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Yes, Kate is toughness personified. To be back riding again - especially at the level she is - speaks volumes for her commitment after horrendous injuries, and recently, a devastating personal tragedy. All credit to her. I don't think she would be backing off if she felt there was something she needed to say, so maybe just take it at face value? [ I didn't see her interviewed ]. As for Ellerslie...it has had a very patchy start, but - allowing for that and the dubious decisions causing that - the design is specifically focused on excellent drainage. Look at the jurisdictions Strathayr has performed well in. We would expect it to race fairly notwithstanding heavy rain. And it did, so well done there. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Under what was described as “perfect conditions” by analyst Kaitlin Free, a busy Saturday morning at Churchill Downs ensued as seven GI Kentucky Derby contenders logged published workouts for the “Run for the Roses” and a pair of GI Kentucky Oaks contenders also drilled for their connections, according to a press release from the track on Saturday morning. The tab included top Derby point getter Burnham Square (Liam's Map), who went a half-mile in :49.40 under pilot Brian Hernandez Jr. Trained by Ian Wilkes, the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes hero clipped through fractions of :24.40 and :37 and galloped out five furlongs in a composed 1:02. “It was just a maintenance work this morning since he just ran 11 days ago,” Wilkes said. “If I don't do something with him, he'll get too upset. I know I needed to run him more because he was making too many mistakes, and I thought I needed to educate him more so he doesn't make those mistakes in the Derby.” Putting in their own licks were Publisher (American Pharoah) and Tiztastic (Tiz the Law) who worked in company for their trainer Steve Asmussen. They completed their penultimate work for the Derby with a five-furlong move in :59.60. The former, with exercise rider Carlos Rosas aboard, and the latter, with jockey Joel Rosario in the saddle, began their move with an eighth-mile clocking of :12.80. Publisher briefly took advantage over his stablemate, working a quarter-mile in :24.20 and three-eighths in :36. Tiztastic's splits were :24.40 and :36.40. The colts galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.80. Also making moves were: 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) (four furlongs, :47.60); Final Gambit (Not This Time) (five furlongs, 1:00.80); Flying Mohawk (Karakontie {Jpn}) (five furlongs, 1:00); and Sovereignty (Into Mischief) (five furlongs, 1:00.60). At Turfway Park, GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby runner-up Chunk of Gold (Preservationist) worked a half-mile in :50 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02. Also of note, likely Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism breezed a half-mile in 47 flat alongside stablemate Feel the Magic (Good Magic) at Santa Anita on Saturday morning. The Michael McCarthy trainee is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. As for the Oaks hopefuls, trainer Whit Beckman's duo of Simply Joking (Practical Joke) and Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro) lit up the Saturday work tab–cruising five furlongs in :58.40. That time was the fastest of 56 works at the distance. Simply Joking, with Florent Geroux aboard, and Drexel Hill, with Ben Curits up, posted a sharp opening quarter-mile of :22.60 while continuing three furlongs in :34. The pair galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.60, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols. Easter Sunday is expected to be a quiet morning at Churchill Downs. The next group of Derby contenders is scheduled to breeze Tuesday, led by Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong) and Coal Battle (Coal Front). The post Burnham Square And Simply Joking Drill On Busy Churchill Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Never in the history of the breeze-up game have the top horses been worth more. That was evident at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale last week when the record for the most expensive horse ever sold at the sale was broken not once but twice and top agents Richard Brown and Billy Jackson-Stops admitted to finding it hard to land a blow. Malcolm Bastard's 1.75 million gns record-breaking Havana Grey colt played a pretty significant role in the turnover reaching an all-time high of nearly 20 million gns. On top of that, the clearance rate rested at an extremely healthy 83%, suggesting there was a real depth to the market. Another encouraging sign for vendors going forward. However, Con Marnane, who sold the fifth most expensive horse in the sale–a 650,000gns Havana Grey colt to Godolphin–says there are still gaps in the market, pointing to the fact that he brought home two expensively-bought Too Darn Hot colts from the sale. “Hats off to Tattersalls,” Marnane said, “it was a remarkable sale–the crowds that were there and the money that was around the place was phenomenal. We enjoyed a fantastic result with the Havana Grey colt but we also took two Too Darn Hots home with us, which I was shocked about. But they are mile/mile-and-a-quarter horses who didn't do a time and, unfortunately, that's the way the thing is gone. We'll just have to race them now and, if they show something on the track, they'd sell like hot cakes to Australia.” Few agents, if any, can boast the roll of honour that Blandford Bloodstock's Brown has in recent years and, despite buying on behalf of a country, he could only come away with two horses–colts by Starman and Starspangledbanner for a combined 590,000gns–from the Craven. Reflecting on the trade, Brown said, “It must have been the strongest breeze-up sale ever. The top was very strong but, for me, it also felt as though there was a lot more depth to the market than normal. People say that there can be a knock-on effect to the top end of the market being strong. I don't necessarily agree with that because you are only talking about two or three very select lots that obviously made big money. I actually felt there was a lot of depth in that 50,000-200,000 range, which is so important.” He added, “Olly Tait [Wathnan Racing Manager] has been very clear that we set a value on these horses and stick to that value. We didn't value horses as highly as other operations did so we didn't buy very much last week. If that continues to be the case at Doncaster, Arqana and beyond, so be it. It may well be the case that we don't buy many breeze-up horses this year if they keep exceeding the valuations that we put on them.” Con Marnane | Tattersalls Jackson-Stops said he found filling orders at the Craven to be “tricky”. He spent 390,000gns on three horses but admitted to being surprised by the strength of Amo Racing–who spent 3.16 million gns on seven lots, ending the sale as the leading buyer–, who played a pivotal role in the sale exceeding all expectations. He said, “It was definitely tricky. But it always is. When you are spending between 150,000-250,000, you always end up on the 400,000 and 500,000 horses and you're just hoping that it might fall into your bracket. I didn't think the Craven would be as strong as it was. I thought buyers like Amo Racing, for example, would not be as active given they had filled their boots at the yearling sales but clearly they wanted to continue. So it was difficult. But we have managed to buy nice horses out of Doncaster, France and Tattersalls Ireland, so there is no panic. There are enough sales so patience is key.” With all of this money floating about and leading buyers openly admitting to struggling to fill orders, a case could be made that there has never been a better time to be a breeze-up handler. Not quite. Of the 133 pinhooks that went through the ring, 80 made a profit and 53 fell flat on their face. That means that 60% of the yearlings that were purchased for the sole purpose of going breezing made a profit. Another promising statistic, it must be said, but lest we forget that the cost of production has never been higher and the Craven is very much an elite sale. For many handlers, when they have a horse that can jump through the hoops, it needs to go on and make a premium to pay for the others. A case in point being Marnane's performance last week in netting a cool 650,000gns for the Havana Grey but bringing home two horses that stood him six figures. Rest assured there were plenty of others in that boat and the handler has put forward a quirky suggestion that might help prop up the middle market in the years to come. Marnane said, “I think that something should be done to help the sales houses, the consignors and the purchasers. A bonus scheme could work well and I've floated the idea before. Say for example if you took 2% of the turnover from the breeze-ups sales last year, there would be a million worth of bonuses. If you had, say, 100 bonuses to the value of 10,000 per bonus for every breeze-up horse that went on to win a race, it could be a huge help. How that money was collected would need to be decided upon by the sales companies, the vendors and the buyers but it could be something that would help the middle market going forward. The prize-money in Britain and Ireland is a disgrace and there's no doubt that it's hurting the middle to lower end of the market so we need to do something.” Billy Jackson-Stops | Tattersalls Goffs chief Henry Beeby was far from dismissive of such an idea and, speaking ahead of his breeze-up sale next week, revealed that the sales house has gone to great lengths to attract buyers from all over the world–particularly the Middle East–to help prop up the middle to lower tiers. Regarding the top end of the market, Brown, who purchased last year's Queen Mary heroine Leovanni (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) along with many other top-notchers from the sale, warned that Wathnan's principals would not be changing. If people thought the ace agent was sitting on his hands at the Craven in anticipation for Doncaster, they may think again. Brown says he will only be shopping if the price is right. “It's very simple,” he explained. “We value the horses. Olly and I sit down, he then goes to the powers that be in Qatar for approval, and they give us approval or they don't. That's it. The values are set. For me, there were a lot of horses there [at the Craven] that went a long way beyond our valuations. Like I said, it may well be that we don't buy many breeze-up horses this year if the market continues like that. We've set out to be very disciplined and I think that will stand to us in the long run.” He added, “We'll see what's up there [at Doncaster]. But how hopeful am I? Not very given the marketplace. There will be other opportunities that will present itself if the market is very strong but we will go up there and work the sale hard and, if there are some nice horses up there, I am sure we will try. But we may only be trying. We don't feel we have to go and buy a load of breeze-up horses. We're not under pressure. We have the horses-in-training market, we have our own two-year-olds coming through from the yearling market and then we buy off the track as well. So we're not under pressure to go and buy, say, 10 breeze-up horses. We just deal with each sale, each horse and each opportunity that presents itself.” The post Market Reflections: Record-Breaking Trade At Tattersalls Points To More Of The Same At Goffs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
2nd-Keeneland, $110,000, Msw, 4-19, 3yo, 7f, 1:28.47, ft, 7 1/4 lengths. CRUDO (c, 3, Justify–Blossomed, by Deputy Minister) was looking to atone for a debut fourth at odds-on at Gulfstream Feb. 8 in which he had some trouble at the break but was nevertheless there to win the race in upper stretch before weakening late. Favored this time at 44-100, the $350,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase was fastest of the sextet into stride and quickly opened up on his rivals, requiring just :24.02 to negotiate the first couple of furlongs with token pressure to his outside. Lobbing them along ears pricked into the turn, Crudo was saved for a finish and responded when asked by John Velazquez, widening at will to take it by 7 1/4 lengths. Crudo is the full-brother to the 5-year-old mare Awesome Result, MSW-Jpn, $1,108,666, perfect in her eight career starts and who went over the $1-million mark in career earnings in the Listed Queen Sho at Funabashi this past February. That was her first start since being scratched from a potentially mouth-watering clash with eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 2. Crudo is also a half-brother to Bodacious Babe (Mineshaft), GSP, $154,259, the dam of recent Heavenly Cause Stakes heroine Royal Spa (Violence); and to Saayedd (Malibu Moon), SW-UAE, $136,825; and Sippican Harbor (Orb), GISW, $262,650. Sales history: 350,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $520,000 RNA Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $70,148. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-James Ventura & B Flay Thoroughbreds; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher. The post Justify’s Well-Related Crudo Airs At Second Asking at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Sunday, Toulouse, France, post time: 16:07, PRIX AYMERI DE MAULEON – FONDS EUROPEAN DE L'ELEVAGE-Listed, €55,000, 3yo, 8fT Field: Tipinso (Fr) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Instant Fragile (Fr) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Eggleston (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Charengo (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}), Merano (Swi) (Vanishing Cupid {Swi}), Rue Roy (Fr) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), Eponine (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Medusa Merger (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Stupor Mundi (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Given the time of year, there is still scope for this to be a Classic trial if the right type steps up and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulcihes entry Eponine could be just that after two wins from two starts at Pau. Out of a half to the 2017 winner of that Classic, Precieuse (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), the Cotton House Bloodstock homebred meets last year's Listed Criterium du Languedoc winner Tipinso, who was not disgraced under a penalty on his seasonal bow here last month. Sunday, Toulouse, France, post time: 16:42, PRIX CARAVELLE – HARAS DES GRANGES – FONDS EUROPEAN DE L'ELEVAGE-Listed, €55,000, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT Field: Zakharova (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Ginalyah (Ire) (Chachnak {Fr}), Rabbit's Foot (Fr) (Golden Horde {Ire}), Pinatique (Fr) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Porte Molitor (Fr) (Taj Mahal {Ire}), Three Pearls (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), Feve (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), Soccer Sister (Ire) (Havana Gold {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Another unbeaten and unexposed type shows up here in Pinatique, a G1 Prix de Diane entry who hails from the distinguished family of Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). While she needs to up her game on her last-out win at Bordeaux-le-Bouscat in March, with her genetics and connections it is hard to say how far she can go at this stage. The debut course-and-distance winner Rabbit's Foot is interesting, being by the sprinter Golden Horde but endowed with stamina from the dam who has already produced last year's G2 Prix d'Harcourt scorer and G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes runner-up Zarakem (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Eponine Tests Classic Future In Prix Aymeri de Mauleon appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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