NYTB to honor trio of legendary New York-breds

by Najja Thompson

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. will honor three more of the greatest New York-breds to compete and represent the program at Saratoga Race Course during the Saratoga New York Showcase Day program Sunday, August 27.

Connections from Dayatthespa, Mind Your Biscuits and Saratoga Dew will be honored after the sixth race Sunday – the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Honors New York-bred Legends. The trio were chosen by a distinguished panel of New York turf writers and represent the second class of honorees recognizing their importance in setting forth the New York-bred program.

They join last year’s inaugural group of Fio Rito, Commentator, Fourstardave, Funny Cide and Tiz The Law.

Dayatthespa: The Eclipse Award-winning champion turf female in 2014 earned New York-bred Horse of the Year, older female and turf female titles that same season. She won three of four starts that season, including the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Bred by Castellare DiCracchiolo Stable, Cracchiolo and Goldsher and foaled at Empire Stud in Hudson, the daughter of City Zip was the first New York-bred winner of a seven-figure Breeders’ Cup World Championship event. Recognized as New York-bred champion 3-year-old filly and turf female in 2012, Dayatthespa won 11 of 18 starts and earned $2,288,892 for owners Jerry Frankel, Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon and Pete Bradley and trainer Chad Brown. She’s the seventh leading New York-bred earner.

Saratoga Dew: Bred by Penny Chenery and campaigned by Charles Engel, Saratoga Dew became the New York breeding program’s first Eclipse Award winner after an 11-start campaign that produced eight wins in 1992. Trained by Gary Sciacca, Saratoga Dew started her champion 3-year-old filly campaign – and career – in mid-January 1992 with a victory at Aqueduct. She rattled off five straight, including the Grade 2 Comely. The daughter of New York-based sire Cormorant later added the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes and Grade 1 Gazelle Handicap and Grade 1 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park to her resume before a run in the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Gulfstream. Foaled at Erch-less Farm in Old Westbury She earned New York-bred Horse of the Year, champion sprinter and champion 3-year-old filly honors that same season.

Mind Your Biscuits: A globe-trotting son of New York-based sire Posse, Mind Your Biscuits won back-to-back editions of the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen along with four other stakes including the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita in 2016. Campaigned for most of his career by M. Scott Summers, Daniel Summers, J Stables and trainer Chad Summers, and later in partnership with Michael Kisber, Head of Plains Partners and Shadai Farm, Mind Your Biscuits retired as and continues to be the all-time New York-bred earner with a bankroll of $4,279,566 after going 8-10-3 in 25 starts. Bred by Jumping Jack Racing and foaled at Sue and Gary Lundy’s Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains, Mind Your Biscuits earned back-to-back New York-bred Horse of the Year titles in 2016 and 2017, three straight champion New York-bred male sprinter titles from 2016 to 2018 and champion 3-year-old male honors in 2016 and champion older dirt male honors in 2017.

Sunday’s Saratoga New York Showcase Day, a racing card complete with exclusively New York-bred restricted races, includes six stakes – the $250,000 Albany for 3-year-olds, $200,000 Fleet Indian for 3-year-old fillies, $200,000 Funny Cide presented by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for 2-year-olds, $200,000 Seeing the Ante for 2-year-old fillies, $200,000 West Point Handicap presented by Trustco Bank for 3-year-olds and up on the turf, and the $200,000 Yaddo Handicap for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up on the turf.

The 2023 season at Saratoga Race Course continues through Labor Day, Monday, September 4. For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit NYRA.com.