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Joey Freshwater tries turf on eight day’s rest in $150K Paradise Creek

by NYRA Press Office

• Joey Freshwater tries turf on eight day’s rest in $150K Paradise Creek
• Ottoman Fleet breezes for G1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan
• Venti Valentine works for 4-year-old debut in $200K Critical Eye H.
• Belmont Park Week 4 stakes probables

Trainer Linda Rice, who has had great success recently when running horses on short rest in stakes races, will wheel back Joey Freshwater on eight day’s rest in Saturday’s $150,000 Paradise Creek, a seven-furlong turf sprint for sophomores, at Belmont Park.

Rice saddled Betsy Blue to victory in the Garland of Roses off one week’s rest in December at Aqueduct Racetrack and Mommasgottarun to a triumph in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap with just five days of rest in April over the Ozone Park oval. She will look to continue that trend on Saturday as Joey Freshwater returns from a third-place finish in the Gold Fever on May 12 here.

Winning Move Stable’s son of Jimmy Creed was a rallying third in the six-furlong Gold Fever over the main track where he was bumped at the start and raced four-wide into the turn to make a mild bid down the center of the lane. He was defeated 6 1/4 lengths by the undefeated Drew’s Gold, but earned the second-highest Beyer Speed Figure of his career when garnering an 83.

Joey Freshwater made the grade two starts back when he captured the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 8 at the Big A. Rice claimed him for $50,000 out of a second-out maiden victory in November at Churchill Downs and has enjoyed a perfect in-the-money record with the colt in five starts since. He is out of the More Than Ready mare Lake Turkana, who broke her maiden traveling 1 1/16 miles over the Laurel Park turf in 2016. Lake Turkana is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Crewman, winner of the 2017 Grade 3 Hanshin Cup over Arlington Park’s all-weather surface. 

Rice said Joey Freshwater’s breeding led her to believe he’ll relish a change in surface. 

“We haven’t breezed him on the turf, but frankly I think there’s enough pedigree there,” said Rice. “He’s out of a More Than Ready mare and Jimmy Creed is a Distorted Humor, so I think there’s enough there to suggest it. His mother won on the grass.”

With rain in the forecast for Saturday, Rice said Joey Freshwater will stay in the race even if the course holds decent moisture.

“Ideally, I’d prefer if it rains that they take it off the turf,” said Rice. “But if they don’t, I still want to try him on it.”

Joey Freshwater will exit post 8 in rein to Jose Lezcano, who returns to the saddle for Friday’s card at Belmont after being sidelined with a wrist injury since early April.

Rice has a talented quartet lined up for the May 29 Big Apple Showcase Day at Belmont, which features six New York-bred stakes races worth a combined $900,000. Rice has probable starters in two of the stakes, led by the duo of Sheriff Bianco and Curlin’s Wisdom in the $200,000 Commentator Handicap, a 1 1/16-mile main track route for horses 3-years-old and up.

A. Bianco Holding Limited’s Sheriff Bianco was the latest Rice trainee to contest stakes company on short rest, but fell short of Today’s Flavor by 3 3/4 lengths in the state-bred Affirmed Success on April 30 at the Big A one week after an optional-claiming victory.

The son of Speightster was claimed for $30,000 out of a win in July at Belmont and has been a model of consistency since, hitting the board in each of his 11 starts for Rice. His best performance was a dominant 11 3/4-length score in an off-the-turf state-bred optional claimer in October at Belmont at the Big A. He followed with an additional pair of wins in allowance tilts, including against open company in December at Aqueduct.

“We claimed him last July and he’s been great for us,” said Rice. “It’s the first horse I claimed for John Bianco and he’s been wonderful.”

Martin Zaretsky’s Curlin’s Wisdom finished second in a state-bred optional claimer on April 16 last out. The 4-year-old son of Curlin earned a stakes placing when finishing a close second in the nine-furlong Empire Classic in October. Rice said Curlin’s Wisdom has been “doing well” since his last effort and is on track for the Commentator.

Rice will also saddle stakes winner Downtown Mischief and multiple stakes-winner Les Bon Temps in the $125,000 Bouwerie, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies.

Downtown Mischief, owned by Lady Sheila Stable, suffered her first career defeat last out in an off-the-turf edition of the Memories of Silver on April 29, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind Balpool after pressing a moderate tempo. The daughter of Into Mischief won her first three starts, including the Cicada against open company in March at the Big A.

Lady Sheila Stable, Pura Vida Investments, Cindy Hutson and Brett Setzer’s Les Bon Temps crossed the finish line second in the NYSSS Park Avenue on April 23, but was elevated to first after a stewards’ inquiry determined Little Linzee, who crossed the wire first, interfered with Les Bon Temps in the stretch. It was the third stakes score for Les Bon Temps, who previously won the NYSSS Fifth Avenue and the Maid of the Mist, both at Aqueduct.

“Downtown Mischief is a speed horse and Les Bon Temps is a stalker, so they’re a good complement to one another,” Rice said.

Rice said Les Bon Temps, a daughter of Laoban, will use the Bouwerie as a springboard to a try over the turf in the $150,000 NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy at seven furlongs on June 18.

“Les Bon Temps won the Stallion Series race, so we’ll come back here and then take her to the Stallion Series race on the grass,” said Rice. “The Laobans have been terrific on the turf, so I’ll go there with her after. The Bouwerie is an in between spot.”

Among Rice’s nominees to the Big Apple Showcase stakes was Chester and Mary Broman’s multiple graded stakes-placed Arctic Arrogance, who was considered for the $125,000 Mike Lee at seven furlongs over the main track. Rice instead decided to give the son of Frosted a freshening with an eye towards the Saratoga Race Course summer meet after a winter campaign that saw him finish second in the Grade 2 Remsen, Jerome and Grade 3 Withers at the Big A.

“We decided to give him a little break,” said Rice. “He’s been running for a long time and he just seemed a little flat, so we’ll pass on the Mike Lee.”

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Ottoman Fleet breezes for G1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan

Godolphin’s Ottoman Fleet, last-out winner of the Grade 2, $200,000 Fort Marcy here on May 7, covered five furlongs in 1:03 flat over the Belmont inner turf Friday in his first breeze back in preparation for the 10-furlong Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day June 10.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, the 4-year-old Sea the Stars gelding was guided to an impressive 1 3/4-length score in the nine-furlong Fort Marcy with Richie Mullen in the irons. He registered a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the ground-saving effort in his North American debut.

Ottoman Fleet was piloted through Friday’s solo breeze by Mullen with Appleby’s traveling assistant Chris Connett in attendance.

“He built from the five-eighths pole through the wire and kept in hand,” Connett said. “He had a very quiet first week after the race and has been cantering very nicely the last 10 days. The plan is to point him towards the Grade 1 at a mile and a quarter. He'll come back and do another piece of work next week.”

Bred in Great Britain by SCEA Marmion Vauville and Alain Jathiere, Ottoman Fleet entered the Fort Marcy from a last-to-first score in the Group 3 Earl of Sefton on April 18 at Newmarket, which came on the heels of a trio of third-place finishes in group races at Meydan Racecourse.

Warren Point, a 4-year-old British homebred by Dubawi, finished fifth in his North American debut in the Grade 1 Man o’ War here on May 13.

Piloted by Frankie Dettori, Warren Point was loaded into the gate with a blanket and blindfold but came away slowly from post 2 in the 11-furlong test over firm going and settled in seventh position. He advanced three-wide on the final turn and had a narrow lead at the stretch call, but was outkicked to the wire finishing fifth, less than two lengths back of the victorious Red Knight.

Connett said Warren Point is expected to breeze over the turf next week with an eye towards a start in the Manhattan.

“He's come out of his race very well. Obviously, it wasn’t the ideal trip around for him that day, but he lost nothing in defeat,” Connett said. “It was his first race here in the states - in Grade 1 company - and he was only beaten a length and three-quarters. Things didn't quite go to plan, so it gives you hope for a big run in his next start.”

Warren Point captured the HH Royal Crown Prince Cup on February 3 in Bahrain to kick off his current campaign and followed two weeks later with a close runner-up effort to Russian Emperor in the Group 1 HH The Amir Trophy in Doha.

Appleby is expected to send both multiple Group 3-winner Silver Knott and two-time winner One Nation to New York for the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomores on June 3.

Silver Knott captured a pair of Group 3 tests last year, taking the seven-furlong Solario at Sandown Park and the one-mile Autumn at Newmarket. The Lope de Vega colt closed to finish second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Keeneland, missing by a nose to Victoria Road. He was off-the-board in his seasonal debut in the Group 1 2000 Guineas on May 6 at Newmarket.

Silver Knott is out of the Nathaniel mare God Given, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winner Postponed.

One Nation, by Dubawi, sports a ledger of 9-2-4-2 and is out of the Street Cry mare Lacey’s Lane, who is a half-sister to 2017 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Wuheida. One Nation was last seen finishing second in the 10-furlong Jumeirah Derby in February at Meydan Racecourse.

Appleby previously indicated he would have a number of runners for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, including Siskany [Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup], With The Moonlight [Grade 1 New York] and possibly Al Suhail and/or Mischief Magic [Grade 1 Jaipur].

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Venti Valentine works for 4-year-old debut in $200K Critical Eye H.

Dual graded stakes-placed New York-bred Venti Valentine put the final touches on her preparation for her seasonal bow in the state-bred $200,000 Critical Eye Handicap on May 29 at Belmont Park, breezing an easy half-mile 49.77 seconds on Friday morning over the Belmont main track.

Owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds, Venti Valentine completed the four furlongs under exercise rider Luis Cueva one week after drilling through five furlongs in 59.78 under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“She had a pretty good breeze,” trainer Jorge Abreu said. “She came off a hard breeze last week with Irad. I like what I saw from her this morning. She had a nice gallop out.”

The 4-year-old Firing Line chestnut captured the 2021 Maid of the Mist over Big Sandy en route to a close second to Nest in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct Racetrack, earning her honors for New York-bred Champion 2-Year-Old Filly that year.

She was a runaway seven-length winner of the one-turn mile Busher Invitational the following March at the Big A before a close second in the Grade 3 Gazelle in April 2022 and, subsequently, finished last-of-14 in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She has not raced since a triumph in the December 17 state-bred Bay Ridge at a one-turn mile over a muddy and sealed Aqueduct main track.

Dan Zanatta, who manages NY Final Furlong alongside Vince Roth, said the 1 1/16-mile Critical Eye was on their radar as early as December, when Venti Valentine was put away for a winter freshening.

“As soon as she won the stake, we had it in our minds that we would give her some well-deserved time off,” Zanatta said. “We were thinking about giving her time off last summer and fall, but she didn’t give us any impression that she needed it in her training. Getting her back to one turn will do the trick for her and solves some of our open questions, but regardless of how well she ran to enter her 3-year-old campaign we wanted to give her some time off.”

Zanatta even said Venti Valentine was ahead of schedule in her return to action.

“She got back to the track sooner than we expected, so she’s definitely very well-intended,” Zanatta said. "She got a real nice blowout last week in 59 at Belmont with Irad aboard, so I think she’s good to go. The Critical Eye going one turn at Belmont is the right spot for her, she’s obviously been successful over that track before. I know Irad had good things to say about her after he breezed her last week. He said it was the best she had ever breezed for him.”

NY Final Furlong also campaigned the Abreu-trained Espresso Shot, a half-sister to Venti Valentine, who won four stakes. Both are out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Glory Gold.

Zanatta mentioned Venti Valentine has developed in similar fashion to her older half-sister.

“She’s definitely matured, I think. She’s gotten bigger and stronger,” Zanatta said. “Knowing the family pretty well at this point, that tends to be the trajectory they follow. It seems like during their 3-year-old year, they outgrow themselves a little bit and once they’re four, they fill out and strengthen up. Venti Valentine is a bigger and stronger and better balanced filly and is more fit for the dirt. We always thought Espresso Shot was a bit turfy looking, but Venti Valentine just looks like a hardy, strong dirt horse. We’ll see how she’s improved as a 4-year-old with a recharged battery.”

Venti Valentine was bred in the Empire State by NY Final Furlong and Maspeth Stable. She boasts earnings of $524,250 and a 10-4-2-1 record.

Zanatta went on to speak of Weekend Rags, who broke her maiden in April in her turf debut. He described the Abreu-trained daughter of Street Boss as, “probably one of the more exciting horses we have in our barn.”

“I had been saying all winter long that she’s our next stakes horse. She won really impressively when she finally got to the turf this year,” Zanatta said. “She was entered to run in an allowance last week and didn’t draw off the AE list. Once we get her up to Saratoga this summer, I think she’ll be our next stakes-level filly. If we can keep her as happy as she is right now, she’ll have a lot of potential.”

Bred by Sebastian Murat, Kelly Zanella and Paul Zanella, Weekend Rags is out of the Henny Hughes mare Weekend and is a half-sister to turf stakes winner Armoire.

Zanatta said Highway Harmony also could be slated for Spa action. Second on debut in August at Saratoga, the Mo Town sophomore filly broke her maiden at second asking by 1 1/4 lengths in November at Aqueduct before finishing sixth against winners one month later.

“She came back at the same time as Venti Valentine. They shipped down to the farm together in December and came back together in February,” Zanatta said. “She was entered on the turf last week but had a foot abscess and was scratched. We just need to get her back going again. We may send her up to Saratoga. She really thrived up there and I think the best that she ever looked was in her debut. We may send her up there to try and turn things around for her and get her fresher.”

Highway Harmony, bred in the Empire State by Twin Farms, is out of the Quality Road mare Tweet Street. She was bought for $50,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale.  

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Belmont Park Week 4 stakes probables

Saturday, May 27

G3 Soaring Softly

Probable: American Apple (Daniel Leitch), Danse Macabre (Kelsey Danner), Im Just Kiddin (John Kimmel), Love Appeals (Christophe Clement), Malleymoo (Jack Sisterson), Quarrel (Bobby Ribaudo), Thirty Thou Kelvin (John Terranova)

Possible: Princess Bettina (Todd Pletcher), Redifined (Tony Dutrow)

Monday, May 29 – Big Apple Showcase Day

$200K Commentator H. (NYB)

Probable: Bankit (Steve Asmussen), Barese (Mike Maker), Brooklyn Strong (Victor Barboza, Jr.), Curlin's Widsom (Linda Rice), Dr Ardito (Chad Brown), Sea Foam (Michelle Giangiulio), Sheriff Bianco (Rice), Two for Charging (Jorge Abreu)

Possible: Prince of Pharoahs (Richard Dutrow, Jr.)

$200K Critical Eye H. (NYB)

Probable: Classy Edition (Pletcher), Know It All Audrey (Oscar Barrera, III), Let Her Inspire U (Pletcher), Sterling Silver (Tom Albertrani), Sweet Mystery (Patrick Quick), Timeless Journey (Ray Handal), Venti Valentine (Abreu)

Possible: Honey Money (Rob Atras)

$125K Bouwerie (NYB)

Probable: Downtown Mischief (Linda Rice), Les Bon Temps (Rice), Midtown Lights (Brad Cox), Miracle (Pletcher), Security Code (Phil Serpe)

$125K Kingston (NYB)

Probable: Citizen K (Horacio De Paz), Coinage (Mark Casse), Dakota Gold (Danny Gargan), Jerry the Nipper (Pletcher), Ocala Dream (Tom Morley), Rinaldi (Jim Bond), Somelikeithotbrown (Maker)

Possible: Big Package (Barrera, III), Call Me Harry (Maker)

$125K Mike Lee (NYB)

Probable: Acoustic Ave (Clement), D’ont Lose Cruz (David Duggan), Etnico (Jorge Delgado), Lifetime of Chance (Casse), Looms Boldly (Cox), Maker’s Candy (Maker)

Possible: Jackson Heights (Orlando Noda), What’s Up Bro (Robert Klesaris)

$125K Mount Vernon (NYB)

Probable: Finest Work (George Weaver), Marvelous Maude (Brown), Out of Sight (David Donk), Royal Dancer (Michelle Nevin), Runaway Rumour (Abreu), Sanura (Barclay Tagg)