Three Unions breaks her maiden Oct. 28 (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— While trainer Richard Schosberg will retire at the end of the calendar year, he is not done yet. The highly-respected New York-based conditioner has won with four of his last eight starters dating to October 23 and will look to continue that trajectory into stakes company with New York-bred juvenile maiden winners Three Unions and D’ont Lose Cruz.
Three Unions, a Unified filly owned by Schosberg with Clear Stars Stable and Mitre Box Stable, made the third time the charm with a gate-to-wire maiden score over the Big A outer turf on October 28. She arrived at the triumph off a distant fourth on September 22 over the Big A main track. The victory came one day after D’ont Lose Cruz, by freshman stallion Always Dreaming, secured a second-out graduation in similar frontrunning fashion over the main track.
Schosberg said Three Unions will go back to the main track to be on target for the six-furlong $100,000 Key Cents for state-bred juvenile fillies on November 20.
“We’re going to give her a shot in the dirt stake on Sunday. What else are you going to do? If she doesn’t run well in there, she’ll be put away for the turf next year. Obviously, her race was outstanding,” Schosberg said.
Schosberg said D’ont Lose Cruz will target the six-furlong $100,000 Notebook for state-bred juvenile colts on the same day. The dark bay gelding was a close second on debut at 27-1 before earning his first victory last out. He is owned by the same partnership as Three Unions, as well as Big Toe Stables and Koshanostra Stable.
“We haven’t gotten close to the bottom of him yet,” Schosberg said. “I think he’s still learning. He probably cost himself the first race, he did a little bobbing and weaving and waiting. His second race was much more mature, but I think there’s much more to him than that. He needs to settle down and come into his own a little bit.”
Schosberg said trainer David Duggan will take over training duties for D’ont Lose Cruz upon his retirement. In addition to training racehorses, Schosberg also serves as president for Take The Lead and will have a chair on the Horsemen’s Advisory Board for HISA.
“David will be taking over all the Clear Stars horses on the first of January,” Schosberg said. “I’ll help him transition in December during the break. Any help he’ll need along the way, I’ll be out there doing my Take The Lead stuff and HISA stuff.”
Schosberg added that David Donk will take over training duties for horses owned by Edition Farm. A decision will be made regarding the pair of horses owned by Bruce Lunsford under his care.
“He’ll make a decision. He does have several trainers. He’ll let me know when the turf season ends, which is soon,” Schosberg said.
