Wandering Eyes

The Curragh Racecourse is set to host the second leg of the Longines Irish Champions Weekend and has another stellar line up of thrilling Group racing to provide entertainment for any racing and punting fan alike. Moyglare ”Jewels” Blandford Stakes The Group 2 contest is run over one mile and two furlongs and is open […] The post Preview: Longines Irish Champions Weekend – Sunday at the Curragh appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Jockey Blake Shinn will be set for a club-imposed holiday after Sunday’s meeting but trainer John Moore is looking to send him off in style.Shinn will miss three meetings after Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting due to suspension after impressing during his short time in Hong Kong and will jump aboard Moore’s Styling City in the Class Two Tailorbird Handicap (1,200m).The four-year-old has been placed in Group Three level but has not raced up to his high standards since running in the Group One Centenary… View the full article

Wednesday night’s Happy Valley meeting was a drought-breaker of sorts for champion jockey Zac Purton.The record-breaking Australian left the meeting without a winner for the first time in 147 days, putting in context his dominance of Hong Kong racing in recent times.Purton had gone 26 meetings straight with at least one win, with many yielding several more.With the arrival of fellow Australian Blake Shinn and Joao Moreira no longer riding as a stable jockey, the riding ranks have become much… View the full article

The restoration of full quarantine measures between Hong Kong and Australia has suffered a setback with Australian government officials unable to settle on a date to tour the Jockey Club’s Conghua racecourse in mainland China.Officials from the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) had originally planned to tour the Conghua facility this month but the Post can reveal that trip will not go ahead as scheduled.DAWR requires a final inspection of the facility to sign-off… View the full article

Led by a chestnut son of Union Rags sold for $1 million, the Sept. 13 fourth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was a huge day for the Farish family's Lane's End. View the full article

by Jessica Martini & Brian DiDonato LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale lost none of its momentum following a dark day, with the two-session Book 2 opening with strong trade Friday in Lexington. The day was dominated by the Farish family’s Lane’s End Farm, which consigned the day’s top three lots, and four of the top five, including the $1-million session topper by the farm’s Union Rags, while Lane’s End stallion Quality Road was responsible for two of the day’s top four offerings. The buying triumvirate of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Racing, largely shut out of a competitive Book 1, purchased, along with various partners, five lots, including the million-dollar topper, a $900,000 son of Quality Road and a $800,000 Curlin colt. “It was a solid start to Book 2,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. “We made a concerted effort with Book 2 this year to trim the numbers a little bit. We catalogued 367 horses, compared to over 410 last year. Our goal was to continue to keep the quality from Book 1 up as high as we could as we go into Book 2 and the numbers reflect that that worked very well.” During Friday’s session, 221 yearlings sold for $54,229,000. The average was $245,380 and the median was $210,000. With 94 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 29.84%. While the revamped format of the September sale makes year-to-year comparisons inexact, Keeneland released figures comparing Friday’s opening Book 2 session, and the auction’s fourth overall, to the 2018 opening Book 2 session, which was the auction’s fifth overall session. Last year’s fifth session saw 284 yearlings gross $51,049,700. The average was $179,752 and the median was $140,000. The buy-back rate was 22.40%. A total of 16 yearlings sold for $500,000 or over Friday. “It was very vibrant and the last hour and a half was spectacular,” Russell said of Friday’s trade. “But I thought all during the day, we saw some buyers left over from Book 1 and buyers buying a lot more horses than they could do in Book 1.” In a Book 1 dominated by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation, SF/Starlight/Madaket purchased just two lots during the first part of the week. But the partners jumped into action with both feet Friday. “I’m sure there are other people in the same position,” said SF’s Tom Ryan. “If we are pushed back, it must be the same situation for most others. It’s amazing when you see Sheikh Mohammed fly in here with his entourage. It’s great for the market and for the business, but it also makes it hard to compete.” The Mayer family’s Nursery Place had its biggest sales result Friday when a colt by Quality Road sold for $900,000. That sale capped a perfect six-for-six day for the operation. “It is a bull market, as they say,” Griffin Mayer said. “Today shows it. I thought we had a nice group, but this very much exceeded my expectations.” The Keeneland September sale continues with a final Book 2 session Saturday and continues through Sept. 22 with bidding beginning daily at 10 a.m. Patience Pays Off for Courtlandt Don Adam’s Courtlandt Farm has been active once again at Keeneland September, and saved its biggest purchase so far for last at the end of Friday’s session in the form of a $975,000 filly (hip 923) by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and out of a half-sister to the dam of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Lane’s End consigned the Mar. 27 foal on behalf of Dixiana Farms, which had purchased the bay for $290,000 in utero at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. “She was our top horse, even out of Book 1,” said Courtlandt’s Farm Manager Ernie Retamoza, who was joined for the bidding process by trainer Mark Hennig. “We thought she was Book 1 quality, obviously, with that family, American Pharoah. What can you say? She’s definitely the type of horse Mr. Adam’s looking to buy. We were hoping it wouldn’t go to the million, so we feel great getting her for the number that we did. She’s just the type of horse Mr. Adam’s looking for.” Courtlandt has purchased 10 head at KEESEP ’19 for a combined $5.72 million, including three buys Friday for $1.86 million total. “It’s strong on the ones we were after, I’ll tell you that,” Retamoza said of the market. “We did what we wanted to do in Book 1. We were saving a little for this book, and particularly this filly, so I think we pulled it off.” Hip 923’s dam Momentary Magic (Indian Charlie) was a $230,000 September graduate herself and eventual Gulfstream Park maiden special weight winner, but was claimed out of her final career outing for $40,000. She is out of GISP Magical Illusion (Pulpit), who in turn is the dam of GSP Stage Magic (Ghostzapper), who produced Justify and GSW The Lieutenant. An American Pharoah filly from another hugely important female family topped Book 1 at a record $8.2 million. —@BDiDonatoTDN Quality Road Colt for Durant Tom Durant added a colt by Quality Road to his racing operation when bloodstock agent Josh Stevens made a final bid of $950,000 to acquire the yearling from the Lane’s End consignment at Keeneland Friday. “Quality Road is one of the best out there now,” Stevens said after signing the ticket on the yearling. “Tom bought a couple at the 2-year-old sales this year and he’s obviously looking for horses who are Derby prospects–like everybody else out here. We tried on some early and we just realized how strong it was going to get. After a couple of days of watching the prices, we just decided, let’s find a couple that we really love and go after them. Tom gives me the orders and I follow them.” The yearling (hip 646), bred by W. S. Farish and Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership, is out of Storm Showers (Storm Cat). His second dam is graded winner Welcome Surprise (Seeking the Gold) and his third dam is blue-hen mare Weekend Surprise (Secretariat). “The horse was just an elite physical; he had a great walk on him,” Stevens said. “He had everything you wanted to see in a physical. He was really well put together. He just has that look to him–a horse that can run early, but can stretch out and get you into those races you want to get into.” Of the yearling’s deep roots at the Farish family’s operation, Stevens added, “If you look at what Lane’s End has done over the years, if you see a nice colt at Lane’s End’s consignment who was raised there, you know what they are capable of getting to down the road. That gives you a little bit more excitement when you see these type of horses and you know they’ve been raised at the best farms possible in Central Kentucky.” Durant’s three purchases at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale included a $530,000 colt by American Pharoah (hip 350). At the OBS April sale, Stevens went to $275,000 to secure a filly by the Triple Crown winner (hip 725) on Durant’s behalf. Stevens agreed the market has been highly competitive at Keeneland this week. “When you look at the paper and you look at the physicals and you appraise them, right now in the market, you might as well double that,” Stevens said. “There are a lot of guys who haven’t signed their names yet at this sale, so you know there is plenty of money left. If you want to get horses like this, you have to step up and pay for them.” @JessMartiniTDN Lane’s End Offerings, Stallions Dominate Lane’s End couldn’t have had a better day than it did Friday, both as a consignor and with its stallions. Lane’s End consigned four of the day’s five top lots, and the remaining member of the top five was a son of Lane’s End phenom Quality Road. The Versailles-based operation led all sellers with 29 yearlings bringing $9.45 million. “They lined up well for us,” said Lane’s End’s Bill Farish at the end of the session. “We just had some really good horses on this day, and it was great to see a couple of our stallions represented there at the top with Union Rags and Quality Road. Both of them had great days–not just our [consignment], but other people’s.” A colt by Union Rags was the day’s session topper at $1 million, while Quality Road produced colts for $950,000 and $900,000 and was the day’s leading sire by average with more than one sold at $495,625 (eight total for $3,925,000). “His mare books got better and better and better, and this [crop of yearlings] is still [the product] of $35,000 stud fee mares,” Farish said of Quality Road, who had another $900,000 colt sell during Book 1 and is currently third on the 2019 general sires list. “Next year’s $70,000, and then the next year is $150,000, so I think he’s really going to be one of the top tier commercial stallions.” As for the strength of the Book 2 market, Farish said, “It was crazy. I don’t think we’ve ever seen more vetting on any day of the sale than we saw for today. I think a lot of the agents and lookers were trying to catch up, and they might’ve vetted more horses than they normally would because they had so many horses to see. It was incredible. I think the video scoping has really helped. They can get it done faster and get around a lot quicker.” —@BDiDonatoTDN Career Day for Nursery Place The Mayer family, which has been consigning horses under its Nursery Place banner for decades, enjoyed its biggest success in the sales ring Friday at Keeneland, selling a colt by Quality Road for $900,000. “I owned this horse in partnership with my dad [John], my brother [Walker], my uncle [Happy Broadbent] and my two best friends,” Griffin Mayer said after congratulating the SF/Starlight/ Madaket team on the purchase of hip 851. “So this was really special. He has always been a really nice horse. Coming in here, we knew he was nice, but over the last couple of days, it became evident how popular he was.” The yearling is out of stakes-placed Hot Spell (Salt Lake) and is a half to stakes winner Saratoga Heater (Temple City). The partnership purchased Hot Spell, in foal to Morning Line, for $85,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January sale. “This partnership has about eight mares together,” Mayer said. “It’s kind of new in the last three or four years, we started buying some mares. [Hot Spell] had already had a stakes horse at the time in Saratoga Heater, so that brought our attention to the mare.” Since being acquired by the Nursery Place partnership, Hot Spell has produced stakes placed Malocchio (Orb), who sold for $190,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. Quality Road had two of the top four sellers during Friday’s session. Of the decision to send the mare to the Lane’s End stallion, Mayer said, “We really went out to Lane’s End with this horse in mind. This mare had a really good Orb, but she was just a hair short on leg and we went out and saw Quality Road and said, ‘This is the perfect fit for this mare.’ When the foal got on the ground, I wasn’t expecting that–he was awesome.” Confirming the colt was the highest-priced Nursery Place consignee, Mayer said, “We had a baby bring $850,000 here a couple of years ago. But this one is great.” The colt’s sale capped a big day for Nursery Place, which sold all six sent through the ring Friday. The group included a $350,000 son of Air Force Blue (hip 840) and a $250,000 daughter of Hard Spun (hip 841). “We’ve had a great day, we’ve gone six-for-six,” Mayer said. “It was a great day for the Nursery Place team. Our guys do a phenomenal job at the farm and they all come up here and work with us at the sales and I can’t thank them enough for the good work that they do.” @JessMartiniTDN SF, Starlight, Madaket Continue Building Their Empire The powerful conglomerate spearheaded by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables was perhaps slightly quieter than might have been expected during Book 1 of the Keeneland September sale, but sprung into action Friday, first securing an Empire Maker ridgling for $775,000 and eventually ending up with four of the top six lots and five in total once the day was done, including the session-topping $1-million Union Rags colt (hip 920) from the Lane’s End draft. The partnership purchased three colts for $1.61 million during Book 1, but still had some work left to do to match the $11.43 million outlay made last year on 24 Classic-leaning colts, all purchased with the plan of turning them over to two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert. The group purchased a pair of yearlings at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for a combined $985,000. “It’s the same group–Baffert calls us the Avengers. Everyone has a role and everyone adds value,” said SF Bloodstock’s Tom Ryan after agent and Baffert buyer Donato Lanni signed the ticket on hip 763. In response to a comment about the group’s relative lack of purchases during Book 1, Ryan said, “It wasn’t for the lack of not trying. It’s a very strong sale. There are a lot of high-quality horses on the market and a lot of money around for them. And it’s come from all over the world.” The partnership’s first group of purchases are 2-year-olds of this year, and include ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Eight Rings (Empire Maker), who turned in one of the most impressive performances by a juvenile this season when taking his Aug. 4 Del Mar unveiling by 6 1/4 lengths, only to duck in and lose his rider at 1-2 odds in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. “One thing we know right now is that Eight Rings is a very talented horse. All we know about [hip 763] right now is that he’s a very athletic horse,” Ryan said when asked to compare the two. “He’s just balanced, [has a strong] shoulder–the way his hind end ties in. He’s a beautiful horse… These kind of horses are generally quite obvious. It doesn’t take you a long time to pick them out. He was very well raised, too. He comes from a very good farm in Lantern Hill, he has a beautiful pedigree. There’s no reason not to get excited about him.” SF, et al. paid $900,000 later in the session for hip 851, a Quality Road colt consigned by Nursery Place and made their biggest splash of the session right at the end, securing the lone million-dollar yearling of the day in hip 920, a G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.-bred chestnut from the family of Grade I winners Dream Deal, Creme Fraiche, Clear Mandate, Strong Mandate and Romantic Vision. “When pedigree comes together with physical and they work well veterinary wise, that’s where we are at,” Ryan said of the session topper. “He’s a big, obvious horse and the competition was strong for him all over the ring as far as I could see. We found ourselves in a position where that’s what we had to give if we wanted to buy him.” Overall, the partnership spent $3,975,000 to be leading buyer. Others involved with the group are Fred Hertrich III, John Fielding and Ben Goldberg and Elliott Friman’s Golconda Stables. They were represented last week by dominant Los Alamitos debuter Mo Hawk (Uncle Mo), who cost $400,000 12 months ago. —@BDiDonatoTDN Stonestreet Joins in For Curlin Colt Just when it seemed like the partnership involving SF Bloodstock, Starlight, Madaket, et al couldn’t get any more powerful, Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet joined in with them to partner on hip 900, an $800,000 son of Curlin. The grey was consigned by Lane’s End on behalf of breeder Paul Pompa. “We’re very happy to have [Stonestreet] in–they’ve done a great job with Curlin to make him the stallion he is today,” said SF’s Tom Ryan as Donato Lanni signed the ticket and with Bob Baffert, Banke and her advisor John Moynihan and SF’s Gavin Murphy close by. “He’s just a big, powerful horse. Unbridled’s Song is a great broodmare sire, there’s plenty of depth to the pedigree and there was clearly loads of competition for him.” Hip 900 is the first foal out of Lyrical Moment (Unbridled’s Song), a $500,000 OBS June graduate of 2015 who broke her maiden on the Belmont turf at three. She hails from the female family of GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles (Unbridled’s Song). Stonestreet’s 2019 GIII Doubledogdare S. winner Electric Forest is the lone graded winner so far bred on the Curlin–Unbridled’s Song cross. —@BDiDonatoTDN Perfect ‘Storm’ for Sullivan, Shoemaker Longtime owner/breeder Mary Sullivan typically isn’t one to spend much time in the spotlight, or to sell her horses, but Lantern Hill Farm’s Suzi Shoemaker picked a good time to convince her to give the latter a try. Out of a half-sister to the dam of this year’s GIII Beaugay S. and GII New York S. winner and GI Diana S. third Homerique (Exchange Rate), the Sullivan-bred Classier (Empire Maker), offered as hip 763, garnered the attention of SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables to sell for $775,000 during Friday’s Book 2 opener. Florida-based Sullivan co-bred and co-campaigned hard-knocking Grade I-winning millionaire Kiri’s Clown in the mid-90s, and more recently bred and raced three-time Grade I winner Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic). Now standing at Crestwood Farm, Get Stormy has gained some momentum this season thanks in large part to the exploits of his 4-year-old daughter Got Stormy, who bested the boys in Saratoga’s GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 10 and is the morning-line favorite to repeat the dose in Saturday’s GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile. “This is the first colt that I’ve been allowed to sell by his, breeder Mary Sullivan,” Shoemaker revealed. “She has raced and bred for many years–she bred and raced Get Stormy–and he is emerging as a good sire with low numbers and modest mares. She’s a very modest person herself. She doesn’t seek publicity. She never sells and I managed to talk her into selling this horse. Like all breeders, we end up with too many horses on our training and boarding bills, so I asked her to sell him and she did and he was perfect in every way… Homerique is a filly who obviously has a lot of class… There was just a lot of sizzle in the pedigree. It was definitely a perfect storm.” Sullivan paid $300,000 for Classier’s dam Class Will Tell (Bernardini) at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. Hailing from the female family of Group 1 winner White Moonstone and Grade I winner Desert Stormer, she graduated in the last of her 12 career starts in a Gulfstream maiden special weight going a mile on the dirt in 2016. “This whole year has been kind of magical for Mary,” Shoemaker said. “Because she doesn’t sell, the fact that we were able to have such a great sale for her is just a great thrill for me professionally… This colt has a 2-year-old full-brother in training with Ian Wilkes, and normally Mary just races. Tom Bush also trains for her, and she races everything. But, over the years, I’ve seen horses who maybe would fit a sales program and tried to suggest it, and not gotten anywhere, but this year she said, ‘Okay. Let’s give this one a try.'” Classier’s brother is named Make a Classic. Class Will Tell produced a Tiznow colt earlier this term and was bred back to Union Rags. —@BDiDonatoTDN Team Shoplifted Take Another Home The team buying on behalf of Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine, Everett Dobson’s Cheyenne Stables and the Roth family’s LNJ Foxwoods was back in action Friday, striking for a $700,000 Speightstown colt out of the graded-placed ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Tokyo Time (Medaglia d’Oro). The well-bred bay was consigned as hip 679 by Gainesway, Agent XXIV on behalf of breeder Emory Hamilton. “He’s a beautiful colt, lovely pedigree, raised on a spectacular farm,” said agent Jason Litt after signing the ticket. “We’ve had a lot of luck buying from Gainesway and with something raised on Helen Alexander’s farm (Emory Hamilton’s sister). He was just the classic ‘checks all the boxes’–beautiful mover, lovely type. We’re happy to have him.” LNJ campaigns the flashy GI Longines Test S. heroine Covfefe (Into Mischief), who was bred by Alexander and her mother Helen Groves. “It was good,” Litt said of the price paid for hip 679. “When you’re signing the ticket, you’re always feeling pretty good. If you’re crying when you’re buying, that’s never a good sign. So, we’re pretty happy.” Litt said competition remained tough at the start of Book 2 and that he didn’t expect it to get much easier. “There are some lovely horses,” he said. “There’s still good stuff, and there will be some good stuff for the rest of the sale. There’s still quality and plenty of people here with money.” Grandview, Cheyenne and LNJ co-campaign 2-year-old ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Shoplifted (Into Mischief), who was second in Saratoga’s GI Runhappy Hopeful S. as part of a Steve Asmussen-trained trifecta Sept. 2. The colt was an $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buy signed for by Gatewood Bell’s Cromwell Bloodstock. Bell signed for the $950,000 Twirling Candy half-brother to Grade I winners Ascend and Roadster purchased by this same group Wednesday. Tokyo Time is a half to graded winners Hungry Island (More Than Ready) and Soaring Empire (Empire Maker), and the colt’s already jam-packed page got even more cramped thanks to the exploits of a son of another half to Tokyo Time–Preservationist (Arch) took the GII Suburban S. this July and added the Aug. 31 GI Woodward S. since the catalog was printed. This is the female family of Grade I winners Chic Shirine, Queena, Keen Ice, Somali Lemonade and Verrazano. —@BDiDonatoTDN McIlroy, Callaghan Right on the Money for Empire Maker Colt Agent Ben McIlroy and trainer Simon Callaghan stretched to secure an Empire Maker colt (hip 638) for $550,000 on behalf of a racing partnership early in Friday’s Book 2 opener. The Feb. 6 foal was consigned by Denali Stud, Agent XLIX on behalf of breeder Don Alberto Corporation. “Obviously, he’s by a top-class stallion in Empire Maker out of a mare by a great broodmare sire in Bernardini,” McIlroy said. “He’s a top physical from great breeders–there wasn’t a whole lot no to like.” Don Alberto paid $625,000 for winning dam Spare Change (Bernardini)–an eight-length Saratoga maiden special weight romper at two for her breeder Phipps Stable–in foal to Distorted Humor at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Spare Change herself is a daughter of MGISW Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat) and granddaughter of GISW Fantastic Find (Mr. Prospector). A stakes-placed half to Spare Change produced GSW/MGISP Feathered (Indian Charlie), whose Tapit colt was a $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad last month. Yearlings out of Bernardini mares have been in high demand this week. Among the high-priced sellers with Bernardini on their bottom side have been a $1.2-million Curlin colt, a $1-million Union Rags filly, a $900,000 Quality Road colt and a $500,000 Quality Road colt who sold just a few hips before hip 638. The Darley resident is the broodmare sire of 2019 Grade I winners Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and Dunbar Road (Quality Road) as well as the versatile MGISW Catholic Boy (More Than Ready). “That was definitely a [factor in the colt’s appeal],” McElroy said. “And on top of that it was Bernardini over Storm Cat [on the dam’s side], which is another good cross. Those were factors, but it was mainly about the physical. He was one of the best physicals today by a top sire. That’s where we valued the horse and that’s where we got him… that was our last bid. That’s where I thought he would be. Maybe we got a little lucky because he was in early in the sale today. More times than not, you’ve got to go a few extra bids, but we got him right where we wanted.” Later in the session, another son of Empire Maker out of a Bernardini mare sold for $775,000 to SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables (see more on hip 763 above). Hall of Famer Royal Delta is among the most noteworthy products of the Empire Maker–A.P. Indy (Bernardini’s sire) cross. —@BDiDonatoTDN Encore for Imagine and Applauding Marne Fauber and Heidi Cecil’s Imagine purchased the mare Applauding (Congrats) in foal to Curlin for $100,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale and was rewarded for the purchase when that Curlin filly sold for $475,000 to Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. The mare’s second Imagine-bred foal, a son of Distorted Humor (hip 728), nearly matched his half-sister when selling for $400,000 to trainer Ken McPeek during Friday’s session of the Keeneland September sale. “Honestly, when I first bought her, I was trying to get a Curlin and she was in foal to Curlin,” Fauber said of the now 10-year-old mare’s appeal. “But she was just a nice, pretty mare, she was very well-balanced. She was good all the way around. I thought I had a bargain when I was buying the mare for what I got her for when the stud fee was more than that at the time.” Applauding has a weanling filly by Curlin and was bred back to the Hill ‘n’ Dale stallion this year. “We might offer the weanling in November, but I’m not sure,” Fauber said. “We are doing pretty well with the yearlings, so far.” The Imagine broodmare band currently numbers just three head, but Applauding is the only member acquired specifically as a broodmare. “We do a lot of the 2-year-old-in-training horses, so the other mares that we have, for whatever reason, couldn’t get sold,” Fauber explained. “But they are really well-bred, so we decided to breed them. I am happy with all of them.” Fauber continued, “We have some racing, but they are racing because they didn’t sell. The plan is to sell. Whenever we buy weanlings, we offer all of them as yearlings. We don’t hold anything back. Everything goes to the sale and whatever doesn’t go, just stays in the program.” @JessMartiniTDN The post Keeneland Book 2 Opens With Vibrant Trade appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Each Saturday NTRA and BloodHorse provide a one-stop guide to the day's graded stakes races, capsules and entries. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Click on links for full preview. View the full article

Editor’s Note: The Jockey Club has asked for public comment on their proposal to cap at 140 the number of mares a stallion can breed annually. In this ongoing series, we will publish the perspectives of breeders, stallion farms and others on the proposal. Barbara Banke, Stonestreet Farm: The health and welfare of the Thoroughbred breed should always be our number one concern. As a member of the Board of Stewards, I believe the proposal is a way to address a concern held broadly in the industry and look forward to the feedback from our invitation for comments. Want to share your opinion? Email suefinley@thetdn.com The post Opinions on the Cap: Barbara Banke appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The children of 26 full-time horse farm worker will pursue higher education this year with assistance from the Horse Farm Workers’ Educational Assistance Fund. The Fund was founded in 1996 by Rob Whiteley of Liberation Farm, Tom Evans of Trackside Farm and Brookdale Farm’s Fred Seitz. Scholarships are awarded for education or skill training post-high school and are based upon financial need, merit, biographical essays and personal interviews. Scholarships are also available for full-time horse farm workers in Central Kentucky who wish to take equine related training or courses to help them be more knowledgeable and effective while working with Thoroughbred horses. To date, 684 annual scholarships totaling $1,515,590 have been awarded since the Fund’s inception. “These scholars and parents are an industry treasure. Farm workers are the backbone of the breeding industry which is the foundation of the entire Thoroughbred industry. The parents of these scholars have instilled an incredible work ethic in their children. Year after year, these outstanding young people impress the Board with their ability, motivation, energy, enthusiasm, and accomplishments. In many instances, our scholars are the first in their families to pursue secondary education; and some could not pursue education without our financial assistance.” Qualifying parents of scholars are employed full-time by one of the following central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms: Airdrie Stud, Ashview Farm, Betz Thoroughbreds (2), Chesapeake Farm, Dixiana Farm, Don Alberto Corp., Endeavor Farm, Far Cry Farm, Godolphin (4), Hermitage, Magdalena Farm, Miacomet Farm, Parkland Farm, Rosemont Farm, Spendthrift Farm (2), Stoneview Farm (2), Walmac Farm, Watercress Farm (2), and Westbrook Stables. The scholars and their schools are as follows: Riley Alexander, Eastern KY; Patrick Autry Chase Law–Northern KY; Olivia Bryant, U. of Kentucky; Andres Calleja, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Sofia Calleja, U. of Louisville; Caleb Carr, Transylvania U.; Jacob Compton, U. of Kentucky; Ciara Farrell, Georgetown College; Sarah Farrell, U. of Kentucky; Eddie Garcia – Eastern KY; Dylan Gilbert, Murray State; Trenton Gilbert, U. of Kentucky; Jayden Hamilton, Campbellsville U.; Ruth Hughes, U. of Notre Dame; Lupe Macias, U. of Kentucky; Miguel Macias, U. of Kentucky; Peyton Mathes, Centre College; Saorise McEntee, U. of Kentucky; Karina Meza, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; Claire Nickell, Asbury U.; Richard Osborn, Bellarmine U.; Alondra Perez-Islas, Jefferson Community and Technical College; Caleb Reams, Asbury U.; Sydney Buyher-Sayre, U. of Kentucky; Leslee Tapia Reyna, Indiana U. Southeast; Reagan Toothaker, Thomas More U.; and Kenzie Trent, Asbury U. The post HFWEAF Awards 26 Scholarships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fresh off her sensational trouncing of the boys in record time in the Aug. 10 Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, 4-year-old Got Stormy appears to be thriving. View the full article

The Breeders’ Cup Board of Directors unanimously re-elected Fred W. Hertrich III as its Board Chairman at its meeting Friday in Lexington. Hertrich, who will serve a two-year term, is the owner of Watercress Farm in Park and was first elected as chairman in 2017. Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud, a Breeders’ Cup Director since 2011, was elected Vice Chairman. “I am pleased and proud to once again serve as Chairman of the Breeders’ Cup and in conjunction with our Directors, Members and nominators, will continue working diligently to enhance the prestige and popularity of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, and our associated racing programs, for our horsemen and fans on a global basis,” said Hertrich. “On behalf of our fellow Directors, we extend our warmest congratulations to new Vice Chairman Bret Jones upon his election.” Following today’s election, the Board of 14 Directors is as follows: Barbara Banke, Stonestreet Stables; Antony Beck, Gainesway Farm; Alan Cooper, Niarchos Family/Flaxman Holdings Ltd.; William S. Farish, Jr., Lane’s End Farm; Craig Fravel, President & CEO of the Breeders’ Cup; Walker Hancock, Claiborne Farm; Fred Hertrich (Chairman), Watercress Farm; Bret Jones, (Vice Chairman), Airdrie Stud; Anthony Manganaro, Siena Farm; Clem Murphy, Coolmore Stud; Gavin Murphy, SF Bloodstock; Mike Rogers, The Stronach Group; Alex Solis II, Solis/Litt Bloodstock and Elliott Walden, WinStar Farm. The post Hertrich Re-Elected Chairman of Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wagering options aplenty in the Canadian Stakes Presented By the Japan Racing Association (G2T), the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T), the Pebbles, the Northern Dancer Turf (G1T), the Iroquois (G3) and the Pocahontas (G2). View the full article

The first of 12 slots in the 2019 Pitons Cup, the feature race that will mark the launch of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club Dec. 13. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, owner Sol Kumin and EliTE sales and bloodstock agent Bradley Weisbord have teamed to purchase the first slot for $20,000 to guarantee their spot in the field for the $150,000 race, to be contested at a mile and an eighth on the dirt track. The endorsement of Todd, Sol and Brad in securing a slot on top of the level of enquiries we have received since announcing the Pitons Cup has been beyond expectation,” said Eden Harrington, director of the RSLTC. “Todd, Sol and Brad are leaders in the American racing industry, they have records of excellence and confirmation of their involvement in Saint Lucia is exceptionally rewarding. Not only are they passionate racing fans, they raise the standard of competition and bring great awareness of Saint Lucia with them.” The slot holders for the Pitons Cup may enter a racehorse of their choice, ownership of one of 12 selected unraced 2-year-olds currently in training in Florida (inclusive of flights to Saint Lucia and pre-training costs in the US); and an entry for that horse in the $20,000 supporting feature. For additional information, visit https://rslts.com/the-pitons-cup/. The post First Pitons Cup Slot Snapped Up appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Breezing for the first time since finishing seventh behind Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GI Runhappy Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 24, Tax (Arch) covered a half-mile in a leisurely :50 seconds over the Belmont main track Friday morning. “We just took him an easy half. He’s fit. He came out of this race better than his other races,” said Danny Gargan, who trains the one-time claimer for Randy Hill’s R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corns Racing Stable. Gargan indicated that the gelding holds entries for the GI Pennyslvania Derby Sept. 21 and the GIII Oklahoma Derby on the dirt Sept. 29 as well as the GIII Hill Prince S. at Belmont Oct. 5, a nine-furlong test that would mark Tax’s turf debut. “I’m leaning towards the race at Remington or the grass race. It would give him a little more time,” said Gargan. Winner of the GIII Withers S. in February, Tax was second to Travers runner-up Tacitus (Tapit) in the GII Wood Memorial S. in April. Promoted to 14th in the GI Kentucky Derby, the dark bay was fourth in the GI Belmont S. ahead of his Jim Dandy tally in which he reversed form with Tacitus. He was beaten 5 3/4 lengths in the Travers. The post Gargan Exploring Options for Tax appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin’s Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), impressive winner of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March, tries to convert that form to North America when he takes on five others in the GI Northern Dancer Turf S. at Woodbine Saturday. The winner of four of seven starts last term for earnings in excess of $400,000, he bumped his game up a notch this season with a win in the G2 Dubai City of Gold Mar. 9 before taking the Sheema on Dubai World Cup night Mar. 30. Seventh in Epsom’s G1 Coronation Cup May 31, he finished third most recently in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin over a mile and a half at Hoppegarten Aug. 11. “It’s a long straight to finish, and that will suit him,” said head traveling lass Sophie Chretien of Woodbine’s E. P. Taylor course. “Here in Canada, I think it will suit his style of running. He does like some pace. It’s a big, galloping track. I think he will like that. In his last race in Germany, I was not there, but I watched it on TV after. That day–he has some turn of foot, don’t get me wrong–but you need some pace for that. He probably would not have beaten the winner, but he could have run a bit better in a way, I think.” Representing Team Canada, Tiz a Slam (Tiznow) has shown his affinity for the local turf, having won five of nine turf tries her during his career. Victorious in last season’s 10-furlong GIII Dominion Day S. on the main track and the GII Nijinsky S. on the grass, the Ontario bred kicked off his 2019 campaign with a sixth in the Feb. 16 GIII Fair Grounds H. followed by a fourth in the GII Elkhorn S. at Keeneland Apr. 20. Returning to his favored front-running tactics for Churchill’s GIII Louisville S. May 18, the Chiefswood Stable bred reported home a 3/4-length winner and made it two straight in the GIII Singspiel S. June 22. Favored to defend his Nijinsky title, the Roger Attfield trainee cruised home an easy 4 1/4-length winner. The post Old Persian heads Northern Dancer Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Though a withers injury incurred over the winter delayed Hotshot Anna's return this year, it has done little to slow her effectiveness. View the full article

A Quality Road colt half brother to stakes winner Saratoga Heater was bought by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, and Madeket Stables for $900,000 during the fourth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. View the full article

If you’re looking to back a winner this spring, the formguide is the best place to start. View the full article

That Justify (Scat Daddy) tested positive for an illegal substance following his win in the GI Santa Anita Derby is something that has shaken the horse racing world and a story that is likely to continue to resonate within the industry and public for years to come. Thousands upon thousands of words have been written about it, but there is still so much that we don’t know and don’t understand. Some thoughts, questions and opinions on the Justify-Scopolamine story. 1) That the California Horse Racing Board did not have enough time to properly investigate the situation prior to the running of the GI Kentucky Derby is perfectly plausible. So, too, is its contention that the horse should not have been disqualified because it felt that Scopolamine wound up in the horse due to environmental contamination. But the CHRB also made some serious mistakes along the way, all of them revolving around transparency. It treated this case like it involved a horse getting a positive in the fourth at the Fresno Fair. Someone should have realized that a story about a failed drug test on a Triple Crown winner was going to get out someday and had the CHRB come forward and addressed the issue and told reporters everything it knew as soon as it was legally able to do so, we wouldn’t have the mess we have on our hands now. When all the I’s were dotted and T’s were crossed and the CHRB was able to discuss the Scopolamine, it should have immediately held a press conference and held nothing back. This was, after all, a very important story involving a horse going for a Triple Crown. That way, it could have gotten out front on the story and explained why the horse was allowed to run in the Derby. It could have put forth a reasonable, fairly easy-to-understand argument about environmental contamination. The story wouldn’t have gone away overnight, but it also never would have turned into what it has–a sensationalistic story that has given the sport yet another kick in the gut. When the CHRB eventually decided to exonerate trainer Bob Baffert and not disqualify Justify from the Santa Anita Derby, it should have held another press conference explaining why it made its decision. There are still things we do not know, like how what level of the drug was found in the horse? Did the CHRB ever test the hay and straw in the Baffert barn? Did the test result come from a urine or blood test? The CHRB also has to start choosing staff and board members who do not have direct connections with participants in the industry. That Chuck Winner, the former CHRB’s chairman who was still in charge at the time of the 2018 Santa Anita Derby, has used Baffert as his trainer is a terrible optic. 2) The New York Times used Dr. Rick Sams as its only source that would indict Justify. “He said the amount of Scopolamine found in Justify–300 nanograms per milliliter–was excessive, and suggested the drug was intended to enhance performance,” the paper wrote. Sams was head of the drug lab for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from 2011 to 2018 and would have been responsible for testing the horses in the Kentucky Derby. Justify did not fail a test in that race. However, Churchill Downs released a statement Thursday that said neither it nor the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission had any knowledge of the Scopolamine positive until the story broke in the Times. Then how is that Sams knows not only the precise amount of the drug found in Justify in a test conducted by another racing commission, but anything about the matter at all beyond what has been reported in the press? Sams did not return repeated phone calls left by the TDN or respond to an email 3) Why is Scopolamine even illegal in the first place? With the exception of Sams, virtually every expert in the field who has been interviewed said the drug is not a performance-enhancer. Craig Robertson, the lawyer representing Baffert said that it defies logic that a trainer would give a horse Scopolamine in an attempt to win a race. “No trainer would ever intentionally administer Scopolamine to a horse. It has a depressant effect and would do anything but enhance the performance of a horse.” That it can inadvertently wind up in a horse through environmental contamination through no fault of the trainer makes it even more problematic that it is a banned substance. 4) The Harm Done to the Sport This is a complicated story and the most likely conclusion is that the horse was not intentionally drugged in a an effort to win the Santa Anita Derby. But the general public is never going to realize that or get past the headlines, most of which read something along the line of “Triple Crown winner drugged.” They won’t understand that Scopolamine is a relatively innocuous substance or the difference between environmental contamination and a serious drug being injected into a horse. Racing has gotten enough black eyes, some of them deserved. This one isn’t fair. 5) Would a Scopolamine Positive Result in a Disqualification? This is a key question because if the positive test meant nothing more than a fine or penalty for Baffert, and not that the Santa Anita Derby victory would have been taken away from Justify, it would be a moot point so far as whether or not he would have been eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby. So, what’s the answer? No one seems to know. Chuck Winner, who was Chairman of the CHRB at the time of the 2018 Santa Anita Derby, issued a statement that read: “Furthermore, under ARCI guidelines scopolamine is a class 4C substance, which would not trigger disqualification or re-distribution of a purse. Under CHRB Rule 1843.2, classifications are based on the ARCI guidelines, unless specifically modified by the Board. The Board never modified that designation.” The ARCI responded with a statement of its owns contradicting Winner. “According to the penalty guidelines, if this drug is found in a post-race sample, the horse is to be disqualified and the owner loses the purse in the absence of mitigating circumstances,” it read. “The exact language reads: ‘Disqualification and loss of purse in the absence of mitigating circumstances. Horse must pass commission-approved examination before being eligible to run.” The Times story had still a different explanation concerning the matter of a disqualification versus a non-disqualification. “In the months that followed the decision to drop the case against Justify, the racing board moved to lessen the penalty for a Scopolamine violation from disqualification and forfeiture of purse to only a fine and suspension,” the Times wrote. So which is it and why the confusion? The different versions imply that regulators may have not been aware of what exactly the rules were. If so, that sort of sloppiness is unacceptable. The post Trying to Make Sense of Scopolamine-Gate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gary Barber and Southern Equine Stables’ Got Stormy (Get Stormy) tries to give her trainer, Mark Casse, his third victory in Saturday’s GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile st Santa Anita Nov. 2. His first two wins were registered with Tepin in 2016 followed by World Approval the following year. Both horses went on to secure year-end Eclipse Awards for Casse. A winner in a Gulfstream optional claimer Mar. 7, the chestnut finished third in the Apr. 13 GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland before a runner-up effort in the GII Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs May 4. Given a brief respite after that, she returned even better with a convincing four-length score in the Aug. 3 De La Rose S. at Saratoga before annexing the Aug. 10 GI Fourstardave S., breaking the track record in the process. “I initially had planned going right from the De La Rose to the Woodbine Mile,” admitted Casse. “Gary was the one that pushed so hard for the Fourstardave. I gave him all the reasons why we shouldn’t do it and he said, ‘Okay, that’s good, but unless you tell me you’re not happy with her I want to run her back in a week.’ He continued, “I said, ‘Okay, fair enough.’ And as the week went on between the De La Rose and the Fourstardave, she just got bigger and stronger. She just started thriving. The day we entered, which would have been Wednesday, I said, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen her train so good as we did today.” When asked to compare her latest star to Tepin, Casse added, “I gave her a three-year-old campaign and took her home,” the trainer said of Got Stormy, who won four of nine starts last season, including Woodbine’s GIII Ontario Colleen S. “Same thing I did with Tepin. When [Got Stormy) won that allowance race at Gulfstream [in March], it reminded me a lot of how Tepin had done when she came back after giving her a break. I sent the PPs to Gary Barber and said, ‘It reminds me a lot of Tepin.’ I wasn’t comparing her yet to Tepin; I just was saying there were some similarities there. I think you can start talking about her about being on the exceptional side. She still has a lot to do and to prove to be in the same league as Tepin, but she does seem to be on her way there.” A bonafide horse-for-the-course, Stronach Stables’ Silent Poet (Silent Name {Jpn}) has accounted for five wins and a pair of seconds from seven starts over the local turf, including his latest a course-record setting score in the seven-furlong GII Play the King S. Aug. 24. The winner of half of his eight starts in 2018, including the Vice Regent S. over this course and trip last September, Silent Poet rounded out his campaign with with a pair of on-the-board stakes finishes over the main track, including the most recent of the two a runner-up finish in the Sir Barton S. In December. Gelded during his time away from the races, he returned a new horse with a front-running win going 6 1/2 furlongs against allowance foes July 21. Asked if the plan had been to run in the Woodbine Mile immediately after the Play the King, trainer Nick Gonzalez said, “I was saying that, yes. I kind of had thoughts about it before the race, but I was trying to play it cool. After he did what he did, and the way he did what he did, in track record style, you had to be pretty excited. Even though we trainers don’t like to get too far ahead of ourselves, you couldn’t help but think what might happen in three weeks.” Always one to reckon with, trainer Chad Brown is represented by Grade I winner Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who looks to get back in the winner’s circle for trainer Peter Brant. Victorious in a trio of graded stakes in 2018, including the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar in December, bay returned with a pair of fourths in 2019–the GI Maker’s Mark 46 Mile in April and the GI Turf Classic over nine furlongs at Churchill in May. Third in the 10-panel GI Manhattan S. at Belmont June 8, he closed to be second last time out behind Got Stormy in the Fourstardave. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for his Hollywood Derby win, gets back on board here. The post ‘Storm’ Approaching in Woodbine Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Craig R. Fravel, Breeders' Cup president and CEO since 2011, will depart the organization at the conclusion of this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 1-2 to accept a position as The Stronach Group's CEO of Racing Operations. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. It’s a holiday weekend in Japan, with US-breds taking their spots Saturday through Monday at Hanshin and Nakayama: Saturday, September 14, 2019 5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($124k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT Sent out by the connections of G1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), MOZU AUNT MO (f, 2, Uncle Mo–A Footstep Away, by Giant’s Causeway), a $200K Keeneland September yearling, is a half-sister to SW Two Thirty Five (Stay Thirsty) and is out of an unraced daughter of GSW At the Half (Seeking the Gold), dam of MGSW & MGISP Lu Ravi (A.P. Indy) and Half Queen (Deputy Minister). The latter’s daughter Halfbridled (Unbridled) was champion 2-year-old filly of 2003. B-Springhill Farm (KY) 5th-NAK, ¥13,400,000 ($124k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT It could be a very good weekend for American Pharoah in Japan, with third-timer Clepat looking strong in Sunday’s first at Hanshin, and ABUL HAUL looks set to get it off on a high note Saturday. An Apr. 28 foal, the bay is the first produce from 2013 GI QE II Challenge Cup winner Kitten’s Dumplings (Kitten’s Joy), who was sold privately to Shadai Farm in early 2016 and was among the first book of mares covered by the Triple Crown winner prior to her export. Kitten’s Dumplings is a full-sister to GSW Granny’s Kitten and Granny Mc’s Kitten. Catulus Felis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the first foal from champion Stephanie’s Kitten, was a debut winner Aug. 11. Abul Haul is the 1-2 ante-post favorite with Mirco Demuro to ride. B-Teruya Yoshida (KY) Sunday, September 15, 2019 3rd-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($124k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m HERRSSCHAFT (c, 2, Will Take Charge–Love Ava Love, by Mr. Greeley) is out of a half-sister to MSW & GSP Global Power (Pulpit) and SW Pegasusbystorm (Fusaichi Pegasus) and cost $110K as a KEENOV weanling before selling for $200K at last year’s September sale. Herrschaft’s third dam is Canadian Horse of the Year Alywow (Alysheba). B-Colts LLC (KY) Monday, September 16, 2019 3rd-HSN, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 2yo, 2000mT OCEAN EYE (c, 2, Kitten’s Joy–Save Our Oceans, by Super Saver) has form through the aforementioned Catulus Felis, having finished a respectable sixth four weeks ago. Produced by a winning daughter of MGSW turf mare Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic)-dam of GSW Converge (Sidney’s Candy)-the chestnut was a $70K KEENOV weanling and fetched 280,000gns from Paca Paca Farm as a Tattersalls October yearling last fall. B-Jean Etienne Dubois (KY) The post Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Sept. 14-16, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today’s Observations features the return of a recent ‘TDN Rising Star’. 4.07 Chantilly, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, c/g, 8fT VICTOR LUDORUM (GB) (Shamardal) earned TDN Rising Star status on debut at ParisLongchamp at the start of the month and has been supplemented for this next educational step by Andre Fabre. Godolphin’s relative of Street Cry (Ire) meets five rivals as he nears a possible black-type test before the season is out. The post Victor Ludorum Takes Centre Stage At Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The lion’s share of the pre-race attention has fallen to TDN Rising Star Dennis’ Moment (Tiznow) following his eye-popping 19 1/4 -front running victory in a seven-furlong Ellis maiden July 27 and his connections hope to take the next step and punch his ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a score in the GIII Iroquois S., a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ event. “I remember calling [trainer] Dale [Romans] a couple days after the race to make sure how he came out of the race and Dale told me ‘he was perfect.’ I just hope he can now live up to the hype because he could be very special,” said owner Dennis Albaugh. Well meant in his career debut in a five-furlong test over this surface June 23, the Albaugh Family Stables representative failed to finish after clipping heels and losing his rider early. The colt was purchased for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale. “It’s exciting to be right in this horse’s backyard for the Iroquois,” added Albaugh. “It’s a big deal to pick up points this early for the Kentucky Derby. That will make things next year a little easier. This horse just amazes me how easy he strides. You look at other horses on the track and then see him, and his stride is just so perfect. He seems to get better every work leading into the race.” Steve Asmussen saddles L and J Racing LLC’s Rowdy Yates (Morning Line), a first-out winner going 5 ½ furlongs over this surface May 31 before coming up 3/4 of a length short in the GIII Bashford Manor S. June 29. Favored in his latest, the Oklahoma bred went wire-to-wire under Tyler Baze in the seven-furlong Elllis Park Juvenile Aug. 18 and the rider gets back aboard this time. Always tough with 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs in the fall, Ken McPeek offers up Flute Maker (Sky Mesa) a flat fifth after a poor break in his career bow at Ellis June 30, but bounced back to score by open lengths in a seven-furlong, off turf test in the saratoga slop Aug. 21. Jose Ortiz, who strikes with over 30% when teaming up with McPeek, gets the return call. The post ‘Moment’ Looks to Cement Star Status in Iroquois appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Arqana has catalogued 42 horses in training-with space for nine wild cards-for its boutique Arc Sale at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 5 at Saint-Cloud Racecourse following racing at nearby ParisLongchamp. Thirty-two of the horses offered for sale have won or been placed in stakes company. The seven 2-year-olds thus far catalogued include Helter Skelter (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (lot 12), a listed winner and one of the highest-rated juveniles in France at 103 with an entry in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere; and Les Hogues (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) (lot 29), a listed-winning filly who holds an entry in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac which, like the Lagardere, takes place the day after the sale. Last year, Lily’s Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}) was sold at the Arc sale for €390,000 before going on to win the Boussac less than 24 hours later. Two months later she was bought by Katsumi Yoshida for €1.1-million at the Arqana December sale. The seven black-type winning 3-year-olds catalogued include Wertheimer et Frere’s Flop Shot (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) (lot 21), winner of the G3 Prix de Guiche and placed in both the G2 Prix Eugene Adam and G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano; German Group 3 winner Bristano (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 14) and G3 Prix Penelope winner and G2 Prix de la Nonette third Cartiem (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) (lot 19). The current selection of older horses includes the 5-year-old Stunning Spirit (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 8), a dual listed winner last year and this year second in the G3 Prix Quincey; and 4-year-old filly Style Presa (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}) (lot 6), a listed-winning half-sister to G1 Sun Chariot S. winner Sahpresa (Fr) (Sahm). The post Arqana Unveils Arc Sale Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article