TDN RISING STARS

July 14, 2017 - Laurel, Race 6, Msw, USD $40,000, 5F

Barry Lee, c, 2, 2015 by Violence

1st Dam: Light of a Star (SP, $140,590), by Muqtarib
2nd Dam: Mia F Eighteen, by Tough Knight
3rd Dam: Lucky Mia, by Regal Bearing (GB)

Owner: Sagamore Farm
Breeder: Golden Pedigree LLC (KY)
Trainer: Horacio DePaz

Barry Lee (Violence) was hammered down to even-money favoritism for this debut off a speedy local worktab, including a best-of-77 half-mile in :47 1/5 July 8, and ran to the money with a “TDN Rising Star�-worthy performance. Purchased by Sagamore for $380,000 at OBS March after breezing in :9 4/5, the chalk broke on top and ticked off an opening quarter in :22.93. Showing the way into the lane, the dark bay rolled clear under a hand ride to win as he pleased by 6 1/2 lengths. V.I.P. Code (City Zip) was best of the rest, finishing 5 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Dirtyfoot (Tiz Wonderful). “We’ve had high expectations for him. He’s a very athletic horse,� trainer Horacio DePaz said. “We’ll see how he comes out. We may look for some revenge in the [GII] Saratoga Special [S. Aug. 13]. We kind of want to get that one [after being DQ’d from second to fourth with favored Recruiting Ready (Algorithms) last year].� Barry Lee, who is the third winner for his freshman sire (by Medaglia d’Oro), has a yearling half-sister by Sky Mesa and a Constitution half-sister born Mar. 15 of this year. His SP dam Light of a Star–purchased by Dan Osborne for $6,500 at the 2012 Barretts January sale–is a half-sister to MGSW Summer Hit (Bertrando) and MSW Starbird Road (Count the Time).