Prosperous weekend for West Point Thoroughbreds includes promising winners at Belmont Park

by NYRA Press Office

Saturday was a banner day here, there and yonder for Terry Finley’s West Point Thoroughbreds, who enjoyed victories with promising horses at three racetracks.

The prominent racing syndicate kicked off Saturday's early daily double at Belmont Park with highly-regarded First Captain winning on debut in the opener, followed by Classic Colors defeating New York-bred winners going 1 1/16 miles over the Widener turf course.

“It really drives the fact that horseracing is a team effort,” Finley said. “We think about all the people that have played a part of these magical horses. It’s just an overall great experience for the partners.”

Owned in partnership with Bobby Flay, Siena Farm and Woodford Racing, First Captain utilized a prominent trip going seven furlongs on debut for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.

The Curlin sophomore registered a 93 Beyer Speed Figure, tracking along the rail in third position early on, saved ground around the far turn, and found a new gear in the final sixteenth of a mile when surging past favorite Mahaamel under a hand ride by jockey Jose Ortiz

Bred by Flay, who also campaigned the horse’s graded stakes winning dam America, First Captain was a $1.5 million purchase from Arthur Hancock III’s Stone Farm consignment at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

“He’s just a really cool horse. Bobby Flay owned and bred the dam and he stayed in on the horse when we bought him,” said Finley. “He has a commercial operation, so when he’s willing to stay in it gives us some confidence. We put together a great partnership. [Bloodstock agent] David Ingordo is our man when it comes to buying horses and he’s tied in with Lane’s End and they have a partnership in Woodford Racing. I’ve always admired Shug, so when he was in position and the opportunity came up to give him some horses, we took it. Everything just fell into place.”

Finley said he is unsure where the promising First Captain would race next, but said he is already starting to dream big.

“A debut like that makes a lot of people happy and that’s the power of the partnership,” Finley said. “Shug’s the captain of the ship and he’s faced these situations before. I’m sure he’s just as excited as we are. We know the targets during the second half of the year, but it’s just figuring out how to get there.”

While First Captain utilized a stalk-and-pounce approach, fellow West Point color-bearer Classic Colors came from eight lengths off a leisurely pace to secure a first-level allowance triumph for trainer Christophe Clement and co-owners Harrell Ventures, Kenneth G. Beitz and Gail P. Beitz.

Bred in the Empire State by John Lauriello, the daughter of Street Sense handled her first start in seven months with aplomb. Placed at the rear of the field by Ortiz down the backstretch, Classic Colors made one big run in mid-stretch to win by 1 ½ lengths. The win registered a career-best 74 Beyer.

“Going down the backside, Jose had plenty of horse,” said Finley. “Christophe and [assistant and son] Miguel [Clement] liked the way she was coming off her winter break. With a good filly like this, we decided to let her catch her breath a bit.”

While restricted New York-bred stakes are an option for Classic Colors, Finley said open company stakes are very much within the realm of possibility.

“The New York-bred stakes are always an option,” Finley said. “But with this filly, there’s enough quality that we could go hunting for a bigger race.”

A winner at third asking at Belmont Park, Classic Colors previously faced open company when finishing third to subsequent Grade 1-placed Seasons in her second start. She backed up her heavy favoritism in her September 24 maiden victory coming from well off the pace to win by a half-length.

Classic Colors was purchased by Clement for $170,000 from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Indian Creek. She is out of the unraced Tale of the Cat mare Flaunted and is a direct descendant of the prolific matriarch broodmare La Troienne.

West Point’s winning ways kept rolling with a stakes triumph from Jaxon Traveler, who captured the six-furlong Bachelor at Oaklawn Park in gate-to-wire fashion.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Maryland-bred son of Munnings made his first trio of starts in the Old Line State winning his first two starts by open lengths at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, respectively. In his third start, he defeated his state-bred counterparts in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity on December 5 at Laurel Park before shipping to Oaklawn, where he suffered his lone defeat finishing a head shy of victory in the Gazebo at the Arkansas oval.

“He’s a good gate horse as a lot of Steve’s horses are, which helped him,” Finley said. “Every time he runs he puts in that surge on the turn. The ability to really separate himself in the race has helped him a lot.”

Finley mentioned the Grade 3, $200,000 Chick Lang on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course and the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens on June 5 at Belmont Park as possible next targets.

“I think he’s in the spot where he deserves to try the big dogs,” Finley said.

West Point owns Jaxon Traveler in partnership with Marvin Delfiner. 

“He’s been in the business for 60 years and he’s having a ball. I couldn’t get him off the phone last night he was so excited,” said Finley.

West Point’s most exciting performance was saved for last when Flightline put on a paid workout like performance in his career debut at Santa Anita going six furlongs. The son of Tapit, out of graded stakes winner Feathered, was never asked by jockey Flavien Prat, cruising home a gate-to-wire winner by 13 ¼ lengths, garnering a 105 Beyer.

Flightline is trained by John Sadler and owned in partnership with Hronis Racing, Siena Farm and Summer Wind Equine.

“We always have liked this horse,” Finley said. “He was broke at Mayberry Farm in Ocala, who David Ingordo has used for a training center for a while. They tout a little bit, but they really touted this one coming off the farm. We were expecting a good performance, but not quite what we saw yesterday.”

The Grade 3, $100,000 Lazaro Barerra on May 15 at Santa Anita going 6 ½ furlongs is a possible next target.

“That race would only give us three weeks, but he wasn’t really taxed in yesterday’s race,” Finley said. “He cooled out pretty quickly so it would be a matter of if we want to run back that quickly. I think he wants to go further.”

Flightline is a direct descendant of prominent Phipps broodmare Blitey and comes from the same family as accomplished runners Finder’s Fee, Furlough, Heavenly Prize, Dancing Forever, Good Reward and Pure Prize. All were campaigned by the Phipps family.

“He comes from a very productive family and he has us already thinking about big races later on. Saratoga has a great program for 3-year-olds so he could end up shipping there this summer,” Finley said.

Jose Lezcano returns to action Thursday at Belmont

Jockey Jose Lezcano will be back in the saddle on Thursday at Belmont Park after recovering from shoulder and knee surgery which kept him out of action for nearly three full months.

The 36-year-old Lezcano has not ridden since January 31 at Aqueduct and has been named aboard two horses on Thursday’s nine-race card for trainer Brad Cox.

The 2019 Belmont spring/summer meet leading rider will pilot graded-stakes placed Caldee for Shortleaf Stable in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race over the Widener turf course in Race 5, as well as Anstu Stables’ stakes-placed Kinenos, who is entered in a ten-furlong second-level optional claiming tilt over the inner turf in Race 8.

Agent Jason Beides said Lezcano has been working horses at Belmont for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey and Jorge Abreu.

“He’s going good and working really hard,” said Beides. “He can’t wait to get back and ride. It’s been tough keeping him on the ground. A shoulder is a tough injury but he stays in good shape, so that’s good.”

Jockeys Junior Alvarado and Pablo Fragoso, who were unseated in the eighth race on Opening Day on Thursday at Belmont, are both on the sidelines.

The 34-year-old Alvarado, who was unseated by Sport Model, was evaluated at hospital Thursday. Agent Mike Sellitto reported that all tests and scans were negative. Alvarado was discharged that evening and will visit a specialist later this week for further guidance on his expected return.

Fragoso reported that he had fractured his right wrist, incurred a mild concussion, and lost two teeth after being unseated by Sailor’s Treasure. Fragoso will also seek further specialist advice this week.

Manny Franco, who was unseated by Undetectable in the same spill, was cleared by EMS immediately following and rode the winner, Kavod, in Friday’s opening race at Belmont.

Dylan Davis, who broke his collarbone in a fall on March 20 at Aqueduct Racetrack, will see a specialist this week with an eye towards a mid-May return, agent Mike Migliore said. The 26-year-old rider underwent successful surgery at the end of March.

"If all goes well with the doctor, we're hoping he can be back in the middle of May after a little physical therapy," said Migliore. "He's young and keeps himself in good shape. It's a shame he got hurt, we had good momentum going at Aqueduct."

Piedi Bianchi works towards G3 Vagrancy start in returning to Carlos Martin’s care

Piedi Bianchi has benefitted from a trainer-by-committee approach since 2020, with different conditioners saddling her depending on the location of the race. Carlos Martin will again pick up the training responsibilities for her next outing, as the 6-year-old Overanalyze mare targets the Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy for older fillies and mares going 6 1/2 furlongs on Belmont Park’s main track on Saturday, May 8.

Piedi Bianchi, owned by Jay Oringer and Jack Bick, was under Steve Klesaris’ care when she started her 2021 campaign with a third-place effort in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Inside Information on Pegasus World Cup Day on January 23 at Gulfstream Park.

After staying in Florida following that race, Piedi Bianchi shipped to New York last month, with Martin steadily moving her onto the work tab before a more serious five-furlong breeze in 1:01.72 over Belmont’s Big Sandy on Saturday.

“We gave her a little break and she did a great job for Steve running in the Inside Information on Pegasus Day,” Martin said. “It’s just been a little 30-day light training with a little R and R at Ocala. Then, we got her here [at Belmont] about five weeks ago and she’s been doing everything right. We knew her from last year and then she did really well at Indiana and I’m glad they gave us our girl back.

“We got a little more serious with the work yesterday but she’s an old pro at this stage,” he added. “She’s not coming off a long layoff. We are just trying to keep her fresh and happy. She had a couple of easy half miles and yesterday she went 1:01 and change. Manny Franco, who will ride her for us, was really happy with the way she was moving. She kept going out 1:14 and 3. She looked smooth and finished well. We’re excited about the Vagrancy and she should give a good account of herself.”

Martin trained Piedi Bianchi through most of last year, seeing her post a victory by a head over Slimey in the Correction in March 2020 at Aqueduct while running third behind Vexatious and the victorious Monomoy Girl in the Grade 2 Ruffian last July going one mile in her previous start at Belmont.

“I think she’ll run a good race; she doesn’t have a problem with the track at Belmont,” Martin said. “She seemed to get over it great yesterday. She tried hard in the Ruffian, she went up against one of the best fillies in Monomoy Girl, so we were just trying to get a piece of it. It was a tough spot. But she runs well fresh and we’ve had luck with her in the past and I’m just so happy to have her back in our barn.”

In the fall, Piedi Bianchi, bred in Indiana by Deann and Greg Baer, was sent to the Hoosier State, where trainer Cipriano Contreras conditioned her to a win in the Frances Slocum in November at Indiana Grand Race Course.

To start her 2021 campaign, Piedi Bianchi made her first graded stakes start since the Ruffian, running third behind Thissmytime and winner Pacific Gale in the Inside Information, earning an 86 Beyer for Klesaris.

“She bounces around,” Klesaris said with a laugh. “The owners are good guys. Everyone’s included in the process, so it’s pretty neat. She’s a nice filly and the plan was to give her a little freshening beyond that last race. She’s going to run up at Belmont for Carlos and then maybe they might be looking at some Indiana-bred stakes after that, which she’s been able to take advantage of pretty good.”

Croi Mor wins coast to coast for Falcone, Jr.

Sanford J. Goldfarb’s Croi Mor exited a maiden-breaking effort at Golden Gate Fields on April 2 to capture a $30,000 claiming mile Friday on the Belmont turf.

The 4-year-old Honor Code gelding rallied from fifth under Jose Ortiz for a narrow neck win for trainer Robert Falcone, Jr., who wintered at Santa Anita Park in California.

“He had been training really well and was coming into the race in good shape. He ran good,” said Falcone, Jr., who has 20 stalls at Belmont.

Falcone, Jr. said the victory, which garnered a 67 Beyer, was a welcome beginning to the spring/summer meet following his winter adventure.

“It's important to get a good start. We took a lot of tough beats this winter, so it was good to start off with a win. We got beat several noses out west,” said Falcone, Jr.

John Grossi Racing’s Translate, a 4-year-old Tonalist filly, completed the trifecta in a blanket finish in a six-furlong turf sprint on March 26 at Santa Anita when defeated by a pair of noses as the odds-on favorite.

"She caught a really tough trip in a small field,” said Falcone, Jr. “They boxed her in and she didn't have anywhere to go. She finally got out, but it was too late.”

A $100,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Kentucky-bred contested a trio of six-furlong turf sprints at Santa Anita this winter, graduating by 3 1/2-lengths in a maiden special weight on New Year’s Day ahead of a second to next-out winner Bruja Escarlata in a starter optional-claimer on February 7. Bruja Escarlata, undefeated in three starts, exited that event to win a main-track allowance optional-claiming sprint earning an 88 Beyer.

Falcone, Jr. said Translate is a filly with potential.

“She's here with us at Belmont and we'll look for a starter race here,” said Falcone, Jr. “She's a real nice filly and we expect good things from her going forward. I'm hoping she can break her allowance conditions and go on from there.”

John Grossi Racing’s Hogans Holiday, who finished a close sixth in the 2019 Grade 2 Ballston Spa when defeated less than three lengths by Significant Form, posted a three-eighths breeze in 36 flat on April 22 on the Belmont dirt training track.

Falcone, Jr. said he is hoping the 6-year-old The Factor mare, who captured the 2019 Miss Liberty on the Monmouth Park turf, will return to form after an abbreviated 5-year-old season.

“Hogans Holiday just came in after some time off,” said Falcone, Jr. “She made her first start for me in the Ballston Spa and only lost by a few lengths. She has some back class. She’s a stakes winner at Monmouth and I’m hoping she’ll do well.”

Cross Country Pick 5 pays $9K; logs total pool of nearly $130K

Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5, showcasing live action from Belmont and Oaklawn Park, returned $9,200.25 for selecting all five winner’s for the 50-cent wager. The total was pool was $129,903.

Shaftesbury started the sequence with a strong 2 3/4-length win in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race on Belmont’s Widener turf course in Race 6. The Todd Pletcher trainee, off as the 5-2 favorite, had finished second in three consecutive starts before breaking through, hitting the wire in 1:41.63 under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shaftesbury, a $675,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, paid $7.60 on a $2 win wager.

Oaklawn got in on the fun with a six-furlong main track allowance tilt for 4-year-olds and up in Race 5, as Greely and Ben edged Sevier by a neck to earn victory for trainer Karl Broberg. Ridden by David Cohen, Greeley and Ben, who went off at 3-1 and returned $8.40, completed the course in 1:10.48.

Back at Belmont, Looking At Bikinis made his 5-year-old debut a successful one for trainer Chad Brown, rewarding his even-money favoritism to post a one-length score in a seven-furlong allowance optional claimer in Race 7. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano kept Looking At Bikinis, who competed in the 2019 Grade 1 Runhappy Travers and that year’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile, forwardly placed in stalking position behind pacesetter American Power before a strong finish and a final time of 1:23.45. He paid $4.20.

At Oaklawn, Firehorn provided the sequence’s biggest upset, winning a six-furlong main track sprint at 16-1 odds in Race 6. Firehorn, who returned $34, pulled away in the stretch under rider Fernando De La Cruz to win by a half-length over Sharp Art for trainer Randy Morse. The sprint for 3-year-olds and up saw Firehorn post a final time of 1:11.17.

Belmont ended the wager with the sequence’s lone stakes, as Casa Creed won a blanket finish, a head in front of favorite Front Run the Fed in the $100,000 Elusive Quality in Race 8. The seven-furlong sprint was the first turf stakes of Belmont Park’s 48-day spring/summer meet, and Joe Bravo piloted Casa Creed to a final time of 1:22.65. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Casa Creed paid $7.60.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.