OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bank Frenzy currently leads Doc Sullivan 2 to 1 in their head-to-head meetings dating back to last December. But when the two meet again in Saturday’s $125,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series, the edge may belong to Doc Sullivan.
The seven-furlong distance of the Thunder Rumble is a distance at which Doc Sullivan has won twice and at which Bank Frenzy is winless. In fact, Doc Sullivan is a two-time stakes winner at seven furlongs, having won the John Morrissey at Saratoga in July and the Mike Lee, also at Saratoga, in June 2024.
Though Doc Sullivan has lost his last two starts at seven furlongs, they did come in graded stakes and he was only beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Book’em Danno in the Grade 1 Forego in August. He was also beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Patriot Spirit in the Grade 3 Vosburgh.
“You’re talking about a horse against open company with Grade 1 and Grade 3 horses,” said John Ortiz, trainer of Doc Sullivan. “I’m not taking anything away from Bank Frenzy, but we do have an advantage at this level.”
Ortiz has only had Doc Sullivan for four of his 18 starts, and said he has seen improvement from the horse all the time.
“He came in a little bit headstrong, but each time we’ve run him, each time we worked him, and each day we get on him he’s settled into our program,” Ortiz said.
Joel Rosario rides Doc Sullivan from post 4.
In the Morrissey, Bank Frenzy finished fifth. Rudy Rodriguez, the trainer of Bank Frenzy, said he didn’t like the trip his horse got from the rail that day. While Rodriguez said he would like to have jockey Manny Franco take Bank Frenzy off the pace and come with a run on Saturday, also noting that there isn’t a lot of speed in the race.
“I’m going to tell Manny if you break on top try to go to the outside, let everybody come inside but my idea is to take him back and make one run on the outside,” Rodriguez said. “But sometimes when they break from the gate, the jockeys have to make their own decisions. I don’t want to take anything away from Manny.”
Bank Frenzy breaks from post 2. Dr. Kraft, who is inside, has a little bit of speed as well if Flavien Prat wants to use it. Dr. Kraft is coming out of a fifth-place finish in the Empire Classic.
Dr. Kraft is trained by Ilkay Kantarmaci, who also sends out Jackson Heights. That horse was third in a second-level allowance at 27-1 on Nov. 7.
General Banker, who got beat a neck in this race last year, is making his first start since June 27 for trainer Jimmy Ferraro.
With only five horses in the field, the Thunder Rumble is carded as the first race (11:40 a.m. Eastern) on the 10-race card.
Staten Island
Sunday Girl, a three-time stakes winner, is probably the best horse among the seven fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s $125,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Series.
However, she is more proficient at six or 6 1/2 furlongs than she is at the seven furlongs of this race, which could leave her a little vulnerable.
“I would say at this level I’m probably the best horse and she’s training very good and she hasn’t lost any momentum since the last race,” David Duggan, the trainer of Sunday Girl, said about the filly’s fourth-place finish in the Iroquois at 6 1/2 furlongs. “It’s always a variable, it’s always a question mark, the seven-eighths. I don’t think it’s the sweetest spot but where else am I going to go? And I think that’s the least of my worries, the extra half-furlong.”
Sunday Girl breaks from the outside post and does get the services of Flavien Prat, taking over for Katie Davis, who is serving a suspension before she heads to South Florida for the winter.
Duggan also sends out Intentious, a daughter of Solomini who is making her stakes debut and coming off an allowance win going seven furlongs. Joel Rosario rides from post 6.
“If they go fast enough, she’ll be rolling late,” Duggan said. “I don’t know if she’s good enough, but she warrants a shot.”
Stone Smuggler won the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the NYSS last fall at seven furlongs, but she is winless in two starts this year for trainer Jorge Abreu.
Midtown Lights is an intriguing upset candidate as she was reclaimed by Saffie Joseph Jr. for $45,000 out of a runner-up finish in a Nov. 8 allowance.
Khali Magic, Storm Changer, and Soloshot complete the field.
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