Iron Honor earns 90 BSF for G3 Gotham

• Iron Honor earns 90 BSF for G3 Gotham
• Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye a game second in G3 Gotham
• 7YO New York-bred Bold Journey lands second career graded win in G3 Tom Fool
• Komorebino Omoide earns 86 BSF in Listed Stymie score; Pashmina eyeing Oaks preps
• Paradise earns 37.5 Kentucky Oaks points for professional Listed Busher win

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing’s Iron Honor improved to an unbeaten 2-for-2 when capturing Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a one-turn mile for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, the Nyquist bay secured the maximum allotment of the 50-25-15-10-5 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on offer to the top-five finishers. With Manny Franco aboard, Iron Honor marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds over the good and harrowed footing, before the dueling Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye took narrow command and led through three-quarters in 1:11.45.

Crown the Buckeye dug in during the stretch run, but Iron Honor inched clear in the final furlong to win by one length in a final time of 1:37.94, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in victory. Iron Honor entered from a local debut graduation sprinting six furlongs on December 13, which awarded him with a Gotham-best 95 Beyer.

“He came out of the race great. He ate up and looks good this morning,” said Michele Dollase, assistant to Brown. “We’re on to the next race. As of right now, he is good. He came out of the race really good.”

Brown said post-race he will keep the colt at Belmont Park to prepare for a stretch-out in the nine-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier, at Aqueduct.

“He came out of the race great. I think he does want to go farther. He only just got here on Wednesday from Florida,” Dollase said. “He really only trained one day here, but still went and did his thing Saturday, which was really impressive.”

Brown equipped Iron Honor with blinkers for his maiden win at Aqueduct and said the colt was a little body sore following that race when he arrived at his Payson Park Training Center base.

“This horse missed a little training when he shipped down to Florida. If you look there was a gap of about a month for the works. He didn't ship in completely healthy and then he came back good,” said Brown. “I appreciate the owners for being patient. My team did a great job.”

Brown has multiple horses with Kentucky Derby points to their name already, including Paladin, who tops the overall standings with 60 points, as well Iron Honor [50 points], Ottinho [6 points] and Schoolyardsuperman [4 points]. The conditioner seeks his first win in that event, his best results including seconds with Sierra Leone in 2024 and Good Magic in 2018, as well as a third with Zandon in 2022.

“We have some very promising horses, and anyone would love to be in this position but there's so much racing to go and so much time in-between with horses still growing and changing. We'll hope for the best and try to get as many there as we can,” said Brown.

On Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track, the aforementioned Ottinho and Schoolyardsuperman worked a half-mile together in 49.90 seconds. Ottinho, a Kentucky homebred for Three Chimneys Farm, was third last out in the nine-furlong Listed Withers on February 6 here, followed by Schoolyardsuperman in fourth for Hit The Bid Racing Stable and CMNWLTH. Ottinho is previously reported to be under consideration for the Wood Memorial.

Also on the Gotham card, Klaravich Stables’ Current Yield picked up 7.5 points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks for a pacesetting fourth in the Listed $200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies. The Nyquist bay weakened after setting an opening half-mile in 46.75 seconds while pressured by Interstatelovesong, who finished third in the event won by Paradise.
“She came back fine. She's good. She ate up,” Dollase updated Sunday morning.

***
Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye a game second in G3 Gotham

Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher and Hooties Racing’s talented Ohio-bred Crown the Buckeye landed a game second after a prolonged pace battle with eventual winner Iron Honor in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Yaupon colt picked up 25 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in the one-turn mile for sophomores, bringing his total to 28 when adding three points for a three-quarter length third in the Listed Gun Runner traveling a two-turn 1 1/16-miles in December at Fair Grounds Race Course. The winner of that event, Chip Honcho was subsequently fourth in the Grade 3 Lecomte and second in the Grade 2 Risen Star at the Louisiana oval.

Crown the Buckeye exited post 3-of-6 in the Gotham and dueled for the lead with Iron Honor and Dirty Rich through a quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds and a half-mile in 46.30 over the good and harrowed main track. Iron Honor put a head in front of Crown the Buckeye at the stretch call, and the duo tussled the length of the lane with Iron Honor prevailing by one length in a final time of 1:37.94. It was 6 1/2-lengths back to late-running Right to Party in third.

Maker said he was pleased with the hard-trying effort from Crown the Buckeye.

“No complaints,” Maker said. “He's got natural speed; he used it and fought right to the wire. I couldn't ask for more. He galloped out well, he was just second best. He came back in good shape this morning - very pleased with him.”

Crown the Buckeye won a pair of ‘Best of Ohio’ stakes as a juvenile, taking the Kindergarten in August at Thistledown and the Juvenile in October at Mahoning Valley Race Course. He made two starts at Fair Grounds, including his strong Gun Runner effort ahead of an off-the-board try in the Lecomte.
Crown the Buckeye is not Triple Crown nominated but his current points total would have him as high as sixth on the leaderboard for one of 20 spots in the Kentucky Derby starting gate on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.

Maker said he would meet with the connections this week to discuss next steps for Crown the Buckeye. The next local prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is the nine-furlong Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifier on April 4 here; while a local one-turn alternative would be the Listed $150,000 Bay Shore at seven furlongs for sophomores on April 18.

“I think he's a one-turn horse but at this time of year, I guess we're going to find out,” Maker said. “Everything is on the table. I have to get with all the connections and make a decision. We'll meet about it this week but the plan before then was to keep him at one turn.”

Crown the Buckeye was a $250,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training where he worked in 10 seconds flat.

Bred by Pick View, Paul W. Schaffer and William D. Pickerrell, Crown the Buckeye, a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed Rumble Strip Ron, is out of the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Feisty Tomboy. His third dam, Scarlet Tango, produced Grade 1-winners Tara’s Tango and Visionaire - the latter of which won the 2008 Gotham.

Maker indicated that JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, Zilla Racing Stables and P Shooter Stable’s multiple New York-bred stakes-winner Arctic Beast is likely to make his next start in the seven-furlong Listed $400,000 Lafayette on April 3 at Keeneland.

The Yaupon dark bay bested fellow state-breds in the Aspirant and New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes before completing a three-win juvenile campaign with a hard-fought second in the Listed Springboard Mile at Remington Park. He romped by 9 3/4-lengths in state-bred Damon Runyon sprinting seven furlongs on Valentine’s Day here in his seasonal debut.

“He came back well, too,” Maker said.

Bred in the Empire State by Rockridge Stud, Saratoga Glen Farm and Beal's Racing Stable, Arctic Beast was a $275,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale and is out of the dual stakes-winning Frost Giant mare Frostie Anne – a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Freudie Anne.

 

***
7YO New York-bred Bold Journey lands second career graded win in G3 Tom Fool

The New York-bred gelding Bold Journey has competed at the highest levels of competition since late 2023, and proved that he still belongs in that company at age 7 with a deep-closing nose score over Full Moon Madness in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool, a six-furlong sprint for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for owners Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber, the son of Hard Spun landed his second graded victory after taking the 2023 Grade 3 Fall Highweight over course and distance ahead of a respectable third-place finish in the Group 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in February 2024 in Saudi Arabia.

Over the past year, and for a large portion of his career, Bold Journey has been based at Mott’s Belmont Park barn under the watchful eye of longtime assistant Leana Willaford, who said Bold Journey emerged well from the effort.

“He’s ornery as ever,” Willaford said, with a laugh. “Everything’s good. It was good to see him totally back in form. He makes you a little nervous because he likes to drop to the back, but that’s his style, so we’ve got to mold to his style. We can’t make him mold to ours.”

Piloted to victory by Eric Cancel, Bold Journey was last-of-5 through the half-mile and as far back as eight lengths off the pace set by longshot Breslau, who marked splits of 22.40 seconds and 45.52 over the good and harrowed footing.

The favored One Nine Hundred stalked in second before pouncing to the lead at the half-mile marker and still maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call, but last year’s Tom Fool victor Full Moon Madness was gaining on the outside and took control in deep stretch. Full Moon Madness was reaching for the wire, and Bold Journey, who was taken widest of all for a sustained rally in the lane, got up just in time to deny Full Moon Madness a repeat win and complete the course in 1:10.70.

Bold Journey was awarded a 97 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, his best number since posting a career-best 100 for a 4 1/2-length score in the 2023 Listed Gravesend over course and distance with Cancel in the irons.

Willaford has been part of Bold Journey’s story since the infancy of his racing career. The chestnut made his debut for trainer Carlos Martin in November 2021 at the Big A for owner Seidman Stables, and the one-length second caught the attention of the Mott team and owner Adam Wachtel.

“I approved him as a purchase when he was two – he was with Carlos Martin and ran second, and then Adam called me, and I went over to look at him. I liked him a lot,” Willaford said. “He’s a very attractive horse. He’s spent a lot of his time here.”

The hardy gelding has since made 33 starts for Mott, hitting the board in 21 of them, including eight wins. His consistency extends to two surfaces, proving his ability over turf as well with four game runner-up efforts in turf sprint stakes last year, including the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint here in September when a neck back of Alogon. His win on Saturday brought his total purse earnings to just shy of $1 million [$997,253].

There are plenty of upcoming sprint options on both turf and dirt in New York. Last year, Bold Journey finished fifth in the Tom Fool two starts before switching to turf to run second in the Listed Elusive Quality here and off-the-board in the Grade 1 Jaipur in June at Saratoga Race Course, the latter of which Willaford mentioned may come into play again this summer.

Bred by Fred W. Hertrich and John D. Fielding, Bold Journey is out of the winning Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. He is a half-brother to Grade 1-winning New York-bred and popular New York sire Americanrevolution, who stands for $10,000 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson.

Willaford said Bold Journey, who was gelded last fall, has thrived over time and is a credit to Mott’s proficiency with older horses. 

“One of the best parts about working for Bill is that we keep horses for a long time,” Willaford said. “The ones that can stick around, it’s fun to get to know their personalities and what they like and don’t like. He knows he’s the man. If you ever see him fire that side-eye… he knows.”

 

***
Komorebino Omoide earns 86 BSF in Listed Stymie score; Pashmina eyeing Oaks preps

Perry Martin’s Japanese homebred Komorebino Omoide put away Grade 2-winner Phileas Fogg and staved off the late bid of multiple Grade 3-placed Yo Daddy to score by one length in a three-horse edition of Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Rob Atras and piloted by Ramon Vazquez, the 6-year-old son of Hall of Famer California Chrome exited the outermost post 3 as the 3-1 longest shot on the board and dueled with Phileas Fogg through splits of 22.49 seconds and 45.03 over the good and harrowed main track. Komorebino Omoide put away his pace rival and turned for home with the onrushing Yo Daddy to deal with. The two foes battled gamely and brushed slightly nearing the wire, but Komorebino Omoide won out in a final time of 1:38.27 to earn an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He did a lot of the heavy lifting to go after Phileas Fogg and then he had to hold off that late charge,” Atras said. “It was a very game effort to turn back a horse that had dead aim on him. I think the number came back a little on the low side, but I think it was impressive the way he did it being off for about two months.

“He came out of the race really good,” Atras added. “He jogged good this morning and ate up his feed, and that's what you look for coming out of a big race like that.”

Komorebino Omoide, who made the majority of his previous starts for trainer Robertino Diodoro, secured his third career stakes win while making his first start for Atras – adding to a ledger that includes scores last year in the Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner at Fonner Park and the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star.

The hard-knocking horse has now raced at 11 racetracks, winning at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/16-miles as well as being stakes-placed on turf traveling nine furlongs.

“He's a very versatile horse and he's as game as I've seen,” Atras said.

Komorebino Omoide, whose name loosely translates to “memories of sunlight filtering through the trees,” has banked $850,666 via a 24-7-5-4 ledger. He is out of the stakes-placed Trippi mare Decennial and is a second-generation homebred for Martin, who co-bred and co-owned California Chrome through a career that saw him earn over $14.7 million across 16 wins that included the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness ahead of a dead-heat fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Red White and Blue Racing’s Pashmina is currently 21st on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 13 points earned from a pair of starts traveling one mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds when third in the Untapable [3 points] in December and fourth in the Silverbulletday [4 points] in January; as well as a troubled third last out in the one-mile Sunland Park Oaks [6 points] on February 15.

The Constitution bay exited post 6-of-7 in the two-turn Sunland Park Oaks and rated in fifth position under Cristian Torres as Cashed showed the way through a half-mile in 46.80. Bottle of Rouge, with Juan Hernandez up for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, made her bid at the quarter-pole and took command in upper stretch but swerved out approaching the furlong grounds and caused the onrushing Pashmina to steady and alter course. By the time Torres and Pashmina straightened out and got rolling once more Bottle of Rouge had crossed the wire first with Touch of Magic landing second, 1 1/2-lengths in front of Pashmina.

There was no change to the order of finish following a claim of foul by Torres against the winner as well as a stewards inquiry, however, Hernandez subsequently received a seven-day suspension.

“She had her race taken away from her turning for home last time,” Atras said. “I wish it hadn't happened - if the other horse beats us, it beats us - but it definitely cost us a placing and most people would tell you it cost us the win, I think it did. When it happened we were making our move and coming up beside to challenge her and it looked like we had a shot to win and that's when he came over. Very unfortunate and disappointing, but not much we can do at this point.

“If Cristian Torres wasn't on it and make that quick decision to pull her up, they might have gone down,” Atras added.

The $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase also endured less than ideal trips at Fair Grounds when pinched back at the three-sixteenths in the Untapable and when chasing a slow pace in the Silverbulletday.

“The race before there was no pace to run into and we tried to rate her a little bit which was probably a mistake. The race before that she was taken out on the turn,” Atras said.

Atras said the Fair Grounds-based Pashmina will be considered for a number of upcoming 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks preps, including the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Fantasy on March 27 at Oaklawn Park, the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland and the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle on April 4 at the Big A.

"I think she's done well and is very talented. We have her nominated everywhere - Gazelle, Ashland, Fantasy - and we'll let her tell us and pick the spot we think she'll be the most competitive in," Atras said. "I'm not sure if the goal is the Kentucky Oaks at this point - maybe the Black-Eyed Susan - but getting her in the right spot next time is crucial."

Pashmina is out of the dual stakes-placed Super Saver mare Panthera Onca. A deep family includes graded stakes-winning second dam Molto Vita and graded stakes-winning third dam Princess Polonia.

 

***
Paradise earns 37.5 Kentucky Oaks points for professional Listed Busher win

NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods’ Paradise aced her stakes debut and stepped onto the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a tidy 3 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

In victory, the Gun Runner chestnut picked up the maximum allotment of 37.5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on offer by topping the five-horse field. The Busher was scheduled to award 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers; however a Championship Series race contested with a five-horse field receives 75 percent of the points proportionally awarded.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, Paradise brushed with the gate when exiting post 3-of-5 under Manny Franco and sat patiently in third while Current Yield set splits of 23.38 seconds and 46.75 on the good and harrowed main track under pressure from Interstatelovesong.

Paradise ranged up three-wide to match strides with the top duo in the middle of the turn before Interstatelovesong took a narrow lead from a stalling Current Yield. The new pacesetter and Paradise drew clear from the rest of the field through the final eighth with Paradise edging clear in the last sixteenth to win comfortably over the late-running Nycon in a final time of 1:38.53. Paradise was awarded a career-best 78 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Dustin Dugas, Cox’s Belmont Park assistant, said Paradise was pleased with herself on Sunday morning.

“She’s good and she’s a cool little filly,” Dugas said. “It seemed like nothing really got to her and she took everything in stride. A very straightforward filly. We had her for two training days on Thursday and Friday and it was like she had been here before. She handled the ship over there [to Aqueduct] well.”

Paradise entered the Busher from a three-length graduation at second asking when wiring a one-mile maiden tit on January 4 at Gulfstream Park. A $700,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Paradise is of the multiple Grade 1-placed Munnings mare Venetian Harbor, a dual-surface three-time Grade 2-winner.

Following the Busher, Cox noted he will discuss with the filly’s ownership about a possible next start in the local nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifier, on April 4.