Thursday, November 11, 2010
Contact: Jenny Kellner
GENERAL MAXIMUS HOPES TO RULE
A front-running winner of the NYSS Times Square at Belmont Park in May, General Maximus will face four others in the $75,000 Thunder Rumble division of the series, which is restricted to horses sired by stallions standing in the state of New York. The 3-year-old Freud colt enters the seven-furlong Thunder Rumble off a 1 ½-length victory in the Hudson Stakes on New York Showcase Day at
"He came out of that last race in wonderful shape," said John Terranova, who trains General Maximus for Gold Mark Farm. "We considered running him in the [Grade 3] Fall Highweight on Thanksgiving Day, but he's coming right along and this seems like a good spot for him. I think he's got a shot to develop into a top sprinter next year, so we'll see what happens."
Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado rides General Maximus, who drew post position 2.
Back to defend his title in the Thunder Rumble is the John Kimmel-trained Uncle T Seven, a 4 ¾-length winner in 2009. The 4-year-old Freud colt compiled a solid record in the NYSS last year, also taking the Cab Calloway and finishing second in the Spectacular Bid, and comes into the Thunder Rumble following a fourth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Mohawk on the turf on New York Showcase Day.
Alex Solis will ride Uncle T Seven, the co-highweight under 124 pounds, from the rail.
Also carrying 124 pounds is the hard-hitting Driven by Success, who looks to return to the winner's circle for the first time for trainer Todd Pletcher since his nearly seven-length victory in the Vic Ziegel Memorial Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on August 27. Subsequently fifth in the Grade 1 Vosburgh and fourth in the Hudson, the Repole Stable color-bearer will be ridden by John Velazquez from post position 4.
Make Note, most recently fifth in the Vic Ziegel, and Good Card complete the field for the Thunder Rumble, which will be run as race 8 and which will be joined on Sunday's card by its sister race, the $75,000 NYSS Staten Island.
Trainer Linda Rice has a trio of fillies and mares going in the seven-furlong Staten Island, headed by 4-year-old Mother Russia, who is seeking her first win of 2010 after going 4-for-4 in NYSS races last year. Rice will also saddle Healthy Debate and We Need V L T's, a pair of 3-year-old fillies making their stakes debut.
Rounding out the field for the
The field for the $75,000 Thunder Rumble:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer |
| 1 | Uncle T Seven (NY) | 124 | ||
| 2 | General Maximus (NY) | 122 | ||
| 3 | Good Card (NY) | 118 | ||
| 4 | Driven by Success (NY) | 124 | ||
| 5 | Make Note (NY) | 118 |
The field for the $75,000
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer |
| 1 | Mother Russia (NY) | 120 | ||
| 2 | Bretton Woods (NY) | 116 | ||
| 3 | Big Brownie (NY) | 118 | ||
| 4 | Raffie's Rose (NY) | 116 | ||
| 5 | Healthy Debate (NY) | 116 | ||
| 6 | We Need V L T's (NY) | 116 |
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