Reigning Champion 2YO Colt Ted Noffey back in action in $200K Dwyer
- Reigning Champion 2YO Colt Ted Noffey back in action in $200K Dwyer
- Adelphi Racing Club well-represented by Illmatic, Blazing Tiger in $175K Carle Place
- Oscar’s Hope finds promising spot in $175K Carle Place
- Desruisseaux seeks first U.S. stakes win with Highwaytothemoon
Spendthrift Farm’s reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Ted Noffey will make his much-anticipated return from a more than one-year layoff in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Dwyer, a one-turn mile for sophomores, at Belmont Park.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the undefeated son of Into Mischief earned Championship honors for his juvenile campaign that featured three Grade 1 wins. A debut winner last August at Saratoga Race Course, he followed with a victory in the Spendthrift Farm Hopeful one month later there and added the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland ahead of a one-length triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.
The gray colt has steadily worked his way back to the races since dealing with some bone bruising this winter, and lands in this spot after rerouting from the Perryville on October 17 at Keeneland.
Daniel Toffey, racing manager for Spendthrift Farm, said he likes what he’s seen from Ted Noffey in his works this summer and fall, including a few in company with Grade 1-placed Sassmaster, winner of an optional-claiming event on October 24 at Keeneland.
“Ted’s doing really good and has had a couple really nice works,” said Toffey. “He’s had plenty of time to catch up on fitness just to make sure he’s ready for this race. He’s been working with horses like Sassmaster and held his own, and Sassmaster has come back in pretty good form. We’re pretty excited. It’s a tough race on Saturday, but it will give us a good idea to see where we’re at off the layoff.”
Toffey said that Ted Noffey, whose name is a playful spin on Spendthrift Farm’s general manager Ned Toffey, has impressed in his physical maturity from 2-to-3.
“He’s really grown up and filled out quite a bit,” Toffey said. “He looks like a man now. Compared to other 2-year-olds, he had a lot more leg to him last year, but he’s grown up even more and looks fully-developed now. He looks phenomenal. You never know how horses are going to come back after a layoff like that, and he was unbelievably talented [last year], but we’re just grateful to get the opportunity to see him run again and see what we’ve got.”
Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who has ridden Ted Noffey in each of his starts, climbs aboard again on Saturday from post 6-of-10 and will be listed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Top Dwyer contenders include Listed stakes-winner Sea Strike [No. 9, Flavien Prat, 2-1ML] for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown; and allowance-winner Stimulate [No. 3, Junior Alvarado, 6-1ML], a Tapit colt out of dual Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Elate for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Trainer Doug O’Neill reported via text that Craig Dado and Mark Davis’ Decisive Win will scratch from the Listed Dwyer. The Nyquist chestnut was a last-out fifth in the one-mile Listed Shared Belief on September 6 at Del Mar.
The Kentucky fall sale season is in full swing with Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale completed on Monday, and Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale currently in progress after commencing on Tuesday. Spendthrift Farm was busy at both auctions, including at Fasig-Tipton, where they went to $3 million for dual Grade 1-winner Scottish Lassie.
The 4-year-old daughter of McKinzie was trained by Jorge Abreu throughout her 10 starts, which included triumphs as a juvenile in the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont at the Big A and as a sophomore in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. She retires to Spendthrift with earnings of $954,510.
Ned Toffey spoke to the purchase of the talented dark bay that ranked the fourth-most expensive horse at the one-session sale.
“We bought a variety of mares, some that were pure speed – she’s got a little more of a Classic slant to her, that type of physical,” Toffey said. “We liked her quite a bit and we are very excited to have her.”
At Keeneland, Spendthrift went to $1.2 million for the New York-bred mare Sterling Silver, who sold in foal to Gun Runner. The 7-year-old Cupid mare retired from racing this spring following a 39-start career that netted more than $1.4 million in earnings with seven stakes wins and nine graded placings.
Sterling Silver is a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1-winning New York-bred Rhetorical, the reigning NYTB Horse of the Year.
Toffey said a combination of pedigree and durability made Sterling Silver an attractive mare to add to the broodmare band.
“One of the biggest things for us is talent. The pedigree is there as a half to a Grade 1-winner in Rhetorical,” Toffey said. “We like to focus on dirt, and obviously Rhetorical is a turf horse, but she herself did a lot of her best work on dirt. Durable, sound, talented, and clearly a very good athlete. A wonderful physical as well.”
Bred by Mallory Mort and Karen Mort, Sterling Silver is out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor.
Additional news, notes, advances and recaps are available at: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/.
For more information about the new Belmont Park, visit NewBelmont.com.
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Adelphi Racing Club well-represented by Illmatic, Blazing Tiger in $175K Carle Place
Adelphi Racing Club has two chances to visit the winner’s circle in Saturday’s $175,000 Carle Place at Belmont Park as their Miguel Clement-trained colts Illmatic and Blazing Tiger take on the six-furlong inner turf sprint for sophomores.
The New York-bred Illmatic, co-owned by LJSS Thoroughbreds, enters from a determined half-length allowance victory versus older state-bred company on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course. The son of New York stallion Honest Mischief has hit the board in each of his last six outings, including a nose second to Nessuna Pagina in the NYSSS Spectacular Bid on June 20 at Belmont at the Big A.
Matt Cutair, managing partner of Adelphi Racing Club, said he was encouraged to see Illmatic eke out the win last time after coming up a head short and landing third in a similar tilt at the Spa on August 1.
“He had two good races up in Saratoga and was unlucky not to win the first, so it was good to see him get the job done the second time,” Cutair said. “He’s done nothing wrong this year, and Miguel putting him on the turf has worked out well. He’s doing very well.”
Illmatic made three of his first four outings on dirt, and has thrived since moving to the grass. He is a nose and a head away from being 3-for-3 since returning to turf following a sixth-place effort on debut over the Spa grass last July.
Cutair said he was relieved to see Illmatic draw post 8-of-10 on Saturday after being in the one-hole his last two starts.
“I like the outside draw for him after having the inside the last couple times, so maybe that will help him do a little better,” Cutair said. “He’s turned into a nice horse and we’re excited about it.”
Bred by Sequel Stallions New York, Illmatic was a $290,000 buy at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
“He was really the horse at that sale that we had to have,” Cutair said. “He checks all the boxes for us and we run a lot of horses in New York, so we are always looking for New York-breds and we gravitate towards those anyways. He was a physical standout at that sale and we’ve had some success buying off of Becky [Thomas] at Sequel, so he was one we really wanted and we were lucky to get.”
Blazing Tiger, co-owned by High Five Racing, Corms Racing Stable, Ausable Dream Racing, Shelly Hume and Russell Hume, graduated at seventh asking going 6 1/2-furlongs last out after hitting the board in five of his first six starts. The Twirling Candy bay stalked and pounced to the 1 1/4-length victory under Manny Franco on September 24 here, his third start since being cut back from a trio of one-mile outings earlier this spring and summer.
“Blazing Tiger has been a horse that’s a bit frustrating for us because he has a ton of ability, he just never really figured it out,” Cutair said. “I thought Manny gave him a phenomenal ride last time and hopefully he’s a horse where the lightbulb went on after a win like that. He’s been competitive against nice horses, and he’s the kind of horse where he could jump up and surprise us. He always runs well, and since we’ve cut him back, he’s run better.”
Blazing Tiger was a $200,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the stakes-placed All American mare Tiger Silk, who also produced dual stakes-placed Dashingly.
Franco retains the mount from the outermost post 10 on Saturday.
Adelphi Racing Club tasted stakes victory two weeks ago at Belmont when Gratefully returned to winning ways in the second of two divisions of the Listed Perfect Sting on October 23 for trainer Rob Falcone, Jr. Co-owned by Shelly Hume and Russell Hume, the Laoban 4-year-old bounced back from an uncharacteristic last-of-9 in the Grade 2 Intercontinental in June at Saratoga where she stumbled at the start and weakened after rushing up to press the pace.
In the Perfect Sting, Gratefully earned a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure for the half-length triumph over Jody’s Pride after setting the pace under Umberto Rispoli. Cutair said there’s an outside chance Gratefully could come back in the six-furlong Autumn Days on November 21 here, or try a swing at the big leagues in the one-mile Grade 1 Matriarch on November 29 at Del Mar.
“She’s doing very well and came out good, so now we figure out what to do with her next,” Cutair said. “We could look to run her back there [at Belmont], though that race probably comes back a little too quick for us. There’s a big swing opportunity potentially in the Matriarch that we could look at, but we haven’t made a final decision yet.”
Gratefully began her career a perfect 5-for-5, led by a head stakes win in the restricted Wishing Well in February at Santa Anita Park. She has banked $315,125 through her 6-for-7 career.
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Oscar’s Hope finds promising spot in $175K Carle Place
Michael McLoughlin’s Oscar’s Hope has given a good account of himself in three starts on grass and will look for his first win on the surface in Saturday’s $175,000 Carle Place, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for sophomores, at Belmont Park.
Trained by Kinnon LaRose, the Twirling Candy bay tried the lawn for the first time in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Mahony in August at Saratoga Race Course, finishing a neck second to Stradale, who exited to win the Grade 2 Gallant Bob on dirt at Parx Racing and was fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Saturday at Keeneland.
Oscar’s Hope was then a 2 1/2-length fourth in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson in September at Kentucky Downs and a 1 3/4-length third in a 5 1/2-furlong turf allowance last out on October 8 at Keeneland won by dual stakes-winner Outfielder.
“He’s done well for us coming into this race,” LaRose said. “He ran on dirt as a 2-year-old and early in his 3-year-old year, maybe he got a little complacent on the dirt, so we thought trying the grass would benefit him and he handled it great that first time at Saratoga. The two races following that, he ran very well. Taking him to this stakes in New York going three-quarters on the grass, we think that’ll really hit him on the head.”
In his three turf efforts, Oscar’s Hope has rallied from at least 6 1/2 lengths back. He was more forwardly placed on dirt, with his 13-4-4-2 overall record featuring stakes wins in the Jean Lafitte in November at Delta Downs and the Ozark in February at Oaklawn Park while in the care of Tom Amoss.
“I think those short grass sprints, there are a lot of horses in there with speed. Not that Oscar’s Hope doesn’t have speed, but he’s not the quickest out of the gate,” said LaRose. “He’s always running when they turn for home, so we thought a little more ground would do him wonders.”
Oscar's Hope, bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, is out of the winning Not This Time mare Hopeful Princess, a full-sister to stakes-placed turfer Johanny. His third dam, Magical Meadow, produced Past as Prelude, the dam of multiple graded stakes-winning turf sprinter Future Is Now.
“He’s a horse that is ultra consistent,” LaRose said. “He always shows up and runs a hard, competitive race, and that’s really all we can ask for from him. He’s been like that ever since he was two. He has a lot of miles underneath him, but he’s just a really consistent racehorse and a really cool horse to be around.”
Junior Alvarado has the call from post 3.
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Desruisseaux seeks first U.S. stakes win with Highwaytothemoon
Woodbine-based trainer Dale Desruisseaux, who will have a significant string of horses in New York this winter, will look to pick up his first stateside stakes score with Highwaytothemoon in Saturday’s $175,000 Carle Place, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for sophomores, at Belmont Park.
Owned by Domenic Dilalla, the Ransom the Moon gelding has outperformed expectations this year after stretching out from a neck score versus elders in his seasonal debut traveling 5 1/2-furlongs on Tapeta in April at Woodbine. He subsequently produced a pair of good outings at seven furlongs there when a prominent second in the King Corrie in May ahead of a frontrunning win in the Queenston versus fellow Canadian-breds in June.
“We didn't even have him eligible for the Triple Crown up here over the winter because I always thought he was a one-turn horse, but he took us on a ride,” Desruisseaux said.
Highwaytothemoon stretched out to nine-furlongs to win the Plate Trial versus fellow Canadian-breds with a stalking score in July ahead of a troubled ninth in the 10-furlong King’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown in August.
Desruisseaux gave the versatile bay one more try going long in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown series only to see his charge land a non-threatening seventh in the Prince of Wales over 1 3/16-miles on the Fort Erie dirt.
“I think he was that typical stereotype of a horse that you can get them to go long once,” Desruisseaux said. “He showed us in the second leg that he didn't want to go that far.
"He had a rough trip in the Plate," Desruisseaux added. "Turning for home he got bounced around and my jock said it took the air out of him. It didn't give us a true feeling on the race and that's why we decided to go onto the next one. He had a good trip in the next leg and didn't fire turning for home.”
Highwaytothemoon turned back sharply in distance to run a closing second in the 6 1/2-furlong Sophomore on October 10 over the Woodbine Tapeta.
There, with Jose Campos up, Highwaytothemoon saved ground in last-of-5 after exiting the inside post as My Covenant showed the way through a half-mile in 45.97. My Covenant held a two-length advantage at the stretch call as Highwaytothemoon cut the corner and took aim at the leader, who would not be denied the one-length score – and his third straight victory - in a final time of 1:16.03.
“He was a little further back than I would have liked to see him last time, especially when they weren't clipping along up front,” Desruisseaux said. “I thought with him closing into that, he ran a really good race, and the jock came back and said, ‘if I go outside, we probably win.’”
Highwaytothemoon, who boasts an 8-4-2-1 record on synthetic, will make just his second start on turf following a prominent fourth in the Listed Algonquin last October at Woodbine. The winner of that event, Cy Fair, exited to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
Desruisseaux said he is not concerned about the rain in the forecast this week.
“If it goes to synthetic that's fine. Either way, I think he'll take it in stride and it's just a matter of if he's good enough or not,” Desruisseaux said of Highwaytothemoon, who will exit post 5 in rein to Dylan Davis.
Bred in Ontario by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse, Highwaytothemoon, out of the Society’s Chairman mare High Society Gal, has accumulated $277,376 via a 10-4-2-1 record.
Desruisseaux has done well with a trio of previous stakes starters in New York at Aqueduct Racetrack, including Church and State, who last year tried his luck in the Gio Ponti [5th] and Grade 3 Hill Prince [3rd]. Desruisseaux sent out Piper’s Gift to a fourth-place finish in the Listed Memories of Silver in April at the Big A.
The 40-year-old conditioner said he will have a solid presence at the Belmont Park winter meet, which will be conducted exclusively on Tapeta.
“I'll be bringing between 15-to-20 horses down. I’ll send the first load down at the end of this month,” Desruisseaux said.
Desruisseaux noted he will be looking to claim horses to bring stateside along with a few promising 2-year-olds that fit the Empire Trillium Series, a 14-race program of stakes races at Belmont Park and Woodbine Racetrack restricted to horses foaled in New York or Canada and worth $3.2 million in total purses.
The first four legs of the Empire Trillium Series are slated for December 26 and Desruisseaux is hoping that recent maiden winner Glorious Gem will be ready for the $200,000 Saratoga Dew at 1 1/16-miles for 2-year-old fillies.
The Ontario homebred for Hillsbrook Farms, by Tonalist, is a half-sister to three-time Grade 1-winner Hard Not to Like, who won the 2015 Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga Race Course.
Glorious Gem, out of the Tactical Cat mare Like a Gem, graduated at third asking last out in a one-mile and 70 yard maiden special weight on October 31 over the Woodbine Tapeta.
“She’s a nice filly,” Desruisseaux said. “We're hoping she can progress and go to that series.”
The December 26 undercard will also feature four named maiden events [two at six furlongs; and two at 1 1/16-miles] restricted to 2-year-olds foaled in Canada or New York, each with a purse of $85,000 with Empire Trillium Series nominees preferred. The named races honor Channel Maker, Overskate, Fanfreluche and the aforementioned Hard Not to Like.
For more on the Empire Trillium Series and the above-named maiden races, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/condition-book-for-belmont-park-winter-meet-now-online/.
Empire Trillium Series nominations for foals of 2023 and earlier are due by November 20th. For additional details, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/empire-trillium-series/.
