OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sanford J. Goldfarb, Irwin Goldfarb and the Estate of Ira Davis’ American Power ran his win streak to four with a gutsy one-length score in the featured $80,000 Caixa Eletronica on Saturday’s New York Claiming Championship Day program at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The New York Claiming Championship program, open to horses which have started for a prescribed claiming price in 2020-21, featured five New York-bred winners from 10 starter stakes worth $620,000.
American Power, a $40,000 claim in July for trainer Rob Atras, went to post as the 3-5 mutuel favorite off a half-length win in the Grade 3 Toboggan over returning rival Pete’s Play Call.
Piloted by winter meet leading rider Kendrick Carmouche in the the seven-furlong Caixa Eletronica in Race 2, American Power led the way through splits of 23.24, 46.53 and 1:11.01 on the fast main track under dogged pressure from his familiar foe.
Mad Munnys had a perfect setup stalking from third position but could not gain meaningful ground in the stretch run as American Power dug in along the rail and held off Pete’s Play Call in a final time of 1:24.25. Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West Stables, the 6-year-old Power Broker chestnut paid $3.20.
Ruvies in Time kicked off the card with a four-length score in the $55,000 Videogenic, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares. Trained and co-owned by Rick Schosberg with Clear Stars Stable, Ruvies in Time stalked the early pace of 3-5 mutuel favorite Malibu Mischief from second position under Manny Franco. Ruvies in Time was angled outside for the stretch run and took command at the eighth pole for a dominant win in a final time of 1:11.90. Bred in New York by Mashnee Stables and Steve Schuster, the 5-year-old The Factor mare returned $7.60 for a $2 win wager.
Mathew Levy and Kenneth Greenvald’s Letmetakethiscall took command by the half-mile mark and cruised to a 9 1/4-length win against the four-horse field in the $75,000 Xtra Heat for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up going 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 3.
The James Ferraro trainee, bred in the Empire State by Danzel Brendemuehl and Sandra Lombardo, won for the fourth time in five starts and second in three races to start her 6-year-old campaign. The Take Charge Indy mare completed the course in 1:18.52 under jockey Pablo Morales, returning $2.80 as the 2-5 favorite, besting runner-up Dovey Lovey.
“We couldn’t ask for a better trip,” said Ferraro, who also conditioned Dovey Lovey. “The scratch of Jamie Ness’ horse [No. 4, Madam Meena] helped as well, she’s a tough filly.”
Morales picked up his second win on the card with a frontrunning ride aboard Bears Mafia in the $55,000 Kelly Kip, a six-furlong sprint for older horses in Race 4.
Owned and trained by Jeffrey Englehart, the 5-year-old Verrazano chestnut put away mutuel favorite Storm Advisory late in the turn and held off the closing Square Shooter to score in a final time of 1:11.45. Bred in New York by Lansdowne Thoroughbreds, Bears Mafia, a seven-time winner in 2020, returned $6.60 on a $2 win bet.
Dublinornothin took command in the stretch and drew away from Movie Score for a 1 3/4-length victory in the $45,000 Belle Gallantey for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs in Race 5.
Owned and trained by Eduardo Jones, Dublinornothin won for the second time in four starts in her 5-year-old year. Bred in New York by David Cramer and Anthony Spadea, Dublinornothin rewarded her slight 2-1 favoritism, paying $6. Under jockey Reylu Gutierrez, who rode extensively on the NYRA circuit at Belmont Park before taking his tack to Texas, returned to New York in piloting the Dublin mare to victory in a final time of 1:26.27.
Gustavo Rodriguez and Andrew Gurdon’s Ryan’s Cat, conditioned by leading trainer Rudy Rodriquez and patiently piloted by apprentice Luis Cardenas, stalked and pounced to a 5 3/4-length win in the $70,000 Peeping Tom in Race 6.
The win provided Cardenas with his first stakes triumph.
“It’s very emotional and very satisfying to win the first one,” Cardenas said. “It means a lot and I’m so thankful for my family and my fiancé. I’m thankful to Rudy and his team and all the people who have supported me.”
Claimed for $20,000 in February, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Kitten’s Joy tracked four wide from fourth before assuming command at the quarter pole to win in a final time of 1:17.51. He returned $5.40.
Cardenas guided Ryan’s Cat to a 15 3/4-length score on March 7 in his first start for new connections in a $25,000 claiming sprint at the Big A.
“He rode the horse perfect. We just told him to be patient. He rode a similar race last time, and he was the best again today,” Rodriguez said.
Frank Catapano and Nicholas Primpas’ Control Group ran down 9-5 favorite Malibu Pro in the final sixteenth, posting a rallying score by a neck in the $60,000 More To Tell for 4-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile in Race 7.
The Wayne Potts trainee sat just off Control Group’s early fractions of 23.88 seconds for the quarter-mile with the half in 46.89. Jockey Trevor McCarthy kept Control Group alert out of the turn and pressured the pacesetter from the outside before taking command just before the wire, completing the course in 1:37.26.
Control Group, bred in New York by Colts Neck Stable and Alan Goldberg, won for the second time in three starts in his 7-year-old year, paying $16 in going off at 7-1. Malibu Pro, ridden by Carmouche for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, was 3 3/4-lengths clear of Dark Storm for second.
Aaron Racing Stables’ Mia Bella Rossa overtook Daria’s Angel with a strong outside stretch charge and powered home a 2 1/4-length winner in the $60,000 Sis City for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up competing at one mile in Race 8. Trainer Scott Lake saw the Hold Me Back mare improve to 4-for-4 in her 7-year-old season, carrying over her success at Parx to her first start at the Big A since March 2019.
Bred in Kentucky by Small Batch Thoroughbreds and Mauk One Farm, Mia Bella Rossa was kept off the pace by Carmouche before digging in when turning for home and finishing in a final time of 1:39.13. Mia Bella Rossa paid $5.40.
Daria’s Angel, ridden by Luis Rodriguez Castro, was 2 3/4 lengths clear of Flat Awesome Jenny for second.
Air Attack, owned and trained by John Toscano, Jr., secured a stalking trip from the three path, collared Musical Heart in mid-stretch and fended off his foe for a one-length win in the $70,000 Stud Muffin in Race 9.
Piloted by Eric Cancel, Air Attack followed Musical Heart the whole way around the 1 3/8-mile endurance test for older horses as the multiple stakes-placed 3-2 favorite commanded easy opening fractions of 25.52 and 50.75 seconds. At the top of the stretch, Air Attack moved past Musical Heart and stopped the clock in a final time of 2:21.93.
“I thought my horse had a good shot on paper,” Cancel said. “I tried to ride him with confidence and not get in his way and it worked out very well. He’s a big horse and he has a lot of heart. He just kept on giving me more and more.”
Toscano, Jr. said he was confident in his horse getting the distance.
“A mile and three-eighths can be a great equalizer. He proved today he could go the distance. You put your horse in the best spot you can and hope they get lucky,” Toscano, Jr. said.
The 5-year-old son of Curlin out of the Tapit mare Tap Softly returned $10 and earned his fifth lifetime win in 18 career starts while upping his lifetime earnings to $161,478. The Stud Muffin was a second straight trip to the winner’s circle for Air Attack, who was claimed from his previous start in a nine-furlong route for $25,000.
Cancel notched a second consecutive victory to close out the card with Fox Red prevailing in the $45,000 Dads Caps, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses in Race 10.
Owned and trained by Linda Rice, Fox Red tracked pacesetter Fleet Warrior before taking command in the stretch as Parx Racing shipper Town Jak unleashed his bid on the outside. The Mineshaft gelding, claimed last out for $16,000, kept his foe at bay to win by 1 ½ lengths with The Queens Jules charging late to get third.
Returning $7.30 as the lukewarm favorite, Fox Red earned his sixth win in 29 lifetime starts while pushing his bankroll up to $236,666.
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card headlined by the $100,000 Haynesfield in Race 7. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.
NYRA Press Office
Photo: American Power wins the Caixa Electronica by a length (Susie Raisher)
