FLORIDA-BREDS AROUND THE COUNTRY

Photo by Erika Rasmussen Dubai Racing Club

EXTRAVAGANT KID

A versatile world traveler, Extravagant Kid added to his sterling resume by becoming a Group 1 stakes-winning millionaire in 2021. The latter being all the more impressive in that it happened in his 50th start halfway across the world in Dubai. Then after returning to the United States for a brief break, Extravagant Kid added England to his racing passport. To date in his career, Extravagant Kid has raced in the U.S., Canada, United Arab Emirates and Great Britain.

Bred by Frank Vicino’s Vicino Racing Stable, Extravagant Kid began his 2021 season with a trio of runner-up finishes. He was second to fellow Old Warrior Imprimis in the $75,000 Janus Stakes on the turf on Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park; second to Florida-bred Cajun Brother in the Sunshine Sprint Stakes on the dirt on Jan. 16 at Gulfstream Park; and second to Just Might in the Colonel Power Stakes on Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds despite being bumped at the start. Originally on the turf, the Colonel Power was switched to the main dirt track because of inclement weather. Extravagant Kid became a millionaire with his runner-up finish in the Colonel Power Stakes.

Extravagant Kid, owned by David Ross’s DARRS Inc., and trained by Brendan Walsh, was then flown to the UAE for the Dubai World Cup. Specifically, Extravagant Kid was entered in the Al Quoz Sprint (Group 1) on March 27 at Meydan Racecourse. The 1,200-meter turf test (about six furlongs) featured a 13-horse international field of 3-year-olds and older runners and was run on a straightaway course.

Breaking well, Extravagant Kid was taken to the inside group by jockey Ryan Moore with Equilateral and Man of Promise taking the early lead in the grandstand group. With 300 meters to the finish, Extravagant Kid began making up ground and proved to be the best by half a length. Final Song (Ire) was second with Acklam Express (Ire) third. Winning time on the firm turf was 1:09.26.

Sent back to the U.S., Extravagant Kid’s next start would come three months later in the King’s Stand Stakes (Group 1) at Royal Ascot on June 15. There he finished third to Oxted (GB) in the five-furlong turf test. While still in England, Extravagant Kid perhaps showed he was a bit homesick with a 14th-place finish in the Darley July Cup (Group 1) at Newmarket on July 10.

After returning to the U.S. and given a much-deserved break, Extravagant Kid re-emerged in the Woodford Stakes (G2) on Oct. 9 at Keeneland. He finished second to Florida-bred Golden Pal in the fiveand-a-half-furlong turf test. Extravagant Kid would take on Golden Pal again in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Extravagant Kid finished ninth while Golden Pal won his second consecutive Breeders’ Cup race after winning the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) in 2020 at Keeneland.

Extravagant Kid collected $10,000 for his ninth-place Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, bringing his seasonal earnings total to $732,523.

A 2013 bay gelding by Kiss the Kid out of Pretty Extravagant, by With Distinction, Extravagant Kid was raced by Frank Vicino for his first 23 starts. In January 2018, he was claimed for $75,000 by Brendan Walsh for DARRS Inc. and since then Extravagant Kid has won at least one stakes race every year. To date, he has made 54 starts with 15 wins, 17 seconds and seven thirds to bank career earnings of $1,684,733.

The saga of C Z Rocket, a record-setting Ocala Breeders’ Sales juvenile who became a claimer then a graded stakes-winning Florida-bred champion, continued to add new chapters in 2021. Not only did C Z Rocket continue his stakes-winning ways, he also became a millionaire.

C Z Rocket sped into the season with back-to-back impressive wins over rival Whitmore at the latter’s hometrack at Oaklawn Park. Whitmore had won the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) with C Z Rocket finishing second and fellow Florida-bred Firenze Fire third in November at Keeneland, earning Whitmore the 2020 Eclipse Award as champion male sprinter. But 2021 was a chance for revenge for C Z Rocket.

The duo would face off first in the $200,000 Hot Springs on March 13 at Oaklawn Park, a race Whitmore had won four consecutive times. But C Z Rocket would deny his rival a fifth straight win as he ran down Whitmore in the deep stretch to win by a neck. Fractions for the six-furlong sprint were :21.65, :44.69, :56.94 with C Z Rocket stopping the clock in 1:09.04. With the win, C Z Rocket also became a millionaire.

A month later, the rivals met again in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park. This time around, C Z Rocket made a bold move three-wide on the far turn to take the lead in the early stretch. He held off a rallying Whitmore to win by two lengths in 1:09.62 for the six furlongs.

Following those two season-opening victories, C Z Rocket then posted a string of second and third-place finishes. He was second to Mo Mosa in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) on May 31 at Lone Star Park; third to Dr. Schivel in the Bing Crosby (G1) on July 31 at Del Mar; second to Ginobill in the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) on Aug. 28 at Del Mar; and third to Dr. Schivel in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.

C Z Rocket’s season ended with a disappointing seventh to Aloha West in the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Earning $20,000 for that finish, C Z Rocket padded his seasonal bankroll to $620,000. Owned by Altamira Racing Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, Gary Barber and Tom Kagele, the Peter Miller-trained C Z Rocket posted two wins, two seconds and two thirds in seven starts on the season.

Bred by Vicente Perez’s Farm III Enterprises LLC, C Z Rocket is a 2014 bay gelding by City Zip out of graded stakes-placed Successful Sarah, by Successful Appeal. Consigned by Stephen Thoroughbreds to the 2016 OBS June juvenile sale, C Z Rocket was bought for a then record $800,000 by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations.

After winning the 2018 Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs, he then posted no wins in 2019 and began 2020 racing in the claiming ranks. On April 30 at Oaklawn Park, trainer Peter Miller claimed fifth-placed C Z Rocket for $40,000 on behalf of Tom Kagele. C Z Rocket would end 2020 as a multiple graded stakes winner and Florida-bred dual champion. He was named the 2020 Florida-bred champion older male and champion male sprinter. To date, C Z Rocket has career earnings of $1,511,641.

Another former claimer who then became a graded stakes winner, turf specialist Imprimis opened the 2021 season in winning fashion. On Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park, Imprimis scored a neck victory over fellow Florida-bred Old Warrior Extravagant Kid in the $75,000 listed Janus. His winning time for the five-furlong turf test was :54.82.

To that win, Imprimis would add a second to The Critical Way in the $100,000 Turf Dash on Feb. 24 at Tampa Bay Downs. That was followed by a second, a nose short of winner Bound for Nowhere in the Shakertwon (G2) on April 3 at Keeneland. In five starts on the season, Imprimis posted a win and two seconds to earn $123,535.

A 2014 bay gelding by Broken Vow out of Shopper’s Return, by Put It Back, Imprimis was bred by Craig L. Wheeler, who managed Hobeau Farm for more than 30 years. Imprimis didn’t make his first start until he was four. Racing for Wheeler, Imprimis won at first asking in a maiden special weight on February 2, 2018, at Gulfstream Park. He then won an allowance optional claiming race on February 28 at Gulfstream Park. Following that win, Wheeler sold Imprimis privately to Breeze Easy LLC (Mike Hall and Sam Ross). Imprimis, trained by Joseph Orseno, rewarded his new owners with another allowance optional claiming win on March 24.

But things only got better from there as Imprimis won the 2018 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes on May 18 at Pimlico. He would add another stakes win on the year, capturing the 2018 Wolf Hill at Monmouth Park.

In 2019, Imprimis won his first graded stakes victory with a tally in the 2019 Shakertown (G2) at Keeneland. He also won the $75,000 Silks Run at Gulfstream that season. His second graded stakes win came in the 2020 Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (G3). To date, Imprimis has posted nine wins, two seconds and two thirds in 21 starts with career earnings to date of $883,483.

Photo by Ryan Thompson

LADY’S ISLAND

Going into the 2021 season, Lady’s Island was a former claimer who had become a multiple stakes winner and Florida-bred champion. In what would be her only start on the season, Lady’s Island ended her career in stakes-winning fashion.

On Feb. 6 at Gulfstream Park, Lady’s Island captured the $100,000 Ladies’ Turf Sprint. She won the five-furlong sprint had been taken off the turf by three-quarters of a length ahead of fellow Florida-bred Miss Auramet. Her winning time over the sloppy track was :58.87. She earned $61,380 to bring her career earnings to $665,575.

Three days later, Lady’s Island was consigned by South Point Sales Agency to the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale. There she was bought by Gainesway Farm for $310,000.

Bred by Bailey Bolen, Lady’s Island is a 2014 bay mare by Solera Farm stallion Greatness out of Broadway Martha, by Broad Brush. Racing for Bolen, she won her first race in a $25,000-$20,000 maiden claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs on April 22, 2017. From there, she had modest success in the claiming/ allowance optional claiming ranks for Bolen. Then on June 22, 2018, Lady’s Island was claimed by Richard Averill for $16,000 after finishing third in a $12,500 starter optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park.

In 2019, Lady’s Island won the Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) and listed Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint, both at Gulfstream Park for owners Matties Racing Stable LLC and Averill Racing LLC. In 2020, she again won the Sugar Swirl (G3), $50,000 Minaret and $100,000 Musical Romance. Lady’s Island was named the 2020 Florida-bred champion female sprinter.

Lady’s Island’s lone 2021 stakes win at age 7 was her ticket into the Old Warriors club, a fitting end to her outstanding racing career.