By T. D. Thornton
A 2-year-old filly who ran fourth as a first-time-starter in a $100,000 stakes for registered Pennsylvania-bred and -sired offspring in August has had her state-bred status stripped after the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) determined she was actually bred in New Jersey.
Brian Sanfratello, the executive secretary of the PHBA, disclosed the “status removal” for Miss Ellary (Social Inclusion), during the Sept. 26 meeting of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.
Miss Ellary earned $5,520 for her fourth-place debut Aug. 21.
But Sanfratello said the PHBA subsequently received and investigated a tip that the filly, bred and owned by Cavanaugh Breen Farm, shouldn't have been eligible for the Miss Blue Tye Dye S. at Parx.
“Someone had told us that that horse was not bred in Pennsylvania,” Sanfratello said. “We had a hearing [and] we had videos showing that the horse was bred in New Jersey. So we removed the status of that horse, and [the breeder] cannot register any horses with the PHBA for five years.”
Sanfratello said a representative of Cavanaugh Breen Farm did not appeal the PHBA's decision within the 10-day appeal window, which ended Sept. 18.
Miss Ellary subsequently ran this past Saturday on the GI Pennsylvania Derby undercard at Parx in a $100,000 maiden special weight, in which she was newly classified as a New Jersey-bred. She again finished fourth, earning $6,000.
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