Fazzone savoring his Saratoga stakes win with Buttah

• Fazzone savoring his Saratoga stakes win with Buttah
• Clement considering options for Bottas after G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame win
• Kentucky Belle impressed off the layoff in G2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks
• Dual Classic winner Golden Tempo turns in Saturday breeze in lead up to G1 DraftKings Travers
• Ocelli breezes over Saratoga main track; G1 DraftKings Travers remains possible

Eddie Fazzone has enjoyed stakes wins at Aqueduct Racetrack with the full-brothers Lobsta and Chowda, and their 4-year-old half-sibling Buttah took the family’s stakes success north to Saratoga Race Course when he posted a 1 1/2-length win in Thursday’s seven-furlong John Morrissey.

“He’s doing really well right now and seems to be getting better and better,” said Fazzone, whose racing moniker Eddie F’s Racing shares the name of his seafood restaurant on Clinton Street in Saratoga Springs. “Any time you win a race at Saratoga, it’s special for anyone, local or not. It’s a special place to win, and everyone wants to win here. For everyone that is involved and came out to support us and the horse, it was phenomenal. I feel blessed that I have had all the brothers, and now he’s a stakes winner, too.”

The Ilkay Kantarmaci-trained 4-year-old son of Leofric broke through after two previous stakes placings in New York, including a tough beat when second by a neck to George Briggs in last year’s off-the-turf Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series. A year later, Buttah would not be denied again, and shook off the pestering Acoustic Ave while fending off the late run from the favored Doc Sullivan to capture the sprint for New York-breds 3-years-old and up in a sharp final time of 1:22.80. The effort was awarded a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It was always fun when we started with Chowda and I put some lists of names on our website and let our customers pick the name,” the local restaurateur recalled. “Chowda was the overwhelming winner, then we had Lobsta and we just kept it going. It’s been a fun ride with the names, but the horses have been a super family for me and my partners. We couldn’t be happier, and it was just a great win. Every time you think it can’t get better to win a race, it does.”

Buttah entered the Morrissey from an impressive one-length allowance score at odds of 29-1 facing open company in what proved to be a significant key race on June 6 Belmont Stakes Day. The third-place finisher, Local Knowledge, came back to win the Grade 2 Amsterdam on July 31 here; fourth-place finisher Yo Banana Boy won the Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes; while fifth-place Sea Strike followed with a win in the Spa's restricted Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos on August 2.

“Going into that race on Belmont Day, he had run at Aqueduct three weeks prior in the came exact condition, and we got beat a head. We knew this race was in the book, and we figured it would come up the same,” Fazzone said. “They drew the race and I was like, ‘oh my god, where did these horses come from?’ He’d been training so good and he just is a fighter. If you have him up close, when you turn for home, those brothers all fight.”

With most of his conditions now exhausted, Buttah is likely to step up again next out, eyeing the seven-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh on September 26 at Belmont Park. The Vosburgh offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in October at Keeneland.

“There’s really no New York-bred stakes coming up for him, and Ilkay and I discussed pointing him to the Vosburgh to take a shot,” Fazzone said. “It’s a Grade 3 and going to be a really tough race, but at some point you’ve got to take the chance and seven furlongs is his favorite distance. The way he’s going right now, we’ll train him up for that and we’ll see if he steps up to the next level.”

Buttah and his accomplished siblings are all produced from the Chief Seattle mare Salty Little Sis, and were bred at John Jayko’s Fedwell Farm just around the corner from Fazzone’s popular eatery.

“The mare had nine foals, all colts and no fillies. I was always waiting for a filly, but she never did, and she’s done now,” Fazzone said. “Their last brother is Tartah, and he’s going to make his debut here at the end of the meet.”

Tartah, a juvenile son of Tourist, is in training at the Spa with Rob Falcone, Jr., and has turned in six works since June, most recently covering a half-mile from the gate in 48.77 seconds on August 1.

“No pressure on him, he’s got some big shoes to fill,” Fazzone said, with a laugh. “But he’s doing good and Falcone said he’s getting better with every week and catching on to what his job is. He looks like a horse who wants to do it, so hopefully everything goes good with him.”

In addition to Tartah, promising New York-bred talent for Fazzone includes the Warrior’s Charge colt Mr Rigatoni, who is training at Belmont Park with Kantarmaci. Branching out with a name for a new food group, Fazzone said Mr. Rigatoni could be the start of a new line of stable stars with charming culinary names.  

“It could be,” Fazzone said, with a laugh. “He’s from the first crop of Warrior’s Charge and we’ll see what happens. Our focus is always the New York-breds, and we’re not a huge partnership that is spending a lot, but it’s working out. I love New York-breds.” 

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Clement considering options for Bottas after G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame win

Dahman’s Bottas earned his second career graded victory with a 1 1/2-length score in Friday’s Grade 2, $400,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Miguel Clement cross-entered Bottas in Saturday’s 1 3/16-mile Grade 1 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing here, but opted for the Hall of Fame after surveying the fields, rather than the shorter distance.

“Bottas came out of the race in good order,” Clement said. “I think he has no distance limitations between a mile and a mile and a quarter. I think he’s very versatile. He could probably even go seven-eighths to be frank. When mentally switched off, he’s easy. I’m less concerned about distance than everything else in regards to him.”

Bottas enjoyed a masterful ride from Manny Franco, who kept the Irad Ortiz, Jr.-ridden favorite Touch of Fire hemmed in to earn his record-equaling sixth win on the day.

“That was a terrific ride from Manny, kept Irad boxed in for the longest amount of time, which was probably the winning move,” said Clement, son of the late trainer Christophe Clement, who earlier Friday was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. “That’s a special feat to win six races in a day.”

Next race options are open for Bottas, including Kentucky Downs’ one-mile Listed Gun Runner on September 7 and 10 1/2-furlong Nashville Derby on September 5, the local one-mile $200,000 Gio Ponti on September 7, and the nine-furlong Grade 3 Old Dominion Derby on September 7 at Colonial Downs.

“There’s several options: two at Kentucky Downs, one at Saratoga, one in Virginia. We have options. The horse will guide us which way to go, but you have your fair share of options,” Clement said.

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Kentucky Belle impressed off the layoff in G2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks

WinStar Farm’s Kentucky homebred Kentucky Belle was a rallying head winner over the favored Faithful Departed in Friday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks, a 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf route for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the daughter of Justify entered from a near four-month respite, but was dialed in as she followed the run of Faithful Departed into the lane and angled out to run her down in the final strides, completing the course in 1:53.80 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“She came back good and she was full of herself this morning,” Cox said. “It was a big effort from her and a huge win. The team did a great job with her getting ready and she was putting in some good works over the Oklahoma turf course and she was ready. I always thought she was one that was going to like a lot of ground, and a mile and three-sixteenths off a layoff is always a big ask, especially in a Grade 2, but she responded well.”

Kentucky Belle is out of the unraced Tiznow mare Dancing Fancy, a daughter of Canadian Hall of Famer and 2001 Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Dancethruthedawn. Her royal lineage goes back to Reine-de-Course broodmare and Canadian Triple Crown-winner Dance Smartly, who is enshrined in both the American and Canadian Halls of Fame.

The next spot for Kentucky Belle is likely the Grade 3, $2 million [$1 million KTDF] Dueling Grounds Oaks on September 9 at Kentucky Downs, which Cox won last year with Grade 1 Belmont Oaks-winner Fionn. That filly is slated to make her return to the races off an almost seven-month layoff in Race 6 [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] on Thursday at the Spa, a one-mile turf optional claimer for older fillies and mares.

“The distance isn’t probably ideal, she needs more ground, but we need to get her started again and get back in the swing of things,” Cox said of the 4-year-old Twirling Candy filly that won last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Oaks here. “She’s ready to run. In a perfect world, it would be nice to run in a mile and an eighth race, but this is a starting point and she’s training well.”

Cox also provided an update on Juddmonte’s Kentucky homebred Touch of Fire, who finished a troubled-trip third in Friday’s one-mile Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame after saving ground early and being boxed in through upper stretch. He angled out and made a willing run under Ortiz, Jr., but had to settle for third 1 3/4 lengths back of the victorious Bottas.

“It is what it is – we didn’t really have the trip we were hoping for, but the effort was there, so we’ll regroup and hopefully find another stakes spot for him,” Cox said. “An option is the Gun Runner [September 7] at Kentucky Downs, so we’ll see how he trains in the next few weeks and figure out where he’ll end up.”

The sophomore son of Constitution is a three-time winner from six starts, including a victory in the Listed Audubon in May at Churchill Downs. He entered the Hall of Fame from a fourth in the July 4 Grade 1 Belmont Derby won by Title Role, holding onto that position by a nose over familiar foe Bottas. 

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Dual Classic winner Golden Tempo turns in Saturday breeze in lead up to G1 DraftKings Travers

Star power came to the Saratoga Race Course main track early on Whitney Day as Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets winner Golden Tempo breezed four furlongs in 48.94 seconds while working in company to the inside of stablemate Paige Turner.

With Jose Ortiz aboard, Golden Tempo covered the first quarter-mile in 24 1/5 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 2/5, according to NYRA clockers.

“Kind of the same as what we have been doing, just a nice half with a big gallop out,” said trainer Cherie DeVaux. “[It] probably will be the last of those types of works and he’ll just have a more traditional half, gallop out, and ease on down after.

“For him and the way he runs, [the gallop out] is really important,” DeVaux later added. “If you look at a race, he’s just getting going after a half. It’s really just that extension of a work, and going a mile and a quarter I want to make sure he’s plenty fit.”

Saturday’s work was the third over the track and fourth overall for Golden Tempo since he validated his Grade 1 Kentucky Derby upset victory with a 1 1/4-length win in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, which was contested June 6 at Saratoga. He is training up to a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29, which like this year’s Belmont Stakes will be contested at 10 furlongs at Saratoga.

Golden Tempo, a Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable homebred, had previously breezed on Sundays since shipping to Saratoga as he had worked four furlongs in 48.51 seconds on July 26 and 47.67 seconds six days ago. With Sunday's forecast looking uncertain, DeVaux decided to have the bay son of Curlin breeze today.

“We just want to make sure we stay on a weekend schedule with him,” the trainer explained.

As in his previous breezes at Saratoga, Golden Tempo worked inside of his stablemate.

“If you have a horse who is really keen, you probably don’t want him on the inside so they’re not being pressured,” said DeVaux. "With him, [he works inside another horse] because I want him to gallop out usually. His objective is different than the other horse’s objective. He’s running in these top races, and the filly he worked with it’s her first week back, and she’s actually a very good work horse. She stayed with him most of the way. It’s the horse, it’s the situation, it’s what you are trying to get out of them. Babies we switch them inside and outside, but with for [Golden Tempo] it’s generally inside. He stays in the bridle, stays engaged, and then he can gallop out without interfering with the other horse.”

Englishman, the dominant winner of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun here on June 6, breezed four furlongs in 50.00 seconds on Friday at Keeneland. Owned by C R K Racing Stable, Englishman has been pointed toward the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds on the DraftKings Travers undercard.

“He had a nice work, an easy work, but a very nice work yesterday,” said DeVaux.

Later today, DeVaux will saddle Remember Mamba in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing, which is Race 11 on a 14-race card headed by the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney and also includes the Grade 1, $500,000 Test presented by Ticketmaster and the Grade 1, $750,000 Fourstardave.

Owned by C R K Racing, Remember Mamba won the Grade 3 Transylvania in April at Keeneland and enters the Saratoga Derby off a third in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on July 4.

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Ocelli breezes over Saratoga main track; G1 DraftKings Travers remains possible

The Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29 remains a possibility for Ocelli, who on Saturday breezed four furlongs on the Saratoga main track in 47.90 seconds, according to NYRA clockers.

“Fantastic. One word,” said trainer Whit Beckman of the move before adding, “It was good. It was great. Broke off well, came home well, galloped out phenomenally.”

The maiden Ocelli – who was third in both the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino and Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness, and second in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby – is looking to rebound following a last-of-seven effort over sloppy and sealed footing under Tyler Gaffalione in the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell on July 18 at Monmouth Park. He breezed four furlongs in 49.40 seconds over the Saratoga main track August 2.

“The [Haskell] was a bit of a head-scratching situation that we are trying to figure out,” said Beckman, who conditions Ocelli for Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate, and Front Page Equestrian. “But Tyler is confident, I’m confident from what I saw that it was more or less the conditions and the track surface than anything inherent with him. So, after these two last works here I’m very happy with him.”

Beckman said a decision regarding Ocelli’s next start will be made later this month with strong consideration given to either the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29 or the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 19 at Parx Racing.

“He looks like he’s going to have some good form here which will set him up for the Travers, or if that turned it into something where we thought the [Pennsylvania Derby] might be best, maybe that,” said Beckman. "We still got weeks before [those races], so we are just kind of training him right now and [will see] what he looks like the week before the Travers and go from there."