Pair of $500K NY Stallion Series Stakes Top Big A Card

A major selling point for breeding in New York will be on display at Aqueduct Racetrack Dec. 14.

Basically, there will be a million reasons.

A pair of New York Stallion Series stakes for 2-year-olds will be contested Saturday at the Big A with each of them carrying a hefty purse of $500,000.

Both the Great White Way Division Stakes and the Fifth Avenue Division Stakes for fillies will be contested at seven furlongs with rich payouts in both cases.

The key factor in being eligible to compete for a lucrative purse is that the juvenile's sire must be registered with the New York State Breeding and Development Fund and stand the entire year in the Empire State.

Meet that criteria and in one fell swoop a 2-year-old could cover his or her purchase price and expenses for the rest of their career.

While a majority of starters may own just a maiden win, a couple of entrants in the Great White Way Division boast a stakes win or two.

Sacrosanct , a son of Honest Mischief  , is undefeated in three career starts and comes into Saturday's race with victories in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes and Bertram F. Bongard Stakes for New York-breds. After winning the Bongard by 12 lengths at seven furlongs, he prevailed by "only" 1 1/2 lengths in the Sleepy Hollow at a mile. 

Trained by Brad Cox, he is owned by Lady Sheila Stable, Net Birdie, and Schwing Thoroughbreds. Bred by Burleson Farms, Mckenzie Bloodstock, and Sequel Thoroughbreds, he was purchased for $260,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and has already bankrolled $228,250.

Richard Nicolai's Fortune Farm homebred Bold Fortune  is coming off a decisive 7 3/4-length score in the New York Breeders' Futurity at Finger Lakes.

Trained by George Weaver, the son of Central Banker   was third in his debut behind Sacrosanct then notched a 10 1/2-length romp in second try. He has yet to race beyond six furlongs.

Seven of the other eight starters in the field of 10 have one win to their credit. The other entrant is a maiden.

Fifth Avenue Division

The Fifth Avenue Division attracted a field of 12, though none of the fillies have posted a stakes win at a New York Racing Association track.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and SunsetRidge Racing's Stone Smuggler  earned stakes laurels when she prevailed in the Lady Finger Stakes for state-breds at Finger Lakes.

A daughter of Honest Mischief trained by Jorge Abreu, she was then third in the Nov. 17 Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct.

She was bred by Eaton & Thorne and sold for $57,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York-Bred Yearling Sale. She has earned $89,347.

Francis Paolangeli's homebred Idyll Gossip  (Central Banker) prevailed in the Shesastonecoldfox Stakes at Finger Lakes in her last start.

The field also includes ERJ Racing and Madaket Stables' Boston's Phinest , a daughter of Honest Mischief trained by Chad Brown. She is coming off a second in the Maid of the Mist Stakes at Aqueduct and was bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Cypress Creek Equine. The stakes-placed runner was bought for $190,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds Sale.