Trainer Mark Casse swept Aqueduct’s two grass features Saturday afternoon, beginning with Curlin’s Honor‘s rail-skimming stretch rally in the $150,000 Artie Schiller for older horses.
Sent away at 7-1 in the field of nine, Curlin’s Honor traveled in eighth to the stretch, darted inside of multiple graded stakes winner Caribou Club in mid-stretch, and posted a neck victory over that rival in a time of 1:35.11 for one mile on the firm inner turf.
Owned by John Oxley and Breeze Easy LLC, the four-year-old son of Curlin returned $17.40 with Joel Rosario up. Caribou Club finished three lengths clear of 2-1 favorite Frontier Market.
“I just wanted to save some ground and we ended up in perfect position along the rail,” Rosario said. “Thankfully, when he got there he really exploded and was full of run.”
This was the second career stakes win for Curlin’s Honor, who also posted a victory in the C$100,000 Woodstock at Woodbine over the Tapeta. Curlin’s Honor has placed in seven others stakes, including six graded events in Canada. His record now stands at 16-5-3-4, $349,345.
Bred in Florida by Mille Racing, Curlin’s Honor was a $1.5 million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile purchase. He was produced by the Stormin Fever mare Franscat, who’s also reared stakes winners Swinger’s Party and Hubba Shake.
In the $100,000 Atlantic Beach for two-year-olds, Jack and Noah led from start to finish under Jose Ortiz, passing the wire 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Embolden, with 32-1 longshot So Street third.
Owned by Gary Barber, Jack and Noah paid $10.60 after completing six furlongs over the outer course in 1:09.11.
This was the second win in three starts for Jack and Noah, who captured his debut on September 27 at Belmont by 1 1/4 lengths. Wheeled back nine days later for the Futurity (G3), Jack and Noah set a rapid pace but weakened to fourth, 3 1/2 lengths behind subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Four Wheel Drive. He’s now earned $105,250.
Bred in France by Oceanic Bloodstock and Ariane Gravereaux, Jack and Noah is by Bated Breath and out of Winter Count, by Mizzen Mast. He hails from the family of French 1000 Guineas (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) heroine Flotilla.
