Aqueduct: 4-for-4 Sacrosanct, Stone Smuggler beat N.Y. rivals

Sacrosanct ran his record to 4-for-4 with three consecutive stakes wins when he held off National Identity by a head in Saturday’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible state-sired 2-year-olds at Aqueduct.

It was part of a sire sweep for Into Mischief in the two NYSSS races Saturday. His daughter Stone Smuggler won the Fifth Avenue division for 2-year-old fillies.

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Trained by dual Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the New York-bred Honest Mischief bay owned by Lady Sheila Stable, Net Birdie and Schwing Thoroughbreds entered off a pair of local state-bred stakes scores, capturing the Sleepy Hollow by 1 1/2 lengths last out Oct. 27 after a dominant 12-length victory in the Bertram F. Bongard on Sept. 22. He was piloted by returning rider Manny Franco in both victories along with a 3 1/4-length debut score in August at Saratoga.

Sheila Rosenblum of winning co-owner Lady Sheila Stable said it is special to own such a talented horse for New York-sired stakes races.

“I think it’s a great program, and we’re lucky to be a part of it. I’m incredibly pleased with what he’s doing. Sacrosanct is a good talent,” Rosenblum said. “He and Manny Franco are becoming a good team together. I think the program needs this and is spectacular. I was always so pro New York, and the turnout, it’s wonderful to see the people out.”

The favored Sacrosanct exited the inside post under Franco and settled into second position to stalk George Weaver-trained Bold Fortune, who led through an opening quarter-mile in 22.30 seconds on the fast dirt.

“The Weaver horse, he was the speed. I let him clear me, and I went around right away,” Franco said. “After that I just put my horse where he was comfortable, and I don’t want to let (Bold Fortune) get away from me too easy neither.” 

Bold Fortune, a last-out, pacesetting, 7 3/4-length victor in the state-bred New York Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 21 at Finger Lakes, was tracked by Sacrosanct into the turn. The pair put a gap between themselves and the rest of the field through a half-mile in 45.01 seconds with National Identity making up the most significant ground to grab third position.

“I was so happy, because that was where I wanted to be,” Franco said. “I wanted to be outside (Bold Fortune) and get the first run of the horses coming from behind.”

Sacrosanct put his head in front of Bold Fortune at the top of the lane to take a narrow lead, but National Identity improved down the center of the course and was quickly within a half-length under Kendrick Carmouche. As this pair battled head and head for the lead in the stretch, Soontobeking made a rapid move from farther back and tried to go inside tiring Bold Fortune for a run at the leaders, but he checked hard as the window along the rail shut.

“When the other horse came to me, I said, eh, I fight already, so let’s see if he’ll give me another gear,” Franco said of National Identity’s challenge. “He did, and he was game. He didn’t want to lose today.”

Sacrosanct, despite enduring the sharp fractions on the front end, would not go down to National Identity without a fight. Smilensaycheese was three lengths back giving chase after three-quarters of a mile in 1:10.46.

Sacrosanct was tested more than ever by National Identity but ultimately kept his head in front to maintain his perfect record with a final time of 1:24.10.

“They were setting an honest pace, and when the runner-up came up to him, he really dug in. I was really happy with the horse," said Dustin Dugas, Cox’s New York-based assistant.

It was 2 3/4 lengths back to Smilensaycheese in third with another five lengths back to Soontobeking rounding out the superfecta. Twohonestmischief, Buttah, Bold Fortune and Missing Rocks completed the finish in that order. Friend Ofthe Devil, who is entered in a state-bred optional claimer Sunday, and Man in Finance were scratched. 

Carmouche said that Danny Gargan-trained National Identity was game in defeat.

“He tried his best, just second best. Nothing you can do. I had him in the right spot, and I thought (Sacrosanct) was going quick enough in front where I could have run him down,” Carmouche said. “But his horse fought all the way through the wire. The best horse won today.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard fourth-place Soontobeking for Weaver, said he was unlucky when forced to check as Dylan Davis-ridden stablemate Bold Fortune weakened.

“I thought I had it. I did the right thing. The horse comes from behind. I saved all the ground and tried to go through on the rail,” Castellano said. “The rail was open, and when it was time to go, Dylan dropped all the way to the rail. I had to check and had no place to go. I made the right decision, but it didn’t work out for me.”

Sacrosanct, who was bred in New York by Burleson Farms, Mckenzie Bloodstock and Sequel Thoroughbreds, is out of Unbridled’s Song mare Vibrato. He was a $260,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds-in-training Sale. His second dam is dual stakes winner Cuff Me.

Sacrosanct banked $275,000 in victory while improving his record to 4: 4-0-0 and returning $3.10 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.

Stone Smuggler gets through in Fifth Avenue

Stone Smuggler made all the right moves to notch her second career stakes victory in the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible state-sired 2-year-old fillies.

Owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and SunsetRidge Racing Stable  and trained by Jorge Abreu, the New York-bred daughter of Honest Mischief gave her sire a sweep of the two stallion stakes. She added to a maiden-breaking score in the 5 1/2-furlong state-bred Lady Finger in September at Finger Lakes and improved from a prominent third last out at Aqueduct in the state-bred Key Cents on Nov. 17.

Dan Zanatta, co-managing partner of NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, praised Sequel Stallions’ popular young sire Honest Mischief, who will stand in 2025 for $7,500. Stone Smuggler was purchased for $57,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling Sale, and hopes also are high for their other Honest Mischief filly Oklahoma Smoke, who broke her maiden impressively one week ago at Aqueduct.

"We ended up buying four Honest Mischiefs pretty early at the weanling and yearling sales. They were all really balanced, maybe a little shorter-legged horses, but they all had tremendous hips, great girths, great toplines and great walking motion,” Zanatta said. “We love New York-sired horses to go after, because typically we can buy the best ones. We can afford to buy the best ones. We bought Oklahoma Smoke, and we bought her as the two best Honest Mischiefs we found of the filly crop, and it’s worked out for us.”

Guided to victory by José Lezcano, Stone Smuggler emerged sharpest of 11 from the outermost post but was unhurried as a quartet of foes led by rail-skimming Bam’s Bliss Kiss all made a dash for the front. The opening quarter-mile elapsed in 22.72 seconds over the fast footing.

Bam’s Bliss Kiss remained in front approaching the turn. Stunning Sugar, Mischief Lady and Blossoming Erudite battled for second position, and Stone Smuggler tracked wide and patiently in the middle of the tightly-bunched field.

Bam’s Bliss Kiss and Mischief Lady remained at the front entering the turn. Blossoming Erudite toiled, and Stunning Sugar quickly backpedaled, making things tight for Queen Atlas and causing her to lose ground significantly and shuffle to the rear of the field.

All the while, Lezcano kept Stone Smuggler in the clear in the four path and started his bid past tiring Blossoming Erudite. Mischief Lady stuck her head in front of stubborn Bam’s Bliss Kiss through the half-mile in 46.59 seconds. Stone Smuggler no longer was alone on the far outside as Princess Mischief and post-time favorite Boston’s Phinest ranged up even wider from well off the pace. They gave chase into the lane with Stone Smuggler chipping away at the tiring pacesetters.

Boston’s Phinest spun her wheels, and Princess Mischief appeared to be rolling down the center of the course under Castellano, but Stone Smuggler inched clear and dug in valiantly to turn back her foe, scoring by 1 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:24.90.

Material Girl found her best stride late under Davis and bested Princess Mischief for place honors by a neck at the wire. Boston’s Phinest, D’s a Rock, Mischief Lady, Storm Changer, Bam’s Bliss Kiss, Blossoming Erudite, Queen Atlas and Stunning Sugar completed the finish in that order. Idyll Gossip was scratched.

Lezcano, aboard for the first time in the afternoon, said the filly was professional in her first start going beyond six furlongs.

“She ran a good race. I think the seven-eighths was no problem for her,” Lezcano said. “The post helped my filly today. She broke clean, and I sat where I wanted to be. When I asked her, she went on and won the race."

The Fifth Avenue marked the largest purse won this year by Abreu, whose memorable season included his first graded-stakes win with Scottish Lassie in the $400,000 Frizette (G1) in October at Aqueduct.

Abreu said he was pleased with the trip Lezcano worked out.

“She really ran well. I was a little concerned about the seven-eighths with her. I didn’t know if she could go that far, but she did it,” Abreu said. “I was a little bit concerned (about the outside post), but the race had a lot of speed inside of her, so that worked out well. I said to José whoever takes the lead, just park right outside of them. Stretching out I didn’t want to see her fighting for the lead. José rode a great race.”

Zanatta said the Fifth Avenue had been the long-term goal for Stone Smuggler.

“We have never had a horse in this race before. Over the past two or three years, we specifically went out and bought horses for this race,” Zanatta said. “We bought this filly at the yearling sale with this race in mind. So 18 months later to be in this race never mind win it is a success. Very rarely do you buy a horse a year-and-a-half before a race target and actually get there.”

Abreu said Stone Smuggler will head to Florida and prepare for the seven-furlong, state-bred $125,000 East View on Feb. 8 at Aqueduct.

Stone Smuggler, bred in the New York by Eaton and Thorne, is out of winning Bustin Stones mare Bustinattheseams. She banked $275,000 in victory while returning $7.80 on a $2 win ticket.

Davis, aboard Chad Brown-trained runner-up Material Girl, said he was proud of the effort by the daughter of Central Banker, especially as a maiden in a competitive stakes making just her third career start.

“She ran great. I breezed her a couple times, and she showed that what she was doing in the morning translated to here really nicely,” Davis said. “I was excited for her to run today, and she performed well. She came with a good finish, and second was really good.”