Dad's Kiddo among Kobiskie's good juveniles
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Anybody in south Florida unfamiliar with the name Dane Kobiskie quickly became acquainted with the former rider after he saddled three winners and also sent out two 2-year-olds to finish second in stakes races on the Nov. 28 card at Gulfstream Park West.
Kobiskie could become a major player during the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet, with 50 horses – mostly 2-year-old – bedded down at Payson Park for the PTK stable of Paula, Tom, and Kaitlin Haughey from Charlottesville, Va. Among that group is Dad’s Kiddo, who finished second in the House Party Stakes Nov. 28 and figures to be among the favorites in Friday’s $41,000 allowance feature.
Kobiskie, 36, won 290 races during his eight-year jockey career before taking out his trainer’s license during the winter of 2008.
“It was always my goal to train horses,” said Kobiskie. “I was only going to ride a year or two but things were going well, so I kept at it for longer than I’d originally planned. When I first started out, I had about 25 horses in my barn for [PTK] and they were always a big claiming outfit, mostly around Maryland and Delaware Park. But over time I talked my owners into getting out of the claiming game and buying younger horses. As a result, this has been a transformation year for us. With all young horses in training and growing up, we weren’t geared to win a lot of races early. But it’s starting to go in the right direction now.
“Oddly, on the big day we had last month, the two horses I liked the best were the ones who finished second in the stakes: Cat Tree, who I entered back again here Saturday, and Dad’s Kiddo.”
Dad’s Kiddo, a daughter of Proud Citizen, brought $65,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. She won her maiden at second asking by nearly seven lengths at Indiana Grand in late May, but then was sidelined six months before returning in the House Party. She finished second behind the multiple stakes winner Ballet Diva while easily best of the rest.
“I really liked her a lot in the stakes,” said Kobiskie. “She trained well coming into the race, but she’s a heavy horse who probably needed the race, so I expect her to improve and move forward on Friday. The same goes for Cat Tree when he runs Saturday.”
Dad’s Kiddo will face seven other 2-year-old fillies in Friday’s six-furlong third race, a first-level optional $75,000 claimer. The competition is led by Island Saint for trainer Todd Pletcher. Island Saint was an easy winner of her career debut this summer at Saratoga. She finished third as the odds-on favorite in the Sorority Stakes six weeks later at Monmouth Park and was never a serious factor when fifth in the Grade 2 Matron at Belmont Park in her most recent try.
The well-matched field also includes a trio of fillies who have each won her only start – Miss Inclusive, Exchanging Secrets, and Barbarenda. Miss Inclusive won by nearly six lengths for trainer John Servis last month at Laurel. Exchanging Secrets numbered future stakes winner Brandy’s Girl among her victims when she launched her career with a 1 1/4-length triumph on Sept. 9 at Monmouth Park. Barbarenda drew off to an easy four-length victory late in summer.