Bustin Stones sticks close to his roots

After receiving offers from farms in other states, owner Roddy J. Valente decided to keep Bustin Stones home.

Valente, who bred the Grade 1-winning Bustin Stones in New York, announced last week that the horse will enter stud at Dr. Jerry Bilinski's Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, N.Y., upon the completion of his racing career, standing for a fee of $6,500.

Valente is syndicating Bustin Stones, a 5-year-old son of former state sire City Zip.

According to Valente, Bustin Stones is likely to race only once more, in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.

Winner of all six career starts, Bustin Stones has not been out since the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 5 at Aqueduct.

Valente said he had received offers from Florida and Kentucky.

"The more I thought about it, the more it was a no-brainer to stay in New York," he said. "This horse is built for New York, and I am such a believer in the state program.

"I think he fits the profile, especially if we get the VLTs going," he added, referring to the video lottery terminals planned for an Aqueduct slots casino. "The timing could work perfectly with his first crops coming along and higher purses for statebreds."

Bustin Stones belongs to the Raise a Native sire line, through Mr. Prospector and Carson City, the sire of City Zip.

As a 2-year-old in 2000, City Zip swept the prestigious series of stakes for 2-year-olds at Saratoga - the Sanford, Saratoga Special, and Hopeful, dead-heating with Yonaguska in the finale.

The hard-hitting City Zip won eight stakes while racing at ages 2 and 3, compiling a record of 9-5-4 from 23 starts with earnings of $818,225. He entered stud at Gus Schoenborn Jr.'s Contemporary Stallions in Coxsackie, N.Y.

City Zip is a half-brother to the brilliant Ghostzapper, Horse of the Year and winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic. He was fifth among leading third-crop sires last year with progeny earnings of $3,525,903.

Bustin Stones is out of Shesasurething, by Prospector's Gamble. Valente claimed Shesasurething for $50,000 at Hollywood Park in 2000, and she resides at Waldorf Farm.

Second dam Nona's Moment also produced stakes winner Ryan's Moment.

Third dam No No Nona captured the Regret Stakes and placed in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs. Her half-sister Split the Tab won the Dogwood Stakes.

Bruce Levine trains Bustin Stones, whose stakes victories also include the Grade 2 General George, Screenland, and Promonroe as well as the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes.

He has won stakes on the main tracks at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Laurel, as well as the winterized inner dirt at the Big A.

Two more victories in open stakes

J'ray and Doremifasollatido have added to the growing list of open stakes victories by statebreds this year.

J'ray captured the Grade 2, $300,000 Canadian Stakes on Woodbine's turf course on Sept. 7.

Bred and owned by Lawrence Goichman, the 5-year-old J'ray sent her career earnings to $856,161 with a record of 9-6-1 from 23 starts.

She has won four graded stakes, and her pedigree is turf all the way.

J'ray is by Distant View, winner of the Group 1 Sussex Stakes in England.

Her dam, Bubbling Heights, by Darshaan, was purchased by Goichman at the Tattersalls December sale in England.

Bubbling Heights is a half-sister to Feather Bride, the dam of Grade 3 turf winner Millennium Dragon. This is the family of Horse of the Year Kotashaan.

Bubbling Heights resides at Vivian G. Malloy's Edition Farm in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Doremifasollatido captured the Grade 2 Matron Stakes, a seven-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies, at Belmont Park on Sept. 13. She sent her career earnings to $217,000 with a record of 2-2-0 from 4 starts, and was previously second in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga.

Bred by Edward Messina, Doremifasollatido is owned by Susan Moore and M and M Thoroughbreds.

She is by Bernstein, out of the Green Dancer mare Consider It Done.

Doremifasollatido is a half-sister to Fortunate Damsel, winner of the Grade 3 Pebbles Stakes.

Third dam Top Corsage earned $1,110,028 and captured the Grade 1 Spinster during her racing days.

Doremifasollatido was the 23rd New York-bred to win an open stakes, and 11th to win a graded stakes in 2008.