Richard Dutrow, Jr.
Dutrow, 46, comes from a family of trainers: his late father, Dick, was a leading conditioner on the East Coast and his brother Tony is based in Maryland. He began working for his father at age 16. He has been the leading trainer at both Aqueduct and Belmont Park, and was the top trainer in New York in 2001 and 2002 in terms of wins. He has been based in both Maryland and New York over the past 15 years, but now splits time between New York and Palm Meadows in Florida. Top horses he's conditioned over the years include Carson Hollow, Offlee Wild, and Saint Liam. In 2004, he finished ninth nationally with 166 wins, good for an outstanding 28% for the year. Hooked up with Sis City's owner Sanford Goldfarb in 1998.
Edgar Prado
Edgar Prado is a native of Lima, Peru and hails from a racing family - his father is a trainer and two of his eight brothers are jockeys. He dominated the Maryland racing scene for years with multiple riding titles at both Laurel and Pimlico, but in the summer of 1999 decided to shift his tack to New York. He won 1,000 races over a two-year span in 1997-1998, to join Chris McCarron and Kent Desormeaux as the only riders to accomplish that feat and led the nation in wins with 536 in '97, 474 in '98, and 402 in '99. He was second nationally in earnings last year, when his mounts won over $18.3 million. Prado won the Kentucky Oaks in 2003 on Bird Town and the Belmont twice: Birdstone (2004) and Sarava (2002). He has ridden in the past five Derbies, with his best finish a third on Peace Rules in 2003.
Stonerside Stable
Stonerside is the farm and racing stable name of husband and wife Robert and Janice McNair; Houston, TX residents who own the NFL's Houston Texans. Their 1500 acre farm, which they established in 1994, is located in Paris, KY. Eight Stonerside owned or co-owned runners have topped the $1-million mark in earnings, and they have bred over 30 stakes placed horses in to date. They have raced over 40 stakes winners, including the homebred Congaree, who finished third in the 2001 Derby, and finished in the top 20 owners nationally by race earnings from 1999 through 2003. They also bred The Cliff's Edge, fifth in the 2004 Derby and winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (GI). They have approximately 70 horses in training with over a dozen trainers.
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable (KY)
Bill Heiligbrodt is currently the president of Palacios Agriculture Inc., and has served on the board of directors of the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the Texas Thoroughbred Association. A resident of Houston, Heiligbrodt is a retired executive who held top positions in banking and financial institutions. He and his wife Corinne started racing thoroughbreds in 1988. He has horses stabled in the Midwest, Kentucky, and on the East Coast with several trainers, as well as boarding broodmares in Texas and Kentucky. He has raced more than 50 stakes winners, including Lady Tak, Golden Ballet, and Cashier's Dream. In 2004, Heiligbrodt finished ranked 11th in the national owners' standings, with earnings just shy of $3 million.
05.04.05 - Wednesday Barn Notes 05.03.05 - Tuesday Barn Notes 05.02.05 - Monday Barn Notes 05.01.05 - Sunday Barn Notes 04.30.05 - Saturday Barn Notes 04.29.05 - Friday Barn Notes 04.28.05 - Thursday Barn Notes 04.20.05 - Runway Model Prepares For Rematch With Sis City
04.09.05 - Sis City Wins Her Third In A Row With Ashland Victory 02.08.05 - Sis City Romps By 16 In Gulfstream's Davona Dale 02.05.05 - Maddalena, Sis City Dominating In Gulfstream Stakes
SIS CITY is the heavy in here and rightfully so after a full on destruction of her rivals in Keeneland's prestigious Ashland Stakes last out. Speedy type has already won by 16 lengths at the distance and she has the great story in tow for the media as she is owned in part by Joe Torre and was claimed for a mere $50,000, which is a lot of money except when you are talking about mares who are worth seven figures. Main knock is the two bad races here when she was with Steve Asmussen but she seems to be a different filly now and will certainly wallop these with the race she has been running. Trainer Dick Dutrow wins at a ludicrous clip of 28% for the year and he always gets run out of horses no matter what the scenario - cheap or classy. Top stakes rider Edgar Prado won't make any mistakes and his mount is by far the most likely winner. Now the question: How do you feel about 4-5 odds to win? If you can stomach the price - have at it - because she looks special.
Sis City is a daughter of Slew City Slew, who stands at former Kentucky governor Brereton Jones' Airdrie Stud near Midway, KY. He is the sire of 66 stakes horses to date, and his 2004 top performers include Grade One placed Lava Man and millionaire Maysville Slew. Slew City Slew is also sire of 2001 Champion and Canadian Horse-of-the-Year Win City. Slew City Slew won or placed in Six Grade One races and earned $1,166,296. Getting a route of ground was never a problem -- as a four-year-old he ranked among the top handicap horses of his generation, with wins in the Oaklawn Handicap (GI), Gulfstream Park Handicap (GI) and the Salvatore Mile (GIII); he was also second in the Widener Handicap (GI) and the Donn Handicap (GI). As a four-year-old, he set a track record at Laurel in the Polynesian Handicap, getting 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5. As with most horses that get better with age, he was very durable and consistent, compiling a 11-10-6 record in 42 starts.
Sis City's dam, Smart Sis is a daughter of Beau Genius. Like Slew City Slew, he started 42 races and won stakes thoroughout his career both sprinting and two turns. He has passed his versatility on through his daughters as a proven broodmare sire and is the current leading California sire by earnings. Smart Sis herself only raced twice, not hitting the board either time. However, her half-brother Swamp, who like Sis City is by Slew City Slew, won the Jersey Derby (GIII). Sis City is the first foal from her dam to make it to the races; her 2001 foal passed away.
Sis City's tail male line on both sides of her pedigree traces to Bold Ruler through Boldnesian. Bold Ruler was the sire of Secretariat, and is ranked one of the top 20 horses of the last century.
Dosage Index: 4.00