Down the Shedrow with Linda Rice

Conditioner Linda Rice has been breaking down walls for women in the male-dominated sport of horse racing since taking out her license in 1987 at just 23 years old. A third-generation trainer, Rice became the first woman to saddle a Grade I winner at Keeneland when Tenski won the 1998 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. She also became the first female to capture the training title at Saratoga, or any major circuit for that matter, with a 20-win season at the Spa in 2009 and has added three other titles since at Belmont and Aqueduct. One of the New York-based trainer's most well-known charges, City Zip, provided her with another historic achievement when sweeping the Saratoga juvenile races, which included the GI Hopeful S., GII Sanford S. and GII Saratoga Special S., in 2000.

The Wisconsin native is also well-respected in the claiming game with recently retired MGISW Palace (City Zip) as one of the greatest examples. Rice haltered the colt for $20,000 as a 3-year-old after he broke his maiden by 11 3/4 lengths for Bill Mott and WinStar Farm at Belmont in 2012. The bay went on to win the 2013 GIII Fall Highweight H. and in 2014 scored back-to-back victories in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. and GI Forego S.

One of her stable's brightest stars in recent years was retired just this week when it was announced that newly-crowned champion sprinter La Verdad (Yes It's True) would bypass her expected career finale in the GII Barbara Fritchie H. at Laurel Feb. 13 and head to the breeding shed early for a date with Medaglia d'Oro.

“We didn't want to be greedy,” Rice said on the decision to retire the 6-year-old earlier than planned. “The filly has given us so much. She has been such a pleasure to have. She ran in the Barbara Fritchie two years ago and finished second. Seven furlongs is not her best distance. She won the Interborough, won the Eclipse award and we decided that was enough.”

While La Verdad's retirement is a big loss for the operation, Rice has the champion's younger half-sister Hot City Girl (City Zip) and a barn full of promising 2-year-olds set to help her break down more barriers thanks to some help from La Verdad's owner Sheila Rosenblum. The pair made plenty of headlines at the juvenile sales last spring, buying horses for both Rosenblum's Lady Sheila Stables and the duo's partnership with Iris Smith called Triumphant Trio.

LA VERDAD (m, 6, Yes It's True)

La Verdad became Rice's first Eclipse winner after a sensational 2015 season that included three graded stakes wins, two listed stakes victories and a gutsy runner-up effort in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint on just two weeks rest. Capping off her career with yet another impressive success in Aqueduct's Interborough S. Jan. 9 (video), the Lady Sheila Stable runner retired with a record of 25-16-3-0 and earnings of $1,563,200.

“I was so delighted that she won [the Eclipse]. If you look at her whole body of work, I really think she has performed like a champion for the past two years. She doesn't have that Grade I win, though she was second in the Breeders' Cup, but she has run so well and consistently throughout the year in many graded stakes and other stakes. I was just delighted that she could go out as champion and get the recognition she deserves.”

“We have been joking in my office about the fact that we have refused to take her name off the training chart yet and all the other places that it's been. I've been working with her since she was a weanling and now she is 6 years old. We are all very attached to her. I told my staff there are no tears once she leaves. This is like baseball. There is no crying in baseball and there is no crying in horse racing. She is going on to a wonderful career and she has done her job.”

HOT CITY GIRL (f, 4, City Zip)

La Verdad's younger sister Hot City Girl, who is also owned by Rosenblum, has shown that talent runs in the family. Winner of the GIII Charles Town Oaks Sept. 19, the chestnut appeared home free in the stretch after setting a sharp early pace in Santa Anita's GI La Brea S. Dec. 26 (video), but ended up a close second after being run down in the final strides by a late flying Birdatthewire (Summer Bird) (Click here for a story on Hot City Girl and her connections).

“Hot City Girl is going to run in the Barbara Fritchie. Seven furlongs is a great distance for her. Of course, she is not as accomplished as her big sister, but we are hopeful in the next two years that she has some exciting stuff ahead of her.”

“We brought her back to New York [after the La Brea] and she needed a little time between races She has filled out. She was a little tucked up after the trip to California and back, but she looks good now and we are hoping for a big performance from her.”

KID CRUZ (h, 5, Lemon Drop Kid)

Kid Cruz is another example of a shrewd Rice claim. The 51-year-old trainer snagged the colt for $50,000 out of his impressive six-length graduation at Aqueduct in 2013 for Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds and original owner Black Swan Stable brokered a deal to stay on board. The bay has won four stakes for these connections since, including the 2014 GIII Dwyer S., and has hit the board in several others. He was last seen finishing fourth in Aqueduct's Jazil S. Jan. 16.

“We are going to try and find an allowance race and see if we can get him back to the winner's circle. He's run hard. He's run some good seconds and thirds. As for last time, he doesn't run that well in the mud. Wet tracks don't seem to be his favorite surface. We hope to get him back to the winner's circle with an allowance race at Aqueduct.”

MATT KING COAL (c, 3, Cool Coal Man)

Rice signed the $250,000 ticket for Matt King Coal on behalf of Rosenblum at last term's OBS April sale. Third on debut over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 8, the bay missed by just a nose when switched to the dirt at Belmont next out Oct. 3 and donned cap and gown by an impressive 5 3/4 lengths when last seen in Elmont Oct. 29 (video). Rice sent the colt to the farm for some time off after he spiked a fever in the fall.

SEYMOURDINI (r, 3, Bernardini)

Seymourdini was the second highest priced juvenile at the OBS April sale when selling to Rice, who was bidding on behalf of Smith, for $900,000. Out of GSW Graeme Six (Graeme Hall), he is a half to GSWs Cali Star (Street Cry {Ire}) and Delightful Joy (Tapit). Runner-up to undefeated MGSW Mohaymen (Tapit) on debut sprinting at Belmont Sept. 19, the bay completed the exacta again there Oct. 28 and broke through with a dominating nine-length success last time at Aqueduct Nov. 22 (video). Rice felt the May foal was showing some signs of stress and decided to give him some time off.

CHAMPIONOFTHENILE (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile)

The Triumphant Trio of Rice, Rosenblum and Smith joined forces on $840,000 EASMAY buy Championofthenile. Sixth in his turf debut at Saratoga Aug. 17, the dark bay wired the field of New York-breds by an impressive six lengths when transferred to the Spa's main track Sept. 4 (video). Third in Belmont's Bertram F. Bongrad S. Sept. 27, the half-brother to GSW Leave the Light On (Horse Greeley) finished second when last seen in the New York Breeders' Futurity at the Finger Lakes Oct. 17 and was subsequently sidelined by an ankle chip.

“Matt King Coal and Seymourdini have returned to training, as well as Championofthenile. All three of them are in New York now. They were all 2-year-old winners last year that were pretty exciting for us. It's possible that one of them could be ready for the [GIII] Gotham [S. at Aqueduct Mar. 5], but it's a little too soon to tell.”

BIG THRILL (f, 3, Big Drama)

Big Thrill was another one of Rice's seven OBS April purchases, dropping the hammer at $410,000. From the first crop of champion sprinter Big Drama, the dark bay opened her account with an eye-catching four-length score at Saratoga Aug. 12 that earned her “TDN Rising Star” status (video). Last seen finishing a disappointing eighth as the favorite in Gulfstream's Florida Sire Susans's Girl S. Sept. 5, she breezed five panels in 1:02.06 over the Belmont training track Wednesday.

“She is in training. We plan to run her in the next couple of weeks in an allowance. She is here in New York now.”

FOREVER IN LOVE (c, 3, Scat Daddy)

Lady Sheila Stable's Forever in Love, a $210,000 OBS June purchase, romped by 8 1/4 lengths when unveiled against fellow Empire-breds on the Saratoga lawn Aug. 28 (video). Off the board in the grassy GIII Pilgrim S. at Belmont Sept. 26, the dark bay failed to fire when trying dirt next out in that venue's Sleepy Hollow S. Oct. 24.

“Forever in Love just returned to training. I really believe he is a grass horse. I gave him 60 days off to mature. He is in Ocala, Florida and just went under tack Feb. 1. We will probably bring him back to New York Mar. 1.”

FREEDOM TOWER (c, 3, Broken Vow)

Rice stretched to $950,000 at the OBS March sale to add Freedom Tower to the Triumphant Trio's growing collection after he breezed a furlong in a sharp :09 4/5 (Click here for sale story). Out of a SP half-sister to MGSW and GISP Futural (Future Storm), the bay worked six furlongs in 1:16.66 over the Belmont training track Feb. 1.

“He is here in New York. He is a very big horse and the idea is not to rush him because of his size, but he is really coming together for us right now. I kind of intended to give him a little six-week turn out and let him grow, but he breezed so well [Monday] that I chose not to do that yet. He's approaching the races.”

JOY DRIVE (c, 3, Quality Road)

Joy Drive also put in a :09 4/5 breeze at the OBS March sale and summoned $400,000 from Rice, Rosenblum and Smith. Displaying a steady string of works over the Belmont training track, the bay most recently breezed five panels in 1:02.55 Monday.

“Joy Drive had a fabulous breeze [Monday] and we are really excited about him. He should be ready to run in New York in about three to four weeks.”

TIZSOMETHINGROYAL (f, 3, Tizway)

Tizsomethingroyal is yet another of the Triumphant Trio's 2-year-old purchases that Rice has yet to unleash, but that is about to change this weekend. Picked up for $420,000 following a :10.1 breeze at OBS April, the bay breezed a half-mile in :50.22 over the Belmont training track Feb. 1.

“Tizsomethingroyal is set to make her first start this weekend. She will [eventually] run a route of ground on dirt or turf, I am not sure which one yet, but I am going to run her six furlongs this weekend just to get her started on Sunday.”

STARTWITHSILVER (f, 3, Jump Start)

The Triumphant Trio snagged this filly for just $180,000 at the OBS April sale after she worked a panel in :10 flat. Making her career bow in a turf sprint at the Spa Aug. 20, the New York-bred attended to a sharp pace, battled stride-for-stride down the lane and was just outnosed at the wire (video).

“Startwithsilver ran at Saratoga and just got nipped. She was a big favorite in the paddock at Belmont in the fall and she flipped over in the paddock and was injured. She has been off for four months. She hit the ground so hard that she bruised her side and got a case of pneumonia from it. Fortunately she recovered and just arrived in New York [Tuesday] to go back into training.”

UNNAMED (f, 3, Flatter–Splendid Sound)

Rice signed the $400,000 ticket at OBS June on behalf of her partnership for a Flatter filly that is not only unraced, but is also unnamed. The bay, who worked in :09 4/5 at the sale, most recently breezed a half-mile in :50.60 at Rice's Belmont base Jan. 31.

“I have a Flatter filly who is still unnamed that I purchased at OBS June and she is training very forwardly. I am very excited about her. She just arrived about a month ago and I am very happy with her progress as well.”