Phoebeinwonderland takes one for the team. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
Belmont at the Big A Notes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The members of Arnmore Thoroughbreds’ past yearling class have made their debuts with some similarities: all have been chestnut fillies, in five-furlong tilts at Belmont at the Big A, and most importantly, they performed well.
Complexion and the New York-bred Phoebeinwonderland were victorious, and Magical Bette ran a strong third versus colts in a track-record setting race.
Complexion, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Jack Christopher, won her respective five-furlong maiden tilt by 6 1/2 lengths on June 14 for trainer Danny Gargan. The Complexity chestnut, who is out of the Half Ours mare Rushin No Blushin, was a $400,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Megan Jones, managing partner of Arnmore Thoroughbreds, who co-owns Complexion with Carl and Yurie Pascarella, said she is thankful for Gargan’s encouragement in the early stages of running her ownership and breeding operation.
“I’m just really excited we have a nice filly we purchased with Danny because he was the first person that believed I could pick out horses and encouraged me,” said Jones. “You can be around horses your whole life, but at the sales they are very intimidating, even if you know what you like. Danny really encouraged me for my first three years working the sale and picking out horses.”
Gargan said Jones has a keen eye at the sales and there is likely more success to come.
“Megan Jones bought Complexion, and she is on some run with her two-year-olds. She had a winner with Wesley [Ward, trainer of Phoebeinwonderland], and then my filly is a TDN [Thoroughbred Daily News] Rising Star,” said Gargan. “Her Good Magic filly was third [Magic Bette], so there is a lot of good in the pipeline of that outfit. All fillies, which is pretty neat.”
According to Gargan, Complexion will target the Listed $175,000 Schuylerville, a six-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies on Thursday, June 11 Opening Day of Saratoga Race Course, with the seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway on August 31 as a long-term goal.
The day after Complexion’s score, June 15, saw the Hall of Famer Bill Mott-conditioned Magical Bette finish third versus males in a local maiden won by Mentee in 56.97 seconds– a five-furlong track-record for the full-brother to reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness.
Mentee held off Colloquial by a nose, 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Magical Bette with 5 3/4 lengths back to the rest of the seven-horse field.
“Bill just wanted to get a run into her, and I was proud she ran third in that really fast race. She was up there early and never gave up. She was five and change lengths clear of the rest,” Jones said. “You can expect to see her back early in the meet at Saratoga, she should be very live.”
Campaigned in partnership with owners Carl and Yurie Pascarella, no official plans have been made for the Good Magic chestnut, but winning at The Spa is the goal. She earned a 77 Beyer for third, the same figure at the distance as Complexion.
Jones said that a little more patience with Magical Bette sums up her philosophy surrounding juvenile fillies.
“It’s really important for me to get them going, but also that they have good experiences. The girls internalize everything. You try to set them up for positive experiences so that they trust you and stay on your team,” said Jones. “I wouldn’t want to run her back too quickly, but I think you could see her in the first book at Saratoga, in a maiden.”
Jones credits Phoebeinwonderland, a New York-bred More Than Ready who was purchased for $100,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Yearling Sale, for kicking off the recent run of success.
The first foal out of the Palace Malice mare Nominate, Phoebeinwonderland got up in the final jumps to win a state-bred maiden here versus males on May 10 for trainer Wesley Ward.
“This year we have three fillies that we purchased as yearlings. The first, Phoebeinwonderland, beat the boys first out. Second was Complexion. Third was Magical Bette who ended up in a boys’ race because a race overfilled, and I was really proud of her,” said Jones. “That was my yearling class. They’ve been such good girls.”
On May 20, Jones made a late addition to the group with a $250,000 purchase at the Midlantic May Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training– another chestnut filly, by Volatile and out of the stakes-placed Exchange Cat mare Exchange Rate. She earned the bullet on the Tuesday of the Timonium, Maryland-sale with a one-furlong work in 10 seconds flat.
The promising newcomer is now named Gellhorn and is in training with Gargan.
“I’ve had luck with Violence. She is by Volatile, who is obviously a Violence. I love Danzig too, who is on the bottom side. I wasn’t even looking to buy a horse, I was down there working the sale for Danny,” Jones explained. “She just did everything well, and was so smart and sound.”
When asked about adding yet another chestnut, along with the graded stakes winning red Gala Brand entered Saturday at the Big A in the Listed Wild Applause for sophomore fillies, Jones clarified that the similar coats are simply coincidence.
“I look at their eye, more than their color. It is a funny coincidence,” Jones said, with a laugh. “When they run for you, they run for you. I won’t complain about that.”
