NEWS

10/25/11 - Due to his win in the BC CLASSIC, Winstar's DROSSELMEYER will not stand at Keane Stud SEE SYNDICATION AD (.pdf format)

11/5/11- DROSSELMEYER SCORES IN A THRILLING BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC (READ MORE)

Drosselmeyer, the Classic-winning son of Distorted Humor, will retire to stud after making a final start in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs. He is set to stand in 2012 at Keane Stud in Amenia, NY as a WinStar/Keane Stud Venture. Drosselmeyer is in the process of being syndicated by Thomas Clark Bloodstock, with a limited release of shares to be sold before the 4-year-old starts in the Breeders' Cup.

“Starting a young stallion prospect like Drosselmeyer in the New York market shows how serious WinStar is about our commitment to that state's emerging breeding program,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar Farm President & CEO. “Being by our champion sire Distorted Humor, we had the opportunity to follow his growth from when he was at Taylor Made as a foal. He's always been a superstar and we had to have him, which is why we purchased him for $600,000 as a yearling from Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Jones.”

Drosselmeyer captured his biggest win in last year's final jewel of the Triple Crown – the $1 million Belmont S. (G1). He most recently was a strong runner-up to Flat Out in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) in New York, out-finishing Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty and earning a 104 Beyer for the performance.

“Drosselmeyer is the first classic winner ever to be retired to New York, and we think it's about time,” said Tom Clark of Thomas Clark Bloodstock in Lexington. “New York breeders know him well, and we believe he'll be very popular.”

An earner of more than $1 million, Drosselmeyer owns four wins and has been in the money in 11 of 15 starts. He joined New York-bred Funny Cide as a classic winner by champion sire Distorted Humor, and Drosselmeyer hails from the top-class racemare Golden Ballet, a multiple Grade 1 winner. Last year, Golden Ballet was purchased for $1.4 million by Coolmore at Keeneland November.

A fee will be announced after the Breeders' Cup. For inquiries on Drosselmeyer's limited syndication, contact Tom Clark at 859-421-0502 by Nov. 4.

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11/5/11 - Drosselmeyer came flying down the center of the track to sweep past pacesetter Game On Dude just before the wire, winning the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at odds of 14-1 .

Courtesy of the Blood Horse

The 1 1/2-length victory in the $4,545,000 event was a Classic redemption for jockey Mike Smith, who narrowly lost last year's race on the same track with Horse of the Year Zenyatta in the only defeat of her career. Smith, who blamed himself for that loss, earned his 15th Breeders' Cup win, which tied him with Jerry Bailey for the most ever.

Smith won the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) earlier on the card aboard Amazombie.

"Compared to last year this is incredible. Last year still hurts like nothing ever before in my life," Smith told ESPN immediately afterward. "The key to this horse is you gotta' keep him moving, gotta' keep pedaling. He can run all day."

And for fans of the former reality television show "Jockeys," Smith, in defeating Game On Dude, edged his former girlfriend, Chantal Sutherland, who was aboard the hard-luck runner-up.

For the second day in a row, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott stood in the winner's circle after the biggest race of the day. Mott won the Ladies' Classic (gr. I) with Royal Delta the previous evening.

“He ran a super race," Mott said. "He was mowing them down the last eighth of a mile. I guess his biggest attribute is his stamina, and he showed it today. When they were wearing down, he was coming. It’s great. Maybe they’ll want to run him another year.”

Drosselmeyer, registering his first graded stakes win since taking the 2010 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), is owned by WinStar Farm. The 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor --Golden Ballet, by Moscow Ballet, was bred in Kentucky by Aaron and Marie Jones.

The winning time was a slow 2:04.27. Game On Dude held on well for second, with Ruler On Ice third. Havre de Grace, attempting to beat males for the second time this year and wrap up Horse of the Year honors, finished fourth.

Mott previously won the Breeders' Cup Classic with 1995 Horse of the Year Cigar. Smith won the race in 2009 with Zenyatta and in 1997 aboard Skip Away.

Smith was aboard Drosselmeyer for the first time since they teamed to win last year's Belmont Stakes, which was the only previous time Mott had paired them. Drosselmeyer had raced six times since the Belmont, winning once in an overnight stakes at Belmont Park in May.

But it was Drosselmeyer's runner-up finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) Oct. 1 when he rallied well to finish 2 1/4 lengths behind Flat Out that convinced Mott to give him a shot in the Classic.

His victory certainly muddles the Horse of the Year picture.

Drosselmeyer paid $31.60, $13.20, and $8.80. Game On Dude, also sent off at 14-1 odds, returned $13.60 and $9.20. The exacta was worth $444.80. Ruler On Ice, the 2011 Belmont Stakes winner sent off at 17-1, paid $9.80 to show while rounding out a $5,427.40 trifecta. The $2 superfecta was $47,631.80.

Flat Out was made the 7-2 favorite in the field of 12 and finished fifth.

“No excuse, he just got outrun," said his 70-year-od trainer Scooter Dickey. "That’s it.”

Game On Dude, as expected, popped the gate and went to the front prompted by Uncle Mo with So You Think, To Honor and Serve, and Stay Thirsty in stalking position. Game On Dude carved sensible fractions of :23.61, :47.84, and 1:12.82 while maintaining about a length's advantage over Uncle Mo.

Rounding the bend, To Honor and Serve, also trained by Mott, ranged into contention along with So You Think, the world traveler with grade I wins in Great Britain, Ireland, and Australia.

As the field hit the top of the stretch, it appeared Game On Dude would be swallowed up by the rivals to his outside. But Sutherland went to the stick early and the resilient gelding, who showed similar grittiness in winning the Santa Anita Handicap and Goodwood Stakes (both gr. I) this season, put away Uncle Mo and spurted away to a short lead. He held sway over the rest of the field to mid-stretch, unaware of the challenge to come on his far outside.

Drosselmeyer, unhurried in ninth or 10th to the quarter pole, accelerated under urging from Smith while angling six paths wide for the drive. Still seventh at mid-stretch, he reached even terms with Game On Dude just past the sixteenth pole and edged away in the final strides with a well-time victory.

“He ran an awesome race right from the first jump," Smith said. "Right out of the gate, he got into a great rhythm. The key to this horse is to keep him moving. If you put on the brakes it messes him up. I knew I was going to wheel out, so I just kept him going. And I was able to save ground on both turns.”

Game On Dude, a 4-year-old son of Awesome Again trained by Bob Baffert, finished a solid second, with Ruler On Ice, ridden by Garrett Gomez, arriving late for third, one length farther back.

“He ran a great race," Baffert said of Game On Dude. "Chantal came back clean; that's a great race. She should be proud of herself. That horse (Drosselmeyer) came down the middle. What a shame that we missed, but what a horse (Game On Dude is). He’s run some big races. He just didn't see that horse."

"He was running well up front and Johnny (Velazquez on Uncle Mo) was pushing on us," Sutherland added. "He really gave us a run. But when he came to us, my horse dug in and tried harder than he ever has before. He really dug in. He ran every inch of the way and he was really tired at the end. I’ve never seen him that tired. I am so proud of him. He ran great.”

Havre de Grace, who had won five of her prior six starts this year including the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) over males and the Apple Blossom (gr. I) and Beldame (gr. I), was a half-length behind Ruler On Ice in fourth.

“We didn’t get the trip we wanted," trainer Larry Jones said. "The 11-horse (Headache) leaned on us pretty good from the start, but she ran well. (Owner) Rick (Porter) likes to run where the gusto is. No regrets about running here. She didn’t do anything to tarnish herself. She has another year ahead of her.”

Uncle Mo, last year's juvenile champion attempting to cap his comeback from a serious liver disease during the spring, finished 10th.

"He was struggling with the track for whatever reason," Velazquez said of Uncle Mo. "I tried to give him his head where he would feel comfortable, but he never really got into a good rhythm to get a good grip of the track. I didn’t want to beat him up in the stretch when everybody started going by me.”

So You Think, making his first start on dirt for trainer Aidan O'Brien, weakened to sixth, with To Honor and Serve seventh. Then came Ice Box, Rattlesnake Bridge, Uncle Mo, Stay Thirsty, and Headache.

A $600,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2008, Drosselmeyer had started once previously at Churchill Downs when he broke his maiden by six length in a one-mile off-the-turf event in November 2009. He improved his career mark to 5-5-2 in 16 starts. He banked $2.7 million for the victory, pushing his lifetime earnings to $3,728,170.

 

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10/2/11 -Filly Wildcat’s Smile Bests Boys in New York Breeders’ Futurity: She was foaled and raised at Keane Stud

Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley

Courtesy of NYBreeders.org
by Sarah Mace

Francis Paolangeli’s homebred Wildcat’s Smile, the lone filly entered in the 49th renewal of the $260,876 New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes on Saturday, decided to showed the boys a thing or two and, building on her runner-up finish in the Lady Finger Stakes on September 5, won the Futurity by 1 1/4 lengths in the slop.

Trained by Dominic Galluscio, Wildcat’s Smile was making her third career start in the six-furlong stakes for New York-bred juveniles. After breaking her maiden at second asking by seven-plus lengths on August 14 at Saratoga, the dark bay daughter of Forest Wildcat – who is also a half-sister Johannesburg Smile, winner of the Noble Nashua last weekend for the same connections – traveled to western New York for the Lady Finger, also run over a sloppy track. Though heavily favored that day, the dark bay filly had to settle for second behind wire-to-wire winner Shot Gun Pennie.

Co-fourth choice in the betting with stablemate Smokem’s Charm at odds of 6-1, Wildcat’s Smile had an uneventful start under leading Finger Lakes jockey John Davila Jr., also aboard for the Lady Finger. The break was a complete disaster, however, for 1.45 favorite Zow, the Gold and Roses winner issuing from team Pletcher/Repole. The colt went down to his nose coming out of the innermost post and lost jockey Elvis Trujillo, instantly deprived of the chance of strutting his stuff the day after it was announced that his sire Bluegrass Cat would be standing in New York in 2012.

In the early stages of the race Wildcat’s Smile raced in seventh and then sixth in the two-path, but never more than four lengths from the front. Meanwhile 5-2 second choice, Bay Park Boy, winner of the Aspirant in the slop at Finger Lakes in his last start, led the way, clocking a quarter in 22.67 and a half 46.38, tracked first by Jaw Crusher and then by French Wine, who started a serious bid going into the far turn.

Wildcat’s Smile who got a ground-saving trip through the turn, angled out in upper stretch for the drive, as Bay Park Boy and French Wine began a furious duel that lasted to the wire. Wildcat’s Smile, however, made up all the ground and swept past the vying pair in the final stages to win by a length and quarter going away. French Wine finished second, just a neck clear of Bay Park Boy. Completing the order of finish were Jaw Crusher, Kall Me Sig, Smokem’s Charm, Tax Return and No Flaws. The unfortunate Zow was a non-competitor. Wildcat’s Smile’s final time for the six furlongs over the sloppy (sealed) going was 1:12.65. [VIDEO]

Photo Credit: Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley

With the Futurity victory Wildcat’s Smile increased her lifetime earnings to $211,597 and boosted her record to 4-2-1-1. The filly is one of three stakes winners from three foals to start out of Serenity’s Smile, a black type-placed New York-bred daughter of Dixie Brass ($178,634) also bred by Paolangeli.

Serenity’s Smile first foal, Stormy’s Smile ($73,971), a daughter of Stormy Atlantic, won the 2008 renewal of the Maid of the Mist at Belmont. Four-year-old Johannesburg Smile, a stakes winner and five-time stakes performer by Johannesburg, has earned $243,220.  Serenity’s Smile has a yearling filly by Stormy Atlantic named Atlantic’s Smile, a weanling colt by Catienus and was bred this year to City Zip

9/25/11 - Johannesburg Smile was foaled and raised at Keane Stud

Courtesy of NYBreeders.org

Photo: Adam Coglianese

by Sarah Mace

Never off the board in four prior stakes tries, including a pair of third place finishes earlier this year in NYRA state-bred stakes races named the Noble Nashua, Francis Paolangeli’s second generation homebred Johannesburg Smile broke through for his first stakes victory on Saturday in Belmont’s $60,000 Noble Nashua run at 1 1/16 miles.

Bet down to 8-5 favoritism for the race, the four-year-old son of Johannesburg was fresh off his second victory of the year for trainer Dominic Galluscio – a 1 1/16-mile conditioned open allowance at Finger Lakes on August 8. Johannesburg Smile not only relishes Belmont, with a prior record of 2-2-1 from six starts and the 1 1/16-mile distance (8-3-2-2), but also a wet track (4-2-1-0). The condition of the Belmont main track at post time on Saturday was listed as “muddy.”

Breaking from post three of eight under Javier Castellano, Johannesburg Smile who typically races on or near the lead, deferred marginally to Socialsaul, the lone three-year-old in the line-up, who took the field through the first three-quarters of a mile in testing fractions of 22.83, 45.67 and 1:10.16, with Johannesburg Smile glued to his flank.

Johannesburg Smile began his bid in earnest on the turn, and, at the top of the stretch, poked a head in front. Meanwhile Mine Over Matter, conservatively-ridden and comfortable early, moved up from fifth position into third.

Building on his narrow lead, Johannesburg Smile opened up his advantage in the stretch and crossed the wire 2 3/4 lengths in advance of Socialsaul, who continued willingly. Mine Over Matter kept on to finish third 1 3/4 lengths back. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles in the mud was 1:43.41, returning a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.  [VIDEO]

Johannesburg Smile was one of Javier Castellano’s five winning mounts on the card. “It was a great day,” said Castellano. “Thank God everything is going the right way. I am very blessed and very appreciative for all the trainers to give me the opportunity.”

A remarkably consistent performer, Johannesburg Smile has now compiled a record of 6-3-5 from 18 starts with $243,220 in earnings. The colt adds his Noble Nashua victory to four show finishes in New York-bred stakes races: Aqueduct’s Noble Nashua in April and Belmont’s Noble Nashua in June (both run at a mile), and, last year, in two legs of the Big Apple Triple: Finger Lakes’ New York Derby and Saratoga’s Albany.

Johannesburg Smile is one of two stakes winners and three stakes performers from three foals to start out of Serenity’s Smile, a black type-placed New York-bred daughter of Dixie Brass ($178,634) also bred by Paolangeli. Serenity’s Smile first foal, Stormy’s Smile ($73,971), a daughter of Stormy Atlantic, won the 2008 renewal of the Maid of the Mist at Belmont. Two-year-old Wildcat’s Smile, by Forest Wildcat, finished a good-looking second this year in the Lady Finger Stakes.

Serenity’s Smile has yearling filly by Stormy Atlantic named Atlantic’s Smile, a weanling colt by Catienus and was bred this year to City Zip.

 

8/8/11- Spendthrift Farm purchases G1 SW DUBLIN to stand at Keane Stud

Spendthrift Farm announced that it has purchased recently retired Dublin and that the grade I winner will stand the 2012 breeding season at Keane Stud in Amenia, N.Y. The fee will be announced later.

A son of Afleet Alex   produced from the grade I-winning Storm Bird mare Classy Mirage, Dublin won or placed in five of 11 career starts and earned $438,949. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas for Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack, Dublin won the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) in 2009.

Last year, the colt finished second in the Southwest Stakes (gr. III) and third in the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) and Arkansas Derby (gr. I), the three top 3-year-old races at Oaklawn Park.

Bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum and Gerry Dilger, Dublin was purchased by Baker and Mack for $525,000 from the Dromoland Farm consignment at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale.

The farm’s announcement said having Dublin stand in New York will permit Spendthrift to expand into New York and introduce the farm’s “Share the Upside” program to the local market.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer New York breeders our Share the Upside program, and Dublin is a great first horse to do just that,” B. Wayne Hughes, owner of Spendthrift, said in a statement.

“New York breeders should be very familiar with Dublin. He was a dynamic grade I winner in that state, as were both his sire, Afleet Alex, and dam, Classy Mirage,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift Farm general manager, in a statement. “On top of his ability and pedigree, Dublin is also a must-see individual, and we invite people to come out and see him next Friday at the Saratoga sales grounds.

“(Dublin) was my No. 1 pick (at the 2008 Keeneland September sale),” Lukas said in the release. “He’s one of the best-looking horses I ever trained.”

According to the release, Dublin is currently at Saratoga and will be available for inspection at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sales grounds Friday, Aug. 12 at 5:30 pm. EDT. He will also be available for private inspection by appointment only.

11/25/09 - Noonmark to Enter Stud at Sequel Stallions at Keane Stud

9/28/09 - Sequel Stallions will transfer the present stallion roster of FREUD, HOOK AND LADDER, and READ THE FOOTNOTES to Keane Stud in Amenia, New York. Sequel Stallions at Keane Stud will announce a new addition to the stallion roster later this season.

8/31/09 - DEAN HENRY, 118, Dk b. or br. f. 4, Empire Maker - Baydon Belle, by Al Nasr (Fr) won the SARATOGA DEW S. at Saratoga Race Course going 9 furlongs. She had a troubled trip and was able to slpit horses late and get up by a head . A homebred for Lawrence Goichman, she was foaled at Keane Stud. She is trained by Thomas Albertrani.
Lifetime: 8-3-1-1, $114,935.

Yet Again 124, Dk b. or br. f. 4, Catienus SD—Folly Go Rightly, by Distinctive
Pro. Owner, Seahorse Stable; breeder, Dr. Cary Shapoff (N.Y.); trainer,
Karl M. Grusmark. $16,590.
My Dinah 124, Ch. f. 4, Victory Gallop—

8/29/09 -Keane Stud foaled and raised and NY Champion as a 2 year old, DOREMIFASOLLATIDO ran third in the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes. A daughter of Bernstein DOREMIFASOLLATIDO was bred by Dr. Edward Messina of Equiology Concepts, Inc. in Briarcliff Manor and is the fourth winner and second graded winner produced from Consider It Done, who is a half-sister to five-time stakes winner Lily's Affair ($528,970). DOREMIFASOLLATIDO won the Matron G2 as a two year old and has been knocking on the stakes door as a three year old. Recently she was second in the Fleet Indian S. at Saratoga.

8/3/09 - MSW DANCE GAL DANCE, .winner of the Fleet Indian S. at Saratoga, and DOREMIFASOLATIDO who ran second, were both foaled and raised at Keane stud,.

Dance Gal Dance dueled for the early lead under Rajiv Maragh and shook free in the stretch to a clear victory in the $73,000 Fleet Indian Stakes. After she was pressed by 1.75-to-1 favorite Doremifasollatido through an opening quarter in :22.38, Dance Gal Dance put away that foe in the stretch under steady urging and powered to a 2 1⁄4- length victory, her fourth career stakes win.

Doremifasollatido finished willingly for second.

4/13/09 - 2 NY Bred Champions Foaled at Keane
Excerpts Courtesy of www.nybreds.com ( please click to view photos)
by Rab Hagin

DOREMIFASOLLATIDO - Champion Two-Year-Old Filly

Charged from fifth to first among nine within a quarter-mile span in Belmont's Grade 2 Matron Stakes at seven furlongs, she captured that event by two lengths while evoking a memorable serenading stretch call from NYRA track announcer Tom Durkin, who was inspired by her name. Also placed second among eight behind a subsequent Grade 1 winner in Saratoga's Grade 2 Adirondack after breaking dead last and circling five-wide into the stretch and won a five-furlong maiden special by six lengths at Belmont in 57.36, earning $217,000 as a juvenile. Owned by Susan Moore and M and M Thoroughbred Partners (John Moore, etc.) of Far Hills, New Jersey and trained by James Jerkens, this dark bay stretch-runner was bred by Dr. Edward Messina of Equiology Concepts, Inc. (a pedigree analysis company) in Briarcliff Manor and was foaled at Keane Stud. Dr. Messina originally wanted to keep the New York-bred but sold her through Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent, for $110,000 to Cecil Seaman, agent for the filly's current owners, at Keeneland's 2007 September yearling sale. The top-weighted New York-bred (at 116 pounds) on the 2008 Experimental Free Handicap, she is a half-sister to graded-winning turf filly Fortunate Damsel.

J'RAY - Champion Four-and-Up Female, Champion Turf Female

An NYTB champion at two, an open stakes-winning three-year-old, and a multiple graded-winning four-year-old, she had her best season ever as a five-year-old in 2008, capturing Woodbine's Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Monmouth's graded Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes. Runners she beat in Woodbine's Grade 2 event included Canadian Horse of the Year Sealy Hill, 2008 Saratoga Grade 1 turf winner Forever Together, 2008 Woodbine Grade 2 turf winners Callwood Dancer and The Niagara Queen, and French Group 3 turf winner Danzon. Won or placed in more open stakes (six) and graded stakes (five) in 2008 than any other New York-bred -- from Florida to New York, New Jersey, and Canada -- prior to retiring with a career bankroll of $969,843. A homebred for Lawrence Goichman of Greenwich, Connecticut and conditioned by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, this smallish chestnut stretch-runner was foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia. At the conclusion of her career last December, Goichman had high praise for the champion that he had named for his wife Jennifer (middle name Ray): "She was a wonderful mare and retired sound," Goichman told The Blood-Horse magazine. "She gave five pounds to the winner in her last start (at a mile and a half) and still only lost by a head."

2/16/09 - The top two New York fillies on the 2008 Experimental Free Handicap were foaled at Keane Stud,Doremifasolatido and My Magic Moment

1/12/09 - Grade 2 SW SHESALLELTISH, a four year old filly by Eltish was sold at Keenland January for $280,000 to Katsumi Yoshida, and was one of top ten highest prices. She sold as a racing or broodmare prospect.

We wish her well for her new owner.

SHES ALL ELTISH,ran third in the JUDY'S RED SHOES at Calder in September. Before that she was third in the DELAWARE OAKS (G2) at Delaware Park. She is hitting the board in graded stakes with regularity, having run a grudging second in the Black Eyed Susan, G2 earlier this year. Before that she dominated in the BONNIE MISS S. (G2) at Gulfstream. She won as she pleased by almost 7 lengths.
Lifetime: 11 3 4 3 $273,580

J'ray Retired; Booked to Medaglia d'Oro
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse

J’ray, a stakes winner all four years she raced, has been retired from racing and will be bred to Medaglia d'Oro, one of the leading first-crop sires this year. The 5-year-old daughter of Distant View won or placed in 18 of 26 races and earned $969,843.

After finishing unplaced at 2 on dirt in her first start, J’ray started racing on the turf and won four straight races following the switch, including the Jessamine Stakes, Selima Stakes, and Tropical Park Oaks. After that, she made all but one other start on grass.

A homebred for Lawrence Goichman, J’ray was a two-time graded stakes winner in 2007-08. She won this year’s Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (gr. IIIT) in course-record time at Monmouth Park and the Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT). Last year, she scored grade III turf wins in the Bayou Breeders’ Cup and My Charmer Handicaps.

J’ray won all nine races at 1 1/16 and 1 1/8 miles and came within a head of winning at 1 1/2 miles in the Dec. 13 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIT) in what was her last race. “She was a wonderful mare and retired sound,” Goichman said. “She gave five pounds to the winner in her last start and still only lost by a head.” 

In her race before that, the 1 1/2-mile Long Island Handicap (gr. IIT), J’ray was beaten a length while giving the winner six pounds. She was trained by Todd Pletcher.

A New York-bred, J’ray is out of the winning Darshaan mare Bubbling Heights. She will be sent to Catherine Parke’s Valkyre Stud near Georgetown, Ky.

Goichman chose grade I winner Medaglia d’Oro as a mate for J’ray because of the pedigree cross involving Medaglia d’Oro’s grandsire, Sadler’s Wells, with Darshaan mares. Sadler’s Wells’ offspring out of Darshaan mares include English and Irish champions High Chaparral and Milan, plus European group I winner Greek Dance.

Bubbling Heights, who is in foal to Medaglia d’Oro, will be bred back to him in 2009.

11/23/08 - Keane Stud foaled Love Abroad surprises to score 1st stakes win in Big A's 1-mile Itaka by Rab Hagin
courtesy of www.NYBreds.com

Photo: Adam Coglianese

LOVE ABROAD

In the third confirmation of the quality of New York Showcase Day's 2008 Empire Classic within an eight-day span, Tri County Stables' homebred LOVE ABROAD pulled a 16.40-to-1 surprise as the last choice among six New York-breds in Aqueduct's one-mile Itaka Stakes on Sunday, scoring his first stakes victory. The five-year-old gelding faced four 2008 stakes winners: graded winner Big Truck (3.40-to-1 second choice), open stakes winner and Preakness third-placer Icabad Crane (6.10-to-1 third choice), three-time 2008 stakes winner Stormin Normandy (odds-on at .70-to-1), and possible future millionaire Gold and Roses (6.70-to-1 fourth choice). In his latest previous outing 36 days earlier, Love Abroad had placed third in Belmont's Empire Classic behind winner Stud Muffin (second in Aqueduct's graded Stuyvesant Handicap on November 15) and runner-up That'srightofficer (second in Aqueduct's graded Discovery Handicap on November 22) -- earning his first black-type. In the Itaka, the Tri County Stable homebred was in front by 1-3/4 lengths at the wire, registering his fourth win at Aqueduct but his first tally on the Big A's outer main track.

Breaking from the outside post in his second consecutive outing under jockey Jose Lezcano, Love Abroad advanced from fifth place after the opening quarter-mile to third following a half-mile in 46.82, getting to within about 2-1/2 lengths of front-running favorite Stormin Normandy. Although the latter's three 2008 stakes wins had all been at sprint distances (including New York Showcase Day's six-furlong Hudson Handicap), he had won at a one-turn mile against open Aqueduct allowance company in April and was not expected to be severely challenged in the Itaka. On the turn, something happened, and Stormin Normandy quickly dropped from first to last, allowing a rapidly-advancing Love Abroad to dart through along the rail to take command. By mid-stretch, Lezcano's mount had a 3-1/2-length lead over closest pursuer Gold and Roses after having exited the turn in the two-path, and though both runner-up Icabad Crane and Gold and Roses cut into that margin in the final furlong, Love Abroad finished unthreatened.

Love Abroad appears to favor brisk weather at Aqueduct, having broken his maiden on the inner track by 4-1/2 lengths in February of 2007 and then scoring back-to-back allowance wins there in November and December, when he went through his restricted N1X and N2X conditions. Trainer John Hertler had kept the bay gelding out of competition for more than six months in 2008 until early August at Saratoga, and following two fourth-place efforts had sent the five-year-old off in the Empire Classic as the longest shot among 11 starters at 72.75-to-1. Love Abroad's third-placing in the Empire Classic provided the best single straight wager in that event at $17 for a $2 show ticket. Hertler then gave Love Abroad easy half-mile workouts on Belmont's training track on November 5 and 17 and obviously had him ready for the Itaka -- named for Brophy Stable's homebred multiple stakes winner and winner of the first Empire Classic (in 1994) at its current distance and conditions. The victory increased Love Abroad's earnings to $242,220 and improved his record to 4 - 7 - 3 in 24 starts.

A homebred for the Tri County Stables of Charles Goldberg, which previously had campaigned New York-bred multiple turf stakes winner Lady Bi Bi, Love Abroad is a half-brother to nine-time route winner (and still going strong) Whosgotthejohnnie ($136,716). The son of Not For Love is the second of four named offspring -- all winners bred in New York by Tri County Stables -- produced from the turf-winning Broad Brush mare, Wide Barrel. Love Abroad is an outcross (no inbreeding) through five generations, but his sire Not For Love is inbred 3 x 4 to Native Dancer, and his broodmare sire Broad Brush is inbred 3 x 3 to Turn-to. This is the immediate female family of Aqueduct 1992 Grade 1-winning filly Firm Stance.

10/26/08 - MY MAGIC MOMENT by Forest Wildcat out of Sari by Cozzene, won the open MISSY MOO I LOVE YOU Stakes at Belmont .The filly foaled at Keane

10/23/08 - KEANE STUD FOALED Doremifasollatido draws post potition 13 in the Distaff Juvenile giving Jimmy Jerkens the quote of the day. "What else can you do except give the jock a leg up!"

Exercise rider Kelvin Pahal let Doremifasollatido roll for 2 furlongs in the stretch during a morning gallop Thursday morning. “She just went slow, like 24-and-change,” said trainer James JerkensBelmont in her most recent start, will break from post 13 in the Juvenile Fillies.

“There’s not much you can do about it,” said Jerkens, whose filly will be ridden by Eibar Coa. “It’s up to the jock. He’s got to make a decision before he gets to the turn whether to go a little more or to take back a little bit.”

10/18/08- Keane Stud foaled and raised, STORMY'S SMILE won the Maid of Mist at Belmont she was born at On the same day, Love Abroad was third in Empire Classic. He was also foaled and raised at Keane Stud.

Stormy's Smile ($153.00!) scores front-running shocker in Maid of the Mist by Rab Hagin Courtesy of www.nybreds.com Photo: Adam Coglianese STORMY'S SMILE The only unplaced maiden among 12 New York-bred two-year-old fillies (11 wagering interests) in Showcase Day's one-mile Maid of the Mist Stakes was Francis Paolangeli's homebred STORMY'S SMILE, who shocked onlookers by immediately grabbing the lead and never getting caught, winning by 3-1/2 lengths as the 75.50-to-1 ninth choice. The rest of the race was surprisingly formful, with half of the 2.60-to-1 favored entry, Anjorie, advancing to within a length of the winner but no further, and 4.80-to-1 co-third choice Sneakin Up -- winner of Belmont's $111,900 Joseph A. Gimma 27 days earlier -- overtaking Anjorie for second. What happened? "We know she wanted to go long; her mother did nothing but go long," explained winning owner-breeder Paolangeli of Ithaca, New York. "So, he (winning trainer Dominic Galluscio) was game to run a maiden, and we know she wanted to go long. I'm just elated; I can't believe the price!" exclaimed Paolangeli, who also bred and raced Stormy's Smile's 11-time winning and three-time stakes-placed dam, Serenity's Smile ($178,634). "I thought she would run well and actually, we put her in here because we thought she would have some kind of chance," Paolangeli continued. "I would have been happy to share it instead of taking a whole piece of the pie." As owner and breeder of a winning 75.50-to-1 shot in a six-figure stakes, that would be pi(e) squared several times over. Stormy's Smile's stunning performance started with an opening quarter-mile in 22.60 -- faster than the Sleepy Hollow opening quarter (23.04) and putting her a length and a half in front, after which no rival seemed willing to run with the Paolangeli homebred even though her subsequent splits dropped off significantly. It was Stormy's Smile's first outing under jockey Jose Lezcano, who reported that the Maid of the Mist winner performed perfectly: "The filly broke really good," observed Lezcano. "I knew she was going to break good. I sent her and let her go. I asked her to run, and she gave me a real good kick." Victory in the Maid of the Mist increased the earnings for Stormy's Smile to $69,511 in three starts. The daughter of Stormy Atlantic had finished fifth among eight in her 5-1/2-furlong Saratoga debut and fourth among nine in Finger Lakes' $156,612 Lady Finger Stakes for state-bred fillies going six furlongs on Labor Day, after which she was away from competition until Showcase Day. In the 47-day interim, trainer Galluscio had given Stormy's Smile four workouts at Belmont, including one fairly quick half-mile drill on September 21 and a long (seven-furlong) breeze a week prior to Showcase Day. Stormy's Smile is the first offspring produced from New York-bred Serenity's Smile, who did not race as a two-year-old and did not place in any stakes until her four-year-old and five-year-old seasons, scoring 11 times on dirt -- seven at a mile and up -- under the care of trainer Galluscio. Serenity's Smile -- by the late leading New York-based stallion Dixie Brass -- is a half-sister to stakes-placed 11-time winning filly/mare Raf's Society Girl and is out of New York-bred Aggressivebynature, a first-out winning Distinctive Pro mare that Paolangeli also bred and raced.