Meadowlands: Bargain buy Sombodythatiustono goes in New Jersey Sire Stakes final

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The $3,000 purchase Sombodythatiustono has won all three of her races.

It’s not every day that a $3,000 yearling is one of the favorites to win a $150,000 stakes race. Recently trainer Tony Alagna saw his star pupil Captaintreacherous, a $250,000 yearling, capture the Woodrow Wilson at the Meadowlands. On Friday, Meadowlands closing night, Alagna sends out Sombodythatiustono, a filly he purchased for $3,000, in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final.

“When I worked for Erv Miller he trained Treasure Keeper,” said Alagna in regard to Sombodythatiustono’s dam. “She had high speed but would make breaks. She had EPM.”

What Alagna knew and perhaps others looking at the smallish filly at last year’s yearling sales didn’t was a bonus.

“Not too many people were looking at Tell All’s,” Alagna said. “I figured if he was going to come up with a good one it would be from a mare like this.”

Thus far Sombodythatiustono has won all three of her races. After purchasing her as a yearling, Alagna decided to change her name.

“I really liked that song but I had to work hard to fit the title into 18 spaces,” Alagna said.

The song, a recent Billboard Hot 100 Number One by Gotye, is so special to the trainer that it doubles as his ring tone on his cell phone.

Alagna took on longtime friend Jodi Siamis as a partner on the filly, recently suggesting that it wouldn’t have been right to take partners on such an inexpensive yearling at the sale. He noted that when staking time came around and many others in his stable were being nominated to major races he had a dilemma.

“You don’t spend $25,000 to stake a $3,000 yearling,” Alagna said.

Alagna did spend roughly $10,000 to keep the filly eligible mainly in New Jersey, but if she’s good enough he could spend some time in Kentucky this fall.

As for her chances on Friday night, the trainer feels the filly has not only shown speed but toughness as well. Her gameness came out last week when Sweetheart winner Jerseylicious came alongside the filly in midstretch and looked ready to pass. Sombodythatiustono dug in gamely in a :26 4/5 final quarter sprint.

Alagna’s filly landed post three in the evening’s fifth race with rival Jerseylicious landing post eight.

The conditioner will also send out the other possible favorite, Authorize from the pole position in the Sire Stakes final.

Alagna also has four entered in the $150,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final for colts (race six on the program).

“I really can’t separate any of them. We really liked Rocknmyjeans when he finished second behind Captaintreacherous in a baby race; he looked very good,” Alagna said.

Tony also has Cylcone, Emeritus Maximus and Wake Up Peter in the final and all three have an excellent chance of winning in what shapes up as a very competitive event.

The trainer was in the midst of a final pack up on Tuesday, with many of his top two-year-olds on their way to Ontario. Among them is the $250,000 yearling Captaintreacherous, a Wilson record setting son of Somebeachsomewhere. As to the disparity in the prices of two of his best pacing freshmen, Alagna offered this view,  “The $3,000 was my money, the $250,000 was theirs.”