Juvenile Spotlight: Jocosity and Fortify

The Distorted Humor sire line has proven to be a very productive one. Not only has it provided us with numerous grade one victors, but it has given us two of the most impressive maiden winners at the Saratoga meet yet in Jocosity and Fortify. Both two-year-old colts dominated their races, coasting to imposing victories and instilling racing fans with hope that they could be future superstars.

Jocosity

Yet Todd Pletcher juvenile to win in remarkable fashion at Saratoga, Jocosity dominated a two-year-old maiden special weight at the Spa on Friday, August 3. Though his name relates to humor, there was nothing humorous regarding his impressive victory on Friday. With his win, Jocosity displayed that he could very well join the likes of the champions Big Brown and Uncle Mo – horses that strikingly broke their maidens at Saratoga prior to becoming a champion. Those are large shoes to fill for Jocosity, but he could certainly become a top racehorse.

Jocosity broke extremely sharply, going immediately to the lead beneath John Velazquez. With his outside post, Jocosity was forced to race wider than the others, but stayed near the lead as the juveniles continued down the backstretch. First-time starter Judge Wiley pressured him from the inside, but by the time a quarter of a blistering 21.79 had been set, Jocosity had opened up a one-length advantage that was widening.

As Velazquez remained stationary aboard him, the bay colt approached the homestretch with a blossoming lead on the six others. As Jocosity neared the conclusion of the far turn, Solis glanced behind him to evaluate the advancement of their rivals. But there were no real threats.

Velazquez set down on him as they reached the stretch, but it was only a learning experience for Jocosity. The others had no chance. Despite running a tad greenly, Jocosity continued to open up on the field, sailing to the wire with ease. Crossing the wire 7 ½ lengths in front, Jocosity posted an impressive final time of 1:02.85 – just 0.34 seconds off the track record.

Prior to breaking his maiden, Jocosity had contested twice – both starts coming twice over Woodbine’s all-weather track. In his first start, which came this June in a four and one-half-furlong maiden special weight, Jocosity did not come away from the gate well, breaking inward abruptly. He sat off of the pace set by Bear’s Fur while racing wide and was unable to catch that horse in the stretch, finishing second by 1 ½ lengths.

Interestingly, Jocosity already has stakes experience. In his second start, the colt finished second in the Clarendon Stakes at Woodbine in a trip that saw him stumble and come in contact with another horse at the start. Despite the troubled he endured, Jocosity crossed the wire in second. The fact that Jocosity’ s connections had enough confidence in her ability to send him into a stakes race in just his second start and before he had even won is very encouraging.

Not only has Jocosity been impressive on the track, but he is remarkably bred as well. Bred on a cross similar to that on which the graded stakes winners Cowtown Cat and Shumoos were bred, Jocosity has a pedigree fit for a gifted Thoroughbred.

Jocosity’s sire is Sharp Humor, a graded stakes-winning son of Distorted Humor who came within a half-length of defeating the late, great Barbaro in the Florida Derby (GI). In his rather young career, Sharp Humor has sired the graded stakes-winning Hero of Order, as well as such black-type winners as Angelica Zapata, Glint, Mildly Offensive, and Princess Cecilia. Sharp Humor’s sire, Distorted Humor, is one of the best sires in the nation, being last year’s leading sire in North America and the sire of such grade one winners as Commentator, Don Dandy, Drosselmeyer, Flower Alley, Funny Cide, Hystericalady, and Pathfork.

Sobhy’s Gal, Jocosity’s young unraced dam, has also produced the winning filly Tell Her. Her own dam produced Miss Lola, an earner of over $175,000 who contested in three stakes races. The sire of Sobhy’s Gal is Stormy Atlantic, a son of the great Storm Cat. Though relatively new as a damsire, Stormy Atlantic’s future in that department looks bright, as Storm Cat is the broodmare sire of the champions Folklore and Speightstown.

The sire of Jocosity’s second dam is Carson City, the broodmare sire of Barbaro and Havre de Grace. Jocosity is a descendant of the prolific female family four, which has produced the Triple Crown winners Assault and Gallant Fox, as well as the champions Proud Spell, Real Quiet, and Zenyatta.

Perhaps Jocosity’s jaw-dropping maiden victory on Friday was an indication of what the future holds, or maybe we will never see the same brilliance from him again. But with what he has shown on the track thus far, combined with his excellent pedigree, Jocosity could become an intimidating top racehorse that thrills and delights racing fans with his performances. Only time will tell.

Fortify

A regally bred colt, this Darley homebred is a son of Distorted Humor, who, as aforementioned, is the sire of such grade one winners as Commentator, Don Dandy, Drosselmeyer, Flower Alley, Funny Cide, Hystericalady, and Pathfork. Distorted Humor has been ranked as one of the top five leading sires on the continent six of the past seven years, peaking at number one last year.

Fortify’s dam is the English mare Kotuku, who is a result of the mating between the great A.P. Indy and the group one-winning highweight mare Flagbird. This makes Kotuku a full sister to the graded stakes-winning Anasheed, as well as a half-sister to the listed-placed horses Dubai Belle and Marhoob. Flagbird is a daughter of the Reine De Course mare Up the Flagpole, the graded stakes-winning dam of three grade/group one winners, one grade two winner, and four stakes winners. Interestingly, one of those grade one winners is Prospectors Delite, the dam of the champion Mineshaft and the grade one winner Tomisue’s Delight.

Up the Flagpole herself is a daughter of a Reine De Course mare in The Garden Club, who also produced the multiple graded stakes-winning Nostalgia, the stakes-winning Blushing Cathy. This dam line is full of Reine De Course mares, as it is the Baby League branch of the La Troienne dam line. La Troienne, one of the greatest broodmares of all-time, can be found in the dam lines of such horses as the Kentucky Derby winners Go for Gin, Sea Hero, Smarty Jones, and Super Saver, as well as the champions Busher, Caerleon, Easy Goer, Folklore, Mineshaft, Pleasant Tap, Prairie Bayou, Princess Rooney, Rhythm, and Woodman.

Fortify’s broodmare sire, A.P. Indy, only adds to the excellence of this colt’s pedigree. The son of the great Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew has yielded the dams of many top racehorses, including such grade one winners as Bluegrass Cat, Mr. Sidney, Plum Pretty, Royal Delta, Super Saver, and Wait a While. A.P. Indy has been among the top twenty-five damsires on the continent for the past six years, peaking at number four last year.

Fortify’s spectacular pedigree shone through on Saturday, August 4 when he made his debut at Saratoga. Going six and one-half furlongs over the dirt, Fortify was restless in the gate, but broke well, joining a contingent that went to the lead. He took the lead for a short moment, but Boss Man Rocket – the only horse with experience in the eight-horse field – shot up his inside, leading the way as the two-year-olds raced down the backstretch.

Fortify settled beneath Joe Bravo, allowing Boss Man Rocket to lengthen his advantage to a length and one-half as an initial quarter of 21.73 was recorded. The Darley homebred loomed on Boss Man Rocket’s outside, overtaking him as the far turn began. As Bravo sat still aboard him, Fortify commanded the field as the track began to curve. Nearing the conclusion of the turn, Bravo began to urge the bay colt he was aboard, keeping several lengths between his colt and the others as they swept into the homestretch.

With a half-mile time of 44.93 appearing on the toteboard, Fortify galloped into the homestretch with overwhelming ease and dominance, frolicking down the straightaway while the others failed to keep up with him. Bravo kept to work aboard him, but Fortify had the race in hand, galloping to a 5 ½-length victory, leaving racing fans commending his debut as excitement grew within them regarding this colt’s future.

Fortify certainly has future superstar stamped next him in my books. With one of the most impressive, regal pedigrees you could come across and a debut that could not have been much more remarkable, Fortify is a name racing fans should get used to saying, hearing, and reading about. I could rave not only about his bloodlines all day long, but also his racing talent. Though just a two-year-old with only one race under his belt, this Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is a special Thoroughbred.

Derby Hopeful: Alpha

It was a bumpy ride that led to many forks in the road, but the end of the trip is near. The destination looms in the form of a dirt oval below the Twin Spires in Louisville, Kentucky. The rough trip is the road Alpha took to the Kentucky Derby (GI), a journey that was full of confusion and many decisions. But finally, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is less than two weeks from contesting in the Run for the Roses.

Alpha was among the most impressive juvenile maiden special weight winners at the prestigious Saratoga meet, settling off the leaders before going to the lead in the stretch and drawing away to a remarkable 6-length victory. With his imposing win, he defeated the future graded stakes-placed Timely Tally and the Sham Stakes (GIII) second-favorite Hierro.

His breathtaking debut convinced McLaughlin to send the Darley homebred to the esteemed Champagne Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park, in which the colt was sent off as the second choice behind the talented graded stakes-winning Union Rags. Settling near the back of the pack, the colt made an impressive move around the far turn before swinging wide in the homestretch to close in on the leaders. However, he could not keep up with the spectacular Union Rags, finishing 5 ¼ lengths behind the then-undefeated colt. In defeat, Alpha beat the stakes-winning horses Laurie’s Rocket and No Spin, as well as the multiple graded stakes-placed Power World.

Alpha continued along the trail many top juveniles take, finding himself at Churchill Downs in November for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI). As the final horse, Optimizer, loaded into the starting gate, Alpha reared and caused much ruckus in the gate. Once jockey Garrett Gomez climbed back aboard, the thirteen-horse field broke from the gate. Despite finding a good stalking position, the colt faltered to finish eleventh, beating just two horses in the very contentious race. However, it was discovered that the colt had bled. In spite of his terrible luck, Alpha still managed to defeat the future grade two winners Daddy Long Legs and Prospective.

Alpha before the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Photo by Mary Cage

Alpha had a turn of luck when he began his sophomore career, making his first start of 2012 over the inner oval at Aqueduct in the ungraded Count Fleet Stakes. Going a mile and seventy yards, Alpha had a bit of a rough break from the gate, but recovered to garner a position in third before making a move on the outside to waltz to a 2 ½-length victory. Finishing behind him was a half-brother to a classic winner, the winners of one graded stakes race and two ungraded stakes, and runners that would go on to place in three graded stakes and one ungraded stakes altogether.

The Darley homebred continued his winning ways at Aqueduct next out, effortlessly winning the mile and one-sixteenth Withers Stakes (GIII) over many of the same horses he had defeated in the Count Fleet. Yet again, the bay colt performed with a stalking position.

Then came the chaos. It was decided that the colt would not make his next start until either the end of March or early April, but that put many possible races into the picture, including the Florida Derby (GI) at Gulfstream Park, the Louisiana Derby (GII) at the Fair Grounds, and the Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) at Aqueduct. Since he was training in Florida, it appeared as if Alpha’s final prep for the Kentucky Derby would come in the Florida Derby, but then it was announced that he would likely go to the Louisiana Derby. His connections changed their minds again and finally it was decided that his final start before the Kentucky Derby would come in the Wood Memorial.

In the Wood, Alpha faced the toughest field he’d faced yet in 2012. After breaking from the rail, the colt was forced to steady slightly around the far turn when squeezed, but then comfortably settled off the leaders. Meanwhile, the undefeated graded stakes winner Gemologist rated in third for the majority of the race. Around the far turn, both colts made their move, but it was Gemologist that hit the front first. Alpha was then taken off the rail and swung wide by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez and as Gemologist appeared to draw away from the field, Alpha dug in on the outside and drew even with the undefeated colt and just when it seemed as if he would accelerate past him, Gemologist found more and denied him. Nonetheless, Alpha displayed an incredible amount of heart, determination, and acceleration.

The colt suffered a minor setback due a laceration he received in the Wood, but he soon returned to training and will mostly train up to the Kentucky Derby at Belmont Park before shipping to Churchill Downs. Though it was originally planned that Alpha would have two works over the Churchill surface prior to the Derby, he will perform his penultimate breeze at Belmont before shipping to Churchill on April 30 to have his final work there.

Beyond just his obvious racing talent, Alpha is certainly bred for Triple Crown distances as well. By the winner of three grade ones at a mile and three-sixteenths or longer in the classic-winning son of A.P. Indy, Bernardini, Alpha has the same sire as the Travers Stakes (GI, 10F)-winning Stay Thirsty and the grade one-winning Pennsylvania Derby (GII, 9F) victor To Honor and Serve.

The dam of Alpha is the eleven-furlong Oaks Trial Stakes-winning Munnaya. The chestnut mare is by the 1970 English Triple Crown winner, Nijinksy II, who is also the damsire of the Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F)- and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI, 10F)-winning Colonial Affair, the Epsom Oaks (GI, 12F)-winning Jet Ski Lady, and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (GI, 10F)-winning Archipenko. Munnaya, out of the group stakes-winning Hiaam, is also the dam of the multiple graded stakes-winning Lavender Sky, the stakes-winning and multiple group stakes-placed Mystic Melody, and the listed stakes-placed Numaany.

Featuring two crosses of Northern Dancer, Alpha possesses the same inbreeding that occurs in the pedigrees of the Derby victors Mine That Bird and Big Brown, as well as 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and the recent Belmont winners Ruler on Ice, Drosselmeyer, and Summer Bird.

The fifth dam of Alpha is the Reine De Course mare Nangela, a stakes-winning daughter of Nearctic. She is the dam of the champion Square Angel and the second dam of the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Dancing on a Cloud, the grade one-winning Love Smitten, and the graded stakes-winning Minutes Away. Other direct descendants of Nangela include the multiple group one-winning champion Swain, as well as the grade one-winning horses Cuddles, Gorgeous, and Swift Temper. This strong dam line stems from female family fourteen, which has yielded such horses as the champions Artax, Invasor, Foolish Pleasure, and Skip Away.

This year’s running of the Kentucky Derby features one of the toughest fields we’ve seen in years, but Alpha is certainly part of the elite group pointing towards the Run for the Roses. Not only is he clearly a colt with immense racing talent and the important qualities of determination and the ability to settle off the pace, but his pedigree is full of stamina. He appears to be a colt that will be successful throughout the entire Triple Crown should all go well. Alpha has proved himself to be one of the very top contenders for the one hundred thirty-eighth running of the Kentucky Derby.

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