Friday, April 30, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
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- Ice to train for Fantasy Lane Stable
- Field takes shape for Grade 2 Dwyer
- Zio Tony points to Dwyer
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Tim Ice will take over the training of 11 horses owned by Fantasy Lane Stable, including the talented 3-year-old Uptowncharlybrown, who will be pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 5, Ice said Friday.
The late Alan Seewald, who died unexpectedly on April 12, previously trained for
"Alan was my best friend for 25 years," said Seewald's longtime friend, Bob Hutt, who manages the
Uptowncharlybrown and Joyce's Angel have similarities – both were foaled on February 6, 2007, and both came out of the same OBS 2009 Spring 2-Year-Old
Uptowncharlybrown, a son of Limehouse, has now assembled a 2-0-2 record from five lifetime starts, three in graded stakes company, and was most recently third in the Grade 2 Lexington at Keeneland on April 17. Joyce's Angel broke her maiden in her second start at Tampa Bay Downs on April 3, after narrowly missing in her first effort on February 27.
Ice, who moved a string of horses to New York earlier this month, said Uptowncharlybrown and a trio of New York-breds – stakes winner R Betty Graybull, allowance runner African Knight, and unraced 3-year-old Writethatdown – would ship to his Belmont barn next week. Hutt said Ice would also soon receive a number of recently purchased 2-year-olds. The other
"It was my son, Aaron, who first suggested Tim's name to me, but it was right after Alan died and I wasn't ready to think about it," Hutt said. "Everyone started calling me to throw their hats into the ring, and when I was down at the sales earlier this month, another close friend said I should consider talking to Tim, and he came to
"He was very impressive and we were looking for someone who was familiar with handling world-class horses. Tim understands the grief we're all going through after losing Alan and he seemed like a natural fit. It feels like fate intervened to put us together."
Ice, 34, saddled 2009 3-year-old Champion Summer Bird to victories in three of the biggest races on the New York Racing Association, Inc. circuit last year – the $1 million Belmont Stakes, the $1 million Travers, and the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Summer Bird was the first 3-year-old since Easy Goer in 1989 to sweep all three races in a single year.
"We think Charly is as good as any of the horses in the
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On Saturday, May 8, 3-year-olds take center stage at
According to Andrew Byrnes, stakes coordinator for The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), likely for the 1 1/8th mile race are Codoy, making his first start on conventional dirt; Drosselmeyer, most recently third to Mission Impazible in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby; First Dude, third to Stately Victor in the Grade 1 Blue Grass; the Nick Zito-trained Fly Down; Remand, third in the Grade 3 Bay Shore; Soaring Empire, a troubled eighth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, and recent maiden winner Zio Tony.
Privilaged, third in the Grade 2 Swale, and Turf Melody, fourth in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby, are questionable.
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With just two races under his girth, the Mike Hushion-trained Zio Tony may be the most inexperienced horse heading to the Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer, but there's no question about his status for the race.
"My Uncle Tony is coming in from
In his second start, Zio Tony drew off to a 4 ½-length victory over Avenging Spirit in a seven-furlong maiden race on April 16, joining the "New York Watch" series, which shines the spotlight on promising colts and fillies that have recently cleared the maiden and allowance ranks on the NYRA circuit.
In the Dwyer, Zio Tony will get a new jockey in Javier Castellano, replacing Gabriel Saez, and may get a change of equipment as well, said Repole.
"Javier will work him in blinkers either Tuesday or Wednesday, and we'll see," Repole said.
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