Trainer Gary Contessa will point a pair of New York-breds to Breeders Cup “Win and You're In” events at Belmont at the Big A with Another Cleeshay (Volatile) targeting the Oct. 5 GI Frizette Stakes and Epitaph (Country House) pointing to the GIII Futurity on Oct. 4.
“I look to shoot high. If you don't shoot high, you can't do amazing things,” said Contessa, who captured the GI Hopeful Stakes last year with 54-1 shot Nutella Fella.
Another Cleeshay worked five-eighths in 1:03 flat Saturday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in company with maiden But Now Am Found.
Sean Shay's Another Cleeshay will look to parlay a 9 1/2-length debut score on Aug. 30 at Saratoga into a first career stakes win in the one-turn mile Frizette for juvenile fillies.
“She broke slow, broke in the air, but she's got talent,” said Contessa of the filly's debut. “Junior [Alvarado] knew how good she was, too. He knew she could overcome that break. The worst that could have happened is if they'd shut off the inside on her and she'd have no place to go. Luckily, the horses stayed off the rail and she was able to zip up the rail.”
Another Cleeshay, bred by 3C Stables, was purchased by Contessa for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
“I thought she was extremely athletic. I loved the way she moved,” said Contessa. “I'm all about analyzing the stride of a horse when I'm buying at a 2-year-old sale. I might look at a tape of a horse working 20 times before I bid on it and that's what I did with her.”
Contessa said the filly, who was also nominated to the state-bred Joseph A. Gimma next week, is doing well and he has no concerns about stepping her up in class and distance.
“I can always run in a New York-bred stake, but I can't always run in a Breeders' Cup,” Contessa said. “We don't know how good she is. She won very impressively first time out. I think the mile is going to suit her, so why not take a shot?”
Epitaph, purchased by Contessa for $15,000 at the Midlantic sale, graduated in front-running fashion in his Aug. 25 debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over firm Spa turf.
The gelding, with Alvarado up, showed the way through splits of :21.83 seconds, :45.99 and :57.96 en route to a one-length victory in a final time of 1:04.13.
Bred by NK Racing, Epitaph, who worked five-eighths in 1:02.50 Saturday over the Oklahoma dirt training track, was nominated to next weekend's state-bred Bertram F. Bongard but will instead look to earn his way into the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar in the six-furlong Futurity for juveniles.
“Epitaph worked well [Saturday], too,” Contessa said. “He's another one where I really liked his sale video. I nominated him to the New York-bred race, but I think we'll go to the Futurity with him as well. He won impressively going 5 1/2-furlongs on the grass.”
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