NYRA Photo

Waterville Lake Stable set for first Breeders’ Cup with Juvenile Turf Sprint contender Derrynane

by NYRA Press Office

• Waterville Lake Stable set for first Breeders’ Cup with Juvenile Turf Sprint contender Derrynane
• Pletcher-trained Breeders’ Cup contenders on the work tab
• Bella Sofia works six furlongs for Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint
• War Bomber looks to go from claim to fame in G2 Hill Prince
• Mott’s Breeders’ Cup contenders on the work tab at Saratoga
• Cross Island Parkway to be closed Sunday
• Belmont Park Week 8 stakes probables

New York-based owners Waterville Lake Stable will enjoy the Breeders’ Cup spotlight for the first time when they send out their Empire State-homebred Derrynane in the Grade 2, $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 5 at Del Mar.

Waterville Lake Stable is owned by Richard Leahy in partnership with John W. Meriwether and Tim Tully, all of which are stakeholders in Waterville Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland, where their name derives. Many horses that race under the Waterville Lake Stable banner are a nod to the ownership group’s familiarity with Ireland. Derrynane is named after Derrynane Beach, located on the Ring of Kerry.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Derrynane, a bay daughter of Quality Road, was a winner at first asking with a two-length victory going 5 ½ furlongs in a state-bred maiden special weight on July 22 over good Mellon turf at Saratoga. Following a distant fifth in the open Bolton Landing one month later over a yielding turf at the Spa, Derrynane was an ultra-impressive winner of the five-furlong Woodbine Cares on September 19, which prompted her connections to consider the Breeders’ Cup. 

“We were very pleased with her run first out,” Leahy said. “When she ran her second race in the Bolton Landing, it was over a bog, and we knew that she was far better than that. Given the timing and the weather, we went to Woodbine and she won quite easily.”

Derrynane is the first progeny out of the graded-stakes placed Hard Spun mare Portmagee, who captured the License Fee in 2017 following a third in that year’s Grade 3 Intercontinental, both at Belmont. Portmagee, named after a village near Waterville Golf Links, is currently in foal to More Than Ready.

“From early on, she was extremely good looking and did everything right,” Leahy said of Derrynane. “She seemed very well balanced and well put together. The mother was extremely attractive and well balanced, also. She had a good personality and demeanor. The mother was a sprinter but we never thought there was any reason she couldn’t go further.”

The relationship between Leahy and Clement extends over two decades, linking up via former NYRA chairman Peter Karches, who owned horses with Clement at the time. In addition to Waterville Lake Stable, Leahy also owns horses with Clement under his Oak Bluff Stable moniker of which he is the standalone owner.

Leahy and Clement have enjoyed success with Waterville Lake Stable-owned graded stakes winners Mariensky, Strike It Rich and Derrianne as well as New York-bred stakes winners Miss Valentine, Sea Foam and Celtic Sky.

As Oak Bluff Stable, Leahy and Clement have campaigned the graded-stakes placed Therapist, a multiple stakes winner against New York-breds and open company.

“With Christophe the horse always comes first, we like that,” Leahy said.

Leahy speaks high volumes of the New York-bred program.

“I think the New York bred program is a sensational one,” Leahy said. “It’s lucrative and in my mind, you’re only a van ride away from the best stallions in Kentucky. There’s no reason if you have a good mare that you can’t produce a competitive horse in New York. It’s not easy to win these races. They’re competitive races as well. Over the years I’ve been doing this, the New York-bred horses have gotten more and more competitive.”

Leahy said he is looking forward to the possibility of going to the Breeders’ Cup with Derrynane. While it would be a first Breeder’s Cup endeavor for Leahy, it would be a second for Waterville Lake partner John Meriwether, who owned Buckhar – the 13th-place finisher of the 1993 Mile.

“We’re very excited about her future,” Leahy said. “It’s really special. Hopefully, she has a long career ahead of her. I was talking to Christophe’s son Miguel the other morning and he was very excited about her breeze last week.”

Pletcher-trained Breeders’ Cup contenders on the work tab

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher oversaw multiple Breeders’ Cup aspirants breezing over the Belmont training track Friday morning.

“When you’re preparing for the Breeders Cup, they’re all important, but these were big breezes this morning,” Pletcher said. “We’ll come back next weekend and do a little bit less with them.” 

Spendthrift Farm’s Following Sea, a winner of the Grade 2 Vosburgh on October 9 last out, went to the track at 6:30 a.m. and worked a half-mile in 49.73 over the fast track.  

“I liked it,” Pletcher said of the breeze. “It seemed like he bounced out of the Vosburgh very well. It was a very easy breeze for him this morning. We weren’t looking to do a whole lot with him this morning. I was very happy.” 

Although Following Sea earned an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in capturing the Vosburgh, a “Win And You’re In” event, Pletcher said plans for the son of Runhappy remain in flux.  

“We wanted to see today’s work and then we’ll talk to the Spendthrift guys about it,” Pletcher said. “We’re under no pressure to make a decision right away. We’ll give him the rest of the week and continue to monitor how he’s doing.” 

Graded stakes winners Life Is Good and Mind Control logged solo works at roughly 7:45 a.m. over the training track. An in-hand winner of the Grade 2 Kelso on September 25, CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s Life Is Good went a sharp half-mile in 47.83 seconds – the second fastest of 41 recorded works at the distance.

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables’ Mind Control, winner of the Parx Dirt Mile last out on September 25, went five furlongs in 1:01.27. Both horses are on target for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.  

“Typical works for them,” Pletcher said. “Life Is Good is a very impressive horse to watch breeze. It looks like he’s doing everything very effortlessly and then you look down at the clock and go, ‘Wow’. He was rolling right along. He did it in hand throughout.” 

The Parx Dirt Mile was the first two-turn start for Mind Control, a 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty, since finishing off the board in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He captured the Grade 2 John A. Nerud on July 4 at Belmont Park in his first start for Pletcher two starts earlier.  

“He’s coming off a good win,” Pletcher said. “He’s trained with good energy like he always does. He had an impressive breeze today and I like where he’s at.” 

Shadwell Stable’s three-time Grade 1-winner Malathaat, a blue-blooded sophomore daughter of Curlin, worked at 9:30 a.m. following the renovation break covering five furlongs in 1:01.63 in preparation for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.   

“I thought she worked great today. She’s just very impressive,” Pletcher said. “She keeps going and going and gallops out super. I think the time in between races has done her well. She’s put on some weight and she seems very fit and happy.” 

Malathaat has captured a trio of Grade 1 events this year, including the Ashland at Keeneland, Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and Alabama at Saratoga.

On Thursday morning, Pletcher worked his 2-year-old Breeders’ Cup hopefuls, which include Annapolis [Juvenile Turf], Commandperformance [Juvenile], and Double Thunder [Juvenile].  

Bass Stables homebred Annapolis, winner of the Grade 2 Pilgrim, and Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Grade 1 Champagne runner-up Commandperformance each went five furlongs in 1:02.02 and 1:01.02, respectively.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ Double Thunder, runner up in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, went a half-mile with blinkers on in 49.98 seconds.  

“Everyone looked great this morning and came out of their works in good shape,” Pletcher said.  

In non-Breeders’ Cup related news from the Pletcher barn, the veteran conditioner said Donegal Racing’s Mo Donegal, who broke his maiden going 1 1/16 miles on Thursday at Belmont, will likely target the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen on December 4 at Aqueduct.

Bella Sofia works six furlongs for Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint

Michael Imperio, Medallion Racing, Sofia Soares, Vincent Scuderi, and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Bella Sofia, with trainer Rudy Rodriguez up, breezed six furlongs in 1:14.23 in company with Empire Distaff-bound filly Trinni Luck over Big Sandy Friday morning.

“She breezed good,” Rodriguez said. “We went head and head and then I let her finish up a little bit. It was just what I was looking for - nice and comfortable. So far, so good.”

The sophomore daughter of Awesome Patriot will ship to California Saturday to continue preparations for her start in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 6 at Del Mar.

Rodriguez will be sending out his fourth Breeders’ Cup starter following Belle Gallantey who finished ninth in the 2014 Distaff; and Jamyson ‘n Ginger [5th] and Colorful Charades [12th] in the 2016 Juvenile Fillies.

The veteran conditioner, who has won 11 individual meet titles on the NYRA circuit, said a good performance at Del Mar would be very meaningful.

“We're going to the Breeders' Cup and that's the World Series for us. Hopefully, she keeps getting better. Right now, the sky is the limit,” Rodriguez said.

Unraced as a 2-year-old, Bella Sofia, who has won 4-of-5 starts, made headlines with a powerful 4 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Longines Test in August at Saratoga and followed last out with a dominant score in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap on September 26 at Belmont, besting elders for the third time in her career.

Rodriguez said Bella Sofia has the ability to rate if needed which will benefit returning rider Luis Saez, who won his first Breeders’ Cup race last year with 2-year-old Champion Essential Quality.

“I think she can do whatever the jockey asks her to do. She can definitely sit but she has the speed to be clear. It's a good problem to have,” Rodriguez said. “We’re lucky to have Luis back, he’s one of the top guys.”

The talented filly’s only loss came at second asking in the six-furlong Jersey Girl on June 6 at Belmont when she bobbled at the start and finished second to Australasia, who was in the midst of a six-race win streak.

Rodriguez said he is hopeful that Bella Sofia will be able to travel her talents to the West Coast.

“She's very special and we're just hoping she continues to get better. With everything she's doing she seems to be improving and I'm hoping she'll give us a good performance in California,” Rodriguez said. “I just try to stay out of her way and let her do her thing. She knows how to run, so I just have to keep her happy and comfortable.”

War Bomber looks to go from claim to fame in G2 Hill Prince

War Bomber, trained by Norm McKnight for owner Bruno Schickedanz, looms a live longshot in Saturday’s 46th running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Hill Prince for 3-year-olds going nine furlongs over the Belmont Park inner turf. 

By War Front, the well-related stakes-winner out of the Indian Ridge mare Sun Shower is a full sibling to Group 1-winner Lancaster Bomber and a half-brother to multiple Group 1-winner Excelebration [by Exceed and Excel].

Initially campaigned by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, War Bomber was off the board on debut in March at Gulfstream and returned in June as a gelding when seventh off a three-month layoff in a seven-furlong turf maiden special weight at Woodbine Racetrack.

War Bomber graduated at third asking in a seven-furlong maiden claiming sprint in July at Woodbine. He was claimed next out for $25,000 on August 21 from a rallying score after being steadied at the start in a one-mile inner turf test versus older company.

“I liked the fact that in the next couple of races after being gelded there was a progression of improvement,” McKnight said. “I thought for $25,000 he would be worth the money. His pedigree is impeccable and the horse looked like he was improving race to race.”

McKnight said he appreciated War Bomber’s competitive spirit in his August 21 coup.

“He had a bad trip that day but I really liked the way he accelerated home,” McKnight said. “It's not that he beat a lot, but he accelerated home really well. It was visually impressive to me.”

War Bomber rewarded his new connections first up with a two-length score in the one-mile Toronto Cup over firm footing on Woodbine’s E. P. Taylor Turf Course with regular pilot Shaun Bridgmohan aboard.

“When I got him back to the barn I really liked him and he breezed really well, so I elected to go in the stake and it really worked out,” McKnight said. “He [Bridgmohan] told me the key was trying to get him to relax behind horses and let him run on end. That's what he did in the Toronto Cup and it looked to me like he had a lot of horse every part of the mile.”

War Bomber breezed back a bullet half-mile in 46.60 out of his stakes win on September 26 over the Woodbine Tapeta but has since had a pair of more tempered four-furlong works.

“He breezed back out of his race in 46 but that's not what I wanted,” McKnight said. “I wanted a slower work out of that so I slowed him down his next couple breezes and hopefully I've done the right thing.”

War Bomber arrived at Belmont on Thursday and will be saddled on Saturday by McKnight’s son and assistant trainer, Brad, as the family seeks their first NYRA circuit win.

Dylan Davis, who traveled to Woodbine last weekend and captured his first Grade 1 aboard Mutamakina in the E.P. Taylor, has the call from post 5.

Mott’s Breeders’ Cup contenders on the work tab at Saratoga

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is training a number of his contenders for the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, slated for November 5-6 at Del Mar, over the Oklahoma dirt and turf training tracks at Saratoga Race Course.

Mott, a 10-time Breeders’ Cup winner, could look to add to his totals with Art Collector [Classic], War Like Goddess [Filly and Mare Turf] Horologist [Distaff], Channel Maker [Turf] and Casa Creed [Mile/Turf Sprint].

“We have a few [Breeders’ Cup horses] that will be one of the first four choices in their races and then a few who are on the outside looking in types of longshots, but all of them are doing well and that’s all you can ask for,” said Mott’s son and assistant trainer Riley Mott.

Bruce Lunsford’s Art Collector worked five furlongs in 1:01.85 Friday over the Oklahoma dirt training track.

The 4-year-old Bernardini colt is in the midst of a three-race win streak, including scores in the Alydar on August 6 at the Spa, the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on August 27 and the Grade 1 Woodward on October 2 at Belmont.

“He looks good and he’s a willing horse,” Riley Mott said. “He came out of his last race extremely well; he’ll have to if he’s going to run against the big boys in the Classic.”

There’s a Chance Stable, Medallion Racing Abbondanza Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Horologist finished ninth in last year’s Distaff at Keeneland. She breezed a half-mile in 47.84 Friday over the Oklahoma dirt training track.

Mott said the 5-year-old daughter of Gemologist’s runner-up effort last out in the Grade 2 Beldame could be a good omen as three of his father’s five Distaff winners completed the exacta in the prestigious race ahead of Breeders’ Cup glory, including Royal Delta [2011], Unrivalled Belle [2010] and Ajina [1997].

“She ran second last time and is in with an outside chance,” Mott said. “I was talking to my dad the other day and we have won three Distaffs after having finished second in the Beldame. So that’s a good omen.”

Mott also saddled Escena to victory in the 1998 Distaff off a sixth-place finish in the Personal Ensign, while Royal Delta’s 2012 Distaff score followed a win in that year’s Personal Ensign.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Channel Maker finished third in last year’s Turf – his best effort in three appearances in the turf marathon after finishing off-the-board in 2018-19.

The reigning Champion Turf Male, a four-time Grade 1-winner, finished fourth last out in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 9 at Belmont. He worked a half-mile in 48.75 Friday over the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“He’s doing well. He’s one of the ones that will have to regain his form from last year to be competitive. [The Breeders’ Cup] is still the plan,” Mott said.

George Krikorian’s War Like Goddess, a 4-year-old daughter of English Channel, has flourished this year, winning 6-of-7 starts including her last four in graded company taking the Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream and the Grade 3 Bewitch in April at Keeneland ahead of scores in the Grade 2 Glens Falls and Grade 1 Flower Bowl this summer at Saratoga.

She breezed five-eighths in 1:02.55 Friday over the Oklahoma training turf.

“She’s doing great and we are very excited about her,” Mott said. “She’ll be a top three horse in her race, and deservedly so. She’s had a great year.”

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable’s Casa Creed earned a berth to the five-furlong Turf Sprint with a win in the Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur in June at Belmont, but is targeting a return engagement in the Mile – a race the 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay finished 12th in last year. He breezed five furlongs in 1:02.55 Friday on the Oklahoma training turf.

Cross Island Parkway to be closed Sunday

The stretch of the Cross Island Parkway that runs by Belmont Park will be closed to traffic this Sunday, October 24. The closure is for the installation over the road of steel girders to support platforms for the new Elmont train station.

The Cross Island parkway will close between the Southern State/Belt Parkway to the south and the Grand Central Parkway to the north, starting at 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 23. It is expected to reopen to traffic by 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Local fans may use Plainfield Ave/Elmont Rd to Hempstead Turnpike West or Springfield Blvd to Hempstead Ave East then enter through Gate 5 for Belmont Park.

Fans traveling from Eastern Long Island may use the Meadowbrook Parkway to Hempstead Turnpike West.

Fans traveling from the West may use the Van Wyck/Whitestone Expressway combination to Jamaica Ave East then continue onto Hempstead Ave East.

Sunday’s 10-race card at Belmont is highlighted by the $100,000 Point of Entry in Race 9. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Belmont Park Week 8 stakes probables

Friday, October 29

Oyster Bay

Probable: Backtohisroots (John Terranova), Battle Station (Daniel Velazquez), Buy Land and See (Tony Dutrow), Fauci (Phil Antonacci), Guildsman (Robert Falcone, Je.), Made You Look (Phil Bauer), Matta (Mike Trombetta), Value Proposition (Chad Brown),

Possible: Voodoo Zip (Christophe Clement)

Empire Showcase Day – Saturday, October 30

Empire Classic

Probable: Americanrevolution (Todd Pletcher), Captain Bombastic (Steve Asmussen), Danny California (Rudy Rodriguez), Mr. Buff (John Kimmel), Sea Foam (Michelle Giangiulio), Three Jokers (Terranova), Yankee Division (Rodriguez)

Possible: Emperor’s Cause (Matthew Williams), Too Early (Linda Rice)

Empire Distaff

Probable: Byhubbyhellomoney (Bob Dunham), Dancing Kiki (Mike Maker), Ice Princess (Danny Gargan), Maiden Beauty (Falcone, Jr.), Make Mischief (Mark Casse), Mrs. Orb (Mike Miceli), Sharp Starr (Horacio DePaz), Trinni Luck (Rodriguez)

Sleepy Hollow

Probable: Overstep (Pletcher), Shipsational (Edward Barker), Sterling Hill (Michael Bray), Supreme Being (Uriah St. Lewis), Woo Hoo That’s Me (Jorge Abreu)

Possible: I Found It (Rafael Rohena), Sundaeswithsandy (Rodriguez)

Maid of the Mist

Probable: Captainsdaughter (Russell Cash), Classy Edition (Pletcher), Luz (Antonio Arriaga), Sandy’s Garden (John Tebbutt), Sue Ellen Mishkin (Abreu), Velvet Sister (Asmussen), Venti Valentine (Abreu)

Mohawk

Probable: City Man (Clement), Cold Hard Cash (Rice), Cross Border (Maker), Lord Flintshire (Abreu), Regal Speaker (Gargan), Rinaldi (H. James Bond), Sanctuary City (James Ferraro), Therapist (Clement)

Possible: Outrageous Bet (Patrick Reynolds)

Ticonderoga

Probable: Barkin (Catherine Day Phillips), Cara’s Dreamer (Mitchell Friedman), Chasing Cara (Friedman), Classic Lady (Clement), Giacosa (Bond), Two Cent Tootsie (Tom Albertrani)

Iroquois

Probable: Bank Sting (Terranova), Espresso Shot (Abreu), Fight On Lucy (Patrick Kelly), Hannah Dances (M. Anthony Ferraro), Letmetakethiscall (James Ferraro), Miss Jimmy (Bruce Anderson), The Important One (Asmussen)

Hudson

Probable: Amundson (DePaz), Chestertown (Asmussen), Foolish Ghost (Ray Handal), Jemography (Mark Hennig), Judge N Jury (Gargan), Ny Traffic (Saffie Joseph, Jr.), Our Last Buck (Michelle Nevin)

Possible: Market Alert (Ryerson)

Sunday, October 31

G3 Bold Ruler

Probable: Drafted (David Duggan), Endorsed (Maker), Lil Commissioner (Rob Atras), Plainsman (Brad Cox), Wendell Fong (Chad Summers)

Possible: Mr Phil (Ryerson), Wondrwherecraigis (Brittany Russell)

Zagora

Probable: Always Shopping (Pletcher), Beautiful Lover (Clement), Hungry Kitten (Shug McGaughey), Orglandes (C. Brown), Sister Otoole (Graham Motion)

Possible: Go Big Blue Nation (Mike McCarthy), Key Biscayne (Maker)

Awad

Probable: Artie’s Angel (Douglas Nunn), Daunt (Robert Ribaudo), Dripping Gold (McGaughey), General Ken (C. Brown), Geno (David Donk), Kiss the sky (Maker), Royal Spirit (Pletcher)

Possible: Sundaeswithsandy (Rodriguez)

Chelsey Flower

Probable: Blissful (Cherie DeVaux), Caironi (Miceli), Eminent Victory (C. Brown), Hail To (Albertrani), Kinchen (C. Brown), Lady Milagro (Carlos Martin), Mischievous Kiss (Bill Mott), Ouraika (Motion), Philly Eagles (Casse), Pizza Bianca (Clement), Shad Nation (Clement)

Possible: Yin Yang (Cox)

Pumpkin Pie

Probable: Aunt Kat (Mott), Neven Enough Time (Trombetta), Regal Retort (Asmussen), Truth Hurts (Summers), Victim of Love (Todd Beattie)

Possible: Juror Number Four (B. Russell), Union Maiden (C. Brown)