To keep our team members and fans updated with he latest details of the stable's happenings, we post articles describing each race and other significant occurrences at Karakorum. Below you'll find a chronological list of recent news posts from our Stables. You can also take a peek at the horses on our roster and see how we're doing on the track. Please click on the "Stable Roster" link above to view the profiles of the horses in our stables.

Racing for the 6th time in 8 weeks, Fly With Karakorum tracked dueling leaders from the inside; Pablo Fragoso had to switch her to the sloppy 4-path in the stretch to get around a tiring leader, and Fly couldn't kick with the top two finishers. More importantly, this was Fly's last race for Karakorum, as she was claimed away by Gary Sciacca after 51 races and $240k in earnings.

Fly With Karakorum, in another gritty effort, showed the way while under attack from the getgo in a tough-for-the-level claimer. The A. P. Jet mare broke well under Pablo Fragoso,held her ground on the inside, but suffered from her early exertions, falling back in the stretch as Pablo didn't overuse her once beaten.

In a full field of state-bred juvenile fillies, the entry of Karakorum Dreamin' and Karakorum Ella worked in tandem just as entries are supposed to do. Dreamy bounced out to take the lead, under pressure every step. Coming out of the turn, jock Jose Santos loosened the reins and asked her to kick clear. Briefly, she responded... Meanwhile, Ella mistimed the gate, broke out, and bumped a rival. Julian Pimentel got her settled and moved her inside. By the turn, she was just off the lead on the rail. As Dreamin' measured her stretch run, Ella bumped her aside and pushed by on the rail. While no match for the stalk-and-pounce winner, she continued on well clear of the show horse. Dreamin' was one-paced down the lane, then survived a scare inside the 16th pole, as a tiring rival fell. Dreamy brushed her and fell as well, immediately springing back up. Both fillies were fine, though Santos took off his mounts for the rest of the card.

It rarely stacks up against you like this. Perhaps poised to break his maiden, Karakorum Thunder went to his knees as the gate opened. Jock Jose Santos pulled him together, but Thunder, perhaps upset by the stumble, raced widely and rank down the backstretch. Into the turn, he got engaged, beginning to move well, but as they straightened out, his greenness showed. Thunder ducked in, Jose straightened him, but had to check up as a tired horse stopped in front of them. Swinging sharply outside, Thunder kicked in, finishing full of run for 4th after the eventful trip.

Fly With Karakorum chased one of the hottest paces of the day, only to falter in the stretch as Show Ready put in a stakes-quality effort. After a quick :45.58 half, the winner finished with an :18.36 split - much better than an open n2x in which stakes-placed Speed Bag, also from Jeff's barn, ran; the comparable fractions were :46.21 and :58.96. After 4 races in as many weeks, Fly will get a short breather.

Bounding out of the gate with his usual vigor, Karakorum Patriot seized the lead against a tough field of n2x's, then settled a bit to press early leader Introspect through good fractions of :22.68 and :45.89. Though neither could hold off the closers, Pate ran on gamely,as always, and earned another check.

Wheeling right back up in class, Fly With Karakorum closely chased a quick pace, angled out to make her usual turn move, and loomed 3-wide. While she couldn't contain the outside rally of the ultimate winner, she held decently, rerallying to just miss third.

In his second lifetime race, Karakorum Thunder again showed his tough side, vying on the pace through a tough :22.42 initial fraction, then making a threatening move to seize the lead from On the Phone on the turn, hitting 4 furlongs in :46.46. While the early pace prevented Thunder (or his rival) from resisting the onrushing favorite, Thunder continued to fight on, missing the place by a length in finishing fourth.

Under a savvy ride from Pablo Fragoso, Fly With Karakorum vaulted around a group of fellow veteran mares to notch her third win of 2005. Breaking from the inside after a couple of scratches, the A. P. Jet mare sat off the pace down the backstretch in :23.31. Fragoso kept her reserved between horses just behind the leaders into the turn, waiting patiently for a seam as the leaders hit the quarter pole in :48.21. Fragoso had to check slightly, still reserving Fly longer, before showing her track at the top of the stretch. Four-wide, Fly measured Quoit Alarming, who'd seized the front, moved by inside the eighth pole, and drew clear approaching the wire. Over a track that had played very slowly all week, she flashed the camera in 1:14.04.

In two-other-than company for the first time, Karakorum Patriot dueled through a quick initial split of :22.05 with Daddy Joe. When that one gave way, the favorites engaged him, as he raced from the toughest position, between horses. Pate forged a lead into the stretch as his rivals faded, but inside the final 70 yards, deep closer MIster Hennessy caught him from the outside while Royal Moment split horses to rally up the rail; he settled for a solid third, 1/2 from the win, and looks set to take this condition.

Hello Karakorum again flashed excellent speed, this time from the pole in a 10-claimer at Mountaineer. Once again, though, her sharp early pace of :22.92. Vying from the inside, she held through the turn, then grudingly gave way in the lane to finish 5th.

Fly With Karakorum, in her 46th lifetime start on NYC Marathon day, prompted the rapid pace of :22.12 and :44.68 in a short field, getting good position on the inside. When the time came for the decisive running, she had no real response, and wasn't over used through the wire by jockey Channing Hill.

Karakorum Thunder made an impressive debut. He bounced from the gate to set the pace against a full field of maiden state-breds, cutting out a :23.18 quarter, then made the half in :46.98 under pressure. When 9/10 fav Psychotic Reaction cut the corner inside him, the race was settled, but Thunder battled on. In the stretch, he was hooked by the rallying Marc of Approval, and fought back to regain the place spot, and forged an increasing lead over him through the wire.

Karakorum Ella again demonstrated her raw talent, and her youthful exuberence, in blazing to a 3-length lead through the first furlongs of a maiden race. She set fairly even fractions of :22.80 and :47.23, and, after being caught, fought on to the furlong grounds, which she reached in just under a minute flat. Though Ella tired in the final panel, she continues to show increasing stamina.

In his first start upstate, Karakorum Keepsake ran a perfect race to ease by along the rail to win a $10k claimer. In rein to John Davila, Jr., Keepie prompted the : 22.40 and :45.46 pace of early leader He Did It, waiting patiently for his rider's signal. As favorite Tactical Prince engaged He Did It from the outside, John clucked and Keepsake responded, cutting the corner on the turn to gain a clear lead. John hand-rode Keepsake to the finish with plenty left for next time.

Back at Finger Lakes, in the highest-purse race that's not a stake, Hello Karakorum bounced out of the gate to seize the lead. Under substitute jockey Dean Frates, she showed the way through quick fractions of :22.72 and :46.22; a furlong from the wire, her stride shortened a bit, and she began to fade. Dean didn't abuse her once she was beaten, saving some gas for another day.

After being fractions in the gate, Karakorum Chance showed good speed again, but was caught between horses through a fast initial fraction of :22.90. Backed off to track the leaders, he found the seven furlongs more than he wanted, and slowly lost contact with the pack.

Karakorum Dixie returned to the scene of his greatest racing, Finger Lakes, as part of an entry in a claiming contest scratched down to five. Chris Englehart's other runner, Black Market, set the pace as Dixie missed the break. John Davila, Jr., rushed Dixie up to contend for the lead and as Black Market slipped back on the turn, met the challenge of Single Edge. The two tussled well off the rail, with Single Edge grinding out a short lead in deep stretch under urging. Dixie had to settle for the place - this time.

In the toughest field of his life, Karakorum Patriot bounded out of the gate in the Hudson Handicap to vie between horses for the lead. The pace was a wicked :21.80 to the quarter, and Pate hammered on through the half in :44.39 (a :22.59 second quarter!) Those splits and his position caused Patriot to back out in the stretch, and he was unable to hold a check, finishing 6th.

Karakorum Ella ran a professional race in this maiden event, sitting mid-pack until taken off the wood coming out of the turn. Jock Jose Espinoza swung her 4-, then 5-wide, and she looked ready to kick on. While she didn't have enough left to threaten, she did maintain her position to again earn a check.

Karakorum Keepsake continues to shows flashes of his talent. In this NY n2x, he crossed over from an outside post to duel inside through a rapid initial split of :22.29. Keepie slowed a bit, hitting the quarter pole in :45.93, still contesting the lead, but tired down the lane to finish out of the checks.

Karakorumcurtncall found tough sleding at Finger Lakes in this maiden claimer. Sent off at 9/10 off the class drop from the NYRA circuit, 'Bud' stalked the pace over the muddy, sealed track. He couldn't find the next gear, tiring late to slip through the field.

Fly With Karakorum broke quickly, seizing the lead from the inside post, and set pressured fractions of :23 3/5 and :46 3/5 over a good, sealed track. She seems to shake free at the top of the stretch, but was hooked again, then overhauled late, holding the show spot.

Running in a starter allowance at Mountaineer, Karakorum Dixie missed the break, and was hustled up to the front by regular rider Dana Whitney. That early effort, into a swift pace, caused Dixie to falter in the stretch, and, for the first time in 10 races at the West Virginia track this year, a Karakorum horse didn't earn a check.

Karakorum Ella again showed more foot, as she tracked the pace down the backside, ranged three-wide on the turn, and continued on. While she didn't reel in the leaders, she held position well, and looks like a filly who will keep improving.

Stop and Sea followed the two favorites while tracking a longshot, sitting in a good position around the turn. When the longshot faded, John Davila, Jr., asked Stop and Sea, but he didn't have enough of a response to make inroads as the top two sailed on; he settled for 4th.

Pace does indeed make the race. While Karakorum Patriot has been rapping on the door of this condition, he seems up against it in a field that had runners who've placed in graded stakes. But they were all closers, and Pate, under Pablo Fragoso, speed to the lead under only token pressure. Allowed to set his own fractions, Patriot had enough left to hold his rival at bay, while the closers had too much to do.

In the Colonial Minister, her first open stakes race, the task of pressuring the early speed fell to Karakorum Splendor. A late scratch ensured that scenario, and Splendor raced close to hot splits. When she had enough, jockey John Velasquez didn't keep at her, allowing her to finish without abuse.

Karakorum Chance broke well from the outside post to pressure the leaders, then backed off a bit to chase the pace. As heavy showers brought a decision to seal the track 15 minutes before the race, he again showed his distaste for that surface, though, bearing out on the turn. It can't rain every time Chance races, and we all look forward to a dry track.

The one-race blinkers experiement is over. Karakorum Starlet fought the added equipment down the backside, until Cornelio Velasquez settled her. She made a slick 3-wide move to reach contention, but the fast pace set by Cinderella's Dream and her equipment battle proved Starlet's undoing, as she tired in the stretch to 7th.

Fly With Karakorum came back from a brief freshening with a tough post at a tough distance, and responded well. Leaving from the pole in a 6 1/2 furlong contest for mid-level claimers, the veteran racemare vied for the lead, grudginly giving way in the stretch while staying close to the leaders. Only a late fade kept her from a check, and she should be tighter next time out.

Hello Karakorum came up just short in her first meeting wtih open claimers. In the Finger Lakes slop, she gunned to the lead, but was under longshot pressure down the backstretch through even fractions of :23.10 and :46.15. Rebuffing that one, Hello met perfect-trip stalker Oatka Idas Destiny; the two fought to the sixteenth pole, where Hello grudgingly gave way. It was almost 4 lengths back to the rest of the field.

Karakorum Keepsake didn't run his usual race. Dropped into claimers for the first time, he broke a half-step slow, then moved up on his own to press the leader. Soon, though, he was backing though the field. The lightly-raced Keepsake will have other chances to move forward.

Karakorum Chance made his first start under difficult conditions, over a Belmont track that had deteriorated from good to muddy to sloppy. He hit the gate, then was bumped shortly after. (The life of a 2 year-old is not easy.) Still, he ran with the pack until tiring after the turn, over a surface he clearly didn't relish.

Karakorum Ella made a dramatic move forward, racing to the lead at 44-1 over a sealed-sloppy strip. Jockey Diane Nelson gave her her head down the backstretch, Ella romped to the lead, and held off her pursuers through the turn in :47.80. Still second by the furlong grounds, she tired some late, butheld 5th to earn her first check - and a ton of race fitness.

Karakorum Starlet stepped it up on the stretchout to 6 furlongs, in a maiden race that scratched down to 9 runners. She broke cleanly, and Cornelio Velasquez eased her into a rail slot following the speed duel up front. While no one was going to catch Dick Dutrow's How 'bout No, Starlet kept coming with a 3-wide move and was easily clear for the place. She'll continue to stretch out successfully.

Karakorum Curtncall made his most competitive effort yet, vying for the lead through tough fractions in a turf route before fading. 'Bud' has shown great tractability, moving last time in midrace, and now only needs to put it all together to hit the board. In this spot, Jockey Diane Nelson kindly didn't persevere with Bud once he had no chance.

Karakorum Patriot ran into another buzzsaw in another n1x. This time it was Roanwiththepunches who took over and ran away, while Pate came out of the gate with a bit of a stumble. He raced along on the inside, finishing a length out of second, and will continue to look for a field without a future star.

Stop and Sea continued his good summer campaign, snagging another board spot with a solid effort in a 4-claimer. Reserved off the rapid and contested fractions set by odds-on favorite John Paul, Stop and Sea moved three-wide and made a run in the lane, falling just a half-length short of the place.

Karakorum Keepsake had more raod trouble in his six furlongs over the Saratoga racing strip than he did in shipping up 220 miles from Aqueduct. He stumbled leaving the gate, and, after Pablo Fragoso got him on his feet and in gear, was bumped on the backstretch. Keepsake gave chase, but didn't have enough late energy to get a check, finishing 6th.

The remnants of Hurricane Katrina couldn't deter Karakorum Dixie - as one of only three horses to stay in a Mountaineer starter allowance over a sloppy surface, Dixie immediately set the pace in the 5-path, staying well off the rain-soaked rail. His :21 3/5 and :44 1/5 fractions over the slick surface discouraged any real challenges. He finished up in 1:09 3/5, 2 1/2 lengths clear, to snag 70% of the purse.

Karakorum Ella took a step forward in her second start, both in terms of fulfilling her talent and in maturity. The two-year old filly ran gamely along the inside, prompting the pace, and maintained her speed until well into the stretch. Next time out, she should last longer, and her demonstrated speed will have her involved with the leaders again.

Stop and Sea has been thriving, so Chris raised him to allowance company. Sitting off a hot pace duel, S&S lead a chase pack while three-wide. Coming into the lane, he tried to make his move, couldn't find a seam, and had to check behind a wall of horses. While 8th, he was 3/4 length from 5th and 1 1/4 length from 4th.

After a year away from racing, Karakorum Keepsake made his first start in a 7 furlong contest at Saratoga. His old engine is intact, as he showed good speed and argued the pace, but the layoff and the distance of the extended sprint were a bit too much for him in the lane. He should improve off his fifth place finish with this under his belt.

Fly With Karakorum shipped up to Finger Lakes for the Proud Puppy Handicap, but never got a chance to show her stuff when she broke a half-step slow, then was bumped by stablemate Speed Bag, checked, and so taken out of the race. Next time!

Karakorum Starlet had a bit of a tough trip in her second race, a 6 1/2 furlong maiden outing. She bumped the gate on the break, and jockey Jose Santos has to move her up vigorously to get involved in the race. Starlet raced three-wide down the backstretch, was squeezed between horses near the turn, launched a bid for the lead coming through to the stretch while altering course, but didn't have to sustain her run, fading to fourth. She should move forward in her next start off this trip.

With a perfect trip under Jose Santos, Karakorum Patriot proved he belongs at the highest levels of state-bred racing, beaten only 4 lengths in the $65k John Morrissey at Saratoga. Pate lay two-wide a couple of lengths off the expected fast early fractions set by Top Shoter, then swung 5-wide off the turn to take a crack at the leaders. He kicked on, slowly gaining ground, though he - and all the rest - were no match for the late run of cut-back horse Chowder's First. Still, his sneaky-good finish brought him within a length of Top Shoter, who had beaten Patriot by more than 5 in the Wine Country last time out.

Stop and Sea continued his pattern of winning every other race, taking a four-lifetime 4-claimer at Finger Lakes. John Davila, Jr., settled the Sea Salute horse in the pocket tracking the early pace of Superlang, moved up the rail after the top of the stretch, and wore down the leader to get up in the final sixteenth.

Karakorumcurtncall came into this turf race of an improved work, and on first-time Lasix. Raul Rojas had to steady the son of Royal Anthem early down the backside, then kept him inside. 'Bud' moved to the front of the chase pack, then moved up along the hedge. He passed horses in the stretch, making this his best effort so far. Curtncall bears watching as he gradually rounds into form.

Karakorum Dixie's 11th lifetime win was perhaps his most impressive. Jockey Dana Whitney broke the Dixie Brass gelding from gate 9, and quickly made the lead versus this full field of 30 down to 20 claimers at Mountaineer. Under pressure down the backstretch through snappy a :21.51 first fraction, Dixie first drove clear of Reggie'w Winner, then rebuffed a mild attach from Winning Flames through the turn, reaching the quarter pole in :44.63. Down the stretch, Dixie opened up powerfully, winning by five widening lengths in 1:09.77.

Karakorum Splendor put up a tremendous effort to take the New York Stallion Series Statue of Liberty, winning a bob over the ultra-game Avery Hall to snatch the $250,000 prize at the wire, on a sweltering day at Saratoga Race Course. The high-strung A. P. Jet filly, a 4/5 favorite, broke cleanly under John Velasquez, tracking the pace of rival Avery Hall into the first turn. Splendor ran rankly, tossing her head, as Johnny V moved her into the 5-path to give her her head. He soothed her, and she began to press through lively fractions of :23.67 and :48.44. (Yes, those are legit fractions, as Saratoga has been playing incredibly slow this year, with only one 6f time under 1:10 so far.) Splendor took over on the final turn, edging 3/4 lengths clear, then met a challenge from Dynamo Hum. She rebuffed that longtime rival at top-stretch, only to see Avery Hall re-rally on the rail. Avery Hall forged a 3/4 length lead of her own, as Velasquez urged Splendor on. Inside the sixteenth pole, he began to hit her left-handed, and Splendor, who had not changed leads at the top of the stretch, finally did so. She surged forward one last time, reaching the throatlatch of a determined but tiring Avery Hall. Within five strides of the wire, Avery Hall faltered slightly, switching to her right lead, then back to her left, searching for the final bit of her energy. In the final stride, Splendor got her head down and stretched her neck out to get the bob under perfect Velasquez timing. The two A. P. Jet fillies stopped the timer at 1:53.85, coming home in :39.74. That's .70 seconds faster than the older males stakes-level horses (Go Now, Evening Attire, and Sinister G) came home two races earlier.

Promising juvenile filly Karakorum Ella started her race career at Saratoga in a 5 1/2 furlong contest. As is typical at this level, she encountered trouble, taking a bump coming out of the gate that left her 5 lengths in arrears to the field. Pablo Fragoso moved her up to the back of the pack, but the early hassle compromised her ability to close ground late.

Understandably, in his first race back from an eight-month layoff, Karakorum Dixie was keen. And understandably, he was a little short. Coming off a series of sharp works, Dixie bounded to the lead in a Finger Lakes money allowance, setting solid fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 1/5. However, his lack of live-race experience caught up with him, and he couldn't hold Trumpster and eventualy winner Catch My Cat at bay, settling for third.

After a number of races she'd been pointed to didn't fill, Fly With Karakorum finally got on the track for the first time since Belmont Stakes Day. She defended her inside post in this $40k claimer by firing out to challenge for the lead, then sat in the pocket awaiting room. When the real running started, she came up flat, though, and jockey Cornelio Velasquez didn't abuse her down the lane. She wasn't part of the blanket finish, but will fight another day, probably at Saratoga.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time, Majestic Karakorum responded as expected, bounding out of the gate from the outside post to grab the lead in a 5 1/2 furlong maiden contest. He battled through the turn in :22. and was still heads-on for the lead through 4f in :46. Though he tired from his early exertions, Majestic showed improved early foot to complement his late kick - and now needs only to put it all together.

Sometimes it's tough being a closer. Karakorum Jodi dropped back early, came up between horses, fought off the flying clods of dirt in her face, and had to move 6-wide to get a lane. She kicked in when jock Raul Rojas showed her track, and she passed horses to get 5th, a nostril from 4th. She's continuing to improve, and only needs a good trip now.

The field appeared as tough and deep as an open MSW, and Karakorum Starlet was making her first start against them. The punters gave her little chance, but Raul Rojas got her out of the gate, kept her calm after an early bump in which she lost a shoe, and came up to track the lead pack. Just off the quick pace, she dug in, came inside horses, and gained 4th in the lane. Though she was nostrilized into 5th, she was beaten less than 5 lengths for the whole thing. It was an exciting debut for the first KArakorum 2 year-old of 2005.

Karakorum Casino discovered how to harness his speed, wiring a group of $15k maiden claimers at Finger Lakes as the third choice. John Davila, Jr., hung on as Casino exploded from the gate, opening three lengths down the backstretch through solid :22.20 and :45.86 fractions. When even-money fav Watral's Senor came calling on the turn, Casino continued on, the result being never in doubt.

Hello Karakorum made it four in a row in allowance company at Finger Lakes with an easy-as-you-please romp over five outmatched rivals. Hello sat a loose pocket early, then engaged Show Ready into the turn. By the top of the stretch, the matter was decided, and Hello drew off while the pack chased in vain. Trainer Chris Englehart is looking eastward, to Saratoga, for her next foray.

Karakorum Patriot never had a chance with loose-on-the-lead Top Shoter, but handled the rest of the field in the $50k Wine Country Handicap at Finger Lakes to become stakes-placed. Reserved off the pace from the pole under a heady ride by Julio Pezua, Pate eased out in the lane to run by Legislature, who had defeated him in a handicap at Belmont, and caught Scary Bob in the shadow of the wire to grab second. Trainer Jeff Odintz will point Patriot to a Saratoga start for his next outing.

Majestic Karakorum got himself involved in the race, tracking the early speed to set himself up for the late surge that he showed in his first race. This time, though, he backed through the field, intimidated by the dirt flying back in his face. He came out of the race in good shape, and Jeff will put blinkers on Majestic for his next start to keep him focused.

Signalling her readiness for her upcoming stakes engagement at Saratoga, Karakorum Splendor turned in a polished professional effort in an open two-other-than. Channing Hill kept her cruising between horses and out of trouble, then shook the reins at the top of the stretch. Splendor drew off by more than five lengths in fast time without being extended.

Karakorum's Jodi showed her late turn of foot with a solid rally to finish fourth in a maiden race. She broke well and settled kindly in the second pack for jock Ray Ganpath, who took her off the rail in the turn. Jodi kicked in when shown track, splashing through the twilight mud to close stoutly, missing the place spot by one length in her third race.

A maiden race scheduled for the Widener turf was moved to the dirt track after a couple of nights of rain and in anticipation of Tropical Storm Cindy. Karakorumcurtncall, who's by Royal Anthem, took this opportunity to show that he really is bred for turf. He broke to the left, then was moved into contention by jock Ray Ganpath, near the head of the chase pack. "No, thanks," said Bud, who checked in 8th, lengths behind in a 1:41 one-turm mile.

Krafty Karakorum enjoyed the company at Philadelphia Park over 4th of July weekend, hitting the board for the first time in a maiden claimer. Krafty chased the pace from the outside, and put away two of the leaders in the stretch. He didn't quite reach one of the leaders, and the eventual winner swept by them all. Still, Krafty held well for the show and should be able to win at this level.

Fly With Karakorum, entered to be run in the Susan B. Anthony Handicap at Finger Lakes on Memorial Day, was scratched, as were two other NY-based runners, Travelator and Keesler. The Belmont-based Lady Libby, coincidentally a state-bred mare who had competed against them, came down with what vets suspected was a case of the strangles. Finger Lakes officials decided not to allow any shippers from New York, although Barn 60, Lady Libby's Belmont barn, was under quarantine, and Fly is stabled at Aqueduct. The three scratched horses probably would have been three of the top four choices in the SB Anthony. Jeff is thinking of entering Fly in an n1x on Belmont Day, when purses are raised by $10,000 per race.

Under new rider Cornelio Velasquez, Fly With Karakorum capitalized on a perfect trip to ace a tough group of 50 claimers at a juicy 24 – 1. Dismissed by punters after a couple of moderate allowance efforts, and in with a field several of whom had already defeated her, Fly tracked the solid :22.42 early pace three-wide. She edged closer on the turn, and, as the leaders passed the quarter pole in :45.79, launched her run. By the eighth pole, she had Kings Empress measured, and surged by for a clear half-length win in 1:11.90.

In her first trip to upstate Finger Lakes, Hello Karakorum demonstrated her class with an easy win over an open three-lifetime allowance field. Laying off the early pace in favor of a stalking trip, Hello launched a three-wide on the turn and ran away from her rivals down the stretch to score by almost five.

Karakorum Splendor dropped from stakes company to snag the easy money in a NY-bred two-other-than. Breaking sharply, she made all the pace, while prompted early by Wild Cee. After dismissing that rival, Splendor opened up down the stretch, cruising in by 5 lengths in 1:23.91.

It’s not so often that a horse who rears at the break is anything other than toast. Stop and Sea, under the guidance of John R. Davila, Jr., recovered from that misstep in this conditioned 4000 claimer, and moved up to track the lead pack while racing wide. He advanced on the turn, then closed with a rousing rush to just get up by a nose at the wire.

Karakorum Secret never saw the rail in his second start, as he left from the outside post and was caught 3-wide down the backstretch. Moving through the turn, Secret took a shot, and advanced into third. As they straightened out, the eventual winner opened up, while Secret lost a battle with a longshot closer, eventually fading to 6th.

Trainer Jeff Odintz dropped Hello Karakorum a notch to a 14 - 12 claimer and stretched her out to 7 furlongs, only to see her roughed up on the backstretch. Hello broke well, but was solidly bumped by the mare starting to her inside. Once she recovered, Hello showed more speed than usual, probably due to the class drop and the paceless nature of this crew. Hello prompted the even-money favorite through even fractions (:23.21, :46.54), but her early exertions exacted a toll, and she faded as a 40 - 1 shot slingshot past them all.

Making another small move forward again, Karakorum’s Jodi pressed the pace from up close, but was again stuck between horses. Jodi ran on well, holding her position well into the stretch of the 7 furlong heat. She wasn’t abused to the finish by rider Jose Espinoza after 22 – 1 shot Sweet Nobility drew off by 6 widening lengths at the eighth pole.

Stakes winner Karakorum Splendor made her anticipated seasonal debut, with the addition of Lasix, in the Stallion Stakes Park Avenue Division at 1 mile. Mike Luzzi placed Splendor in the second flight, chasing a lead pack which clicked off early fractions of :22.19 and :44.71. She responded with a mild run, but the issue had already been decided before the quarter pole, as two of the early leaders, Pretty Suzi and Dynamo Hum, drew off after a blazing 1:09.66 6-furlong split. While she surely needed the race, Splendor would have had to run her best to be involved here; she finished well and got 4th.

Just as she did two weeks ago, Fly With Karakorum prompted the pace in an allowance race, but faded a bit late to finish 4th. This heat featured rapid fractions of :21.85 and :44.77, and Fly did hold on better than early leader Show Ready. The swift pace set the table for Fly’s recent nemeses Neveah and Schemer to pick up the pieces.

Coming off his recent win for a $4000 tag, Stop and Sea faced a competitive group of $5000, three-lifetime claimers at Mountaineer, cutting back slightly five furlongs. Jock Dale Whitney secured the Sea Salute gelding’s favored stalking trip, and moved between horses to challenge for the lead coming off the horseshoe turn. This group proved a touch too tough, though the favored Stop and Sea was clear to hold the show position.

Another 3 year-old Karakorum firster, Florida-bred Krafty Karakorum, faced a group of $25k maiden claimers under the guidance of Jose Espinoza. He had a bit of a rough time: he was bumped coming out of the gate, ran at the back of the pack following a rapid :46.82 half, then showed both gumption and greenness in the stretch. Krafty picked off a couple of tired runners to snatch a check, finishing 5th despite weaving in and out down the lane.

Karakorum Casino showed a good deal more talent with a switch to turf. He broke from the middle of the pack in the 8 ½ furlong NY-bred MSW, made the lead and set a quick :22.28 early pace. Casino rated through 25 and change quarters, but ultimately it did him no good, as the pack came calling and went on by. Still, Casino took well to grass, and got a lot of fitness from this effort.

For his first race, 3 year-old colt Karakorum Secret drew the far-outside post at Aqueduct in an 8-horse state-bred maiden field. Jose Santos settled him a couple of lengths off the rapid early :22.72 split, and from their Secret stayed on the rail while the leaders drew off. He ran professionally but wanted no part of the 1:10.60 run by Tom Albertrani firster Snowman.

Karakorum’s Jodi showed more of her natural speed, but again caught traffic problems in her first race with Lasix. She chased the frontrunners from between horses and, after a quickly-run second quarter, did well to maintain her position as some of the leaders backed up. Jodi finished with interest, but couldn’t quite get the last check.

Moving back into open allowance company, Fly With Karakorum made up between 7 and 9 nine lengths on rivals she faced in the Broadway Handicap in March. Fly secured an outside stalking trip on Kings Empress, and made her usual turn move, taking a solid shot against the leader. While Fly couldn’t get by, she kept running to the wire, and was only caught for the show spot in the last few strides, beaten 3 ½ lengths for the whole thing.

Patriot found a decent trip at the head of the chase group as two leaders dueled on the lead ahead of the pack. Around the turn, the leaders fell back, and Patriot seemed poised to make his usual closing surge. This time, though, as the leaders folded, Pate couldn’t find a late run.

Showing an excellent turn of foot, Stop and Sea seized the lead early in his seasonal debut at Mountaineer, only to be hooked by 7/10 favorite Blackjack Boy. Stop and Sea had the advantageous outside position, but was prompted through fractions of :23.16 and, through the turn, :47.56 before establishing dominance midway down the lane. Passing the five-furlong marker in 1:00.51, he drew off to win by almost two lengths.

In her first try for a tag, Hello Karakorum drew the widest post. When the track came up muddy, and not all the speed to her inside went out, she was hung out to dry four-wide down the backstretch. The extra running compromised her finish, she faded to 6th, and she'll wait for another, maye dryer, day to run her race.

It was a relief to see Karakorum Casino at least run back to his first race, rather than repeat his second. Casino showed the speed he's flashed in his workouts, leading this 7-furlong heat through fractions of :22.34 and :45.29 - excellent for a state-bred 3 yo maiden. Obviously, he needs more bottom - which he can develop with experience. Speed, you can't teach, and that he's got.

Once again, Karakorum Patriot ran his eyeballs out, under pressure every step, only to come up just short. In this open n1x, Pate broke quickly under leading rider Rafael Bejerano, securing an inside trip tracking the speed. In tight quarters after the turn, Pate bulled his way through to take the lead at the furlong grounds. With the early leaders disposed of, he had to deal with two closers, was caught 70 yards out, then lost the place in a bob. So, another hard-fought third, just a half-length from the prize.

The blinkers came off for Hello Karakorum, both because they didn't move her forward last time when Jeff added them, and because he entered her in tandem with the well-named Speed Bag (a non-Karakorum runner in the barn). Speed Bag contested and soon seized the lead in this state-bred allowance, holding safe to the wire. Hello, meanwhile, started well back; fortunately, 'the team' had no call for her usual late rally, and she put in only a mild run, making no impact. With her stablemate winning the big prize, at least Hello's backers were rewarded at the windows.

Doing at least as well as ever, Fly With Karakorum ran her first stakes race, in the $82,350 Broadway Handicap. Jock Jose Espinoza put her in position, on the rail just off the early speed, and she briefly loomed a threat to come off the rail at the top of the stretch. But, Fly had never faced an entire field this tough, and couldn't match strides down the lane. She didn't lose much ground, or any stature, in defeat.

Karakorum Patriot is proving not just that he belongs in open allowance company, but that he's a tough, competitive racehorse. Pate left from the middle of the pack, and got an inside seat under the guidance of apprentice Eriluis Vaz. Chasing a rapid pace of :22.17, he rebuffed a longshot challenger to his outside, and set his sights on leader Jet Prospector after a snappy :44.96 half. That one was simply not going to be caught, though, drawing clear by almost five. Still, after all that, Patriot gamely fought to hold the place, only to be passed by a longshot closer in the final strides. Patriot continues to put in one strong effort after another, though, and will garner this condition sooner rather than later.

The role of luck on the racetrack can be overrated - for instance, when a horse repeatedly finds traffic trouble, it's often because it's not fast enough to avoid problems. But, some things are simply luck. Fly With Karakorum has been on the improve, and looked to be primed to get a large share of the purse in a 40-down-to-30 claimer. But, as she was moving around in the gate, an assistant starter held her too long, and she missed the break. Though she made up a lot of the lost ground, and was a gaining 5th at the wire, Fly was declared a non-starter, and bettors' money was refunded.

In what proved to be his final effort for the stable, Karakorum Tuxedo, stuck in the seven post in a 20-claimer, lucked out via three scratches to his inside. He broke well, and bug boy Oscar Gomez secured a good trip tracking the leaders along the rail. Tux argued the pace through the turn, but tired in the stretch to finish 4th. Tuxedo was snagged by trainer Peter Kazamiris, and it seems likely that he'll continue to race at NYRA.

After her last couple of races, where she seemed reluctant to charge between horses as had been her wont, Hello Karakorum was outfitted with blinkers by trainer Jeff Odintz. The shades caused her to break more sharply than usual, though she had to contend with the outside post. Hello got a good seat inside a few lengths off the duel up front, but slowly faded after the turn. The answer for Hello at this level, while it might include blinkers, isn't limited to them.

It seemed too bad to be real. Karakorum Casino leapt from the gate, soon sticking his neck in front between horses down the backstretch –but began to falter, changing leads and shortening stride after only two furlongs. ‘Poquito’ didn’t run anything like he did in his debut race, in which he struck the lead, hung in when challenged, only tiring in the final furlong. Here he fell back quickly and finished up the track, like a horse who needs Lasix. But, of course, Casino has just started on the bleeding medication. Either he bled through Lasix, which happens in a few horses; or, he reacted poorly to the diuretic – some horses need a race to adjust, and run much better in their second race on Lasix. Jeff will continue to work with Casino to figure out the problem.

It bears repeating. In a short field (even if the fractions are hot), a horse needs to be close to the pace to have any shot. In his second try in open allowance company, Karakorum Patriot faced a group of five other runners. Jockey Eriluis Vaz put him on the flank of the speed, but a first quarter of :22.40 caused Pate to gap off a developing duel of second-choice Fancy Man and Exploit Lad (whom Patriot had caught in their previous encounter). After a half in :45.19, Fancy Man faded, Exploit Lad scooted clear, and Patriot fired up. He was grinding into Exploit Lad’s lead when longshot deep closer Rubi Echo, behind both of them last time out, rallied by off his stalking trip. Patriot held third, and will get another shot at this type soon.

In a race like this, with a field scratched down to six, a closer such as Hello Karakorum needs to race nearer the lead to be effective. Breaking from the outside post, jockey Eriluis Vaz took Hello to the back, but quick fractions (given the heaviness of the Aqueduct inner surface over the past couple of weeks) of :23.55 and :47.65 sealed her doom. The race simply got away from her, as this small but solid field of advanced-level state-bred allowance females forgot to slow down - stalking odds-on fav Dasl Cammy got first (and only) run on the pace horses. Hello came wide and made her run, but little progress, managing only to snare the final check.

Bumped up in class off her last win, Fly With Karakorum met a familiar group of hard-knocking middle-level claimers, having a little more road trouble than she had a right to expect in a six-horse field. With a late rider switch to Pablo Fragoso after Jose Espinoza’s hard fall the previous day, and a comfortable draw in the 3 post, the race seemed to set up for Fly. But coming out of the gate, a rival to her outside stumbled, and Fly hesitated enough that she didn’t get ideal position. The track was playing slow, as second choice Life Savior rated through :23.42 and :48.30 quarters while three others vied to her outside. Full of run but behind a wall of horses, Fly had to check slightly, then wait for the tiring Life Savior to drift out. Pablo tooke her outside, but a briefly-available seam closed; he angled her to the rail, and Fly moved up steadily inside. She closied the gap on Chez Audra, who’d seized the lead in the stretch, but both were gunned down by the outside rally of ship-in longshot Gold Flinger. Fly settled for the show position.

Winter racing can be stressful. While it may be more stressful to not race at all, due to NYRA weather conditions or trying to play visiting team against home-track trainers, actually racing isn’t always as rewarding as it could be. Trainer Chris Englehart has brought a string to the West Virginia circuit, and entered Karakorum Cat in a 3 claimer at Charles Town. Cat was right in his wheelhouse at the 4 ½ furlong distance over the bullring there, but drew the rail. The Mountain Cat horse broke slowly, but advanced 2-side under urging from Paul Nicol, Jr. Despite the short straights, Cat reached the place position by the sixteenth pole, but was passed late and had to settle for third, beaten by two locally-based 8 year-old geldings.

It went just about as trainer Jeff Odintz expected. Karakorum Casino had trained forwardly, with reasonably sharp works, and that’s how he ran. Over a muddy Aqueduct strip, Casino broke quickly from the 2-hole under Rodney Soodeen, established a lead, and led through fractions of :23.30 and :48.31. By the quarter pole, eventual show finisher Bright Weekend had already hooked Casino, who then faded out of contention. Still, ‘Poquito’ proved able to carry his speed a good distance, and should sustain his run further as he gains experience.

His fans had every reason to expect good results, even though Karakorum Patriot was facing open company for the first time. Beginning in the fall, the Personal Flag gelding had marched through state-bred opposition, posting speed figs that would make him contender versus open allowance foes. But, it was a case of “Welcome to the big leagues, kid,” as Pate was sandwiched coming out of the gate. He chased from the inside, but the speed held and the closers pinned him to the rail. Patriot did continue running, managing a close-up 4th, and promising better results for future efforts.

Racing luck comes in many forms, most of them bad. Hello Karakorum has been surprisingly fortunate so far on the track, running to her ability in most of her races. Bu t these things even out over time, and in this second-level state-bred allowance, Hello found a full measure of misfortune. She stumbled slightly at the break, and while she only lost a length or two, that set her up for further trouble. Jock Mike Luzzi eased the Dixie Brass mare up into contention, but the leaders backed up and Hello’s momentum was stopped. Now trapped on the rail, she never had a chance to fire and, though within five lengths of the winner, was out of the checks.

It had been a long stretch between drinks for Fly With Karakorum, and a drop from allowance ranks to the lower end of mid-priced claimers proved to be an oasis, not a mirage. Leaving from the outside post in a smallish field of 25 claimers, Fly broke well under Jose Espinzoa, settled off the longshot speed, and made her usual move into the turn. It was over quickly, as Fly drew off to a 5-length lead by the eighth pole, then cruised home with a safe lead over the sole closer. Her time and speed fig were nothing special, but the money will spend just as well for her partners.

His most recent race gave the impression that he’d lost his sharpness or couldn’t cope with the class rise. His winter coat made him look scruffy. But the true Patriot showed in the running of the race. Under another heady ride from young apprentice Tim Thornton, Pate raced through sharp fractions, rebuffed a challenge from the favorite, and was clearly best in the stretch to take his state-bred two-other-than condition. Tim broke the 13-1 Patriot well from the rail while letting Gary Contessa-trained Storm Boot Gold seize the lead. As favorite Special Jet, who left from the eight post, ranged up, Tim moved Pate off the rail, sliding in the narrow hole between his two rivals. This put some pressure on the leader while making the favorite’s trip longer. Patriot had to work to get there, as they covered the first quarter in :22.59. Around the turn and through the quarter pole in :45.95, Patriot kicked up the pressure, hooking Storm Boot Gold. Special Jet had enough at that point, and exited via the back door. Patriot forged to a clear lead by the furlong grounds, covering the fifth panel in :12.24. His margin was 1 ¼ lengths at the wire, which he reached in 1:10.94 – two hundredths faster than Cativa, who won the older filly and mare money allowance feature, would. The $29.80 mutuel was frosting for the believers.

The race was carded for six furlongs, but there's no telling how far Karakorum Tuxedo had to run. Jockey Tim Thornton found a good spot, on the rail close to the front, and saved ground through a half in :46.01. With the speed horses in front backing up, Tux and several others needed to get around traffic, and Tux swung 5-wide into the lane. As eventual winner Tale of Woe moved off just to Tux's inside, he cut toward the rail to continue his rally. But all of those moves cost Tuxedo any chance to follow through, as he couldn't make any significant progress, falling a nose short of the final check.

After an unplanned, long-for-her layoff, Fly With Karakorum finally returned to the races, once again in an open one-other-than. The field seemed well-matched, but she drew the outside post – never the golden path to the winners’ circle on the Aqueduct inner. Fly, usually a sharp breaker, showed the effects of her layoff and was out a step slow - at least, as far as anyone could follow through the dense, day-long fog. But that’s all it took. Instead of being able to tuck and track the speed without being used badly, Fly was caught four-wide down the backstretch. She (seemingly) put in her patented turn move, making some progress, but still was spun five-wide through quite brisk fractions of :22.79 and :45.92. Jockey Jose Espinoza didn’t use up Fly in the stretch once the cause was up.

In her first race at the new two-other-than level, Hello Karakorum made it clear that she belongs. Breaking from the inside post under bug boy Tim Thornton, late-running Hello moved out with some zip to hold her inside advantage. Scott Lake’s Show Ready, the obvious speed, opened up by two lengths while Hello tracked from the chase pack, holding fourth down the backstretch. Saving all the ground, she sped through the turn to fend off a potential challenge from two outside horses, then angled out for the drive. There was no catching the unpressured Show Ready, but Hello ran on well to hold her show position.

A horse who wins races using speed is sometimes going to be defeated when using his speed. So it was for Karakorum Patriot, who was able to get his head in front in a wild five-way fray, but couldn’t get all the way to the lead. That meant he couldn’t come in to the rail and control the pace, which ultimately spelled defeat. Under bug-boy Tim Thornton, Pate came out well and pressed for the lead in the middle of a five-ply battle for the front. Caught 4-wide down the backstretch through a :23.03 first quarter, the Personal Flag gelding slugged it out into the turn; forced 5-wide, he began to fade after reaching the quarter-pole in :47.06. At this point, favored Seeking the Glory established dominance, and Tim didn’t push the tired Patriot, who didn’t earn a check for the first time since a jock lost the irons last summer.

Hello got a perfect ride from bugboy Tim Thornton to get her long-anticipated initial-level allowance condition. Settling in mid-pack early, she let dueling leaders pound each other into submission through swift fractions of :22.43 and :45.96. Hello advanced on the rail as the leaders came back to the pack, but still seemed out of it turning for home, She was full of run, though, and Tim took her off the rail at the furlong grounds, splitting rivals. Hello dug in and surged by the 8/5 Evening Edition, who’d defeated her in their last outing, to get up by a half-length. The Dixie Brass filly showed enough quality that the next allowance condition should be in her range during this meet.

Through he was solidly bumped leaving the gate, Karakorum Tuxedo ran tough, outbobbed on the line to finish third in a contentious field of mid-level claimers. Coming back on short rest, Tux recovered from the early incident, and ranged up under jockey Julian Pimentel. Down the backside, he lead the chase pack, as eventual gate-to-wire winner Fancy Man carved out :22.58 and :45.61 fractions. Tux continued to advance into the turn, establishing himself as a clear second behind Fancy Man. To his inside, though, longshot Wind Glider rallied; Tuxedo fought gamely and perhaps could’ve gotten home safely, but missed on the timing of the bob to settle for the show.

She’s always been a bit fractious in the paddock, and this time it came back to hurt her at an important time. Karakorum Splendor went off the favorite in the $75,000 East View for state-bred juvenile fillies, but she was bouncing around in the gate, and went to her knees when it opened. Starting out five lengths behind the field, regular rider Pablo Fragoso moved the daughter of A. P. Jet to the back of the pack. Splendor chased, and loomed a threat as the field moved into the turn, but her early exertions caused her to fade as the real running started. She came out of the race in good shape, though, and perhaps learned some (expensive) lessons.

Stretching out again, Karakorum Tuxedo contested an 1 1/16th-mile initial-level open allowance on the Aqueduct inner, prompting the pace three-wide through the first turn. Through moderate fractions, the Runaway Groom colt vied with favorite and eventual winner Cuba, as a couple of fellow longshots gave chase. Coming into the second turn, the stalkers moved, and Tuxedo was pincered between horses, losing any chance. Jockey Victor Fernandez didn’t abuse him, saving Tux for his next outing once the cause was lost. Cuba went on to win in the fastest of the three n1x 8 ½-furlong races on the card.

Sometimes the best rides don’t feature a scintillating speedball kept alive by a jock’s sheer will, or a rousing last-to-first rally with the rider timing the wire perfectly. Sometimes a good ride means calmly rationing out a horse’s energy to take the opposition out of the race. Rafael Bejerano gave Karakorum Patriot just such a ride to get Pate his initial state-bred allowance condition. Rafael didn’t rush the Personal Flag gelding just to seize the lead, but let him move, less than a length in front, at his own pace - which turned out to be :23.44. Patriot wasn’t clear of the inside horses until cutting into in at the beginning of the turn, then began to kick clear to the quarter pole in :46.89. Rafael used a couple of right-handed taps nearing the furlong grounds to keep Patriot alert, and they rolled home 2 ¼ lengths clear in 1:11.70. Given that he was almost 10 lengths up on the show horse, and that he came the final two panels slowing less than most horses do, Patriot is a threat to take the next condition relatively soon, too.

Full fields of 2 year-old New York-bred fillies can be a problem – both for the starting gate personnel and the fillies themselves. In a race where she was expected to again show improvement, Time For Karakorum was wiped out just out of the gate: after being bumped solidly by the filly on her right, she was swiped by the filly to her inside. Jock Julio Pezua settled her quickly, and, being a veteran rider, knew not to rush her up. Still, even while breaking from the 3-hole, he was prevented from working her to the rail until nearly reaching the turn. Time For ran gallantly, but the damage was done, and she managed only to pass one other runner. She came out of the race fine and will soon have a chance to erase the memory of today’s bad racing luck.

The good news is that Hello Karakorum showed more speed, competitiveness, and desire than in her return race last time out. The bad news is that she had to race from the outside 12 post, and never had fewer than two other fillies or mares between her and the rail. The rail-leaver, Show Ready, went bell to camera through brisk fractions against a full field, so a three- and four-wide trip just wasn’t going to pay off. Rider Rodney Soodeen did everything he could to find a suitable route, but from being floated out leaving the gate to being trapped behind the same filly entering the turn, Rodney never had any real choices to make. Hello moved readily into a stalking trip six or seven lengths off the :21.84 and :45.33 splits, then had to swing into the six-path to get racing room coming out of the turn. That lost ground hurt, and, though she kicked in mildly down the stretch, Hello wasn’t able to collar more than a couple of other runners. With this effort in hand – maybe closer to 6 ½ furlongs than 6 – she should be ready next time if she draws decently on the inner track.

The combination of a class drop and blinkers off had their desired and expected effect on Time For Karakorum, though unfortunately, the stretch-out to seven furlongs didn’t. Under jockey Alan Garcia, Time For broke alertly and seized the lead. Down the backstretch, the Fly So Free filly ran along comfortably through a quarter in :22.62 and into the turn in :46.37 facing only token longshot pressure. Coming around the bend, 6/5 favorite Dottie’s Pick came calling, and Time For met the challenge with some moxie. Time For was still within a head of the favorite at the furlong pole, which they reached in 1:12.54, but from there Dottie’s Pick drew off to an easy win, while Time For slipped back. She held show within the sixteenth pole, but was just beaten into 6th in the last couple of jumps. All in all, Time For showed sustained speed and a fighting spirit that indicated better racing to come.

Karakorum Patriot showed that his first effort against winners was nothing like a fluke. His second time in the class, Jose Santos shot him out to establish the lead, which he held running in hand through good fractions of :22.32 and :46.54. Patriot cut the corner, and Jose set him down for the drive. When Take Me Out John came calling in midstretch, Pate battled stubbornly down on the rail, but his rival edged ahead inside the furlong grounds. Patriot fought back, and was reclaiming the lead when Melodeeman came flashing on the outside to clear both. Patriot had enough heart to outbattle Take Me Out John, grabbing 2nd several strides from the wire, and looks ready to take this condition before year’s end.

Sometimes a racetracker will ask another, “Why did your horse lose?” and expect some sophisticated answer. But sometimes, the reply will be, “The other horse was faster.” That was the case for Karakorum Tuxedo in this 7-furlong preliminary allowance. Tux ran a good race, considering this was his first time facing open allowance horses. Jockey Jose Santos hustled him out to protect the pole, and worked out an inside trip within two lengths of the leaders. Into the turn, Tuxedo appeared to be looking for a seam, as leader Coast Line, a Pletcher/Velzquez runner, passed the 3/8’s pole in a reasonable :46.22. But then the real running started, and Coast Line drew off through six panels in 1:09.84, a pace which Tux really wanted little to do with. He slipped back along the rail, and tired through the stretch to finish 7th. The winner could be any sort; while Tux will certainly win his share, he met a faster horse this time out.

“When I asked her, she gave me everything she had.” That’s exactly what you’d expect a jockey to say after getting off Fly With Karakorum, and that’s exactly what Mike Luzzi did say after dismounting Fly in this 50-claimer. Mike got Fly into a great trip, stalking leader Electrical Carlita in company with old nemesis King’s Empress while 3-wide. After a half in :45.20, it was time to go, and Mike hoped to get first jump on King’s Empress. However, that one had another gear, went up to challenge and eventually take over, while Fly, running her best, hung on behind the lead pair. She kept on gamely after the issue was decided, but her efforts cost her the show in the shadow of the wire, as Quppy, who’d defeated her by over 2 lengths in September, caught Fly in the last jump. “These fillies are just a bit faster,” Mike acknowledged, “but she kept running.”

It wasn’t so much the step up in class, as a class dropper that did in Karakorum Cat at Finger Lakes. Everything went Cat’s way early in this 5 ½ furlong tilt for 5-claimers – he broke well from a good post and settled behind a swift pace of :22.21 at the head of the second pack. Through the turn, Cat tracked leader Threat of Victory, then swung 4-wide at the quarter pole. But Threat of Victory, in his first FL start after moving from Frank Laboccetta’s Aqueduct barn to Charlton Baker’s here, had plenty left; he passed the half in a good-for-this-level :45.53. Cat, along with every other runner, had no further argument to make and flattened out in the lane to finish 7th.

There’s no sure thing in racing. Even Karakorum Dixie, king of the Finger Lakes claiming set, can find a way to not get to the wire earliest. That’s what happened in this $20k claimer, as the son of Dixie Brass, sent off at even money, scooted out to the early lead. A small pack followed, and Dixie hummed along off the rail, through reasonable fractions of 22 2/5 and 45 2/5. Around the turn and down the stretch, Dixie and Jim Acquilano-trained Trumpster, 2nd public choice, drew clear of the field. Trumpster made an inside move, collared Dixie, and the two battled through the final furlong. As an indication of how tough the battle became, while Dixie had run the race’s 5th furlong in :13 flat, the pair managed a final panel in :12 3/5. Trumpster seemed like he could get up, then, in sight of the wire, 23-race veteran Dixie leaped a shadow, and the issue was decided – Dixie 2nd by a neck. Dixie had some good luck in his nine-race win streak, so maybe this was just karmic payback. But don’t be sure that he won’t find a way to start a new streak next time out!

In only her second race in a year, Hello Karakorum didn’t just get a needed race – she had an eventful enough trip to get a few race-efforts under her girth. Coming out of the gate, she was bumped hard by the fillies to her outside. Jockey Rodney Soodeen kept Hello going, and she showed good speed in contesting the pace with two others through a quarter in :23.11. Before the trio reached the half, in a snappy :47.04, Hello’s lack of race fitness began to tell on her, and, after being checked a bit in traffic, she began to give ground. Tiring in the last furlong, she dropped back to finish 7th. She kept running through the lane – she knows her job! – and came back in good shape, ready to continue her comeback.

With the racing office writing no turf races for state-bred maidens this time of the year, Time For Karakorum has to make due with getting experience on the dirt. It doesn’t hurt that she has also been slowly making progress and advancing in fitness. In this effort, rider Eriluis Vaz sent the Fly So Free filly to an easy lead, and she passed the quarter in :23.08. At that point, 2/5 favorite Dancin on Broadway ranged up to dispute the pace, and, going around the turn, Time For gave way without significant argument. Even at a distance and on a surface not her favorites, she has managed to show greater speed and the ability to stay in the picture longer.

The race chart makes it seem like a decent but slightly flat effort, but in this case the chart would be misleading. Karakorum Crusader ran gamely in a tough contest, and may have been the best horse in the race. Jockey John Davila, Jr., kept the even-money Sadie up close on the rail down the backstretch as old friend Air Karakorum flew on the lead, passing the quarter in 21 4/5. Around the turn, Clifden Star, who’d been tracking as the head of the chase pack, took a shot at the leader. Crusader was stuck down on the inside, lacking room, and was forced to check; the leaders had slowed to a :46-flat mark at the quarter-pole. Full of run, Sadie angled, found her full stride, and under John’s guidance, was able to split rivals. She angled back toward the rail, hooked Clifden Star, battled with that one along with the 9/2 Alice Nevada, who’d stalked the early battle and made an inside move. Crusader wore down Clifden Star, but wasn’t able to resist the last strides of Alice Nevada, who grinded out a ¾-length victory. Coming off her much-improved effort last time out, Crusader showed the race-toughness that will lead her to the winner’s circle soon.

It ended as a promenade. After some worries about the hurdles she faced in the Fifth Avenue, Karakorum Splendor simply brushed off the opposition and opened up to a 3 ¾ length victory for her first stakes win. Splendor wired the division of the NY Stallion Series in 1:10.94, faster than the 2 year-old colts managed in the Great White Way later on the card. Breaking cleanly from the inside post, Splendor got a much easier trip here than in the Maid of the Mist nine days ago. Sent off a slightly less than 6/5, the A. P. Jet filly felt only light pressure from Meadowlands first-out winner Avery Hall through spry fractions of :22.56 and :45.87. Around the turn, 2nd choice Brassy Boots mounted a mild challenge, but Splendor turned her back almost instantly, and widened down the lane. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens will now point Splendor to the $75k East View for New York-breds, where she will try to reverse her Maid of the Mist finish to Pelham Bay.

One of the reasons trainer Chris Englehart is one of the leading conditioners in the history of Finger Lakes shows in his work with Karakorum Cat: once he gets them going right, they stay right. Cat won his second consecutive race, swallowing a field of straight 4000 claimers at 5 ½ furlongs with ease with the same inside move that clinched his previous win against conditioned 4-claimers. This time, Cat tracked a three-ply speed duel through an initial quarter of :22.05; regular rider John Davila, Jr., saved ground into the turn, and, as the pace horses weakened after the quarter pole, shook the reins at Cat. The Mountain Cat horse surged inside, and after a short battle, took over by the eighth pole. Despite the class rise, Cat was no secret, going off as the 5/2 favorite. The punters know too that Chris has him in a groove.

It looked on paper as if Karakorum Patriot might have trouble in his first race against winners, as four of these had beaten him while breaking their maiden. But, as anyone has been watching the son of Personal Flag this year knows, he just keeps improving. Firing out from the middle of the gate, jockey Oscar Gomez pressed the pace with Patriot from the outside. Considering that Patriot had gone off at 16-1 and rival Personal Prince at 22-1, the closers must have been bright-eyed at seeing the :44.89 half-mile split. Not so fast, boys. My Kinda Town made a 3-wide move from a stalking position, and fought with Patriot, who fought back gamely. My Kinda Town won the battle, but Patriot continued on – though losing the place position late to fast-closing Melodeeman. Overall though, Patriot made a promising debut at the level, running quickly early and gamely late.

The good news is that Fly ran the fastest quarter of the meet. The bad news is that Fly ran the fastest quarter of the meet. In her first try in open allowance company, Fly With Karakorum got involved in a four-way scramble for the lead, and, given the depth of this field – which seemed more like a Saratoga two-other-than rather than an Aqueduct one-other-than – that wasn’t going to get the job done. The A. P. Jet filly had a head in front passing the quarter in :21.79, but was retreating at the quarter pole. Jockey Stew Elliott knew to reserve her once the game was up, and, though the final time of 1:11.23 was certainly not beyond her capability, trainer Jeff Odintz will probably seek a confidence-building class drop before returning her to these ranks.

After looking unsuccessfully for a turf race for juvenile state-bred fillies at Aqueduct – truly a longshot proposition – trainer Jeff Odintz entered Time For in a dirt sprint. Jeff equipped her with blinkers, which did help Time For focus both before and during the race. She was more calm and professional in the paddock, and broke smoothly under apprentice Eriluis Vaz, who found a way to guide her to the rail from the 6 post. The daughter of Fly So Free tracked the three-ply battle for the lead through an early pace of :22 1/5 and :45 4/5. After one of the battlers folded, Time For continued in striking range; while she had no answer for the top two, who drew off, she rolled on, only fading in the last furlong to lose the show position. Time For carried her speed longer than in her previous starts, demonstrating a higher level of fitness and the heart to run on over a surface that may not be her favorite.

She’s mastered this level. After her recent place and show versus 10-claiming 4-lifetime fillies and mares, Karakorum Crusader was the easiest kind of winner in the opener at Finger Lakes, wiring a short field and widening through the stretch to a 5-length victory. Under John Davila, Jr., Sadie, the 3 - 4 favorite, broke cleanly from the rail, then moved to the 3-path to seize control before the half pole. Running even splits of :23.10 and :23.30, she faced only token longshot pressure, before breaking the race open with an :11.99 fifth furlong. John rode Crusader out in 1:10.74, an excellent time which she did on her own. Trainer Chris Englehart now faces the ‘What next?’ question, as Crusader has finished with the available conditioned claiming levels. She tried straight $12,500 claimers in her first trip over the upstate oval, fading after a tough trip; that level or 8 claimers could prove fruitful for her over the rest of the meet.

Stop and Sea had been reasonably impressive in his first race against winners at the end of last year’s Finger Lakes meet. Coming back off that long layoff after overcoming nagging injury problems, he seemed ready to confirm his improvement. As the 5/2 second choice of the public, drawing a good outside stalking post that suited his style, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect a solid effort. But, it wasn’t to be, as the 4 year-old Sea Salute colt began to lag soon after the break. Jock John Davila, Jr., was unable to reach contention with him, and Stop and Sea trailed the field through most of the race. Obviously, off the long vacation, Stop and Sea needed the tightener, and should move forward in his next start.

Given that horses don’t talk (at least ours don’t – there’s no Mr. Ed on the Stable Roster!), sometimes the only way to understand what they prefer is to watch them. For 2 year-old filly Time For Karakorum, the ‘time for’ that approach is now. After a turf try in which she showed excellent speed, seemed to relish the surface, but have no real appreciation of the mile distance after 7/8ths completion, trainer Jeff Odintz went route-to-sprint and turf-to-dirt with her. The Fly So Free filly responded with her own ideas. Again displaying her inherent speed, after putting a mediocre break behind her, she stalked from up close 4-wide. But what’s this? No soft green underfoot! Time wasn’t convinced that this was a turn of events she wanted to deal with, and checked out the back door after three furlongs. Now she presents a bit of a puzzle, as turf sprints are in short supply in New York – and invisible at Aqueduct. Perhaps the willful young filly has an idea about that one, too.

After her smashing maiden win two weeks ago, Karakorum Splendor stepped it up with a tough-trip second in the Maid of the Mist at Belmont, getting black type in only her third lifetime start. Stumbling a couple of strides out of the inside gate, then ducking in, Splendor and rider Pablo Fragoso looked to be in trouble from the get-go. But Pablo wrangled the juvenile A. P. Jet filly under control and moved her smoothly up into the pack along the inside. Down the backstretch, Splendor looked to be getting a typical rail ride, pinned with stopping horses in front, advancing horses outside and trailers behind. She began to fall back into the turn, and her race appeared over. However, this was a 2 year-old filly race – the leaders, included favored, stakes-winner Megascape, were tiring following their premature speed runs. Pablo, knowing he had plenty of horse, angled Splendor out as the runners thinned around him. Though she’d dropped back to 6th, she was clear as she swung three-wide into the 5 path. Meanwhile, the Pat Kelly-trained Pelham Bay had found an outside stalking trip under Shaun Bridgmohan, and made her move to go clear of the early leaders. Pelham Bay was gone, but Splendor –stamina-bred through damsire Woodman – was just starting to find her best foot. Staying wide, she picked off struggling fillies, finished quickly to grab second inside the sixteenth pole. While no threat to the winner, Splendor showed that she has the class to contend at the highest state-bred level, and will relish more ground as the races offer it.

Karakorum Tuxedo tried the Jersey-bred two-other-than level for the first time, just two weeks after getting his preliminary allowance condition, and showed both that he relishes the Meadowlands strip, and that he can compete at this higher level, just missing the win by a 1 ½ lengths. Tux broke from the middle post in the field of nine under Julian Pimental, who rode him so well in that earlier win. They settled on the inside in mid-pack, following a 3-wide battle up front through testing fractions of :22.18 and :44.76. Favored Sultry Cat, who held a thin edge through most of that, started to fall back, as Colt Python took control inside before the quarter pole. Tuxedo angled around him, and began making up ground down the lane. But, just before Tuxedo squeezed by Colt Python, the one-time SoCal-based Phone Trick gelding Solitario, well back early, launched an irresistible run, emerging from between horses to draw clear. Tux continued his rally, finishing a neck beyond his rival for the placing. The race went in a swift 1:09.56, and Tuxedo should return shortly with an appointment to have his picture taken again.

Sometimes, whether he’s leading or following, a horse looks like the winner every step of the way. That’s how it was for Karakorum Cat at Finger Lakes, as 5 year-old son of Mountain Cat sat behind the leaders, prompting the pace until he was ready to take over. The 5 ½ furlong contest, carded for 4000 claimers who hadn’t won twice since April, set up well for Cat’s pressing tactics. Guided by regular rider John Davila, Jr., the 6/5 favorite raced between horses while pressing through contentious fractions of :22.28 and :46.33. Full of horse, John moved to the rail into the turn to get a clear path as two of the other early leaders made their runs outside. In the stretch, Cat angled to avoid being pinned, and still had plenty left, as the group passed the sixteenth pole in exactly 1:00.00, cutting back in to the rail as the rest of the group began to slow. He surged by them all to win going away, for his first win against conditioned claimers.

It took him a while, but Karakorum Patriot got the job done, breaking his maiden over seven other state-breds in the opener at Belmont. It’s unusual for a horse to need 16 races to win for the first time, but, since moving to Jeff Odintz’ barn this year, Patriot has hit the oard in 7 of 11 races, and gotten a check in every race but two – once in the mud, and once when he stumbled and jockey Jose Santos lost the irons. Santos had no such problems here, riding a perfect race. Patriot, no secret on the board at 85 cents on the dollar, broke well from the middle, prompting the early speed while laying back in the three path. The quarter was reasonably quick, :22.77, but the leaders slowed sliding into the turn. Patriot had seen enough, and launched a 3-wide bid that brought him clear by the three-eighths pole. The Personal Flag gelding widened down the stretch, pulling away by 6 ¾ under the wire. With a finish like that, it won’t take him 16 more tries to get his next condition.

In just her second race, 2 year-old filly Karakorum Splendor broke her maiden in impressive style, blowing apart a state-bred 2 year-old filly field by 13 ½ lengths. Starting from the outside 10 post after two scratches, Splendor and jockey Pablo Fragoso left quickly and ranged up 4-wide down the backstretch. The daughter of A. P. Jet advanced into the turn, taking over before the top of the stretch, and continued to open up in the lane, drawing off by 13 ½ lengths by the wire. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee ran fast, too: her final time of 1:11.86 was faster than that run by Smuggler, the 2 year-old out of champion Inside Information, in an open juvenile filly race earlier on the card. Splendor is nominated to the Maid of the Mist on New York Showcase Day, though that would require wheeling her back on only 9 days of rest.

It took the toughest bunch that Karakorum Dixie has meet since he left the NYRA circuit last fall, but the Dixie Brass colt ran into a field that he couldn’t dominate at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia. A well-bred and well-meant Carson City gelding, Cargi, outran Dixie to the lead and to the wire. The 8/5 Dixie chased all out from the pocket through fractions of :22.08 to the quarter and :45.49 to the half, at which point jockey Dana Whitney took a shot at the leader. Cargi rebuffed Dixie, then opened up in the lane to cruise by over 7. The Allen Paulson-bred Kentucky gelding finished up in 1:05.58, and seems to be rounding back into the form that saw him run consecutive Beyers of 100 and 99 last year while getting a stakes placing. Dixie kept running all out down the middle of the track, tiring inside the sixteenth pole, and was passed into 3rd very late. The streak is over, but Dixie should have several more chances this year to add to his totals.

He didn’t show the most speed. He didn’t get the easiest trip. But he was more than game enough and more than tough enough. Karakorum Tuxedo provided his backers with an early celebration on Meadowlands Cup night with a tenacious, victorious effort over a stubborn field of Jersey-bred one-other-thans. As he left from the 7 post in an 8-horse field, Tux was outfooted for the lead by several speedballs to his inside. Jockey Julian Pimental kept him 4-wide down the backstretch through more than honest fractions of :22.03 and :45.09. There, at the quarter pole, Tuxedo was advancing on the outside, though Julian had to swing him 5-wide to find a path. First longshot Words of Warning left via the back door; then past the eighth pole early leader Jackety Jack folded his tent. Tuxedo kept coming. But multiple winner