Funny Guy is 2-for-2 to start 2020 and trainer John Terranova said he will soon pick out a next spot to see if the 4-year-old son of Big Brown can extend that streak.
Owned by Gatsas Stables, R.A. Hill Stable and Swick Stable, Funny Guy returned off a nearly nine-month layoff to win the Commentator on June 12 at Belmont, earning a 101 Beyer for his 1 ¼-length in the one-turn mile. Bred in New York by Hibiscus Stables, Funny Guy responded with a two-length win in the John Morrisey on July 30 at Saratoga when cut back to seven furlongs, registering a 98 figure.
“We’re really proud of him and happy to have him,” said Terranova. “He’s good and healthy and he’s come out of the races really well. We’re just kind of waiting and seeing. He’s training well and had a nice breeze the other day. He looks great. We’ll just sit and figure out the next couple of weeks where we are going to go with him.”
A winner of five of 12 career starts, Funny Guy has won four stakes and has been at Saratoga since shipping from Belmont last month.
“He’s done well everywhere but certainly, Saratoga has been fine for him,” Terranova said. “We’re looking forward to whatever is next. You never know which ones are going to progress as they get older. Some level off and some go backwards. But then you get some that mature and move forward and get stronger and better and stay healthy. A nice little break as they are growing up does them well, and he’s certainly benefited from the time and the experience. He just continues to improve.”
Long Lake Stable’s Stan the Man is set to make his first start since running second in the Grade 2 True North on June 27 at Belmont, with Terranova saying he is targeting the $85,000 Tale of the Cat on August 20.
Making the first graded stakes appearance of his 6-year-old year, Stan the Man stayed in second position just off the speed before a strong charge resulted in a runner-up effort by 1 ½ lengths to Firenze Fire in the 6 ½-furlong True North over a fast Big Sandy.
The son of Broken Vow will now compete in the six-furlong Tale of the Cat for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded stakes.
“We didn’t have too many options and we didn’t want to jump in the deep end again with him,” Terranova said. “We also wanted to give him a little bit of space between starts. He’ll fit into the Tale of the Cat nicely because it’s a restricted stake with how it’s written. He looks good to go right now.”
The veteran Stan the Man has a 23-6-7-2 ledger with earnings of $436,374 in a career that started in 2017.
NYRA Press/ Photo Credit: NYRA
