Spirit of New York makes return in Spectacular Bid

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The spirit of New York has been on display for weeks during the championship run of the New York Knicks. So, what would be more appropriate than Spirit of New York winning Saturday’s $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct?

And of course, he’ll do it in comeback fashion as Spirit of New York makes his first start in 196 days in the six-furlong turf sprint restricted to progeny of New York-based stallions.

Spirit of New York has not run since Dec. 6. That day, he finished seventh in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series on dirt, not his surface.

At 2, Spirit of New York went 2 for 2 sprinting on turf, including a victory in the six-furlong Bertram F. Bongard Stakes Sept. 20. It is noteworthy that horses coming out of the Bongard are 1 for 22 since.

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Spirit of New York’s try in the Great White Way wasn’t terrible, as he split the 14-horse field. Like Spirit of New York, many in the race were going for a big payday. But trainer Adam Rice knows where Spirit of New York fits best and will keep him sprinting on turf.

“He came out of it good, and with the end of turf season we sent him down to Florida to freshen him up and get him ready for this,” Rice said.

Spirit of New York, one of four progeny of Honest Mischief in this nine-horse field, has worked seven times since early April to prepare for his return.

“I’ve got more horses this year than prior years so I got him some better company,” Rice said. “I have found him some good workmates, I’m happy with that and he’s stepped up pretty well.”

Rice, over the last three years, is officially 2 for 6 with a $3.87 return on investment with horses returning from a layoff greater than 180 days. One of those wins came via disqualification but the other came Monday at Presque Isle where Squad Goals won the Tom Ridge Stakes off a 218-day layoff.

Spirit of New York has enough tactical speed to sit right off the pace under Manny Franco.

A horse who could sit a similar trip is Wit Storm, who was a perfect-trip winner of a one-mile maiden race against open company at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 15. In his most recent start, a first-level allowance for statebreds here on May 16, he finished fourth, 3 1/4 lengths behind Voodoo Doll, who came back to win an open-company allowance on June 12.

Barclay Tagg trains Wit Storm, a son of Honest Mischief, for Sackatoga Stable. Katie Davis rides.

Sunday Boy won the Great White Way on dirt last December, and though he is winless in three starts on turf, trainer Jim Ryerson feels that is his preferred surface. Ryerson wishes this race were farther than six furlongs.

“He can run on either [surface], but he’s a little better on turf,” Ryerson said. “Three-quarters is tough for him to get up in time. You have to get lucky with a trip.”

Illmatic debuted on turf last summer at Saratoga, finishing sixth behind Spirit of New York. He came off an eight-month layoff to win a maiden race by six lengths on dirt in February. After two losses in allowance company, Illmatic returns to the turf for Miguel Clement with Jaime Rodriguez up.

Dancingwithdestiny, a filly, was scratched by the stewards out of last Saturday’s Cupecoy’s Joy. That may have been a blessing since Celtic Dawn ran lights-out in that race.

Dancingwithdestiny, who has speed, is another appropriate name if we’re talking about the spirit of New York and the Knicks. But she’ll need to get faster to beat Spirit of New York on Saturday.

Campaign to aid fire victims

The New York Racing Association donated $50,000 and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association donated $10,000 to the Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association to support the trainers, staff, and backstretch workers impacted by Tuesday’s barn fire at the Saratoga harness track which took the lives of 17 horses.

In addition, NYRA will host a fundraiser beginning July 3, opening day of Saratoga’s Thoroughbred summer. Fans in attendance will have an opportunity to purchase a specially designed T-shirt to support those impacted by the fire. All proceeds from those sales will go to the Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association. The shirt will be available ontrack in the Official NYRA Store and available online at www.shop.nyra.com starting June 19.

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