Busy weekend looms for Top Midlantic-bred Poll runners
Ruby Notion won the Caress Stakes. Photo by Chelsea Durand/NYRA.
Staff report
Three horses named among the top horses bred in the Mid-Atlantic region in the latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll are slated to face the starter in Breeders’ Cup races this weekend.
And two others will run in other stakes between November 2-4.
Of the three, only Knicks Go, the two-year-old Maryland-bred son of Paynter, is among the top seven in the latest poll. Knicks Go, bred by Angie Moore, won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in early October and is 30-1 on the morning line for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Friday. He is trained by Ben Colebrook for KRA Stud Farm.
Also in action among the top seven is another Maryland-bred, Still Having Fun. The three-year-old colt by Old Fashioned is 4-1 on the morning line in the $200,000 Cherokee Run Stakes at Churchill Downs, one of Saturday’s supporting contests. Still Having Fun is trained by Tim Keefe for Terp Racing, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable and was bred by Keefe and Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes.
Three other runners among those also receiving votes are also in action over the weekend.
Ruby Notion, the West Virginia-bred sprinter, is 20-1 on the morning line in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, while Shamrock Rose, a sophomore Pennsylvania-bred by First Dude, is 20-1 on the morning line for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Finally, Call Paul, a Pennsylvania-bred two-year-old, is 5-2 on the morning line for the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes Sunday at Aqueduct.
Of the top seven horses in the poll, three were bred in Pennsylvania, and two were bred in Maryland. Virginia and West Virginia were represented by one runner each. Five were males and two were females.
The monthly Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred is the only publication devoted to Thoroughbred breeding and racing in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Racing Biz, an online publication, is the independent voice for mid-Atlantic racing and breeding.
The poll is restricted to horses that have run in 2018 and were bred in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Carolinas.
TOP MIDLANTIC-BREDS
- Spring Quality (PA) — 6yo gelding by Quality Road-Spring Star, by Deputy Minister; bred by George Strawbridge, Jr.; trained by Graham Motion for Augustin Stable; won G1 Manhattan S., 2nd G3 Fort Marcy, 3rd G1 Sword Dancer
- Unique Bella (PA) — 4yo filly by Tapit-Unrivaled Belle, by Unbridled’s Song; bred by Brushwood Stable; trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for Don Alberto Stable; won G1 Clement L. Hirsch, G1 Beholder Mile, G2 Santa Maria, 2nd Grade 1 Apple Blossom. Now retired.
- Still Having Fun (MD) — colt by Old Fashioned-Casual Kiss, by Dehere; bred by Tim Keefe and Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes; owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Terp Racing LLC; won G2 Woody Stephens, Miracle Wood S., Whiteley S.
- One Go All Go (VA) — 6yo horse by Fairbanks-See Ashleigh Run, by Marquetry; bred by Albert P. Coppola; trained by Charles Dickey for Rodney Paden; Won Grade 2 Dixiana Elkhorn S., 2nd G2 Mac Diarmida S., 2nd G2 Ft. Lauderdale S., 2nd G2 Pan American S., 3rd G1 Man o’ War S.
- Knicks Go (MD) — 2yo colt by Paynter-Kosmo’s Buddy, by Outflanker; bred by Angie Moore; trained by Ben Colebrook for KRA Stud Farm; won G1 Breeders’ Futurity
- Late Night Pow Wow (WV) — 3yo filly by Fiber Sonde-Holy Pow Wow, by Indian Charlie; bred by John McKee; owned and trained by Javier Contreras; won G3 Charles Town Oaks, WV Cavada Breeders Classic, Sylvia Bishop Memorial S.
- Army Mule (PA) — 4yo ridgling by Friesan Fire-Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector; bred by Hope Hill Farm; trained by Todd Pletcher for St. Elias Stable; won G1 Carter H.
Also receiving votes: Shamrock Rose, Ruby Notion, Call Paul, Blamed, Long On Value, Whereshetoldmetogo
Participating Voters: Ted Black (freelance writer), Michael Campbell (Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey), Joe Clancy (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Cindy Deubler (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Linda Dougherty (freelance), Debbie Easter (Virginia Thoroughbred Association), Paul Espinosa (Charles Town Races), Anne Frederick (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Rich Glazier (Delaware Park), Cricket Goodall (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Jim Hague (freelance), Nick Hahn (freelance), Carol Holden (West Virginia Breeders Classics), Tom LaMarra (The Blood-Horse), Jeff Nations (freelance), Kate Painter (West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association), Vinnie Perrone (freelance), Frank Petramalo (Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), Gary Quill (The Racing Biz), David Richardson (Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association), Brian Sanfratello (Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association), Sal Sinatra (Maryland Jockey Club), Chris Sobocinski (Delaware Park), Dan Tordjman (freelance), Frank Vespe (The Racing Biz), Bill Watson (freelance), Lydia Williams (freelance), Bobby Zen (freelance).
Note — Not all participating voters will vote in every poll.
Top Midlantic-breds in action this weekend
- Knicks Go — 30-1 on the morning line for the BC Juvenile
- Still Having Fun — 4-1 on the morning line for the Cherokee Run S.
- Shamrock Rose — 20-1 on the morning line for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Saturday
- Ruby Notion — 20-1 on the morning line for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
- Call Paul — 5-2 on the morning line for the G3 Nashua Sunday at Aqueduct
