Secret Love wins the $100k Franklin Square Stakes at Aqueduct
Secret Love Sizzles in the Franklin Square Stakes with jockey Pablo Morales. Trained by John Kimmel, this speedster by Not This Time out of Exotic Design got her first stakes win in the Aqueduct feature.
After a rough start and brushing the gate, jockey Pablo Morales settled behind the early pace setter Rossa Veloce who was ridden by the hot Manny Franco. Ridden confidently by Pedro Morales, Secret Love took over the lead turning into the stretch to win by a commanding lead in a final time of 1:19.86 for the 6 1/2 furlongs.
Vacay, another standout filly by Not This Time finished third behind the stakes winning filly and the multiple stakes winning favorite Laobanonaprayer.
Secret Love was one of my top selections from the OBS auction in 2020.
Owner Toby Morton was the winning bidder ($270K) for this Not This Time New York Bred chestnut filly, who drilled a :9.4/5 breeze at Ocala. Not This Time was the leading Freshman sire in 2020 with an outstanding percentage of 28 winners from 54 runners. Six of his foals raced in stakes company, producing three individual stakes winners, including the beloved Princess Noor.
Vexatious Beats Midnight Bisou in the Personal Ensign
Vexatious with a Truenicksgrade of A++ by the late Giant’s Causeway, beats Midnight Bisou in a thrilling shocker in the Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga. Ridden confidently by jockey Jose Lezcano, Vexatious, a 6 year-old bay mare, turned down a relentless pursuit by jockey Ricardo Santana as they raced neck and neck to the finish line from mid-stretch.
Photo Credit: Fleetphoto/George Zilberman
The Calumet mare went nearly two years since her last win at Del Mar in a $75,000 stakes race on the turf. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Vexatious was coming into this race off a solid second to Champion Mare Monomoy Girl in the Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park.
Having to survive a claim of foul lodged by Ricardo Santana, the stewards left the results unchanged after a lengthy review of the minor bumping that occurred during the stretch run.
After the race, track handicapper and TV Analyst Andy Serling, praised the valiant effort by Vexatious and Jose Lezcano in defeating the champion mare Midnight Bisou.
You have to love the color commentating by Laffit Pincay jr. who stuck it to Andy about Saratoga being the graveyard of champions as he repeatedly mention past stars Man O’War, Secretariat, American Pharoah and among the long list of champions that fell in defeat at this historic racetrack.
Reinvestment Risk Pays Instant Dividends at Saratoga Racecourse
Photo Credit: Fleetphoto/George Zilberman
Reinvestment Risk pays instant dividends in debut win at Saratoga. On a glorious and historic Whitney day at the Spa, Reinvestment Risk may have been the most notable winner on the card. Purchased for $280,000 from the March 20′ OBS auction, where he drilled an easy quarter in :20.4 (See below) this future star sizzled in his debut winning by nearly 8 lengths. The 6 furlongs was run in 1:09.95 while facing a tough field of nine top 2 year-old colts.
Owned by Klaravich Stables and trained by Chad Brown, who was beaming in the winner’s circle during the post race interview with Maggie Wolfendale. Chad was expressing his thoughts on national TV as he mentioned having two other colts by the brilliant Upstart.
This was the second win for Freshman Sire Upstart from 11 previous outings. This well regarded bay colt was overlooked by the bettors as the entry of Olympiad by Speightstown and Outlier by Not This Time were sent off as the 8-5 favorites. Reinvestment Risk paid $10.00 for the victory as Olympiad, the $700,000 yearling purchase, finished a distant third.
Ridden masterfully by Irad Ortiz Jr. the meets leading rider, this talented first time starter poured it on in deep stretch on Whitney day. Click here for race replay
Reinvestment Risk drills a :20.4 Quarter at OBS March 20′
Momos Wins Debut for Fun by 6 1/2 Lengths at Saratoga
Photo Credit: George Zilberman / Fleetphoto
Momoswins debut by 6 1/2 lengths at Saratoga Race Track
Franco in the First
Decorated Invader wins National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes
Momos wins debut race convincingly at Saratoga Race Course. The speedy chestnut colt by Distorted Humor set the early fractions to win by a widening margin in the 5 1/2 furlong sprint for two year-olds. Ridden confidently under a hand-ride by Manny Franco, Momosdelivered an awe inspiring win in his debut for the Iron Horse Racing and their Partners, led by Managing Partner Harlan Malter.
Momos Annihilates the competition of well bred, high priced juveniles in the opener at Saratoga Race Track.
Running easily throughout the torrid fractions of :22.2, :45.68, :57.88, and finishing in a quick 1:04.50. This exceptionally bred colt by Distorted Humor out of a Speightstown mare Inspeight of Us, gave Franco in the First back to back wins on consecutive days in the first race at historic Saratoga.
Purchased from the March 2020 OBS sales, Hip 138 drilled an easy :21 for the quarter.Iron Horse Racing and their agent Taproot, were able to purchase Momos privately for $180K. The Maiden Special Weight win rewarded their partners with instant dividends as they earned $39,600 for the maiden win on the first Saturday of the fanless Saratoga meet.
Trained by the red hot trainer Christophe Clement and his son Miguel, who developed this young shining star. Momos paid $15.60 to reward his connections who followed my good friend Manny with his knack for winning the opener.
The favorite Mo Mischief by Into Mischief is owned by another partnership My Racehorse.com who coincidentally was purchased for $500K from the same March OBS 20 sales auction as Momos. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Mo Mischief finished a distant second finishing 6 1/2 lengths further back, followed by Berhanu in third.
Congratulations to West Point Thoroughbreds with their win with Decorated Invader in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame two races later on the turf with super jockey Joel Rosario. This was Decorated Invader’s 4th stakes win and 5th win overall out of 7 lifetime starts for Team Clement.
This massive bay colt with a striking white blaze by Declaration of War had to endure a rough start as he hit the side of the starting gate at the break. Cool hand Rosario didn’t panic as he chased the early leader Get Smokin and took a commanding lead by mid stretch to remain unbeaten as a 3 year-old.
Purchased for $200K from the Keeneland 18′ yearling sales, Declaration Invader earned $82,500 for the victory, in this 1 1/8th contest over the turf.
Vekoma blazes the Met Mile with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano at beautiful Belmont Park on this hot and humid July 4th holiday. The chestnut Candy Ride colt blitzed the competition going wire to wire in a blazing 1:32.88 seconds while being pressed early by Warrior’s Charge with Florent Geroux in the irons this prestigious $500,000 Grade 1 stake race.
Owned by R.A Hill Stables and trained by George Weaver, this Keeneland sales graduate was purchased for $135,000. Vekoma, now a 4 year-old colt, reached the million dollar earnings by winning back to back Grade 1 stakes in the Carter, where he drilled the 7 furlongs in 1:21 flat and now the Metropolitan. This well bred colt with a A++ Truenicks rating, is out of a Speightstown mare Mona de Momma, gets the win and you’re in for the Breeder’s Cup Mile at Keeneland later this Fall.
