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Chad Brown brigade leading the charge on dirt and turf

by NYRA Press Office

• Chad Brown brigade leading the charge on dirt and turf 
• Godolphin in Saratoga state of mind with top-level contenders
• GSW Coinage works in prep for Manila; Pappacap to G2 Amsterdam
• NY Final Furlong Racing Stable enjoys big weekend

Trainer Chad Brown leads the Belmont Park spring/summer meet with a record of 121-39-26-16 for meet-leading purse earnings in excess of $4.8 million heading into Sunday's card.

The four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner swept both Saturday stakes - taking the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose at 1 1/16-miles on dirt with Gerrymander, and the $100,000 Wild Applause over the Widener turf with Eminent Victor - to increase his meet-leading stakes tally to 13.

His 39 wins include 22 on turf and 17 on dirt - both figures that lead the meet for the surface – which speaks to Brown’s dual-surface success.

As noted in the Daily Racing Form on Saturday, Brown is just five wins shy of David Jacobson's record 44 wins at the 2013 Belmont spring/summer meet, which was accomplished with 168 starters across a 56-day meet.

“My team has done a great job and so have my horses. They've really showed up,” Brown said. “My staff are unbelievable across all the divisions. Once again, they've stepped up and focused their talents day-to-day on executing their tasks and doing it at a high level.”

Brown, who won 32 races at last year’s Belmont spring/summer meet to secure his sixth consecutive title, said he is particularly proud that his 13 stakes wins this meet - of which 10 came on turf - are spread across seven riders, including Manny Franco [3], Flavien Prat [3], Irad Ortiz, Jr. [2], Jose Ortiz [2] and one each for Eric Cancel, Trevor McCarthy and Joel Rosario, who piloted Gerrymander to victory Saturday.

“This is a deep, diverse group of horses and I’m so proud of their efforts. Several different members of the jockey colony have contributed, so it's nice to spread it out. It's such a talented group and for a large number of them to have success with our horses is always gratifying,” Brown said.

Franco is enjoying a particularly successful meet in tandem with Brown, posting a record of 37-13-5-4 for an ROI of $2.60.

Brown is arguably best known for his impressive list of turf Champions, which includes Stacelita [2011 Turf Female], Zagora [2012 Turf Female], Dayatthespa [2014 Turf Female], Big Blue Kitten [2015 Turf Male], Flintshire [2016, Turf Male], Lady Eli [2017 Turf Female], Sistercharlie [2018 Turf Female], Uni [2019 Turf Female], Bricks and Mortar [2019 Turf Male and Horse of the Year], and Rushing Fall [2020 Turf Female]. 

But this year he could add to his lone main-track champion [Good Magic, 2017 2-Year-Old Colt] with his talented trio of sophomores colts in Early Voting, Jack Christopher and Zandon.

Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant’s undefeated Jack Christopher captured the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile in his seasonal debut on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs and followed with a spectacular 10-length romp last out in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun at Belmont that garnered a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jack Christopher breezed a half-mile Saturday in 49.49 seconds over Big Sandy in preparation for his first two-turn test in the Grade 1 Haskell on July 23 at Monmouth Park.

Jeff Drown’s Zandon won the Grade 1 Blue Grass in April at Keeneland ahead of a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby last out. He worked a half-mile solo in 48.41 Sunday over the main track in preparation for a start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 30 at Saratoga Race Course.

Klaravich Stables’ Early Voting, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Preakness, worked five-eighths in company with multiple graded-stakes placed 4-year-old Highly Motivated in 1:01.05 over the Belmont main track Sunday. He launched his sophomore season at Aqueduct Racetrack by winning the Grade 3 Withers in February ahead of a neck loss to eventual Grade 1 Belmont Stakes champ Mo Donegal in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino. A decision on a next start for Early Voting has not yet been decided.

While Brown has enjoyed many past success stories on dirt, including a win in the 2017 Preakness with Cloud Computing and a trio of Grade 1 Champagne winners in Practical Joke [2016], Complexity [2018] and Jack Christopher last year, the conditioner admitted he is reaching new main-track prominence with his current group.

“It really depends on what you have in your crop. My feeling is that we're so dominant on the turf consistently since arriving in New York that that's always the first thing people are going to look at,” Brown said. “But when you look back over the years, it's not just this crop - we've had dirt horses in the past, but I do understand it's more obvious this year having maybe three of the top five dirt colts in the country. I know we haven't had this many in a crop - that's fair - but it all depends what you have. When you don't have them all in the same crop it may not be as apparent that my team's skilled at training dirt horses just as well as turf horses.”

Brown said he was pleased with the works from both star dirt colts Sunday, noting that, “Zandon worked great. It was a maintenance move and he is on target for the Jim Dandy.”

He said Early Voting’s breeze was, “A nice solid work to keep maintaining where he is at, and that's what we got. His next start is between the Haskell or the Jim Dandy.”

Brown added to his dirt credentials Saturday with Gerrymander’s three-length Mother Goose score which garnered a career-best 95 Beyer as the sophomore filly made the grade. The Into Mischief bay, out of the graded-stakes placed Hard Spun mare Ruby Lips, is a half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winning marathoner Lone Rock.

Gerrymander, winner of the nine-furlong Tempted in November at Belmont, entered Saturday’s test from an off-the-board effort in the Grade 2 Eight Belles on May 6 at Churchill.

“She had been training great all winter,” Brown said. “She had one minor setback that cost us some time, but we got back on track. The race at Churchill just didn't work out for her. It was a wet track and kind of a quick seven-eighths [stuck] down on the inside and she just never picked her feet up. We brought her back to Belmont and she trained brilliant going into this race.”

Brown said he wouldn’t shy away from training Gerrymander into the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on August 20 at the Spa, a feat he also accomplished in 2019 with Dunbar Road.

Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Louis Lazzinnaro and Michael Caruso’s Eminent Victor registered a career-best 88 Beyer for her half-length score over stablemate Oakhurst in the one-mile Wild Applause.

Eminent Victor will likely make her next start at the Spa in either the 1 3/16-mile Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 7 or in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid on August 20.

“I'm not sure what we'll do with her yet - if we'll try the Saratoga Oaks or wait for the Lake Placid,” Brown said.

Brown breezed 10 horses over the Belmont inner turf on Sunday, including multiple Grade 1-winner Regal Glory, who worked a half-mile in company in 49.02 with graded-stakes winner In Italian [49.05].

Regal Glory, a 6-year-old Animal Kingdom mare, captured the Grade 1 Just a Game last out for owner Peter Brant. She is targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave on August 13 at Saratoga, which offers a "Win and You’re In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“They looked good,” Brown said. “Regal Glory will go to the Fourstardave. I'm not sure with In Italian yet, but she's possible for the Diana.”

The nine-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Diana is slated for July 16 at the Spa.

Brant’s In Italian, a gate-to-wire winner of the Grade 3 Honey Fox in March at Gulfstream, pressed the pace of Leggs Galore last out in the Just a Game, finishing third.

“She's very good. She got caught up in a bit of a pace duel last time,” Brown said. “If she's able to relax and be clear on the lead, she's dangerous.”

W.S. Farish homebred Highest Honors [1:01] edged Brant’s Napoleonic War [1:01.08] in a five-furlong breeze.

Highest Honors, a 6-year-old son of Tapit, is targeting the 12-furlong $150,000 Grand Couturier on July 4. Napoleonic War, runner-up last out in the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge on June 4 at Belmont, will start in the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1 million Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational for sophomores on July 9.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Louis Lazzinnaro’s Adhamo, a Group 3-winner in Europe, finished a closing second last out in the Grade 1 Manhattan presented by Resorts World Casino. The 4-year-old Intello colt worked a half-mile in 49.96 with Tokyo Gold, a 4-year-old Kendargent colt, who was transferred to Brown after finishing tenth in the Manhattan.

Brown said Adhamo will stretch out for the 11-furlong Grade 1 United Nations on July 23 at Monmouth.

“Adhamo is pointing to the United Nations. With Tokyo Gold, I'm just getting to know the horse. He'll probably run next up at Saratoga,” Brown said. “Adhamo is a nice-training horse. I thought he ran well last time. He had a bit of a troubled trip with no pace in the Manhattan. He's developing into a top horse.”

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael Kisber and Michael Caruso’s Rockemperor, winner of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in October at Belmont, finished fifth last out in the Manhattan. He breezed a half-mile in 48.85 solo with an eye towards the Grand Couturier or the 11-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Bowling Green on July 31 at the Spa.

“I’m not sure if I'll wheel him back on short rest in the Grand Couturier or just wait for the Bowling Green,” Brown said. “He looked great this morning. It's very important he gets firm turf.”

Klaravich Stables’ multiple graded-stakes placed McKulick [1:01.45] and Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Cambron Equine and Team Hanley’s graded-stakes placed Haughty [1:01.40] breezed five-eighths in company in preparation for the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational for 3-year-old fillies on July 9.

Brown said the Caesars Turf Triple series, which offers $5.1 million in combined purses across six races, is going to be very competitive.

“It's a nice addition to the schedule and I’m just happy to once again have horses that are participating,” Brown said. “Both fillies worked great and are on target for the Oaks.”

Klaravich Stables' multiple graded-stakes winner Technical Analysis worked five-eighths solo in 1:02.41.

The 44-day Belmont meet concludes on July 10 and Brown will soon look to add to his riches at Saratoga where last year he registered his fourth H. Allen Jerkens award as top trainer with 41 wins and his third in the last four meets. The Mechanicville, N.Y. native set a Spa meet record for conditioners with 46 wins in 2018 and he said he’s already looking forward to the challenge.

“It's a super competitive meet and there’s not a lot of room for error up there. Hopefully, we have good weather and a good meet,” Brown said.

The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which will feature 77 stakes worth $22.6 million in total purses, opens Thursday, July 14, and concludes Monday, September 5.

Godolphin in Saratoga state of mind with top-level contenders

International racing and breeding powerhouse Godolphin, the reigning Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Owner the past two years, enjoyed a prominent summer last year at Saratoga Race Course which was spearheaded by victories from Essential Quality in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Runhappy Travers, as well as with Althiqa in the Grade 1 Diana.

With the prestigious meet less than three weeks away, the boys in blue appear to have dead aim on more Spa glory with several valuable players on their roster.

Both Essential Quality and Althiqa have retired, but Godolphin has had no issue filling their void this season, with 10 graded stakes [three Grade 1] wins this year already. On Belmont Stakes Day, Godolphin sent out the Brad Cox-trained sophomore filly Matareya to a stellar 6 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Acorn at a one-turn mile. She was scheduled to face off against last year’s Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Echo Zulu, who was scratched at the gate.

Matareya, a Pioneerof the Nile bay, has won all four of her starts this year by a combined 22 1/4 lengths, which also includes triumphs in the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland and the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs. She will now target the seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Test on August 7 at Saratoga.

“Our early season goal was the Beaumont, the Eight Belles and the Grade 1 Acorn. We thought stretching out to a mile, even though it was around one turn, we would be OK,” said Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan. “As we saw, she handled it exceptionally well. It ended up being a watered down race with the scratch of Asmussen’s filly [Echo Zulu], but you can only run against who’s in there and she was very impressive. We expected her to run like she did and the Test is the next opportunity for her. Seven furlongs at Saratoga should suit her very well, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Matareya saw two turns twice in her career. Following an impressive debut victory at Ellis Park, she raced in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland going a two-turn 1 1/16 miles, finishing fifth. Two starts later, she ran a two-turn mile at Oaklawn Park, but was no match for subsequent Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks victress Secret Oath.

“She told us what she likes doing and what she’s good at doing. When they’re 2-year-olds, you always dream about having an Oaks filly or a classic distance type of horse,” Banahan said. “We ran her in the Alcibiades last year and she ran very well in it, but when she hit that last three sixteenths, you could tell that maybe that wasn’t what she wanted to do. We gave her a chance and ran her back in the mile race down at Oaklawn in the wintertime just to confirm which direction we needed to go. When we got run off our feet down there, and not knowing the quality of the filly who beat us that day initially, we were convinced that we needed to go back to one turn. Lo and behold, it was Secret Oath we were trying to beat, so it wasn’t all bad when you look back on it.”

A third generation Godolphin homebred, Matareya is out of the graded stakes-winning Bernardini mare Innovative Idea. She is a maternal descendant of influential broodmares Caress, Busanda, and La Troienne.

“It’s a fast family. Her mother was fast as well,” Banahan said. “We bred her to Pioneerof the Nile, sort of hoping that we would get a horse that would stay a little bit further, but we’re very happy to have a high class sprinter on our hands.

“She’s progressed in each race she’s run and each step up she’s been more impressive,” Banahan continued. “She probably didn’t have to be at her best in her Acorn, but I think she would have been well able to run her best had she been pressed in there and I think she’s probably the leading sprinting 3-year-old filly in the country at the moment. We’re looking forward to having a big second half of the year with her, hopefully starting with the Test and the dream would be to head to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Grade 1-winner Speaker’s Corner could target the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego on August 27 following a third-place finish to Flightline in the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense registered a 114 Beyer Speed Figure – the highest recorded figure this year – when capturing the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct, defeating Reinvestment Risk and multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control by 4 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong test.

Prior to the Carter, Speaker’s Corner defeated Fearless, winner of the Grade 2 Brooklyn on Belmont Stakes Day, twice at graded stakes level going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park.

Speaker's Corner is unbeaten in three starts at seven-eighths, including an allowance win at Saratoga last year where he emerged off a ten-month layoff.

“We’re going to sit back a little bit. For a miler in the second half of the year, there isn’t much of a program set up for them. Obviously, there’s the Carter and the Met Mile in the late spring, summertime, but there aren’t too many mile races until the back end of the year,” Banahan said. “We’ll probably take a look at a race like the Forego. We’ll just let him get back and see what direction we go in. We don’t feel like we want to stretch him out, we tried that last year and he probably doesn’t want to do that the top end. A race like the Forego would probably be our next target.”

Godolphin previously won the Forego with Emcee [2012] and Pyro [2009].

Speaker’s Corner is not the only talented one-turn miler Godolphin has this year. Cody’s Wish, also trained by Mott, displayed brilliance at the distance in the Grade 3 Westchester over a sloppy and sealed Big Sandy on May 7.Unbeaten in four starts at a one-turn mile, the 4-year-old son of Curlin was a three-time winner going a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs last fall.

Banahan said they were contemplating targeting the Met Mile with Cody’s Wish as well but regrouped when the horse spiked a fever. Cody’s Wish has resumed training in Saratoga with no set plans for his next start.

“We were looking a little bit at the Met Mile as well, but he came up with a little temperature. We just have to come up with a game plan for him going forward,” Banahan said. “He’s very similar to Speaker’s Corner in that he’s a one-turn mile type of horse. We’re just going to have a look at the condition book and see what is going to suit him. There was the mile race at Monmouth [Salvator Mile] last week even though it was two turns, but it came up too soon for him. We’ll have to see what happens and see what races are right going forward. He’s doing well and he’s bounced back and we have high hopes that he can have a really good finish to the year.”

Prior to the Westchester, Cody’s Wish made his seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Challenger in March at Tampa Bay Downs. He finished a neck behind Scalding, winner of the next-out Grade 2 Ben Ali at Keeneland, and 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Dynamic One, who captured the Blame at Churchill Downs two starts later.

“At Churchill last year, he rolled off three in a row going a one-turn mile. It seemed like he enjoyed doing that. We ran him at Tampa at the beginning of the year in what turned out to be a nice race, we just didn’t know if he wanted to go much further than that,” Banahan said. “Scalding, who won that race, came back and won the Ben Ali. Both of those horses ran back in the Blame at Churchill and they both were in the first three again. So, those were some pretty nice horses he’s been running against. When we backed him up in the Westchester, he was pretty impressive doing that. I think we have several horses that like that one turn mile distance, so we just have to figure out the best way to separate them and run them where they belong.”

Cody’s Wish is out of the Grade 1-winning Tapit mare Dance Card, who also produced multiple graded stakes-placed Endorsed.

Banahan said graded stakes-winner Nostalgic, a troubled tenth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, appears to be training forwardly alongside Mott’s string at Saratoga. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro checked heavily around the five-sixteenths pole and came up empty when shifted to the three path nearing the stretch.

Nostalgic, who captured the Grade 3 Gazelle in April at the Big A, will eye the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23 at nine furlongs en route to the ten-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on August 20.

Godolphin captured the CCA Oaks-Alabama double in 2012 with Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Questing and boast prior CCA Oaks accolades with It’s Tricky [2011], Music Note [2008] and Jilbab [2002].

Banahan expressed confidence in Nostalgic’s classic distance capabilities.

“She got interfered with twice, at the half mile pole and then again as they were coming into the stretch. She’s the type of filly that you can’t really stop her momentum once you get her going,” Banahan said. “She’s back again, doing well and we’ll probably go to the Coaching Club and then the classic distance with her in the Alabama. Knowing that there’s a deep group of fillies, none of the races will be easy but I think she’ll really enjoy the distance. There aren’t that many opportunities for fillies to go that distance so we’re looking forward to the Alabama.”

Nostalgic is out of the stakes-placed Tapit mare Been Here Before and comes from the same family as 2005 Wood Memorial winner Bob and John.

GSW Coinage works in prep for Manila; Pappacap to G2 Amsterdam

D.J. Stable, Chester Broman, Sr. and Mary Broman’s Grade 3-winner Coinage will turn his focus to the $100,000 Manila on July 4 at Belmont Park after a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs on May 7. The chestnut son of Tapit breezed a half-mile in 48.88 seconds over the Belmont main track on Saturday.

“He went well and was going easy,” said Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Casse said Coinage, who broke poorly in the American Turf, was hindered by the commotion and noise of the large crowd in attendance at Churchill.

“His last start was on Derby Day and he got pretty fired up with the crowd. He was kicking and kicking. He actually went in the gate and was kicking and that’s why he broke so bad,” said Casse. “For him to be successful, he needs to be on the pace or very close to it. So he broke a little slow. If it could go wrong, it did. It was just a mess.”

Out of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold, the New York-bred Coinage made his first three outings on dirt before a successful turf debut in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga Race Course in September. He went on to earn a pair of two Grade 3 placings in the Kitten’s Joy on February 22 and Transylvania on April 8 with a gutsy neck victory in the Palm Beach coming in between those efforts on March 5.

Gary Barber’s Make Mischief returned to stakes-winning ways in the Critical Eye Handicap on May 30 over Big Sandy with a resounding four-length victory over multiple stakes-winner Bank Sting in the one-mile test for state-bred fillies and mares.

The Into Mischief bay allowed Mashnee Girl to take command for the first half-mile, but easily reeled in her foe and extended her margins throughout the remaining half-mile to score her first stakes win since the 2021 Maddie May. She earned graded black type with a close third in the Grade 1 Acorn last year, as well as a third in the Grade 2 Eight Belles.

Casse said Make Mischief will face open company again in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney sprinting seven furlongs on July 2 at Gulfstream Park.

“She’s actually going to run in the Princess Rooney this weekend,” said Casse. “She’s definitely shown some really big efforts. She’s shown she can do it with

New York-breds, so we’re trying to get her some [more] graded black type.”

The talented Pappacap has run second to the undefeated Jack Christopher in his last two outings, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind his familiar foe in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on Derby Day at Churchill and 10 lengths back in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun on June 11, an effort in which he bested graded stakes winners Wit and Morello.

A Florida homebred for Rustlewood Farm, Pappacap has consistently run well against the best in his division, earning a graded victory in the Grade 2 Best Pal in August at Del Mar and posting a pair of Grade 1 runner-up efforts to Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Corniche in the American Pharoah and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Casse indicated the son of Gun Runner will continue sprinting at Saratoga and target the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam on July 31 with his sights set on the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 27.

“We’ll run him in the Amsterdam and cut him back a little bit more and keep him away from Jack Christopher,” said Casse. “I think Jack Christopher’s performance takes the spotlight away from Pappacap beating a bunch of good horses. We’re going to run him in the Amsterdam in hopes of trying the Allen Jerkens. I’ve always been very impressed by him. He’s already won the Best Pal and was second in a bunch of Grade 1s, but there’s a Grade 1 out there somewhere with his name on it.”

Casse has high hopes for several juvenile maiden winners in his barn, including the well-bred filly Wonder Wheel, who graduated at first asking in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on June 3 at Churchill Downs.

Out of the multiple graded stakes-placed New York-bred Wonder Gal, Wonder Wheel worked a bullet half-mile in 46.40 over the Churchill main track on Saturday in preparation for the six-furlong Debutante on July 4 at Churchill.

Casse also indicated that several of his juveniles are possible for graded stakes at Saratoga, potentially pointing recent Woodbine debut maiden winners Adora and Me and My Shadow to the Grade 3, $175,000 Schuylerville on the July 14 Opening Day Card.

Boppy O, a 2-year-old Bolt d’Oro half-brother to Pappacap, and Stayhonor Goodside, who was entered and scratched from the $150,000 Tremont on June 10 at Belmont, are both possible for the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford on July 16.

Stayhonor Goodside, an Honor Code dark bay for D.J. Stable, graduated at first asking in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden on May 21 over the Woodbine synthetic. He was withdrawn from the Tremont after a poor post position draw.

“I had him in but he drew the one hole and I just decided not to run there,” said Casse.

An $85,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Stayhonor Goodside is out of the multiple stakes-placed Tethra mare Nicki Knew, making him a half-brother to juvenile stakes-winner Imperial Dream.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable enjoys big weekend

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, who operate under a unique model of investing solely in New York-bred fillies, have enjoyed a successful weekend thus far with three winners out of four starters at Belmont Park.

Managed by Dan Zanatta and Vince Roth, NY Final Furlong Racing Stable’s Venti Valentine failed to menace in the Grade 2 Mother Goose finishing fourth, but they flooded the Belmont winner’s circle with their many partners with open-length maiden winners Chasing Daylight and Busy Morning, as well as first level allowance winner Home For Christmas.

“Four races, three wins, and a fourth, I’ll take it,” said Roth.

Chasing Daylight, trained by Jorge Abreu, won the Friday opener – a one-turn mile maiden on the main track – in wire-to-wire fashion, extending her advantage throughout and winning by 4 3/4 lengths at 9-1 odds.

“We didn’t know what to expect from her. A mile is a lot to ask for a first time starter,” Roth said. “We almost entered in the maiden 40, but she was training great, so we gave it a go and it paid off.”

Bred in the Empire State by Stone Bridge Farm, Chasing Daylight is by second crop sire Mr. Z and out of the unraced Mr. Greeley broodmare Vision in Red. She was bought for a frugal $15,000 at the 2020 OBS October Sale from the Summerfield consignment.

The winning momentum continued on for NY Final Furlong into Saturday, as Home for Christmas defeated winners in Saturday’s second race – a first level turf allowance at nine furlongs. Co-owned by New Phoenix Stable, Gary Aisquith and Brandon Dalinka, Home for Christmas, a Christophe Clement-trained 4-year-old Shanghai Bobby bay, scored her second lifetime victory in ten starts. She went back to the win column for the first time since August when breaking her maiden at fifth asking for a $40,000 tag on the turf at Saratoga.

Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and Marty Zaretsky, Home For Christmas was bought for $230,000 out of the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale. She is out of the Latent Heat mare Nihilist.

“We kind of plotted it out to race six months out from Christmas which worked out nicely,” Roth said with a laugh. “The plan was for her to go on the lead and hopefully it held. I think the last couple of days the horses were getting caught on the lead, but she just made it today.”

Busy Morning provided the two-day hat trick when the Abreu trainee graduated second time out in the Saturday finale. Cutting back to six furlongs from her one mile debut, the bay sophomore daughter of War Dancer drew in from the also eligible list and romped by six lengths under Jose Lezcano. She is co-owned by Designated Hitters Racing, Sportsmen Stable and Jeremy Peskoff.

"We thought she would be able to rate a little bit and come with a close like she did and as you saw, she did that,” Roth said. “She was 14 on the AE list, but funny enough they brought the same race back for [Sunday] and that race had seven entries. We tried to enter there, but we had already drawn into this race. At first, we felt a seven-horse field would have been great, but I wouldn’t change it now.”

Bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Busy Morning is out of the Strategic Prince mare Three Am Tour, making her a half-sibling to two-time winner and six-figure earner Qian B C. She was purchased for $50,000 from the 2021 OBS March Sale, where she was consigned by Gene Recio, and hails from the prestigious broodmare lines of Best in Show.

Dual stakes-winner and graded stakes placed Venti Valentine was fourth in her first start since the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, facing three others in Saturday’s Mother Goose. The daughter of Firing Line, trained by Abreu, captured last year’s Maid of the Mist at Belmont as well as the Busher Invitational in March at Aqueduct.

When asked of Venti Valentine’s effort, Roth said: “It was a little warm on the track, I’m not sure if that had to do with her performance, but hopefully she can regroup.”

Roth expressed gratitude in being able to introduce new fans to the sport through NY Final Furlong.

“We bring family and friends, and extended family and friends,” Roth said. “We had a great day hanging out in the backyard. The kids were playing all day, loving the sport and asking questions. And then to have them a little spoiled and get to go to the winner’s circle three times, I don’t know if they should expect that every time, but that’s what we try to achieve.”