Interesting

Contessa claims Dutrow favorite Mr. Umphrey

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. lost one of his favorite horses to the claim box on Wednesday when Gary Contessa took stakes winner Mr. Umphrey for $75,000 out of a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming race at Monmouth Park. The Jules gelding finished fourth as the even-money favorite to Lemons of Love. Contessa claimed the six-year-old Florida-bred on behalf of Winning Move Stable. Mr. Umphrey won the Longfellow Stakes in June at Monmouth after finishing second to Gottcha Gold in the Skip Away Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park for owner Four Roses Thoroughbreds. Dutrow singled out Mr. Umphrey as a barn favorite on May 16 in a press conference prior to Big Brown’s Preakness Stakes (G1) victory. “He is like my brother,” Dutrow said. Dutrow and Contessa exchanged sharp words through the media in June after Big Brown was pulled up in the Belmont Stakes (G1). They are stabled near each other at Aqueduct.—Jeff Lowe

Quote Of The Day

"He's coming into his own. He's no longer in the role of rabbit, and he's a high-level horse in and of himself. We always knew he was a good horse."

Hanzly Albina, racing manager for Four Roses Thoroughbreds, on Mr. Umphrey winning the Longfellow Stakes at Monmouth Park. Mr. Umphrey used to be run as a rabbit for stablemates Diamond Stripes and Silver Wagon.


Mr. Umphrey Takes Longfellow Stakes (If you love me you will click the link and read the story about my little Jules colt. You may also notice that there is no mention of us buying him as a weanling and selling him as a yearling, but hey, who needs all that fame?)

My Jules

Mr. Umphrey (Jules/ Polish Delight), one of my weanling to yearling pinhooks, was second in yesterdays Skip Away at Gulfstream. WhoooHoooo! Chart here

Mr. Umphrey

The Jules colt I sold as a yearling is scheduled to run in the Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday, June 16th at Churchill Downs. Trainer Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. is running him as a rabbit for Diamond Stripes. Mr. Umphrey's last start was in the Metropolitan Handicap as a rabbit for Silver Wagon. As much as I like seeing a graduate of my farm running in a Graded Stake, I don't see that this colt has enough speed to be a very good rabbit. It didn't work for Silver Wagon in The Met, why is Dutrow trying again? He should just run the horse where he belongs!