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Haynesfield and Dominguez star in New York Showcase Turtle Bird Stable's HAYNESFIELD (Speightstown) returned to the winner's circle with a three part of a length victory in Saturday's $250,000 Empire Classic, utilizing a quick turn of foot off the far turn to open a clear lead in midstretch and holding sway to the wire under Ramon Dominguez. It was a return to glory for the three-year-old colt, who made a big splash last winter with convincing victories in the Whirlaway S., Count Fleet S. and Damon Runyon S. at Aqueduct. It also capped a tremendous afternoon for New York's leading rider, who swept the last four events of the five-race program for New York-breds over the sloppy main track at Belmont Park. The co-second choice at 9-2, Haynesfield returned $11, $7.40 and $5.90. Ruffino (Raffie's Majesty), the 5-1 fourth choice who was up close throughout, easily held second by three lengths over 31-1 outsider Undocumnted (Distant View) while 8-5 favorite Future Prospect (Freud) was the last horse to cross the wire. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Haynesfield returned from a near seven-month break to finish second by a neck in the October 2 Sir Keys S. at Belmont. He has now earned $354,381 from a line of 8-5-1-1. Produced from the stakes-winning Nothing Special (Tejabo), Haynesfield is a half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed Mama Theresa (Carson City), a yearling filly by Successful Appeal and a weanling colt named Hymn Special (Songandaprayer). This is the family of Canadian Triple Crown winners With Approval (Caro [Ire]) and Izvestia (Icecapade) as well as 1997 Belmont S. (G1) winner Touch Gold (Deputy Minister). Dominguez guided Repole Stable's DRIVEN TO SUCCESS (Precise End) to a three-length win in the $125,000 Hudson S. The 4-5 favorite led gate-to-wire and covered six furlongs in 1:10 2/5, returning $3.70, $2.80 and $2.40. Second was Legal Consent (Officer), the 5-1 third choice, who rallied from the back to finish 2 1/4 lengths clear of 20-1 outsider Citifest (Citidancer). This was the first career stakes win for the Bruce Levine-trained Driven by Success, who ran third in the Carter H. (G1), Metropolitan H. (G1) and Tom Fool H. (G2) earlier this year. He was also second in the John Morrissey S. at Saratoga two back. His record now reads 13-4-3-4, $318,669. Driven by Success was produced by Afleet Closer (Afleet), who is also responsible for a yearling filly by Wildcat Heir and a weanling filly by Prime Timber. This is the family of Canadian classic winner Ablo (Lite the Fuse). Zayat Stables' RIGHTLY SO (Read the Footnotes) broke on top with Dominguez and rolled to a comfortable score in the $125,000 Iroquois S. for fillies and mares. Making her stakes debut with a three-race winning streak in tow, the Anthony Dutrow-trained filly set uncontested splits of :22 1/5, :45 4/5 and 1:10 4/5 en route to completing the seven-furlong test in 1:24 3/5. It was 2 1/4 lengths back to My Dinah (Victory Gallop), who wound up a half-length better than 3-1 favorite Sapphire Sky (Sky Mesa) in third. The winner paid $12.20, $6.30 and $3.80 as the 5-1 second choice and improved her mark to 5-4-1-0, $160,600. The three-year-old filly made her first three starts over Aqueduct's inner track last winter, winning a maiden special weight and allowance/optional claiming event. Rightly So returned from a six-month layoff with a half-length score over allowance/optional claiming rivals at Belmont on September 16. The dark bay is the first foal out of the unraced Fit Right In (Out of Place), a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Under Serviced (Hook and Ladder). She's also responsible for a weanling filly by Closing Argument. Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's FENWAY FAITHFUL (Grand Slam) showed speed from the start under Dominguez and led from the half-mile pole on in the $100,000 Sleepy Hollow S., taking the one-mile event for two-year-olds by a length. A neck maiden winner in his last start at Belmont, the Richard Violette Jr. colt tracked in third through an opening quarter-mile in :22 3/5 before seizing a narrow advantage, posting splits in :45 1/5 and 1:11 1/5 before kicking clear in midstretch. Runner-up City Trooper (City Zip) battled gamely the entire way, but never seriously threatened the winner, who stopped the teletimer in 1:38 4/5. Off as the 9-1 sixth choice, the chestnut yielded payoffs of $21.40, $10.20 and $6.50. Maiden winner City Trooper, who was exiting a third in the Bertram F. Bongard S., was dismissed at nearly 11-1 and was followed under the wire by Bertram Bongard winner Make Note (Read the Footnotes). Previously unbeaten Ibboyee (Medallist), the 7-5 favorite off stakes wins in the New York Breeders' Futurity and Aspirant S., finished fourth. Out of the Deputy Minister mare Lemon Tart, Fenway Faithful has a weanling half-brother by Sunriver. This is the female family of Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee (Never Bend), whose descendants include champion Althea (Alydar) and Grade/Group 1 winners Green Desert (Danzig), Aldiza (Storm Cat) and Balletto (UAE) (Timber Country). Fenway Faithful has now earned $94,280 from a 3-2-1-0 line, In the $100,000 Maid of the Mist S. for juvenile fillies, Chester & Mary Broman's homebred MINERALOGIST (Mineshaft) missed the break but managed to overcome the tardy start, closing from last to win by three-quarters of a length. An emphatic 3 3/4-length heroine of the Joseph A. Gimma S. in her previous start, the John Kimmel-trained lass needed to withstand the desperate late surge of runner-up Embrace Change (Hook and Ladder) to prevail as the 3-5 favorite, returning $3.20, $2.50 and $2.10 to her many supporters. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the bay filly improved her overall ledger to 5-3-1-0, $167,250 when finishing the mile in 1:40. Embrace Change, who is still a maiden but was the 7-1 third choice off of a couple of fast-finishing efforts, wound up seven lengths clear of third-placer Stellaluce (Cuvee), who was Dominguez's only setback on the program. Mineralogist is the first foal out of Grade 2 winner Seeking the Ante (Seeking the Gold), who is also responsible for a yearling filly by A.P. Indy. The seven-year-old mare hails from the multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire Antespend (Spend a Buck), dam of 2004 Florida Derby (G1) hero Friends Lake (A.P. Indy).
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