As a sire, he was hardly classic

When Dr Greenfield runs in next Saturday's $1 million Belmont Stakes he will try to become the first European-bred runner to win the third leg of the Triple Crown since Go and Go in 1990.

Go and Go, an Irish-bred son of Be My Guest who was trained in Ireland, blasted his eight rivals, including favorite Unbridled and second choice Thirty Six Red, with his 8 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.

It turned out Go and Go wasn't just a jet-setter, flying into New York to steal the thunder from his American-bred rivals and then returning home. When Go and Go's racing career was over in 1991 (he raced solely in this country that season), he was sold by his breeder and owner, Walter Haefner of Moyglare Stud, to stand at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, N.Y., where he remained until his death last year.

Go and Go, who is out of an Alleged mare, Irish Edition, was euthanized after he fractured his hip in a paddock accident.

Go and Go's first runners reached the racetrack in 1995 and from seven crops to race, his progeny have won nearly $4 million. Last year, he ranked 21st among New York-bred sires in progeny earnings.

But Go and Go never gained notoriety as a sire of stakes winners -- Hot Wells, a winner of $262,750, was his sole graded stakes winner. He also sired restricted stakes winners Royal Irish Lace, Go Mikey Go, and E. J.'s Laura.

Among Go and Go's more successful New York-bred runners were Abenaki ($171,299) and Go Union Go ($126,936).

Veterinarian Jerry Bilinski, the owner of Waldorf Farm and one of the members of the syndicate that owned Go and Go, admitted the horse was a disappointment as a sire.

"In hindsight, he would have been a better horse for Europe," said Bilinski, who noted he didn't have problems filling Go and Go's book, which one season carried 109 mares. "Even though everyone in the States wants a classic winner, they still want speed horses - there's not much desire for a distance horse."

Bilinski said a lot of Go and Go's progeny were running in conditions at which they were probably not suited.

"The maiden races that are run here are short and I think his runners probably were best suited to start at a mile and sixteenth on the turf," he said. "After several losses [at short distances], they become disappointments."

New Yorker runs well in Europe

Dulce de Leche, a 2-year-old New York-bred, is trying to make a name for himself in Europe. A son of Distant View, out of the Ends Well mare, Bien Sucre, Dulce de Leche won his maiden race against winners at Chantilly on May 25 and is now being pointed to a stakes at Royal Ascot later this month.

Dulce de Leche was bred by Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, N.Y., Robert Reinacher Jr., and Terry Segura. He is owned by American Joe Allbritton and was purchased for $105,000 at the 2000 Keeneland September Yearling sale.

Bettors put their money on state-breds

A review of New York-bred racing at New York Racing Association tracks in 2000, prepared by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., has been released.

The review focuses on the participation of state-breds at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga last year, including their impact on the wagering handle.

The NYTB made adjustments for race meet, day of the week, and race-card position to evaluate the average wagering handle on different race categories at each meeting to compare the handle on state-bred races to comparable open races.

The NYTB claims that in 11 of 18 comparable categories (three types of races at six race meetings), races restricted to New York-breds generated a higher adjusted wagering handle than their open-race counterparts.

The report also reveals that New York-breds represented 25 percent of the racing inventory at NYRA last year (horses making at least one start). Those same New York-breds accounted for nearly 32 percent of the 19,442 starts made at NYRA.

Expensive yearling takes to long distance

On Sabbatical, a $775,000 New York-bred yearling purchase, won a state-bred maiden race by six lengths at Belmont Park on May 25.

On Sabbatical, a 3-year-old son by Unbridled, bred by Doug Koch of Berkshire Stud, was bought as a yearling by Jeanne Vance, the owner of champion Lemon Drop Kid, at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale.

On Sabbatical started two times before his win and finished second in both those races. The colt was stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time when he won.