Wandering Eyes

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

With the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) beginning with the Sept. 14 Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, a points leader was established with victorious Dennis’ Moment, and perhaps, too, a legitimate early Derby favorite. View the full article

Blowout cruised along on a quick but clear lead over firm turf and then pulled away in the stretch under John Velazquez to record a 2 ¼-length victory in the one-mile Pebbles Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. View the full article

King’s Race made an eye-catching debut late last season and is a galloper punters should pay close attention to in Sunday’s Chinese Recreation Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin.Many young horses improve after their first off-season in Hong Kong and it looks like Jimmy Ting Koon-ho’s four-year-old fits in that category.A good example of this comes in the form of King’s Race’s stablemate Hardly Swears, who shocked when saluting at $65 on Wednesday night at Happy Valley.After a reasonable… View the full article

Beuzelin charged but penalty held over, and fined, Krisna, Jerome Tan fined View the full article

No gear, no worries for Surpass Natural View the full article

Muraahib finally lives up to hype third-up View the full article

Marsh goes out with a Supernova Big Bang View the full article

Cher finally bursts into song View the full article

Horses' body weights September 15 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings September 15 View the full article

In a stretch run no one saw coming until it was too late, Sam-Son Farm homebred El Tormenta skimmed the rail all the way to an upset victory in the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) Sept. 14 at Woodbine. View the full article

In a stretch run no one saw coming until it was too late, Sam-Son Farm homebred El Tormenta skimmed the rail all the way to an upset victory in the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) Sept. 14 at Woodbine. View the full article

Also on the Sept. 14 card, Yorkton repeated in the Bold Venture Stakes (G3). View the full article

In a stretch run that no one saw coming until it was too late, Sam-Son Farm homebred El Tormenta skimmed the rail all the way to an upset victory in the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) Sept. 14 at Woodbine. View the full article

Godolphin's Old Persian traveled across the Atlantic to return to his winning ways and picked up his second top-level score this year as he drew clear to win the $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine Sept. 14. View the full article

On paper, Godolphin’s OLD PERSIAN (GB) (c, 4, Dubawi {Ire}–Indian Petal {GB}, by Singspiel {Ire}) looked to have the field for the GI Northern Dancer S. over a barrel, and so it proved, as the reigning G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero took over at will from the local divisional leader Tiz a Slam (Tiznow) with a furlong and a half to race and never looked like losing from there. A bit slow to begin from the inside stall, Old Persian and James Doyle mustered a bit of speed to be up into third turning down the side of the track as Cooler Mike (Giant Gizmo) opened up by the better part of 15 lengths in the opening six furlongs. The front-runner’s advantage was dwindling away rapidly as the field approached the half-mile marker, and Tiz A Slam was the first to come calling for the lead inside the final three furlongs. But knowing full well that he was aboard a superior stayer, Doyle allowed Old Persian to overtake Tiz A Slam in upper stretch and powered home to score by about three lengths as the 3-5 favorite. Nessy (Flower Alley) was up late to take a photo for second. Old Persian is the fifth North American Grade I winner and one of 41 worldwide top-level winners for his tremendously successful sire. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. The post Old Persian Far Too Classy for Northern Dancer Rivals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Let go as the third-longest shot on the board at 44-1, Sam-Son Farm homebred EL TORMENTA (g, 4, Stormy Atlantic–Torreadora, by El Prado {Ire}) gave trainer Gail Cox her first top-level success, outfinishing favored Got Stormy (Get Stormy) to win Saturday’s GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile and, in so doing, earning a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 2. Allowed to settle in mid-field, El Tormenta was able to save ground on the back of pacesetting Silent Poet (Silent Name {Jpn}) and looked to be full of run approaching the long Woodbine straight. Asked to quicken entering the final quarter-mile, El Tormenta found running room three paths off the inner rail and had Got Stormy-who looked to be cruising beneath Tyler Gaffalione-in his sights. El Tormenta made the lead inside of the chalk with less than a furlong to run and stayed on best of all. Lucullan (Medaglia d’Oro) crossed the line third, but was demoted to fourth for veering out sharply and interfering with Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the final stages. El Tormenta is the eighth Grade I winner for Stormy Atlantic, also the paternal grandsire of Got Stormy. Lifetime Record: 13-4-3-0. O/B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Gail Cox. The post El Tormenta Upsets the Woodbine Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article