West Virginia survives foul claim to win Iselin

OCEANPORT — Donald and Roberta Mary Zuckerman’s West Virginia took control inside the 1/8th pole and held off the oncoming Zoffinger to win the $250,000 Iselin Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

A 4-year-old colt by Tomorrow’s Cat from the Kennedy Road mare Wild and Wonderful, West Virginia sat second off the fractions set by Presidentialaffair before moving past that foe and coming home in 1:50 4/5 for the mile and an eighth. The winner returned $34.20, $12.80 and $8. Zoffinger finished a length behind the winner, completing a $1,016.60 exacta, and paying $40.60 and $8.60. It was another three lengths back to the 6-5 favorite, Purge, who paid $3.20 to show.

Jockey Eddie King, aboard 65-1 longshot Zoffinger, claimed foul against the winner, alleging interference in the stretch, but that was dismissed by the stewards.

“My horse came out a little bit in the stretch, but I think at the same time Eddie’s horse was coming in,” said winning rider Jose Velez Jr. “I got a little nervous when they looked at it for so long, but it all worked out well.

“I didn’t want to be anywhere near the pacesetter [Presidentialaffair]. My horse settled nicely. When we were turning for home, I didn’t really see anyone coming, so I thought I had a great shot to win it.”

Winning trainer Todd Pletcher, who also conditions third-place finisher Purge, was confident in his runner.

“He was really on his toes in the paddock today,” Pletcher said. “You just knew that he was feeling good. He ran a great race last time in New York and I think the extra eighth of a mile really helped him. The Empire Classic [Oct. 22 at Belmont] is his goal, but he might have a race before then.”

West Virginia, who is not Breeders’ Cup nominated, earned $90,000 for his Iselin win, which moved his bankroll to $590,870. He now boasts a record of 6-3-1 from 16 starts.

In the $60,000 Choice Stakes, Kinsman Stable’s Classic Campaign rallied down the outside to post a length-and-a-quarter win after stepping the mile and an eighth over firm turf in 1:51 1/5.

Trained by Bill Mott, Classic Campaign returned $3.60, $2.80 and $2.20 as the odds-on favorite, and topped a $19.80 exacta. Doctor Voodoo, who set the pace, held for second and paid $6.40 and $3.20. One Good Man was another neck back in third, good for a $2.60 show mutuel.

“We wanted to sit just off the speed, so I was tucked in behind there,” said winning rider Chris DeCarlo. “They were going really slow up front, so I had a pretty good hold of my horse. When I saw the opportunity to take him off the fence I did. When he got in the clear, he just took off.”

The Choice Stakes victory marked the third win in 11 starts for Classic Campaign, a 3-year-old gelding by Rahy from the Red Ransom mare Crystal Symphony. He has now earned $146,373 for his connections.

Blake ready for breakthrough

in the riding colony

It’s been a long journey from Indiana to New Jersey for jockey Janice Blake, with stops in between in Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Now the journeyman rider is primed and ready for a breakthrough as she continues to ply her trade and work her way into what was once a male-dominated sport.

“I decided to come east because it’s more progressive and open here [to women riders],” said Blake, a native of Michigan City, Ind. “Many female riders have been very successful out here, and I hope I can add myself to that list.”

That list includes Hall of Famer Julie Krone, who won titles at all of New Jersey’s racetracks, and Eclipse Award winner Rosemary Homeister Jr., in addition to a slew of other female riders who enjoyed tremendous success in the Garden State.

Like many others who aspire to the saddle, Blake got hit with the “horse bug” at a very young age.

“I guess when I was 4 or 5, that’s when I knew I wanted to be a jockey,” Blake said. “No one in my family had anything to do with racing or horses. My father worked in a steel mill in Gary, Indiana.

“There was a livery stable on the border of Indiana/Michigan, and that’s where I got started. I made $5 a day to do trail rides and muck stalls. That’s where it all began for me.”

From that beginning, Blake went on to college and earned a bachelor of science degree in biology with the intention of heading on to veterinary school, but that got sidetracked by the racetrack, and that’s where the jockey has been ever since.

“I galloped for a couple of months at River Downs when I was in school, but I didn’t get my first real job galloping horses until I went to Chicago and got on horses for Noel Hickey.”

From there it was off to Keeneland, then Ocala before settling in at Tampa Bay Downs.

“I got my first winner at Tampa aboard Friendly Goose for Ernie Matthews in 1998,” said Blake. “I took my time after that. I needed to learn more, and so I went on to Maryland, which didn’t work out all that well. I went back to Tampa the following year and then took a job with D. Wayne Lukas and Padua Stables. I got on a few horses for them and continued the learning process.”

It was in 2000 that Blake first came to New Jersey, and she’s been riding the Mid-Atlantic region ever since.

“I continue to go out there and learn every race,” the rider said. “I’ve been very patient since that first winner back at Tampa. Now I’m hoping that patience pays off.”

With the Meadowlands meet set to open on Sept. 30, Blake is hoping that the Big M is a place where she can begin to see the results of her hard work.

“I’m looking forward to the Meadowlands, that’s for sure,” Blake said. “I’m not sure yet about the winter, but I know I’ll be here at Monmouth come next summer.”

Bravo, Breen, Gill continue to lead Monmouth standings

With 71 of the 90 days of thoroughbred racing at the 2005 Monmouth Park meeting in the books, Joe Bravo continues to lead the rider standings, as Kelly John Breen tops trainers, and Michael Gill the owners’ race.

Bravo, who hasn’t ridden since suffering a broken collarbone on July 21, has 76 wins, three more than Stewart Elliott. Chris DeCarlo, the leading stakes rider at the meet, is third with 56 wins, six more than Aaron Gryder. Rajiv Maragh rounds out the top five with 50 trips to the winner’s circle.

A 10-time Monmouth Park riding champion, Bravo is expected to be back in the saddle in September.

Over in the trainers’ race, Kelly John Breen continues to show the way with 27 wins, seven more than Todd Pletcher. Bruce Levine and Joe Orseno are tied in third with 19 victories apiece, two more than the duo of Jason Servis and Ben Perkins Jr.

The owners’ contest has Michel Gill on top as he goes for his third consecutive Monmouth Park owners’ title. Gill has 13 wins, three more than the pair of Eddie Broome and Peter Kazamias. Tied in fourth are New Farm and Gerald Sleeter, each with nine trips to the winner’s circle.

Monmouth adds Goldfinch

to stakes schedule

Racing secretary Mike Dempsey announced today that another stakes race will be added to the Monmouth schedule.

The $55,000 Goldfinch Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile and an eighth on the turf will be run on Saturday, Sept. 3. Free nominations for the Goldfinch will close on Wednesday, Aug. 31.