Repole’s Latest Star – Clipthecouponannie

The name of the unbeaten winner of the Franklin Square Stakes should have had a familiar ring. When the homebred filly Clipthecouponannie crossed the Aqueduct finish line a half-length in front, it would have been very easy to think of horses like Stopchargingmaria or Stopspendingmaria. Of course, all three of those thrift conscious names came from Mike Repole, the owner of Repole Stables.

In the $125,000 Stake restricted to New York-breds, Clipthecouponannie faced a salty field of four. Frosty Margarita came into the race off three straight state-bred stakes victory from the red-hot barn of trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Wonderment made a splash with a perfect summer that included a stakes win at Belmont Park in July for Kenny McPeek. Something had to give in this February sprint and it wasn’t going to be the Repole runner.

With Irad Ortiz in the saddle, Clipthecouponannie first took on and put away Wonderment with a first quarter that went in 22.94. Then it would be Frosty Margarita, ridden by Jose Ortiz. When this daughter of Frost Giant made her move down the stretch she actually poked a head in front. Irad knew how both horses would run and when he asked his filly for more, she responded and pulled away to get the win.

“I left the No. 4 horse [Wonderment] by the turn, and after that I didn't want to move too early,” explained Irad. “I waited for Frosty Margarita because I rode her and I know her well. I met her at the top of the stretch and knowing that filly and that she hangs a little bit and it's a little hard to make her finish compared to Clipthecouponannie who I know can finish strong, so I waited for her and made my run at the end. I knew when I asked Clipthecouponannie she would respond and finish strong.”

Clipthecouponannie began her career for trainer Todd Pletcher on the Aqueduct inner track on Dec. 20 as a juvenile with a 4 ¾ length win against 11 other state-breds. A month later she was in the winner’s circle again in a first level allowance, which led to the Franklin Square Stakes. On the Wood Memorial undercard on April 9 we will find out just how good Clipthecouponannie is when she will test open company and a distance of ground for the first time in the Gazelle.

"We're going to find out [if she can stretch out] in about four, five weeks because I think we're going to try her in the Gazelle and give it a shot,” added Repole. “She's three-for-three now; she's a nice three-year-old and I think we'll try to extend her long."

Clipthecouponannie is yet another successful runner by last year’s highly ranked freshman sire, Uncle Mo. Uncle Mo was the first of Repole’s 13 graded stakes winners that have been campaigned in the blue and orange colors that he shares with the State of New York, the Knicks, the Mets, and this writer’s masthead. Most recognizable amongst the Repole runners are: Travers winner Stay Thirsty, Caixa Eletronica, Notacatbutallama, and Stopchargingmaria.

Uncle Mo was the Champion Two-year-old of 2010 after winning all three of his races including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. A series of mysterious ailments during 2011 hampered his three-year-old campaign and cut short his career after eight starts. Let’s relive his final win in the Kelso at Belmont Park and enjoy Tom Durkin’s “He’s baa-aack” race call.

Clipthecouponannie is a Repole homebred by Uncle Mo out of Lights Off Annie. The dam also ran in the orange and blue colors and put together a record of 11: 6-1-1 with earnings of $209,671 She is a multiple stakes winning New York-bred by Freud.

Outwork is another Repole-bred by Uncle Mo out of the Repole mare Nonna Mia. On the track, the dam had a record of 7: 2-1-2 for $127,150. She won her maiden race at Belmont Park by 12 lengths and then finished third in the Frizette (G1) and Tempted (G3) as a two-year-old.

Outwork is a Kentucky-bred, and is also unbeaten. He was a precocious two-year-old and won an early maiden race at Keeneland in April by 2 ¾ lengths. After almost a year off, Outwork won a February allowance at Tampa Bay Downs by 4 ¼.

“I started by claiming horses, then buying horses, and now to have some mares and to have stallions with my mares,” said Repole. “With horses like her and Outwork, when you campaign the mom and you campaign the dad and then you own the baby. It makes it pretty special.”

We will find out if Clipthecouponannie can become the next graded stakes winner for Repole or maybe it will be Outwork. Either way, with Uncle Mo as the patriarch of its breeding program, it is certain that Repole Stables will have many talented runners ahead.