Turtle Bird Stable’s HAYNESFIELD (Speightstown) returned to the winner’s
circle with a three part of a length victory in Saturday’s $250,000
Empire Classic, utilizing a quick turn of foot off the far turn to open a
clear lead in midstretch and holding sway to the wire under Ramon Dominguez. It
was a return to glory for the three-year-old colt, who made a big splash last winter with convincing victories in the Whirlaway S., Count Fleet S. and
Damon Runyon S. at Aqueduct. It also capped a tremendous afternoon for New York’s
leading rider, who swept the last four events of the five-race program for New
York-breds over the sloppy main track at Belmont Park.
The co-second choice at 9-2, Haynesfield returned $11, $7.40 and $5.90.
Ruffino (Raffie’s Majesty), the 5-1 fourth choice who was up close throughout,
easily held second by three lengths over 31-1 outsider Undocumnted (Distant
View) while 8-5 favorite Future Prospect (Freud) was the last horse to cross the
wire.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Haynesfield returned from a near seven-month break
to finish second by a neck in the October 2 Sir Keys S. at Belmont. He has now
earned $354,381 from a line of 8-5-1-1. Produced from the stakes-winning Nothing
Special (Tejabo), Haynesfield is a half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed
Mama Theresa (Carson City), a yearling filly by Successful Appeal and a weanling
colt named Hymn Special (Songandaprayer). This is the family of Canadian Triple
Crown winners With Approval (Caro [Ire]) and Izvestia (Icecapade) as well as
1997 Belmont S. (G1) winner Touch Gold (Deputy Minister).
Dominguez guided Repole Stable’s DRIVEN TO SUCCESS (Precise End) to a
three-length win in the $125,000
Hudson S.
The 4-5 favorite led gate-to-wire and covered six furlongs in 1:10 2/5,
returning $3.70, $2.80 and $2.40. Second was Legal Consent (Officer), the 5-1
third choice, who rallied from the back to finish 2 1/4 lengths clear of 20-1
outsider Citifest (Citidancer).
This was the first career stakes win for the Bruce Levine-trained Driven by
Success, who ran third in the Carter H. (G1), Metropolitan H. (G1) and Tom Fool
H. (G2) earlier this year. He was also second in the John Morrissey S. at
Saratoga two back. His record now reads 13-4-3-4, $318,669.
Driven by Success was produced by Afleet Closer (Afleet), who is also
responsible for a yearling filly by Wildcat Heir and a weanling filly by Prime
Timber. This is the family of Canadian classic winner Ablo (Lite the Fuse).
Zayat Stables’ RIGHTLY SO (Read the Footnotes) broke on top with
Dominguez and rolled to a comfortable score in the $125,000
Iroquois
S. for fillies and mares. Making her stakes debut with a three-race winning
streak in tow, the Anthony Dutrow-trained filly set uncontested splits of :22
1/5, :45 4/5 and 1:10 4/5 en route to completing the seven-furlong test in 1:24
3/5. It was 2 1/4 lengths back to My Dinah (Victory Gallop), who wound up a
half-length better than 3-1 favorite Sapphire Sky (Sky Mesa) in third.
The winner paid $12.20, $6.30 and $3.80 as the 5-1 second choice and improved
her mark to 5-4-1-0, $160,600. The three-year-old filly made her first three
starts over Aqueduct’s inner track last winter, winning a maiden special weight
and allowance/optional claiming event. Rightly So returned from a six-month
layoff with a half-length score over allowance/optional claiming rivals at Belmont on
September 16. The dark bay is the first foal out of the unraced Fit Right In
(Out of Place), a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Under Serviced (Hook and
Ladder). She’s also responsible for a weanling filly by Closing Argument.
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s FENWAY FAITHFUL (Grand Slam) showed
speed from the start under Dominguez and led from the half-mile pole on in the $100,000
Sleepy Hollow S., taking the one-mile event for two-year-olds by a length. A
neck maiden winner in his last start at Belmont, the Richard Violette Jr. colt
tracked in third through an opening quarter-mile in :22 3/5 before seizing a narrow
advantage, posting splits in :45 1/5 and 1:11 1/5 before kicking clear in midstretch. Runner-up City Trooper (City Zip) battled gamely the entire way, but
never seriously threatened the winner, who stopped the teletimer in 1:38 4/5.
Off as the 9-1 sixth choice, the chestnut yielded payoffs of $21.40,
$10.20 and $6.50. Maiden winner City Trooper, who was exiting a third in the
Bertram F. Bongard S., was dismissed at nearly 11-1 and was followed under the
wire by Bertram Bongard winner Make Note (Read the Footnotes). Previously
unbeaten Ibboyee (Medallist), the 7-5 favorite off stakes wins in the New York
Breeders’ Futurity and Aspirant S., finished fourth.
Out of the Deputy Minister mare Lemon Tart, Fenway Faithful has a weanling
half-brother by Sunriver. This is the female family of Broodmare of the Year
Courtly Dee (Never Bend), whose descendants include champion Althea (Alydar) and
Grade/Group 1 winners Green
Desert (Danzig), Aldiza (Storm Cat) and Balletto (UAE) (Timber Country). Fenway Faithful has now earned $94,280 from a 3-2-1-0 line,
In the $100,000
Maid of the Mist S. for juvenile fillies, Chester & Mary Broman’s homebred
MINERALOGIST (Mineshaft) missed the break but managed to overcome the tardy
start, closing from last to win by three-quarters of a length. An
emphatic 3 3/4-length heroine of the Joseph A. Gimma S. in her previous start,
the John Kimmel-trained lass needed to withstand the desperate late surge of
runner-up Embrace Change (Hook and Ladder) to prevail as the 3-5 favorite,
returning $3.20, $2.50 and $2.10 to her many supporters. Ridden by Kent
Desormeaux, the bay filly improved her overall ledger to 5-3-1-0, $167,250 when
finishing the mile in 1:40.
Embrace Change, who is still a maiden but was the 7-1 third choice off of a
couple of fast-finishing efforts, wound up seven lengths clear of third-placer
Stellaluce (Cuvee), who was Dominguez’s only setback on the program.
Mineralogist is the first foal out of Grade 2 winner Seeking the Ante
(Seeking the Gold), who is also responsible for a yearling filly by A.P. Indy.
The seven-year-old mare hails from the multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire
Antespend (Spend a Buck), dam of 2004 Florida Derby (G1) hero Friends Lake (A.P.
Indy).