Rest, shmest: Say Florida Sandy wants to race

Say Florida Sandy didn't care much for life on the farm and is back in trainer Juan Serey's barn at Aqueduct earlier than expected.

Say Florida Sandy, the all-time leading New York-bred in money won, was scheduled to take a three-month vacation at Janet Laszlo's Hunters Run Farm in Neptune, N.J, before returning to the track on April 1. Eight-year-old Say Florida Sandy, however, was itching to go home and arrived in Serey's barn last week.

Say Florida Sandy's owner, John Rotella, said his horse deserved a break since he hadn't had any significant time off from the races after a long stretch of running. Say Florida Sandy, a leading contender for New York-bred horse of the year honors and a cinch for another sprint championship when the awards are announced in Albany, N.Y., on March 26, raced 16 times last year with a record of 6-5-1.

In his career, Say Florida Sandy has made 80 starts and has earned $1,772,545.

"[Laszlo] called and said Sandy was being evicted," Rotella said with a laugh. "This horse has a serious problem with relaxing. He was good the first six weeks after getting there Dec. 26, but then he started to get difficult. When I went to see him his eyes were bulging."

Rotella said Say Florida Sandy will need about six to eight weeks with Serey before he's ready to race. Rotella said he has no specific races in mind for Say Florida Sandy, a graded stakes winner.

"Let's see what happens; he's 8, after all," Rotella said.

Sandy's dam, Lolli Lucka Lolli, dead

Say Florida Sandy's breeder, Sanford Bacon, reported last week that Lolli Lucka Lolli, the dam of Say Florida Sandy, died last August from colic.

Lolli Lucka Lolli, 17 at the time of her death, was carrying a Personal Flag foal when she died. The unborn foal would have been a full brother or sister to Say Florida Sandy.

Bacon, who owned Lolli Lucka Lolli, said he had planned on retiring the mare after she gave birth to the Personal Flag foal this year. Her last foal, a Boston Harbor filly, is a yearling.

"There wasn't a better blue-hen mare than Lolli Lucka Lolli," Bacon said.

Lolli Lucka Lolli was a two-time broodmare of the year in New York and is among the 2001 nominees for that honor. The winner will be announced later this month.

Bacon claimed Lolli Lucka Lolli for $45,000 in 1987. Besides Say Florida Sandy, Lolli Lucka Lolli produced Dancin Renee, a graded winner of $497,546. Bacon still owns Dancin Renee, who is due to give birth to a New York-bred Forestry foal any day now at Silvernails Farm in Pine Plains, N.Y. Bacon said Dancin Renee will be bred back to the 2000 Horse of the Year, Tiznow.

Performing Magic retired

Performing Magic, a Grade 2 winner, has been retired and has entered stud at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, N.Y. The 5-year-old's 2002 stud fee is $5,000, live foal.

Performing Magic, a son of Gone West, earned $723,422 and had a record of 5-3-5 in 18 starts while racing for Prince Ahmed Salman's The Thoroughbred Corporation. Performing Magic's best season came during his 3-year-old campaign when he won the Grade 2 Illinois Derby, the Grade 3 Remington Park Derby, and Grade 3 Derby Trial. Bred in Kentucky, Performing Magic is out of the The Minstrel mare Performing Arts.

Bedside Manner retired

Bedside Manner, a candidate in two categories for 2001 New York-bred divisional honors and a restricted stakes winner, has been retired and will be bred to Dynaformer.

Bedside Manner, bred and raced by Howard Kaskel, the owner of Sugar Maple Farm, retired with $262,223 in earnings and an exceptional record of 7-3-1 from 12 starts. The 5-year-old mare, who is by Dr. Blum, is a nominee for New York-bred older female and sprinter of 2001.

Dan Hayden, the manager at Sugar Maple Farm, said that Dr. Blum mares have proven to be a successful cross with Dynaformer, using Critical Eye, a Grade 1 winner of $831,913, as an example.

Bedside Manner's dam, Distinctive Manner, recently gave birth to a New York-bred Swain colt at Sugar Maple Farm and is being bred back to Royal Academy.

* Four 2-year-old New York-breds sold at Fasig-Tipton's select sale at Calder on Tuesday for a total of $1,015,000.

Five New York-breds didn't meet their reserve price at the auction, which had a high buyback rate, and two others were withdrawn.

Two New York-bred colts were acquired for $310,000 apiece. Lofty Call, Hip No. 197, from the first crop of Deputy Commander, was purchased by Great Diehl LLC. Also bringing $310,000 was Hip No. 319, a French Deputy colt bought by Robert L. Beck.

A Two Punch colt, Da Punch, was bought by West Coast trainer Wesley Ward for $240,000 and a Devil's Bag filly went to Meehan/Newmarket, agent, for $155,000.