Unbeaten and already a stakes winner in his first two starts, The Wine Steward kept his perfect record intact with a gutsy performance in Sunday's Funny Cide S. at Saratoga. Back facing New York-breds for the first time since his six-length debut win at Belmont May 28, the even-money favorite had to overcome a wide draw and a bumpy beginning. Caught outside throughout, he turned for home four abreast, set his sights on pacesetter El Grande O, and dug in to just get past that rival in the final jumps.
“He kind of bobbled out of there a little bit,” said winning jockey Manny Franco. “I wanted to be forward and I had to stalk four wide, but I knew I was on the best horse. If he's going to win, he's going to win from here. I didn't make things complicated, I just wanted to stay there and made my move when I thought it was the right time. I'm glad he got it done.”
A $340,000 OBS March 2-year-old, The Wine Steward is out of a half to a trio of good horses in GSW/GISP Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), MGSW/GISP Isotherm (Lonhro {Aus}), and GISP Gio Game (Gio Ponti). His dam, purchased for $350,000 by Coteau Grove Farms at last year's Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, has a yearling colt by Authentic and a weanling Curlin filly. She was bred back to Justify for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
FUNNY CIDE S. PRESENTED BY ROOD AND RIDDLE EQUINE HOSPITAL, $200,000, Saratoga, 8-27, (S), 2yo, 6f, 1:10.92, ft.
1–THE WINE STEWARD, 122, c, 2, by Vino Rosso
1st Dam: Call to Service, by To Honor and Serve
2nd Dam: Game for More, by More Than Ready
3rd Dam: Ermelinda, by Sea Hero
($70,000 Ylg '22 SARAUG; $340,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR).
O-Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher; B-Sequel
Thoroughbreds LLC, Lakland Farm & Mark Toothaker (NY);
T-Michael J. Maker; J-Manuel Franco. $110,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $274,010.
2–El Grande O, 122, c, 2, Take Charge Indy–Rainbow's Song, by
Unbridled's Song. O-Barry K. Schwartz; B-Stonewall Farm (NY);
T-Linda Rice. $40,000.
3–Whatchatalkinabout, 122, c, 2, Dialed In–Super Savvy, by
Super Saver. ($38,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTKFEB; $82,000 Ylg '22
FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Ice Wine Stable;
B-Newtownanner Stud Farm (NY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $24,000.
Margins: HD, 5HF, 5HF. Odds: 1.10, 10.30, 5.60.
Also Ran: Works for Me, Always a Warrior, Trust Fund.
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