BERNED scores in the G3 Molly Pitcher on the Haskell Undercard

Courtesy of the BloodHorse

… Robert Masiello, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Chris Larsen’s Berned flew by the leaders at the top of the stretch to win the G3 Molly Pitcher.

The 4-year-old, Graham Motion-trained daughter of Bernardini  has competed at a much tougher level in the past, with off-the-board efforts in the 2016 Starlet Stakes (G1), the 2017 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and the June 9 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1), where she finished sixth.

Although she won the May 12 Serena’s Song Stakes and the 2017 Safely Kept Stakes, she hadn’t finished better than third in graded company since her third start, when she was second in the Tempted Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in 2016.

Jockey Joe Bravo kept Berned near the back of the field while Divine Miss Grey and Unchained Melody battled on the front end, running fractions of :23.51 and :46.80 through a half-mile. Rallying three wide into the stretch, Berned pulled clear of the field early, but Dreamcall, coming in off a three-race winning streak, sprinted from last to close to within three-quarters of a length at the wire.

Final time for the 1 1/16-mile race was 1:44.52. Divine Miss Grey held for third.

Bred by AR Enterprises out of the Giant’s Causeway mare First Passage, Berned was a $550,000 purchase by West Point Thoroughbreds when she was consigned to the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services.

GRAY DUDE wins his 5th

4-year-old gelding GRAY DUDE (First Dude) winner at 3 of the Starter Stakes Jack Flats at Gulfstream,  won his 5th race.  This year he has been on the board in every start and today racing a mile off the turf he drove to the lead early and held it for the win. He is owned by Crystal Racing Enterprises and trained by Armando De la Cerda. He over $150,000 in earnings.

BIG DAY FOR KIRKWOOOD: a winner and 2 stakes placed

Five-year-old First Dude gelding WINE NOT second last out in allowance company, ran second again this time in the Saginaw S at Belmont Park He was wide throughout and made a bid in the stretch which earned him his first black type.  FIRST DUDE is owned by  West Point Thoroughbreds and has earned $236,000. Following him across the wire in third was the 5-year-old Hard Spun colt MSW HIT IT ONCE MORE  winner of the  Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct and third in the Stymie. HIT IT ONCE MORE was purchased from Kirkwood Stables for $90,000 as a two year old by his trainer Gary Sciacca. He is owned by Yellow Moon Stable and was bred by  JMJ Racing Stables, LLC. His bankroll stands over $523,000.

Also a winner was ONEBALLNOSTRIKES (Include) who took an allowance race at Monmouth by 4 lengths.  Trained  by  John C. Servis, he is owned by  Final Turn Racing Stable LLC and earned over $179,000.  ONEBALLNOSTRIKES was started and then consigned and sold by Kirkwood at Timonium in 2016.

I’M BETTY G wins the Lady Canterbury S

The well-traveled I’M BETTY G (f, 4, Into Mischief- Lady in Ermine, by Honour and Glory) cleared the field early and drove on to a win in the Lady Canterbury S. at Canterbury Downs racing a mile on the turf to make it 2 visits to the winner’s circle in a row. Last year she won the  Pearl Necklace S.  at Laurel and added a pair of thirds in the South Beach S. at Gulfstream and the  Albert M. Stall Memorial at the Fair Grounds.
Sales history: CONSIGNED BY KIRKWOOD STABLES)$150,000 2yo ’16 EASMAY.
Lifetime Record: SW, 14-4-1-5, $270,465.
O-Three Diamonds Farm
B-Carol Kaye & Boyce Stable (MD)
T-Michael J. Maker.

Westpoint’s REASON TO SOAR makes it 3 in a row

REASON TO SOAR has now made it 3 in a row in allowance company at Gulfstream for owner West Point Thoroughbreds and trainer George Weaver. Today he found s tiny seam, slipped through and nailed them at the wire,  He won his 2018 debut and underlined that victory with another win in his next out. As a 3-year-old,  REASON TO SOAR broke his maiden right off the bat with a huge come from behind rally. Next, he ran third in the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore Stakes at Tampa Bay, and then back in NY,  he added another third in the New York Stallion Stakes at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old gelding has earned over $150,000.

Mucho Macho Man Colt Lights Up Bid Board Late for Kirkwood

A Mucho Macho Man colt consigned as Hip 278 brought the second-highest price of Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic sale on Day 1
A Mucho Macho Man colt consigned as Hip 278 brought the second-highest price of Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic sale on Day 1Fasig-Tipton Photos

The second-highest price of the first session of Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale.

A speedy colt from the first crop of Mucho Macho Man  was purchased by Michael Lund Petersen for $625,000 late during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale.

Consigned as Hip 278 by Kirkwood Stables, the colt breezed the fastest quarter-mile of :21 1/5 during the under tack workouts leading up to the sale. The colt had been a $55,000 buy-back at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March juvenile sale and was previously acquired for $95,000 from Select Sales at the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale.

“He matured a little bit,” Kirkwood’s Kip Elser said of the difference between the OBS sale at which the colt was bought back and the result Monday.

Elser said the colt had worked well both over the synthetic surface at OBS and on dirt at the Maryland State Fairgrounds where the Fasig-Tipton sale takes place.

“He was good on the poly and he was spectacular on the dirt,” the South Carolina-based trainer said. “He was brilliant here and he stood out and sold.”

Produced from the winning Giant’s Causeway  mare Itsagiantcauseway, the colt is from the extended female family of Canadian Horse of the Year and sire Peaks and Valleys and multiple grade 2 winner Alternation . He was bred in Kentucky by Teneri Farm and Bernardo Alvarez Calderon.