Wandering Eyes

Colonia provided her own happy outcome following a bout of stress when she rallied in the final strides to score a half-length win over Get Explicit in the Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (G3T). View the full article

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will bring back the NYRA Bets Late Pick 5, a multi-race wager that covers the last five races of every live card at Belmont Park, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 24. The wager features the identical 15-percent takeout and 50-cent minimum as the early Pick 5. It also will have the same carryover provision of 100% of the net pool into the next day’s Late Pick 5 if there are no winning tickets. It is exclusively available to NYRA Bets members, as well as to anyone wagering in New York on track or in a simulcast facility. “We are pleased to be able to bring back the NYRA Bets Late Pick 5, which has seen overwhelming support from our customers since its inception,” said Tony Allevato, president of NYRA Bets and Executive Producer for NYRA TV. “It’s an exciting wager that we can now continue to offer thanks to the New York State Gaming Commission.” The NYRA Bets Late Pick 5 was initially launched in July, 2017, and has recorded an average payout this year of $10,002.33. The highest payout it has recorded in its nascent history was $98,892.75 Aug. 20 at Saratoga. View the full article

FEDERAL CASE (c, 2, Gemologist–Delilahjane, by Elusive Quality) is the second winner of the day for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, SF Racing, trainer Rodolphe Brisset and jockey Florent Geroux following Preamble (Speightstown), who took his record to two-for-two with a win in Keeneland’s third race. Bet down to 9-2 from a 10-1 morning-line for this unveiling, the $180,000 KEESEP buy showed early interest, moving up the fence to engage in a three-way battle for control through an opening quarter in :22.71. Gaining a narrow advantage, the bay ticked off a half in :45.64 with a pair of rivals breathing down his neck. Shaking free a bit at the top of the stretch, Federal Case kept on finding under an enthusiastic hand ride from Geroux to hold off the rallying 4-5 favorite Locally Owned (Distorted Humor) by a neck. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing LLC; B-Kings Way Farm (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset. View the full article

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) rolled out an initiative beginning April 2, 2018, where runners can earn purse bonuses between five and 15% of money earned in qualifying races based on their number of starts at NYRA tracks. The program runs through April 1, 2019. Just over six months into the program, $347,320.50 (as of Oct. 18) has been earned by more than 400 eligible starters. “It’s designed to be a benefit to the people who are here year-round,” said trainer David Donk, “and I think anything that can financially benefit the clients, being the owners and horsemen, will end up being good for business. You’ve got a lot that are already at certain tiers and a lot of them that are dirt horses who should progress through the winter.” Any winners’ races at any NYRA track are eligible for bonuses, with starters earning bonuses after their fifth start at a NYRA track during the year-long program. The more starts a horse makes, the higher the percentage of money earned. No fewer than 50 individual starters entered for Saturday’s Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park, which has an 11-race card exclusively featuring New York-breds, are part of the program. Among those who have already earned extra percentages are the Uriah St. Lewis runner Discreet Lover (Repent), who garnered an additional $20,625 from the program for his win in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. Sept. 29. View the full article

Adena Springs Kentucky has announced its stallion fees for the upcoming breeding season, highlighted by three generations of homebred successes: Awesome Again (Deputy Minister), who will stand for a private fee, Ghostzapper (Awesome Again), who is currently 12th on the leading sires list and will stand for $85,000, and Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper), who stood his first season in California and will be introduced to Central Kentucky breeders at $7,500. The roster will be rounded out by Point of Entry (Dynaformer) at $20,000, Macho Uno (Holy Bull) and Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) at $10,000, Fort Larned (E Dubai) at $7,500, and Capo Bastone (Street Boss) at $4,000. The fee for North Light (Ire) (Danehill) will be private. All fees are stands and nurses. View the full article

Colonia (Fr) (f, 3, Champs Elysees {GB}–Clara Luna {Ire}, by Muhtathir {GB}) came from well off the pace to cause a mild upset in Friday’s GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland, a race in which the winner managed to avoid an incident in the final eighth of a mile that saw the well-backed Daddy Is A Legend (Scat Daddy) veer to her left and through the inside running rail. Void of any real speed as Cool Beans (Candy Ride {Arg}) was allowed to set a leisurely pace on the business end, Colonia was ridden patiently from third or fourth-last by Joe Bravo and still looked to have plenty to do from near the tail at the midpoint of the second turn. Still last but two as the field reached the quarter-pole, she began to weave her way through the field and split Cool Beans and Mighty Scarlett (Scat Daddy) in the final sixteenth of a mile to score a narrow victory. Daddy Is a Legend raced slightly better than midfield and saving ground down the back and was trying to rally underneath Cool Beans at midstretch when she appeared to take an awkward step and plowed through the rail, then galloped on the infield, apparently unscathed. A maiden winner in five French starts for Fabrice Chappet, Colonia won the Hatoof S. in her U.S. debut at Arlington in July, was a troubled fifth in the GI Del Mar Oaks and ran with credit when a latest third in the GII Sands Point S. at Belmont Sept. 15. Lifetime Record: 9-3-0-3. O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Maurice Lagasse, Haras d’Etreham & Bethlehem Stables; B-Haras d’Etreham & Gestut Zur Kuste; T-H Graham Motion. View the full article

Central Kentucky-based Taylor Made Stallions has released their fees for the 2019 breeding season, which will once again be led by two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit). The dual classic winner will stand for $35,000. His first foals will be yearlings next year. Joining California Chrome in the Taylor Made complex with first yearlings of 2019 are Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway), who will stand for $15,000, and Mshawish (Medaglia d’Oro), whose feel is set at $10,000. Rounding out the roster are Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile), who will stand for $10,000 and whose first foals will arrive next year, as well as Graydar (Unbridled’s Song), who will stand for $7,500 and whose first foals were sophomores this year. All fees are stands and nurses. View the full article

Canadian Classic winner Danish Dynaformer (Dynaformer- Danish Wildcat, by Danehill), one of the last sons of Dynaformer to go to stud, has been retired. The Charles Fipke homebred, winner of the 2015 Breeders’ S. and following term’s GIII Singspiel S., will stand at Colebrook Farms in Ontario, Canada, for a $2,500 fee. The 6-year-old posted a record of 26-5-3-1 and earnings of $764,645. View the full article

John Liviakis, who has bred the likes of Grade I winners Gomo (Uncle Mo) and GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint-bound Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), has decided to significantly reduce his bloodstock holdings at the upcoming Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale in Lexington Nov. 5-16. Taylor Made will handle the Liviakis consignment, which will include 10 broodmares and three weanlings. “I have known John for quite sometime, I have always admired his breeding philosophies and his results from a small broodmare band,” said Taylor Made Sales Agency Sales Manager Pat Payne. “John tries to ‘make’ mares, and then sells them privately or at auction. We have done both for him.” The owner and operator of Liviakis Financial Communications, the Mill Valley, California-based former trainer of Standardbreds has also bred MGSW’s Renee’s Titan (Bernstein), Handsome Mike (Scat Daddy) and Reneesgotzip (City Zip) in addition to three ‘TDN Rising Stars’, including Mick’s Miracle (Wildcat Heir). Liviakis’ philosophy has been to routinely investigate entries of medium and major racing circuits for potential broodmares. He then tracks female offspring of branches of families that have caught his eye, and purchases them privately. He also develops broodmares from the daughters of families he has nurtured. “The thing that’s amazes me about John is that he knows the breeding business, he knows the economics, and he knows the value of a horse,” Payne added. “We have always had a win-win situation when working with John.” The Liviakis draft begins in Book 3 with hip 1093, Awesome Dove (Awesome Again), whose second dam is Canadian champion Dancethruthedawn (Mr. Prospector). The latter is also the granddam of GISW Moreno (Ghostzapper). Awesome Dove sells in foal to Not This Time. For more details, visit www.keeneland.com. View the full article

In July 1985, the morning after he had sold a world-record priced yearling colt, I spent some time with the late Warner Jones, then the owner of Hermitage Farm. I always had a great relationship with Warner, so before he would discuss the $13.1-million hammer price, he took advantage of my being captive in a room with him to vent on a subject of great importance. “Look at this,” he said, taking from his pocket a story from Daily Racing Form, my employer at the time. “The horse is mentioned, the trainer is mentioned, the jockey is mentioned … but no mention of the owner,” Warner said, shaking the paper at me. “How the hell would this game exist without the owners.” Of course Warner was right, this day the owner in question being his good friend George Bunn, more known globally for the coffee makers bearing his name than his equine exploits. And though this column has nothing to do with owners, it makes the point that when wise men speak, it is smart to listen, no matter the subject. And though Warner Jones had plenty to say about selling an eight-figure yearling, and was still basking in its glow, he was the man at the lectern. I finally got around to the matter of breeding, not just how one goes about breeding a horse that sells for $13.1 million (consigned by Warner but co-bred with Will Farish and W.S. Kilroy) but the process of mating one’s mares. “It really is quite simple,” he explained. “I look at what has worked in the past and try to repeat it.” As I started to ask another question, he added this: “Simple, but not easy.” As I sat there stewing over that, Warner continued. “We all look at genetics, inbreeding, think about taking a stout mare to a speedy stallion, but I really do study what has worked for me in the past and see if I can repeat it.” Gee, that seems so simple. Simple, but not easy. I was reminded of that exchange with the former Churchill Downs board chair when I read a fascinating story in the Thursday Thoroughbred Daily News by Chris McGrath. That interview with Hill ‘n’ Dale Stud owner John Sikura contained this statement: “You can have all the opinion you want; you can’t predict success. But you can react to it. Once it works, then you go back. Or… you can stay in your ways, and never win, and be irrelevant. That’s a choice as well.” So, once it works, then you go back. Exactly as Warner Jones had told me 33 years ago. Warner Jones, during a half-century of breeding, was certainly never irrelevant. Though younger and in the game fewer years, the same can be said of John Sikura. The $13.1-million sale of Seattle Dancer, a half-brother to Seattle Slew by Nijinsky II, helped Warner Jones set more than one record that July. He sold eight yearlings for $19,470,000, most for a consignment in the history of that storied sale. John Sikura has some records of his own. His Hill ‘n’ Dale, as agent, sold the highest-priced broodmare prospect every auctioned at Keeneland, Playful Act, in 2007 for $10.5 million. The operation also sold the top-priced broodmare at Keeneland in 2015 and 2008; the second highest-priced weanling colt ever sold at the sale (2015); the top-priced colt at the September sale (1990 and 2011) and the leading filly at the September sale (1985, 2002 and 2013). Sikura’s comments to McGrath about stallions, their influences in Europe and the U.S., and his historical perspective, are great reading. He makes it sound so simple. Simple, but not easy. At each Keeneland sale, I would find time to sit and chat with the late Bob Courtney, a man with whom I had great affection and admiration. One day roughly 20 years ago I asked him a question. “If you were new in the game and had $100,000 to invest, who would you give it to?” Bob didn’t hesitate. “John Sikura,” he said. Simple … and easy. View the full article

The Irish are coming, in droves. So are the English. Money talks, and North America’s richest steeplechase race, the G1 $450,000 Grand National, caught the interest of overseas trainers who filled American-bound flights with entries for Saturday’s featured race of the 98th annual Far Hills Races. Of nine entries for the 2 5/8-mile hurdle race, five will have trainers based in Ireland and England. Gordon Elliott has been here before and won last year’s Foxbrook Champion Hurdle with budding star Zanjabeel (GB) (Aussie Rules), a two-time Grade 1 winner who is now sidelined with a tendon injury. Elliott will have two starters for the Grand National, Rosbrian Farm’s and Meadow Run Farm’s Clarcam (Fr) (Califet {Fr}) and Sideways Syndicate’s Jury Duty (Well Chosen {GB}). Although unplaced in his two U.S. starts, the G1 New York Turf Writers Cup and G1 Lonesome Glory H., Clarcam possesses dangerous front-end speed and wired the €250,000 Galway Steeplechase Plate Aug. 1. Jury Duty was third in the Galway race. Paddy Mullins, the storied Irish trainer, will influence the Grand National through his grandsons. Emmet Mullins will saddle his Tornado Watch (Ire) (Selkirk), a two-time winner over fences this year. Tornado Watch will be ridden by cousin David Mullins. Danny Mullins, who won last year’s Grand National with Gillian Johnston’s Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow), will be aboard the owner’s Days of Heaven (Fr) (Saint des Saints {Fr}), who made his most recent start for Nicky Henderson before transferring into Jack Fisher’s barn. British owner Robert Aplin is making his annual visit to central New Jersey and will try again with Hammersly Lake (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}), who was fifth last year for trainer Charlie Longsdon. American interests are outnumbered but not necessarily overwhelmed. Fisher will saddle Harold A. “Sonny” Via Jr.’s Hinterland (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}), who made a nice run at Zanjabeel to finish second in the Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Sept. 20. Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard will take another shot at the Grand National with Buttonwood Farm’s All the Way Jose (Senor Swinger), who was beaten two noses in third last year. The Sheppard-bred most recently finished sixth in Saratoga Race Course’s New York Turf Writers. The first of owner Irv Naylor’s back-to-back Grand National and Eclipse Award winners was Dawalan (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}), who will be attempting a comeback after 17 months on the shelf. The 2015 Grand National winner is trained by Cyril Murphy. In partnership with Monmouth Park, the Far Hills Races will offer pari-mutuel wagering for the first time, and live-streaming video will be available on the meet’s website, www.farhillsrace.org. View the full article

Merriebelle Stable's Blue Prize, winner of the Oct. 7 Juddmonte Spinster (G1), returned to the worktab Oct. 19 with a 4-furlong work in :47 1/5 at Keeneland in preparation for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Four stakes races for 2-year-olds–including a pair of Grade I races–highlight the upcoming Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos. The eight-day season will begin Thursday, Dec. 6 and continue through Sunday, Dec. 16. The $300,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity and the $300,000-guaranteed Starlet–for fillies–will be renewed Saturday, Dec. 8. The other two stakes will be run at one mile and are ungraded. The $100,000 Soviet Problem–for fillies–will be offered Saturday, Dec. 15 while the $100,000 King Glorious will be run Sunday, Dec. 16. Both are for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California. Visit www.losalamitos.com. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK—We’re in the home straight. Around 100 yearlings will go under the hammer this morning at Tattersalls when the repositioned Book 4 brings the curtain down on the October Sale. The fortnight started in the stratosphere with another record-breaking Book 1, but in the last few days the trade has been brought back down to a more earthly level. Book 3 ended its two-day run on Friday, each of the sessions graded, meaning that the second lengthy stint at Park Paddocks didn’t quite match the pace set on Thursday. The October Sale figures have held up well to this point and even despite the distinctly lower prince range of Friday, an overall clearance rate of 80% meant that the Book 3 accounts were still largely on par with events of 12 months ago. Reassuring though that may be to some, it will be cold comfort for the breeders or pinhookers selling yearlings at or below the median mark of 10,000gns (-9%) and average of 16,082gns (-3%). There is little profit to be found at this level but the 472 horses sold in the last two days have added 7,590,800gns to October’s running tally of 162,552,300gns. James Hanly has successfully targeted Book 3 in the past and had another good sale this time around, his five yearlings selling for an average of 60,000gns, while the Castlebridge Consignment led the vendors’ table by aggregate, selling 30 yearlings for 376,800gns. Rabbah Bloodstock was the largest buyer, signing for 17 yearlings. A Zoffany To Breeze A Zoffany (Ire) filly who offers plenty of residual value once her racing days are behind her was a fitting leading lady for Friday’s session at 60,000gns through Voute Sales. The daughter of the Fittocks Stud mare Cosmodrome (Bahri) (lot 1841) may find herself back in a breeze-up sale next spring, according to her purchaser, Richard Fitzsimons of BBA Ireland, and a fast breeze would only enhance the recommendations already available on the page. Her dam won the listed Height Of Fashion S. for breeders Luca and Sara Cumani and the mare’s half-sister Splashdown (GB) (Falbrav {Ire}) was also a listed winner who has produced the G3 Solario S. victor Aktabantay (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Cosmodrome’s two winners to date are Lovell (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and 3-year-old Snax (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}). “She’s a big strong filly and there’s a lot going on in the family,” said Fitzsimons. “There are Dubawis and Kingmans coming through under the second dam.” Piermill’s Pinhooking Delight Ling Tsui has been resolute in her support of her family’s stallion Sea The Stars (Ire) and she hasn’t turned her back on his half-brother Born To Sea (Ire) either. The son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) will next year move from Gilltown Stud to France to stand at Alain Chopard’s Haras des Faunes but in the meantime he was responsible for another of the day’s top-priced fillies (1806), bought by the Tsuis’ Sunderland Holdings for 56,000gns. As ever, their representative John Clarke was on hand to do the bidding, confirming that the filly will be trained in France. Out of the listed-placed King’s Best mare Best Side (Ire), the half-sister to G3 Dee S. winner Azmeel (GB) (Azamour {Ire}) and German listed winner Baisse (GB) was pinhooked last December by Troy Steve for 16,000gns on behalf of Piermill Bloodstock, a local operation run by Bill and Amber Dash. “We do it all ourselves and just have three or four foals each year,” said Bill Dash, who explained that he and his wife had started up several years ago. “Troy has been really helpful buying the horses and drops in to make sure we are heading in the right direction. We have had some sell well and others not so successfully but we are delighted with this result.” European Combo Strikes For Kingman One of this season’s leading freshman sires, Kingman (GB), made a huge impression at Books 1 and 2 and his daughter out of a sister to treble Group 1 winner and South African-based sire Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) found a willing buyer in Federico Barberini, who signed for lot 1865 at 55,000gns. The Italian agent was acting on behalf of leading French breeze-up consignor Paul Basquin of Haras de Saubouas and said, “We also bought a No Nay Never last night. They are both by popular sires and ideal to go to the breeze-ups.” The filly is a daughter of Dupe (GB), bought from the Juddmonte draft back in December 2013 for 37,000gns by Faisal Meshref Al-Kahtani. Her daughter by Frankel (GB) fetched 200,000gns at Book 1 last year and this is a family which also includes the Group 1 winner Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar) and Passage Of Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Barberini also went to 48,000gns for a speedily-bred son of Sepoy (Aus) (1921) out of a winning daughter of the G2 Temple S.-placed Firenze (GB) (Efisio {GB}), a sister to G1 July Cup winner Frizzante (GB). His co-breeder Jan Hopper, who bred the colt with Mike and Michelle Morris and has been involved with three generations of the family, said, “He has always been a lovely type. The mares board at the National Stud and Tim [Lane] and his team have done a fabulous job getting him ready for this sale.” Dods Plays Leading Role Three years ago Emma Foley and Damian Flynn’s Redgate Bloodstock topped Book 3 and the team produced one of the final day’s leading lights this time around in lot 1661, a Mayson (GB) colt who will be trained by Michael Dods. The half-brother to the multiple winners Dark Defender (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) and Oh It’s Saucepot (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), who brought the hammer down at 47,000gns, will eventually join this year’s G1 Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye winner Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) at Dods’s Country Durham yard. The trainer was one of the leading buyers during Book 3, signing for 10 yearlings. Elkingon Stud is another consignor which has fared well in Book 3 of late, selling last year’s third-top price, a son of Mukhadram (GB) for 90,000gns. During the final session, Jane Keir’s Oxfordshire farm was responsible for lot 1706, a first-crop daughter of Ivawood (Ire) out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Romp (GB). This is the first foal of the 7-year-old mare, herself a winner at four and from the family of dual Group 2 winner Whitewater Affair (GB) (Machiavellian), later the dam of Japanese Group 1 winners Asakusa Den’en (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and Victoire Pisa (JPN) (Neo Universe {JPN}). Romp as bought from the July Sale of 2015 by Liam Norris and William Huntingdon for 14,000gns. Joe Foley signed for the bay filly at 40,000gns and said, “She’ll come back to Ballyhane to be pre-trained and come the spring, we’ll decide where she’ll go to be trained. She’s a smashing filly out of a Pivotal mare who is herself out of a Singspiel mare, and she’s from that very good John Greetham family.” Foley later went to the same price for lot 1882, a Dragon Pulse filly out of the unraced Fillothewisp (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), a grand-daughter of Ireland’s champion stayer Eurobird (GB) (Ela-Mana-Mou {GB}). Park Paddocks falls quiet tonight after Book 4 as the yearling action switches to Arqana’s October Sale in Deauville from Tuesday, but will return to the spotlight on Oct. 29 with the start of the four-day Horses-in-Training Sale. View the full article

Runaway FTBOA Florida Sire Susan’s Girl S. and FTBOA Florida Sire My Dear Girl S. heroine Cookie Dough (Brethren) is being pointed toward a start in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs Nov. 2. “She’s doing great,” trainer Stanley Gold said of the Arindel Farm homebred. “She’ll breeze again next week. We’ll leave on the 26th, and off we go. I think we haven’t seen the best of this filly yet. Hopefully, we’ll see it on the second of November.” Gold saddled Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course) to a victory in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Arindel’s Blonde Bomber (Fort Larned) was also third in the same race last year for Gold. View the full article

Jammin Still, a 2-year-old son of Take Charge Indy, returns to the scene of his impressive career bow in the $125,000 Grey Stakes (G3) Oct. 21 at Woodbine. View the full article

The last major work for Mind Your Biscuits in advance of the Breeders' Cup didn't go exactly as planned, but it satisfied trainer Chad Summers nonetheless. View the full article

A bet’s a bet, and I’m calling on Mattress Mack to pay off. During my recent TDN podcast with Jim McIngvale I got him to agree to a friendly wager. McIngvale is a huge Houston Astros fan and there is no bigger Red Sox fan than myself. With the American League Championship Series tied at 1-1 at the time, I offered to have my picture taken and printed in the TDN wearing an Astros jersey if Houston won the the ALCS. He asked that it be the jersey of Alex Bregman. If the Red Sox won the series, I wanted McIngvale to name one of his horses in honor of the Red Sox or one of their players. With the Sox having finished off the Astros Thursday night, I am ready to head to the cashier’s window. Mack, don’t worry about looking into researching names. I’ve done it for you. My first choice was Benintendi, for left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who all but saved the series with his dramatic game-ending catch in Game 4. That name is taken. So is Mookie, the given name of the great Mookie Betts. So, I’m going to go for Mookie Bets, one “T,” which should mean we don’t have to get Betts’s permission to name a horse after him and the “Bets” part fits in perfectly considering this is a wagering game. If that doesn’t work, how about MVP Mookie? They’re both available. Sorry, about your ‘Stros, Jim. But it’s time to pay up. View the full article

A bet’s a bet, and I’m calling on Mattress Mack to pay off. During my recent TDN podcast with Jim McIngvale I got him to agree to a friendly wager. McIngvale is a huge Houston Astros fan and there is no bigger Red Sox fan than myself. With the American League Championship Series tied at 1-1 at the time, I offered to have my picture taken and printed in the TDN wearing an Astros jersey if Houston won the the ALCS. He asked that it be the jersey of Alex Bregman. If the Red Sox won the series, I wanted McIngvale to name one of his horses in honor of the Red Sox or one of their players. With the Sox having finished off the Astros Thursday night, I am ready to head to the cashier’s window. Mack, don’t worry about looking into researching names. I’ve done it for you. My first choice was Benintendi, for left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who all but saved the series with his dramatic game-ending catch in Game 4. That name is taken. So is Mookie, the given name of the great Mookie Betts. So, I’m going to go for Mookie Bets, one “T,” which should mean we don’t have to get Betts’s permission to name a horse after him and the “Bets” part fits in perfectly considering this is a wagering game. If that doesn’t work, how about MVP Mookie? They’re both available. Sorry, about your ‘Stros, Jim. But it’s time to pay up. View the full article

PREAMBLE (c, 2, Speightstown–Beautician, by Dehere) took his record to two-for-two with a narrow score at Keeneland Friday afternoon. The $225,000 KEESEP buy donned cap and gown by 1 1/2 lengths in his Churchill Downs unveiling at this distance Sept. 15 and was heavily favored at 7-5 to remain perfect here. Tracking from second through a first quarter in :22.46, the chestnut ranged up alongside the pacesetting Bingwa (Goldencents) turning for home and the pair were well clear of the rest of the field. The two foes battled stride-for-stride down the length of the stretch with Preamble edging clear late for a half-length success. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O-WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing; B-Peter J Callahan (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset. View the full article

Stuart S. Janney III's On Leave will look to notch her second consecutive stakes win when she competes against a talented nine-horse field in the $200,000 Athenia Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares 3 years old and up Oct. 21 at Belmont Park. View the full article

When Marvin Little, Jr. passed away in July of 2017, the legendary horseman left one goal unfulfilled. The breeder of 1991 GI Preakness S. and GI Belmont S. winner Hansel wanted that missing jewel in the Triple Crown. A year plus later and Little’s daughters Teresa and Marilyn hope to accomplish that dream on behalf of their late father. The sisters will take a first step in their mission with their first consignment under the Little’s Bloodstock banner at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale. “The one dream my father had, he won the Preakness and he won the Belmont, he won the Tremont and the Breeders’ Cup, but he never won the Kentucky Derby,” Teresa Little said. “At my father’s funeral, I sang ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ and people said that wasn’t a good thing to do. But it was for me because it’s the only thing my father wanted to win. He wanted to breed or sell the winner of the Kentucky Derby.” Marvin Little served as farm manager at the historic Newstead Farm in Virginia before moving to Kentucky after the farm dispersed its bloodstock in 1985. In addition to Hansel, he also bred G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Kinsale King. The Little family started out the yearling sales season with a bang at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale. Through the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment, the family sold a colt by Into Mischief for $300,000. “We let Taylor Made sell them [at the July sale], but now we’re kicking off Little’s Bloodstock,” Little said. “And I am telling you, it’s in my dad’s name. We are going to rock it. We’re going to do it for him.” Little’s Bloodstock’s first October consignment features 10 yearlings. Included in the group is a colt by Blame out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Pampered Princess (Indian Charlie) (hip 157); a half-brother by Stormy Atlantic to stakes placed ‘TDN Rising Star’ Just a Smidge (Into Mischief) (hip 1109); a filly by Lea out of a half-sister to graded winner Royale Michele (Elusive Quality) (hip 1211); and a filly by Candy Ride (Arg) out of Stellabymoonlight (Malibu Moon) (hip 1367). In addition to the sales consignment, the Littles will also continue to breed commercially at their Little’s Bloodstock Farm. “We’re also going to have Little’s Farm,” Little said. “We are going to keep dad’s mares. We are selling a few with Taylor Made, but we are going to continue on and we’re going to breed that Derby horse.” While it will have its initial foray at the October sale, Little’s Bloodstock will expand going forward. “We are going to do Kentucky [sales] and absolutely do Saratoga,” Little said. “We’re going to be boutique, we’ll have a few clients, but we’ll be boutique. We might get a little bit bigger, but our focus is going to be on Marvin Little, Jr.’s way.” Asked to describe that way, Little said, “Brains and class. He always said it was brains and class. And you can’t teach it.” Little’s Bloodstock will also pay tribute to its patriarch’s notorious love of the New York Yankees. “I am going to put New York Yankees in every corner,” Little said. “My mother beat cancer when they won the Pennant and dad faced every huge event in the world based on the New York Yankees. We’re doing all of this for him.” The Fasig-Tipton October sale runs from Oct. 22 through 25 at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m. View the full article

There will be no Triple Crown winner in Japan this year, but Guineas winner and Derby runner-up Epoca d'Oro would make a smart impression with a victory in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) at Kyoto Racecourse Oct. 21. View the full article

It's the calm before the Breeders' Cup storm, and the only graded stakes races in North America Saturday, Oct. 20 are the Lexus Raven Run (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland and Grand National Hurdle Stakes (NSA-G1) from Monmouth at Far Hills. View the full article

The last major work for Mind Your Biscuits in advance of the Breeders' Cup didn't go exactly as planned, but satisfied trainer Chad Summers nonetheless. View the full article