Wandering Eyes

After winning the Coronation Cup Stakes sprinting on the turf at Saratoga Race Course, undefeated Break Even will return to the dirt for her second start of the meet, the $250,000 Prioress Stakes (G2) Aug. 31. View the full article

Joseph Besecker's Aztec Sense has been selected as the National HBPA's 2018 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year. View the full article

Jerome Tan hopes to keep riding on crest of a wave View the full article

Fitzsimmons ready to stand on his own feet View the full article

EXPRESS TRAIN (c, 2, Union Rags–I’m a Flake, by Mineshaft), a good second on debut to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Eight Rings (Empire Maker), had some anxious moments Wednesday at Del Mar, but turned it on in the stretch to crush a field of maidens by some dozen lengths. Debuting going 5 1/2 furlongs here Aug. 4, the $500,000 Keeneland September buy was beaten 6 1/4 lengths by the promising GI Del Mar Futurity-bound Eight Rings, while in turn finishing 9 1/4 lengths clear for the place and earning a solid 79 Beyer. Sent away with all aboard as a 7-10 chalk stretching out to two turns in this spot, the bay broke running under Mike Smith and made the pace through a :22.89 quarter. Pressed by longshot Can’tbetemall (Maclean’s Music), he surrendered the lead to that rival midway down the backstretch, but retook command entering the far turn. Still pestered by his pace rival approaching the lane, Express Train found another gear once straightening toward the judges, and poured it on to romp by daylight. Can’tbetemall held for the place. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $48,800. O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John Shirreffs. The post Pricey Union Rags Colt Powers Home Like a Locomotive at Del Mar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chance It will start in the Affirmed Division and Lenzi's Lucky Lady is scheduled to put her undefeated record on the line in the Susan's Girl Division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Aug. 31 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Next Shares, winner of last year's restricted Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs, returns to the track that propelled him to a next-out top-level victory, in the overdrawn Tourist Mile Aug. 31. View the full article

Having a racehorse like Yoshida, who is versatile enough to win grade 1 stakes on both dirt and turf, can be a blessing. It could also create a variety of ways to campaign the horse. View the full article

Danzdanzdance will race with the addition of a tongue-tie in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday. Dual Group One winner Danzdanzdance will kick-off her spring campaign in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday and her connections are hoping a gear change will aid the mare this weekend. Trainers Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley elected to trial the five-year-old over 1000m at Avondale earlier this month to test the addition of a tongue-tie and they were satisfied with the hit-out. “That’s basically the only reason why we trialled her,” Gibbs said. “We didn’t want to go all the way down to Hastings with such a change in gear without trying it out first. “It was really heavy that day, so I wasn’t expecting her to do anything crazy. She had a little blow and the main thing was that she settled with the tongue-tie on.” Danzdanzdance got her tongue over the bit in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and Gibbs is hoping the addition of the tongue-tie will assist her performance on Saturday. “She got her tongue over (the bit) badly in the race against Winx,” Gibbs said. “Opie had a hell of a job just trying to settle her. I have a feeling she might have done it as far back as the Bonecrusher (Gr.1, 2000m). “She didn’t really settle like she can do and she was pulling in the Ranvet (Gr.1, 2000m), so I don’t think we have seen the best of her to be honest. “I am hoping that is going to work the oracle and we can get some better results out of her.” While 1400m is short of her best distance, Gibbs is relatively confident heading into Saturday although he is wary of $2.70 favourite Endless Drama. “I think you have got to be optimistic that we can be competitive over 1400m, we have got a mare who is good enough,” he said. “Endless Drama, 1400m is his pet distance and he is coming off a wonderful win in the Foxbridge (Gr.2, 1200m). “I am happy enough with the draw, we drew eight, so hopefully Lisa (Allpress, jockey) can just slot her in somewhere and get some cover and get her settled. “The big thing is watching how she jumps and how she settles. If she does that I think we are a big chance. “There is going to need to be a little bit of pace in it for us to come from where we are going to be. “She does go very well fresh and I don’t think 1400m is beyond her.” Meanwhile the Ruakaka-based training partnership will have another strong hand at their home meeting on Saturday where they will have nine runners. Gibbs believes the stable has a handful of winning chances and said Hello It’s Me is a strong hope in the Harcourts Whangarei (1200m). “Hello It’s Me is in beautiful order. I think she is a mare that we haven’t seen the best of because she has always had niggly problems. “She is a difficult mare physically, but at the moment we have got her in good order. She may head down to the second and third day of Hastings.” View the full article

Otaki conditioners Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard are pleased with Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) contender Wyndspelle ahead of Saturday’s race. The six-year-old entire heads fresh-up into the feature race at Hastings off the back of two trial wins and Benner believes TAB bookmakers have underestimated his charge, installing him as an $18 winning chance. “He is a far better horse this year,” he said. “It’s hard to quantify in lengths, but we have managed to change a couple of things around with him and in my opinion he is ridiculously over the odds. “There’s no doubt that he is a smart stallion and is a realistic winning chance.” Wyndspelle is being targeted at the first two legs of the Bostock New Zealand Spring Racing Carnival and Benner believes he has the son of Iffraaj spot-on for his first-up assignment. “Drawn (barrier) two is an absolute peach,” Benner said. “He is getting away a lot cleaner now. There’s no reason why he couldn’t be fifth or sixth (in the running) and look to track what looks to be a pretty hot speed on paper. “He will go a bottler fresh over 1400m and the second one (Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate, 1600m) is another nice target race.” Wyndspelle will endeavor to shake off his Group One bridesmaid tag on Saturday and Benner said it is vital they get the elusive win at elite level for his future career at stud. “With a stallion, every time you go to the races you are trying to win,” he said. “You can’t be going into these races half-cooked and just use it as a run. “He is a six-year-old entire and is five-times Group One placed, so it’s important now that we get that Group One this year.” Wyndspelle will get plenty of opportunities to attain that Group One victory this spring, with Benner and Wynyard eyeing races on both sides of the Tasman with their charge. “For a start we will go to the first two at Hastings and then we will play it by ear,” Benner said. “I definitely think 1600m is his pet trip and there are a lot of options on both sides of the Tasman. “Ultimately, trying to win that Group One in New Zealand is paramount and we definitely think he is capable of doing so.” Prior to Saturday’s assignment, the Otaki-based trainers will take a team of two to Waverley on Thursday and they believe both Crowning Star and Shakespeare are winning chances. Debutant Crowning Star will line-up in the Ultra Scan 1100 and Benner has taken a lot of confidence from her recent trial win over 850m at Foxton. “She’s a lovely, big filly and has shown some serious ability,” he said. “Her trial was really good and she is working really well. “My only concern would be 1100m might prove to be too short, but we are going in there pretty hopeful.” Poet’s voice gelding Shakespeare will round off the day for Benner and Wynyard in the Moore Stephens Markhams 1650 and they believe he can break his maiden at the sixth time of asking. “He is going really well,” Benner said. “He is a beautiful individual, but has been a hard horse to place. “I had to run him against older horses as a two-year-old a couple of times just to try and get him up to a trip that he could be competitive in. “He has only just turned three and he is running over a mile. He will lap up the 1650m and he’ll run a big race.” View the full article

Princess Jenni (closest to camera) and The Real Beel work at Sandwon. Princess Jenni has made an appearance at a midweek Sandown meeting with trainer David Brideoake taking the opportunity to give the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks winner a raceday gallop. The New Zealand-bred Princess Jenni is nearing her spring racing return and Brideoake galloped the four-year-old mare with new stable acquisition and fellow spring carnival hopeful The Real Beel before the opening race on Wednesday. After sitting off former Jim Pender-charge The Real Beel, Princess Jenni, ridden by Damien Oliver, joined her stablemate at the top of the straight and they worked to the line together. “I thought that was a very good gallop,” Brideoake said. “They are both really good quality horses and that was just an ideal situation to be able to work here at Sandown and work them together. “They are very close to being ready and today was a bit of a test because they have both had one trial at Cranbourne. “Princess Jenni is fairly clean-winded and she won’t need another trial. And the other one, we’ll just see how the next week goes. “She may have another trial.” Brideoake plans to run Princess Jenni first-up in the Gr.2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 14. He is only planning a fairly light spring for the four-year-old, with her main target the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares at Flemington on November 2. “She’s a very nice horse and as time goes by she’s furnishing into a pretty big, strong mare,” he said. “A bit of time and a patient spring will be very much her friend.” Brideoake said Waikato Stud-owned The Real Beel had been with his stable for about eight weeks. “She has had a stakes placing in New Zealand and I couldn’t be happier with her,” he said. “She’s a sharp Savabeel mare and she’s here to see how the spring pans out for her.” He said The Real Beel could also be an Empire Rose Stakes candidate. -AAP View the full article

No Limits was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $1.4 million at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale. No Limits, the $1.4 million sales topper at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 Sale in January, made a pleasing start to his career when taking out his 600m trial heat at Te Teko on Tuesday. The son of Savabeel impressed Te Akau principal David Ellis when he was inspecting Waikato Stud’s draft and he holds great expectations with the two-year-old. “He was one of the best athletes I’ve seen at Karaka in the last ten years,” Ellis said. “He’s an absolutely stunning horse, was on everyone’s list, and you didn’t have to be a genius to work out he was the most impressive athlete on the (sales) complex this year. “We’ve put together a stallion breeding syndicate for the last few years, with seven stallions now at stud, in New Zealand and Australia, and we’d like to think this colt could join them if everything goes to plan.” Trainer Jamie Richards and jockey Michael McNab were equally impressed with No Limit’s first assignment. “He keeps improving on everything he’s done at home and you only have to show him once and he cottons on,” McNab said. “He’s a great ride, has a smooth action, and it was pretty stylish the way he won.” Richards said the educational outing was ideal, but also feels there is no rush getting him to the races. “He’s a beautiful colt and we’ve liked him all the way through from the breaking in process at Te Akau. “He did very well in his first prep, before having a break, and had a couple of nice jump outs this time in. He was very professional at the trials. He led, railed, showed good speed and quickened in to win his trial quite impressively.” Te Akau have a strong record in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), having won the last three editions of the race including securing the hat-trick in this year’s race, and No Limits is being set to lead Te Akau’s charge in 2020. “He’s going to have a couple of weeks off now at Te Akau Stud, and once back in we will aim towards some of the better two-year-old races after Christmas, with a goal being the Karaka Million in January at Ellerslie, Sistema Stakes (Gr.1, 1200m) at Ellerslie, and Sires’ Produce (Gr.1, 1400m) at Awapuni,” Richards said. View the full article

The Lexus Melbourne Cup tour visited the Hobbiton movie set, just outside of Matamata, on Wednesday. The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour ventured to Matamata on Wednesday to celebrate the link between the horse-mad township and the race that stops a nation. The $200,000, 18-carat gold Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy began its New Zealand journey at the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata before visiting nearby thoroughbred nurseries Valachi Downs, Rich Hill Stud and Waikato Stud. Melbourne Cup-winning trainer and Matamata native Mike Moroney joined former Racing Victoria chief steward Des Gleeson as the ambassadors for the tour, which also took in Wednesday’s Matamata races, with 2019 marking the Matamata Racing Club’s centennial. “As a significant thoroughbred racing and breeding region, Matamata is intrinsically linked to the Melbourne Cup,” Matamata Racing Club chairman Dennis Ryan said. “It’s especially pleasing for that to be recognised in the club’s centenary year.” Racegoers were able to get up-close and personal with the prized trophy and trans-Tasman trainer Mike Moroney is hoping to add the 2019 version to the Melbourne Cup he won at the turn of the century with his grand stayer Brew. “I am very proud to be an ambassador,” Moroney said. “It is a great race and this is the first time it (the Melbourne Cup) has come to my hometown so it is a privilege to be here with it.” Even before Moroney became a Melbourne Cup-winning trainer, his family had a special connection with the Cup, given his grandparents bred 1960 winner Hi Jinx, one of a number of Cup winners to be either bred or trained in the region. “I never thought when I was a kid looking at the photo of Hi Jinx winning that I would ever win one myself,” Moroney said. “To train one in my grandparents’ colours and for my brother Paul to be a part-owner was great.” Moroney said it was in the minutes after winning the Cup and the international media throng that ensued that the significance of the victory really hit him. “It hit me straight away what a big race it was. It is very unique without a doubt. “I was known in New Zealand, I had won a couple of premierships, but I wasn’t known in Australia, then all of a sudden I was. “It didn’t matter where you walked you were known as a Melbourne Cup winner and people knew who you were. It is probably the only race where a lot of people from all walks of life know who you are because of the fact you won a Melbourne Cup. It is just watched by that many people.” Moroney’s 2019 Melbourne Cup aspirations were dealt a blow when Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) runner-up Vengeur Masque injured himself in a paddock just before he was due to come back in to work, but he has an able back-up in imported galloper Sound. “His (Sound) run in the Sydney Cup was very good when eighth and his run in the BMW (Gr.1, 2400m), we had to rush him to get him there. “He ran in the Australian Cup (Gr.1, 2000m) and he hardly had any fast work going to that because he had feet trouble when I brought him back in. I had to rush him to get him everywhere. “I thought he did a good job. He should have run second to Avilius in the BMW but for a bit of pilot error and he ran fourth. “We hope he draws a gate and I have learnt a lot about him, it should really be his year. He can stay and he was a good stayer in Germany. “We will barrier trial him at Cranbourne next week to then go to the Makybe Diva (Gr.1, 1600m). He will go from there to the Turnbull (Gr.1, 2000m) and the Caulfield Cup (Gr.1, 2400m). It depends what he does in the Caulfield Cup and how he comes through it as to whether we give him another run or go straight to the Melbourne Cup.” Also hosting the Cup on Wednesday was Rich Hill Stud, co-breeders of 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance. Rich Hill Stud’s managing director John Thompson had a similar experience to Moroney, with media interest from far and wide. “I was on the phone that night for about five hours with radio stations from around Australia and New Zealand and the following day TV One News broadcast from the farm,” Thompson said. “I think the romance of the story given he was trained by, at the time, a bit of a knockabout Aussie trainer in Darren Weir, he was ridden by Michelle Payne and he was a relatively cheap horse in the scheme of things as a $50,000 yearling in New Zealand, people could just relate to it. “I said at the time ‘I can die a happy man, I’ve bred a Melbourne Cup winner’ because it just means that much and now all I want to do is breed another one.” Thompson’s quest to become a dual Melbourne Cup-winning breeder is not out of the realms of possibility, with 2019 aspirant Surprise Baby one of the better Australasian bred hopes. “He is right up there in terms of Australasian contenders for the race and it would be lovely for a son of Shocking (the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner), who stands here at the farm, to win the race.” The Melbourne Cup Tour heads to Wellington on Thursday, where it will visit residents at Summerset retirement village and attend a riding lesson at Hutt Valley Riding for Disabled Association. In the afternoon the public will be invited to share in the magic of the trophy during a public display at Queensgate Shopping Centre. On Friday, the People’s Cup will travel to Otago and attend the Otago Racing Club Awards before heading to the Otago Racing Club for their open day on Saturday. – NZ Racing Desk Mike Moroney (left), John Thompson, Robert Argue and Des Gleeson with Melbourne Cup winner Shocking. View the full article

Robby Albarado, who suffered a fractured wrist in a June 23 spill at Churchill Downs, will resume riding races Aug. 31 on the opening-day card of the Runhappy Meet at Kentucky Downs. View the full article

FIGHTING SEABEE (c, 2, Summer Front–Broke N Dixie, by Broken Vow) became the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by War Front) with a decisive score in Saratoga’s GIII With Anticipation S. A debut winner going a mile on the lawn at Ellis Park July 6, he was bet down to 5-1 from a 10-1 morning-line quote. Seizing the early advantage, the bay avoided trouble as a slow-breaking Our Country (Constitution) rushed up and attempted to push through on the fence, interfering with Tuggle (Point of Entry) and Andesite (The Factor) at the back of the compact bunch heading into the first turn. New York-bred Fly Fly Away (First Samurai), a half to talented turf sprinter Disco Partner (Disco Rico), pressed from a head second on the fence as Fighting Seabee walked the dog through opening splits of :24.21 and :50.50. Fly Fly Away called it quits in the lane and Field Pass (Lemon Drop Kid) took up the baton, but proved no match for the pacesetter, who had plenty left in the tank. Fighting Seabee kept on finding to hold that one at bay by two lengths on the line in a final time of 1:43.34. Andesite got up for third. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O-Walking L Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG (KY); T-Ken McPeek. The post Fighting Seabee Becomes First Stakes Winner for Summer Front appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today’s Observations features a promising Aidan O’Brien trainee making his second start. 7.25 Tipperary, Cond, €15,500, 3yo/up, 8fT Aidan O’Brien trainee LANCASTER HOUSE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) goes postward returning off an eight-length debut score tackling an extended mile at Galway earlier this month and the son of MGSW GI Gamely S. runner-up Quiet Oasis (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) faces four in this second outing. His rivals include Khalid Abdullah’s prior winner Tankerville (Kitten’s Joy), who is a homebred son of MGSW GI Spinster S. fourth Starformer (Dynaformer), representing the Dermot Weld stable. The post Promising O’Brien Trainee Returns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jazzique (Ire) (f, 2, Kingman {GB}–Love to Dance (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells) became the first 2-year-old winner in North America for her European second crop sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) when she prevailed in the seventh race Wednesday at the Spa. Away at 7-1 odds, the bay tracked well off of a torrid pace battle between 41-1 shot Coin the Phrase (Goldencents) and favored Nic and Zoe (Street Boss). After a sizzling first quarter in :21.27 and half-mile in :44.32, jockey Irad Ortiz went to work on Jazzique and she surged to the wire down the center of the track in tandem with Selflessly (More Than Ready), edging her stablemate for a 1-2 finish for the Chad Brown barn. The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:03.17. Jazzique is the second winner out of her Group-stakes placed dam, who is a half-sister to two European champions, including the outstanding European Horse of the Year Dylan Thomas (Ire) (Danehill) and Champion 2-year-old filly Queen’s Logic (Ire) (Grand Logic) as well as to G1 One Thousand Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0 , $49,500. O/B-Aplha Delta Stables (Ire); T-Chad Brown The post Kingman Gets First North American Juvenile Winner at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With a goal of getting to Japan and a nice pay day at Chukyo Racecourse, trainer Enebish Ganbat is at Saratoga Race Course with Mongolian Groom (Hightail), for Saturday’s GI Woodward S. It’s an unorthodox move to be sure, shipping to upstate New York from California, and paying a supplemental entry fee to run in an another Grade I race two weeks after his gelding finished third in the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Ah, but Ganbat is not constrained by norms. He is a trailblazer, who came to America from Mongolia in 2010 to train Thoroughbreds for his friend, businessman Ganbaatar Dagvadorj. Five years later, their Mongolian Saturday won the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and the little-known Mongolian Stable was thrust into the international spotlight at Keeneland. Though Mongolian Groom has won two of 14 career starts, he has emerged from the maiden-claiming ranks into capable black type-earning graded stakes horse in California, where Ganbat is now based. He picked up a third in the GI Santa Anita H. Apr. 6, was fourth, a length from third in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita, second by a length to Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) in the July 20 GII San Diego H. and was third, a neck back of runner-up Draft Pick in the Pacific Classic Aug. 17. Pleased with the performance at Del Mar, Ganbat said that he was stunned by what he found when he started going over Mongolian Groom the morning after the Pacific Classic. “The horse was so fresh, strong,” Ganbat said. “He looked like he was ready to run again the next day. I started looking for good races. I didn’t know this race. I was looking. ‘The Woodward? Two weeks? OK, let’s go.'” Mongolian Groom was shipped to Saratoga Sunday, has taken up residence in trainer Chad Summers’s barn on the backside and has gone to the track every morning this week. He will be ridden by Luis Saez for the first time in the $750,000 Woodward. Following Mongolian Saturday’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup–and the post-race celebration in traditional Mongolian garb–Ganbat and Dagvadorg raced the gelding in Hong Kong and Europe, as well as in North American. A goal for Mongolian Groom this year is the G1 Champions Cup, the 1 1/8-miles dirt race at the track near Nagoya with a projected winner’s share of $869,565. Plus the Japanese Racing Association is offering bonuses to attract international runners. Should the winner of the Woodward win the Champions Cup, he would receive an additional $700,000. Ganbat, a big, affable man with an easy laugh who left an engineering job to train horses, said it was a combination of factors that encouraged him to ship to Saratoga. “Number 1 was that the next day after the Pacific Classic, the horse was looking great,” he said. “The second was when I saw the Woodward on this list for the Japanese race, why not try? It’s a pity because when I decided, the nominations closed the day before. The nominations closed on the 17th and I made the decision on the 18th.” That one day cost Mongolian Stable $11,250 to supplement. Ganbat purchased the horse for $12,000 at the 2017 OBS April 2-year-old sale. It was an impulse buy, he said and had nothing to do with how the horse bred by Calumet Farm did in his public work. “The breeze doesn’t matter. I never see them,” Ganbat said. “All these babies breeze very fast. Mostly I want to see how they are moving, the conformation, the hair, eyes, everything. I liked him. That time I didn’t come to the sale to buy a colt. We wanted to buy a few fillies for racing and in the future to become a broodmare. But when I saw him, I decided to buy him.” It took some time for Ganbat to get a handle on what Mongolian Groom might be. He twice ran for $30,000 on the dirt then broke his maiden on turf. However, he has been far back in his two turf races since. Ganbat says that Mongolian Groom has improved with distance and believes that adding blinkers three races ago has helped him stay focused. For Ganbat, the Woodward could be a step on a journey to Japan. “We couldn’t win the Santa Anita H.,” he said. “The Gold Cup we could not win. The Pacific Classic we could not win. Now we are left with this one. This is what I want. It has always been my dream to win the GI Kentucky Derby and a big race in Japan. In Japan, all the Sumo champions are Mongolians. I want to show them that trainers can do it in Japan.” The post Route to Japan Could Go Through Saratoga for Mongolian Groom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If there's one thing that can bring people together, it is a report that Churchill Downs is considering the purchase of a starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). View the full article

“Inside the Winner’s Circle, Presented by Keeneland” is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale who have gone on to achieve success on racing’s biggest stages. When buyers looked at Mitole (Eskendereya), the recent winner of the GI Forego S. at Saratoga, at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale, they must have overlooked something, as he sold for just $20,000 (video). It might have been that his sire, Eskendereya, had not yet had a chance to establish himself, and consignor Reiley McDonald of Eaton Sales admitted that the then-yearling had some minor issues. But perhaps buyers should have paid more attention to who had bred the horse, Edward Cox. Jr. After all, history had proven that if you buy something bred by Cox, you stood a very good chance of winding up with a very good horse. Cox passed away in March and Mitole may go down as the last major star bred by him. In fact, the horse is so fast and in such good form right now, he may, in time, be regarded as the best horse Cox ever bred. Along with the late Warner L. Jones, he co-bred Irish champion Woodman (Mr. Prospector), $3-million earner, as well as multiple Grade I winner Marquetry and 1989 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Shaadi (Danzig). He also bred and raced Classy Cathy, a winner of three Grade I races. Cox, who was a commodities trader, got out of racing in 1988, but came back in 2006. He associated with two farms, Claiborne and Hermitage. Mitole was raised at Hermitage. “He never really told me why he got out back in the eighties or why he came back, but I think he missed the action,” said Hermitage’s General Manager Bill Landes. “Cox was his own man. He did the pedigrees that he liked and the stallions that he liked. Very rarely could I dissuade him or turn him one way or another. On occasion, maybe one of out of five or 10 suggestions that I gave him, he would take me up on. He really had an idea of what he liked pedigree-wise. He was very enamored with the Phipps mares and also enamored with the Windfield mares, particularly the Vice Regent mares.” Mitole Wins the Forego | Sarah K Andrew “We had a great time for Ed for many years,” McDonald said. “In the eighties, we sold a number of top horses for him. Then Ed stepped out of the game for a while and then came back in the mid-2000s and started to acquire mares again. We would sell the horses who were raised predominantly at Bill Landes’s place, Hermitage Farm in Louisville. Claiborne started to sell the ones they raised for Ed. “Ed just loved the game. He liked the fun of it. He loved racing and he loved staying ahead of everyone else. He was the first to call and feel you out on a rumor he heard or to find out the nitty-gritty of any horse situation. He was just a wonderful guy. He was very good to a lot of people in the horse business.” As good as Cox was as a breeder, it also sometimes pays to be lucky, as he did his best to sell Mitole’s dam, Indian Miss (Indian Charlie), a horse he both bred and owned. She ran third in her debut in a maiden special weight race at Keeneland and then fifth at the same level at Churchill Downs. According to Landes, Indian Miss had to be retired after developing a chip in her knee and Cox tried to sell her for $10,000. The best offer he got was $5,000, but Cox would not accept it and decided instead to breed the mare to Eskendereya. No one was expecting to break the bank with Mitole at the Keeneland sale, but McDonald and Landes were both surprised the colt didn’t sell for more. McDonald believes that, among other things, people overreacted to what were a few minor problems the horse had. These were the notes he had compiled on the horse before the sale: “He had lucencies in both knees and an elongated sesamoid behind from old ‘baby fracture’. Physical notes: Average size, attractive, good neck shoulder and hip. Good depth and balance. Very nice colt. Athletic.” “He had whole bunch of little things wrong with him,” McDonald said. “But he was a nice physical horse. Physically, he had the frame, he had the kind of 2-year-old look that the guys all like. I don’t think there was anything major but, there were a lot of little things.” He was bought by Chestnut Valley Farm, which sold him at the OBS April 2-Year-Old sale the following year. There, he sold for $140,000 to his current owners, William and Corinne Heiligbrodt. Mitole, who is trained by Steve Asmussen, broke his maiden by 10 lengths in his third start. Two starts later, he picked up his first stakes win, a nine-length tally in the Bachelor S. at Oaklawn. But it was not until the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. at Oaklawn that he showed his star power. Facing off against Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), a Grade I stakes winner who had won the two previous runnings of the Count Fleet, he prevailed easily, by 2 3/4 lengths. He followed that with wins in the GI Churchill Downs S. and the GI Metropolitan H., before running third in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. He was beaten 7 1/2 lengths in the Vanderbilt, so whether or not he could redeem himself in the Forego was very much a part of the story line. And that’s exactly what he did. He was in total control in the stretch, winning by three lengths. “Ed was never one to jump up and down and scream, but he would have been quite proud in what this horse is doing,” Landes said. “He wouldn’t be bragging or boasting, but he would have been so proud.” Hermitage has been around since 1937 and Landes has worked there since 1977. Dark Star, the only horse to beat Native Dancer, is a Hermitage product. Others include Woodman, Northern Trick and more recently, Eclipse Award winner and Keeneland September graduate West Coast (Flatter). “This guy, Mitole, might he be the fastest horse ever to come off of Hermitage Farm,” Landes said. That’s quite a compliment, to the horse and to his breeder. The post Keeneland Winner’s Circle: Mitole Carrying On Cox’s Legacy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

MOONACHIE (g, 2, Central Banker–Making a Point, by Freud), mentioned in this TDN profile of Jeremiah Englehart Wednesday, crushed his competition Wednesday at Saratoga, romping over New York-breds by double digits. Showing a steady if unspectacular local worktab, highlighted by a five-furlong move in 1:01 4/5 (1/5) over the training track Aug. 9, the $85,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic buy was backed at 21-5 and came out of the blocks running. Dictating terms through a :22.39 quarter, he remained under a good hold on the turn as his pursuers were put to drives, and he quickly shook loose in early stretch. The only question quickly became how far, and the gelding romped home a dozen lengths to the good in 1:10.78. Unrelenting Force (Carpe Diem) got up for second at 64-1. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $46,800. O-August Dawn Farm; B-McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC & Dean Purdom (NY); T-Jeremiah C. Englehart. The post Central Banker Firster Romps at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

DONCASTER, UK–The success of top race mare Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) has made the Goffs UK sales ground a very important place for her consignor, Anna Sundstrom of Coulonces Sales. Emotions ran high when the French-based consignor’s final offering of the week, a son of Wootton Bassett (GB), became the subject of an intense bidding battle between Goffs agent Richard Ryan, Shadwell Stud’s Angus Gold and Ross Doyle standing alongside Mick Flanagan. Ryan, on the phone, was finally declared successful with a bid of £280,000 and was quickly congratulated by Sundstrom. The Swedish-born consignor later revealed that the emotional nature of the sale was increased by the fact that her mother is currently in hospital in France, and that the colt was bred by her parents. “This colt comes from a family we absolutely love, that we really believe in,” she explained, adding, “He is such a lovely mover and has a brilliant attitude. He’s been shown so many times and never once said no–not in the heat, not in the rain. All top racehorses share a great mind; Laurens was the same.” Despite being sold by a French-based consignor, lot 438‘s page resonated strongly with British buyers. Haras d’Etreham resident Wootton Bassett is himself a graduate of the Goffs UK, where he was bought by Bobby O’Ryan for £46,000 and went on to win the valuable Premier Yearling Stakes for Richard Fahey, following up in a £300,000 contest at Doncaster and achieving Group 1 glory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. The session topper’s dam, meanwhile, comes from the family of Kevin Ryan’s stable star Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and top sprinter Reckless Abandon (GB) (Exchange Rate), who was bought at the Premier Sale for £24,000 by trainer Clive Cox. Laurens was part of Coulonces’s very first consignment at Goffs UK and, as several members of the Goffs team congratulated Sundstrom, it was clear that Coulonces is as important to Goffs UK as the sale is to the consignor. “I love this place,” Sundstrom said. “We’ve enjoyed selling here from day one. We’re still learning what type of horse to bring, but most importantly, those we’ve sold have performed on the track. Each year, our consignment has produced a stakes horse.” Sundstrom was joined by her daughter Moa at the sale, and her protege in fact offered her own yearling as part of their draft. Family is highly important to Sundstrom, she explained. “Our strength has always been our family bond,” she said. “This is the first time we haven’t all been together at a sale and I rely on my parents so much. They will always give me an honest answer and offer constructive criticism on how to improve our product.” Sundstrom was delighted to hear that the colt will go into training with Roger Varian, as confirmed by Richard Ryan, who said, “He’s been bought for a client of mine, who is an established English owner with horses in training in both Ireland and the UK. This colt was exquisite, probably the best colt of the day, and we thought he would particularly suit Roger Varian. He comes from a top vendor; hopefully he will be as good as Laurens.” Across the sales ground, the general consensus was that trade was strong and suitably so, with buyers constantly complimenting the stock on offer. Strength in depth saw the final clearance rate come to 85%, on par with last year, with the average price increasing by 3% to £46,564. Goffs UK Managing Director Tony Williams said he was delighted with the sale’s final results. “We have enjoyed another very successful Premier Sale and once again we have set a new record top price, £440,000, which followed last year’s £380,000 record,” he said. “Every year this sale takes another stride forward, it continues to evolve and attract new people and it’s something from which we take immense satisfaction. “The sale has had an amazing year on the track and that’s instilling confidence in everyone to continue to invest in it and its development. Our vendors have taken another step up and sent us some superb individuals and the buyers, who have come to us from around the world, are taking things to a new level in the ring. “The face of this sale is changing but its heart remains firmly focused on the racehorse and it’s something that people are backing and enjoying the rewards that follow. We are indebted to everyone who has supported us, we wish them the very best of luck with their purchases and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to Doncaster for the Silver Yearling Sale tomorrow.” Fast Start For Mehmas A first crop son of Tally-Ho Stud sire Mehmas (Ire) (lot 319) was widely touted as a possible highlight of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale after receiving a dream update when half-brother Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) took the G2 Richmond S. and followed up with a fine third in the G1 Prix Morny. Shadwell Stud were keen to secure the Highclere Stud-consigned bay, who also counts listed scorer Exhort (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) among his siblings, and after auctioneer Nick Nugent taunted Angus Gold with, “Don’t look at me unless you are going to bid, as irresistible as that may be,” Shadwell’s Angus Gold conceded defeat to agent Oliver St. Lawrence. Found outside the ring alongside Golden Horde’s owner, St. Lawrence revealed that his winning bid of £260,000 was made on behalf of Fawzi Nass. “He’s a nice horse with a lovely update. We were the underbidder on Golden Horde so it made us especially keen to get this colt,” St. Lawrence said. “Fawzi doesn’t have a trainer in mind at the moment, but may eventually train the colt himself in Dubai and hopefully win the Golden Shaheen like Krypton Factor did.” It marked a tremendous result for James Cloney and Michael Nolan, who bred the expensive colt from a nomination fee of €12,500, out of a mare who was bought for 14,000gns by BBA Ireland. It was apt that Mehmas proved popular this week, with the sale known for producing talented juveniles and he one himself, the gutsy son of Acclamation taking two Group 2 contests as a 2-year-old. Placed in two Group 1’s, his form remains very current, as he had lowered the colours of Blue Point when winning the G2 Richmond S. Of his 30 yearlings offered, the Tally-Ho Stud sire closed trade with an average price of over £45,000. Shadwell Stud in no way left Doncaster empty-handed, ending the sale as leading buyers of 18 yearlings for a total of £1,893,000. Their most expensive purchase on Wednesday was lot 257, a son of promising first-season sire Cable Bay (Ire) offered by his base of Highclere Stud for whom Angus Gold went to £175,000. It marked an impressive profit on the colt, who is the first foal out of John and Jake Warren’s 7,500gns buy Bonhomie (GB) (Shamardal) who was covered in Cable Bay’s second year at stud at an advertised fee of £5,000. Lynn Lodge Stud were another to capitalise on their investments, transforming their €62,000 foal pinhook into a £170,000 yearling. Lot 307 in question boasted a proven pedigree, even last winter, being a full-brother to dual stakes winner Extortionist (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). Their shared sire needs no introduction, his success reaching as far as the U.S. and Hong Kong, and it is the latter where Extortionist’s brother will travel to. He was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, whose buying team is now made up of legendary jockey Michael Kinane and French agent Crispin de Moubray, with the former active at Doncaster. More of the Same For Murphy “It’s easier to find gold where you’ve found it before, rather than digging another hole,” was how Mick Murphy reasoned with the £170,000 price tag he paid for Longview Stud’s Muhaarar (GB) filly out of Fig Roll (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) (lot 332). The shrewd pinhooker, who operates under Longways Stables with his wife Sarah, is hoping lightning will strike twice with his latest purchase, a half-sister to talented 2-year-old Al Raya (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). Murphy paid £90,000 for Al Raya at the 2018 edition of the Premier Yearling Sale and resold her at the venue’s breeze-up sale for £450,000. Comparing the half-sisters Murphy said, “We were very lucky with the family last year and this filly looks like a bigger version of Al Raya. She has lovely, big, honest ears, which I like.” Lot 332 comes from the second crop of Muhaarar, for whom Murphy believes the best is yet to come, explaining, “Muhaarar hasn’t had the fastest start at stud, but he wasn’t the most precocious himself, and this filly’s family are sharp, early types.” Another hoping to emulate previous success is Steve Parkin’s Clipper Logistics, whose best performer this season is Soldier’s Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), successful in the Group 2 Flying Childers S. last season and second to Battaash in last week’s G1 Nunthorpe S. at York. Soldier’s Call was bought by Joe Foley, who went to £150,000 for another son of Whitsbury Stud stalwart Showcasing on Wednesday, in the shape of lot 253 from Rathbarry Stud. The similarities don’t end with the sire, according to Foley, who said, “This colt reminded me of Soldier’s Call and is out of a similarly-fast mare. He comes from a great vendor in the Cashman and Woods families in County Cork and will now head to Ballyhane to be pre-trained, with a trainer to be decided in the spring.” The February-born bay was a brave 100,000gns purchase by Abbeylands Farm last winter and on his resale, Abbeylands’s Franny Woods said, “He was a nice foal and I think he’s been very well bought today. He’s a gorgeous colt and looks an Ascot type–hopefully he’ll be just that for his new owners.” Woods is also a key member of the Rathbarry team, and when questioned on trade over the two days, he said, “Trade has been solid for the right horse and these days, you need a quality horse no matter what sale you bring it to.” The post Coulonces Again To The Fore At Donny appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sponsored by Alex Nicholas Agency 2nd-DMR, $61k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 5:30 p.m. ET Bob Baffert saddles GINGHAM (Quality Road) in the second event at Del Mar Thursday afternoon. The bay filly was acquired by Sarah Kelly for $420,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale. Her dam Chapel (Pulpit) is a full-sister to SW Senada (Pulpit) and a half-sister to GISP Arthur’s Tale (Bernardini) and SP War Hoot (War Chant). Chapel is out of the MGSW and $865,705 earner Owlsey (Harlan). Gingam has recorded an impressive worktab in the mornings here at Del Mar, including a five furlong breeze out the gate in :59 3/5 (2/43) Aug. 15. She recently drilled six panels in company with the unraced $500,000 KEESEP buy Ragtime Blues (Union Rags) in 1:13 flat (1/2) Aug. 23 (Click here to watch XVTV video). TJCIS PPs The post August 29 Insights: Baffert Unveils Expensive Quality Road Filly at Del Mar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

INDIAN PRIDE (f, 3, Proud Citizen–Ms. Cornstalk, by Indian Charlie)‘s reputation preceded her heading into Wednesday’s fourth race at Saratoga and she ran to the billing, romping in frontrunning style to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status for Brereton Jones and Chad Brown. Touting herself in the morning with an array of speedy local breezes, highlighted by a five-furlong gate move in :59 3/5 (2/13) Aug. 3, the homebred was crushed in the wagering and broke sharply as a 3-5 favorite. Showing the way through a :22.19 quarter, the bay felt light pressure from Rapido Gatta (Adios Charlie) as she threw down a :45.36 half split. Soon after straightening for home though, Indian Pride made short work of her pursuer, and slammed the door past the furlong grounds before coasting home an eight-length victress in 1:09.45. Rapido Gatta just held for second. The winner is a half to Biofuel (Stormin Fever), HotY, Ch. 2yo Filly & Ch. 3yo Filly-Can, MGSW & MGISP, $781,091; and Tu Endie Wei (Johar), Ch. 2yo Filly-Can & GSW, $528,005. Her dam, an unraced half to GSW Dansil (Silver Hawk), has an unraced Creative Cause colt named Imperial Presence, a yearling colt by Runhappy and a weanling Gun Runner colt. She was bred to Quality Road this spring. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $54,000. O/B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. The post Proud Citizen Debutante Backs Up Billing, Named Rising Star at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Maximum Security worked 1 1/8 miles at Monmouth Park Aug. 28, with trainer Jason Servis saying he will likely ship the multiple grade 1 winner to Parx Racing for the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) sometime between Sept. 5-7. View the full article