winning move when angling wide for the stretch run to take command in the final sixteenth and stopped the clock in a final time of 1:02.75 with 1 3/4-lengths back to Monster and a further three-lengths to Spirit of New York.

“On camera, it looked like he was standing a little wide, propped back and being a little uncooperative in the gate. Hopefully it shouldn't be an issue this time,” Rice said. “The winner got a bit of an advantage on us. He made a nice move out and we had to do all the work to run him down, but I don't think there's too much to complain about. You just take it on the chin and move on.”

The gelding returned to his Presque Isle Downs base following the Skidmore where he breezed a half-mile in 48.80 September 9 over the all-weather.

“He's had a couple breezes and worked pretty good. He's come out of it nicely, so we'll progress forward and see how he does next week. Three-quarters should help us - maybe not as much pace on the front end, but he'll be alright,” Rice said.

Bred by Magic Oaks Farm, Spirit of New York is out of the Candy Ride mare Unbroken Spirit – a half-sister to stakes-placed Waita Minute Hayes. His third dam is Grade 3-winner Welcome Surprise – a half-sister to Hall of Famer A.P. Indy.

Anthony Perri’s Funny Factor [post 2, Christopher Elliott, 120 pounds] will make his stakes debut following a third-out graduation on August 31 at Saratoga.

Trained by James Ryerson, the bay son of The Factor exited the outermost post 10 in the 5 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden turf sprint and pressed the pace of Story of Rory through splits of 22 seconds and 45.16 before taking the lead approaching the furlong marker and surging away to a 2 1/4-length score over returning rival Twenty One Red in a final time of 1:02.80. He earned a career-best 73 Beyer in victory under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

“He was late to load the other day and that sometimes helps, but I think the experience factor helped,” Ryerson said. “He [Castellano] put him in the race, sat off of one horse and was able to put that one away. He ran real well. We always liked him. It seems like he's learning how to run - it took a couple races, so hopefully he can step up again.”

Ryerson acquired the Stone Bridge Farm-bred Funny Factor for $40,000 at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training where he also picked up a pair of stakes contenders for Friday’s $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma here in Saint Margaret and Sweet Montreal.

Funny Factor, who worked in 10.3 at the sale, is out of the winning Curlin mare Pas de Deuce – a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Preachintothedevil. His second dam is Acey Deucey, who notched dirt victories in the one-mile Grade 2 Comely and six-furlong Grade 1 Prioress in 2005 for trainer John Morrison.

Ryerson said it was both pedigree and jockey Jose Lezcano, who guided Funny Factor through his first two starts, that led to the young colt trying dirt when sixth at second asking in August at the Spa.

“Acey Deucey was a nice one - that made me run him on the dirt. That and Lezcano said, 'I think he can dirt.' It didn't work out that way, but that second dam went through all the 2-and-3-year-old middle distance races on the dirt for John Morrison,” recalled Ryerson. “We're encouraged and think he'll go further but right now we're looking at three-quarters of a mile. He’s doing well.”

Paradise Equine Farm’s Black Volt [post 4, John Velazquez, 120 pounds] graduated at second asking last out in his turf debut on September 1 at Colonial Downs.

Trained by Kenneth Black, the Cairo Prince dark bay was a distant third as the even-money favorite in his August 15 debut at Delaware Park but showed marked improvement last out when sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over firm turf. 

There, he saved ground from fifth position before angling off the rail for the stretch run and taking command nearing the sixteenth marker to score by three lengths in a final time of 1:02.36. His 73 Beyer was a 33-point improvement on his dirt debut.

The $250,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, a half-brother to stakes-winner Soontobeking, is out of the winning Freud mare Swayed. His third dam is graded stakes-winner Dancin Renee, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning $2-million earner Say Florida Sandy. He was bred by Our Blue Streaks Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds.

Rainbow’s End Racing Stable and West Paces Racing’s Lawyer Mason [post 7, Frankie Dettori, 120 pounds] will look to secure his first stakes win for trainer Tom Morley.

The Tiz the Law colt made his first two starts in 5 1/2-furlong turf sprints at the Spa, graduating at second asking in August by a head over Chummers. The winning effort returned a 66 Beyer and propelled the chestnut to the lucrative Listed Juvenile Sprint on August 31 at Kentucky Downs where he finished a distant eighth at odds of 20-1.

The Pine Ridge Stable-bred colt, who breezed back three-eighths in 37.88 Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track, was a $70,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. He is out of the Take Charge Indy mare Mollyball, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Adriano, who won the 2008 Grade 3 Kent over the Delaware Park turf. His third dam, Golden Treat, captured the 1992 Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks.

A talented field also includes the aforementioned Cristobal [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 120 pounds] for trainer Robert Falcone, Jr.; and maidens Three Thirteen [post 1, Shaun Bridgmohan, 118 pounds, blinkers OFF] for trainer Melanie Giddings and Twenty One Red [post 6, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds] for conditioner George Weaver.

The Bertram F. Bongard is slated as Race 3 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which is headlined by the Grade 3, $175,000 Winter Memories in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m.

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