Funny Guy Kicks Home in NYSSS Thunder Rumble
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Funny Guy wins the New York Stallion Series Stakes Thunder Rumble division at Aqueduct Racetrack
Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable, and Swick Stable's Funny Guy returned to his winning ways, displaying a devastating turn of foot in the final half-furlong to overtake defending winner My Boy Tate in the $97,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes Thunder Rumble division Nov. 22 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The race was open to eligible New York-sired 3-year-olds and up going seven furlongs on the main track.
Trained by John Terranova and reunited with jockey Joel Rosario, Funny Guy made his first trip to the winner's circle since capturing the John Morrissey Handicap July 30 at Saratoga Race Course. The 4-year-old Big Brown colt arrived at the Thunder Rumble off a fourth-place finish in the Empire Classic Handicap as the beaten favorite.
Terranova praised his five-time stakes winner.
"He's got some gears," Terranova said. "Once (Rosario) got him into that rhythm, he was able to kick. He had to work on him, but he's as honest as they come. The pace didn't really unfold early, but I think you can attribute that to the fact this track is a little bit loose and deeper. He's a big, heavy colt and he likes a little quicker surface you can bounce off of. It took a little bit to get him going and get his feet, but he sure got into the gear when he needed it at the end."
Breaking from post 3, Funny Guy secured a spot in fourth as 21-1 longshot Binkster led the field through opening fractions of :23.59 and :47.53 on the fast main track.
Around the far turn, Funny Guy was in search of racing room, but Rosario tipped his charge five wide approaching the quarter pole as My Boy Tate took command at the top of the stretch. Funny Guy, six lengths back with plenty to do, found a new gear past the sixteenth pole and ran down My Boy Tate in the last few strides to win the seven-furlong event by a neck in a final time of 1:23.57.
My Boy Tate finished another two lengths ahead of Bankit. T Loves a Fight, who missed the break, and Binkster completed the order of finish.
Funny Guy returned $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite. He upped his record to 6-5-0 from 16 starts and earnings to $618,645.
Rosario said he wasn't sure his horse would get up in time.
"Turning for home, they got away from me a little bit. I knew he was running, but I had to come out a little bit because I wasn't sure what Irad (Ortiz Jr. aboard Bankit) was going to do," Rosario said. "I pointed him to the outside in case the horses inside came out, and I let him stretch his legs from there. For a second, I thought the other horse was going to get away, but the last part he gave me everything he had. It was a good performance."
Bred in New York by Hibiscus Stables, Funny Guy is out of the multiple stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Humor. He was purchased by Gatsas Thoroughbreds for $45,000 from the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was consigned by Mayberry Farm.
Video: New York Stallion Series S. (BT)
Espresso Shot Returns to Winner's Circle in NYSSS Staten Island
NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Maspeth Stables, and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Espresso Shot capitalized on a forwardly placed trip and held off Prairie Fire's late bid to notch her first victory in 20 months with a two-length score in Sunday's $100,000 NYSSS Staten Island division for eligible New York-sired fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct.
Espresso Shot wins the New York Stallion Series Stakes Staten Island division at Aqueduct Racetrack
The 4-year-old Mission Impazible filly was stretched out for most of her current campaign, even being tried on turf in September at Belmont Park, before being shortened back up in a main-track sprint last out when fifth in the 6 1/2-furlong Iroquois Stakes Oct. 24 on Belmont's Big Sandy.
Trainer Jorge Abreu kept Espresso Shot at one turn, and the move paid off as she tracked in second position near the rail before jockey John Velazquez tipped her out along the backstretch. Sadie Lady led the seven-horse field through opening fractions of :23.76 and :47.43 on the fast main track.
Espresso Shot matched Sadie Lady nearly stride for stride at the quarter pole before taking command coming out of the turn. When straightened for home, Velazquez put her under a drive, repelling Prairie Fire's outside charge to hit the wire in 1:24.64 for seven furlongs.
"Last time, there was a lot of speed and she got carried wide," Velazquez said. "Today was totally different. She was closer, on the hands, and much better today."
"Turning for home, I saw Johnny was loaded. She had nowhere to go, but then she made the lead and that was it," Abreu said.
Off at 6-1, Espresso Shot returned $15.20. She improved her earnings to $402,105 from a 4-3-1 record in 17 starts.
"She really does love Aqueduct," Abreu said. "The one-turn mile going seven-eighths, this is what she wants to do. We tried stretching her out, and it didn't work out. At Saratoga, she ran second and at Belmont she ran fifth. Then we ran her in the Iroquois, and Johnny got off her and said it was a little too short for her. She doesn't have that late closing kick we think she has. She feels that way, but she doesn't have it."
Prairie Fire finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of 6-5 favorite Officer Hutchy for second. Bankers Daughter, Sadie Lady, Fight On Lucy, and Steal My Heart completed the order of finish.
Espresso Shot was bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Glory Gold. She was a $69,000 purchase by Final Furlong Racing, with RiceHorse as agent, from Paramount Sales at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearlings Sale.