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FLORIDA FOCUS
Florida Focus Compiled by Brock Sheridan
Hot Pressure, Hot Pace as Hot Peppers Wins Victory Ride
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Florida-bred Hot Peppers n Susie Raisher Photo
Hot Peppers survived a three-strong battle for the early lead to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride at Belmont Park on July 9. The :22.10 first quarter scrap with 7-5 favorite Pretty Birdie and multiple stakes-winner Happy Soul set up a three-quartersof-a-length victory for the Florida-bred. Besting a five-horse field of 3-year-old fillies gives Hot Peppers consecutive stakes wins at Belmont, and her fifth win in seven starts.
After the quick first two furlongs, Hot Peppers and jockey Luis Saez remained on even terms with her two rivals in the three path down the backstretch and around the turn, finishing the half-mile in :45.52 as Pretty Birdie surrendered.
Hot Peppers eventually got the edge on Happy Soul in the stretch and sustained her lead ahead of a late-running Half is Enough. Sterling Silver was another two-and-a-half lengths back in third followed by Happy Soul and Pretty Birdie.
Hot Peppers paid $10.60 to win.
“She shows a lot of class and that’s what you want to see in these kinds of races. I know most of the time there will be a lot of challenges, especially with her speed,” winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “I was kind of worried about the distance a little, but she hung in there and she prevailed. She showed what she can do.”
Saez said he too was impressed with her determination.
“Today, she surprised me a lot because she went pretty fast and challenged the other ones. But she proved she can really run,” Saez said. “She beat some nice fillies and I’m pretty happy with her.
“This filly I’ve been following for a long time. She’s that kind of filly that always fights,” he added. “If she’s in a fight, she’s pretty tough to get by. She always gives you everything she has and she did that today.”
Hot Peppers won her second straight stakes with Saez aboard after taking the $145,000 Jersey Girl at Belmont over six furlongs on June 12 and she has now earned $277,950.
Owned by Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso, Hot Peppers is by Khozan out of Friends Pro, by Friends Lake and was bred in Florida by Brent and Crystal Fernung, who consigned her to the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Sale under their Journeyman Bloodstock Services banner, where she was purchased by de Meric Sales for $40,000. Trainer Ronald Spatz then got her for $16,000 at the 2021 OBS Open Sale from the de Meric consignment. n
Key Biscayne Tops Florida-bred Exacta in Robert G. Dick Upset
Prior to Key Biscayne’s victory in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park on July 9, the Florida-bred mare had one stakes victory in 23 previous starts—coming when last year’s $75,000 Monroe was taken off the turf at Gulfstream Park in July of last year.
The $200,500 Robert G. Dick remained on the grass, at the scheduled mile-and-three-eighths, on soft going conditions that appeared to favor Key Biscayne as the 5-year-old mare split horses
at the top of the stretch on her way to a length-and-a-quarter victory ahead of fellow Florida-bred Sister Otoole in second.
Breaking from the inside post with jockey Daniel Centeno aboard, Key Biscayne sat fifth of nine during the early stages as Gladys and Jaime Rodriquez galloped through the first half-mile with a length-and-a-half lead on longshot Whimsical Muse in second. Gladys continued to show the way down the backstretch and began to fight off her challengers around the far turn as Key Biscayne was making up ground with an inside trip and Belle Belisa (Ire) now beginning to threaten on the far outside.
But Key Biscayne accelerated to the lead at the top of the stretch and was much the best from there as she finished in 2:24.59. Sister Otoole was second, a length-and-three-quarters faster than Gladys in the show spot. They were followed by Florida-bred Treasure Tails, Belle Belisa, Lucky Money, Temple City Terror, Whimsical Muse and Stand Tall.
It was the second consecutive victory for Key Biscayne, who had won a $62,500 optional claiming in a race taken off the turf and moved to a mile-and-one-eighth on the main track at Gulfstream Park on June 12.
Key Biscayne is by Brethren, who stands at Arindel, and is the first foal out of the Florida-bred Lemon Drop Kid mare Boa Twelve. Key Biscayne has a winning full-sister, an unraced 2-year-old full-brother in Cabernet and an unnamed weanling full-sister. n
Officiating won his second Grade 3 victory of the year on July 9 as the Florida-bred son of Blame won the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap with Javier Castellano aboard. The Cornhusker was run at a mile-and-an-eighth for 3-year-olds and older at Prairie Meadows.
Officiating, who also won the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct on March 5, was let go at odds of 8-1 in the Cornhusker with the Brad Cox-trained Warrant the odds-on favorite at 3-5. Warrant was also the race high weight with a 121-pound assignment based on his second-place finish in the Grade 2 Brooklyn last out.
The 30-1 longshot Fleetridge set the early pace in the Cornhusker as he led Flash of Mischief through fractions of :23.70, :49.52 and 1:13.31 as Officiating raced about a length behind those two throughout.
Castellano gave Officiating his cue around the far turn and he
Florida-bred Officiating n Coady Photo
Florida-breds Make Florida Racing
Florida-breds are vital to the success of Gulfstream Park during the Spring/Summer season.
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Jilted Bride Unveils Stakes Victor in Iowa Distaff
Florida-bred Jilted Bride n Coady Photo
began to make up ground before swinging three-wide past the quarter-pole to challenge Fleetridge for the lead. Fleetridge held resolute until deep stretch when Officiating took over on his way to a length-and-a-quarter victory ahead of Fleetridge in second with Warrant never getting underway and finishing third. Flash of Mischief was fourth followed by Silver Prospector and Rated R Superstart.
Under 118 pounds, Officiating paid $18.80 to win.
Third behind fellow Florida-bred Drafted in his previous start in the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont on May 14, Officiating also won the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream in December and the $75,000 Bear’s Den at Gulfstream in September.
A homebred for Peter Vegso’s Vegso Racing Stable, Officiating is out of Come a Callin, by Dixie Union and he was now won five of 19 career starts with four seconds and four thirds. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Officiating has now earned $534,097.
Come a Callin has also produced Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)-winner and Eclipse Award champion Caledonia Road; The Vid Stakes-winner One of a Kind, both Florida-breds; and 3-yearold Celestial, who is unplaced in one start. She also has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Munnings and was bred to Quality Road in 2022. n
Jilted Bride, twice a graded stakes bridesmaid got her first black type victory Aug. 14 at Prairie Meadows with a determined effort in the $100,000 Iowa Distaff. The field featured six fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older who went a mile-and-a-sixteenth. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine LLC, Zane Carruth and Brady Carruth, Jilted Bride had finished third in two starts at the Grade 3 level with a show performance behind winner Gibberish in the Turnback the Alarm at Belmont Park in November and in the Bayakoa won by Miss Bigly at Oaklawn in February. Jilted Bride sat mid-pack early in the Iowa Distaff as Graysonsmacho Gal took a length-and-a-half lead around the first turn with Becca’s Rocket giving chase in second and Blessed Again third. Graysonsmacho Gal set a first quarter-mile split in :23.49 as Becca’s Rocket moved up to pressure the leader for the run down the backstretch. Graysonsmacho Gal kept Becca’s Rocket at bay through a halfmile in :47.22 and three-quarters in 1:11.56 as she took a clear lead when they turned for home. Jilted Bride tracked those leaders around the turn and began to wear down Graysonsmacho Gal in the stretch. Graysonsmacho Gal fought valiantly to the finish as Jilted Bride won by a head in 1:44.47 on the fast track. Graysonmacho Gal was five lengths ahead of third-place finisher Becca’s Rocket with 6-5 favorite Oliviaofthedesert fourth. They were followed by Florida-bred All Good Times and Blessed Again. Jilted Bride, bred in Florida by Bobby Jones Equine, is by Wicked Strong out of Cry At My Wedding, by Street Cry (Ire). She has now won five of 19 starts with earnings of $470,922. Cry At My Wedding also produced Quinnkat, a filly by D’wildcat. Quinnkat was a multiple-stakes winner who finished second to Scandalous Act in all three legs of the 2013 Florida Stallion Stakes filly divisions. She also has an unraced yearling colt, Hard to Handle, by Uncaptured and a weanling colt by Khozan. Jilted Bride did not sell as a yearling at the 2018 OBS October sale, but she matured to bring $150,000 when de Meric Sales sold her to Bradley Thoroughbreds at the OBS March Sale four months later. n 50% FOAL REGISTRATION DISCOUNT; BREEDER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS; FLORIDA SIRE STAKES PROGRAM; ADVERTISING DISCOUNTS IN THE FLORIDA HORSE, WIRE TO WIRE, WIRE TO WIRE AUCTION & HORSE CAPITAL DIGEST; DISCOUNTS AT BUSINESSES AND FARM SERVICES INCLUDING RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, ENTERTAINMENT, FARM EQUIPMENT AND MORE; NTRA ADVANTAGE GROUP DISCOUNTS; STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS; EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS; MEMBER LIBRARY AND BECOME AN FTBOA MEMBER RESEARCH SERVICES; COMPLIMENTARY ISSUES OF THE FLORIDA HORSE, STALLION REGISTER, FARM & SERVICE CHECK OUT OUR BENEFITS AT WWW.FTBOA.COM DIRECTORY, WIRE TO WIRE RACING DIGEST; FTBOA MEMBER NEWSLETTER; FTBOA MEMBER EVENTS; AGRICULTURE AFFILIATION
Naughty Gal Goes Wire to Wire for First Stakes Win in Adirondack
Holy Cow Stable’s Florida-bred Naughty Gal made her stakes debut a winning one in the $200,000 Adirondack (Grade 3), a six-and-a-half-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 7.
Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and piloted by Luis Saez, the Into Mischief bay entered from a nine-and-a-quarter-length romp in a six-furlong maiden special weight on July 4 at Churchill Downs.
Naughty Gal broke alertly from post two and took command through fractions of :22.46 and :46.15 over the fast main track with maiden winner Apple Picker pressing along the rail under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and the Flavien Prat-piloted maiden Janis Joplin looming a threat into the turn.
A misbehaving Naughty Gal traveled extremely wide through the turn as Janis Joplin, Apple Picker, and Sabra Tuff cut the corner and began to make up ground on the runaway pacesetter. Despite racing down the center of the track, Naughty Gal persevered to the wire a two-and-a-half-length winner in a final time of 1:18.97.
Janis Joplin, third last out in the Schuylerville (G3), completed the exacta by a head over Sabra Tuff with Apple Picker and Damaso rounding out the order of finish. Promise of Hope was pulled up through the turn by Jose Ortiz and vanned off.
It was the third stakes win of the meet for Saez, last year’s meet-leading rider, following scores with Fearless (in the Birdstone) and Art Collector (in the Alydar). He said Naughty Gal was a little green turning for home.
“At the three-eighths, her ear was back-and-forth looking at something and got a little lost, but she kept running and going,” Saez said. “She gave me another gear and ran good.”
A $350,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds In Training purchase where she was consigned by Pick View, Naughty Gal is out of the stakes-winning Spanish Steps mare Conway Two Step. She provided Lukas a record-extending seventh score in the Adirondack.
The Hall of Famer’s past winners include Nervous Baba (1985), Sacahuista (1986), Over All (1987), Pat Copelan (1988), Salty Perfume (1997), and Folklore (2005).
Lukas, who also conditions Schuylerville (G3) runner-up Summer Promise, will look to keep the two fillies separated by having Naughty Gal make her next start in Kentucky in either the $500,000 Alcibiades (G1) on Oct. 7 at Keeneland or the $300,000 Pocahontas (G3) on Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs. BC Stables’ Summer Promise, by Uncle Mo, will target the $300,000 Spinaway (G1) on Sept. 4 at Saratoga. Naughty Gal had a trio of breezes over the Oklahoma training track to prepare for her Spa and stakes debut, which Lukas said was a result of seeing Summer Promise tire late in the Schuylerville. “I didn’t have her tight enough and I underestimated how this track is. I think I got her beat, but we’ll try to correct that in Florida-bred Naughty Gal n Janet Garaguso Photo Florida-breds Make Florida Racing
Did you know Florida-bred thoroughbreds won 36.2% of races run at the recent Tampa Bay Downs season?
This demonstrates how vital Florida-breds are to the success of Tampa Bay Downs. Additional good news for Florida breeders—75% of those Florida-bred winners during the Tampa Bay Meeting were sired by Florida stallions. Florida-breds: Race ‘Em or Chase ‘Em
Continued on next page
Freddie Hyatt Obituary
Freddie Hyatt n Family Photo
Freddie Hyatt former NFL wide receiver passed away unexpectedly on June 25, 2022. He was 75, just one day shy of his 76th birthday.
He was a beloved husband to his wife of 25 years Dori Morgan Hyatt, who survives him. He attended Auburn University where he played football and became an All-American football player. This love for football continued with his professional career in the National Football League, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Redskins.
After his football career, he went on to train and breed quarter horses in Alabama before moving to Ocala where he then began his thoroughbred racing, training, and breeding career.
He loved his horses and his yellow Labrador retrievers. His love of the outdoors and hunting was shared also with his wife as well as a multiple friends. Freddie was a man loved by many and admired by his those both personally and professionally.
A celebration of life will be held later in the fall. Robert’s Downtown chapel in Ocala is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the following charities that he supported: Tomorrow’s Equestrian Center, 16510 County Rd 326, Morriston, Fla., 32668, Humane Society of Marion County, 701 NW 14th Rd, Ocala, Fla., 34475, and the Florida Thoroughbred Charities, 801 SW 60th Ave, Ocala, Fla., 34474. n the Spinaway,” Lukas said. “This one here [Naughty Gal], we pointed for and got a little smarter about what we were going to do. We put a couple of five-eighths [breezes] in her and it paid off.”
Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, conditioner of Janis Joplin, said the oddly run stretch drive made it difficult to discern who was in command.
“I thought we had a good shot, and then coming down [the stretch], I couldn’t tell whether we were in front or who was in front,” Casse said. “We were watching from the wire and when they got up close, I was like, ‘Oh well, second.’ I’m happy for Wayne [Lukas]. If we’re not going to win, I want Wayne.”
Tom Amoss, trainer of Promise of Hope, reported via Twitter that the filly was in good order back at the barn.
“Happy to report that Promise Of Hope is completely sound at the barn,” Amoss tweeted. “Jose thought he felt something behind when she switched to her inside lead and wanted to be cautious. I am grateful he took care of my horse.”
Bred in Florida by Loren Nichols, Naughty Gal banked $110,000 in victory while improving her record to two wins from three starts. She returned $4.90 for a $2 win bet. n
Davis Guides Our Flash Drive to Third Stakes Victory in De La Rose
Live Oak Plantation’s Our Flash Drive built off her recent pair of graded stakes-placings on grass with a one-length victory in the $135,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose for older fillies and mares going one mile over the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 7.
Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 4-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Ghostzapper entered off a third, beaten one length in the Nassau (G2) won by Lady Speightstown on July 2 at Woodbine and a second to Group 1-winner Rougir in the Beaugay (G3) on May 14 at Belmont Park. Never worse than fourth in all but one career start, Our Flash Drive added a third career stakes win to her resume. She was
a Grade 3 winner twice last summer at Woodbine, taking the Selene over the Tapeta before capturing the Ontario Collen on turf.
Ridden by Dylan Davis out of post six, Our Flash Drive was a wide fourth to the outside of multiple stakes-winner Plum Ali going into the first turn as In Good Spirits set the tempo with a headstrong Jouster tracking a close second through an opening quarter mile in :24.46 and a half-mile in :49.20 over the firm going.
Around the far turn, Our Flash Drive came under calling from Davis with In Good Spirits and Jouster the ones to catch. Our Flash Drive was in control at the three-sixteenths pole and maintained her advantage to the wire, completing the one mile in 1:35.42.
Plum Ali, who rode the rail throughout, launched a late rally to finish second a neck ahead of post time favorite Love And Thunder, who endured a troubled trip in the stretch when lacking racing room along the inside and fanning several paths wide in the final furlong.
Completing the order of finish were In Good Spirits, Assertive Style, Jouster, Nazuna, and Stunning Princess.
The win was a first stakes victory of the meet for both Casse and Davis.
Casse said Our Flash Drive appreciated the tighter turns at Saratoga after giving way late last out in the Nassau when piloted by Patrick Husbands over the Woodbine’s expansive E.P. Taylor turf course.
“Woodbine can be tough. I felt Patrick gave her a great ride,” said Casse, who won the 2019 De La Rose with Got Stormy en route to a win in the Fourstardave (G1) one week later. “It looked like she was a winner and she just—three-eighths of a mile down that stretch is tough to handle. I thought bringing her in and letting her run around these sharp turns would help.
“We all know how tough this turf course is to win on when you don’t save ground,” Casse added. “I think she broke okay, and then she took off with him a little. She’s been a project. She’s not an easy horse. Her last breeze was at Woodbine and it was all done by plan because she likes it there. I just brought her in for the race.”
Davis, the pilot in three of her 11 starts, said he rode Our Flash Drive like the best filly in the race.
“Mark told me in the paddock, ‘Just ride your race. She’s the best horse and keep it simple,’” Davis said. “I broke well and she just came back a little bit, so I gave her a nice, clear trip and that’s all we needed. She ran really hard to the wire and down the stretch she was there for me. She ran really hard today and I was happy with that.”
Everything went as planned according to Davis, who said he wanted to be in the clear the whole way around.
“I was maybe 2-3 wide, I was never planning on tucking her in too much,” Davis said. “If I didn’t want to go four-wide, I would have to tuck her after that, but it was basically being forwardly placed, laying second or third going into that first turn and that’s exactly what we got.”
Casse admitted going wide wasn’t what he had in mind.
“I wasn’t comfortable but there wasn’t much I could do about it at that point in time,” he laughed. “You always want to save ground, but I did tell him, ‘I think she’s the best horse in the race–ride her that way.’ And he did.”
Returning $10 for a $2 win wager, Our Flash Drive brought her lifetime earnings to $339,770 after banking $74,250 in victory. A Live Oak Plantation homebred, she is out of the unraced Dynaformer mare Dynamotor. n
Local Author Guidry Publishes New Florida Thoroughbred Book
Ever wonder how Ocala came to be the “Horse Capital of the World®”? In her new book, Winner’s Circle: The Legacy of the Florida thoroughbred Industry, local author and longtime The Florida Horse magazine contributing writer JoAnn Guidry tells the stories of the Florida-bred racehorses and the people behind them who laid the foundation for Ocala’s now signature status.
The book features the 12 Florida-breds currently in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The tales include Needles, the first Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby in 1956, 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed and Silver Charm, who became the sixth Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby in 1997. The Florida Breeders of the Year from 1989 to 2021 are also included in this special limited edition book.
Books can be purchased at the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association (801 SW 60th Avenue/ 352-6292160). Hardbacks are $20-plus tax and softbacks are $14-plus tax. Winner’s Circle is also available at the Marion County public Libraries. n
Reed Palmer Photo *Swept FSS series, won Breeders’ Cup the following year **Second in FFS race, won Breeders’
Cup Classic the following year
S. Stidhamr Photo
Awesome Feather
2010 National Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Unbridled
1990 Kentucky Derby Winner National Champion 3-year old colt
Lonny Powell, CEO Tammy A. Gantt, Associate Vice President Membership Services & Events 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 • 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com
Sensational Turf Sprinter Golden Pal Prevails in Troy
Turf sprint titan Golden Pal came into the $300,000 Troy (Grade 3) on Aug. 5 having secured all six of his lifetime victories leading from gate-to-wire. This time around, the Wesley Wardtrained colt displayed different dimensions, stalking the pace from a close third and outdueling a stubborn True Valour to capture the five-and-a-half-furlong Mellon turf dash for older horses at Saratoga Race Course.
Owned by Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, the Florida-bred Golden Pal has now won a stakes race at the Spa for three straight years. He broke his maiden in the Skidmore in August 2020 and won last year’s Grade 3 Quick Call with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons on both occasions.
Entering from an uncharacteristic last-of-16 in the Group 1 King’s Stand on June 14 at Royal Ascot—his third overseas engagement—Golden Pal successfully sought amends when returning to familiar territory.
Golden Pal broke awkwardly from post five under Ortiz Jr. and secured close position on the outside in third as 8-year-old veteran True Valour, who angled inward at the start, established control with Carotari tracking in second through an opening quarter-mile in a torrid :21.93 over the firm going.
Golden Pal made a three-wide move around the far turn and put himself on even terms with True Valour and Carotari. As Carotari retreated nearing the three-sixteenths, Golden Pal was fought tooth-and-nail by a persistent True Valour to his inside. Golden Pal’s class and brilliance prevailed once again, fending off True Valour and a late-closing Thin White Duke to secure his sixth overall stakes victory by a head in a final time of 1:00.92.
True Valour finished a neck to the better of Thin White Duke, who rounded out the trifecta as the 30-1 longest shot in the seven-horse field. Arzak, Yes and Yes, Spycraft and Carotari completed the order of finish.
The new running style was by design, according to both Ward and Ortiz.
“He moved a step right when they opened the gates. When they opened the gate he was moving at the same time and they outbreak me,” Ortiz said. “They were in front of me and that’s not his style. He’s always in front of everyone the first couple of jumps. We’ve been working covered up in behind horses, that was how Wesley wanted me to work the horse, and today when that happened I wasn’t afraid to take a hold or drop in and sit and wait because I was working with the horse.” Ward concurred, and credited his Keeneland-based exercise rider Julio Garcia with being instrumental to 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo’s newfound style. “He’s got a brilliant mind this horse and takes everything in, but he knew it was race day,” Ward said. “The plan was, unless he broke super sharp, that I’d like him to come from behind. Irad worked him from behind the last few times, so he knew he could do it. Julio Garcia, our main rider at home, works him from behind every week. I’m glad he showed a little versatility today.”
Golden Pal has never lost at stakes level in North America. A winner of the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2020 at Keeneland, he captured last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, becoming only the sixth horse to win two different Breeders’ Cup events and the only Florida-bred to do so.
Bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe, Golden Pal is out of 11time stakes winning turf sprinter Lady Shipman, who won the 2015 Coronation Cup and Smart N Fancy at the Spa en route to a second-place finish in that year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
Returning $2.60 as the overwhelming 1-5 favorite, Golden Pal banked $165,000 in victory, enhancing his already millionaire status to $1,638,431. His lifetime record now stands at seven wins and two seconds in starts, with his only off-the-board finishes taking place overseas. -- NYRA Press Office TFH
Florida-bred Golden Pal n Susie Raisher Photo
