Wandering Eyes

QUALITY RESPONSE (f, 2, Quality Road–Argue, by Storm Cat) chased a fast pace while wide and drew clear powerfully in the lane to become the latest ‘TDN Rising Star’ for Bob Baffert at Del Mar Sunday afternoon. Showing plenty of speed in the mornings at Los Alamitos, the $200,000 KEESEP grad scaled it back with three relatively modest works over the local main track, most recently going five furlongs in 1:01 flat (11/54) Aug. 26. A bit overlooked at 5-1 while the money poured in on 3-2 favorite and barnmate Scarlet Lips (Malibu Moon), Quality Response broke running and chased from a close third while three deep past a sharp :21.75 quarter. Cruising to the lead three-sixteenths from home, she displayed an impressive turn of foot when set down by Joe Talamo and quickly removed any doubt of the result before rambling home a 7 1/2-length winner in 1:04.95. Scarlet Lips finished strongly to be second after being sluggish early. Quality Response shares a sire, breeder and trainer with GISW ‘Rising Star’ Roadster. Her second dam is a half-sister to MGSW/MGISP sire E Dubai (Mr. Prospector) and No Matter What (Nureyev), the GISW dam of European champion Rainbow View (Dynaformer). Sales History: $200,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. O-Pegram, Watson or Weitman; B-Stone Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert. The post Quality Road Filly Becomes Latest Baffert Rising Star at Del Mar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pierre Jean and Leslie Amestoy's homebred filly Fritzies Flame became the first black-type winner for Laugh Track when she went gate-to-wire in the Rio Grande Senorita Thoroughbred Futurity Sept. 1 at Ruidoso Downs. View the full article

In the $250,00 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T), how two new arrivals handle their second American start could hold the key to deciding the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes on Sept. 2 as the curtain falls on another year of racing at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

With a last-to-first dash down Monmouth Park's turf course, Gunpowder Farms and Brereton Jones' Divisidero returned to the winner's circle for the first time in over a year when taking the $147,500 Red Bank Stakes (G3T) Sept. 1. View the full article

According to track Senior Vice President and General Manager Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs will ask the Kentucky Racing Commission later this week to extend its 2020 meet from five to seven days. Nicholson said he and track ownership are confident the request will be granted. The decision to expand comes after the track was sold in March to Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone. “It’s pretty simple. If you’ve ever been to the facility you know there are a lot of fixed costs that go into putting on a show like the one we put on,” Nicholson said. “Our new owners would like to be to more profitable. I don’t blame them at all. They feel one way to accomplish this is to add a few more dates.” Kentucky Downs may be the sport’s most unique track. It offers an average of $2.3 million a day in purses, tops in the U.S., and second in the world behind only the top-level Japan Association tracks. The bulk of the purse money comes from the profits from the historical horse racing machines (HHR) at the facility, which is on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. By spreading that money out over five days, as opposed to 30-40, Kentucky Downs can offer purses that include $130,000 maiden races and a $1-million stakes, the GIII Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup. In addition, Kentucky Downs sends about $5 million to Ellis Park to help bolster that track’s purses. Nicholson believes that an expansion to seven days will not mean a reduction in purses at Kentucky Downs or in the amount turned over to Ellis. He also said that because Kentucky Downs has the ability to move rails on the turf course to several different spots, no one part of the turf course will get too chewed up due to additional racing or cause a safety issue. “We feel like we can comfortably add two more days,” he said. “We can move the rail around so there should not be an safety issues. There is a tremendous amount of purse money that we have available to us, even with the money we give Ellis. I’m sure that will continue because our numbers continue to grow on the historical horse racing side. On the HHR side, so far this year we’ve seen a 39% increase in business. I’m not a financial genius, but this is the type of thing that once we put the numbers down to paper, I’m sure we’ll see that we can pull it off.” Kentucky Downs has tried to expand before, but ran into political problems when it did so. In 2014, the track asked the commission for one additional date, but the request was denied because that date meant overlapping with Churchill Downs. That was the first year Churchill took over the late summer, early fall dates that had always belonged to Turfway Park. But Kentucky Downs has since moved its meet up to begin with the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and can easily squeeze in seven dates without conflicting with Churchill. “Four or five years ago, [previous owner] Corey [Johnsen] requested some more days and he didn’t get them,” Nicholson said. “That was a different racing commission than the one sitting there today and there is a new governor and a whole new set of circumstances. We feel that things should play more in our favor now that people see what we’ve been about and what we’ve done for the entire commonwealth of Kentucky with our purses and the way we disperse them to Ellis.” After opening the first day of the three-day Labor Day weekend, Kentucky Downs is dark the next two days. Nicholson said he’d like to see that change. “In a perfect world, I’d love to have two days over the Labor Day weekend,” he said. “I get a lot of people saying to me, ‘Why can’t you run at least two days over that weekend?’ They say that if we did, they’d come and make a whole weekend out of it with the wife, family, friends. Nashville has become such a huge tourist destination. And in the last five years, it’s gone crazy. I’d like to benefit from that.” Meanwhile, Kentucky Downs continues to smash its records for handle. A total of $8.46 million was wagered Saturday, a 36% increase over opening day in 2018. The track handled $36.4 million for the meet last year, the sixth straight year it had broke the handle record for the meet. The post Kentucky Downs Will Look to Add Two More Racing Dates in 2020 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tracy Farmer's Perfect Alibi carved a path to victory on the rail and picked up her first top-level score in the $350,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

PERFECT ALIBI (f, 2, Sky Mesa–No Use Denying, by Maria’s Mon), who survived a rough stretch duel to capture the GII Adirondack S. four weeks ago at Saratoga, showed her courage once again when digging in at the rail to deny favored Frank’s Rockette (Into Mischief) for the second straight time in the GI Spinaway S. Sunday at the Spa. A dominant 9 1/2-length winner on debut May 16 at Churchill, the dark bay narrowly missed when second in the Astoria S. June 6 at Belmont before bulling her way to victory in the Adirondack. Somewhat overlooked in the wagering to be 26-5 while Frank’s Rockette was backed to 9-5, Perfect Alibi settled second-last early behind a :22.65 quarter. Advancing steadily along the inside on the turn, she snuck through a rail opening at the top of the lane and hooked up with the favorite outside the furlong grounds. Those two threw down head and head until just inside the sixteenth marker, where Perfect Alibi began to prove superior, edging away to a 1 1/4-length score in 1:23.44. Sales History: $220,000 Ylg ’18 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $398,488. O-Tracy Farmer; B-Pin Oak Stud LLC (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. The post Perfect Alibi Gutsy Again in Rail-Running Spinaway Score appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Owner Bob Edwards says the multiple grade 1-winning filly Rushing Fall has bounced back from a recent case of dehydration and the First Lady Stakes (G1T) Oct. 5 at Keeneland is being targeted as her next start. View the full article

Tobey Morton’s Famished (Uncle Mo), who broke his maiden second time out going seven furlongs at Saratoga Saturday (video), will likely make his next start in the Oct. 5 GI Champagne S. at Belmont Park. “If everything shapes up well, we’ll aim for the Champagne,” trainer John Kimmel said. “It looks like the way he finished today he has the ability to go even further. The track is a bit deeper today. For him to give a good, sustained finish is a good indication that he’s going to carry himself a little further.” Kimmel’s 2-year-old success at the Saratoga meeting also included Crystalle (Palace Malice)’s win in the Aug. 29 P.G. Johnson S. “You can thank the owners,” Kimmel said. “They had the confidence in me to pick these horses out and I’m really glad that they’re showing up for them this summer because I had been telling them that I think they would have a good campaign into the fall and next year.” Kimmel has another exciting juvenile waiting in the wings. Mandatory (American Pharoah), a half-brother to multiple Grade I winner I’m a Chatterbox (Munnings), worked five furlongs at Saratoga in 1:01.87 (8/14) Aug. 26 as he prepares for his first start. “He’s getting very close to the races. He has the looks of a colt with a very nice future,” Kimmel said. “He’ll work from the gate Monday and if everything goes well, we’ll look to find a race for him in the next couple of weeks.” Kimmel purchased the colt on behalf of Morton for $400,000 following a :10 4/5 furlong work at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. The post Champagne Likely for Famished appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Centennial Farms’ Preservationist (Arch) came out of his win in Saturday’s GI Woodward S. in fine shape, according to trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Preservationist stalked the pace and made a bid between horses in midstretch to win the Woodward, his first Grade I tally, by a half-length and register a 106 Beyer Speed Figure. “It’s always good when you can save ground and the horses can deal with being in a crowd like that and still be on the bridle. That’s huge,” said Jerkens. “It took a while to happen, but it finally did at the very end once a horse on the outside started to fade and opened it up a bit. I felt once he got some room, a big horse like him would wear them down.” While not ready to commit to a next start for the 6-year-old Preservationist, Jerkens said the Sept. 28 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park was possible. The post Gold Cup Possible for Preservationist appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Centennial Farms' Preservationist exited his victory in the Aug. 31 Woodward Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) in good order according to trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who scored his second win in the 1 1/8-mile event for older horses. View the full article

Ghaiyyath was labeled an "absolute monster" by his astonished rider William Buick Sept. 1 after producing a sensational display of raw, galloping power to slay his rivals in the 147th Longines Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) by a staggering 14 lengths. View the full article

Trainer Mark Casse breezed grade 1 winners War of Will and Got Stormy over Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) weekend in preparation for upcoming grade 1 starts out of town. View the full article

SPARKLING SKY (c, 2, More Than Ready–Bet to Win {GSP}, by Pulpit), a $650,000 Keeneland September buy, ran to daylight and graduated in a sharp performance Sunday at the Spa. Third on debut here Aug. 4, she was elevated to second when Crystalle (Palace Malice) was DQ’ed, and flattered by that result when the demoted winner came back to conquer the P.G. Johnson S. Thursday at Saratoga. Backed to 6-5 here, the Barry Schwartz colorbearer found a cozy spot stalking from fourth in the clear through modest fractions of :24.20 and :48.87. Frontrunner and stablemate Laughable (Distorted Humor) was traveling comfortably until starting to bear out nearing the five-sixteenths pole, and left the inside wide open for Sparkling Sky by the time heads pointed for home. Quickly seizing the advantage, the favorite went clear past the eighth pole and was not threatened the rest of the way, hitting the wire 2 1/2 lengths to the good in 1:42.30. Our Little Jewel (Hat Trick {Jpn}) was second best. Sparkling Sky, the most expensive yearling and third-most expensive progeny overall to sell for her sire in 2018, is a full-sister to Justa Lady, MSW & GSP, $353,745. Her graded stakes-placed dam produced a filly by Mastery this season before returning to More Than Ready once more. Sales History: $650,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $72,000. O-Barry K. Schwartz; B-Curtis C. Green (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. The post Expensive More Than Ready Filly Finds a Seam, Bursts Through to Graduate at Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With five of the seven entrants carrying a morning line of 5-1 or less for the 1 1/16-mile GII Bernard Baruch H. on Saratoga’s closing day, perhaps the safest bet is that Chad Brown may add to his runaway lead in the trainer standings. He’s got the favorite in here: Group 3 winner Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who made his stateside debut for new connections Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables in the Aug. 3 Fasig-Tipton Lure S. over this course and distance and just missed by a nose after a wide trip. It’s been a year since his last win in France, but he’s been running competitively and notched four strong seconds from his five starts since that victory. The last time March to the Arch (Arch) tried 8 1/2 furlongs, he came home the victor in Churchill’s GII Wise Dan S. June 15. He’s been off the board in two starts since, but that didn’t stop him from notching a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure when fourth in the GI Fourstardave H. here Aug. 10 when he was just two heads removed from finishing second. Mark Casse trains the Live Oak homebred. Qurbaan (Speightstown) was a former European runner who made his U.S. debut a win in last year’s Bernard Baruch and is back to defend his title. He’s consistent and regularly gets triple-digit Beyers, but while he almost always hits the board, he hasn’t actually visited the winner’s circle since the 2018 Baruch. A blacktype turf event at the Spa is rarely complete without more than one Brown entry with Emaraaty (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Olympico (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) making sure that holds true here too. The former is another Shadwell colorbearer who made the move from England with a win over this trip July 27 in an allowance/optional claimer, while the latter shares the same owners as Sacred Life. He won the May 4. GIII Fort Marcy S. in his American debut, but faced much tougher in the GI Manhattan H. and the GII Bowling Green S. and finished well back in both. The post Field of Seven for Closing Day Bernard Baruch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SAR, $90,000, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, post time: 3:15 p.m. ET Trainer Wesley Ward saddles debuting MAXIMILIANO (Quality Road), a $425,000 KEESEP yearling purchase out of stakes placed Ben’s Boots (Louis Quatorze), while Shug McGaughey sends out Chiefswood Stables homebred Malibu Edge (Malibu Moon). The chestnut juvenile is out of graded stakes winner Essential Edge (Storm Cat) and is a half to graded placed Leading Edge (Tapit). Team Valor International and WinStar Farm’s Gouverneur Morris (Constitution) is a first-time starter from the Todd Pletcher barn. Out of stakes placed Addison Run (Unbridled’s Song), the gray colt is a half-brother to multiple graded placed Final Jeopardy (Street Sense). He worked a furlong in :10 1/5 and sold for $600,000 at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas sends out first-time starter In Charge (Will Take Charge). The $325,000 KEESEP yearling is a half to graded placed Courteous (Midnight Lute). The post Monday’s Insights: Half to Final Jeopardy Debuts at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Anger and betrayal were the prevalent responses from the Illinois Thoroughbred community in the wake of last week’s stunning announcement by Churchill Downs, Inc., (CDI) that the corporation intentionally missed a racino application deadline and will not seek slots and table games at Arlington International Racecourse after 12 years of teaming with horsemen to finally get the Illinois Gaming Act passed in June. A chief reason cited by CDI in its Aug. 28 press release was the cost burden of having to contribute gaming revenues to purses. CDI’s shocker generated no shortage of accusations that the corporation simply cannot be trusted to put its stewardship of the sport on par with its quest for bottom-line gaming profits. But that aspect of the argument is old news considering how CDI for years has been widely believed to have sped the demise of racing at now-defunct Hollywood Park (which it sold to developers) and to have orchestrated the present dismal state of Calder Race Course (from which CDI reaps casino benefits while leasing out the shell of a racing facility to a competitor to fulfill its racing obligations). Ten months ago, CDI bought a 61% stake in a casino 12 miles from Arlington, and it has recently declared interest in opening another that’s being pitched as the most potentially profitable gaming venue in metro Chicago. You can read TDN‘s initial take and timeline of the controversial Arlington decision here. But now that the news has had time to sink in over the long holiday weekend, here are the key branches in the decision tree that will contribute to the tangled thicket moving forward. Is the threat of walking away from Arlington after 2021 a leverage bluff by CDI to get the Illinois Legislature to make Gaming Act changes that would be more favorable to the corporation, or is closure of the highest-profile track in the state a real possibility? Bluffing for leverage is a possibility, but not a sure bet. The Daily Herald, a publication that covers suburban Chicago, wrote in a Saturday editorial that “the track is not alone in its strident objections to the rules in the recent gambling legislation. Officials in the city of Chicago are all but demanding that the tax formula be changed to make a city casino more tenable.” But David McCaffrey, the executive director of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (ITHA), explained to TDN that his organization is treating the closure of Arlington as a very real possibility. He said it was a telling sign that CDI didn’t at least put in an application for racino status, even just to serve as a placeholder to lay claim to gaming privileges while it lobbied for a rewrite of taxation terms. Without a license in the pipeline to bolster purses via gaming, the property loses considerable value to any prospective buyer who might be thinking of acquiring Arlington to run it as a racino. Perhaps CDI wants it that way: It could sell Arlington to a developer, reap a presumed profit, and not have to worry about a racino competing against its two nearby casinos. If Arlington closes, would Hawthorne Race Course become the epicenter of Chicago Thoroughbred racing? It depends. Hawthorne is moving forward with its transformation into a full-blown racino. Even though the track announced Aug. 1 that it will not run a 2020 Thoroughbred spring meet to allow for gaming-related construction, that plan has the backing of the ITHA, and the first racino-bolstered meet is supposed to start there in autumn 2020. But Hawthorne is also home to a long-standing harness meet, and it’s the lone remaining Standardbred venue in metro Chicago now that Balmoral and Maywood are gone. A section of the Gaming Act carves out a provision for a new harness-only Chicago-area racino. The location that is being pitched for it is a former mental health center on environmentally contaminated land that the state owns in the village of Tinley Park, about 30 miles southwest of the city. “So in a very ironic twist of fate, the future of Thoroughbred racing paradoxically depends on whether this harness track gets up and going,” McCaffrey told TDN. “Because one of the things that could happen is that Illinois adopts the Indiana model, in which one track would be designated for Thoroughbred racing–Hawthorne–and one track for harness racing, this Tinley Park. “Under that scenario, this works for both Thoroughbred racing and for harness racing, because each breed would get to race at each venue as often as they wanted–9, 10, 11 months of the year,” McCaffrey continued. “If Arlington is taken out of the mix, the problem comes if the new harness track does not get up and going. Then Thoroughbred and harness racing have to share Hawthorne. And while the purses will be OK because they’ll be subsidized by all the gaming revenue that will happen, the amount of time that either breed can race will be limited because both breeds have to share the same racetrack.” One recently established entity, Playing In The Park LLC, has already applied to construct a harness racino at Tinley Park. Further underscoring the confusing, intertwined nature of the various power players in the Chicago gaming equation, the Chicago Tribune reported Aug. 7 that one of the principals of that company is Tim Carey, Hawthorne’s president and general manager. CDI said in its press release that it would explore longer-term alternatives “including moving the racing license to another community in the Chicagoland area or elsewhere in the state.” What does that mean? No one seems to know and CDI isn’t saying. But publicly traded companies almost never disclose that type of information in a press release unless the wording has been carefully vetted by every figurehead up and down the totem pole, so we have to assume CDI mentioned it for a reason. Crain’s Chicago Business reported last Thursday that CDI could attempt to transfer its racing license to Quad City Downs, a former harness track 165 miles west of Chicago that last ran Standardbred races in 1995 and was later operated by CDI as a simulcast center until 2015. Theoretically, this would allow CDI to open a racino in a part of the state that is not as gaming-saturated as Chicago. It’s difficult to believe that lawmakers and regulators would allow such a plan to come to fruition if CDI pulls the plug on Arlington. But this is Illinois, and stranger political things have happened there. There’s also apparently nothing stopping CDI from bidding on the Tinley Park racino, which would add yet another layer of irony to an already bizarre situation. Assuming CDI does intend to jettison this jewel of a racetrack, is there any off-the-radar entity positioned to swoop in and save Arlington? There is one longshot possibility I have not heard anyone mention so far: The Jockey Club. At the 2018 Round Table Conference in Saratoga, Stuart S. Janney III, the chairman of The Jockey Club, made the surprise announcement that the organization had started a process to “develop plans to consider track ownership and operations” in an attempt to keep foundering racetracks from going out of business. “Quite simply, we would willingly step in as an owner, lessor, or partner when a racing resource is imperiled, not unlike what The Jockey Club of the United Kingdom has done,” Janney said last year. “The Jockey Club has, and will be, there for this industry.” If there was ever an imperiled track that made sense as a takeover target–in terms of being a modern, high-end venue on a metropolitan circuit with a rich history, the potential for gaming licensor, a safe, synthetic main track, and an established trio of Grade I grass stakes that annually draw top international talent–Arlington is it. The post The Week in Review: If Arlington Closes, What Happens to Chicago Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin already have two high-class 2-year-old sons of Shamardal in their considerable store and they could have another as Victor Ludorum (GB) streaked to an impressive success in Sunday’s Prix de Fontenoy for unraced colts and geldings at ParisLongchamp. Settled in the final four from his wide draw, the 7-2 joint-favourite was given a squeeze by Mickael Barzalona on the final bend and the response was generous enough for him to ease off the gas once straightened for home. Sweeping to the front with minimal encouragement approaching the final furlong, the homebred bay cruised to a facile 3 1/2-length verdict over Twist (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) without his rider needing to move. Mkfancy (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) was a further 1 3/4 lengths away in third. VICTOR LUDORUM (GB) (c, 2, Shamardal–Antiquities {GB} {GSP-Fr, $116,642}, by Kaldounevees {Fr}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €13,500. O/B-Godolphin; T-Andre Fabre. The post Shamardal’s Victor Ludorum A New Rising Star At ParisLongchamp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A field of seven juveniles has been entered in Monday’s GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga, with both Shoplifted (Into Mischief) and Gozilla (Flatter) looking to parlay local Rising Star debuts into Grade I success. Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods’ Shoplifted, an $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream purchase, earned his ‘Rising Star’ nod with a 4 1/2-length victory going 5 1/2 furlongs at the Spa July 27. Zayat Stables’ Gozilla was tabbed a ‘Rising Star’ after he scored by that same margin going six furlongs Aug. 10. Both runners are trained by Steve Asmussen, who also saddles Basin (Liam’s Map) in the seven-furlong Hopeful. Stronach Stables’ Green Light Go (Hard Spun) will look to go three-for-three in the Hopeful. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee opened his career with a 3 1/4-length win at Belmont July 4 and scored by that same margin in the Aug. 10 GII Saratoga Special last time out. The bay colt worked a bullet four furlongs in :47.00 (1/19) at Saratoga Aug. 27. “He ran well the first time, but he had to lead all the way and didn’t have a whole lot of experience,” Jerkens said of the Special winner. “He broke real sharp and it was good to see the horse that ran second [Another Miracle] came back and ran real big. I felt really good after seeing that. Key races really mean something, and that horse came back and won a stakes on the turf. He’s not beating up on slouches. We’re going into [the Hopeful] feeling well.” The other graded winner in the Hopeful field is Anderson Stables’ By Your Side (Constitution), who was a three-length winner of the July 13 GIII Sanford S. for trainer Eddie Kenneally. The post Asmussen Has Strong Hand in Hopeful appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sunday’s G1 Longines Grosser Preis von Baden looked a competitive affair beforehand, but Godolphin’s Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) turned it into his own procession with as impressive a display to have been witnessed at the picturesque Iffezheim venue. Allowing William Buick an armchair ride in front, the 23-10 second favourite already had all rivals in trouble turning for home in a Dubai Millennium-style exhibition and kept up the remorseless gallop for a 14-length victory. The 3-year-old filly Donjah (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) was second, 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Gestut Ittlingen’s G1 Deutsches Derby hero and 9-5 favourite Laccario (Ger) (Scalo {GB}) in third. GHAIYYATH (IRE), c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)—Nightime (Ire) (G1SW-Ire, $299,507), by Galileo (Ire). (€1,100,000 Wlg ’15 GOFNOV). O-Godolphin; B-Springbank Way Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. Lifetime Record: MGSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW-Eng, 7-5-0-2. *1/2 to Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 9.5-11f, GISW-US & MGSW-Ire, $499,594; and Sleeping Beauty (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SP-Ire. The post Ghaiyyath Destroys Grosser Preis Opposition appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The GI Del Mar Futurity might as well be renamed the Bob Baffert Futurity as he holds a record 14 wins in the Del Mar closing day feature and the Hall of Famer has a strong chance to win this year’s renewal with a pair of entries. Leading the Baffert duo is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Eight Rings (Empire Maker). The $525,000 KEESEP buy demolished the field in his 5 1/2-panel debut in SoCal Aug. 4, romping home to a 6 1/4-length victory. The dark bay enters this test off a series of speedy drills, most recently covering five panels in 1:00 4/5 (2/21) at Del Mar Aug. 4. Baffert also saddles Godolphin’s Garth (Into Mischief), who finished second to the re-opposing Storm the Court (Court Vision) in his unveiling Aug. 10 and also boasts a sharp worktab. Peter Miller sends out $875,000 FTFMAR purchase Wrecking Crew (Sky Kingdom) in this top-level affair. Winning at first asking at Del Mar July 27, the dark bay checked in second last time in the GII Best Pal S. Aug. 10. The conditioner will also be represented by Nucky (Ghostzapper), who graduated by 10 1/2 lengths at fourth asking in a $100,000 maiden claiming event here Aug. 21. Doug O’Neill also has two in Monday’s test, headlined by Fore Left (Twirling Candy). Opening his account at Santa Anita May 19, he followed suit with a decisive score in Belmont’s Tremont S. June 7 and tasted defeat for the first time last out when third in the Best Pal. Stablemate Defense Wins (Flatter) enters off a runner-up effort behind next-out Best Pal winner Collusion Illusion in a five-panel maiden special weight at the seaside oval July 21. Rounding out the field is the Richard Baltas-trained Ginobili (Munnings). Fourth in his career bow at Los Alamitos July 14, the bay went wire-to-wire against what looked like a tough group last time in a six-furlong event over this strip Aug. 17. The post Baffert Seeks 15th Del Mar Futurity Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It was business as usual for the Jockey Club with the Sha Tin meeting virtually unaffected despite all the turmoil in Hong Kong.There were no major political statements from any fans on course, turnover actually went up on last year’s corresponding meeting while the attendance was only slightly down.While there was mayhem in Tung Chung and trains were shut down, it appears people saw the races as an escape from all the civil unrest.“We are extremely pleased with the race meeting, we know that… View the full article

Trainer Tony Cruz kicked off the 2019-20 season with a flurry of winners, but the Hong Kong racing legend conceded he thought he was going to lose one of them in the stewards’ room.Sunshine Warrior motored home late for Cruz in the Class Four Kowloon Peak Handicap (1,400m) under jockey Aldo Domeyer but the race was marred by controversy after the stewards hoisted the inquiry light when the gelding cannoned into second placegetter Casimiro.Beaten jockey Joao Moreira objected against the result,… View the full article

Once in a while a track record is set which we believe may stand forever. It is, however, the nature of things that even the seemingly unbreakable marks are eventually lowered. The :56.16 seconds which it took Dayjur (Danzig) to run the straight five furlongs of the G1 Keeneland Nunthorpe S. at York on Aug. 12, 1990 seemed at the time to be a benchmark which might remain in the record books indefinitely. Needless to say, it has finally fallen, but what is particularly pleasing is that it has fallen to another horse racing in the royal blue, white epaulettes, striped cap of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum: the brilliant 5-year-old gelding Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who ran the same course in :55.90 seconds when taking the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 23. Battaash was bred to sprint and at no stage in his career has he looked like being anything other than a short-distance specialist. In that he is in good company within the Shadwell fold because Sheikh Hamdan is a rarity amongst major owners of sizeable European strings in deliberately focusing on sprinters (as well, of course, as breeding and racing many high-class middle-distance and staying horses). Each year Angus Gold identifies a few likely sprinting prospects at the yearling sales to augment the homebred stock. Shadwell bought Battaash for 200,000gns at Tattersalls’s October Yearling Sale in 2015 and was back been in action at Goffs UK’s Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster last week, including laying out £145,000 for a colt by Battaash’s sire Dark Angel out of the winning Dandy Man mare Relation Alexander (Ire), and £125,000 for a full-brother to the stakes-winning Dark Angel filly Easton Angel (Ire). With Dayjur it was slightly different because, although he had plenty of speed on both sides of his pedigree and was a ball of muscle, he was initially tried over farther, being campaigned as if a mile might be within his compass. The first start of his 3-year-old campaign in 1990 came over seven furlongs in the Free Handicap at Newmarket’s Craven Meeting, a race often used to see if prospective Guineas contenders are likely to have the stamina to step up to a mile two and a half weeks later. By finishing unplaced behind Anshan (Ire) (Persian Bold {Ire}) after travelling easily through the race, Dayjur made it plain that he needed to drop down in distance rather than to step up, but that was fine. In those pre-Commonwealth Cup days it was the norm to try very fast horses as potential Classic contenders before reverting to sprinting if and when they had shown that that would be their forte. Dayjur was not alone in that respect among top sprinters of that era, the likes of Marwell (Ire) (Habitat), Habibti (Ire) (Habitat), Chief Singer (Ire) (Ballad Rock {Ire}), Green Desert (Danzig), Ajdal (Northern Dancer), Royal Academy (Nijinsky) and Mr Brooks (GB) (Blazing Saddles {Aus}) all winning their championship sprints only after having competed over farther. In the cases of Ajdal and Mr Brooks, farther meant running in the Derby. The seven furlongs of the Free Handicap, though, was as far as Dayjur ever ran. Kept subsequently to sprints, he showed himself to be one of the greats by taking successively the G2 Temple S. over five furlongs at Sandown, the G2 King’s Stand S. over five furlongs at Royal Ascot, the G1 Nunthorpe S. over five furlongs at York, the G1 Vernons Sprint Cup over six furlongs at Haydock and the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye over 1000m at Longchamp. Only self-induced misfortune (when he jumped the shadow of part of the grandstand in the final strides, thus ceding the lead to Safely Kept {Horatius} and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory) prevented him from topping off his record with a win in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint over six furlongs on the dirt at Belmont Park. By the time that Dayjur was winning those races, Sheikh Hamdan had already raced one Derby winner, his homebred 1989 hero Nashwan (Blushing Groom). He would shortly breed and race another, Erhaab (Chief’s Crown) scoring at Epsom in 1994. However, it seems likely that Dayjur’s brilliance fired his owner’s enthusiasm for racing sprinters because ever since then he has generally always had a few specialist short-distance horses in among the ranks of the Classic-bred stars which are the stock in trade of any top-level racing operation. Battaash, whose pedigree points strongly towards him racing over short distances and being very good at it, is the perfect example but there have been many others in the 29 years between Dayjur’s record-breaking run up the Knavesmire and Battaash’s even more brilliant performance over the same strip of turf. Most notable among those who came in the interim was Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who earned himself a particular place in the Shadwell heart with his four Group 1 sprinting triumphs in the summer of 2015 by virtue of the fact that he is a homebred. He now stands on the Shadwell roster at Nunnery Stud in Norfolk and it would be no surprise to see him come up with Sheikh Hamdan’s next Nunthorpe hero. Sheikh Hamdan might, of course, have to wait a while before having another horse who can follow in Battaash’s footsteps by winning the Nunthorpe for no reason other than that, as a gelding who appears to be thriving on his racing and becoming even better as he matures, Battaash could well have several more years of racing ahead of him. And, judging on the utter dominance which he displayed last week, he is going to be very hard to beat in any future runnings of that race which he contests. No doubt there is a certain feeling of wistfulness in the Shadwell ranks that Battaash will never be able to retire to join the roster at either Nunnery or Derrinstown, but the breeding side of the operation’s loss is very definitely the racing side’s gain. Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster has seen some wonderful horses carry Sheikh Hamdan’s silks over the 34 years in which he has worked for the operation. Fresh from a trip to York last Friday to cheer home not just Battaash in the Nunthorpe but also the exciting 2-year-old Molatham (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in the British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden 40 minutes later, Lancaster reflected on the brilliant sprinters who have showcased Shadwell’s love affair with speed. “Dayjur and Battaash are very similar horses, just typical specialist sprinters,” he said. “Dayjur was a small, very muscular, typical Danzig horse. Battaash is only a bit bigger and he too is very much in the sprinter mould. “Muhaarar is slightly different in that he is more in the miler mould–maybe that’s the Linamix in him–but he just had exceptional speed. And actually when you look at him now, you see the strength and power that generates that speed, and that’s a comment which you could have made about all three of these brilliantly fast horses. “Sheikh Maktoum raced Green Desert [who is Muhaarar’s grandsire and also appears in Battaash’s pedigree via Invincible Spirit] but he stood here at Nunnery throughout his stud career. He was another very typical Danzig horse and if you ever wanted to see power, you only had to stand behind him and see where it was all generated from. We’ve been privileged to have some fabulous sprinters, and at the stud it was very fitting when Muhaarar arrived to take the place of his grandsire.” The post Dayjur To Battaash: Shadwell’s Life In The Fast Lane appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Exciting 3-year-old Spirit Of St Louis faces a stern test early in his career at Forbury Park on Sunday. The Graeme Anderson trained pacer impressed when beating a field of up and comers when debuting at Gore last weekend. His front running effort got a big tick of approval from his driver, Matthew Williamson. “It was very impressive,” the reinsman said. “His run was super and he rattled off a really nice [last 800m] and he showed good gate speed, too.” Spirit Of St Louis looked slightly vulnerable at early in the run home, before he found another gear and dashed away from his opposition to score. Williamson said it was a case of the horse bringing a very laid back attitude to the track. “He is just quite laid back is what I would say.” “That is why his trials have just looked ok and then he sharpened up on race day when he was asked for it.” “I would say with a few more starts he will sharpen up even more.” Spirit Of St Louis faces an almighty leap in race conditions in his second career start on Sunday. The inexperienced pacer will square off with rugged veterans Aveross Rustler and Four Starzz Shiraz, as well as new season performer Arden Roanake. Though he concedes a lot of experience to his rivals, Spirit Of St Louis will have a draw advantage over his main rivals when he starts from barrier 3. Williamson hopes that good draw and the 3-year-old’s class can help him beat out his more seasoned rivals. “Because he has got a bit of class he can probably still win it,” the reinsman said. “With the draw of course – which is the only thing in his favour – if he gets his own way or a couple of cheap sectionals they won’t make any ground from behind him if he rattles off a 56sec [final 800m] again.” Aveross Rustler looks the best placed of Spirit Of St Louis’ main rivals to land near the speed from barrier 7. Four Starzz Shirazz starts from the outside of the front line in barrier 8 and Arden Roanoake will start from the inside of the second row in barrier 9. The Cran Dalgety and Nathan Purdon trained Arden Roanoake will give Spirit Of St Louis plenty of competition, and driver Matt Anderson can work the 4-year-old in to clear running. The pacer is shooting for a hat-trick of wins following his brilliant last to first victory at Oamaru, last weekend. Williamson also drives With The Stars in race 3 for the Anderson stable. The reinsman rated Hannity in race 7 alongside Spirit Of St Louis in race 9 as one of his best drives at Forbury Park on Sunday. The Colin Harrison trained pacer gets in to the race well as a rating 55 horse competing against horses rated between 40 and 55. “The start will be the only thing with him, he has been a good beginner, but he missed away last start.,” Williamson said. “If he got away on terms, to be honest I would be disappointed if he got beaten in that field.” “He has dropped back a long way in grade.” Williamson also drives Huckabee, who he described as a place chance in race 4 for the Harrison stable. The Oamaru driver also combines with Cuddly Trouble in race 1, Maldito in race 2 and Solsbury Hill in race 8. Williamson rated Cuddly Trouble, who starts from a 30m handicap, the best of chance among that trio. “If she could step away and make up that 30m I definitely think she is an each-way chance,” he said. The post Draw to aid Spirit Of St Louis appeared first on BOAY Racing News. View the full article