Saturday, April 16, 2011
Contact: NYRA Press Office
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NYRA NOTES
- Smiling Tiger eyes ‘Met Mile’ following win at Oaklawn
- J J’s Lucky Train could make another stop at Aqueduct
- Justin Phillip eyes Jerome; Haynesfield nearing return
- Sharp sophomores targeting Jerome
- R Heat Lightning fires bullet work at Belmont
- Ramon Dominguez a road warrior in 2011
“That’s the target,” said Bonde. “It’s a major race that could help his value as a stallion.”
Owned by Lebherz Racing and Alan Klein, the 4-year-old son of Hold That Tiger has five graded stakes victories to his credit and has won two straight, having also taken the Grade 2 San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita on February 19. As a 3-year-old, Smiling Tiger more than held his own against older horses, winning the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at
Earlier in his career, Smiling Tiger would set or race just off the pace, but in his last two starts has closed strongly in the stretch, a trait Bonde instilled in the colt in the morning.
“He has really learned to relax, and it’s enhanced his game,” said Bonde. “He’s starting to learn his lessons.”
Bonde believes the new running style could help Smiling Tiger, who has never raced beyond seven furlongs, negotiate the Metropolitan’s one-mile distance.
“I believe the distance is within his grasp, based on the way he ran yesterday,” said Bonde.
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Fresh Start Stable’s J J’s Lucky Train, who made an inexorable rally to take the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct on April 9, could return to the Big A on April 23 to compete in the Grade 2 Jerome for 3-year-olds, trainer Bill Anderson revealed.
While the seven-furlong Bay Shore and the one-mile Jerome are only two weeks apart, J J’s Lucky Train is currently showing signs he can handle the two-week turnaround.
“His race in the
The seven-furlong, Grade 2 Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes undercard on June 11 is the long-range goal for J J’s Lucky Train, who earlier this year finished second in the Count Fleet and Whirlaway around two turns over the inner track and won the Miracle Wood at Laurel Park.
“We definitely want to go to the Woody Stephens, but there’s not much between now and then and he’s run well at Aqueduct,” said
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Also looking to make a quick turnaround for next Saturday’s Jerome is Justin Phillip, a troubled third to J J’s Lucky Train in the
“He got into trouble in his last race, and deserves another shot,” said Toby Sheets, trainer Steve Asmussen’s
The First Samurai colt, owned by Zayat Stables, won his 3-year-old debut at the Fair Grounds in an optional claimer, then finished fifth in the Grade 3 LeComte and eighth in the Grade 2 Risen Star prior to the
Sheets added that Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Haynesfield, recently announced as 2010’s New York-bred Horse of the Year, worked seven furlongs over
Turtle Bird Stable’s 4-year-old went in 1:26.45, the fastest of three at the distance, in his sixth published workout of the year.
“He went very well and we’re very pleased with where he is at,” said Sheets. “We’re looking for a spot in the next week or so.”
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In addition to Justin Phillip and possibly J J’s Lucky Train, the Jerome is expected to attract Cal Nation, who followed up his dominant debut score by finishing second in a Gulfstream Park allowance; Free Entry, sixth in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby; Justin Phillip, third in the Bay Shore; Rattlesnake Bridge and Gallant Dreams, respectively second and third to Uncle Mo in the Timely Writer; and Vee’s Accolade, who broke his maiden impressively against Florida-breds at Gulfstream in his 10th start, according to Andrew Byrnes, stakes coordinator for The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA).
Also under consideration for the race are Adios Charlie, an easy maiden victor at Gulfstream in his second start, and Isn’t He Perfect and Starship Caesar, respectively fifth and sixth in the Grade 1 Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial.
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R Heat Lightning turned in her first work since an impressive victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on April 2, covering a half-mile over the
“It was a standard effort for her and we were pleased,” said Jonathan Thomas, assistant to Todd Pletcher, who trains the 3-year-old daughter of Trippi for E. Paul Robsham Stables.
R Heat Lightning arrived at Pletcher’s
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Sullimar Stable’s Get Stormy, winner of a pair of Grade 2 grass races in
“Yesterday was
The son of Stormy Atlantic picked up the moniker
Bush said he hadn’t ruled out the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 7 as a possible next stop for Get Stormy, but wasn’t certain about the timing of the race.
“It is back a little close,” said Bush. “That’s the only race immediately on the horizon that we’re thinking about right now, but we need to chew on it a little and figure things out.”
Also running at Keeneland on Friday was New York-bred turf stalwart Banrock, who made a four-wide rally to finish fifth in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance. The 8-year-old gelding missed a planned start in last fall’s Ashley T. Cole at
“He was pretty far out of it yesterday, but I think it will set him up fine for the first New York-bred grass race at
The one-mile Kingston Stakes for state-bred turfers is scheduled for May 29 at
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Ramon Dominguez, the reigning Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, is on pace in 2011 to exceed his previous year’s out-of-state graded-stakes win tally after prevailing in yesterday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park with Havre de Grace.
Victorious in eight graded stakes outside
Dominguez, currently second in the Aqueduct spring meet jockey standings, was the leading rider on the NYRA circuit in 2009 and 2010 and has garnered 12 of the last 13 meet titles.
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