Greenpointcrusader Proves Best in the Champagne

Greenpointcrusader | NYRA/Coglianese

Greenpointcrusader became the fifth graded stakes winner for his bluehen dam with this impressive display in the Belmont slop.

The long-striding dark bay got going too late to finish within a neck of subsequent GII Saratoga Special S. runner-up Saratoga Mischief (Into Mischief) in his 5 1/2-furlong debut at the Spa July 25. He kept on coming in the stretch to reel in the clear 18-1 firster Pirellone (Gio Ponti) by a neck when stretched to seven furlongs upstate Sept. 5.

Down a few ticks late to go off at 6-1 here, Greenpointcrusader was squeezed at the start after taking bumps on both sides, but jockey Joe Bravo remained cool. He settled his charge in sixth while saving ground through fractions of :23.59 and :46.78. Under a ride on the far turn with plenty to do, Greenpointcrusader began to wind up once guided to the outside into the stretch

and leveled off nicely down the center of the course to punch his ticket in style to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. Ralis (Square Eddie), favored at 8-5 off a breakthrough win in the GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga, forced the early issue and tired in the stretch to finish a well-beaten sixth.

“He was training good up to the race,” trainer Dominick Schettino said after saddling his first Grade I winner. “His first two races, even though he won [second out], he had tight trips down inside. We talked about the track, being inside, I basically left it up to Joe [Bravo]. He got a little shuffled back at the break and the rest was up to Joe.”

Bravo added, “This horse really didn't have the clearest of races in his first two starts. He's a big horse and he needs a clear shot. He recovered [from the break] so well and was so comfortable on the backside, he gave me confidence when we turned for home that he was going to kick. Dom did a great job bringing him around. The stride this big boy has, man, that was fun. The last sixteenth of a mile, I kind of geared him down. I didn't really want to get to the bottom of him. His next one is going to be sick. How great is this Breeders' Cup going to be this year? Every day is a blessing, that's all.”

Greenpointcrusader is campaigned in partnership by Vincent and Teresa Viola's St. Elias Stable and Anthony and Mary Ellen Bonomo's Brooklyn Boyz Stables and MeB Racing Stables. Viola is the owner of the NHL's Florida Panthers and is also the chairman and CEO of Virtu Financial, an electronic market-making and financial technological services company. Bonomo, a Brooklyn attorney, is the president and CEO of Administrators for the Professions Inc. Bonomo announced in June that he was taking a leave of absence as chairman from the NYRA's Reorganization Board.

Greenpointcrusader's dam Ava Knowsthecode produced colts by Giant's Causeway in 2014 and 2015.

 

Saturday, Belmont Park
CHAMPAGNE S.-GI, $500,000, BEL, 10-3, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.25, sy.
1–#@&GREENPOINTCRUSADER, 122, c, 2, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Ava Knowsthecode (GSP, $156,596),
by Cryptoclearance
2nd Dam: Ava Romance, by Avatar
3rd Dam: Sunny Romance, by Gallant Romeo
($575,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-St. Elias Stable, MeB
Racing Stables LLC & Brooklyn Boyz Stables;
B-Oakbrook Farm (KY); T-Dominick Schettino; J-Joe
Bravo. $300,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0,
$366,400. *1/2 to Justin Phillip (First Samurai),
GISW, $1,293,437; Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory),
MGSW & GISP, $322,852; Successful Mission
(Successful Appeal), GSW, $353,043; Alex's Allure
(Sky Classic), SW; Full to Algorithms, GSW,
$301,500. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.

[bullet ad=”valkyre-stud-foaled-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”crupi-trained”][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]
2–Sunny Ridge, 122, g, 2, Holy Bull–Lignum Vitae, by
Songandaprayer. O/B-Dennis Drazin (NJ); T-Jason
Servis. $100,000.
3–Portfolio Manager, 122, c, 2, Harlan's Holiday–Turn
to Lass, by Bright Launch. ($165,000 Ylg '14
KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables Inc. & William
H. Lawrence; B-Hurstland Farm & Kevin McLaughlin
(KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $50,000.

[bullet ad=”hurstland-farm-bred-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”44050″]
Margins: 4HF, 2, HF. Odds: 6.50, 23.50, 12.20.
Also Ran: Sail Ahoy, Tale of S'avall, Ralis, Magna Light, Ready Dancer. Scratched: Rafting.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

 

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