Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms is seldom the sole owner of his horses, but not uncommonly, he is the sole representative in the winner's circle, as he was July 24 at Saratoga Race Course, when his second 2-year-old winner of the meet, Out On Bail, graduated in a maiden special weight for New York-breds.
The third time was the charm for the son of first-crop sire Tiz the Law : he was second in his first race at a muddy Aqueduct Racetrack, then third behind eventual Sanford Stakes (G3) winner Mo Plex, also at Aqueduct, over a fast strip. This time, trainer Mike Maker tried the gray or roan colt on turf.
"Last time, (jockey) Manny (Franco) came back and said he didn't like the dry dirt," said Maker. "Before that, he struggled with the off-track. He said we should try turf, so we did."
Proscia owns the colt with Case Chambers and frequent partner David Staudacher, neither of whom could be at Saratoga when Out On Bail won.
Earlier in the meet, Proscia and Staudacher won with first-time starter Under Who's Radar (Violence ), whose ownership group also includes Angelo Carlesimo, JP Racing Stable, and Skychai Racing. Like Out On Bail, Under Who's Radar was bred in New York, brought $110,000 at auction, and is trained by Maker.
Out On Bail's share of the $90,000 purse puts him at the top of Tiz the Law's progeny earnings list. Also a New York-bred, the 2020 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up stood the 2024 season at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., for $20,000.
Proscia and Staudacher have had prior success with horses bred in New York: their Barese, who was sired by the late Laoban when he was standing in New York, has earned more than half a million dollars, and The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso ) has earned nearly that in a career that has included three runner-up finishes in graded stakes.
Both The Wine Steward and Barese were also trained by Maker, who selected Out On Bail from this year's Ocala Breeders' Sale March 2-year-olds in training sale.
"He was a very well-balanced colt with a great mind," said Maker. "I liked his work, and he was a New York-bred. I wasn't necessarily looking for a New York-bred, but he was a horse I liked, and his being a New York-bred made it easy to call Peter and say, 'I like this New York-bred.' End of story."
Under Who's Radar won his debut on dirt July 19.
"We really liked him at the sale," said Maker, "and you can recoup a lot of money if you get a good New York-bred."
"Every year," said Proscia, "we talk about how many we want to buy and how much we're going to spend. Sometimes we go a little overboard, but with this one, we didn't. He fell right into our wheelhouse."
Under Who's Radar was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and broke from the rail, a post position that initially concerned his connections. The colt went to the lead and was never less than a length in front, winning by 3 1/2 lengths.
"The rail was worrisome," said Proscia, "but once he got out there, he looked pretty good."
