Adam Coglianese Photo

New York-breds set to shine on annual New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course

by NYRA Press Office

A total of 115 horses are entered for a special 11-race all New York-bred card on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course to celebrate the best of racing in the Empire State for the annual New York Showcase Day, featuring six stakes worth a combined $1.25 million.

"Saratoga New York Showcase Day is a celebration of New York's horse racing and breeding industry during the annual prestigious Saratoga Race Course meet," said New York Thoroughbred Breeders executive director Najja Thompson. “The entire card, including six stakes races for New York-breds, shows the depth and quality of our program with competitive purses and incentives. The day highlights why it pays to breed, own and race in New York. Each entrant has a unique and compelling story to tell and it's a great day for our state breeders and owners and racing fans to cheer and wager in celebration of the continued rise of New York-breds."

The lucrative card is headlined by the 47th running of the $250,000 Albany [Race 5], a nine-furlong test for sophomores on the main track topped by Group 2-placed Pandagate [post 4, Dylan Davis].

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Arrogate grey boasts state-bred stakes wins in the Gander in February at Aqueduct Racetrack and the New York Derby last out on July 15 at Finger Lakes. Those wins surrounded a trip to Dubai for a closing third-place finish in the Group 2 UAE Derby in March at Meydan Racecourse.

Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stable and On The Rise Again Stable's Pandagate, with returning rider Dylan Davis up, rallied from 5th-of-6 in the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby, making a wide bid into the final turn to take command at the stretch call and outlast the charge of reopposing Doc Sullivan to score by three-quarters of a length.

The $130,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale purchase has banked $297,050 through a 5-3-0-2 record. Bred by Fred W. Hertrich, III, Pandagate is out of the stakes-placed Sky Mesa mare Kitty Panda.

TriStar Farm’s Doc Sullivan [post 6, Javier Castellano] boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 8-4-3-1 record for trainer Michael Miceli. Bred by Seamus Coughlan, the Solomini colt ran second to Pandagate in both the Gander and New York Derby but did enjoy stakes success of his own with a four-length romp of the seven-furlong state-bred Mike Lee over sloppy and sealed footing on June 9 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga.

Doc Sullivan, out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Queen Frostine, was a $59,000 purchase at the OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale. His second dam, Parchisi, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winners Sun King and Ocean Drive, and Grade 1-winner Traitor. His extended family also includes multiple graded stakes-winners Peeping Tom and Hurricane Bertie.

Opposition will be provided by multiple stakes-placed Aggelos the Great [post 1, Manny Franco] for trainer George Weaver; stakes-placed B D Saints [post 3, Ramon Vazquez] for conditioner Michael Maker; stakes-placed Skyler’s Starship [post 2, Keiber Coa] for trainer Anthony Ferraro; and stakes-placed Liberty Central [post 5, Jose Gomez] for conditioner Patrick Quick.

Repole Stable’s homebred Carmen’s Candy Jar [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] makes her return to state-bred company after a last-out fourth in the Listed Schuylerville in the day’s opening race, the $200,000 Seeking the Ante [Race 1] for juvenile fillies sprinting six furlongs.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the daughter of Vino Rosso was a stalk-and-pounce winner on debut in June at Belmont at the Big A, rallying to best Sassy Shenanigans by one length in a five-furlong state-bred maiden. She followed with another stalking trip in the Schuylerville on July 11 where she put in a mild bid but was no match for the victorious The Queens M G, who exited to win the Grade 3 Adirondack here.

Carmen’s Candy Jar is out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare No Mo Shopping, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Always Shopping and out of the Grade 1-placed Stopshoppingmaria.

Completing the field are maiden-winners Accelerating [post 4, Jose Ortiz], a $325,000 2-year-old for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen; the Jeremiah Englehart-trained Bellacose [post 1, Manny Franco]; Trail of Gold [post 3, John Velazquez] for trainer David Donk; and Central to Success [post 2, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Butch Reid, Jr.

The $200,000 West Point presented by Trustco Bank [Race 4], a 1 1/16-mile inner turf handicap for older horses, is headlined by the streaking Spirit of St Louis [post 4, Manny Franco] for owners Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn.

Bred by Chester Broman and Mary Broman, Spirit of St Louis boasts an 8-for-10 record with five consecutive stakes wins for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, including a three-length romp of the state-bred Hudson Valley last-out on July 7 at Belmont at the Big A. The 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding's most recent loss was a runner-up finish in last year’s West Point captured by returning rival City Man.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles’ multiple graded stakes-winner City Man [post 2, Joel Rosario] took 2021’s running in addition to last year’s edition of this event. Bred by Moonstar Farm, the Christophe Clement-trained 7-year-old son of Mucho Macho Man holds an 11-for-33 career that features wins in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale and Grade 3 Forbidden Apple in 2022. He was Champion NYTB Turf Male in 2022/23.

Reeves’ Thoroughbred Racing’s four-time stakes winner Dakota Gold [post 1, Dylan Davis] joins the fray for conditioner Danny Gargan. The 5-year-old Freud gelding, bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ronald L. Bowden Living Trust, has hit the board in 11-of-16 lifetime starts including stakes scores in the state-bred Hudson Valley [2023], eligible-sired Cab Calloway [2022] and Spectacular Bid [2022], and the open Nownownow [2021].

The field is completed by the graded stakes-placed Jerry the Nipper [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and stakes-winner Itsallcomintogetha [post 3, Jose Gomez] for conditioner Phil Serpe.

WinStar Farm and William Butler’s graded stakes-winner My Mane Squeeze [post 8, Luis Saez] is the would-be headliner of the $200,000 Fleet Indian [Race 8], a nine-furlong route for sophomore fillies. However, trainer Mike Maker indicated today that he was leaning towards running the Butler-bred Audible dark bay in Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Charles Town Oaks.

My Mane Squeeze graduated at second asking here in September and ascended the ranks with state-bred scores in the Maid of the Mist in October at Belmont at the Big A, along with the Franklin Square and Maddie May at Aqueduct. My Mane Squeeze added the Grade 2 Eight Belles to her ledger in May at Churchill Downs and has made her last two outings in Grade 1-company at Saratoga, finishing fourth in the DK Horse Acorn in June and third in the Test presented by Ticketmaster on August 3.

Out of the three-time winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, My Mane Squeeze is a half-sister to the Maker-trained Butler homebred Rotknee, who is graded stakes-placed with six stakes victories. My Mane Squeeze has banked $694,110 in total purses through a 10-5-0-3 record.

Lael Stables’ Landed [post 2, John Velazquez] ran second in the aforementioned Maddie May, but has reeled off back-to-back scores, taking an open-company optional-claimer in April at Keeneland ahead of a 1 1/4-length score over returning rival Caldwell Luvs Gold in the state-bred Bouwerie on June 9 here.

Trained by Wesley Ward, the Omaha Beach bay was a $500,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Landed is out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Glory Gold and is a half-sister to the multiple graded stakes-placed Venti Valentine – who is entered in Sunday’s Yaddo - and multiple stakes-winner Espresso Shot. She was bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable.

A talented group includes graded stakes-placed Dolomite [post 4, Manny Franco] for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown; multiple stakes-winner Caldwell Luvs Gold [post 9, Florent Geroux] for dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox; multiple stakes-winner My Shea D Lady [post 1, Javier Castellano] for conditioner Carlos David; stakes-winner Sweet Brown Sugar [post 7, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Paul Barrow; multiple stakes-placed Bernietakescharge [post 3, Romero Maragh] for conditioner Domenick Schettino; stakes-placed Maggy’s Palace [post 6, Dylan Davis] for trainer James Ryerson; and four-time winner Call Her Bluff [post 5, Joel Rosario] for trainer and co-owner Rudy Rodriguez.

Grade 3-winner Mo Plex [post 10, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] brings top form to a field of 10 in the $200,000 Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital [Race 9], a six-furlong sprint for juveniles.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart for owner R and H Stable, the son of top freshman sire Complexity is undefeated in two starts, including a 10-length romp on debut in a 5 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden in June at Belmont at the Big A, and a last-out coup of the Grade 3 Sanford here on July 13, leading at every point of call to notch the one-length score over stakes-winner Studlydoright.

Bred by Everything’s Cricket Racing, Mo Plex was a $45,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare Mo Joy.

Trainer Mike Maker will saddle two contenders in search of back-to-back wins in this event after sending out The Wine Steward to capture last year’s edition. This year, he brings impressive debut winners Under Who’s Radar [post 7, Jose Ortiz], who earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure for a 3 1/2-length romp sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on July 19 here, and Smilensaycheese [post 1, Luis Saez].

The competitive field includes maiden-winners Bostontonian [post 6, Frankie Dettori] for conditioner Wesley Ward; Mi Bago [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione] for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse; the George Weaver-trained Soontobeking [post 9, Eric Cancel]; McDiesel [post 5, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Rudy Rodriguez; In the Chase [post 8, Manny Franco] for trainer Carlos David; and maidens The Toner [post 2, Julien Leparoux] for conditioner Caio Caramori and Friday Surprise [post 3, Francisco Martinez] for owner/trainer Uriah St. Lewis.

The $200,000 Yaddo [Race 10], a 1 1/16-mile Mellon turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, is led by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco’s Silver Skillet [post 5, Joel Rosario].

Bred by Robert Chasanoff, the 4-year-old Liam’s Map gray is the reigning NYTB Champion Turf Female trained by Christophe Clement. Silver Skillet earned a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure in her last two starts, which were a four-length victory in the state-bred Mount Vernon going one-mile here on dirt on June 9 ahead of a seven-length trouncing of the 1 1/16-mile turf Port Washington on July 7 at Belmont at the Big A.

She will be challenged by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ multiple graded stakes placed Venti Valentine [post 8, Luis Saez]. Trained by Jorge Abreu, the 5-year-old Firing Line chestnut is set to try the turf after a misfire when stumbling at the break in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Shuvee here on July 21 following a win in the local state-bred Critical Eye on June 9.

Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, Venti Valentine, out of the winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Glory Gold, is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Espresso Shot and active state-bred stakes-winner Landed. She earned NYTB Champion 2-Year-Old Filly honors in 2021.

Abreu also sends out stakes-winner Moonage Daydream [post 7, Jose Ortiz] for owner Chris Larsen. The 4-year-old Candy Ride bay, bred by 3C Stable, won the 2022 Stewart Manor at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The field also includes graded-stakes placed Stonewall Star [post 6, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for conditioner Horacio De Paz; stakes-winners Whatlovelookslike [post 4, Dylan Davis] for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and Marvelous Maude [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown; and Snowy Evening [post 2, Javier Castellano] for trainer David Donk and Spinning Colors [post 1, John Velazquez] for conditioner Mark Hennig.

First post on Sunday’s card is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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