Chelsea Durand Photo

Blindwillie McTell and Funny Guy renew rivalry in NYSSS Spectacular Bid

by Ryan Martin

New York-bred stakes winners Blindwillie McTell and Funny Guy will square off for the fourth time when they make their respective turf debuts in the $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Spectacular Bid on Sunday afternoon - a seven-furlong event for New York-bred 3-year-olds over the Belmont Park Widener turf course.

A Jerold Zaro homebred, Blindwillie McTell defeated Funny Guy in two of their three encounters when the former captured the Rego Park on January 13 at Aqueduct and the Mike Lee on May 27 at Belmont Park last out. Trainer Linda Rice will saddle the bay gelded son of Posse, who has never finished worse than second in five career starts.

Blindwillie McTell has recorded two breezes over Belmont Park's inner turf, the most recent was a half-mile move in 49.60 seconds on Sunday.

"We're taking the path of least resistance," Rice said. "The open company water is pretty deep so it's worth a try. We can stay against New York-breds from here to Saratoga to the [$250,000] Albany [on August 23]."

Blindwillie McTell is out of the stakes placed Flatter broodmare Bold Child. He will break from post 4 under jockey Jose Ortiz.

Funny Guy, who breaks from the rail under jockey Rajiv Maragh, defeated Blindwillie McTell in the Times Square division of the NYSSS on April 20 at Aqueduct, besting his familiar foe by three-quarters of a length. The John Terranova trainee's only previous career victory took place on December 22 at Aqueduct when graduating by a neck in his second start. Both of the Big Brown bay's victories took place over a sloppy main track.

In preparation for his turf debut, Funny Guy has breezed twice over the turf, most recently going a half-mile in 49 seconds flat on Sunday.

"He worked fantastic, if he didn't work like that we wouldn't be running him here," Terranova said. "He worked the right way, he looks great and it looks like he's ready to go. We're excited to try it. It looks like the weather is going to clear up and going to be nice for the weekend. We should have a good day on Sunday."

Bred in New York by Hibiscus Stable, Funny Guy is out of the four-time stakes winning Distorted Humor broodmare Heavenly Humor. He was purchased for $45,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in April 2018.

Two contestants in Sunday's event will bear the green and pink colors of New York-based owner Patricia Generazio. Breaking from post 9, Magical Tale will make his first start since breaking his maiden over a yielding inner turf at Belmont Park last September. The Jim Ryerson-trained son of Forty Tales scored a major upset in his maiden victory when besting Kosciuszko by a half-length.

Bred in New York by Dianne Boyken, Magical Tale is out of the Mo Mon broodmare No Mo Magic and comes from the same family as multiple stakes winning millionaire Disco Partner.

Magical Tale will receive the riding services of jockey Javier Castellano.

Veterans Beach, bred and owned by Generazio, was stakes placed against open company three starts back when running third in the Laurel Futurity. The dark bay son of Big Brown was second in his 2019 debut, beaten a length in a first-level allowance on May 27 over the inner turf, which was his seasonal debut. Veterans Beach, trained by David Donk, will break from post 10 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

Completing the field are Analyzethisandthat [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche], Smooth Tales [post 3, Jose Lezcano], Thorny Tale [post 5, Eric Cancel], Rinaldi [post 6, Luis Saez], Bankit [MTO post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Bettor Bank On It [post 8, Dylan Davis], Coach Villa [post 11, Joey Martinez].

The NYSSS Spectacular Bid is slated as Race 8 on Sunday's 9-race card. First post is 1:30 p.m.