Wise Investment Giocoso, a $75,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, has defied expectations at every turn for trainer Keith Desormeaux and owner Ronald Ortowski (Rocker O Ranch). This past Saturday, Giocoso eclipsed $1 million in earnings for the duo – the former scouting him out and the latter cutting the cheque – after capturing the $300,00 Commonwealth Turf (G3T) at Churchill Downs. While it took everything he had to slide past 9-2 rival Chapman’s Peak by a head, it was truly a storybook outing for the sophomore son of Not This Time–Nutcracker Suite (IRE). Now a multiple graded stakes winner and member of the million-dollar club, Giocoso, at 7-2, paid $9.48 for the Commonwealth Turf triumph. Patience is a Virtue Still in search of her first career stakes score going into start number 48, Khali Magic kept her opponents guessing en route to a breakthrough conquest of the $125,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares three and older. Making her third consecutive appearance at Aqueduct, the seasoned 7-year-old mare, under rider Ruben Silvera, hopped out to an early lead and displayed great resolve to thwart all challengers for the richly deserved half-length victory. The Al Khali dark bay, trained and co-owned by Rudy Rodriguez, now sports a strong 12-9-7 line to go along with $776,768 in total prize money. Sent off at 12-1 on Saturday, Khali Magic paid $27.16. Taking Charge Bossy Candy wasted no time succeeding at the stakes tier, reaching the wire first in Saturday’s $150,000 Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine – her debut at the level. Leaving from the inside post the even-money favourite, Bossy Candy, with Rafael Hernandez in the irons, opted for a patient approach in the six-furlong sprint. In a performance beyond her years and expertise, the 2-year-old Candy Ride (ARG) filly assumed control in the mid-stretch before pulling away for the smooth two-length tally. On the board with a stakes score in her second start (1-1-0; $76,751), Bossy Candy paid $4.30. Bossy Candy and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning the Shady Well Stakes on November 22, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Running Man Barbadian Runner’s quest for a third straight stakes trophy took the Barbados bay to Laurel Park for the $100,000 Richard W. Small Stakes. Pitted against a cast of five foes, the five-time stakes winner had no trouble adding a sixth and keeping his streak alive with a steady 4 ¼-length victory. Letting the race develop, an unhurried Barbadian Runner maneuvered his way into striking position and took over in the upper stretch, not to be tested again. Bred in Maryland by Shamrock Farm, the $5,000 purchase by AJ Will Win Stable (Scott Groh) in 2023 has now collected north of $790,000 from 19 starts (7-5-4). As the 2-5 choice in Saturday’s Richard W. Small, Barbadian Runner paid $2.80. The Charm Fast Market, after a runner-up outing in last month’s Sands Point (G2T), returned to Aqueduct Sunday to contest the $175,000 Pebbles (G3T) – a 1 1/16-mile turf test for 3-year-old fillies. Teamed with Eclipse Award-winning rider Flavien Prat, the bay daughter of Volatile–Betty Draper remained composed as 10-1 hopeful Love You Anyway took command of the race early. The relaxed approach ultimately paid dividends for Fast Market and Prat, who drove clear leaving the sixteenth pole and pulled away for the 1 ½-length clearance. Now a graded stakes winner after her third try at the level, Fast Market boasts a 2-3-1 line from 11 starts for trainer John Terranova II and owner Hit The Bid Racing Stable (Hal and Allison Mintz). As the 3-2 choice, Fast Market paid $5.08. Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
