HORSES, HUMANS and MACHINES – Saturday in Racing
DYNAMIC SKY finally wins – he took the Red Smith – Grade 3 at Aqueduct – Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
DYNAMIC!
102 Beyer for Dynamic Sky’s big win
Labelled a bridesmaid for more than year, since he won the Plate Trial last spring, DYNAMIC SKY finally won a race and it was a good one. The Ontario bred moved late to win the Red Smith (Grade 3) worth $250,000 at Aqueduct, beating Big Blue Kitten, who was ahead of Dynamic Sky when 2nd in the Canadian International (Grade 1).
Cornelio Velasquez rode Dynamic Sky.
This was the first graded stakes win for Dynamic Sky, whose previous stakes tallies include a pair of restricted stakes at Woodbine, the 2012 Simcoe and 2013 Plate Trial, as well as the 2013 Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs.
Dynamic Sky has been stakes-placed nine other times, including the 2012 Breeders’ Futurity, 2013 Queen’s Plate and Sam F. Davis, and the Canadian International, Northern Dancer Turf, Nijinsky, and Singspiel earlier this year. His record now stands at 20-5-4-5, $938,797.
Bred in Ontario by Arosa Farms, Dynamic Sky sold in Canada as a yearling for $25,242. He was produced by Murani, a stakes-winning daughter of Distorted Humor and half-sister to Grade 3-placed stakes-winning producer Splasha. Both Murani and Splasha were reared by the multiple stakes-winning Grand Splash.
ON POINT – Barber/Casse with another Lou?
Last year, a filly named Lexie Lou won the South Ocean Stakes. By the spring of 3yo season, Gary Barber and Mark Casse had scooped her up and we know what happened next.
On Saturday, Barber and Casse won the South Ocean themselves, with a filly they bought 2 starts ago – Galina Point.
The victory in the 1 1/16-miles ‘Poly’ stake for Ontario-sired juvenile fillies marked the first added-money win for the bay daughter of the recently deceased Saffir ot of Celtic Craft by Danehill.
Barber purchased Galina Point privately from trainer and co-owner Cary Brooks following an impressive 6 3/4-length maiden score on September 27 and transferred her to the care of trainer Mark Casse.
Last time out, in her first try for new connections, Galina Point put in a game effort to be second to Green Doctor when sprinting six furlongs in the Fanfreluche Stakes.
Stretching out to two turns for the first time in the South Ocean agreed with Galina Point as she battled with Del Cielo through splits of :25.52 and :50.74 with Reliably Royal, Ella’s Music, Just Coz and Take Back Ya Poils tightly packed behind them.
Galina Point, sent to post as the 3-5 choice with Patrick Husbands up, put away Del Cielo through the turn to emerge with a 1 ½-length lead at the top of the lane and stayed on strong for a 3/4-length win. Long shot Take Back Ya Poils (24-1) closed with conviction for place over Reserve Love. Galina Point covered 1
1/16-miles in 1:47.35.
The Beyer Figure was 62.
Husbands noted the importance of an equipment change following the Fanfreluche effort.
“Last time (in the Fanfreluche) we had a perfect trip, but when we swinged for home and I set her down, she started lugging in,” said Husbands. “So, we came back and worked her and tried her with a different bit and she went straight and relaxed. Today, she ran like the same filly.”
Galina Point, bred in Ontario by Spring Farm, banked $75,000 in victory while improving her record to 2-2-0 from five starts.
More Saturday – Things just got weird as the day went on and you would not believe what race/horse shared the day’s best Beyer Figure of 80.
Race 1- BEAR’S PROFIT won by 10 lengths at 2 to 5 for Bear Stables. The Exchange Rate 3yo won this maiden $25,000 claiming race under Emma-Jayne Wilson in 1:11.38 – a 66 Beyer Figure. Reade Baker trains.
Race 2- A maiden 2-year-old allowance was loaded with intriguing first-time starters but it was the experienced youngsters who dominated.
FIFTH BUSINESS moved wide off the turn and was up to win his 4th career race for owner/trainer Ian Howard and partners. The Kentucky bred by Munnings was a $65,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland last September. Gerry Olguin rode the gelding.
Race 3- the prep for the Valedictory Stakes at 1 5/8 miles was a perfect set up for TURKISH who had a dream trip and won easily under Emma-Jayne Wilson for Lawrence Cordes. Tino Attard trains and the gelding was claimed by these interests 2 starts ago for $40,000. Turkish posted an 80 Beyer Figure, the day’s best that he shared with the winner of the last race.
Race 4 – Charles Burgess’s homebred MYSTIC DELIGHT led all the way to win this Ontario sired maiden allowance at 7 furlongs. The Tap Day filly is out of Parsiian Delight by Parisianprospector. Sid Attard trains and the filly was making her first strat since July when she showed little in 2 races.
Race 5- It may have been a 14 horse field but the very predictable winner was PETE’S PITA, the 2 to 1 favourite for Centennial Farms (Nigara) and trained Gail Cox. The son of Pete’s Sake was ridden by Gary Boulanger and he is 2 for 6 this year. The race was a 1 1 /16 miles event for $8,000 claimers.
Race 6 – SWEET ESCAPE, by Giant Gizmo, won this maiden allowance at 1 1/16 miles with 1st time Lasix. Kirk Bradden Stables bred the fily and John Charalambous trains. It was her 4th career race and Steve Bahen rode.
That race featured a whole lot of trouble for a number of fillies. One incident, outlined in the Equibase chart, mentions that front runner Savannah City shied on the first turn from “machinery on the inside track” and she interfered with several horses.
Race 7 – MARCIAN was the 2nd winner in 2 days for trainer Don MacRae. This is a Roman Ruler mare wgo won this $20,00 claiming race under Eurico da Silva and it was her 2nd win in her 5th race.
Race 9 – HENRY’S ISLAND, owned by Windhaven, made a successful turn-back tp sprinting and won this allowance race at 7 to 1 from off the pace. The time of 1:17.98 was good for a 69 Beyer Figure.
The winner is a Stormy Arlantic filly who is now 2 for 14 in her career.
Race 10 – Hold onto your betting caps – this race was eagerly anticipated as the betting race of the day and boy, if you had the winner – good for you!.
GROM, who perhaps heard about his sister Weekend in Malibu winning an allowance race on Wednesday night, popped with an 80 Beyer Figure to win on the turn-back to 7 furlongs.
Oh yes, he was 105 to 1.
Now, a lot of things had to work out for this fellow to pop up and win after showing just two thirds in 8 races this year.
The big favourite, PLAYMETHEBLUES, was suddenly pulled up on the backstretch, finished the race and then walked home.
There was a wild pace battle through a half mile in 45.61 that left TED W and ABSOLUTE a bit weary in the stretch run, and others, like I’m Chip were finishing strongly but looking more like they were out for an afternoon gallop.
Grom paid $212.70 and Matt More rode for Robert Gerl who trains. Bernard and Karen McCormack bred the $5,000 yearling purchase.
Betting on the day was just about $4 million.
