Edward J. Brown, Jr., Alan Klein and Phillip Lebherz’s Distinctiv Passion led an OBS sweep of the first running of the $100,000 Midnight Lute Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita, leading all the way and scoring by a length and a quarter over Heir of Storm (August ’11), with Appealing Tale (March ’12) a nose back in third. Favored Secret Circle (March ’11) settled for fourth. It’s the first graded stakes win for the two time OBS graduate trained by Jeff Bonde, now 13-6-1-4 with earnings of $336,180. The 4-year-old Florida-bred colt by With Distinction was sold first by Kaizen Sales, Agent for Plumley Farms, at the 2011 OBS January Sale before bringing $65,000 when purchased out of the Kim Harrison consignment at the 2011 OBS August Sale. He’s now 13-6-1-4 and has earned $336,180. The race was name for OBS March graduate Midnight Lute, back to back winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) and 2007’s Eclipse Award winning sprinter. Selected Sale conformation photo
Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables and Gary Aisquith’s The Lewis Dinner battled head to head for the lead in Sunday’s $150,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct, took over a half mile out and cruised from there to a 4-3/4 length victory. It’s the second straight stakes win for the 2-year-old daughter of Posse, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, and leaves her with a 6-2-2-1 record and $229,500 in earnings. She was purchased for $50,000 out of the Eisaman Equine consignment at the 2014 OBS April Sale by Gary C. Young, Agent for Michael Dubb, after breezing an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Thomas Halasz, Ryan Johnson, Paul L. Newhart and Martha Miller et al’s Harlington’s Rose rallied from off the pace in the $95,850 Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday, hit the front inside the final sixteenth and won by a length and a quarter. It’s the first stakes win for the 3-year-old filly by Harlington, trained by Steve Knapp. Sold to B V D M for $7,500 by Y-Lo Racing Stables LLC at the 2012 OBS August Yearling Sale, she’s now 18-3-5-0 and has earned $277,680 to date.