Big Town Hult Se rita Speightstown’s quick son Bridgetown sets up shop at Questroyal North

By Evan Hammonds

hese are heady days for both brilliance and durability, but raced by Eugene Melnyk, who, breeders in New York: Bridgetown certainly fits the bill. along with his wife, Laura, also T Growing purses at New A son of 2004 champion sprinter raced mighty Speightstown. Elles- York Racing Association tracks, Speightstown (by the undervalued mere is out of the unraced Empress growing breeders awards from ), who also just so hap- Aly, a full sister to 1991 Kentucky the New York State pens to be among the leading sires Derby (gr. I) winner Strike the Gold. Breeding & Development Fund, of 2013, Bridgetown was a stakes Melnyk, who has raced several and a growing base of New York- winner in four of five seasons while top runners and stood horses such bred horses. Four new stallions in training including a win in the as Flower Alley and Graeme Hall, have been added to the ranks for (Can-IIIT) and a has reduced his equine holdings in the 2014 breeding season, includ- runner-up effort in the Breeders’ his Thoroughbred portfolio of late ing the exciting Bridgetown. Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) at 2. but remains bullish on Bridgetown Few horses make their way to Bridgetown, out of the Tabasco as he has retained six breeding the breeding shed having shown Cat mare Ellesmere, was bred and rights in the promising stallion.

20 New York Breeder ❙ nytbreeders.org ❙ January 2014 “I believe in Bridgetown, and I’m state’s leading sires, care of Todd Pletch- going to support him,” Melnyk said. Omega Code, but er, Bridgetown devel- “Anytime you have a horse that is saw promise and oped into one of the the fastest son of a leading sire, value in presenting fastest and most con- with a bottom line that includes a Bridgetown in New sistent turf sprinters sister to a Kentucky Derby winner, York. in the country from you’ve got something exciting.” “He’s such a 2010-13. Clark Brewster, a trial lawyer great sire prospect, Finding his niche based in Tulsa, Okla., heads the I thought New York at five and six fur- group that will stand Bridgetown would be better,” longs on the turf, at Barry Ostrager’s 285-acre Quest- Brewster said. “He Bridgetown would royal North Farm near Stillwater. would be exposed win six more stakes Brewster has homes in Tulsa to a better pool of and place in another

and in upstate New York, where he mares and have a M ic h a e l Bur n s seven in a 23-race ca- and his wife, Deborah, spend most better chance to be Eugene Melnyk: “Anytime you reer. He would earn of the summer. While they own a what he can be.” have a horse that is the fastest $993,700 and also 4,200-acre cattle ranch in Okla- Melnyk, Brews- son of a leading sire, with a bot- set a course record of tom line that includes a sister to 1 homa and got interested in racing ter, and Ostrager— 1:00.67 for about 5 ⁄2 a Kentucky Derby winner, you’ve at Oaklawn Park and later when president of New got something exciting.” furlongs on the turf Remington Park opened in 1989, York Thorough- at Monmouth Park at the Brewsters have been active in bred Breeders—have the Thor- 3 in 2010. trying to run horses at Saratoga oughbred business in their blood At 6 in 2013, he made three and . Clark Brews- and share a common bond in the starts, hitting the board in all three, ter’s runners landed five races at belief Bridgetown will help move but had slowed some. the meet in the New York breeding program “He had his aches and pains,” 2013, which tied him for sixth in forward. Melnyk said. “He was running the the meet standings. best he could, but he was finish- “The last few years we’ve also Raising Bridget