Eight OBS graduates celebrated America’s birthday over the holiday weekend, posting stakes wins in Florida, Iowa, Maryland and New York.
David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa’s Miles Ahead tracked the leaders from the outside in the early going of Saturday’s $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream, rallied to take command a furlong from home and held on gamely to score by half a length. It’s the first stakes win for the 4-year-old gelding by Competitive Edge, who turned in an Under
Tack eighth in :10 1/5 before he was purchased for $175,000 out of the Top Line Sales consignment at the 2019 OBS March Sale. Now 16-8-2-1 for trainer Eddie Plesa, he has earned $260,960 to date.
Three OBS graduates scored stakes wins at Prairie Meadows.
Three Diamonds Farm’s Army Wife rallied four-wide on the turn in Friday’s $225,000 Iowa Oaks (G3), took the lead after straightening out in the stretch, and eased away late to score by 3-3/4 lengths. That’s two straight graded stakes victories for the 3-year-old daughter of Declaration of War, now 9-4-1-2 with $423,972 in earnings for trainer Mike Maker. Consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales to the 2020 OBS Spring Sale, she breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 before she was sold for $190,000. watch her under tack video Spring Sale walking video
Mike Maker also saddled Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Special Reserve, who led a 1-2-3 OBS sweep of Saturday’s $100,000 Iowa Sprint Stakes, going after front running Quick Tempo (April ’20) in the stretch and drawing away to win by 2-3/4 lengths. Mojo Man (April ’17) rallied for third. It’s the second straight stakes victory for the 5-year-old graded stakes winning son of Midshipman, consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, to the 2018 OBS March Sale, where he breezed an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5 before he was sold for $140,000. The win leaves him with a 20-7-1-7 record and $418,617 in earnings. watch his under tack video
Steve Landers Racing LLC’s Josie came from just off the pace to take Saturday’s $100,000 Iowa Distaff Stakes by a length and three quarters, taking charge inside the final furlong and drawing away at the wire. It’s the first stakes score for the 4-year-old daughter of Race Day, trained by Brad Cox, now 14-4-4-2 with earnings of $266,867. At the 2019 OBS March Sale, she was purchased for $170,000 out of the Kings Equine consignment after working an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. watch her under tack video
A trio of OBS grads scored on Sunday at Pimlico.
William & Corinne Heiligbrodt’s Yaupon stalked the pacesetter in the $100,000 Lite the Fuse Stakes, took the lead inside the final furlong and eased away to win by a length and three quarters. It’s the third stakes victory for the 4-year-old graded stakes winning colt by Uncle Mo, now 7-5-0-0 with $383,264 in earnings for trainer Steve Asmussen. He breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat before he was purchased by East Hickman Bloodstock for $255,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2019 OBS June Sale. watch his under tack video
Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and Michael Miceli’s Mrs. Orb picked up her second stakes win of the year in the $100,000 Caesar’s Wish Stakes, rallying wide into the stretch and getting up late to score by a half a length. The 6-year-old daughter of Orb, trained by co-owner Michael Miceli, is now 25-7-8-4 and has earned $523,520. She worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 4/5 before she was purchased for $30,000 out of the Classic Bloodstock consignment at the 2017 OBS June Sale. watch her under tack video
Dark Hollow Farm’s Ellanation rated off the pace in the $75,000 Jameela Stakes, rallied outside down the stretch and was up in time to score by half a length. It’s the first stakes win for the 5-year-old daughter of Alternation, purchased for $160,000 out of the Costanzo Sales consignment at the 2018 OBS April Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. Now 15-4-4-1 for trainer Mike Trombetta, she has earned $178,269 to date. watch her under tack video
Eric Fein’s Original took the lead at the start of the $100,000 Manila Stakes on Sunday at Belmont Park, opened daylight into the stretch then held off a late charge to score by a head. It’s the first stakes win for the 3-year-old graded stakes placed son of Quality Road, purchased for $425,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2020 OBS Spring Sale after speeding an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5. Trained by John Terranova, he’s now 7-2-0-3 and has earned $138,570 to date. watch his under tack video Spring Sale walking video