Biogio's Rose to End Career in Rare Treat

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From NYRA
Start with a hard-hitting New York-bred, who's been fast enough to win more than $775,000, making the last start of her career in a race she won last year. Add a six-year-old mare that earned $389,000 in 2000, chasing the likes of Beautiful Pleasure, Riboletta and Heritage of Gold and top it off with an improving four-year-old that has taken giant steps forward over the last few months, giving every indication she'll be a force in major New York stakes this year.

And right there you have the makings of a Rare Treat -- or, specifically, Monday's President's Day feature, the 29th running of the Rare Treat Handicap for fillies and mares at a mile and an eighth. Considering how talented and evenly matched Pentatonic, Pompeii and Reine Amandine look on paper, this grade III, $100,000-added event has the making of one of the better inner track stakes of 2001.

No matter how you look at it, Joseph and Alfred Nastasi's Biogio's Rose has had a splendid career on the racetrack. In all, this state-bred mare by Polish Numbers-Fois Gras, by Barachois, has won 16-of-51 starts, including six stakes. Trained by Bobby Ribaudo, Biogio's Rose will be bred to 1999 Belmont and Travers winner, Lemon Drop Kid. Understandably, the Rare Treat will be a bittersweet one for Ribaudo.

"She's going to be missed," Ribaudo said. "She's by far our best horse and has kind of kept the barn going. She was a pleasure to train and I'd love to see her pass on her talents to another generation." Biogio's Rose has won five-of-11 races on the inner track, but will have to step her game up if she is to contend for the top prize. Biogio's Rose has lost her four races by a combined margin of 29 lengths. Cornelio Velasquez has the mount at 114 pounds.

Robert Clay's Pompeii made her stakes debut against a salty group of veterans in the grade III Affectionately on January 13th and the newly-turned, four-year-old filly handled herself well. The once head-strong filly had no trouble rating off the pace, launched a three-wide move on the far turn, kicked clear in mid-stretch, and gave way grudgingly in the final yards to Pentatonic and Strolling Belle. Both Pentatonic and Strolling Belle were no strangers to graded stakes competition.

"She's got a lot more confidence now," said trainer John Kimmel's assistant, Loretta Lusteg. "It's just a matter of her getting better and more mature."

Pompeii, a daughter of 1986 Wood Memorial winner Broad Brush-Flying Heat, by Private Account, has never raced this far but is bred to get the distance. Javier Castellano has the mount.

Pentatonic's combined margin of defeat in four grade I races last year was 38 lengths. This Cure the Blues mare, however, turned in gutsy performances in every one of those races, gamely earning minor awards. A New York-bred owned by Sheila Sherry, Pentatonic earned more than $389,000 in 12 races last year. Additionally, Sherry received $64,870 in New York Breeding awards.

"She's ready to fire in every one of her races, but she's not a tough horse to train," trainer Richard Schosberg said. "She keeps herself going and always has her game face on. She kept strong company last year, but ran because she wanted to. She deserves all the credit." Two races back, Pentatonic finished first in the grade III Ladies Handicap, but was disqualified to second-place after bumping Strolling Belle late in the stretch. In order to prevent Pentatonic from lugging in again, Schosberg equipped her with a different bit in the Affectionately a month later. Pentatonic had little trouble surging past Strolling Belle and Pompeii for her eighth victory in that grade III on January 13. "I was glad we got the win last time, it was sweet revenge" said Schosberg, who saddled 1996 Rare Treat winner Very True.

Glencrest Farm's Reine Amandine, a French-bred mare, has earned more than $118,000 on turf, but may be a better dirt horse. Trained by Bruce Levine, Reine Amandine has been racing in superb form since returning from a three-month freshening on November 3rd. Two races back, Reine Amandine finished third, beaten just more than two lengths, by Pentatonic and Strolling Belle in the grade III Ladies. Reine Amandine, off at 23-1, was the victim of a wide trip that day, but still finished up with a big run. The likes of Pompeii, Perlinda and Sheldon's Jet in the Rare Treat may ensure a fast pace for Reine Amandine to close into.

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