Nessuna Pagina battles back to upset NYSSS Spectacular Bid

Transfiguration Stable’s Nessuna Pagina battled back late to edge Illmatic and Spirit of New York in Saturday’s $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for eligible New York-sired sophomores, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Paul Barrow, the Honest Mischief gelding went off at odds of 9-1 as he stepped up in class following a pair of dirt sprint scores over the last two months at Finger Lakes Racetrack. Nessuna Pagina, ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, took to the surface change and improved to a perfect 3-for-3, edging second-choice Illmatic and the favored Spirit of New York in a thrilling finish, while surviving jockey’s objections from their respective riders Jaime Rodriguez and Manny Franco after a stewards’ review. 

“We always liked the horse,” Barrow said. “We had the horse in training at Belmont over the winter and then spring came and it was time for us to head back to Finger Lakes, so we just took the path of least resistance with the horse. We said, 'let's try and win a couple easy spots with him and see how far he'll take us.’ It all worked out. The horse bounced out of those races great, no setbacks and he was doing really well into this race. I'm really glad he ran well for the owner."

Last Saturday’s NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy, the sophomore fillies counterpart of this race, was won by the Carlos Martin-trained Celtic Dawn, also by Honest Mischief and now 3-for-3.

“Pedigree said he would like it,” Barrow said of Nessuna Pagina trying the turf. “I don't think you ever truly know until you give them a try, but most of the Honest Mischiefs have taken to dirt or turf. It doesn't seem to matter to them. This was a nice steppingstone for him, and you could experiment a little bit - if things work out, you look good; and if things don't work out, hopefully you don't look too bad.”

Nessuna Pagina exited the outermost post 6 inwardly and was hustled to the front outside of Illmatic, before clearing that rival and moving to the inside through an opening quarter-mile in 21.80 seconds over the firm turf. 

Nessuna Pagina was stalked in the turn by the Rodriguez-piloted Illmatic, with Spirit of New York recovering from a bump at the start to sit outside of him under Franco, as Wit Storm saved ground in fourth position. 

Approaching the top of the lane, Nessuna Pagina switched leads and shied out a path, with Illmatic tossing his head in response and drifting out into the path of Spirit of New York, as the half-mile elapsed in 44.62. 

“He was running easy around the turn, but as soon as he got there, he was a little lost,” Carmouche said. “I just had to stay still because he didn’t know what he wanted to do until he saw those horses pass him – then he went back to his mind and you could feel him. He just took the bit and went on again.”

Illmatic put his head in front of Nessuna Pagina at the stretch call and Spirit of New York made it three across the track through five-eighths in 56.38. Nessuna Pagina reengaged and battled back to edge Illmatic by a nose, with another nose back to Spirit of New York in a three-horse photo finish, in a final time of 1:08.58. 

“He was wanting to do it. Once I got to where they put a little pressure on me at the sixteenth, and it tightened him up, he was going to win,” Carmouche said. 

Sunday Boy rallied for fourth, with Wit Storm and Hurricane Kaz completing the order of finish. Daisy Doo, the filly Dancingwithdestiny, Miami Kaz and main track-only entrant Sculcos Folly were scratched. 

"I was thrilled to see Kendrick persevere on him like that when he spooked at the quarter-pole,” Barrow said. “I thought instinct for the rider would be to just take it easy on the horse and get him home safely. It obviously it bugged Kendrick a little bit but he kept riding, kept trying and the horse responded very well. It was a good result for us.”

Bred in New York by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Nessuna Pagina, a $20,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Gemologist mare Brilliantkatherine. His pedigree page is rather barren – no black type through his fourth dam – hence his name that translates from Italian to “no page,” per owner John Kosciak of Transfiguration Stable. 

"We bought him at the OBS March. I liked his workout. He had no pedigree - there wasn't a blacktype in the first four dams,” said Kosciak. “I had a feeling I could get him cheap as most people going to these sales are looking for pedigree because they're looking for future stallions. We got him at a reasonable price, and he's had a few setbacks which is why he didn't get going until April.”

Carmouche became five for his last five here for Transfiguration Stable, winning thrice aboard The Revenger in 2023 and navigating Backed by Gold to victory in 2022, who was owned in partnership with Neal Allread. 

“This owner that I ride for here, man, I have never been so lucky for a guy. I’m five-for-five the last [four] years for this guy. This is fun,” Carmouche said. 

Barrow said a potential target for Nessuna Pagina could be the 1 1/16-mile $150,000 New York Derby on dirt on July 13 at Finger Lakes.

“We'll get the horse back to Finger Lakes and see how he comes out of the race,” Barrow said. “I don't think distance is a big problem with the horse. I think he'll go at least seven-eighths, maybe a mile. We've got some New York state-bred stuff we can look at - the New York Derby at Finger Lakes may be an option. We'll let the horse tell us."

Rodriguez said the Miguel Clement-trained Illmatic, stakes-placed on dirt, was game in making his first turf start since his career debut four starts back in July at Saratoga Race Course. 

“At the quarter pole, he [Nessuna Pagina] kind of ducked out a little bit and I had to stop the momentum a little bit at the quarter pole,” Rodriguez said. “Then once he hit the top of the lane, he got out and made contact with Manny and kind of got a little bit intimidated. When he separated [from] them, he came back again and then there’s nothing we can do right there [at the wire].”

Franco added that the Adam Rice-trained stakes winner Spirit of New York was bothered by Nessuna Pagina as he made his sophomore debut off a nearly seven-month respite. 

"I was moving well and then, at the five-sixteenths pole, I don't know what Kendrick's horse do - he just went out crazy and I almost clipped heels. I was bothered, so that's why I claimed,” Franco said. 

Nessuna Pagina earned $82,500 in victory while returning $21.58 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Belmont at the Big A with a nine-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

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