Spirit of New York stretches out for $125K Notebook

Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Winners Win and Mark Parkinson’s Spirit of New York will stretch out in distance for Friday’s $125,000 Notebook, a one-mile inner turf test for New York-bred juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Trained by Adam Rice, the Honest Mischief gelding made his longest start to date last out when stalking and pouncing to a half-length score in the six-furlong Bertram F. Bongard on September 20 here. Spirit of New York, with Manny Franco aboard, staved off a late bid from Black Volt in a final time of 1:08.55, earning a career-best 75 Beyer Speed Figure in victory. 

“I feel pretty good about the mile,” said Rice. “The horse rates very handily. He does everything you ask of him. He doesn’t seem to be distance limited based on what we’ve seen in his training. The mile should be alright, the horse is handy enough that I didn’t have any issues making this decision.” 

Spirit of New York defeated fellow New York-breds by 3 1/4 lengths sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs in his July 16 debut at Saratoga Race Course. He exited that performance to run a 4 3/4-length third to Bobrovsky as the favorite versus open company in the 5 1/2-furlong Skidmore on August 16 at the Spa. 

Spirit of New York, who is typically housed at Rice’s Presque Isle Downs-base, completed his two most recent works over the Belmont Park dirt training track, including a half-mile in 49.65 seconds on November 6.  

“He’s been consistent,” Rice said. “He’s doing good, takes everything in stride. Shipping doesn’t seem to bother him, but I brought him to Belmont a little earlier and I think that was just a better decision. He doesn’t seem too stressed out, should sit well and he’s just a nice horse, a blessing to train and hopefully we keep going with him.”

Spirit of New York [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], bred by Magic Oaks Farm, is out of the Candy Ride mare Unbroken Spirit. His fourth dam is Reine-de-Course mare Weekend Surprise, who produced the pair of multiple graded stakes-winning influential stallions A.P. Indy - a Hall of Famer - and Summer Squall.

Anthony Perri’s Funny Factor [post 9, Javier Castellano] was a pacesetting fourth, four lengths behind Spirit of New York last out in the Bertram F. Bongard after exiting the inside post. Trained by Jim Ryerson, the The Factor bay previously graduated third-out sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs versus fellow state-breds on August 31 at Saratoga. 

“He's stretching out off a sprint - it's a question mark, of course, but he makes us think that he can do it,” Ryerson said. “The post with him last time might have compromised him - we'll see.”

Funny Factor, at odds of 50-1, was also fourth on debut to Spirit of New York in the aforementioned July 16 maiden at the Spa. He exited to run off-the-board over the Spa main track in a restricted maiden where Aye Eye stole the show with an eye-catching kick to victory from deep.

Bred by Stone Bridge Farm, Funny Factor, a $40,000 purchase at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the winning Curlin mare Pas de Deuce, a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Preachintothedevil. His second dam is Grade 1-winning New York-bred Acey Deucey. 

Madaket Stables and Steven Bouchey’s Caroline St. Beat [post 5, Manny Franco] has made one start, a winning debut versus fellow state-breds by 2 1/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles over good turf on August 15 at Saratoga. Trained by Miguel Clement, the Tiz the Law chestnut stalked and pounced to victory under returning rider Manny Franco, earning a 73 Beyer in victory. 

Bred by Lawrence Goichman, Caroline St. Beat, a $100,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is out of the multiple stakes-winning Scat Daddy mare Myhartblongstodady, a half-sister to dual Grade 2-placed Runaway Rumour, stakes-winner Scuttlebuzz and graded-placed Lachaise. 

Harry Rosenblum’s Truman’s Commander [post 2, Dylan Davis] graduated second-out by 2 1/2 lengths when wiring a 1 1/16-mile state-bred maiden on August 30 at Saratoga. Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Omaha Beach dark bay exited to set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Pilgrim on October 3 here before fading to eighth.

Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, Truman’s Commander, a $50,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Smart Strike mare Canadian River, a half-sister to Group 1-placed Montgomery’s Arch, stakes-winner Welcome Inn and dual graded-placed Inny Minnie. His second dam, Inny River, is a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Lotus Pool, dual Grade 1-placed Golden Larch, and Grade 3-placed Golden Glen and Honour a Bull. 

Rounding out the field are stakes-placed Lawyer Mason [post 8, John Velazquez] for trainer Tom Morley; and maiden-winners Chummers [post 3, Chris Elliott] for trainer Ray Handal, Jaxer [post 6, Flavien Prat] for conditioner Graham Motion, Cristobal [post 7, Luis Rivera, Jr., blinkers OFF] for trainer Rob Falcone, Jr.; as well as Tim and Sam [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche] and the maiden Twirling Lad [post 10, Jaime Rodriguez] for trainer Horacio De Paz. 

Top Player is entered for the main track-only. 

The Notebook is slated as Race 5 on Friday’s nine-race card. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern. 

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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