After meeting and hanging out with NY Riesling, our notes are full of statements such as “Adorable!!!” and “Love him!” He is now a certified Volunteer Favorite by two different groups of volunteers in two different years . We initially listed him last year, but then he was acquired by another track trainer to keep racing — but the volunteers who took his listing last year fell in love with him, as did the volunteers this year. Trust us, for two years running, we — who see them all — adore this horse and we think he is an absolute gem with just about the sweetest personality of any horse at the track!
So why do we LOVE NY Riesling? Let us count the ways: He is a friendly people loving peppermint hound and eye candy in his own right with his flashy red coat and chrome. His groom and handler said he is the kindest horse to work with, always agreeable and never sets a hoof wrong. Everyone who rides him loves him — he is currently being exercised in the mornings by an apprentice jockey, and his trainer has also had other people who are learning to be exercise riders get on him because he is so kind and does whatever the rider wants. He has lovely balanced conformation, with a strong shoulder and powerful hind end, and he is clean legged and reported to be sound. We saw him only three days after he raced, and he showed very nice relaxed movement at the jog, flowing and with good reach. We think that when he is let down from racing he will be an even better mover! We were told that he has spent winters in between racing seasons on a farm where he turns out well in a group with other horses. And he is the sweetest kindest horse on the backside! After he politely begged us for more and more peppermints, the person who handled him for his photo session draped the lead rope over his neck and stepped away; as she started to walk, NY Riesling followed her like a puppy dog. Then she stopped — he stopped. Then she stepped left — he followed; she stepped right — he followed. She stepped back — he did the same. And then he followed her right back into the barn with the rope over his neck and no person leading him. Wow — imagine how fun ground work and bonding will be with this horse! She ponies horses during morning exercise and at the afternoon races, and she said “I could throw a western saddle on him and take him right out on trails or to ponying other horses.” And then our show hunter rider volunteer said “I could throw an English saddle on him and take him right into the show ring.” We agreed — Western, english, show, trails, hunter paces, junior riders, ammy riders (working with a trainer of course) — this horse could do it all. NY Riesling has a good race record, with 4 wins and an additional 8 top 3 finishes in his 29 starts. But this year he has not been running as well as in the past, so his trainer wants to let him go on to a new career and hopefully a home where he will be as beloved and pampered as he is with them. NY Riesling has an excellent pedigree for sport horse disciplines. He is by Redesdale, who is by Speightstown from the Gone West sire line — known for good jumpers. Redesdale’s stakes winning dam by Danzig is a full sister to Danehilll, a superstar sire of top European turf runners (and sport horses) — another indicator of eventing ability. NY Riesling’s dam is by AP Indy, out of a Seeking the Gold mare, and she is a granddaughter of the great sport horse sire Pleasant Colony (form His Majesty Robot lines) and from one of the best female families in the American TB stud book.
Video: https://youtu.be/elPVWGGeU9w?si=yscas4fc-Anuwr7Z
Race record: https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse…