Wandering Eyes

A convincing victory by Diamond Jak (NZ) (Jakkalberry) in the $50,000 Savabeel 2100 capped a special hour at Te Rapa on Saturday for Matamata brothers Peter and Mark Brosnan. The two trainers collected wins in back-to-back races on the Te Rapa card, starting with Ima Wonder’s triumph for Peter Brosnan and his wife Jessica in the Bridges Insurance Services Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4800m). Mark Brosnan followed suit 40 minutes later, saddling Diamond Jak for a richly deserved success in the day’s 2100m open handicap. Diamond Jak headed to Te Rapa on Saturday in search of redemption, having run a close and unlucky second after a wide run in last month’s Taumarunui Gold Cup (2200m) at the same venue. This time jockey Jasmine Fawcett took up a position on the outside of the pace-making My Maebelline Girl for the majority of the 2100m journey, then quickened and headed that rival soon after straightening for home. Diamond Jak faced stern opposition on both flanks through the final 200m, with My Maebelline Girl refusing to lie down on his inside while Dashwood challenged strongly wider out on the track. But Diamond Jak dug deep and pulled away from that pair, crossing the finish line a length and a half ahead. The six-year-old son of Jakkalberry has now had 23 starts for four wins, nine placings and $125,625 in prize-money. “It’s been a pretty good day for the family,” Mark Brosnan said. “I thought Diamond Jak won very well today. He was strong. “We rode him a bit differently this time, just because of race circumstances. He did a good job, and I think he really deserved to win a nice race like that after being so unlucky in his last run. “What we do with him from here is a very difficult question. He’s a four-win horse, but he’d be close to topweight in most open handicaps now. There’s not a lot of options available to us. But we’ll take this win for now and enjoy that, and then we’ll take a bit of time to work through where we might go with him from here.” View the full article

Promising three-year-old Suit Yourself (NZ) (Savile Row) honoured the memory of the late Kevin Hickman in perfect fashion when he scored a special victory at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Pam Gerard-trained colt is a son of Savile Row, one of the many tremendous horses bred and raced by Hickman who passed away on Friday after a lengthy illness. Hickman developed his Valachi Downs Stud into an internationally respected thoroughbred nursery, with Savile Row one of the many Group One performers bred and raced from the Matamata-based operation. Suit Yourself is from the third crop of the multiple Group One placegetter, who currently stands at Mapperley Stud and had been well-favoured to score on debut at Rotorua last month but had to settle for the runner-up position on that occasion. Punters were keen to follow up in the maiden 1200m event at Te Rapa and were rewarded for that support as rider Ryan Elliot produced a gem to launch an attack at the 300m that saw the combination shoot clear and then grimly hold on to a margin over the hard chasing Myakkabelle at the finish. Gerard was full of enthusiasm for the horse who she and partner Tommy Hazlett purchased as a weanling for $3,000 on gavelhouse.com, when Valachi was dispersing horses due to the ill health of Hickman. “That was the plan to try and get a win early in his career and he’s been a really nice colt right through,” Gerard said. “He didn’t do everything right, but he’d had that race day experience and is learning all the time. “We’re looking forward to getting him up over 1400m and a mile, and may look towards the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m) or, possibly, sending him south early to Riccarton. “He does seem to handle give in the ground, but also has a pretty nice action so we expect he will quicken accordingly on better footing. He’s big, strong, and balanced, so he can get through it. “He’s very much in the mould of his old man (Savile Row) and we’ve seen a lot of similarities in everything about him. “He’s so much like Savile Row it’s not funny. Three or four months after we bought him, he had the same shiny coat and just looked amazing. “We were lucky enough to buy him before the half-sister (Sedaka) won and then finished second in the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) and Sunline Vase (Gr. 3, 2100m). “I see Suit Yourself as a real Derby type, but that’s a long way off at the moment.” Elliot was also suitably impressed by the effort. “He’s still got a few things to learn as he is still doing a few things wrong, but he is a nice horse going forward,” he said. “He is a real colt and gets on the toe but has a bright future ahead of him. “He jumped a bit slow, and we had to work around them but when he hit the front, he was still a bit green but once he sharpens that up, he will be a very nice horse.” Suit Yourself is the ninth individual winner for his sire who was a stakes winner and three times Group One placed performer and the first son of Makfi to stand at stud in New Zealand. He will stand for a service fee of $2,500 + GST for the 2024 breeding season. View the full article

What Wagga Races Where Murrumbidgee Turf Club – Travers St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 When Monday, August 26, 2024 First Race 1:40pm AEST Visit Dabble Racing in the Riverina area heads to Wagga on Monday afternoon, where a quickfire seven-race meeting is set down for decision. With showers forecast on Sunday, the Soft 7 rating at the time of acceptances is unlikely to improve, but with clear skies on the agenda come Monday, we shouldn’t be racing on a bottomless track either. The rail sticks in its true position, with action commencing at 1:40pm AEST. Best Bet at Wagga: Gundy Guy The Todd Smart-trained Gundy Guy is stepping back from Highway company, where he was far from disgraced when finishing midfield at Randwick on August 10. The four-year-old gelding was returning off a 19-week spell, and considering he is already a winner when second-up in his career, is sure to derive great benefit upon his return to Wagga. He is undefeated through two starts at this track and drawn in barrier three, will be in a prominent position to strike over the 1200m. As long as he can carry the 61.5kg on a testing surface, Gundy Guy should prove too good for his rivals. Best Bet Race 6 – #2 Gundy Guy (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Todd Smart | J: Billy Owen (61.5kg) +150 with Picklebet Next Best at Wagga: Lost Ya Sock Chief Stipe Gorrel’s Lost Ya Sock has returned in fine fashion this time in, most notably when finishing second at the Wagga 1400m on August 11. The three-year-old filly returns to the track and trip on Monday in a bid to go one better as she looks to break through for her maiden success. With speed drawn to her outside, Hannah Williams should gain a cart across the field and land a stalking position in the moving line. From there, Lost Ya Sock will have a sit on some potentially vulnerable leaders, where she should prove too hard to hold out. Next Best Race 1 – #9 Lost Ya Sock (8) 3yo Filly | T: Chief Stipe Gorrel | J: Hannah Williams (a0) (55kg) +400 with Neds Best Value at Wagga: Rossellini Despite being a maiden stepping out in Class 1 company, the Joseph Ible-trained Rossellini presents great each-way value with horse racing bookmakers. Having finished second at her last two starts, the National Defense filly has her hoof on the till and from barrier two draws to gain every favour in running. With this being her fourth start of her career, she should be reaching peak fitness, and with an economical run in transit on the heels of the leaders, Rossellini will look to pinch it on the rail. Best Value Race 4 – #11 Rossellini (2) 4yo Mare | T: Joseph Ible | J: Louise Day (55kg) +900 with PlayUp Monday quaddie tips for the Wagga Wagga quadrella selections Monday, August 26, 2024 1-2-3-6-7-11 3-6-7 2-5 2-5-6-12-14 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

A 3-year-old taking on older runners for the first time, Raging Torrent gamely battled with the more seasoned The Chosen Vron to edge that rival in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar.View the full article

It would have made perfect sense had Chief Stipe O'Neill elected to send RAGING TORRRENT (c, 3, Maximus Mischief–Violent Wave, by Violence) across the continent for Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, given his two very powerful recent victories over seven furlongs, including the June 30 Maxfield Stakes. Instead, he walked out of his barn at Del Mar and handed heavily favored The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) a rare defeat in the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes. In receipt of seven pounds from The Chosen Vron, Raging Torrent took command within the opening quarter mile and had the chalk glued to his outside through splits of :22.56 and :44.96. Ridden along approaching the quarter pole, Raging Torrent may have been headed at midstretch and battled back very gamely inside for a narrow victory. Big City Lights (Mr. Big) ran on for third ahead of G1 Saudi Cup hero and G1 Dubai World Cup third Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), who was predictably outrun, but finished up nicely and galloped out very strongly around the turn. Raging Torrent is the first graded winner for Spendthrift's Maximus Mischief. Sales history: $27,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 10-4-1-2. O-Mark Davis; B-Rodney J Winkler & Alfonso Mazzetti (KY); T-Chief Stipe O'Neill. RAGING TORRENT held off The Chosen Vron ($10.80) to win the $250,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) @LanesEndFarms @BreedersCup Challenge Series Race at @DelMarRacing. The 3-year-old colt by Maximus Mischief (@spendthriftfarm) was trained by @DougONeill1, @Antonio1Fresu up! pic.twitter.com/puzT4gjT37 — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 25, 2024 The post Raging Torrent Outsprints The Chosen Vron In the Pat O’Brien appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Live Oak Plantation's Ticker Tape Home tallies her first graded success Aug. 24 taking the CA$153,240 Seaway Stakes (G3) at Woodbine. View the full article

In a race that lived up to the hype, Fierceness, the reigning champion 2-year-old male of 2023, outlasted the brilliant 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna to win the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

In one of the most anticipated races of the weekend, Domestic Product delivered the finest performance of his career, outfinishing Prince of Monaco and Book'em Danno to win the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Saturday's 14-race DraftKings Travers Day card generated a record-setting all-sources wagering handle of $63,023,405, according to a press release from NYRA on Saturday. The 2024 figure represents a 13.4 percent increase over the prior record of $55,559,317, which was established in 2022. Paid attendance on Saturday was 47,844 with on-track handle of $11,267,864. THE CHAMP IS BACK! Fierceness, son of @LanesEndFarms stallion City of Light, wins the G1 @DraftKings Travers Stakes, leaving no doubt that he's back on top! The legendary @ljlmvel was aboard for @PletcherRacing and @RepoleStable. pic.twitter.com/M8KY6h4sQr — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024 The post DraftKings Travers Day Wagering A Record With Over $63 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In a race that lived up to the hype, Fierceness, the reigning champion 2-year-old male of 2023, outlasted the brilliant 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna to win the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

After winning the King's Plate Aug. 23 at Woodbine with Caitlinhergrtness, Siena Farm and WinStar Farm teamed up to take down another major race Aug. 24, this time on United States soil with Mullikin in the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.View the full article

Repole Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' FIERCENESS (c, 3, City of Light–Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) opened as a 6-1 chance for Saturday's GI Draft Kings Travers Stakes, the highlight of the summer meeting at Saratoga, and was a dime shy of 4-1 when they threw the latch at the mile-and-a-quarter start. Last to load, the homebred was off well and took up a forward position as Batten Down (Tapit) was intent on heading off his rivals and galloped his seven rivals along through an opening quarter-mile that was sharp enough in :23. while pursued by GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes hero Dornoch (Good Magic). The connections of certain 3-year-old filly champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) would have done some contingency planning, as she has shown speed enough to lead in her races, but also an ability to settle and make a run. The latter tactics were employed, as the filly took back to third and followed the rail to the backstretch. Fierceness settled in midfield, but in the clear passing the six-furlong marker before improving a spot prior to the half-mile pole. They slowed the pace down and went the half in :48.62. They picked up the pace around the turn and John Velazquez had Fierceness poised to strike three wide, as Thorpedo Anna and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone prepared to deliver their challenges deeper out at the quarter pole. Fierceness claimed Batten Down with ease at the three-sixteenths and carried what appeared to be a winning lead into the final furlong. Thorpedo Anna called on all her quality and was gaining on Fierceness as the wire loomed, but the reigning 2-year-old champ was home about a half-head best. Sierra Leone was third as the 8-5 favorite. It was a second win for owner Mike Repole, whose Stay Thirsty–the dam sire of Fierceness–won it back in 2011. Lifetime Record: 8-5-0-1. O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. THE CHAMP IS BACK! Fierceness, son of @LanesEndFarms stallion City of Light, wins the G1 @DraftKings Travers Stakes, leaving no doubt that he's back on top! The legendary @ljlmvel was aboard for @PletcherRacing and @RepoleStable. pic.twitter.com/M8KY6h4sQr — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024 The post Fierceness Holds Off Thorpedo Anna In A Thrilling Travers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In one of the most anticipated races of the weekend, Domestic Product delivered the finest performance of his career, out-finishing Prince of Monaco and Book 'em Danno to win the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds' homebred Society tracked pacesetter Munnys Gold and took over at the quarter pole to post a 3 1/4-length victory Aug. 24 in the $500,000 Ballerina Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Following in the hoofprints of his Klaravich-owned sire, who won it in 2017, DOMESTIC PRODUCT (c, 3, Practical Joke–Goods and Services, by Paynter) came with a wide rally into the Saratoga stretch and outfinished favored 'TDN Rising Star' Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) and GI Woody Stephens Stakes hero Book'em Danno (Bucchero) to land Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes. Drawn low in gate three, the homebred colt, a last-out winner of the one-mile GIII Dwyer Stakes, found himself near the back of the field as World Record (Gun Runner) speared through at the fence to take up the running. The GII Amsterdam Stakes winner had some pressure through a half-mile in a sharp :44.28 and the come-from-behinders would have been licking their chops as the field raced into the final couple of furlongs. Woody Stephens runner-up Prince of Monaco, fourth or fifth through the early stages, got first run on World Record, but Domestic Product had gradually worked his way into contention for Flavien Prat and drew on even terms a furlong out. Book'em Danno, also in a rearward position behind the hot pace, also weaved his way into contention, and Javier Castellano might otherwise have tried to take a gap between Prince of Monaco and Domestic Product only to have that hole disappear when Prince of Monaco came out slightly. Instead he dove down towards the inside and looked a final-sixteenth danger, but Domestic Product did the better work widest of all and was home about a half-length to the good. Book'em Danno was a gallant third. Lifetime Record: 9-4-2-0. O/B-Klaravich Stables (KY); T-Chad Brown. What a finish by DOMESTIC PRODUCT! The 3YO son of @coolmoreamerica stallion Practical Joke wins the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes with Flavien Prat aboard for trainer Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/EwC0CgOpgQ — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024 The post Like Father, Like Son: Domestic Product Takes High-Class Renewal of the H. Allen Jerkens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Mike Love Trainer Paul Nairn produced an impressive winner at Addington Raceway on Friday night and will looking for more of the same with two strongly-supported runners at Rangiora today. The “Master” will slip on the silks to drive Wypout ($3.30FF) in Race 4, the Remembering John Russell – A Veteran Member Trot and High Noon ($3.50FF) in Race 10, the Rangiora HRC Thanks Country Feasts Trot. Both are currently second favourites. Nairn was successful at Addington with Forgiveness, driven by Bob Butt. Despite doing all of the donkey work, Forgiveness went on to win stylishly in what was the best possible start to her new campaign. “I’m really happy with her. She went very well. The tough run didn’t worry her.” “We will now aim for the good mares race at Oamaru (September 15) – the Jasmyn’s Gift – that will possibly be her next start,” said Nairn. Like Forgiveness, Wypout is fresh up today – the three-year-old Father Patrick filly lining up without any public appearances since last being seen at listed level in November last year. “I just felt like she needed to strengthen up a bit which is why she’s had a bit of time off.” “Her manners are generally good and she’s a good gaited filly. She should compete well enough.” “Hopefully there’s a bit of natural improvement with her with a bit of racing going forward.” At the other end of the spectrum in Race 10 High Noon is well into his campaign and looking for career win number two at start 32. Recent performances suggest that the four-year-old Majestic Son gelding is not far from posting that win. “He seems good. He has come through last week’s race well with no problems. I’d like to think he will go another good race.” Nairn currently trains a team 14 from his Leeston base and has trained 415 winners to date, while driving 135. View the full article

After winning the King's Plate Aug. 23 at Woodbine with Caitlinhergrtness, Siena Farm and WinStar Farm teamed up to take down another major race Aug. 24, this time on United States soil with Mullikin in the $500,000 Forego (G1) at Saratoga.View the full article

Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds' homebred Society tracked pace-setter Munnys Gold and took over at the quarter pole to post a 2 1/2-length victory Aug. 24 in the $500,000 Ballerina Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's MULLIKIN (c, 4, Violence–Tulira's Star, by Congrats) cemented his status as the best older sprinter east of the Mississippi with a comprehensive, front-running victory in Saturday's GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga. Looking for his fourth straight victory and exiting a smooth success in the GII John Nerud Stakes downstate July 8, Mullikin jumped right at his morning-line quote of 8-5 and took control of the Forego right from the opening bell, cruising through the opening quarter-mile in a manageable :22.46. Continuing to boss his rivals from the front after a half in :44.88, the $500,000 Keeneland September yearling was asked to win his race in upper stretch, pinched a winning break and had a good five to six lengths on Grade I winner Gun Pilot (Gun Runner) on the wire. Angkor (Anchor Down) pressed the early pace and held for third, while Caligostro (Upstart) went to his knees at the break and caboosed the field before making belated progress to be an unlucky fourth. Sales history: $500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. O-WinStar Farm & Siena Farm; B-Fred Hertrich III & John D Fielding (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset. First Grade 1 win for MULLIKIN, son of @HillnDaleFarm stallion Violence! He wins the Grade 1 Forego Stakes under Flavien Prat for trainer @BrissetRodolphe. pic.twitter.com/ic5Nywavoq — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024 The post A ‘Forego’-ne Conclusion: Mullikin Miles Best in the Forego 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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SARATOGA SPRINGS–Travers Weekend has been good to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. And not just because he has won the GI Travers Stakes twice–with Flower Alley in 2005 and Stay Thirsty in 2011. The annual blockbuster weekend on the Saratoga Race Course schedule is also known for the 2-year-olds. And Pletcher has had some good ones that have debuted at Midsummer Derby time. On Saturday, it was Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) that emerged as a horse to watch in the future when he won the day's seventh race, a $100,000 Maiden Special Weight event. The way he won the six-furlong race was encouraging enough for Pletcher, who saw Uncle Mo break his maiden on Travers Day in 2010. Last year, it was Fierceness (City of Light) who broke his maiden, that one coming on the Friday before. “It's never a bad thing,” Pletcher said of getting a juvenile to the winner's circle on Travers weekend. “Historically, a maiden race on Travers Day is always a good one.” Pletcher has always maintained that any success he has had at the Saratoga meet depends on how his young horses perform. Tip Top Thomas is the third Pletcher juvenile to break his maiden at the meet. He joins Tenacious Leader (Not This Time), who got it done in his second Spa start Aug. 10 and Uncaged (Curlin), who did it at first asking on the same day. “I think we have picked it up recently,” Pletcher said. “We have had some solid winners and that is always encouraging.” A couple of his 2 year-olds are already on their way to bigger and, hopefully for Pletcher, better things. Mentee (City of Light), who broke his maiden at Aqueduct June 15, missed the GIII Sanford Stakes here earlier in the meet when he came down with a fever. He is being pointed to the GI Hopeful Stakes on Labor Day. After breaking his maiden on the inner turf going a mile, Pletcher now has Tenacious Leader pointed to the GIII With Anticipation Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the grass Thursday. What might be next for Tip Top Thomas remains to be seen. The colt, owned by James Bakke, was a $160,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Tip Top Thomas and the well-meant Rookie Card (Adios Charlie), who was ridden by Dylan Davis, engaged in a battle that lasted the entire race. In the stretch, Tip Top Thomas would never allow Rookie Card to get by and prevailed by a head as the 2-1 favorite. “I thought it was a good, determined effort,” Pletcher said. “He broke alertly and they were moving right along. He settled into second and rated kindly from there. It looked like he stayed on and galloped out pretty well.” When asked what this effort could mean moving forward, Pletcher said: “It can mean a lot of different things. He is obviously precocious and has some natural speed. I really was encouraged by the way he finished and the way he galloped out afterwards.” Heading into the race, Pletcher got an indication that he might see a big effort. Tip Tom Thomas showed him things in the morning. “The way he trained, the way he breezed from the gate,” Pletcher said. “A good effort.” Tip Top Thomas was timed in 1:10.46 and paid $6.80. The post Tip Top Thomas’ Gritty Performance May Be A Sign Of Things To Come appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Via Sistina powers home up the inside to snatch her second elite-level victory in three Australian starts in the 1,400-meter Winx Stakes (G1) Aug. 24.View the full article

When Peter Blum homebred SOCIETY (m, 5, Gun Runner–Etiquette, by Tapit) is good, she's scary good, and the very best version showed up Saturday at Saratoga, as she came away late to defeat market leaders Scylla (Tapit) and favored Vahva (Gun Runner) in decisive fashion in the GI Ballerina Stakes. With the victory, Society receives a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 2. Off as the contrarian pick to the top two at odds of 7-2 while having just her second start of the season, the chestnut showed speed enough to track the pace to the outside of 'TDN Rising Star' Munny's Gold (Munnings) through a first quarter in :22.65. The pace battle intensified from there, as Society continued to hound the front-runner past a half-mile in :44.82, as Vahva raced to the inside of the cutting-back Scylla a few lengths in arrears. Society was aggressively sent after Munny's Gold outside the quarter pole and went for home in the three path. Scylla tried her best on the outside and Vahva plugged away at the rail, but neither could make any inroads late and Society proved a much-the-best winner. Lifetime Record: 14-8-0-2. O/B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. SOCIETY is @BreedersCup-bound! The 5YO daughter of @Three_Chimneys stallion Gun Runner wins the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap with @Tyler_Gaff aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen. pic.twitter.com/RS8y5PeRIA — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024 The post Gun Runner’s Society Fires Her Best Shot in the Ballerina appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

LSU Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' FAR BRIDGE (c, 4, English Channel–Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy) was left to his own devices on the front end and was the recipient of a perfectly judged ride from Joel Rosario to upset Saturday's GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes by about a length and in so doing, locking up a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on the first weekend of November. The 8-1 distant third choice in the wagering behind Godolphin's GI Manhattan Stakes hero Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the longer-winded Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Far Bridge was sent straight into the lead, and although the clocking for the opening half-mile was comfortable enough, the real damage was done over the course of the next two furlongs, where Far Bridge–who was pressed all the while by the GII Bowling Green Stakes winner Silver Knott–was allowed to amble through that stretch in a pedestrian :26.29. The 4-year-old continued to have things very much his own way, but Measured Time, who was a bit keen in this first attempt at the 12-furlong distance, pushed away from the inside and was produced three wide at the head of the lane. But, as he did in the Manhattan–where he was good enough to overcome it at the shorter trip–Measured Time drifted out a bit and with a final sprint home in :23.21, Far Bridge repelled the challenged and proved a comfortable one-length winner in the finish. Saturday, Saratoga RESORTS WORLD CASINO SWORD DANCER S.-GI, $727,500, Saratoga, 8-24, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:29.51, fm. 1–FAR BRIDGE, 120, c, 4, by English Channel 1st Dam: Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy 2nd Dam: Teenage Temper, by A.P. Indy 3rd Dam: Pleasant Temper, by Storm Cat O-LSU Stables; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Joel Rosario. $412,500. 'TDN Rising Star'. Lifetime Record: 12-5-3-2, $1,477,700. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Measured Time (GB), 126, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Minidress (GB), by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby. $150,000. 3–Silver Knott (GB), 124, g, 4, Lope de Vega (Ire)–God Given (GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (725,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Godolphin, LLC; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Charles Appleby. $90,000. Margins: 1, 3 1/4, NK. Odds: 8.20, 0.85, 1.30. Also Ran: Pioneering Spirit, Grand Sonata. Scratched: Soldier Rising (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. All heart from FAR BRIDGE with an upset in the Grade 1 @ResortsWorldNYC Sword Dancer Stakes! Hall of Famer @JRosarioJockey was aboard for trainer @clementstable. pic.twitter.com/GIKmSXe8BS — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 24, 2024 The post ‘Rising Star’ Far Bridge Turns Back ‘Time’ In the Sword Dancer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article