David Cassidy on the Web
May 4, 2006
www.nybreds.com
In addition to Times Square winner Prince of Peace, New York stallion Regal Classic also is the sire of David Cassidy's and Edward Lipton's homebred HALF HEAVEN, an open N2X allowance-winning filly going a mile on Aqueduct's turf on the same Sunday card and heading a New York-bred exacta. Coming off a five-month layoff as one of two participants among nine older female competitors that had not started in 2006, Half Heaven won decisively as the 4.50-to-1 third choice with jockey Norbert Arroyo Jr. on board for the first time in competition. In preparing the four-year-old filly for her first start since placing a close second in Aqueduct's November 19 Soaring Softly Stakes on turf for three-year-old fillies (non-stakes winners on grass), New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) 2004 Trainer of the Year Gary Contessa had given her four workouts over 26 days. The victory increased Half Heaven's earnings by $28,800 to $165,049 while improving her record to 4 - 4 - 1 in 12 starts, which also includes second-and-third-place efforts, respectively, in Belmont's 2005 Gaviola (same conditions as the Soaring Softly) and Jena Jena (for New York-bred fillies) Stakes. Placing second was New York-bred Samsincharge ($155,148), and finishing fourth was New York-bred Pelham Bay ($191,419), as New York-breds earned 88 percent of the total purse and qualified for an additional $18,528 in owner, breeder, and stallion owner awards. Half Heaven is a half-sister to New York-bred 2006 two-time three-year-old filly winner Doll Baby ($116,056), who also was a winning stakes-placed 2005 juvenile. She is the second of three offspring of racing age through 2005, all winners, produced from seven-time winner Sand Pirate, who is a half-sister to the dam of Grade 2 winner and turf and dirt stakes winner Continental Red ($1,363,788 through 2005).
