Wandering Eyes

Len Green’s A Thread of Blue (Hard Spun) shook off his pursuers and led to deep stretch of the GII American Turf S. last out before just getting run down late. Saturday at Penn National, the dark bay cuts back a crucial sixteenth of a mile and heads a competitive field of nine in the $500,000 GII Penn Mile S., the marquee race on the calendar at the Grantville oval. Breaking his maiden third out in a Belmont off-the-turfer Oct. 7, the $430,000 OBS March buy filled out the trifecta in the Awad S. Nov. 4 at Aqueduct, his last defeat on grass until the American Turf. Rattling off front-running successes at Gulfstream in an optional claimer Dec. 22 and the Dania Beach S. Feb. 3, he showed a new dimension when rallying from off the speed to a score in the GIII Palm Beach S. Mar. 2. August Dawn Farm’s Forty Under (Uncle Mo) looks to build on an encouraging juvenile campaign in his second outing as a 3-year-old. Pulling a 20-1 upset in his turf bow Aug. 25 at Saratoga, the gray repeated in the GIII Pilgrim S. Sept. 29 at Belmont before checking in sixth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Debuting as a sophomore Apr. 20 in the Woodhaven S. at Aqueduct, he couldn’t reel in loose leader Clint Maroon (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who runs in Saturday’s GIII Pennine Ridge S. Saturday at Belmont, and settled for the runner-up spot. Town and Country Racing and Gary Broad’s Real News (The Factor) wheels back quickly for the Al Stall barn. Triumphing in his first two outings, one on dirt and one on turf, he stepped up to stakes company with a good second in the Palisades Turf Sprint S. Apr. 4 at Keeneland. Setting the pace two weeks ago in Pimlico’s James W. Murphy S. in his first two-turn try, he was narrowly worn down late to be a half-length runner-up. John C. Oxley’s Moon Colony (Uncle Mo) rates an upset chance from the rail for the scorching-hot Mark Casse barn. Graduating from a wide draw at third asking Oct. 5 at Keeneland, he was off the board in a dirt try Oct. 28 at Churchill before notching a good-looking optional claiming tally Nov. 29 at Fair Grounds. Last seen running fifth in the Kitten’s Joy S. Jan. 5 at Gulfstream, the $400,000 Keeneland September buy resurfaces with a slew of bullets in the holster, capped by a half-mile over the Belmont main track in :46 2/5 (1/20) May 24. The post A Thread of Blue to Catch in Penn Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two winners of their divisional stakes when the MATCH Series started in April at Laurel Park , Ms Locust Point and Laki, are among the horses entered in four series stakes June 1 at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. View the full article

Aidan O’Brien is back on his happy hunting ground on Friday, with Epsom’s G1 Investec Coronation Cup and G1 Investec Oaks within his grasp yet again as Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) occupy favouritism in the features. Pink Dogwood, named after the vibrant flower which is such an emblem in Virginia, has been prepared for Classic germination with all of her trainer’s famous steady precision and the recent market confidence speaks volumes. Ballydoyle’s tally of Oaks winners since Shahtoush (Ire) (Alzao) first struck in 1998 have come in all guises, from Group 1-winning juveniles to those who failed to score at two, so it is safe to say if O’Brien is happy he has one with the correct credentials it is enough for the yard’s plethora of supporters. Beaten 10 lengths by Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) when second on debut in a decent seven-furlong conditions race at The Curragh in August, the full-sister to last year’s G1 Irish Derby hero Latrobe (Ire) held a relatively low profile in comparison with some of her stablemates at two. Her return saw a straightforward success in a solid edition of the Listed Salsabil S., an increasingly important Irish Oaks trial, over 10 furlongs at Naas on Apr. 28 and she gives the impression there is a lot to come. “We loved her last year–we always thought she was going to be a middle-distance filly and we always thought she was going to be our main Oaks filly,” O’Brien said as he looks for an eighth renewal. “She was only just ready to start when she won at Navan and that was a slowly-run race. She has come forward from that.” Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum has won this three times and has a live chance in Maqsad (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who beat the subsequent listed-placed Twist ‘N’ Shake (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a mile maiden at Newmarket’s Craven meeting on Apr. 16 before handing a five-length beating to the useful yardstick Shambolic (Ire) (Shamardal) in the Listed Pretty Polly S. over an extra two furlongs back there on May 5. Her pedigree leans much more towards the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Prix de Diane, being a granddaughter of the 2001 heroine of that Chantilly Classic in Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), but her shrewd connections have opted to stretch her to this mile and a half. “I think William Haggas has made no secret that she is very effective over a mile and a quarter, but he doesn’t know if she will be as effective over a mile and a half,” the owner’s racing manager Angus Gold said. “She is by a fast horse who does get them to stay and there is plenty of stamina on the dam’s side, so she might well stay further. Whether she will be as effective at that trip, only time will tell. She has shown a lot of improvement and she has plenty of scope. She is a big, tall filly, so the track is not sure to suit her and that is another imponderable. But as every jockey says, if the horse is travelling they generally handle the track.” Friday’s renewal genuinely has the “Frankel factor”, with the Gosden duo of Mehdaayih (GB) and Anapurna (GB) and Maqsad’s stablemate Frankellina (GB) lining up with sound credentials. Frankel has imparted more stamina than expected and it may be that these Epsom Classics are a better fit for his progeny than the Newmarket ones. Mehdaayih showed rare dash on rain-softened ground at the end of the May 8 Listed Cheshire Oaks, while Anapurna has mastered similar undulations to these when defying greenness as a dominant winner of the May 11 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial. Frankellina, who carries the increasingly lucky Oppenheimer silks, lost significant ground at the start of the May 15 G3 Musidora S. and was denied a neck in York’s premier trial, so could hardly have shown more promise on only her second career start. “If she’d won the Musidora, there wouldn’t have been a question about running,” jockey James Doyle said reflecting on connections’ late decision to take the plunge. “It’s a wide-open race and her work has improved since. It needed to have, but hopefully she can run a big race. She’s done some gate work since York and is fine, so we can ignore that [slow-starting] factor.” Long a supporter of British racing, ABBA legend Benny Andersson is living up to the sentiment of the group’s “I Have a Dream” with his exciting homebred Lavender’s Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). She was a neck second to the smart Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) in Newbury’s Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial over 10 furlongs on May 18, travelling like the best filly for much of that race. Only undone late on by a slightly quicker rival, she will have to be a quick learner in the mold of the 2005 Oaks heroine Eswarah (GB) (Unfuwain) if she is to prevail here. Of the remaining Irish contingent, His Highness The Aga Khan’s Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) needs to improve off her Salsabil third and success in the G3 Blue Wind S. at Naas on May 11, where Ballydoyle’s potential pacemaker Delphinia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was only a rallying length away in third and Peach Tree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a further short head back in fourth. Another from Rosegreen, Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), is surprisingly the only representative of the G1 1000 Guineas form this year and she was last of the 15 runners in that May 5 Newmarket Classic. Partnered by the stable’s superdeputy Wayne Lordan, last year’s G2 May Hill S. winner has similar credentials to the yard’s 50-1 shock 2015 heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was also last in her Guineas. Friday’s Coronation Cup features the aforementioned G1 St Leger hero Kew Gardens who bids to extend Aidan O’Brien’s record of eight wins since Yeats (Ire) got the ball rolling in 2005. Second on his return behind Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in the May 9 G3 Ormonde S. over an extended 13 furlongs at Chester, he faces a deeper field than has been assembled for this race in some time. Morando’s trainer Andrew Balding believes King Power Racing’s 6-year-old would be better on the slower surface he enjoyed last time. “He’s in good form, but we all know he would prefer some give in the ground and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get that,” he said. “I think he wants softer ground to be at his best, but there’s some excellent prize-money on offer and I’m hopeful he might be capable of getting a place.” Godolphin’s Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was fifth in the Leger, but thrived in Meydan this spring when collecting the Mar. 9 G2 Dubai City of Gold and Mar. 30 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. “We have been pleased with Old Persian’s preparation and the ground should be perfect for him as he has shown a high level of form on a quick surface,” Charlie Appleby said. “He has progressed nicely from three to four and a performance similar to the one he produced in the Dubai Sheema Classic will make him a major player. If anything, we feel that Old Persian might have become quicker this year and the way he travels through his races suggests that Epsom Downs will play to his strengths.” ‘TDN Rising Star’ Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was second in the Doncaster Classic in September on only her fourth career start and needs this trip as she demonstrated when a workmanlike winner of the G2 Middleton S. over an extended 10 furlongs at York on May 16. In the Groove (GB) (Night Shift) was the last filly to beat the colts here in 1991 and the Lloyd-Webbers’ homebred has yet to prove that she is up to this kind of test. “Lah Ti Dar was running over very much a minimum trip at York, but she got the job done,” commented trainer John Gosden. Having pushed Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in last year’s edition, Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) warrants respect especially after a much-needed confidence-boosting seven-length success in the Listed Buckhounds S. at Ascot on May 11. “That win can only have helped,” trainer Sylvester Kirk commented. “It shows he’s retained all his vim and vigour. Physically, we are very happy with him and he’s bouncing at home.” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s May 4 G2 Jockey Club S. winner Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) and The Fairy Story Partnership and Aziz Kheir’s Apr. 13 G3 John Porter S. winner Marmelo (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) add ballast to a tough edition. Elsewhere on Friday’s Epsom card, the Investec Woodcote EBF S., which was formerly a listed prize, sees Charlie Appleby’s taking Wolverhampton debut scorer Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) and seven other juveniles come in for the culture shock of the Surrey venue’s five-furlong roller-coaster. That stable also puts forward ‘TDN Rising Star’ Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the seven-furlong Listed Investec Surrey S. against Michael Pescod’s G1 2000 Guineas eighth Urban Icon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}). The draw for Sunday’s G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club was also made on Thursday, with the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains hero Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) having to navigate an unfavourable outside stall in 14. Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ is sandwiched between Ballydoyle’s Cape of Good Hope and Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Listed Fairway S. winner Raise You (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is in stall eight, while the impressive Listed Prix de Suresnes scorer Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is in five, next to Surfman in six. His Highness Aga Khan and Alain de Royer Dupre have opted to take a chance on Sunday’s ParisLongchamp maiden winner Zarkallani (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who was running over 10 furlongs for the first time when off the mark by four lengths. The son of the brilliant champion Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) is a half-brother to G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who despite finishing second in this three years ago was reportedly never at his most comfortable at this venue. “It’s true to say that it isn’t in my nature to run my horses a week later,” the normally more patient de Royer-Dupre said. “However, sometimes you need to dare to dream and his entourage are in agreement with me that he should run.” De Royer-Dupre knows what it takes to win this Classic, having trained six winners with the important sire influence Darshaan (GB) beginning the process in 1984. “The colt is in an ideal condition for a big race such as the Prix du Jockey Club,” added the trainer who brought two other unexposed types to win in Reliable Man (GB) and Darsi (Fr). “He had an easy race last Sunday, which proved akin to nothing more than a training gallop for him. Furthermore, he has come out of the race in the manner of a colt who has had a morning workout. He seems more relaxed after this race. We believe that he is entitled to take his chance in a race of this magnitude. He has run three times and therefore has little experience. However, we’re aware that even with more experienced types, things can go wrong. There is the question mark ranging against him on how he will cope with the pre-race parade, but we aren’t a unique case in this sense. If everything pans out, I believe that he can give a good account of himself.” The post Investec Oaks: Friday In Bloom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O’Brien will saddle seven of the 13 runners in Saturday’s G1 Investec Derby at Epsom, with the likely favourite and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) joined by fellow trial winners Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Sir Dragonet was handed the outside stall in 13, which will be much more favourably received than the one draw given to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 12 months ago, while Broome is in eight and Anthony Van Dyck in seven. Cape of Good Hope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is off to Chantilly for the following day’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club along with the other withdrawal, the Roger Varian-trained G2 Dante S. third Surfman (GB) (Kingman {GB}). The supplemented May 16 Dante winner Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) will break from stall two, which is far from ideal given that the lowest-drawn winner in the past 10 runnings was Sea the Stars (Ire) who had stall four in 2009. That misfortune was not lost on Oisin Murphy on Thursday as he said, “We’re drawn in two and everyone would like a higher draw, but that’s the card we’ve been dealt,” he said. “He’s obviously come out of the Dante really well and we’re excited. On Monday, he felt in really good order and has not lost much weight since the Dante. Hughie [Morrison]’s pleased, so it’s all systems go.” King Power Racing’s Apr. 26 G3 Sandown Classic Trial scorer Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) will emerge from stall 12 as the other leading home-trained protagonist alongside Telecaster. Godolphin’s Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), fitted with cheekpieces following his disappointing seventh in the Dante, will break from the hoodoo stall one. As expected, Ryan Moore has sided with Sir Dragonet, with Donnacha O’Brien on Broome and Seamie Heffernan on Anthony Van Dyck. Frankie Dettori has received the call-up for the Listed Dee S. scorer Circus Maximus and Jamie Spencer is on the G3 Chester Vase runner-up Norway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The dual G1 1000 Guineas-winning rider Wayne Lordan has the leg up on last year’s G2 Beresford S. winner Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Dettori, who partnered Scorpion (Ire) to win the G1 St Leger for Ballydoyle in 2005 and also the stable’s Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to be third in the memorable Arc of 2016, said of Circus Maximus, “He looks like a horse who is a bit lazy. He’s never going to be flash. I spoke to Aidan O’Brien this morning and the horse will wear cheekpieces just to sharpen him up a little bit because he is very laid-back. One thing we do know is that he stays really well and if you look at his Autumn S. form, he is red hot with Magna Grecia and Phoenix of Spain. The race does looks wide-open. You can make a case about most of the runners, but I am pleased with mine who will most definitely stay the trip.” The post Ballydoyle Seven Dominate Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As much as the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) remains an important prep for the $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T), it has become a steppingstone to something much bigger than a single grade 1 stakes. View the full article

Nine of this year’s 14 runners in the Oaks are racing for their breeders, with those having been bought at auction including the favourite Pink Dogwood and the most expensive on record, Maqsad, who was bought as a foal for €775,000 from the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal at Goffs. Anapurna (GB) Frankel (GB) – Dash To The Top (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) Launching what could be a big weekend for her owner-breeder Meon Valley Stud, which also has Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {GB}) in the Derby, Anapurna took the Lingfield Oaks Trial in style on her sole start this year. Her sire is still seeking a first domestic Classic winner and her dam was fifth in the Irish Oaks before finishing runner-up in the Yorkshire Oaks. Blue Gardenia (Ire) Mastercraftsman (Ire) – Alegra (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) A listed winner over a mile at the back end of the last season, the Sir Robert Ogden homebred is from the family of dual Champion Stakes heroine Alborada (GB) (Alzao {Ire}), tracing back to Alruccaba (GB), whose grand-daughters, the Sadler’s Wells sisters Yesterday (Ire) and Quarter Moon (Ire), were both second in the Oaks. Her 90-rated dam, who won over a mile, was bought as a yearling by Sir Robert for €300,000 from her breeder Kirsten Rausing. Delphinia (Ire) Galileo (Ire) – Again (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) A maiden winner last October, Delphinia comes to Epsom after finishing third in the G3 Blue Wind S. She was bred by Orpendale and Chelston from the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Again, who has been mated exclusively with Galileo and is a half-sister to the National Stud stallion Aclaim (Ire) and from the family of Montjeu (Ire). Fleeting (Ire) Zoffany (Ire) – Azafata (Spa) (Motivator {GB}) Bred by Spaniard Fernando Bermudez, the G2 May Hill S. winner Fleeting was pinhooked as a foal at Arqana by HSV Agency for €50,000 and resold for €100,000 the following August. Her dam won three races in her native Spain at up to 1m6f. Frankellina (GB) Frankel (GB) – Our Obsession (Ire) (Shamardal) Owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer’s colours were carried to glory at Epsom by 2015 Derby winner Golden Horn (GB), whose grandam Nuryana (GB) (Nureyev) features as Frankellina’s third dam, through her daughter, the Cheshire Oaks winner Hidden Hope (GB) (Daylami {Ire}). Frankellina’s dam Our Obsession won the listed Galtres S. on her final start at York, where this filly, her first foal, ran a close second in the Musidora S. before being confirmed for Epsom. Lavender’s Blue (Ire) Sea The Stars (Ire) – Beatrice Aurore (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) Benny Andersson will be hoping that the winner takes it all when his homebred Lavender’s Blue heads to post this afternoon. She only made her debut for the ABBA star at the Craven meeting, winning her maiden convincingly before being beaten a neck in the listed fillies’ trial at Newbury. Her dam won the listed Height Of Fashion S. and was group-placed on multiple occasions in England, Ireland, Italy, France, Turkey and Norway. Mamma Mia, it will be quite something if her daughter can again finish in the money, money, money. Manuela De Vega (Ire) Lope De Vega (Ire) – Roscoff (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}) A €100,000 Goffs Orby purchase for Waverley Racing, Manuela De Vega was bred by Merriebelle Irish Stud Farm, from a mare inherited with its purchase of the Kilfrush Stud and stock. This filly’s sister Isabel De Urbina (Ire) was sixth in the Oaks two years ago and went on to win a pair of listed contests, while brother Hero Look won the G2 Gran Criterium and half-brother Auxerre (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) was the easy winner of the Lincoln this year for Godolphin. Maqsad (Fr) Siyouni (Fr) – Amerique (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) Bought as a foal from the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal for €775,000 (at which her dam was bought by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm for €975,000), Maqsad’s grandam Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill) won the Prix de Diane, the Vermeille and the Ganay among her seven victories. She is unbeaten so far this season, both starts coming at Newmarket, where she won the listed Pretty Polly S., the same trial won by Sheikh Hamdan’s previous Oaks winner Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Mehdaayih (GB) Frankel (GB) – Sayyedati Symphony (Gone West) Supplemented for the Oaks after winning her last three starts, including the Cheshire Oaks, Mehdaayih was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock. She has not been sold publicly but races for fellow Dubaian Nasser Lootah’s Australian-based Emirates Park Stud. Her outstanding grandam Sayyedati (GB) (Shadeed) was a five-time Group 1 winner, her victories including the 1000 Guineas, and Mehdaayih’s dam was sold last year by Godolphin at Goffs for €8,000 to Anthony Mithen of Rosemont Stud. She was not in foal at the time and has produced no live foal since this filly. Peach Tree (Ire) Galileo (Ire) – Pikaboo (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) Bred by the Pikaboo Syndicate on the cross responsible for two of last weekend’s Group 1 winners at the Curragh, Peach Tree is a sister to Flattering (Ire), who was fifth in last year’s Oaks, and a half-sister to the G2 Lowther S. winner Lucky Kristale (GB) (Lucky Story). A listed winner last year over a mile, she wasn’t far off the winner when fourth in the G3 Blue Wind S. on her sole start this season. Pink Dogwood (Ire) Camelot (GB) – Question Times (GB) (Shamardal) Many people’s idea of the Oaks winner since landing the listed Salsabil S. on her only start this year, Pink Dogwood was bred by Sweetmans Bloodstock and initially fetched €115,000 as a foal when bought by Mags O’Toole, before being resold through Lynn Lodge Stud for €380,000 at the Orby Sale to the Coolmore partners. Her brother Latrobe (Ire) won last year’s Irish Derby and her dam is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Sunday Times (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the dam of G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Sh Boom (GB) War Command – Nouvelle Lune (GB) (Fantastic Light) A novice winner at Newmarket last September, Sh Boom’s sole start this year saw her take sixth in the listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial at Newbury. Bred by her owners J G Davis and Star Pointe Ltd, she was bought back as a yearling for 52,000gns and is a half-sister to the Grade 2-placed hurdler Pleasure Dome (GB) (Makfi {GB}), who was 86-rated on the Flat. Her dam was unraced but she shares her grandam Sarah Georgina (GB) (Persian Bold {GB}) with 2014 Derby runner-up and St Leger winner Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Tarnawa (Ire) Shamardal – Tarana (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) Thirty years after Aliysa (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) was disqualified after finishing first past the post in the Oaks, Tarnawa bids to give her owner-breeder HH the Aga Khan his first win in the race. Third to Pink Dogwood in April, she then won the G3 Blue Wind S., and she is the first foal of her dam, who won two listed races over the Oaks distance. The same owner and trainer won the Derby in 2016 with Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Tauteke (GB) Sea The Stars (Ire) – Tamarind (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) Produced on the same cross as the 2014 Oaks winner Taghrooda (Ire), Tauteke was bred by her owner Nurlan Bizakov at his Hesmonds Stud. Her dam hails from the family of Derby winner Shahrastani (Nijinsky) and raced for Coolmore, winning a Group 3 over 12 furlongs and finishing fifth in the Yorkshire Oaks. A novice winner last November on her second start and then runner-up to Anapurna in the Lingfield Oaks Trial, Tauteke was the only runner in the Oaks or the Derby to take up the opportunity of a spin round Epsom at Breakfast With The Stars last week. The post Investec Oaks: where did they come from? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Just shy of perfect this season, Leonard Green's A Thread of Blue is seeking a return to the winner's circle in the $500,000 Penn Mile Stakes (G2T) June 1 at Penn National, followed by a shot at the Turf Trinity if all goes well. View the full article

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Aidan O’Brien will saddle seven of the 13 runners in Saturday’s G1 Investec Derby at Epsom, with the likely favourite and TDN Rising Star Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) joined by fellow trial winners Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Sir Dragonet was handed the outside draw in 13, which will be much more favourably received than the one draw given to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 12 months ago, while Broome is in eight and Anthony Van Dyck in seven. Cape of Good Hope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is off to Chantilly for the following day’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club along with the other significant withdrawal, the Roger Varian-trained G2 Dante S. third Surfman (GB) (Kingman {GB}). The Dante winner Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) will break from stall two, while King Power Racing’s G3 Sandown Classic Trial scorer Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) will emerge from stall 12 as the other leading home-trained protagonist. Godolphin’s Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), fitted with cheekpieces following his disappointing seventh in the Dante, will break from the hoodoo stall one. The post Ballydoyle’s Magnificent Seven Dominate Derby Thirteen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost.There will be 11 local races at Sha Tin, as well as the simulcast of the Yasuda Kinen from Japan, on Sunday, June 2 – Hong Kong Jockey ClubJockey Club executives are running out of tricks to arrest the alarming trend of falling turnover and the decision to create an extra race at Sha Tin on Sunday smacks of desperation.After being up in the early part of the season,… View the full article

Chris So Wai-yin says progressive four-year-old Team Spirit has been a “totally different horse” since the stable identified the back issue that caused the gelding’s slow start to the season.After a win and two seconds in his debut campaign last term, So was expecting big improvement from Team Spirit come 2018-19, but he was left scratching his head after the horse produced two poor runs to begin his campaign.“We asked the vet, the chiropractors and the physiotherapist to check and we found out… View the full article

Leading jockey Opie Bosson won't ride in June after suffering concussion in a race fall at Te Rapa on Wednesday. X-rays and scans cleared Bosson of any serious injury after he fell from the Jamie Richards-trained Cicciolina after clipping heels soon after the finish when the winner Cherry Lane was deemed to have shied at the winning post. "I'm pretty sore, especially my sternum and shoulder, and I can't remember any of it," Bosson said. Bosson, who has won six Group One races and the Karaka Mill... View the full article

Highly Recommended’s talented son Waldorf staged a hat-trick of wins in Hong Kong last night and in doing so, aided jockey Joao Moreira to four wins on the Happy Valley race card. “When we turned for home and I gave him two whacks I knew then, if he had no interruption, I was going to win,” Moreira said. Prior to his export to Tony Cruz’s Hong Kong stable, Waldorf was a three-time winner in New Zealand for trainer Andrew Campbell, with feature wins registered in the Listed Ryder Stakes (... View the full article

Multiple stakes winner and former Singapore Horse of the Year Debt Collector is set to head to Australia where he will join Jim Conlan’s Pinecliff barn. The former Cliff Brown-trained gelding finished fourth behind Hong Kong raider Southern Legend in the Kranji Mile (1600m) on Saturday and Brown has elected to test his charge in Australia. "Cliff rang me a couple of weeks ago and was telling me the horse was having a few issues handling the conditions in Singapore," Conlan said. "I've watched... View the full article

Cambridge trainer John Bell will head to Ellerslie on Saturday aiming to extend his winning run. Hot on the heels of producing Noble Star and Ata Rangi for wins at Te Rapa on Wednesday, Bell will saddle Yorkshire Dales, Helena Baby and Epae Road at Ellerslie as he looks to capitalise on a roll that has seen him win five races from his last 18 runners. "Things are going well for us. We've got magnificent riders and our staff are experienced and dedicated. Hard work and dedication is coming to fru... View the full article

Our Big Mike had a successful summer campaign in Australia late last year and his connections are hoping to replicate those results in the coming month. The Craig and Shaun Phelan-trained gelding placed in two runs in Melbourne before winning the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) in December and he could add another stakes win to his tally when he lines-up in the Listed WJ McKell Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The son of Don Eduardo arrived in Sydney on Monday night and Shaun Phelan said he has ... View the full article

Ironside picking his way to the Derby View the full article

Early scratching May 31 View the full article

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Blue Chip Thoroughbreds will offer 12 horses at next week’s inaugural Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale–an impressive accomplishment for an operation less than a year old and whose very existence was almost accidental. The Hemet-based operation is a partnership between California owner Tom Mansor and Steve McPherson. “It was kind of a weird experience,” Mansor admitted of Blue Chip’s origins. “I was in the hospital. I had just had heart surgery. A friend of mine called and said, ‘We are having an auction. Are you still in the Thoroughbred business?’ I said, ‘Yeah. Why?’ and she said, ‘We have about 150 horses and nobody’s been out to see them. You really should look, you might be able to get them reasonably.'” Mansor called McPherson and asked him to go out to the farm in Hemet and check out the available horses. “Mr. Mansor called me in October and asked me to go look at these horses,” McPherson said. “I went out to the farm and it was a mess. But they had a bunch of really nice yearlings out there.” McPherson originally purchased 17 horses on behalf of Mansor at the auction, but that proved to be just the beginning of their involvement with the farm, which had been leased by a dissolving partnership. “Over the course of the next month or two, we bought another 20 or so from him,” Mansor said. “Mr. [Paul] Brazeau reached out to us, he owned the farm and he was leasing it to the other gentlemen, and he thanked us for coming in and rescuing the horses. He invited us out to lunch and we met him and his lovely wife. Unfortunately Paul passed away about two weeks ago, but what a great man. After a couple of lunches and BS’ing about the business, he made us an offer we couldn’t refuse on the ranch.” The three men agreed on a deal for a three-year lease with the option to buy the 88-acre farm. “Within 30 days I went from owning a couple of claiming horses to half-owning with Steve 60 horses and a lease-option on 88 acres of horse ranch in Hemet,” the 78-year-old Mansor said with a laugh. “I love this game. I grew up in it. It’s late in life to be taking this on and everybody thinks I’m crazy, but it’s fun.” Mansor is no stranger to racing. “My dad was a jockey and I grew up on the racetrack,” he said. “Three of my uncles were trainers. I’ve just been on the track my whole life. I had to take some time out to raise some kids and earn a living, but I retired about 10 years ago and got back into the game with some claimers.” In one of his most successful claims, Mansor and trainer Richard Baltas haltered a 3-year-old by Beau Genius for $20,000 out of his debut at Del Mar in 2013. The bay was Big Macher, who would go on to win the 2014 GI Bing Crosby S. “He took me around the world,” Mansor said of Big Macher. “And then my good buddy Gary Sherlock bought me a nice horse in Kentucky from the first crop of Uncle Mo, and I named him Uncle Lino after my uncle and he took me to the [2016 GI] Preakness. So I’ve been lucky.” While Mansor’s experience is squarely in the racing side of the industry, once he and McPherson became partners, pinhooking became part of the plan. “I never got involved in pinhooking before,” Mansor said. “But Steve is a master at that. I went to a couple of sales with him and we bought a few more horses.” McPherson explained, “Tom races. I don’t have anything to do with racing. I’m a pinhooker and so I handle the sale horses and picking out the horses and all of the farm management. I’m in charge of the pinhooking and the farm–I handle all of that. I don’t handle anything relating to racing.” Blue Chip’s dozen 2-year-olds selling at Fasig-Tipton are divided between Adrian Gonzalez’s Checkmate Thoroughbreds and Jenn and Quincy Adams’s Q Bar J Thoroughbreds consignments. “I think they are an outstanding group,” McPherson said of Blue Chip’s Fasig-Tipton contingent. “We have a couple of extraordinary horses that we bought off Q Bar J. They worked with us and they bought those horses back and we were able to purchase those horses from them. They are really outstanding horses.” The dozen include a colt American Pharoah (hip 88) who was purchased by Q Bar J for $120,000 at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling sale and RNA’d for that same price after working a furlong in :10 flat at this year’s OBS March sale. “We think the world of the American Pharoah colt,” McPherson said of the juvenile who is part of the Checkmate Thoroughbreds consignment. “His development has been amazing.” On behalf of Blue Chip, Q Bar J will sell a colt by Liam’s Map (hip 76). Out of Indian Snow (A.P. Indy), the gray is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Morning Line (Tiznow). “We are excited about what he could do at the sale,” McPherson said of the colt, who was purchased by Q Bar J Thoroughbreds for $160,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. “It looks like he is a real athlete and a real runner.” McPherson is also excited about a colt from the first crop of GI Travers S. dead-heat winner Golden Ticket (Speightstown) (hip 140). “I think the most interesting horse we have in the sale is the Golden Ticket colt,” McPherson said. “I’ll be surprised if there is a horse that is faster than him in the sale. He is a freak. And he is a New York-bred by a first-crop sire. There is a lot to like about him, but this horse is exceptionally fast. So we’ll see what happens.” McPherson said the key to success for the new California sale going forward will be the participation of Florida consignors. “We felt that we really needed to do all that we could, with the climate in California racing, with all that has been going on, to support this sale,” McPherson said. “So we went out of our way to do what we could to bring really top-quality horses. And as part of that, we felt that it was important that some of the Florida consignors come out. So when we were buying horses, we talked to a couple of them and asked if they would be interested in coming out and handling the pinhooks for us. And [Q Bar J Thoroughbreds] said they would. So that’s how we ended up with that deal. I think it’s just a critical time for what is going on in California.” Half of Blue Chip’s Santa Anita offerings have already gone through a sales ring this year. Starting with a filly by Creative Cause (hip 143) who sold for $18,000 at the CTBA’s January sale, and including a Hard Spun filly (hip 7) who RNA’d at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February sale. A colt by Flatter (hip 37) sold for $175,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale in March and an English Channel colt (hip 52) RNA’d for $40,000 at that same auction. Most recently, a filly by Palace (hip 110) sold for $50,000 at the OBS April sale. “We tried it as a business model,” McPherson said of purchasing juveniles at earlier sales to sell at Santa Anita. “We took the approach that we would beat the bushes, not just buy anything, trying to find something that was behind or buy from places that we knew weren’t too hard on babies. And we’ve had good luck with that so far–at least we think we’ve had good luck. We will see. He continued, “I think it’s an interesting model in this day and age where everybody buys yearlings and gets them ready and then sells them. With the Santa Anita sale being so late and being the only 2-year-old sale in California, it does give us that opportunity to go to OBS and go to Miami and try to find stuff that we think will work here.” Fasig-Tipton’s first Santa Anita sale comes at an uncertain time for California racing, but McPherson is optimistic the auction will be a success. “I think the timing of the sale, with all that is going on, kind of couldn’t be better,” McPherson said. “Because these babies are out working every day on the track and they are holding up and they are doing well.” McPherson also had plenty of praise for the sales company. “You have to have so much respect for the way Fasig-Tipton does business, because they are just amazing,” he said. “For them to take over and promote the thing the way they’ve promoted it and to do it the way they’ve done it is so impressive. You’ve got to have the utmost enthusiasm and respect for the way Fasig-Tipton has handled themselves. I think they are doing a heck of a job.” The under-tack preview of the Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita sale will be held Monday beginning at 10 a.m. The sale will be held Wednesday, with bidding scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The post Blue Chip Prospects at F-T Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New York lawmakers want to codify in state statute the existence of a panel that advises state officials on racing matters from a fans' perspective. View the full article

After a racing break that saw Regal Glory put together a nice series of works, the daughter of Animal Kingdom is scheduled to return to racing June 1 in the $200,000 Penn Oaks at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. 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 half-sister to the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. winner Free Eagle (Ire). 2.50 Yarmouth, Novice, £5,800, 2yo, 7f 3yT BOCCACCIO (Dubawi {Ire}) is yet another notable newcomer for the Charlie Appleby stable as a 850,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase and first foal out of the dual Group 3 winner J Wonder (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Therefore connected to the G1 Matron S. winner Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), the February-foaled bay colt encounters Lady Bamford’s similarly unraced Herman Hesse (Frankel {GB}), a John Gosden-trained son of the G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Dream Peace (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). 4.20 Yarmouth, Novice, £5,800, 3yo/up, 8f 3yT INFORMED FRONT (War Front) is a son of the triple Grade I scorer Informed Decision (Monarchos) who debuts for George Strawbridge and John Gosden. The grey is up against it taking on Godolphin’s impressive Newmarket novice winner Velorum (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Charlie Appleby-trained son of the Group 1 performer Lily’s Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). 8.30 Fairyhouse, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT SEARCH FOR A SONG (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) debuts for Moyglare Stud and Dermot Weld and is a half-sister to the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. winner Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and leading performers Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}) and Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), as well as being a full-sister to the yard’s promising stayer Falcon Eight (Ire). Her opponents include Ballydoyle’s The Tooth Fairy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab) and full-sister to Found (Ire) who needs to find some form from somewhere to uphold family pride. The post Observations: May 30, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article