Weekly Update

Weekly Stable Update

Peter Petrify

Pete took an unfortunate spill in his qualifier but thankfully is okay. He will need a few weeks off, but we are grateful it is nothing major and remain patient as we give him the necessary time to recover and get race ready to make his debut for the Roland Barn.

Beef N Cheddar

After a win and a second in just his first two starts in Delaware, Beef was listed as the 9-5 favorite on the morning line but unfortunately came up sick and had to be scratched from this race. Although that is a bummer and he should have had a great chance to get back to the winner’s circle, the horse’s well-being and health are always the number one priority, and we trust our trainer’s judgment. Beef will get to take it easy and rest up, and we expect him to be right back in action in the coming weeks.

Manhattan Artist

Arty made his 4th start in Denny “Booch” Bucceri’s barn at Batavia Downs this past week. Coming off a dominant wire-to-wire win his last time out, Arty got a rough trip this week. He fired off the gate but got parked out and put heavy pressure on the leader throughout the first half of the mile. Eventually, the trip proved to be too much as he ultimately dropped back. He was still able to fight on for a 5th-place finish and earn a check for the stable. We understand you won’t always be able to clear to the lead, especially when leaving from the far outside, but nonetheless, we are pleased with this aggressive driving style from Booch and look for a cleaner trip to the front in Arty’s next start.

Cruzin America

After a rough trip his last time out, Cruzin is now back in to go this Sunday at Northfield Park. He gets the 5 post with Justin Irvine in the bike, and we expect a much cleaner trip this start.

Phantom Tom

Tommy Boy picked up a game second-place finish this week at Bangor Raceway. Although the race winner won by a wide margin, Tom made a nice move up the passing lane late and made up some ground to finish the best of the rest in second. He has continued his on-the-board streak and has still hit the board in every single one of his starts in Maine so far.

Dance Machine

Dance Machine turned in a strong effort this time out, finishing a solid third at Batavia Downs. Booch did a great job firing him out from the 4 post and getting to the front of the pack. Although he was unable to maintain that lead and the race winner ultimately won by a wide margin, Dance Machine was right there battling with the rest of the field and came out a clear third in a $9,000 race. We were pleased with the improvement from his last start and are excited to see him back in action from the 4 post at Batavia Downs on Saturday.

Wonka Bar

Wonka continues to be on just a different level lately, picking up another very dominant win at Tioga Downs this past weekend. He fired right out to the early lead, and from there it was smooth sailing as he never faced an anxious moment. Coming toward the three-quarters, he began to open up on the field and leave them in his dust, winning by another very large margin of over 10 lengths. We are loving this new version of Wonka, as he has now picked up a second and 2 incredible wins in just his first 3 starts in the Harmon Stable. He moves up in class to a $9,000 race at Tioga Downs Friday night with Mike Merton back in the bike, and we are very excited to see how he does coming off another blowout win.

Yamaka

Yammy broke out of his little cold spell with a very impressive win at Bangor Raceway this week. He fired right off the gate from the 6 post and cleared to the lead, where he was very strong for the remainder of the race. He controlled the tempo, opened up on them around the final turn, and won what looked to be a fairly easy victory. We were very pleased to see the old man back in the winner’s circle, and we think it’s safe to say his little slump has been broken. The Steve Moskowitz Racing LLC and Christopher Dubois combination continues to thrive out in Maine, recording 2 wins in 2 starts this week.

RobinTheCradle

Robin got the week off the week prior and made his return from the 5 post in a $9,000 race at Northfield Park. He turned in a solid 4th-place effort and put in a respectable race. He made a strong move following cover and was right up there with the leaders, but the trip was ultimately a bit too difficult to overcome this time. He continues to earn checks and be competitive every time he steps onto the track and he looks to be a promising 3-year-old.

DiscoveringTheHunt

Hunt picked up yet another very impressive victory in a $20,000 race at Yonkers this week. She took advantage of her inside draw and enjoyed a nice pocket trip sitting right behind the 3/5 favorite. Approaching the final stretch, Jim Marohn angled her out with a strong move, and Hunt went right on by and confidently drew away from the field for a very strong victory, setting her lifetime mark in 1:54.1. Trainer Jared Bako has done a phenomenal job with this mare, as she has now won 2 of her last 4. She takes a step up in class and draws the 5 post in a $24,000 race on Tuesday at Yonkers, where she looks to keep this hot streak going and make it 2 in a row.

Top Notch Treasure

Top Notch turned in his most impressive race yet in what was expected to be his toughest task to date, and he made it look rather easy as he picked up his 5th career victory and missed a Bangor Raceway track record that has stood since 2011 by just a tick. Driver Bruce Ranger confidently handled Top Notch, getting him right to the lead, controlling the tempo, turning away the only challenge he faced, and firing home in a very speedy 1:57 and change for Top Notch’s lifetime best. In just 7 career starts, Top Notch has 5 wins, a second, and a third, and his lifetime earnings are already nearing $50,000. It has been an impeccable start to his 2-year-old career, and we can’t wait to get him back out in another Sire Stakes race.

It was an absolute monster week for the LLC, recording a new single-week record of 5 wins. To go along with that, we also recorded a second, a third, and a fourth. We are very pleased with the excellent job our trainers are doing and look to continue these extremely strong results.