Funny Guy Cuts Back in NYSSS Thunder Rumble

R. A. Hill Stable, Gatsas Stables, and Swick Stable's multiple stakes winner Funny Guy will receive a cutback in distance while seeking a third stakes score of the year in the Nov. 22 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series for 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Funny Guy, bred in New York by Hibiscus Stables, is 15-5-5-0 with $563,645 in earnings and has won at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.

Trained by John Terranova, Funny Guy began his 4-year-old season in style when taking the Commentator Stakes against fellow state-breds June 12 at Belmont Park. Expertly piloted by Joel Rosario, the son of Big Brown  secured a rail-riding position early on and began moving into contention approaching the quarter pole, drawing off to a 1 1/4-length win over multiple stakes-winning millionaires Mr. Buff and Pat On the Back while registering a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. He showed different tactics next out in the restricted John Morrissey Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, where he was more forwardly placed when tracking a half-length behind the pacesetter and kicked clear to a two-length victory.

Favored in his past three starts, Funny Guy arrives off a fourth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Empire Classic Handicap, where he finished 6 1/2 lengths behind Mr. Buff.

"It wasn't so much the distance; it was the dynamics of the race," Terranova said. "He didn't have a pace to run at. The race didn't sort out quite the way that we needed it to, but that's racing. … He came back well, and everything is good. We have an opportunity to run here in the stallion stakes. … He looks really, really good. Everything has been fine with him, so we're looking forward to running him."

This season, Funny Guy proved viable against graded stakes company when finishing fourth in a sloppy edition of the Forego Stakes Presented by America's Best Racing (G1) Aug. 29 at Saratoga and coming up only 2 3/4 lengths shy of victory when second to Firenze Fire in the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) Sept. 26 at Belmont Park.

"He's run really well against open company," Terranova said. "We were ready for the Forego at Saratoga, but we were pretty unfortunate with the sloppy track conditions and what happened with the weather that day. But he came back and ran well."

Funny Guy will be piloted by Rosario from post 3.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Bankit, second in the Empire Classic, seeks his first victory since last year's New York Derby at Finger Lakes for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The son of Central Banker  has kept quality company this season when finishing a close second to Warrior's Charge in the Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 17 at Oaklawn Park and third, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, to grade 1 winners Tom's d'Etat  and Improbable  in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes April 11.

"He almost always shows up," said Winchell Thoroughbreds racing and bloodstock adviser David Fiske. "He's a durable guy that's been fun to have in the barn."

Irad Ortiz Jr. will be aboard Bankit from post 5.

My Boy Tate will attempt to become the third consecutive repeat winner of the Thunder Rumble following Loki's Vengeance and Gold for the King.

Owned by trainer and breeder Michelle Nevin with Little Red Feather Racing, the son of Boys At Tosconova emerged off a 13-month layoff to win last year's Thunder Rumble on sloppy going by 1 3/4 lengths.

My Boy Tate was stakes-placed three times in 2020, most recently finishing second to Stan the Man in the Tale of the Cat Stakes Aug. 20. He last out shipped to Parx Racing Sept. 23 for a five-length allowance victory going seven furlongs.

Breaking from post 4, My Boy Tate will be piloted by Manny Franco.

Completing the field are T Loves a Fight and Binkster.

Atras Saddles Pair of Contenders in Staten Island Division

Trainer Rob Atras has entered Sanford Goldfarb, Irwin Goldfarb, and Ira Davis' Officer Hutchy and Dennis Narlinger's Sadie Lady in the seven-furlong main-track sprint for eligible New York-sired fillies and mares 3 years old and upward.

Officer Hutchy, a 3-year-old daughter of Boys At Tosconova bred in the Empire State by Green Polka Farms, was claimed for $25,000 three starts back Aug. 16 at Saratoga Race Course out of a winning effort against older sprinters.

The dark bay paid immediate dividends by winning the NYSSS Park Avenue traveling 6 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga main track Sept. 3 under Dylan Davis.

"We thought she'd be a useful filly, and off that race we put her in a stakes race. She ran a big race that day, too. She's worked out really well," Atras said.

Last out, with Franco up, Officer Hutchy was an even fourth after a tiring trip in the 6 1/2-furlong Iroquois Stakes when racing from post 2 against nine other state-breds Oct. 24 at Belmont Park.

"She had to run all the way from the gate," Atras said. "She was down on the inside, and he had to hustle her out of the gate and she pretty much ran the whole race. I thought she ran a pretty good race considering. She was fourth and only beaten a couple lengths. I expect her to run a good race."

Sadie Lady, by Freud  and bred in New York by Narlinger's JMJ Racing Stables, has a record of five wins and three thirds from 15 starts. The speedy 4-year-old reeled off a trio of wins at the Big A over the winter, beginning in January with a 4 1/4-length score in an open claiming sprint. She followed in February by wiring a state-bred allowance optional claimer by 5 1/4 lengths and completed the hat trick with a half-length score against open allowance company March 8.

The dark bay made a pair of starts at the Belmont spring/summer meet, including a third in an open allowance optional claiming sprint July 12, and will be making her return to the races off a four-month layoff.

"Seven furlongs is probably not her best distance," Atras said. "But she does like Aqueduct. … Speed is her weapon. If she can get out of the gate and get on top, maybe she can go a little further."

Franco will pilot Officer Hutchy from post 3, and Kendrick Carmouche has the call aboard Sadie Lady from post 7.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Maspeth Stables, and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Espresso Shot will look to notch her first win since the 2019 Busher Stakes at the Big A. Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, the 4-year-old Mission Impazible  bay finished fifth last out in the Iroquois with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up for trainer Jorge Abreu.

Velazquez retains the mount from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are Bankers Daughter, Steal My Heart, Prairie Fire, and Fight On Lucy.