Not That Brady pointed to New York Derby with G1 Travers possible
NYRA Press Office
Popular New York-bred Not That Brady, trained and co-owned by Rudy Rodriguez with Michael Imperio, Lianna Stables, and R. A. Hill Stable, won 2-of-5 starts as a juvenile including a three-length score in the Damon Runyon in December at Aqueduct.
The Big Brown chestnut, bred by KatieRich Farms, is still looking for his first sophomore score but has improved his Beyer Speed Figures this season earning a 95 for his runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Withers and a 94 last out when second in a loaded optional claimer at Belmont on June 27, won by the well-regarded Looking at Bikinis.
Rodriguez said Not That Brady will now point to the $150,000 New York Derby, second leg of the Big Apple Triple, slated for July 20 at Finger Lakes with the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 24 as a longterm target.
“He ran very good. He hesitated in the starting gate, but I was very pleased with how he ran,” said Rodriguez of his most recent effort “We’re going to take a look at the New York Derby and hopefully he’ll give us a good indication that he wants to play with the big boys - and he looks like he wants to play. If he does, we could maybe take a chance in the Travers. If not, we have the Albany [August 23 at Saratoga]. We have lots of options with him, we just need to find the right race.”
Frostie Anne, co-owned by Rodriguez with Michael Imperio, has won 15 of 40 career starts. The 6-yearold daughter of Frost Giant, bred in New York by Mr. and Mrs. Grant L. Whitmer became a multiple stakes winner last year with wins in the Sis City at Aqueduct and the Saratoga Dew.
After launching her 2019 campaign with a win in the Biogio’s Rose at the Big A’s winter meet, Frostie Anne has finished off-the-board in three stakes starts dating back to a sixth on May 27 in the Critical Eye.
The hard-trying dark bay breezed four furlongs on the Saratoga main on Wednesday in 51.12 seconds. Rodriguez said Frostie Anne may look to defend her Saratoga Dew victory, a nine-furlong test for New York-breds slated for August 8.
“She’s coming along. We backed off a little bit and gave her almost a month off to try and freshen her up,” said Rodriguez. “I’ve got a couple more works to give her and when she tells me she’s ready, we’ll see about a race. We’ll take a look at the Saratoga Dew but we could also try Finger Lakes and give her a little more confidence.”
Sterling Racing’s Bull of Bayern, a 6 1/4-length winner at second asking on June 26 at Belmont, is under consideration for the inaugural $100,000 Rick Violette on July 17 but Rodriguez said the New Yorkbred son of Bayern is likely to wait for other options in the condition book.
“I think I’m going to back off with him and wait for the second book to come out,” said Rodriguez. “He came out of the race good.”
Zayat Stables’ Majid was a perfect 4-for-4 under the tutelage of Rodriguez going into the Grade 3 Dwyer last out, a run that included a victory in the Easy Goer. The bay son of Shackleford was off-theboard in the Dwyer after setting the early pace.
In hindsight, Rodriguez said he may have brought the upwardly-mobile bay back a little too quick.
“I should have waited for the Curlin,” said Rodriguez of the one-mile sophomore stakes slated for July 26 at Saratoga. “He ran such a good race at Belmont in the Easy Goer, but I think I brought him back a little too quick.”
Rodriguez said he would consider a stakes at Parx - where the Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones is set for September 2 - if Majid continues to train well.
“He has some class,” said Rodriguez. “I just have to regroup a little bit with him.”