FLORIDA FOCUS

Joy’s Rocket Takes Off in My Dear Stakes

Team Hanley’s 2-year-old filly Joy’s Rocket was impressive in her stakes debut at Woodbine Racetrack on Aug. 1, as the Florida-bred took off in the $100,000 My Dear Stakes to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths under Luis Contreras.

Joy’s Rocket launched to the lead in the five-and-a-half-furlong Tapeta test and clocked fractions of :21.94 and :45.44 while prompted by Rocket Reload. The Steve Asmussen trainee shook off her main rival in the stretch and won her first stakes outing by nearly three lengths in 1:05.10.

Favored Road to Romance pressed threewide early but settled into stalking position behind the front-runners and then made a bid moving into the stretch to get up for second-place, with Rotary rallying to her outside for third.

Emmeline rounded out the superfecta with Rocket Reload, supplement Queen Rhonda and Silent Mamba completing the run down.

Joy’s Rocket was the 8-5 second choice after winning at first asking over Churchill Downs’s dirt track in sloppy conditions on June 28. In the My Dear, she returned $5.50 to win.

“She was very professional pretty much the whole way. From the beginning of the race

Florida-bred Joy’s Rocket

BURNS PHOTO

to the end, she was so professional and I was very confident with her,” Contreras said. “I saw the race at Churchill when she won. It was a muddy track and she just went to the lead. I wasn’t too worried because horses with this kind of talent, I think it’s easy to adjust to whichever track they go.”

Bred in Florida by Weston Thoroughbreds Training & Sales, Joy’s Rocket is by Anthony’s Cross out of Queenie’s Pride by Special Rate. ■ —By Woodbine Press Office

Live Oak Plantation’s March to the Arch steamrolled up the long stretch of the Woodbine Turf Course to wear down front-running Admiralty Pier to win the US$134,808 King Edward

The Jockey Club is projecting a 2021 North American registered thoroughbred foal crop of 19,200. The estimation for the 2020 foal crop remains at 20,500. The foal crop projection, traditionally announced in mid-August, is computed by using Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) received to date for the 2020 breeding season. RMBs are to be filed by Aug. 1 of each breeding season.

“The Jockey Club delayed publication of the estimation of the 2021 foal crop to provide stud farms that may have been affected by COVID-19 additional time to submit their RMBs,” said Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club’s executive vice president and executive director.

Additional foal crop information is available in The Jockey Club’s online fact book at jockeyclub.com/factbook.asp and in the online state fact books.

Stallion owners who have not returned their RMBs for the 2020 breeding season are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Interactive Registration, which enables registered users to perform virtually all registration-related activities over the Internet, is the most efficient means of submitting RMBs and is available at registry.jockeyclub.com. ■ Stakes (Grade 2) on Aug. 15 for his second stakes victory this year. The Florida-bred son of Arch also won the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18.

Ridden for the first time but to perfection by Rafael Hernandez, March to the Arch was in no hurry from post two in the one turn mile King Edward on the E.P. Taylor turf course. Meanwhile Tampa Bay Stakes (G3)-winner Admiralty Pier and Silent Poet, who were second and first respectively in the seven furlong Connaught Cup (G2) on grass at Saratoga on July 11, went to the front from the start.

Admiralty Pier clocked the first quartermile in :23.09 while and half-length in front of Silent Poet in second as March to the Arch galloped along last of eight on the rail. Admiralty Pier maintained the same margin through a half-mile in :46.23 as March to the Arch had one horse beat moving into Woodbine’s sweeping turn.

But Hernandez began to let out a notch on March to the Arch and kept the 5-year-old gelding on the inside around the unique far turn at Woodbine. The ground saving trip put March to the Arch three lengths behind Admirality Pier turning for home with Silent Poet still second on the outside.

As Admirality Pier went by the threeeighths pole, he still had daylight on his rivals when Hernandez tipped March to the Arch to the outside where he responded immediately with a notable acceleration to the lead before they passed the final furlong marker. March to the Arch extended his lead to two-and-ahalf lengths in a final time of 1:32.28 on the firm turf as Admirality Pier finished second, two lengths to the good of Silent Poet in third.

They were followed in order by Mr Ritz (GB), Delaware (GB), Dream Maker, Eskiminzin and Argentello (Ire).

It was the third stakes win on the day for Woodbine’s leading rider Hernandez, who also rode Pink Lloyd to victory in the Bold Venture Stakes and won the Plate Trial with Clayton.

March to the Arch is trained by Mark Casse, who has assistant Kathryn Sullivan in charge at Woodbine.

“…He's such a lovely little horse, he tries

BURNS PHOTO Florida-bred March to the Arch every time. He's just really special,” Sullivan

said. “You know, the race at Churchill [June 20 Wise Dan Stakes when March to the Arch finished sixth behind winner Factor This] was a really tough race; a lot of good horses came out of that race, so it looks a little better, but he's just such a nice horse. He tries every time.”

March to the Arch won the 2019 version of the Wise Dan Stakes.

“Rafael rode a great race—three stakes in a row for him today, so he’s certainly riding well,” Sullivan added. “I just thought he rode a really smart race, took his time, waited until he got his spot. I think he came out of the gate a little awkward, bumping with another horse but Rafael’s so smart, he doesn’t get panicked, just took his time and waited for the right moment to pull the trigger.”

Sent to the post at 7-2, March to the Arch paid $9.60 to win.

The King Edward was the seventh career win for March to the Arch from 23 starts and the $79,144 first-place check pushed him to $698,238 on his lifetime money line.

March to the Arch is out of the gradedstakes-winning mare Daveron (Ger), by Black Sam Bellamy (Ire). Daveron has also produced graded-stakes-winner Global Access, by Giant’s Causeway; winning filly Honor and Blessing, by To Honor and Serve; 3-year-old filly Pretty and Fast, by Tiznow; unraced 2- year-old colt Live Oaks Triumph, by Kitten’s Joy; and an unnamed yearling filly by Quality Road. ■ —By Brock Sheridan

Souper Escape Doubles Up in Graded Stakes at Woodbine

Fresh off a victory in last month’s Trillium Stakes, Live Oak Plantation’s homebred filly Souper Escape doubled up in Grade 3 stakes action winning the $125,000 Seaway Stakes on Aug. 16 at Woodbine Racetrack.

It was also a two-stakes weekend for Charlotte Weber and her Live Oak Plantation as March to the Arch won the King Edward Stakes Saturday at Woodbine. Both Souper Escape and March to the Arch were also bred in Florida by her Live Oak Stud.

Luis Contreras was reunited with the Michael Trombetta trainee, who was cutting back in distance from a mile-and-one-sixteenth to seven furlongs for the Seaway, another main track stakes event for fillies and mares 3-years-old and older.

Gamble’s Candy shot through at the rail to take the lead from the quick-leaving Sister Peacock through a :22.65 opening quarter and she held the lead to the half in :45.21 while Souper Escape stalked the top pair in third.

Contreras made his move approaching the final turn, tipping Souper Escape three-wide alongside the leaders, and the four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly drew off to win in 1:22.10.

Amalfi Coast and Painting rallied from the backfield to finish second and third, just noses apart one length behind. Another Time headed Sister Peacock for fourth while Charmaine’s Mia, Miss Mosaic and Gamble’s Candy completed the order of finish.

“There was a lot of speed in the race, so I didn’t want her to go and fight with the speed

Thoroughbred Owner Conference to be Held Virtually During Breeders’ Cup Week

OwnerView announced today that the seventh Thoroughbred Owner Conference, which was scheduled to be held in Lexington, Ky., in the week leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, will be conducted in a virtual format on Nov. 3-4, 2020. The conference, presented by Breeders’ Cup, Bessemer Trust, and Dean Dorton, was originally planned for July 19-22, 2020, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “We are committed to offering the owner conference in a safe format for attendees, so we made the decision to move our event online given the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “Registrants will be able to watch nine panels on a range of topics relevant to thoroughbred ownership and submit questions to our expert panelists from the comfort of their home or office.”

The registration fee for the virtual conference is $425. For more information about the owner conference, including the full schedule of panels and registration, please visit ownerview.com/event/conference or contact Gary Falter at gfalter@jockeyclub.com.

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012. ■ —The Jockey Club Press Release

Florida-bred Souper Escape

BURNS PHOTO

like crazy,” Contreras said after his second career Seaway Stakes win. He also won the Seaway in 2017 with Ami’s Mesa. “[Souper Escape] relaxed behind those horses and I just took my time to make the right move.”

Horse Farms Forever Welcomes the Quail Roost Foundation as Supporters

Horse Farms Forever is pleased to announce the generous contribution of the Quail Roost Foundation to support the conservation of Marion County’s horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area. The Foundation was founded to honor the memory of Harriet and Elmer Heubeck, Jr.

The Heubecks are considered true pioneers in the Florida thoroughbred horse industry and were partners in marriage and business for more than 63 years. They passed away less than two months apart in 2003, but their legacy lives on with the Quail Roost Foundation. In the 1940s, the Heubecks managed Rosemere Farm, the first thoroughbred horse farm in Marion County. In the early 1960s, they built and managed Hobeau Farm, as well as their own farm, Quail Roost, where

Souper Escape, who also won the 2019 La Lorgnette Stakes over Woodbine’s Tapeta course, now boasts six victories and has earned $269,908 from 16 career starts.

She paid $6.20 to win as the 2-1 bettors’ choice.

Souper Escape is by Medaglia d’Oro out of Cry and Catch Me, by Street Cry (Ire).

Cry and Catch Me, who won the 2007 Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) at the Santa Anita Oak Tree meeting, has had three other runners, all of which are winners.

The Live Oak team is likely looking forward to her next likely starter in Cash In a Flash, an unraced 2-year-old colt by Uncle Mo who has two bullet works at Woodbine in recent weeks. Cry and Catch me has also produced an unnamed yearling filly, also by Uncle Mo. She was bred to Tapit in 2020. ■ —By Woodbine Press Office

Warrior’s Charge Awarded Victory In Philip H. Iselin

In the days before the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park, trainer Brad Cox told the track’s publicity department that

they raised thoroughbreds, cattle, and exotic game. Quail Roost Farm was so unique as it brought together one of Florida’s best-known thoroughbred breeding and training venues, a large purebred and commercial beef operation, and one of the finest private exotic game preserves in the nation.

Elmer is most well-known for building and managing Hobeau farm, owned by Jack Dreyfus. Elmer also broke and trained the young horses at the farm, which were then they were sent to the track with trainer Allen Jerkens. Kerry recalls that his dad was a wellrespected trainer. One trainer mentioned that when they received horses from Elmer, they were ready to go to the track in two days.

Hobeau’s legacy is embedded in a little known horse named Onion that was owned and bred by Dreyfus and trained at the track by Jerkens. Onion is one of only two horses the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 7 at Keeneland was the ultimate goal for his multiple graded stakes-winner Warrior’s Charge.

Following the running of the mile-andone-sixteenth event on Aug. 22 that attracted a short field of four 3-year-olds and older, the plan remained on schedule—it just arrived via an unplanned path.

Warrior’s Charge crossed the finish line of the Iselin a length-and-a-half behind 9-2 third choice Pirate’s Path, but was placed first by the track stewards through the disqualification of the later for interference in deep stretch.

The field broke evenly in the Iselin and Warrior’s Charge and jockey Paco Lopez went to the front from post two but were quickly passed on their immediate outside by Pirate’s Punch and Jorge Vargas Jr., who left from post three.

Pirate’s Punch was able to wrestle the lead away from Warrior’s Charge as the compact field moved into the clubhouse turn with less than three lengths from start to finish.

Leaving the turn and passing the first two-furlong marker in a controlled :24.10,

that beat Secretariat in a race after he won the Triple Crown. The second horse to beat Secretariat, Prove Out, was also trained by Jerkens. King Ranch bred Prove Out, but Hobeau Farm was his owner.

Kerry, Elmer’s son, grew up on Rosemere, which was owned by Carl Rose, and managed by Elmer until early 1961. It was a thousand acres, and when you drive on Highway 200, passing the intersection with Shady Lane, you are traveling the northernmost border of the original property.

However, Rosemere was sold and all but 26 acres of the 1,000-acre farm are covered in concrete and commercial buildings.

The Heubeck family held a deep love for the land upon which they lived and worked. Witnessing the loss of the beloved Rosemere Farm, Kerry was inspired to protect Quail Roost, his family’s farm, with a conservation easement. ■ —Busy Byerly, Horse Farms Forever

Warrior’s Charge had claimed a half-length “Paco had the horse where he needed to lead ahead of Pirate’s Punch to his outside be, up close or on the lead,” Cox said. “Piwith another two lengths back to Bal Harrate’s Punch took off after us and I thought we bour and Just Whistle as the quartet raced were able to battle back and get in front of two by two down the backstretch. him but I’m not sure he ever did, even though

Warrior’s Charge took a half-length lead he hung in there with him. Maybe we were ahead of Pirate’s Punch into the second turn going to come back. Obviously the stewards after a :47.76 half-mile but Pirate’s Punch thought we were. We were fortunate to come began his assault on the outside and reversed out on the front end of this. The horse that the margin to a half-length in his favor as the crossed the wire first ran a tremendous race. pair picked up the pace while clicking off six I honestly thought he was a horse to contend furlongs in 1:11.17. with and he obviously was.

Warrior’s Charge fought back on the rail “It was an unfortunate way to win a race, and the two leaders went by the eighth pole I guess you could say. But we’ll take. Now in tandem as Pirate’s Punch and Vargas began we’ll see how he comes out of it.” to crowd their foes into tighter quarters. Warrior’s Charge earned his fifth victory

Approaching the wire, Pirate’s Punch had from 11 career starts and if all is well with a short lead but drifted in on Warrior’s the 4-year-old bay in the days following the Charge again, this time forcing Lopez to Iselin, remains on track for the Breeders’ stand up and check. Pirate’s Punch finished a Cup Mile. length-and-a-half in front of Warrior’s “He will ship back to Kentucky [Sunday] Charge and the steward’s inquiry light began and we’ll see how he is,” he said. “I think to flash on the infield tote board moments we’ll look at one more race [before the Breedafter the race. Soon Lopez lodged his claim ers’ Cup Mile] but we’ll see how he comes of foul against the winner as the objection out of this first.” sign was also now up as well. Warrior’s Charge was bred in the Sunshine

The steward’s eventually disqualified PiState by Al Shaquab Racing and is by rate’s Punch for the incident near the wire, Munnings out of Battling Brook, by Broken promoting Warrior’s Charge into the winner’s Vow. Warrior’s Charge is the first foal for Batcircle. Pirate’s Punch was placed second tling Brook, who has an unraced 2-year-old with Bal Harbour another length-and-a-half back in third. Just Whistle was fourth. Mind Control and Wait for It were scratched.

The final time was 1:43.37 on the fast track.

“[Pirate’s Punch] came in on me pretty good,” Lopez said. “I had to completely stand up and stop riding. I think the stewards did the right thing. I think my horse was still trying hard. If had a little room he would have come back to win because he’s a fighter.”

Cox also agreed with the steward’s call. Florida-bred Warrior’s Charge (light blue silks)

filly in Minetta and an unnamed yearling filly, both by Journeyman Stud’s leading Florida sire Khozan. She has a live full brother to Warrior’s Charge at her side currently and was bred to Medaglia d’Oro in 2020.

He earned $120,000 for owners Ten Strike Racing, a partnership founded by Marshall Gramm and Clay Sanders located in Memphis, Tenn., and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables LLC of New York City.

His career earnings are now $835,310 and he paid $3 for a $2 win ticket.

If the post-race analysis proves trouble free for Warrior’s Charge, he is back on track for the Breeders’ Cup Mile—just not quite as planned. ■ —By Brock Sheridan

Tom Kagele’s C Z Rocket, a classy, old veteran who seems to have found a new lease on life since he was claimed for $40,000 at Oaklawn Park in April, continued his rebirth at Del Mar Aug. 29 when he went gamely through the stretch to capture the Pat O’Brien Stakes by half a length.

The Florida-bred 6-year-old gelded son of City Zip won his fourth race in a row since the claim, the previous three having come against claiming and allowance company in Kentucky. He picked up a check for $90,000 from the $150,000 purse in the Grade 2 stake that pushed his bankroll up to $431,641. The bay ran the seven furlongs in 1:22.25 and, as the 11-10 favorite, paid $4.20, $2.60 and $2.20 across the board. The victory added more accolades to an accolade-filled summer for his rider and trainer – Flavien Prat and Peter Miller, respectively. “He broke well and usually he doesn’t. The pace was slow and DENVER PHOTO Flavien had him in the perfect spot.” Miller said. “Tom Kagele (owner) actually called me [about claiming the horse] and I said, ‘His

Florida-bred C Z Rocket

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

form is bad right now, but he’s a runner.’ You could see he had run some really fast races. I like old class horses that have shown talent. If you can get them going in the right direction they can run back to past form. Tom claimed him and the rest is history.”

The stakes win was the fifth stakes win of the meet for trainer Miller and his second (2015, Appealing Tale) in the Pat O’Brien. He now has 34 stakes wins at Del Mar.

C Z Rocket has won four straight since being claimed for $40,000. It was owner Kagele’s 50th birthday and the 11th wedding anniversary for Miller and his wife, Lani.

“We saw that he’d been breaking slow in his races, so we were prepared for that. But he broke well today and we were right in the race. Then the pace wasn’t that fast, so we were right there. When I asked him, he was good. He’s a willing horse,” jockey Flavien Prat said.

Prat registered his 12th stakes win of the meet, just one away from the Del Mar record of 13 set by Rafael Bejarano in 2012. Miller picked up his fifth stakes win of the session and his meet-leading 22nd tally in the 21st day of racing.

“Yes, this is my 12th stakes win this summer at Del Mar,” Prat said. “I’ve been riding good horses for good connections. That surely makes things easier.”

C Z Rocket was bred in Florida by Farm III Enterprises LLC.

Finishing second was Lane’s End Racing and Hronis Racing’s Flagstaff, while Dan Agnew, Gerry Schneider and John Xitco’s Law Abidin Citizen ran third.

The O’Brien was a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” race guaranteeing the victor entry into the $2-million BC Dirt Mile with all fees paid. That race will be run on Sat., Nov. 7 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. ■ —By Del Mar Press Office

Palm Beach Racing’s Hot Blooded scored his second victory in his young career when he won the $75,000 Proud Man Stakes at Gulfstream on Aug. 29.

The son of Declaration of War is out of Hot Cappucino, by Medaglia d’Oro. He was bred in Florida by Hallmarc Stallions LLC.

He is now 3-2-0-0 for the year and has earnings of $84,640. His two prior starts were maiden special weights for trainer Carlos David.

Hot Blooded stalked the leaders early on and took command in the stretch to draw clear by two-and-a-quarter lengths. The bay colt covered the mile on the firm turf in 1:36.68 and paid $8.00, $4.40 and $3.00 across the board.

Finishing second was Kenneth E. Fishbein’s Boca Boy and Castle King, owned by Jerry Campbell, was third in the field of nine Florida-breds. ■ —By Jane Murray Queen Nekia Victorious in Dance to Bristol at Charles Town

Ken Copenhaver’s Queen Nekia seems to have found her stride as she captured the $150,000 Dance to Bristol Stakes by one length at Charles Town on Aug. 28.

The Florida-bred 5-year-old daughter of Harlington out of the Double Honor mare All Night Labor, picked up her second win this year out of six starts, five of which were stakes. She picked up a check for $90,000

COADY PHOTO

Florida-bred Queen Nekia

from the $150,000 purse that pushed her 2020 bankroll up to $145,283.

Her lifetime record now stands at 28-9-5-7 with $415,358 in purse earnings.

The dark bay or brown mare ran the seven

THOMPSON PHOTO furlongs in 1:25.54 over a fast track and paid $16.60, $7.40 and $4.60 across the board.

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. has moved the mare up to stakes company this year after claiming her on Dec. 6, 2019 at Gulfstream for $25,000.

Finishing second was Evan and Scott Dilsworth’s Lady T N T and Happy Tenth Stable’s Florida-bred Getouttamyway ran third.

The $1.20 favorite, Florida-bred A Bit of Both, challenged the leaders at the half but faded and finished fourth.

Queen Nekia was bred in Florida by Porter Racing Stable LLC. ■ —By Jane Murray