Wandering Eyes

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LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale may have started out slowly, but momentum built throughout Monday’s first session of the 13-day auction and the day ended with seven million-dollar transactions. Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation made the day’s biggest purchases, going to $2.5 million to acquire a Tapit half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (Uncle Mo) from Hinkle Farms and later spending $2.15 million for a Stonestreet-bred colt by Medaglia d’Oro from the Denali Stud consignment. During Monday’s session, 107 yearlings sold for $46,231,000 for an average of $432,065 and a median of $325,000. With 44 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 29.14%. While last year’s select Book 1 session of the September sale was four days, Keeneland has shortened Book 1 to just three sessions this year, making direct comparisons inexact. However, last term’s first session saw 138 yearlings gross $48,620,000. The session average was $352,319 and the median was $260,000. The buy-back rate was 34.91%. “It was incredible,” Keeneland’s Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said of Monday’s results. Godolphin was last year’s leading buyer at September and appeared ready to defend that title Monday. In addition to their pair of $2-million purchases, the operation purchased a second Medaglia d’Oro colt for $600,000. Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estate Company was the session’s next leading buyer with five yearlings purchased for a total of $3,060,000. “Obviously, Sheikh Mohammed carried a bunch of the water today,” Elliston said. “What a tremendous supporter he is of Keeneland and we couldn’t be more proud of that. Sheikh Hamdan [of Shadwell], as well, was up there; the Japanese got in there and bought; Larry Best had a good day–he got a few nice ones. I saw a lot of domestic bidders who were in there punching away, way late in those extended rounds but who didn’t get it done. That gives me enthusiasm [going forward] because we’ve got two more days of Book 1.” The Hinkle family’s Hinkle Farms sold a pair of seven-figure yearlings Monday in Lexington. In addition to the session topper, the farm sold a colt by Curlin for $1.05 million. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t stop and say something about the Hinkles,” Elliston said. “What a day they had–two millionaires. What a tremendous family. Tom, Henry and Anne Archer are loyal Keeneland customers and we couldn’t be more proud of them.” Monday’s leading consignor was Gainesway, which sold 11 yearlings for a total of $5,425,000 and, in addition to the $2.5-million session topper, the farm’s marquee stallion Tapit also was represented by the session’s third-highest priced yearling, a $1.5-million full-brother to champion Unique Bella. “We continue to live in Tapit’s world, and he’s having another terrific year,” said Gainesway’s Michael Hernon. “He continues to produce many graded stakes winners from a limited number of mares. He breeds roughly just 115 mares a year, and they’re obviously very high-quality mares, handpicked.” Also with a pair of seven-figure sales Monday was Medaglia d’Oro, who led the session with seven sold for $6,225,000, and the late Pioneerof the Nile, who had seven sell for $4.2 million. Book 1 sessions continue through Wednesday with bidding beginning daily at noon. “I’ve heard it said that this might have been the lightest of the three sessions, which I’m struggling to believe with seven millionaires,” Elliston said. “If that’s the case, and with what we’ve seen in terms of active trade today, we’re still up for some pretty solid returns I think.” Godolphin Gets Another Nyquist Sib Sheikh Mohammed stands champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo) under his Darley banner, and he acquired a second yearling half-sibling to the 2016 GI Kentucky Derby winner for $2.5 million Monday in Lexington. The session-topping Tapit colt was consigned to the sale by his breeder, Hinkle Farms, as hip 75. Team Godolphin paid $1.75 million for the War Front filly out of dam Seeking Gabrielle (Forestry) here 12 months ago. She was subsequently named Maria Rosa and sent to Great Britain. “He’s a half-brother to Nyquist, and the Hinkles do a great job breeding and raising their horses,” said Godolphin representative Anthony Stroud. “We bought the half-sister here last year by War Front and she’s going very well. So, he was a very nice horse and Sheikh Mohammed liked him very, very much. He was one of our picks of the day–Sheikh Mohammed’s pick of the day–and that was it, really; fantastic pedigree, good physical and he’ll be an exciting prospect.” Stroud said no decisions on where the Tapit colt would be sent had been made yet. “[Sheikh Mohammed] makes all the decisions,” he said. “I think he wants to see how the week goes and how it pans out and then we’ll go from there. He’s completely instrumental in the selection of the horses, and it’s great that he’s here. We’ve been very impressed with the Nyquist yearlings as well. We’ve been going around and looking at them.” Hinkle Farms paid $100,000 for minor winner Seeking Gabrielle–a daughter of GSW Seeking Regina (Seeking the Gold) from a very productive family–at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Seeking Gabrielle’s first foal, Nyquist, had sold for $230,000 at Keeneland September and would bring $400,000 at Fasig-Tipton Florida before reeling off a perfect five-for-five juvenile campaign that culminated in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The Blame filly Seeking Gabrielle was carrying when the Hinkles bought her went for $330,000 at KEESEP ’15; and a Flatter colt of 2016 cost $460,000 here in 2017. “It’s the culmination of about two years of work, and it all happens in about 30 seconds, so right before it happens we all maybe want to throw up or something because we get so nervous,” said Anne Archer Hinkle. “But, we’re really happy, and we have a wonderful team at the farm and this is a testament to their hard work. I’m so thrilled for my dad [Tom Hinkle]. He’s been doing this for so long. We’re happy.” Seeking Gabrielle produced a full-brother to Nyquist Apr. 20 and was bred back to Quality Road for 2020. —@BDiDonatoTDN Banner Day for Hinkle Farms Hinkle Farms enjoyed a banner day at Keeneland Monday, selling a pair of seven-figure yearlings, including the $2.5 million session topper, Hip 75. A few hours later, they hit another home run when a colt by Curlin (hip 162) summoned $1.05 million from Shadwell. “We are thrilled with the result and excited he is going to be in great hands,” said Henry Hinkle. “He is a really nice colt and developed nicely. He never made any mistakes and was a clean, straight-forward kind of colt with a great walk. He is one of those dream colts that doesn’t come around that often. We are obviously very thrilled.” The Hinkles bought hip 162’s dam Transportation (Giant’s Causeway) for $370,000 with this colt in utero at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. Out of MSW & GSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), Transportation is a half-sister to MGSW sire Alternation (Distorted Humor), who sired this year’s GI Kentucky Oaks victress Serengeti Empress; GI TVG Pacific Classic hero Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro) and MSW Interrupted (Broken Vow), who was purchased by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm for $575,000 in foal to Distorted Humot at last term’s Keeneland November Sale. “It was totally unexpected,” Hinkle said of the family’s homerun. “We were very lucky that we bought her in foal to Curlin, who is a great sire, but how would anybody know he was going to be the leading sire at Saratoga this year. He is having a great year at stud and they are in high demand. It looks like he is going to be a sire of sires too, so the colts are in great demand. We are just extremely fortunate to be able to buy the mare and she had such a nice foal. I hope he does great for the Shadwell folks. I know he will have every opportunity and be in great hands.” Those were Hinkle Farms’ only two offerings Monday. When asked how he felt after such a banner day for his family’s operation, Hinkle said, “Hopefully, it validates that we are doing the right things raising our horses. When preparing for the sale, we just do hand walking and a lot of it. I think it pays off. It means a lot. You have to keep reinvesting in this business to stay current. We will be able to come back in November to reinvest in some more nice mares for our broodmare band.” Hip 162 was the most expensive of five yearlings purchased by Shadwell Monday. Sheikh Hamdan’s operation also bought hip 76, an $800,000 Curlin filly; hip 52, a $575,000 Speightstown colt; hip 117, a $325,000 Kitten’s Joy colt; and hip 147, a $310,000 Lope de Vega (Ire) filly. Shadwell spent a total of $3.06 million Monday with an average of $612,000. —@CDeBernardisTDN Big Day for Bandoroffs The Bandoroff family’s Denali Stud enjoyed a banner day at Keeneland September Monday, selling a $2.15-million colt by Medaglia d’Oro (hip 138) and a Curlin colt (hip 68) and filly (hip 76) for $800,000 each. Hip 138 was offered on behalf of Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet and purchased by Godolphin, which also purchased the session-topping Curlin colt. “He’s by Medagla d’Oro, who stands at [Darley] Jonabell, Sheikh Mohammed really liked him and he’s a very smooth-going horse,” said agent Anthony Stroud after signing the ticket. Hip 138 is the first foal out of GI Santa Margarita S. heroine and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Tara’s Tango (Unbridled’s Song). A half-sister to GISW Visionaire (Grand Slam), GSW/MGSIP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike) and GSW Madison’s Luna (Tapit), Tara’s Tango is a half to hip 68, who was also bred by Stonestreet. “It’s always nice to get off to that sort of start,” said Conrad Bandoroff. “We knew coming into the day that we had three very nice horses with the right pedigrees. Over the past few days we’ve had great showing activity at the barns. Keeneland has done a really good job promoting the sale and all the right people are here–a lot of international entities–there’s been good energy around the grounds. I haven’t looked at the results, but I know at least from our perspective, it’s correlated.” Bandoroff continued, “The first two horses brought $800,000, and then obviously you knew on 138 that he was popular and had all the right people [interested], but you never let your expectations get that high. He was an incredible physical. Stonestreet raises as good a horse as anybody in the business, and he’s really a testament to the evolution of their program: a homebred, who was a Grade I winner from one of their best mares. The Curlin colt we sold earlier in the day was from the same family. It really is a feather in the cap for the Stonestreet Bred & Raised program and we were just very fortunate that we got to represent them and their whole team. Give them all the credit.” While hip 76 wasn’t bred by Banke’s operation, she was sired by Stonestreet superstar Curlin out of a Tapit half-sister to champion Honor Code purchased by Bridlewood Farm for $3 million at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Of hip 138, Bandoroff said, “He was just all class. For a first foal, he was just a tremendously balanced horse. Every time he would come out, he was a wow horse. He acted like a true professional for every show–his first show was the same as his last show. When horses do that, and they’re bred the way that they are, they make our jobs easier.” Denali also sold $1.5-million and $1-million colts by Curlin at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga–the latter was Stonestreet-bred. “We’re very blessed to get to represent the people that we do,” Bandoroff said. “It’s extremely gratifying for our team and my father [Craig] and I. How lucky am I to work alongside my dad? To have days like this, we’ll remember it for the rest of our lives.” —@BDiDonatoTDN Curlin Continues to Be in Demand at KEESEP After a banner Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, where he was represented by three seven-figure colts, Curlin continued to put on a strong showing at Keeneland September with an $800,000 colt from a strong family selling early in the opening session. Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, who purchased Curlin’s champion son Good Magic for $1 million at this auction in 2016, signed the ticket on behalf of that MGISW’ part-owner e Five Racing. Like Good Magic, hip 68 was bred Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and was consigned by Denali Stud, who also consigned one of the sale-topping Curlin colts at Saratoga, as well as a $1- million Curlin filly bred by Stonestreet. “He was bought based on the Curlins of Saratoga, who were really nice horses and some of them brought $1.5 million,” said Ryan. “To be honest, I ranked him superior to those horses. Sometimes you can’t explain it, but he, to me, is one of the top five colts in the sale. He has it all. He is by a great sire, has a superb physical and the mare is a great producer.” He continued, “I thought this was a serious horse, an unbelievable horse. He is coming from Stonestreet and they do an unbelievable job. Their success is phenomenal. It gives you great confidence. They do it right and they know how to raise them. [Barbara Banke] has a great broodmare band.” Stonestreet purchased Hip 68’s dam, SP Scarlet Tango (French Deputy) for $850,000 carrying a full-sibling to her Grade I-winning son Visionaire (Grand Slam) at the 2008 Keeneland November Sale. Her second foal for them was GSW & MGISP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike) and she was followed by Grade I winner and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Tara’s Tango (Unbridled’s Song), who carried Banke’s gold and burgundy colors. The mare is also responsible for last year’s GIII Hutcheson S. victor Madison’s Luna (Tapit). —@CDeBernardisTDN Stonestreet on Both Sides of the Ledger Shortly before creating fireworks as sellers, Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables made one of Monday’s biggest purchases, going to $950,000 to secure a filly by Medaglia d’Oro (hip 114). “She had beautiful balance, she was a very sturdy-looking Medaglia d’Oro filly. You know I like those,” Banke, who campaigned champion Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro), said. The yearling was bred by Doug and Felicia Branham and was consigned by Eaton Sales. She is out of stakes winner Stoweshoe (Flatter), who is a full-sister to Grade I winner Taris and a half to multiple graded placed Theatre Star (War Front). Stonestreet purchased Stoweshoe’s dam Comedy (Theatrical {Ire}), in foal to Tapit, for $1.5 million at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. That Tapit colt sold for $900,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. “She’s got great breeding–we own the mare Comedy and we’ve had some excellent babies from her,” Banke continued. Mike Recio purchased Stoweshoe for $330,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February sale. Her first foal, a colt by Curlin also bred by the Branhams, sold for $1.3 million at last year’s Keeneland September sale. @JessMartiniTDN Pletcher Getting New Money Honey Full Bro Trainer Todd Pletcher was left signing the $1.5-million ticket on hip 185 Monday for a powerful ownership trio of Mike Repole’s Repole Stables, Vinnie Viola and Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier. The full-brother to MGISW turfer New Money Honey was offered by Lane’s End on behalf of Summer Wind Equine. “He’s a beautiful horse, well bred–everything you look for in one,” said Pletcher. “I’ll talk to all the guys and come up with a plan, but he’ll go to Ocala eventually and I hope he turns out to be as good as he looks.” Already named Golden Whim, hip 185 is out of an unraced full-sister to Any Given Saturday (Distorted Humor), who took the 2007 GI Haskell Invitational S. under Pletcher’s tutelage. “He made a very positive first impression–he’s a very attractive colt, athletic mover and had the pedigree to support him,” Pletcher said. “I think he should be able to do anything–dirt, turf–he should certainly be able to get the [distance], so he’s a Classic-type horse hopefully.” —@BDiDonatoTDN Summer Wind Continues to Blow in the Right Direction Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm has enjoyed great success on the racetrack and in the sales ring over the past couple of years, producing runners such as champion Game Winner (Candy Ride {{Arg}), MGISW McKinzie (Street Sense) and Grade I winner Chasing Yesterday (Tapit). They had a banner sales season last term and look poised to have an even better one this year with two colts reaching seven figures already. A Tapit son of Feathered summoned $1 million from West Point Thoroughbreds at last month’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and their luck continued at Keeneland Monday with a Medaglia d’Oro colt (Hip 185) bringing $1.5 million from the powerhouse trio of Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier, Vinnie Viola and Mike Repole. “It is starting off right,” Lyon said with a bright smile in reference to her strong start to the sales season. “We felt like this colt was worth at least $1 million, so for him to get $1.5 million is very good. We are very happy.” Lyon went to $1.4 million to acquire Hip 185’s unraced dam Weekend Whim (Distorted Humor) carrying this colt at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. This was on the heels off a stellar two seasons for his full-sister New Money Honey, who won the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GIII Miss Grillo S. in 2016 and captured the GIII Wonder Again S. and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. in 2017. Unfortunately, Weekend Whim passed away not long after delivering this colt, making this sale a bit bittersweet for Lyon. “Even at this [price], I wish it had been a filly and I was keeping it,” Lyon said. “I hope he goes on and keeps her name up there and remembered.” Lyon also offered an update on ‘TDN Rising Star’ Chasing Yesterday, who has officially been retired from racing. A half-sister to Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), the 3-year-old chestnut filly provided Lyon with one of her greatest highs in racing, her first Grade I as an owner, when winning the GI Starlet S. last term. Named in honor of Lyon’s late husband Frank, Chasing Yesterday won five of her seven career starts, with four of those being stakes victories, for earnings of $488,650. She will join her mother Littleprincessemma (Yankee Gentleman) as part of her owner/breeder’s illustrious broodmare band. Lyon has not picked out a stallion for Chasing Yesterday yet, but said it would be a proven sire. “I decided she did not owe me anything,” said Lyon, who has Chasing Yesterday at her Georgetown farm since the filly entrapped her epiglottis when running third in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 6. “When she came home because she had entrapped her epiglottis, I debated sending her back, but she had not been a horse for almost two years because she had been in training all that time. I just thought what could she do to make her value that much more. It wasn’t worth it to me to put her back in training. She is loving just being a horse. She is with her best friend Shadow Play (Galileo {Ire}) [a half-sister to GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hootenanny (Quality Road)] in her paddock and she is growing and filling out. She is just as happy as she can be and that makes me happy just to look at her.” —@CDeBernardisTDN Japan-Bound Tapit Colt Could be Back A colt by Tapit, a full-brother to champion Unique Bella, will be heading to Japan, but connections are already hoping for a return trip for the yearling. Bloodstock agent Hiroyasu Takeuchi made the winning $1.5-million bid to secure the gray colt (hip 172) on behalf of new owner Yuji Hasegawa. “The plan is to take him back to Japan and hopefully take him on the Japanese road to the Kentucky Derby and bring him back over here as a Derby horse,” Takeuchi said through interpreter Kate Hunter. The Japanese-based Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) earned a spot in this year’s GI Kentucky Derby when he finished second in the Fukuryu S. He was a solid sixth in the Run for the Roses and added a fifth-place effort in the GI Belmont S. five weeks later. The seven-figure yearling will be trained by Kazuo Fujisawa and it might be a milestone pairing for the 67-year-old conditioner. “He is one of the best trainers in Japan and he will get him,” confirmed Takeuchi. “In Japan, trainers have to retire at the age of 70. They have no choice, they have to retire. So this will be the last crop of horses becoming 3-year-olds that he will be able to train. He thinks that it would be great to go to the Kentucky Derby with this horse.” Hasegawa is a soybean farmer in Japan and the Tapit colt was his second purchase. He bought a foal by King Kamehameha (Jpn) out of multiple graded stakes winner May Day Rose (Rockport Harbor) for ¥76 million (about $699,200) at this year’s JRHA Select Sale. The gray colt is out of GI Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled’s Song). His full-sister Unique Bella, purchased by Don Alberto Corp for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale, was a three-time Grade I winner and was named champion female spinter in 2017 and champion older dirt female in 2018. “I’ve seen both the dam and the sibling’s races,” Takeuchi said. “That’s one of the things that drew me to the horse. The female family is very, very strong, that really impressed me. Tapit and Unrivaled Belle make a wonderful pairing.” Of the colt’s final price tag, Takeuchi added, “I figured the horse would go for about $2 million, but we were prepared to spend what we needed to get him.” The yearling was consigned by Timber Town on behalf of breeder Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm. Pope purchased Unrivaled Belle, in foal to Tapit, for $3.8 million at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. The foal the mare was carrying is the unraced Unrivaled Princess, who was working at Churchill Downs over the summer. With no foal this year, Unrivaled Belle was bred back to Tapit. @JessMartiniTDN McElroy Strikes for Pioneerof the Nile Colt During a 15-minute fury of bidding, in which three horses in a row brought seven figures, a $1.05 million son of Pioneerof the Nile was last of the trio, but certainly not least. Hip 174 was purchased by Ben McElroy on behalf of Qatar Racing and will be trained by Simon Callaghan, who was seated alongside McElroy as he signed the ticket. “To be honest with you, I just thought he was one of the better colts today,” McElroy said. “That was reflected by the price. I was actually underbidder on his dam [Uptown Twirl (Twirling Candy)] as a yearling. I’ve always followed the dam. She was pretty talented and ended up being a half-sister to Classic Empire. This colt was bred on the same cross as a champion 2-year-old and was just a great physical.” A $110,000 KEESEP yearling turned $630,000 OBSMAR juvenile, Uptown Twirl was a two-time stakes winner in California for John Sadler and Hronis Racing. She summoned $1.075 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale, just days after her half-brother Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) concluded a championship season with a victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which was his second top-level score that term following a win in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity S. He went on to win the GI Arkansas Derby the following year and finish a very close second in the GI Preakness S. before retiring to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned Hip 174 for Three Chimneys. The Taylor brothers’ operation represented 17 yearlings Monday for a gross of $5.385 million and an average of $316,765. —@CDeBernardisTDN The Best Mischief Larry Best admitted he came into the Keeneland September sale specifically targeting offspring of Into Mischief and he came away with a pair of yearlings by the Spendthrift stallion Monday in Lexington. Best purchased a colt out of Canadian champion Sealy Hill (Point Given) for $950,000. The bay, bred by Bonne Chance Farm and consigned by Gainesway, is a half-brother to Best’s recent GI Del Mar Oaks winner Cambier Parc (Medaglia d’Oro) (hip 71). Earlier in Monday’s first session of the September sale, Best paid $750,000 to acquire an Into Mischief colt (hip 28) out of graded placed Poof Too (Distorted Humor) from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. “You probably realize I’m collecting Into Mischiefs,” Best said with a smile after signing the ticket on hip 71. “I probably have more than I need, but I like every one I have. I have a filly and I have colts. I have [2018 GII Best Pal S. winner] Instagrand and [MGISP] Rowayton the performances have been stunning, even though I would like a few more graded stakes from them and I hope that those graded stakes are in the future. The heart of Into Mischief is hard to replicate in any other sire and I see it throughout every horse that I buy. So in this new crop, I wanted to have some representation from Into Mischief. And we now have two good buys, I think.” Best purchased Cambier Parc for $1.25 million at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Chad Brown, the filly was a two-time Grade III winner this year before finishing third in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational and shipping west to win the Del Mar Oaks. “This one, there was some emotion,” Best said of the purchase of his Grade I winner’s half-brother. “Sealy Hill I bet on with Medaglia d’Oro and we got two Grade IIIs and a Grade I. She is training very well and she’s very durable. So if you could combine Sealy Hill with Into Mischief, you just hope that that’s a good combination. It’s mostly hope and prayers, but we’ll see how it rolls.” Best purchased Instagrand for $1.2 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale and the speedy colt was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ following a 10-length debut win at Los Alamitos last June. He added the GII Best Pal S. in his second start and was third in both this year’s GIII Gotham S. and GI Santa Anita Derby, but cut back to a mile while finishing eighth in the May 4 GIII Pat Day Mile in his most recent start. “Both hip 28 and hip 71 have a little more scope to them than say an Instagrand, so I am hoping that they have two-turn potential,” Best said. Later in Monday’s session, Best paid $575,000 for a filly by American Pharoah (hip 182) fron the Upson Downs Farm consignment. Hip 71 represents the third crop of foals from Gilberto Sayao Da Silva’s Bonne Chance Farm, which purchased the 300-acre property that had previously been Nat Rea’s Regis Farm in 2015. Also in 2015, Gilberto Sayao purchased Sealy Hill, in foal to Medaglia d’Oro, for $750,000 from the Regis dispersal at the Keeneland November sale. The foal the mare was carrying, Cambier Parc, became the first Bonne Chance-bred yearling sold at auction when Best made his seven-figure bid at the 2017 September sale. “We always loved him,” Bonne Chance general manager Alberto Figueiredo said of the mare’s latest September offering. “We are very fortunate to have Sealy at the farm. She has thrown some outstanding horses and this one was no exception. And we are very glad that he is going to Mr. Larry Best.” Sealy Hill’s 2017 filly by Medaglia d’Oro sold to Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for $425,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. “She is not currently in foal unfortunately, but she’ll probably be bred back next year,” Figueiredo said of the 15-year-old mare. Of Bonne Chance’s early results at the September sale, Figueiredo said, “This is our third crop. We are excited so far, no complaints. And we have four more to sell this week.” Antony Beck’s Gainesway consigned Cambier Parc, as well as Monday’s Into Mischief colt, to the September sale on behalf of Bonne Chance. “We are thrilled,” Gainesway’s Brian Graves said of the result. “We are grateful to Mr. Best for buying this nice horse. He’s by a sire who can do no wrong out of a mare who has done a lot of right. He was a lovely horse, a really nice physical and a lot of sharp people here were on him. We’re grateful to Bonne Chance for letting us sell him as well.” Less than midway through Monday’s first session of the 13-day sale, Graves looked down to check his sheet, which featured a perfect sale rate, when asked his early impressions of the September market. “We are six for six, so I’m finding the market to be pretty steady,” Graves said with a smile. @JessMartiniTDN Coolmore, Brant Show Confidence in ‘Egypt’ Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier and White Birch Farm’s Peter Brant struck late in Monday’s opening KEESEP session for a $1-million Pioneerof the Nile colt (hip 173) from the Lane’s End draft. The Apr. 1 foal is a half to ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah), who was acquired by the same connections for $750,000 here 12 months ago. Turned over to Aidan O’Brien, Monarch of Egypt took his Naas debut Apr. 13 and finished second in both the June 29 G2 Railway S. and Aug. 9 G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at the Curragh. “He’s a very nice horse,” Magnier said of hip 173. “Monarch of Egypt is going to run in the [G1 Juddmonte] Middle Park [S. at Newmarket Sept. 28] hopefully and Aidan has a very high opinion of him.” Jan Vandebos and Bob Naify’s Ran Jan Racing paid a sale-topping $2.2 million for hip 172’s MGSW/G1SP dam Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})–a Coolmore colorbearer–in foal to War Front at the 2015 Keeneland January sale. Up is a half to Group 1 winner Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean {GB}). —@BDiDonatoTDN Bargain Buy Pays Off Again for Haymarket For the second straight year, Haymarket Farm principal Chip Montgomery and farm manager Kelly Jackson were celebrating at Keeneland September after a yearling out of Queen’s Wood (Tiznow) sold to China Horse Club and WinStar Farm’s Maverick Racing. This year’s youngster was a colt by red-hot Into Mischief consigned by Vinery Sales as hip 41. He brought $560,000. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of money, but I’m not sure it’s newsworthy at this sale,” Montgomery said. When reminded that he paid only $47,000 for the mare, he replied with a smile, “Oh yeah, we did do that.” Haymarket purchased unraced dam Queen’s Wood in foal to Quality Road at the 2017 Keeneland November sale just weeks before her son True Timber (Mineshaft) finished second in the GI Cigar Mile H. On the back of added momentum from the year Quality Road had in 2018, Haymarket sold the resulting colt at November last year for $250,000. Now named Motown Music, he had been working regularly at Saratoga until mid-July. “We bought the mare a few years ago at Keeneland November and got a beautiful Quality Road that [China Horse Club and WinStar] bought already,” said Jackson. “Brian Lyle at Spendthrift told us that if we sent her to Into Mischief we’d do well and, 18 months later, he was right.” Jackson said he was expecting that kind of money after the run Into Mischief has had both on the track and in the sales ring. Queen’s Wood was bred to another Spendthrift stalwart for 2020 in Malibu Moon. Montgomery owns and operates Montgomery Chevrolet in Louisville. Haymarket Farm, which is also in the Louisville area, is a 180-acre property and houses approximately 25-30 mares. Haymarket bred 2018 GIII Fantasy S. winner Sassy Sienna (Midshipman), who competed in last year’s GI Kentucky Oaks and was co-owned by China Horse Club before Maverick purchased her for $775,000 at Keeneland November. —@BDiDonatoTDN Another Justify Sibling RNAs at KEESEP At last year’s Keeneland September Sale, just three months after Justify (Scat Daddy)’s historic Triple Crown sweep, his breeders John and Tanya Gunther of Glenwood Farm offered his half-brother by Will Take Charge and he was led from the ring unsold at $1.75 million. It was a bit of deja vu at this year’s September sale with his yearling half-brother by Pioneerof the Nile RNA’d for $950,000 (Hip 106). “I just felt like if he didn’t sell around that price, I’d be just as happy to race him,” said John Gunther, adding that the bay RNA’d at just “a tick” under his reserve. “I think a lot of people are comparing him to Justify with Justify being a much larger individual as a yearling. This colt is by Pioneerof the Nile and quite often he throws a fairly big horse. This horse is athletic, has a great mind and has a lot of class about him. I think him being on the smaller side turned a lot of the big buyers away. But to me, he has a tremendous walk and a great mind. I am more than happy to race him.” Stage Magic (Ghostzapper)’s now 2-year-old Will Take Charge colt is named One More City and is currently going through his pre-training. His breeders are taking their time with the hulking chestnut, who shares his famous brother’s large frame. “He was a big colt,” said Gunther. “He looked a lot like Justify. We have been taking our time with him. He has been at a training center, but he just had a growth spurt, do I don’t think we will see a start from him until early in his 3-year-old year.” Justify’s year-older half-sister Holiday Music (Harlan’s Holiday) was claimed off the track last year and privately purchased by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm. She produced her first foal, a Pioneerof the Nile filly, this spring. The two-time Eclipse winner’s year-young half-sister, Egyptian Storm (Pioneerof the Nile), was retired earlier this year after failing to place in her lone start and is currently in foal to Quality Road. Stage Magic lost the foal she was carrying by Quality Road this spring and was bred back to Curlin. —@CDeBernardisTDN The post Momentum Builds at Keeneland September Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Over the 15-day meet from Aug. 8-Sept 7, there were a total of 1,229 starters representing 17 states, coming from not just the Northeast and Midlantic regions, but from California, Kentucky, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Florida. View the full article

The first meet at Colonial Downs in a half-dozen years concluded Saturday evening, a 15-day stand marked by strong support not just from the nearby Midlantic region, but from horsemen from 17 different states, healthy field sizes and and a lucrative daily purse structure. Total handle on the 144 races that took place between Aug. 8 and Sept. 7 topped $17.58 million, while average daily handle was over $1.172 million. A total of $6,406,400 was distributed in total purses during the meeting, and over $1.5 million was in stakes purses. Some 1,229 horses faced the starter from as far afield as California and Minnesota for an average field size of 8.53 runners, and track officials reported no racing or training fatalities from the time the barn area opened July 25. “On behalf of all of us at Colonial Downs, we are truly proud of our outstanding race meeting and the overwhelming response from our participating owners, trainers and jockeys and national racing media who embraced the return of Thoroughbred racing for our fans here in Virginia and across North America,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President of Racing Operations for Colonial Downs. “We are equally thankful for the dedication and support demonstrated by our racing department, officials and our track maintenance team, which worked long hours with great efficiency in conducting a safe and successful racing program.” Capital improvements to the New Kent facility included a new irrigation for Colonial’s Secretariat turf course, renovations to the 10-furlong dirt oval, stable area and paddock, receiving and test barn and dormitories and a new jockey’s room kitchen. “The Virginia HBPA, on behalf of all the owners and trainers who participated in Colonial’s meet, is absolutely delighted with its outcome,” said Frank Petramalo, Executive Director of the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. “The purses were great, races were very competitive and the track conditions were outstanding. We couldn’t have asked for anything better, except maybe for a few more weeks of racing.” Mike Stidham and Jamie Ness shared the training title with 10 wins apiece, with Ness finishing on top in purse money won with $293,040. Trevor McCarthy was the meet’s leading rider with 15 victories, while David A. Ross’s DARRS, Inc. was the leading owner with five wins. The post Colonial Downs Concludes Successful ‘Revival’ Meeting appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A partnership consisting of Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier, Mike Repole and St Elias Stable’s Vinnie Viola was extended to $1.5 million to acquire hip 185, a full-brother to MGISW New Money Honey (Medaglia d’Oro), consigned by Lane’s End on behalf of the colt’s breeder Summer Wind Farm. Trainer Todd Pletcher signed the winning ticket The Apr. 15 foal is a daughter of the unraced Weekend Whim (Distorted Humor), a full-sister to GISW Any Given Saturday, who is also the dam of MSP Coconut Shrimp (Giant’s Causeway). Hip 185’s second dam, Weekend In Indy (A.P. Indy), was also the dam of GSW Bohemian Lady (Carson City), who was responsible for the ill-fated Almoonqith (Dynaformer), a Group 3 winner in Dubai and in Australia. Summer Wind Farm acquired Weekend Whim for $1.4 million carrying this foal in utero at Keeneland November in 2017. In addition to New Money Honey, the cross of Medaglia d’Oro over Distorted Humor mares has resulted in ‘TDN Rising Star’ and MGISW Elate as well as GSWs Lady Montdore, Funny Proposition and Mrs McDougal. The post Medaglia d’Oro Colt Closes KEESEP Opening Day on a High Note appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lot 174, a Pioneerof the Nile son of MSW Uptown Twirl (Twirling Candy), was knocked down for $1.05 million to agent Ben McElroy acting on behalf of Qatar Racing during a flurry of expensive lots during the first session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His dam is a half-sister to champion juvenile male and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile), as well as MSW Anytime Magic (Fusaichi Pegasus). Qatar Racing has enjoyed great success with sales graduates from Keeneland, with the late Cartier Horse of the Year and quadruple Group 1 winner Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) a $160,000 purchase back in 2016. Bred by Three Chimneys Farm, LLC in Kentucky, the dark bay was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent CXCII. The post Pioneerof the Nile Colt Hammers at $1.05 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hip 173, a colt by Pioneerof the Nile realized a $1-million final bid from M.V. Magnier during Monday’s Book 1 session of the Keeneland September Yearling sale. Bred by Ran Jan Racing, the April 1 foal is out of multiple-group winning Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 1 scorer Dutch Art (Medicean). The post A Cool Million for a Son of Pioneerof the Nile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Coolmore’s Classic hero Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will not be seen in action again this year, Racing Post reported on Monday. Successful in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby by an imperious six lengths in June, the chestnut was also second in this term’s G3 Ballysax S. and third in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. As a juvenile the son of Devoted To You (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was third in the G3 Eyrefield S. “Sovereign won’t run again this year, he’ll be put away until next year” said Aidan O’Brien to Racing Post. “We’ll start him off early next year and go from there. He hasn’t had a setback, we just want to give him time.” The post Sovereign Done for the Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

About three hours after selling the Tapit half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (Uncle Mo) for a session-leading $2.5 million, Hinkle Farms was back at it with another seven-figure transaction when Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. went to $1.05 million for hip 162, a son of Curlin–Transportation, by Giant’s Causeway. The April foal, acquired for $370,000 in utero at the 2017 Keeneland November sale, is out of a winning daughter of MSW & MGSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), the dam of MGSW Alternation (Distorted Humor)–sire of reigning GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress–as well as SW & GSP Interrupted (Broken Vow) and recent GI TVG Pacific Classic hero and Keeneland April HORA Sale graduate Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro). The colt’s third dam includes former Pin Oak star and Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks and Valleys (Mt. Livermore). The post Curlin Colt Another Home Run Horse for Hinkle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

WELCOME to the inaugural season of SuperCoach Racing. View the full article

Editor’s note: Patrick Gilligan, an assistant trainer to Kenny McPeek who accompanied Harvey Wallbanger (Congrats) to the Keeneland Korea Cup, has been writing a travelogue for the TDN this week, detailing his adventures in Seoul, South. Sunday, he watched as their horse ran sixth in the event. The writing was on the wall after the Keeneland Korea Sprint. There were three North American runners. They never figured, hardly drew a mention, couldn’t find top gear on the deep sandy track. We kept hoping though. You have to have hope. Harvey Wallbanger had taken the whole trip in his stride. The flight, the long hours traveling, the morning training, the walk to the racetrack, the 60,000 onlookers. He took it all in his stride Harvey, never left an oat, drank plenty of water, trained nicely. He is a nice easygoing character. He bit me three times since we have been here, but they were playful nips, just his way of telling me it’s lunchtime. Jack came in the paddock wearing silks of purple diamonds. Mom led the horse, it was like the old days back in Newmarket. Coming out of the first turn the horse in front of him got tightened up and his jockey pulled him back, Jack had to pull back too, but Harvey still took a bump, after that it rained sand the whole way, he turned into the straight nearly last, then found a bit when Jack asked him, he moved up to sixth, but that was as much as he could muster on that sandy track, it turned out that was the best that any of the five American raiders could muster that day. I was disappointed for connections, but overall it has been great. The 3 a.m. wake ups have been wearying, and each day we were all more tired than the day before. The traffic is everywhere, making the constant taxi rides an ordeal. But South Korea won the Korea Cup. One for the locals, winning their own international invitational. That was a big step forward for Korean racing. After the race, back at the barn, the staff who had been helping us these past days seemed subdued. Ben asked them, weren’t they pleased a local horse had won? They told him, but we have been with all of you, with your horses. We wanted you to do well. The experience has been great. It was enjoyable, interesting, fun. The people were helpful and hospitable and warm. As for the food, well representatives of Keeneland and Korea Racing Authority were kind enough to take us out for dinner after the race. They knew where to eat and what to order. Apparently Korean barbecue is a big thing, but everywhere, even in the States, that had passed me by. It was really good. We had pork belly pieces cooked over a small charcoal pit right there on the table. We had side dishes with sesame leaf, garlic, chilies. We had a spicy soup, we had Kimchi…that’s what that smell was! Cabbage soaked in chili–it was fine, the rest was excellent. For dessert I thought I’d eat some humble pie. I always seem to be eating that stuff lately. I’m surprised I’m not fatter, all the pie I eat. The next day Harvey was flying home. I arranged for him to have more IV fluids before his flight, to ensure maximal hydration. Harry (Hyungmin Che) helped me; he was one of our interpreters for the week. We talked about football, the premier league in the UK, the Liverpool football team–his favorite. He knew more about it all than me. It turned out he was educated at an English boarding school in Switzerland. We talked about the States, that he hoped to come over for the Kentucky Derby next year. We friended on Facebook so I could show him around if he does. It turns out he spent four years attending college in Washington, D.C. It’s been like that, the whole trip. Sometimes the further you travel, the closer you realize you are to home. John Lennon wrote a song about it all once. It’s been a whirlwind, well actually, a typhoon. For the really juicy stuff, I might have to attempt writing Ten Days in Seoul. Korea, I bow to you. Patrick Gilligan is the author of Around Kentucky With the Bug! His next book, One Summer in Saratoga, is due for publication in the fall. The post Harvey Wallbanger and the Post-Race Recap appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After winning three straight races including two straight stakes races sprinting on the turf, Archidust will try graded stakes company for the first time in the $500,000 Nevada State Bank Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G3T) Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs. View the full article

Classy stayer Vazirabad (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}-Visorama {Ire}, by Linamix {Fr}) has been retired at the age of seven after sustaining an injury during training, The Aga Khan Studs announced on Monday. Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, the grey gelding carried the colours of his breeder, His Highness the Aga Khan, to 15 victories from just 23 starts en route to $3,381,774 in earnings. The six-time highweight’s (three French and three UAE) career highlights include a hat-trick of wins in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan (2016-2018), back-to-back triumphs in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud (2015 and 2016) and victory in the G1 Prix du Cadran at Chantilly two seasons ago. Vazirabad also filled the runner-up spot behind John Gosden’s high-class stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in his final start in June of 2018. A statement on www.agakhanstuds.com in part read, “It is with great regret that the Aga Khan Studs announce that Vazirabad will be retired from training following an injury sustained in training. The 7-year-old gelding had become a public’s favourite through his career, accumulating a total of 15 victories, including three Group 1s and 13 group races. Another illustration of his remarkable talent and tenacity lies in the fact that he finished in the first two in 21 of his 23 starts.” Added trainer Royer-Dupre said, “He had a fantastic turn of foot. After his first two races, he understood what was expected of him and was incredibly generous and honest. He spent a long career at the Aiglemont training centre, and everybody in the team grew fond of him.” The best foal out of Group 3 winner and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third Visorama, Vazirabad is also a half-brother to SW & MGSP Visoriyna (Fr) (Dansili {GB}). The post Vazirabad Retired Due to Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Former Florida-based trainer Rene E. Mendez passed away on Saturday, Sept. 7 in Daytona Beach, Florida, according to his daughter, Michele Blanco. He was 84 years old. Mendez, who was born in Cuba, was a jockey in America in the 1950s and later worked as an exercise rider for a number of East-Coast trainers in the 1960s before becoming a trainer himself in 1975. With his wife Janet Mendez as his assistant, he trained horses at Calder Race Course, Gulfstream Park, and Hialeah Park until his retirement in 1996. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Janet; son, Michael; daughter, Michele; and two grandsons, Carson and Christopher. Blanco was the Director of Publicity at Calder from 1995-2013 and a former president of the Turf Publicists of America. The post Trainer Rene Mendez Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hip 138, a colt by Medagla d’Oro realized a $2.15 million final bid from Godolphin Monday at the Keeneland September sale. Consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of his breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbreds, the Jan. 18 foal is the first foal out of Grade I Santa Margarita S. winner Tara’s Tango (Unbridled’s Song). The post Medaglia d’oro Colt Brings $2.15M at KEESEP appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Siskin (First Defence) will run in the G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. at Newmarket later this month rather than the G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. at The Curragh on Sunday. The Khalid Abdullah-owned Siskin is unbeaten in four starts to date, most recently providing his trainer Ger Lyons with a first Group 1 success in Ireland when landing the Phoenix S. at The Curragh last month. He was a possible to lock horns with Charlie Appleby’s G1 2000 Guineas favourite Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) on the second day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend, but connections have elected to keep their powder dry for the Middle Park on Sept. 28, a race sponsored by his owner. Abdullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said, “In the back of our minds the Middle Park was always the race we were looking at most of all. We just feel he’s better suited sticking to six furlongs at this stage.” The post Siskin to Skip National, Middle Park Aim appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The one-day Racing in Dubai Sale, which consists of 60 lots, will take place in the Saddling Enclosure of Meydan Racecourse at 6:45 p.m. on Sept. 16. Past graduates of the sale in include G1SW North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), as well as Drafted (Field Commission). Among the current lots of note are the geldings 100-rated SP Corsen (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}); Laieth (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is rated 93 and has placed at the DWC Carnival; and Loughmore (Ire) (Shamardal), who is a son of G1 Irish Oaks victress Lailani (GB) (Unfuwain). Horses may be viewed Sept. 14-15 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. and from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at Meydan Quarantine (NOFA Stables). All horses may be collected post-sale on Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. from Meydan Quarantine. For the full catalogue, go to www.emiratesracing.com. The post Racing in Dubai Sale Scheduled for Sept. 16 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A colt by Tapit out of Seeking Gabrielle (by Forestry) reeled in a sizzling $2.5-million final bid from Godolphin during the opening session of Keeneland’s September Sale in Lexington. Offered as Hip 75. the April foal, consigned by his breeder Hinkle Farms, is a half-brother to juvenile champion and GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist (Uncle Mo). The post Tapit 1/2 to Nyquist Produces Fireworks at KEESEP appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It has been a tricky old year for the Classic generation. Hermosa (Ire) is the only winner of a Classic in Britain, Ireland or France to have gone on to win another race—in her case she won Irish 1000 Guineas after claiming the English version. Magna Grecia (Ire), Phoenix Of Spain (Ire), Persian King (Ire), Castle Lady (Ire), Anthony Van Dyck (Ire), Anapurna (GB), Sottsass (Fr), Channel (Ire), Sovereign (Ire) and Star Catcher (GB) have all either been beaten in subsequent runs or are yet to race again. Furthermore, the highly talented Too Darn Hot (GB) has succumbed to a career-ending injury. All in all, it has been a muddling year for the 3-year-old generation. Japan (GB), who went so close in the Derby when third to stablemate Anthony Van Dyck, is the colt to have carried the torch for his peers with three consecutive wins coming in the G2 King Edward VII S., G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Juddmonte International. Fortunately, with the older horses to have remained in training this year having included Enable (GB), Crystal Ocean (Ire), Battaash (Ire), Blue Point (Ire), Stradivarius (Ire), Coronet (GB) and Romanised (Ire), it doesn’t feel like we’ve been short-changed on stars. Even so, it would be encouraging to see one or two of those 3-year-olds mentioned above returning to competitive form for some of the key autumn races—and even better for a number of them to remain in training next year. It is an unfashionable view to take but my favourite Classic of the season will be run this weekend. I love this time of year: top-class maidens for the emerging juveniles who could be next year’s Classic hopes, a little hint of a chill in the early morning until autumn’s golden light warms the day and, best of all this Saturday, the combination of the St Leger and the Last Night of the Proms. With the British government in freefall, it’s hard to raise the enthusiasm, let alone a flag, to sing along to Land of Hope and Glory. Right now I’d settle for a land returned to something nearing sanity, but such turbulent times make the great triviality that is horse racing even more appealing. So I live in hope of witnessing a St Leger akin to that which was run two years ago, when Capri (Ire) led home Crystal Ocean, Stradivarius, Rekindling (GB) and Coronet. Glorious indeed. Mission Accomplished The St Leger was at one time under consideration for Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) after his victory in the G3 Bahrain Trophy in July, but a far more ambitious plan was hatched by owners Team Valor and the Hon. Earle Mack to return the David Simcock-trained colt to the land of his birth to compete in the inaugural $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. at Belmont Park on Saturday. A late swoop by the colt and Jamie Spencer ensured that the trip from Newmarket to New York was a highly successful one, with fellow Europeans Pedro Cara (Fr) (Pedro The Great) and San Huberto (Ire) (Speightstown), respectively trained in France by Mauricio Delcher Sanchez and Fabrice Chappet, filling the minor placings. Finche (GB) became the first Melbourne Cup runner for Frankel (GB) when finishing fourth to Cross Counter (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) last year and Spanish Mission may eventually do the same for Frankel’s Kentucky-based brother. Team Valor’s Barry Irwin indicated that both he and Mack are keen on Australia’s great staying race as the colt’s longer-term aim for 2020, with a return to Newmarket next on the agenda. European raiders plundered the two valuable races at Belmont on Saturday but both had at least been foaled in America. Edisa, winner of the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. for Alain de Royer-Dupre, is the sole runner by Kitten’s Joy for her breeder the Aga Khan. The winner was chased home by Wonderment (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), victrix of the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last season for Nicolas Clement. From Autumn To Spring The weights for this year’s Melbourne Cup will be revealed today (Tuesday) and with 152 horses nominated for 24 places, there will be anxious perusal of the list order for those hoping to travel from overseas. The first three home last year—Cross Counter, Marmelo (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) and Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger})—are all set for a return, and the latest name to be added to the list of potential European shippers is OTI Racing’s Haky (Ire) (Muhtathir {GB}). Bred by Shadwell, the 5-year-old was trained for Sheikh Hamdan by John Hammond and then returned to his Chantilly stable under the ownership of Jim Paltridge—who has retained a share with OTI—after he was bought from the Shadwell draft for £14,000 at Goffs UK last August. Since then he has won twice and been group-placed in his last two starts in the G2 Prix Kergorlay and Sunday’s G3 Prix Gladiateur, in which he was second to Called To The Bar (Ire) (Henrythenavigator). One of the most exciting visitors to Australia for the Spring Carnival this year is the Japanese mare Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), the easy winner of the GI Takarazuka Kinen on her last start, which earned her an invitation to the G1 Cox Plate. Bred by Northern Farm, she hails from a family which has been in the news frequently over the last few seasons as Lys Gracieux is a descendant of Miller’s Lily (Fr) (Miller’s Mate {GB}), whose family has been hugely successful for Antoine Lepeudry’s Normandy-based Elevage de Tourgeville. Miller’s Lily’s listed-winning daughter Liliside (Fr) (American Post {GB}) raced for Katsumi Yoshida in France before retiring to stud, and he is now the owner of her half-sister Lily’s Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}), who won the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac for Martin Schwartz before being sold to Yoshida for €1.1 million at the Arqana December sale. Another example of American Post working well with the family is found through the stallion’s four-time group winner Robin Of Navan (Fr), who has Miller’s Lily as his third dam. Japanese runners famously pulled off a one-two in the Melbourne Cup of 2006, when Delta Blues (Jpn) (Dance In The Dark {Jpn}) beat Pop Rock (Jpn) (Helissio {Fr}), and the ill-fated Admire Rakti (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) followed up eight years later by winning the G1 Caulfield Cup. A Cox Plate would be a worthy addition to the country’s haul of major overseas races. Notebook At The Ready The aforementioned juvenile maidens have really started to heat up as the weather cools down. Heart Reef (Fr) (Australia {GB}), out of a Gold Away half-sister to Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}), was one to catch the eye in a good week for Qatar Racing, who were also represented by Kempton winner Riot (Ire) (Kingman {GB})—the top-priced colt when sold for €850,000 at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale—and as part-owner of Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). The latter, who is raced in partnership with his co-breeder Lady O’Reilly, was a €420,000 Arqana August yearling and is a half-brother to Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Enemy’s first-season sire Muhaarar is now building up a good tally of winners ahead of the yearling sales after a slowish start. Last week he was also represented by the optimistically named Star In The Making (GB), a winner for Alan and Mike Spence at Salisbury. The filly played her part in a good week for her trainer Clive Cox, who also landed the G3 Sirenia S. with the offspring of another freshman sire, Streamline (GB) (Due Diligence). Whitsbury Manor Stud has been home to War Front’s son Due Diligence since he embarked on his second career and the resident Harper family is responsible for both of the stallion’s stakes winners to date as they also bred listed Marygate S. winner Good Vibes (GB), who was third in the G2 Lowther S. The pattern doesn’t end there as both Streamline and Good Vibes are out of mares by another former Whitsbury Manor resident, Compton Place (GB). We witnessed a pinhooking triumph for Luke Barry and his team at Manister House Stud, which sold a Maxios (GB) colt for £170,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Sale having bought him as a foal for 15,000gns. Not all pinhooks work out so well, as Barry himself would know having bought Streamline as a foal for 40,000gns before retaining him for €16,000 when he failed to find a buyer as a yearling. Streamline’s appeal as a breezer was also not obvious but Philippa Mains took the plunge at £13,000 on behalf of Mainline Racing, and Barry’s initial judgement has now been vindicated by Streamline winning three of his four starts and becoming a group winner. Alruccaba Dynasty Still Thriving Lanwades’ Alruccaba (GB) family has long been noted as one of the most productive in the stud book, with a long line of top-class winners descending from the daughter of Crystal Palace (Fr). In this year alone the black-type winners to emanate from the clan include Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Shine So Bright (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Private Secretary (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Aloe Vera (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire) and My Nordic Hero (GB) (Archipenko), who formerly raced as Algonquin before being sold to Australia. In the past week another four victories have been notched by members of the family led by the juvenile Wyclif (GB) (Archipenko), who recorded his second win in three starts for Quantum Leap Racing when winning the Matchbook EBF Future Stars Novice S. at York, a race won on debut two years ago by Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}). The useful Ebury (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) won at Ascot off a mark of 90 on his first start for 140 days, while Hope Is High (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) landed her sixth win and Alma Linda (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won for the second time in the colours of Kirsten Rausing, who bred the quartet as well as three of the five stakes winners named above. The post The Weekly Wrap: Japan Carrying Classic Generation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With some 6,000 yearlings to sift through at the major European yearling sales alone, buyers will on Tuesday have the opportunity to zero in on a boutique offering in an important segment of the market at the Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale at Ascot Racecourse. The rising popularity in recent years of jump-and-run type horses has been well documented, and Tattersalls Ascot offers 167 yearlings handpicked for precocity that are eligible for the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction S. “This sale has been built on identifying precocious 2-year-olds; we can forgive pedigree, but we go for the individual because we’re aiming to attract trainers, agents and breeze-up pinhookers that are looking for a type at an affordable price,” said Matt Prior, Head of Tattersalls Ascot and Cheltenham Sales. What has been built has been done over the past three years, with the sale’s inaugural edition having taken place in 2017. That first go-round resulted in 85 yearlings-from 126 catalogued and 114 offered-sold for an average of £9,265 and a median of £7,000. Last year’s sale consolidated those figures from a larger offering: 163 were catalogued, 153 offered and 111 sold for an average of £9,874 and a median of again £7,000. A more telling indicator of success, of course, is results on the track, and the Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale has supplied those in abundance this year. The sale produced seven Royal Ascot 2-year-olds this year including Ventura Rebel (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}), a £28,000 yearling who was second in the G2 Norfolk S. The sale has four stakes-winning 2-year-olds thus far this year: £10,000 purchase Flippa The Strippa (Ire) (Outstrip {GB}) won Sandown’s Listed National S.; Shadn (Ire) (No Nay Never), the highest-priced filly last year at £42,000, took Newbury’s Listed Rose Bowl S.; Flaming Princess (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire})-a £20,000 yearling pinhooked for £60,000 at the Tattersalls Ascot Breeze-Up Sale-won Deauville’s Listed Prix Cavalassur; and Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), while unsold at £16,000, was up for grabs and has since gone on to win four races this year-including the Listed Dragon S. and G3 Molecomb S.-for her breeder Philip Wilkins. “The sale is now in its third year and starting to demonstrate that the selection process works,” Prior said. “We’ve just had another winner today and we’re now at 21 winners in total [of 33 races] and four black-type winners for the 2018 sale. For the quantity on offer the sale has punched well above its weight.” Prior pointed out that all four stakes-winning graduates of 2018 are fillies, which have sometimes met lukewarm reception in parts of the market. “In a market that can be selective on fillies it shows that it shouldn’t be so,” Prior said. “They were all offered for sale, and the opportunities are there for these types of horses to be bought at a relatively affordable price. And we’ve had the likes of Ventura Rebel, who was a good second in the Norfolk S. and had he had a better run things might have been different. The results are very good for a sale that’s in its infancy and there is plenty to be positive about.” While those aforementioned stakes winners have provided a welcome boost to the sale, the poster child is probably Betty’s Hope (GB) (Anjaal {GB}). The £3,000 yearling has already made seven starts at two this year, won three of them and been worse than second just once. She won the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint on July 20, with Ventura Rebel back in fourth, pushing her earnings to £144,209. “Betty’s Hope won the Weatherbys Super Sprint this year, and she’s one of those fairytale stories,” Prior said. “She was bought for £3,000 from Llety Farms, she’s been tough and game and she’s run throughout the year. The Weatherbys Super Sprint was the perfect advert for the sale, which is to go buy yourself a runner and win a big prize on the main stage. Those kinds of incentives are massive.” Bearstone Stud and Jamie Railton, which sold Ventura Rebel and Shadn, respectively, bring the largest consignments this year with 10 apiece, followed by Trickledown Stud with nine. Trickledown’s offering includes a filly by hot 2-year-old sire of the Ebor meeting Footstepsinthesand (GB) (lot 19) who is the first foal out of a daughter of G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Quiff (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), and a Swiss Spirit (GB) colt out of stakes winner Hucking Hot (GB) (Desert Prince) (lot 73). Others that catch the eye on paper include lot 34, a Free Eagle (Ire) half-sister to Flippa The Strippa and lot 13, a colt by Flippa The Strippa’s sire Outstrip from the family of multiple champion Divine Proportions and Group 1 winner and sire Whipper. G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad (Ire) has his first yearlings this year and he has lot 39, a half-brother to the stakes-placed Banana Split (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) and two others winners from the family of the high-class Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and Joviality (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Cable Bay has made a very favourable first impression with his initial crop of runners this year and his four catalogued include lot 46, a filly whose third dam is Razyana, dam of the great Danehill. The ever-popular Dark Angel (Ire) has a single yearling catalogued, lot 91, a filly who is the first foal out of the listed-placed Loaves and Fishes (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The reliable Equiano (Fr) has a colt (lot 125) who is the third foal out of a stakes-producing half-sister to Grade I winner Blond Me (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). First-season sire Mehmas (Ire), whose yearlings were popular at Goffs UK, has lot 148, a half-sister to G3 Acomb S. winner Treaty of Paris (Ire) (Haatef) and out of a mare with a perfect five winners from five runners. “It’s a sale that has really identified itself with vendors,” Prior said. “It’s a standalone day and it will always be limited to around 170 horses because that is the Ascot Racecourse stable limit. I think that appeals to people because it means these types of horses have their own day and they have the weight of the Tattersalls Ascot team behind them promoting the sale. When we were selecting the yearlings, you could see vendors were really catching on and realizing it’s getting the results on the track and subsequently they’re supporting the sale with a nice bunch of horses.” Selling begins at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The post Early Opportunities at Tatts Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The sponsor’s name may have changed quite regularly over the years but one thing remains constant about Haydock Park’s Sprint Cup–this six-furlong Group 1 contest continues to highlight the huge impact that the Green Desert and Danehill branches of the Danzig male line have had on the European sprint scene. It was back in 1986 that Green Desert scraped a neck victory and three years later it was the turn of Danehill to win comfortably. Dayjur, another son of Danzig, was to win in 1990 but it has been Green Desert and Danehill who have extended Danzig’s legacy. Green Desert managed to better Danzig’s tally of three winners, thanks to Sheikh Albadou, Tamarisk, Invincible Spirit and Markab. Another son, Byron, was responsible for the remarkable Gordon Lord Byron, winner in 2013, and one of Green Desert’s grandsons, Showcasing, also got into the act, thanks to his daughter Quiet Reflection in 2016. Danehill’s contribution hasn’t been nearly as extensive but his son Rock of Gibraltar supplied the 2012 winner in the shape of Society Rock. Now another of Danehill’s sons, Invincible Spirit’s three-parts-brother Kodiac, has added his name to the list, thanks to the dominant all-the-way victory of Hello Youmzain three days ago. There are few more popular stallions than Kodiac, who covered 215 mares this year at a fee of €65,000. Yet, as recently as 2011, he was plying his trade at one 10th that fee and it was only in 2014, in his eighth season, that his fee finally reached five figures. The cheapness of his fee reflected the fact that most of his four wins had been gained in handicap company, with his only first-three finish in a black-type race being his close second in the G3 Hackwood S. as a 5-year-old. He started at 28-1 for the 2006 Sprint Cup and managed to beat only two of his 10 opponents. Needless to say, it isn’t easy for a cheap sprint stallion to start siring Group 1 winners, but his 2012 crop, sired at €6,500, produced a filly who was ultimately to be sold to Coolmore for 2,100,000gns. Of course that filly was the extremely speedy Tiggy Wiggy, who numbered the G2 Lowther S. and G1 Cheveley Park S. among her six juvenile victories. Two crops later–this one sired at €7,500–Kodiac hit the jackpot again, this time with a very different type of performer in Best Solution. Although Best Solution also enjoyed group success at two years, in the G3 Autumn S. over a mile, it was as a 5-year-old over a mile and a half that Best Solution hit a rich vein of form. After a success in the G2 Princess of Wales’s S., the Godolphin colour-bearer reeled off Group 1 victories in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, the Grosser Preis von Baden and the Caulfield Cup, to push his earnings well past £2.5 million. Following Tiggy Wiggy’s eye-catching exploits in 2014, Kodiac’s fee jumped to a new high of €25,000 in 2015, up from only €10,000 the previous year, so it was fair to have much higher expectations of Kodiac’s 2016 crop. He hasn’t let us down. Hello Youmzain wasn’t his only representative in the Sprint Cup, the other being that valuable filly Fairyland. Bought for 925,000gns as a yearling, Fairyland won four of her five juvenile starts, emulating Tiggy Wiggy’s successes in the G2 Lowther S. and G1 Cheveley Park S. This year she has finished third behind Ten Sovereigns and Advertise in the G1 July Cup and she again ran creditably when sixth at Haydock. Hello Youmzain is therefore Kodiac’s fourth Group 1 winner and there is good reason to believe that there will be more to come from his most recent crops, as his current 2-year-olds were sired at €45,000 and his yearlings and foals at €50,000. With Kodiac’s 2016 crop numbering nearly 200, there have been plenty of group and listed performers. In addition to his two Group 1 winners, they include Fox Champion, winner of the G2 German 2000 Guineas, and Kessaar, who joined his sire at Tally-Ho Stud after racing only as a 2-year-old, when he landed the G3 Sirenia S. and the G2 Mill Reef S. Another son, Jash, also ranked among 2018’s best 2-year-olds, after he had followed up a pair of impressive victories with his second, beaten only half a length, behind Ten Sovereigns in the G1 Middle Park S. Hello Youmzain has now won four of his seven starts, establishing his potential with decisive victories in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at two and in the G2 Sandy Lane S. on a previous visit to Haydock. He arguably didn’t receive full credit for his Sandy Lane performance, as much of the attention went to the runner-up Calyx, who was considered a certainty at odds of 2-13. Third place in the Sandy Lane went to that very speedy filly Royal Intervention, who went on to win the G2 Goldene Peitsche by a length and a half from Waldpfad, who took third place in the Sprint Cup. As Kodiac has sired some talented middle-distance performers, such as Best Solution and the G3 Cumberland Lodge S. winner Danehill Kodiac, Hello Youmzain’s connections could have been forgiven for thinking that he would stay a mile and a quarter. Although neither of his first two dams raced, both of them should theoretically have stayed at least a mile and a quarter. However, his dam, the Shamardal mare Spasha, seems to throw to the stallion. Mated to the three-time Arc runner-up Youmzain, she produced Royal Youmzain, a smart performer at up to a mile and a half in Germany, where he has been third in the Derby and the Grosser Preis von Berlin. Mated to the July Cup winner Elnadim, the outcome was the five-furlong listed winner Zuhoor Baynoona. Second dam Spa would surely have stayed well. Bred to the productive Sadler’s Wells/Mill Reef cross, she is out of the G3 Lancashire Oaks winner Sandy Island. Closely related to the Derby winner Slip Anchor, Sandy Island produced Sandmason, a winner of the G2 Hardwicke S. who sired those smart jumpers Summerville Boy and Black Op. Coincidentally, Hello Youmzain’s second dam is by Sadler’s Wells, and so is the second dam of Best Solution, but these two Group 1 winners could hardly be more different. Hello Youmzain conforms much more to the Kodiac norm, with the stallion’s progeny having an average winning distance of 7.1 furlongs. The post Pedigree Insights: Hello Youmzain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Champion Australian trainer David Hayes looks set to make a stunning return to Hong Kong racing next season.The Jockey Club issued a release on Monday night inviting press to a licensing announcement at Sha Tin after trackwork on Tuesday morning. Hayes caught a plane to Hong Kong on Monday.The timing gives further credence to an earlier report from Australian racing website Racenet, which stated the appointment was imminent.Hayes spent almost a decade at Sha Tin, collecting 458 winners and two… View the full article

Japanese horses are set to return to Korea’s international race meeting in 2020 with club officials declaring this year’s snubbing a one-off.With diplomatic tensions at fever pitch between the two countries over issues dating back to the second world war, the Korean Racing Authority elected not to invite any Japanese runners to their premier event on Sunday, despite being undefeated in the local Group One Korea Cup (1,800m) and winning two of the three Korea Sprints (1,200m).Japan’s absence on… View the full article

He’s been unlucky not to hit the board so far this season but trainer Caspar Fownes is taking solace in the knowledge that his return to a track he’s had an affinity with for decades is only a couple of days away.Fownes, widely known as the “King of the Valley”, has landed three seconds in the opening two meetings of the term – both held at Sha Tin – but is ready to put that behind him as he heads to the city circuit with seven runners on Wednesday night.“From being a young guy in Hong Kong I… View the full article