Wandering Eyes

Verry Ellegant Photo: AAP It’s not often that a trainer leaves a racecourse with a smile on their face after finishing out of the money but that was the case for Waverley’s Bill Thurlow at Flemington on Saturday. Thurlow was reflecting on the performance of his Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Glory Days, who demonstrated a good turn of foot under the steadier of 60.5kgs as she stormed into fifth over 1700m to close out the programme at Melbourne’s racing headquarters. While expecting Glory Days to improve on her first-up performance in New Zealand, where she struggled when finishing at the rear over 1400m on a waterlogged surface at Otaki, Thurlow admitted he was looking for a confidence booster as he plots a course to the Gr.1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) for the bonny seven-year-old mare. “She went super and we are very pleased with that performance,” he said. “It was quite a strong field and she was giving up to 6kgs to the ones who finished in front of her, so you have to be thrilled with a run like that. “We were realistic about our winning chances before the race and I just wanted to see her get home well, so she really did live right up to expectations with the run.” Thurlow was also buoyed by the post-race comments of jockey Craig Williams who was suitably impressed by the mare. “Craig was very taken by the finishing burst she put up as he had thought she might have struggled after going a little keenly early on,” Thurlow said. “She probably just battled that last 50m but he said the move she made to get into the finish from the 300m was very impressive. “Hopefully he will want to stick with her for her next start as he did ask to be kept in the loop but he is in hot demand so you just never know.” Thurlow will assess how his charge comes through Saturday’s run before making any firm plans for her, although he is weighing up two potential options. “It will all depend on her recovery rate but our first option is the Benalla Cup (2046m) in two weeks,” he said. “If she takes a little longer then we will most likely go to the Bart Cummings (Gr.3, 2500m) at Flemington a week later. “She would carry a bit of weight in the Benalla Cup but it might be away from the top ones and is getting up to a more suitable distance.” Thurlow was also buoyed by comments from Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper, Greg Carpenter, when discussing the prospects of Glory Days making the final field for the Melbourne Cup from her current position of 39th on the order of entry. “Greg introduced himself to me on Saturday and we had a really good chat about the Cup,” Thurlow said. “He did mention that in a normal year she would be well placed to make the final field after defections but you just never know. “We chatted after the race as well and he thought the mare had gone really well and would be keeping an eye on her over the next few starts.” Thurlow will head back to his Waverley base on Sunday where he will put the finishing touches on last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) runner-up, Beyond The Fort, as she prepares to make her four-year-old debut. “Beyond The Fort is heading to the trials at Foxton on Tuesday and is pretty close to her first start for the season,” he said. “She trialled up nicely at the start of the month and has come on well. “Tuesday will bring her on again for her first run which is likely to be at Hawera in early October. “We will take it quietly with her but a race like the Waverley Cup in November could be a nice target and a great race to win on our home patch.” View the full article

Talented winter galloper Herengawe came of age at Awapuni on Saturday when he out-toughed his rivals to score his first win at stakes level when he took out the Gr.3 Boehringer Ingelheim Metric Mile (1600m). Bred and owned by talented jumps rider Isaac Lupton, the Joanne Moss-trained five-year-old has impressed as he has made his way through the grades since commencing his current campaign back in April. After winning three of his first five starts in this preparation, he produced a determined run for third in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) behind Helena Baby before tackling the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton, where he finished a meritorious sixth behind eventual winner Dez. Runner-up finishes in his next two starts had the Zed gelding cherry ripe for his latest challenge and he didn’t disappoint, courtesy of a peach of an effort from rider Darryl Bradley. Bradley had his charge in a handy position throughout before launching his bid early in the run home. Joined by the well supported Mauna Kea, the pair set down to a tooth and nail battle over the closing 200m that saw Herengawe thrust his head in front at the post to down his gallant rival with Dez fighting bravely on the inner for third. Trainer Joanne Moss had left the raceday activities to her partner Lupton and had to settle for listening to the triumph as she slogged her way through milking duties on their three hundred-cow dairying unit back at home in Waverley. “I was in the middle of milking the cows when the race came on,” Moss said. “It was just like the old days before the television coverage. I will get to see the replay but from what I heard it sounded like a wonderful ride from Darryl and a pretty gritty effort. “He’s been a real revelation in this campaign as he just seems to be getting better and better. “I wanted to put him out for a spell after he came back from Riccarton but he was doing too well. We gave him a trial and then a run at Waverley and he thrived. “Last time he ran second at Ellerslie and I thought that might be enough but he was bouncing around so much we decided to press on and try for this race so It’s wonderful that he has pulled it off. “Isaac is there with him at the track so we might have a small celebration when he gets home but the cows will still need to be milked tomorrow morning so it won’t be too big.” Herengawe is the second foal of Germano mare Vim and has now won seven of his 18 starts and over $210,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Boom three-year-old Catalyst treated his three-year-old rivals with contempt when he produced a devastating home straight sprint to capture the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka. The Darci Brahma gelding overcame some trouble early in the run home to dash clear in the closing stages of the contest, winning with consummate ease by over two and a half lengths from pacemaker Exuberant with local galloper Zelenski back in third. Successful in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at his last start after settling on the speed and then dashing away at the top of the Hastings home straight, this time Catalyst had to prove his worth after being ridden in behind by regular pilot Troy Harris. Harris settled the raging hot favourite in midfield this time and rounding the home corner the pair were briefly pocketed behind a wall of horses as Harris searched for an inside gap. When that didn’t eventuate, Harris hooked his charge sideways and into clear running where he hit top speed within a few strides as he dashed past his rivals for a stunning victory. “It makes the job easy with a guy like him,” Harris said. “I ended up in a good spot but straightening I had to make the choice whether to kick up or pull back. “Once I got out it was all over. “I wanted to teach him a little bit as then we have options going into the other races. “He could be the best horse I have ever ridden.” Connections will now turn their attention to the Gr.2 Sacred Falls Hawke‘s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings and then the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton after that plan was confirmed by trainer Clayton Chipperfield. “It was good to see him do that and prove that he has the ability that we all thought he had,” Chipperfield said. “I was getting a little bit worried though at the 200m when he couldn’t get out. “He just drops and glides as his turn of foot is phenomenal. “We had planned on the same sort of ride today (as Hastings) but that didn’t pan out although he got a decent run anyway. “He (Harris) rode for luck and luckily for us we got it.” Catalyst storms to victory at Ruakaka Photo: Trish DunellChipperfield is still shaking his head about his good fortune in having a potential superstar in his stable after only taking up training on his own in the last twelve months. “I’ve only really just started taking this game (training) seriously and to do this in the first year, with a horse like this, is a dream start,” he said. “We have three weeks now until the Hawke’s Bay Guineas and then another month to the 2000 Guineas. “He might have a jump-out or trial between those two races but that is the plan at this stage.” Bred and owned by The Oaks Stud principal, Dick Karreman, Catalyst is out of the Entrepreneur mare, Evana and hails from an all-star extended family that traces back to champion Australian galloper and sire, Lonhro and multiple Group One winner, Niello. View the full article

Underrated mare Lucyinrio caused a minor upset when she outgunned a small but select field of open grade sprinters over 1200m at Ruakaka on Saturday. The lightly raced eight-year-old, who came north to a new Cambridge base with trainer Kylie Little when she moved there from Opaki late last season, had struck first up at Ruakaka when successful over a similar distance on June 15. Stepped up to 1400m for her subsequent start at the venue a fortnight later, the Captain Rio mare disappointed when dropping out in the run home after racing on the speed throughout. Given a brief freshen-up by Little, Lucyinrio was back to her brilliant best for rider Lynsey Satherley as she once again sat outside a steady pace set up by the free-goer Admiral before dashing clear early in the run home. Hotly challenged by race favourite Hanger and local runner Rikki Tikki Tavi, Lucyinrio stuck to her guns as she held out the pair to win by a neat length at the line. “It was a super ride by Lynsey as she told me how it would pan out and that’s exactly how it went,” Little said. “She’s a really good mare who has been Group Two and Group Three placed. “We’re heading to the Red Badge Sprint on the last day at Hastings (Gr.3, 1400m) next.” The victory brought up a winning double for Satherley who had guided another Cambridge-trained runner in De Koning to an all-the way success over 1600m in the previous race. Sherwood Forest stretches out as he heads for the winning post at Ruakaka Photo: Trish DunellEarlier in the day the Tony Pike-trained Sherwood Forest kicked off his three-year-old campaign with a narrow but impressive victory in maiden company over 1400m. The strapping Fastnet Rock gelding had impressed when finishing close up in stakes company at Ellerslie in the last two runs of his two-year-old campaign. Ridden by Troy Harris, Sherwood Forest managed to down outsider Gigolo George in a driving finish despite displaying some wayward tendencies in the home straight. “He was doing a lot wrong up the home straight, looking at the other horse,” Pike stable representative Dean Williams said. “He had blinkers on as a two-year-old so I wouldn’t be surprised if they come back on again. “He will improve again once we put him up in trip but he’s an exciting horse going forward.” The disappointment in the race was hot favourite Holy Mongolemperor who endured a rocky run amongst horses throughout before battling on into fifth without threatening the eventual winner. TAB bookmakers reacted to the result by tightening Sherwood Forest to $14 on the Fixed Odds market for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November, while Holy Mongolemperor drifted to $8 behind early favourite Catalyst ($3.50). View the full article

Debutant Tom Cat gave his rivals a full sight of his jet exhausts in the S$75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1100m on Friday night. Like the F-14 jet fighter he is named after, the New Zealand-bred Wandjina three-year-old blasted off to the front after making light of his wide alley, throttling down midrace to an uncontested lead before flicking back on the afterburners in the straight. Tom Cat immediately put a big space between him and his rivals to go and score as he pleased, even if standby starter Fountain Of Fame did pare down the margin to three and a half lengths. Punted down to $18, Tom Cat, who races in the Thai colours of 2017 Singapore Horse of the Year Infantry, clocked the smart time of 1min 5.36secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack, a clear gauge of his untapped potential given he was only at his race launch. Winning trainer Lee Freedman was pleased he had trained a winner for Krit Chisatteni in those silks. “I’ve trained a few winners for Krit but I don’t think there was any in those colours,” said Freedman. “Unfortunately, we had to retire Infantry. He was a really good horse, we tried to keep him going but it became a losing battle. I think he’s somewhere in Thailand in a small farm run by Krit, enjoying his retirement. “Krit bought this horse (Tom Cat) from New Zealand. I was keen to get him as he’s a racy type, but he’s totally different from Infantry. He is a small horse and is bred for speed, that’s his caper. “He’s by Wandjina who was an (2015) Australian Guineas (1600m) winner and trained by Gai Waterhouse. Wandjina is by Snitzel and that horse (Tom Cat) is exactly like his grandsire, compact and nuggety. “He showed a bit of speed at his trials here, and I told Joey (Azzopardi) since he was drawn awkwardly to use his speed. “He’s been in work for a while, I think he’s had two or three preps because he had to be gelded.” Azzopardi, who flies back to his native Perth for a first hit-and-run visit since he began riding in Singapore in April, couldn’t have hoped for a better send-off. “He’s a hard-going horse and we decided to keep it simple,” said Azzopardi. “He led nicely but he took a while to come back beneath me. He had a nice breather and won well in the end. Tom Cat was sold out of Regal Farm’s 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run draft for $150,000 when purchased by the partnership of Mr K Chittaseni and Waterford Bloodstock. View the full article

Trainer Saimee Jumaat welcomed Orient Express’s first win with a sense of relief on Friday night. The former eight-time Singapore champion jockey said he had been at his wit’s end trying to get the Pour Moi five-year-old to find the line, let alone a jockey to ride him in the S$20,000 Open Maiden-2 race over 1200m. In the end, he put his apprentice jockey Yusoff Fadzli on, and it proved to be the right combination for the night, and for that much-needed first hurrah. Odds-on favourite and impressive barrier trial winner Lim’s Moment was all the rage and looking the part when he strolled to the lead, but Orient Express was in a mood to show some cheek when he clapped onto the speed in second spot. Lim’s Moment tried to raise another gallop in the home straight, but it soon became a clear possibility his short quote would be claiming a few casualties at the tote window. On the outside, another newcomer, Romantic was looming like the one who would lower the colours of the hotpot, but it was Orient Express who had the last say as he darted in between the pair to split them asunder, knocking Romantic off by a neck with Lim’s Moment a short head away in third place. The winning time was 1min 11.94secs for the Polytrack dash over the 1200m. Raced by the Red Hare Racing Stable, Orient Express was breaking his maiden status after having raced 13 times between Kranji and New Zealand for one second at his country of origin before replicating that rank at his fifth Kranji start, both over 1200m, clearly his optimal journey at this stage. “It’s such a relief he has finally made it,” said Saimee. “I couldn’t find a jockey for him. I rang up a few, sent a few messages around, but they all gave him the thumbs-down. “In the end, I put my apprentice Yusoff with the claim, it was his last chance for him and it’s good they won. Yusoff has been doing well and deserved last week’s win (on High Street). “He’s improved a lot. He has some racing sense now while he used to ride like a four-kilo claimer before. “He’s a lot more clued on and knows what racing is all about now.” View the full article

Anthony Freedman will be hoping for a better result with new stable acquisition Aloisia when she lines-up in the Gr.2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday. The New Zealand-bred mare joined Freedman’s Mornington barn after she was purchased for A$1.2 million to Hilldene Farm and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds in May. She finished third behind former stablemate Humidor in a 950m trial at Cranbourne last month before her unplaced run in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 31. While the result was disappointing for the stable, Racing Manager Brad Taylor said they were happy enough with the way she finished off the race. “Her run was probably better than it looked,” he said. “Looking at the sectionals of the race, she ran the third fastest last 400 and 200m of the race. “She just got a little further back than we would have liked that day, but she drew wide, it was not fault of Linda’s (Meech, jockey). “She hit the line strongly and she will be suited by the step up to 1400m.” “She seems a bit sharper with the blinkers on. She trialled well leading into that resuming run. She should run well.” View the full article

Shock Alert (blue and yellow cap) on his way to winning at Rosehill on Saturday (bradleyphotos.com.au) Trainer Bjorn Baker has had a marvellous start to the season with two wins at Rosehill after starting the day’s meeting with six metropolitan winners. Both Saturday’s wins were close run-affairs with favourite Shock Alert taking out the Everest Carnival Handicap (1800m) by a head from Humbolt Current. Another favourite. Irukandji prevailed in an equally tight finish to take out the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1500m) from Juventus and Angel of Heaven, both trained by Kris Lees. And Baker is pretty confident this is one of his best starts to a racing season he’s had so far. “By a long, long way. Normally I’m a pretty slow starter,” he said. Jason Collett rode Irukandji who is by champion Dundeel who was trained by Baker’s father, New Zealander Murray Baker. “It’s great too on a Saturday with Dundeel,” Baker said. “I was nervous but he’s going very well it’s the first time today I thought he looked well. “On track work alone he shows a lot of ability but he’s still just doing one or two things wrong.” Shock Alert chased Perfect Rhyme who looked in stellar form for the first half of the race before jockey Nash Rawiller skilfully managed to push the gelding over the line. “I didn’t go full bore until the 100 metres,” Rawiller said. “I was trying to keep something there for the finish. I thought if you don’t put me away I’m a chance. “I don’t think having that leader to chase suited us. I’d rather be dictating terms. Baker, who was confident with Rawiller on Shock Alert, said the horse was aging into his prime. “Time. Time is an amazing thing,” he said. “He’s six-years-old and he’s never looked better.” Shock Alert continued an impressive run for Rich Hill Stud resident stallion Shocking who has had eight winners over the last seven days. View the full article

Lightly raced gelding Rox The Castle has taken the step to stakes company and continued to build on his promising record with a determined victory in a Listed race at Flemington leading home a New Zealand-bred trifecta. Five-year-old Rox The Castle took his record to seven wins from 12 starts when he held off Travimyfriend to win Saturday’s Listed Sofitel (1400m) by a long neck with Romancer a length away third. Rox The Castle is one of less than a handful of horses Kerry Edwards has in work and the gelding gave the trainer her first stakes race victory. “I’ve had stakes placings before but not wins,” Edwards said. “He’s fantastic this horse. I love him.” Edwards was full of praise for Rox The Castle’s toughness after crossing from a wide barrier under Craig Williams to sit outside the lead before fighting hard when it counted at the business end of the race. “He is unbelievable,” Edwards said. “That was tough, what he did then. Craig sat on him as long as he could. It was a little bit close at the end but he just digs in so deep. “I’m so proud of him.” Edwards said she has three horses in work and another at the horse breakers. “I’m just a small stable and I do it all myself so I really can’t handle more than four at work at any one time,” she said. “I have the passion for the horse and getting a horse like him is absolutely outstanding.” View the full article

TheNSWGreyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC) and the NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) have released a joint statement regarding the infamous Bathurst “No Race” on Bathurst regional Million Dollar Chase final night. The statement makes no reference to any penalty or disciplinary action against any GWIC, club, track or GBOTA staff; but does acknowledge that the gaffe was a serious greyhound welfare incident. GWIC & GBOTA joint statement: Investigation outcome: Bathurst ‘No race’ on Saturday 7 September An investigation into the circumstances that led to Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission stewards declaring a ‘no race’ at Bathurst on Saturday 7 September has been finalised. It is the process of the Bathurst Greyhound Racing Club to complete two laps of the track before each race using their tractor. This is done to minimise footprints and track marks from the previous race. The Commission has worked closely with the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) to determine how equipment from the tractor ended up on the track ahead of Race 7 and why this was not visible to stewards before the race commenced. Due to time constraints following the Million Dollar Chase final in Race 6 and on-track presentations, the preparation of the track for Race 7 was carried out with less time than normal. The gate (with tyres affixed to add weight) that is used to level the track became detached from the tractor and remained unnoticed on the track near the catching pen. GBOTA has reviewed current practices and has now implemented measures that will in future ensure all tractor equipment is secured ahead of track preparations between races. The tractor will also complete its first lap ahead of any on-track presentations and the lure driver will assist in checking the track prior to each race. As a result of this investigation a new procedure will be implemented at Bathurst which requires a Commission steward to be present at the back straight for all race starts where visibility is restricted. The Commission has also commenced a review of other tracks for the same potential issue. Both the Commission and GBOTA appreciate the disappointment of owners and trainers participating in Race 7 at Bathurst on Saturday night and understand the potential risk this incident posed to the welfare of greyhounds. We will continue to work closely together to prevent the possibility of any reoccurrence. View the full article

As the third generation of Sam-Son Farm owners watched from the stands Sept. 14, El Tormenta added his name to their storied list of winners with a score no one saw coming in the CA$1,121,100 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T). View the full article

Four-year-old mare Spanish Whisper has confirmed her liking for the Flemington 1400m course with another Group Two win in the Let’s Elope Stakes. Spanish Whisper won the Gr.2 Kewney Stakes over the course and distance in the second start of her autumn preparation in March and added Saturday’s Let’s Elope in the second start of her spring campaign. With Mark Zahra aboard, Spanish Whisper sat fourth before looming up strongly at the 300m to make her winning run. Miss Siska held on for second first-up, a half-length behind the winner, while $3.60 favourite Fidelia charged home along the inside to finish a nose away third. “She was placed beautifully by Mark Zahra in a good rhythm and she gave a good strong kick,” Spanish Whisper’s co-trainer Tom Dabernig said. “She is definitely more mature this preparation and more settled and hopefully she will go on into the spring and have a good preparation.” Dabernig said Spanish Whisper, who won two of her first four starts in New Zealand, including the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) for co-owners Darren Brady and Daniel and Elias Nakhle before they sold a controlling interest in her to clients of Lindsay Park, could head to the Blazer Stakes for mares over the same course and distance early next month. The Gr.1 Toorak Handicap and Empire Rose Stakes are among the options later in spring. “I thought it was a really solid performance today,” Dabernig said. View the full article

The Groupie Doll seemed a quality race when it was run this summer at Ellis Park Aug. 11, and was proven as such when the 1-2 finishers from it, Go Google Yourself, and Divine Queen, returned to win stakes races Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

by Jessica Martini and Brian DiDonato LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale added another million-dollar transaction to its total as Book 2 concluded with a solid day of trade in Lexington Saturday. A colt by Candy Ride (Arg) became the auction’s 22nd yearling to sell for seven figures when bringing a final bid of $1 million from bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, bidding on behalf of Speedway Stable. The colt was consigned by Don Robinson’s Winter Quarter Farm. “Book 2 worked very well,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. “We tried to cut down the numbers a little bit to increase the quality of the sale and I think that the numbers reflect that very well today.” During the two-day Book 2 section, Keeneland sold 445 yearlings for $97,585,000. The average was $219,292 and the median was $185,000. A pair of yearlings sold for $1 million during Book 2, which comprised the fourth and fifth overall sessions of the 13-day auction. In a larger 2018 Book 2, which comprised sale’s fifth and sixth overall sessions, 548 head grossed $87,103,700. The average was $158,948 and the median was $130,000. A single yearling sold for $1 million during the section. “Going into the sale, we were looking for a very strong Book 1,” Russell said. “Obviously, we got that. And then our goal for Book 2 was to tighten down the numbers and increase the quality. And the huge rise in the median today and yesterday shows we were successful.” The buy-back rate, which was 29.56% during Saturday’s session, now stands cumulatively at 28.18%, and remains largely in line with 2018 figures. “That just tells you where the market is,” Russell said of the buy-back rate. “It is consistent to last year. So we take that as a positive.” Taylor Made Sales Agency was Saturday’s leading consignor by gross, with 27 yearlings sold for $4,332,000. “I think the market is very good,” said Taylor Made’s Mark Taylor. “We’ve had a great day of selling, but I think you have to be realistic about your reserves. People are being pragmatic and they are bidding very fair prices, but you can’t just throw caution to the wind. You have to know your horse and you have to know who is interested in it and basically assess the value. And if you do that, and don’t get greedy, then it’s a very fair market.” The September sale continues with the first of two Book 3 sessions Sunday. “With the way the catalogue is this year compared to last year, having fewer horses in Book 1 and having fewer horses in Book 2, has put some of those horses down in Book 3, so there is going to be a good level of high-quality horses still available in Book 3,” Russell said. The Keeneland September sale continues through Sept. 22 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. Speedway Steps Up For Candy Ride Colt Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner’s Speedway Stable got in on the action Saturday when paying a session-topping $1 million for a Candy Ride (Arg) colt out of triple Grade II winner Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The May 6 foal was consigned by Don Robinson’s Winter Quarter Farm as hip 1062. “Every single person on my team loved this horse from the very first sighting. He took my breathe away,” said agent Marette Farrell after signing the ticket. “We were underbidder on [$425,000 KEESEP ’15 grad and 2016 GI Los Alamitos Futurity winner] Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}), and this horse gave me that same feeling; very easy on the eye, such a good mover and an amazing demeanor. I saw him at the beginning of the day and I saw him at the end of the day and he moved the exact same with the same look on his face. I think he can handle anything, we’re excited. We love Candy Ride. He’s an incredible stallion and we hope he’s going to be a champion.” Speedway campaigns this year’s GI Santa Anita Derby winner and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Roadster (Quality Road), a $525,000 buy here two years ago; and raced fellow highest-level-winning Bob Baffert trainees Collected (City Zip) and Noted and Quoted (The Factor). Baffert will condition hip 1062 as well. Speedway didn’t make any purchases in Book 1, but also grabbed a $290,000 Air Force Blue filly (hip 982) Saturday. “Very hard to buy, extremely difficult,” said Farrell of the market. “Wonderful for the horse business, there are so many different entities here. Three months ago we were worried about the horse business and if it’s going to survive and here we are at September and it’s a new world.” Farrell wasn’t surprised by how much it took to land 1062, adding, “We were underbidder on a really nice Curlin colt in the first book and we figured we were probably going to have to do the same thing. We got this one.” —@BDiDonatoTDN Candy Ride Colt Blossoms at the Right Time Hip 1062 always had the pedigree to produce a seven-figure sale, and in the time leading up to September, he blossomed into a physical specimen to match. “He was so popular…I knew he’d be at the top of this sale or up there,” said an elated Don Robinson, who consigned the colt through his Winter Quarter Farm on behalf of breeder Arnold Zetcher. “He’s probably the most popular, well-received yearling I’ve ever brought to a sale. Bar none. And, people who usually keep their mouths shut told me this was the best-looking horse on the grounds, so I didn’t have to do anything. I’ve had three generations. I had the granddam and the mother at the farm, so it’s been nothing but a thrill. It’s an offspring that belongs to Mr. Arnold Zetcher, and the family produced his first Grade I winner that was raised on my farm, so it’s a huge reward. I’m absolutely tickled.” Zetcher imported the colt’s second dam Gabriellina Giof (GB) (Ashkalani) from Italy, and she took her first Stateside start in the former Talbot’s CEO’s pink silks in the 2001 Manhattan Beach S. at Hollywood Park before finishing second in the GII San Clemente H. She produced eventual MGISW and $1.25-million FTKNOV seller Gabby’s Golden Gal (Medaglia d’Oro) in 2006, and foaled hip 1062’s dam Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) the following year. Handed over to Bob Baffert like Gabby’s Golden Gal had been, Always a Princess turned in two-turn dirt romps in the 2010 GII Indiana Oaks and 2011 GII El Encino S. and GII La Canada S. When asked if being in Book 2 might have allowed hip 1062 to stand out, Robinson said with a smile, “I know it did. Keeneland and I just got lucky. I felt like he would stick out. He’s a May baby and he came to the sale and, boy, in the last 30 days he was like a different horse. I thought he could be there, and he got there. It’s cool. And a good buyer and a good eye for a horse signed the ticket. She’s great.” Robinson continued, “He was really nice, but he was always immature. Sales are so brutal in this era that it’s tough to get one who looks the part, and walks the part and for all that stuff to come together. He vets beautifully, and it worked.” Always a Princess has produced a pair of prior winners for Zetcher, including 4-year-old Stylishly (Speightstown), who broke her maiden at Del Mar in July and cleared her first allowance condition there in August. Always a Princess’s 2-year-old filly by Bernardini brought $290,000 at OBS March, and she visited Bolt d’Oro for 2020. “Very exciting!,” Zetcher said when reached by email while traveling. “There was a lot of interest in the colt, so we were hoping for the best. Bob trained the mother, so he knew the family well. Best of luck to the new owners!” —@BDiDonatoTDN ‘Sweet’ Day for Robinson As if the million-dollar sale of hip 1062 wasn’t enough, Winter Quarter Farm sold another high-priced son of Candy Ride later in the session when Sapphire Stable went to $650,000 for hip 1109. The second Candy Ride colt was bred by Ron and Deborah McAnally out of their MSW and MGISP Charm the Maker (Empire Maker). Ron McAnally also trained the second dam of hip 1062. “I was high on both horses–they’re both family members,” Winter Quarter’s Don Robinson said. “This horse wasn’t as popular as the other one, but almost. It’s an incredible family, so I’m thrilled. Everybody’s happy. It’s been an amazing day–probably as strong a day as I’ve had at the sales in a long time.” Robinson consigned this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Yearling topper, a Malibu Moon filly who set a sale record at $775,000. Hip 1109 received a timely update when his 3-year-old full-sister She’s Our Charm (Candy Ride {Arg})–a $600,000 buyback 24 months ago–annexed a Del Mar maiden special weight at second asking Aug. 18 under Hall of Famer McAnally’s tutelage. The McAnallys bred and campaigned hip 1109’s next two dams: GSW Charm the Giant (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway) and MGSW/GISP Olympic Charmer (Olympio). Charm the Maker is half to last year’s GII John Henry Turf Championship S. winner Liam the Charmer (Smart Strike). Hip 1109 is bred on the same cross as Grade I winner Separationofpowers. “They were just stick-outs in Book 2,” Robinson said of the two Candy Ride colts. “They were probably borderline Book 1 types. Really, I love to be the big fish in the little pond. They just really stuck out, and that helped a lot. I had a Tapit horse in the first book [who was withdrawn], but there were [35] other Tapits in there. It just wasn’t there.”–@BDiDonatoTDN Into Mischief Colt to Baffert The partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Racing, this time joined by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet, struck late in Saturday’s session of the Keeneland September sale, going to $650,000 to acquire a colt by Into Mischief. “This was a horse that [Stonestreet’s] John Moynihan identified as a horse they loved also,” said SF’s Tom Ryan as bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on hip 1239</. “Into Mischief is a very established stallion that everyone wants a piece of at the moment.” The colt, out of Keysong (Songandaprayer), is a New York-bred, but will join all of the partners’ purchases at the Southern California barn of trainer Bob Baffert, Ryan confirmed. The yearling was bred and consigned to the September sale by Becky Thomas’s Sequel New York. Thomas purchased Keysong for $75,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. “The mares that I bring to New York are mares that I would bring anywhere,” Thomas said. “I try to produce winners. She is a very pretty Songandaprayer mare–she’s really racy. She is a big, scopey mare. So I thought it was a good cross for Into Mischief. Into Mischief is one of those sires that all along the way, I’ve tried to breed to. He’s a wonderful sire.” —JessMartiniTDN Union Rags Colt Heads West A colt by Union Rags will be heading west after selling for $650,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent David Ingordo early in Saturday’s fifth session of the Keeneland September sale. “He’s going to end up with a client of John Shirreffs who likes Union Rags a lot,” Ingordo said. “He is going to end up in California.” Shirreffs trains Express Train (Union Rags) for Lee and Susan Searing’s C R K Stable. That 2-year-old colt, a $500,000 Keeneland September purchase last year, romped home a 14 1/4-length maiden winner at Del Mar Aug. 28. The yearling (hip 992) is out of graded stakes winner Sky Girl (Sky Mesa), a half-sister to champion Abel Tasman (Quality Road). He was consigned and bred by Greg Goodman’s Mt. Brilliant Farm, which purchased Sky Girl with this foal in utero for $1.5 million at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. The mare was bred to Quality Road this year. Yearlings by Lane’s End’s Union Rags have been in demand this week in Lexington, with his 21 selling for an average of $369,143 including a pair of $1-million youngsters. “I am a Union Rags man,” admitted Ingordo, who also serves as a bloodstock advisor at Lane’s End. “I love Union Rags. We’ve got [Hronis Racing’s multiple graded stakes winner] Catalina Cruiser with John Sadler, we have Express Train with John Shirreffs. My wife [trainer Cherie DeVaux] has a nice one that ran yesterday named Dinar [third at Churchill Downs]. Union Rags is a horse who is going to do a Quality Road. He’s got really good books in front of him, he’s got some top horses on the track. I never got off Union Rags and he’s pretty good value for money right now.” Ingordo, an active buyer throughout Saturday’s session, admitted there was plenty of competition for the top lots this week at Keeneland. “The way the market is going, we were underbidder on some very expensive horses multiple times over yesterday,” he said. “I know the same people are getting pushed back. You always want to buy the best horse you can for the most reasonable price you can, so we were happy with where we were at with this one.” —JessMartiniTDN Juddmonte Still Active at the End of Book 2 Juddmonte Farms Manager Garrett O’Rourke stuck around almost to the end of Saturday’s second and final Book 2 session, and came away with a $650,000 Uncle Mo colt for Khalid Abdullah’s operation. Hip 1256 was offered by Paramount Sales, Agent CVIII on behalf of breeder Don Alberto Corporation. “Now that we’re in Book 2, the number that have the credentials that he had, which is good looks, by a top sire, also with a lovely female pedigree.. are going to thin out considerably,” O’Rourke said before pausing to make shipping arrangements for the colt. “He’s just a colt from a lovely King Ranch family that I’ve really admired over the years as well. It’s nice to get into something along those lines, and again just looking for horses today who, if they could hit the top line, could ultimately be stallion prospects.” Don Alberto paid $240,000 for unraced dam Lost Empire (Empire Maker) in foal to Giant’s Causeway at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Lost Empire is out of GSW La Reina (A.P. Indy), making her a half to GSW Chief Havoc (Giant’s Causeway) and a granddaughter of champion Queena (Mr. Prospector). This is the extremely deep female family developed by Emory Hamilton and her family that has produced contemporary Grade I winners like Verrazano, Keen Ice and Somali Lemonade. It didn’t hurt that hip 1256 is out of a mare by Empire Maker, the Juddmonte homebred and MGISW who started his stud career at the nursery. “I wouldn’t say that it was the primary factor, but obviously there’s a fondness there that I’ve always had for the horse, so it’ll be nice to be bringing back some of the genes,” O’Rourke said. “He didn’t quite resemble [Empire Maker], I don’t think, but at the same time between the Empire Maker and the Uncle Mo and back to that Queena family, you’re talking about nothing but Classic bloodlines. Hopefully he can follow his genes.” Hip 1256 is bred on the same cross as 2016 GI Wood Memorial S. winner and promising young sire Outwork. For the sale, Juddmonte has purchased seven yearlings–six colts–for a combined $3,225,000. Among its other acquisitions were a $900,000 Curlin colt (hip 278) and another $650,000 son of Uncle Mo (hip 484) out of a mare by another son of Unbridled in Unbridled’s Song, the sire of Juddmonte monster Arrogate. —@BDiDonatoTDN The post Candy Ride Colt on Top as KEESEP Book 2 Concludes 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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