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Doc Sullivan looks to rebound in $125K NYSSS Thunder Rumble

by Mary Eddy

Tristar Farm’s Doc Sullivan vies for his second career stakes conquest in Saturday’s $125,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven-furlong sprint for eligible New York-sired horses 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Michael Miceli, the sophomore son of Solomini was last seen finishing a closing sixth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 21 at Parx Racing in his first graded attempt. There, the usually prominent colt was last-of-11 through the first three-quarter-miles under Jose Ortiz and put in a mild bid to finish 9 3/4 lengths behind the victorious pacesetter Seize the Grey.

“He was last going into the first turn – I couldn’t understand that, but it is what it is and he did put a finish in and beat half the field,” Miceli said. “He was a long way back and got shuffled leaving the gate I guess.”

Miceli said Doc Sullivan should relish a return to seven-furlongs, a distance he excelled at when capturing the state-bred Mike Lee in June at Saratoga Race Course by four lengths. That effort produced a career-best and co-field-high 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He can deliver if it goes his way and he can put in a fast performance,” Miceli said. “He’s won at a mile and at seven-eighths. He was a little green in his first race or two and he didn’t like the kickback too much. Once he got the hang of things, he got more mature and has been a gem of consistency since then.”

Doc Sullivan, who has been on-the-board in 9-of-10 outings with four additional restricted stakes-placings, enters from a half-mile breeze in 47.96 seconds on Wednesday over Belmont Park’s dirt training track.

“He’s doing well. He breezed the other day in 47 and change and it was a nice sharp work like we wanted,” Miceli said. “We gave him a little breather after the Pennsylvania Derby and got him started back up again. Since then, he’s been doing fine and this last work we wanted him to do a little something extra. He delivered, and he’s coming up to the race in good shape so far. We’re keeping our fingers crossed and hope everything goes well.”

Bred in the Empire State by Seamus Coughlan, Doc Sullivan is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Queen Frostine and was a $59,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for the Mike Lee, returns to the irons from post 3.

Michael Imperio, Robert Cotrone, Hibiscus Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez’s Antonio of Venice [post 6, Ruben Silvera] returns from a seven-month respite that came on the heels of a 2 1/4-length victory over Doc Sullivan in the 6 1/2-furlong NYSSS Times Square in April. The pace-pressing effort also received a 91 Beyer.

Following the Times Square, Antonio of Venice was slated to take on the Mike Lee at Saratoga, but scratched with a foot issue.

“We were being cautious with him – he stepped on a rock in Saratoga, so it was a good time to give him a break,” Rodriguez said. “We sent him to Patty Hogan’s and turned him out there before he started jogging again. He’s been working steadily.”

Antonio of Venice boasts a consistent 7-for-9 in-the-money record, including wins here in the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way in December and the state-bred Damon Runyon by 9 1/4 lengths in March. The sophomore son of Laoban boasts earnings of $535,744 through a 9-4-2-1 record.

“We’re regrouping a bit, but so far, so good,” Rodriguez said. “He looks good and he’s going to have to step up. There’s a couple horses in here that are pretty salty, but he’s doing good.”

Bred in New York by Cypress Creek Equine, Antonio of Venice was a $35,000 purchase at the OBS March Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Steep opposition will be provided by McRich Stables’ 4-year-old gelding Light Man [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche], who enters off a determined three-quarter-length victory in the state-bred Hudson on October 27 here.

Trained by Bruce Levine, the Central Banker bay stalked in fifth early under returning rider Kendrick Carmouche and swung five-wide to make his bid for the lead. He dug in gamely to fend off the oncoming Silver Satin and land his first stakes triumph, matching a career-best 85 Beyer for a third consecutive start.

Bred in New York by Newman Racing, Light Man has never missed the board in nine lifetime starts that include a local win versus open allowance company in July by 1 1/4 lengths. He finished third two starts back in a Saratoga optional claimer won by Federal Judge, who exited to win the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland.

Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England’s New York homebred General Banker [post 8, Luis Rivera, Jr.] seeks his second Stallion Stakes Series victory after breaking his maiden in style in the 2022 Great White Way by 8 1/2 lengths. The 4-year-old son of Central Banker went on to finish third in a trio of “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep races at the Big A ahead of a return to restricted company.

This year, General Banker has hit the board in four outings, including a local open-company allowance coup going one-mile two starts back on October 12. He enters from a distant fifth-place finish in the nine-furlong Empire Classic on October 27.

Completing the field are stakes-placed Dr. Kraft [post 1, Dylan Davis] for trainer Chris Englehart and B D Saints [post 2, Ramon Vazquez] for trainer Mike Maker; seven-time winner Kaz Sugar Bank [post 7, Yabriel Ramos] for trainer Dimitrios Synnefias; and three-time winner Cicciobello [post 4, Jose Lezcano] for conditioner Derek Ryan.

The Thunder Rumble is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s nine-race card, which co-features the $125,000 NYSSS Staten Island in Race 7. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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