Virginia-breds Ring Knocker and River Date celebrated the end of 2016 with respective wins in a pair of $58,000 starter races at Aqueduct. The former pushed her bankroll over the $200,000 mark while the latter earned his straight win.

Ring Knocker, a now 5 year old Birdstone mare bred by the Morgans Ford Farm, rallied into contention from fifth with a furlong to go on New Years Eve in her six furlong sprint. Jockey Rajiv Maragh led the charge, and the winner crossed one half length over Sing For Beauty in 1:12.50. Ring Knocker scored her fourth win of 2016 and each came at a different track — Gulfstream,  Delaware Park, Saratoga and Aqueduct.  Out of the Black Tie Affair mare, Pearls, the victor enters a new year with a bankroll of $208,844. The ownership group of Bob Petersons Stables, LLC, Frank Bellavia and Gary Gullo collected a 25% bonus as part of the VTA/HBPA Mid-Atlantic incentive program.

Ring Knocker had a New Years Eve victory at Aqueduct in a $58,000 starter race. Photo by Adam Coglianese.

River Date, a 5 year old Pioneerofthenile gelding bred by Henry Carroll, went gate to wire in his 1 1/16th miles race. The winner held on by a neck and crossed in 1:45.89. The Antonio Arriaga trainee started his NYRA hat trick October 2nd with a victory at Belmont and followed that with a win November 18th at Aqueduct.  With the December 30th triumph, The Players Group — who owns River Date — will receive a 25% bonus on top of purse winnings courtesy of the same incentive program. River Date, out of How Bout Tonight by Proud Citizen, has earned $130,565 from 13 career starts.

River Date went gate to wire December 30th at Aqueduct. Photo by Adam Coglianese.

A trio of others, all 6 year old geldings entering the New Years holiday weekend, scored wins. Yes I Win crossed first at Hawthorne, Moonlight Meeting was best at Los Alamitos and Hunterwood was victorious at Sunland.

Yes I Win trailed by 2 1/2 lengths at the top of the stretch in his five furlong claiming race, but the 6 year old Yes It’s True gelding came on late to win by one half length. Bred by the Morgans Ford Farm, the winner finished 2016 with back to back victories, the first ones of his career.

Moonlight Meeting, bred by the Hart Farm, won a 4 1/2 furlong claiming race New Years Day at Los Alamitos. The Malibu Moon gelding went gate to wire over five other foes in :51.35. He is out of the Foxhound mare, Beautiful Stranger, and in 21 starts, has won $61,875.

The first day of 2017 was also kind to Hunterwood, a Hansel gelding who captured a one mile claimer in come from behind fashion. He trailed by eight at the half, but surged in the second turn with a five wide move and won handily by five lengths. Bred by the Lazy Lane Farms, Hunterwood hit the six figure mark in earnings — $102,598 — with the triumph.

Thoroughbred owner Kaleem Shah and trainer Bob Baffert are parting ways after an eight-year run that produced at least 11 graded stakes winners, including five Grade 1 winners, topped by Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern.

Daily Racing Form broke the news Saturday night after Baffert sent a four-paragraph statement to one of its writers. Neither Baffert nor Shah has commented on the reason for the break-up.

G1 winners Dortmund, who turns 5 on Jan. 1, and Del Mar Futurity winner Klimt will be among six horses previously trained by Baffer that go to Art Sherman. Seven of Shah’s other runners will go from Baffert to trainer Doug O’Neill. Among those sent to O’Neill were 3-year-old maiden winner Iliad, a son of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, and American Gal, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Owner Kaleem Shah, left, await’s the return of Klimt with trainer Bob Baffert, right, after their victory in the Grade II, $200,00 Best Pal Stakes, Saturday, August 13, 2016 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar CA.© BENOIT PHOTO

Shah’s most recent runner with Baffert came on Friday when Fantastic Style, a G2-winning daughter of Harlan’s Holiday, finished fifth as the 1-2 favorite in the Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita in her first start since May.

Shah has made significant investments at yearling and 2-year-old auctions, including the $1.9 million Take Control, a 2-year-old sale graduate of 2009 who wound up winning just $70,450. Baffert has been his primary agent, buying horses either in the name of Shah, Ed Savant or in his own name as agent. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni has also purchased horses on Shah’s behalf at public auction.

In 2016, Shah’s horses made 74 starts, with 19 wins, 19 seconds and nine thirds, for earnings of $1,803,081, ranking him 41^st by North American earnings. In 2015, Shah’s North American runners earned $2,345,130 (24^th) and in 2014 – the year Bayern won the Breeders’ Cup Classic – he had his best year, ranking second with $5,977,978.

Among Shah’s other graded stakes winners are G1 winners Eden’s Moon, and Declassify, Concord Point, May Day Rose, Fed Biz, Can the Man, Awesome Baby and Fantastic Style.

“It was a big surprise for me,” said Sherman, who will send out 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome for his final race in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park. After that, it’s off to stud for the popular California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit who turned six today, so Dortmund could prove a fortuitous acquisition.

“I only met Mr. Shah one time. He was very cordial and a very nice man,” Sherman said. “It came out of the blue. I’ve never had a client like him with so much money.”

Sherman will ship California Chrome to Florida from Ontario Airport at 2 a.m. on Jan. 6. Sherman plans to leave Jan.19.

“The horse is doing unbelievably good,” Sherman said.

Said Doug O’Neill: “We’re so excited, blessed and grateful. We’re looking forward to being a part of Team Shah.”

Added Doug’s brother, Dennis: “We were sitting in our suite at Santa Anita when we got the news. We were extremely surprised.”