Wandering Eyes

A new Thoroughbred club headquartered in a historic Louisville location is set to open in 2019, and prospective members who might be interested in joining are invited to a groundbreaking open house on Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Although the new downtown home of the Louisville Thoroughbred Society (LTS) should be a dead giveaway considering the Churchill Downs track bugler will be heralding guests outside 209 East Main Street as the festivities begin, the club’s co-founder, Gene McLean, asks that visitors first send a quick RSVP (even on the day of the event) via this link prior to attending. All are welcome. “This is intended to be a private-membership club for people who are interested in, invested in, or are fans of Thoroughbreds, whether their focus is on breeding, racing or betting,” McLean said in a Monday phone interview. “We’re looking at providing first-class amenities similar to a turf club/racetrack experience but in the setting of a vibrant, downtown business community.” McLean is a Midway, Kentucky, native who has worked a wide array of Bluegrass-related gigs over the decades (turf writer, Keeneland Race Course press box boss, executive vice president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, lobbyist). He moved to Louisville about a decade ago, and came up with the concept for a horse-themed club based on his experiences at the Thoroughbred Club of America in Lexington and a visit to a downtown turf club in Buenos Aires when he was honeymooning in Argentina a few years back. “I thought if they could have a phenomenal turf club in downtown Buenos Aires, then I thought we certainly need and should have one in downtown Louisville, the home of the Kentucky Derby,” McLean said. “So that’s what kind of jump-started the whole thing. Now we’re very close to making this a reality.” It took a bit of looking, McLean said, but his business partner in the venture, Mike Schnell, eventually found an ideal downtown location for the club when he purchased the former Fetzer building, which in a bygone era housed a vertical lumber yard. LTS will be on the second floor, which will be completely renovated around appealing infrastructural charms like soaring 16-foot ceilings, exposed beams, and the massively solid original flooring. “It’s a building on the historic registry that we’re bringing back to life, which is a wonderful thing in its own right,” McLean said. “And it’s part of the increased business activity in downtown Louisville, particularly with the new hotels and the development of Whiskey Row and the bourbon industry. It’s a very vibrant marketplace right now, and a lot of people are relocating and living downtown.” When he tours visitors though the facility on Wednesday, McLean will ask them to envision a throwback theme reminiscent of the movie “The Sting,” except accented by an ultra-modern audio and visual system that will feature simulcast horse races and other sports programming. The 7,500 square-foot interior will operate at concierge-level service, with bars, dining areas, and function/meeting rooms that members will be able to reserve for private use. It will also feature a premium cigar bar with a “huge” humidor, which McLean is billing as “the only one in Jefferson County.” An additional 6,000 square-foot outdoor rooftop garden and lounge area will be open seasonally. Actual betting on the simulcast races is being viewed as a potential future perk, but not as a primary revenue-generating offering for the club, McLean said. He explained that nearby Churchill Downs has been “overwhelmingly supportive” of the club’s concept, and that it is his belief that the track (just five miles south), will consider LTS as a complement that helps in marketing the sport, not a competitor. Betting at the club is “a step that we hope to take in the future,” McLean said. “We’re hopeful that Churchill Downs and the racing commission will enable that to happen,” he added, citing a similar extension agreement that is in place between Keeneland and the Thoroughbred Club of America. McLean said LTS plans to offer a shuttle service to and from Churchill Downs when live racing is in season. “That’s an amenity we hope to provide to our membership,” McLean said. “Particularly on major-event racing days. From the perspective of traffic and parking, it may be easier for our members to catch a shuttle from our downtown location to get them to the track and back.” The expected opening of the club is between nine and 12 months away. There will be at least two tiers of memberships available. McLean cited ballpark costs with the caveat that pricing is not yet final. LTS plans to sell 30 “investor level” memberships for $10,000 apiece, which will cover lifetime membership. McLean said about half of those are “already spoken for.” Individual year-to-year memberships will likely go for $1,600 annually, with a one-time “initiation fee” of $400-500. McLean said LTS is aiming for 800 members, and he expects to cultivate a waiting list for those who don’t get in right away. “We hope and we think we can get to that number pretty quickly. We’ve obviously done our market research on this. We think the supply [for a racing club] has been lacking, and we think the demand has been there,” McLean said. Wednesday’s open house will feature tours of the work-in-progress renovations, food, drinks, live music, and “a couple of other tricks we’ve got up our sleeves,” McLean said. View the full article

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith is slated to ride recent arrival and Godolphin homebred Poetic Charm in the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (G3T) Oct. 19 at Keeneland in her first effort on U.S. soil. View the full article

G1SW Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}-Attractive Crown, by Chief’s Crown), who finished second in the G1 Fillies & Mares S. on Champions Day last year, has been retired after sustaining a career-ending injury. The 2017 French and English highweight at 11-14 furlongs was among the favourites for the same race this weekend for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard but will now head to the paddocks. Racing manager for owners Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd, John Peter-Hoblyn, tweeted, “I am afraid that Bateel will not be confirmed for the Fillies and Mares on Saturday as she has unfortunately suffered a career-ending injury in Chantilly this morning . She will be fine and hopefully breed future Group 1 winners for Al Asayl.” Bred by Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nayhan, the half-sister to SW Basemah (Fr) (Lemon Drop Kid)’s biggest claim to fame is her victory in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille in 2017, while she also saluted in the G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Pinnacle S. that term. In 2018, Bateel added the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud and retires with a mark of 15-8-3-0 and earnings of $741,001. Her dam ran second in the G2 Pretty Polly S., while her granddam was a French listed winner and Group 3 placed. View the full article

Poll steady pending Breeders' Cup World Championships. View the full article

While betting has not been a major component of jump racing for nearly a half-century, steeplechase meets over the next two weekends will offer a trifecta of large crowds, pari-mutuel wagering, and high-definition video coverage. Kicking off the jump-racing Octoberfest will be the 98th annual Far Hills Races in central New Jersey, where $850,000 in purses will be on the line, including the $450,000 GI Grand National, the richest steeplechase race in North America, on Saturday. A week later on Oct. 27, the action swings to Virginia for the International Gold Cup in the Washington metropolitan area. The 35th annual International Gold Cup will offer close to $400,000 in purses over a mixed program of hurdle, timber, and flat races. Both meets are extremely popular in their respective markets and draw crowds of up to 40,000 each. In partnership with Monmouth Park, Far Hills will make its first foray into pari-mutuel wagering, while the International Gold Cup launched wagering on its races in 2013 under the supervision of the Virginia Racing Commission. Similarly, the New Jersey Racing Commission will oversee the Far Hills races, which are being conducted under Monmouth Park’s pari-mutuel license. The International Gold Cup signal this year will be carried worldwide under a contract with XpressBet. “The exposure is fantastic,” said Dr. William H. Allison, the longtime co-chairman of the International Gold Cup with Dr. Al Griffin. “It’s hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions. It’s the greatest thing for jump racing.” Dr. Griffin said the International Gold Cup signal also will be picked up in Australia. Dr. Allison noted that the benefit is not only for steeplechase racing. The wagering exposure supports all of Thoroughbred racing and especially Virginia racing, where the International Gold Cup and the Virginia Gold Cup in the spring have been the principal live racing venues since the closing of Colonial Downs in 2014. The track located in the Richmond, Va., area is scheduled to reopen next year under new ownership. “Now and into the future, the Virginia Gold Cup and the International Gold Cup will occupy an important role in Virginia’s Thoroughbred industry,” Dr. Allison said. “We are so grateful for the support that we’ve received from the Virginia HBPA, the Virginia Equine Alliance, and especially the Virginia horsemen in the years that Colonial has been closed.” Guy J. Torsilieri, Far Hills’ chairman, said the advent of pari-mutuel wagering is intended to provide the meet’s thousands of fans with another on-site amenity and also to promote American Thoroughbred racing around the world. The Far Hills meet has attracted significant international participation over the past decade, and this year no fewer than six horses based in England or Ireland will be shipping in for the racing program. “All the good things are coming together this year,” Torsilieri said. “We are becoming a target for overseas trainers in the early fall. Bettors in Ireland, England, and other overseas markets will be able to watch and wager just as American fans will be able to bet as part of Monmouth’s well-developed wagering platform.” Two Far Hills races, the Grand National and the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle, will be a part of the New York Racing Association’s Cross Country Pick 4 with two Belmont Park races. “We want the world to see American steeplechasing at Far Hills and the International Gold Cup, and we want the world the racing opportunities we provide,” said Torsilieri, who also serves as president of the National Steeplechase Association. He expressed appreciation to those who brought about pari-mutuel wagering for Far Hills. “This was a long, sustained effort. We are especially grateful to the horsemen and management at Monmouth who made this possible. We had three races at Monmouth this summer, and we appreciate their support.” “We’re also grateful to the New York Racing Association and their horsemen for supporting steeplechase racing at Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park. We look forward to being a part of NYRA’s pari-mutuel menu,” Torsilieri said. The National Steeplechase Association inaugurated high-definition video for all of its race meets beginning this fall. Live video of the Far Hills and International Gold Cup races will be streamed live on the meets’ respective websites. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK—England’s Indian summer was washed away by Sunday’s ceaseless rain and a similarly damp start to Monday but the wet and windy conditions did little to dampen buyers’ ardour as Book 2 of the October Sale began its three-day run. In many ways, it picked up almost exactly where Book 1 left off, albeit at a more modest level. Newsells Park Stud is still out in front as the leading consignor, and the Maktoum family is collectively ensuring that the figures continue to read well during the second part of the October Sale, at least at the top end. Last year, a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt from Italy’s Le.Gi Stud set a new Book 2 record at 850,000gns and the second-most expensive yearling ever to sell from this section of the sale went through the ring on Monday. The son of Kingman (GB) didn’t have so far to travel as lot 637 was offered by Adrian and Philippa O’Brien’s Hazelwood Bloodstock, which is based just outside Newmarket at Red House Stud in Exning. His sale to Godolphin at 750,000gns was understandably a source of pride for the fledgling operation which is consigning at the October Sale for just the second year. “All the stars aligned,” said Adrian O’Brien, who has already had the honour of topping the December Yearling Sale with a 400,000gns Kodiac (GB) filly during Hazelwood’s inaugural sales season. “One of the most satisfying things about it for us—for Philippa, for me and for the team—is that this is the first crop we’ve had from conception through to yearlings,” he added. “This colt has been so well liked. Everyone who saw him liked him, I can’t remember being involved with a yearling who was more popular. He took it all enormously well and handled everything beautifully. As well as that, the mare is good, and the stallion has made such a good start.” Raced by her breeder Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the colt’s dam Reem (Aus) is bred on the magical Galileo (Ire)-Danehill cross but started her life on the other side of the world. She raced initially in her homeland of Australia before shipping to Dubai, where she won a listed race at Meydan for Mike de Kock and then spent a season in training in Newmarket. Her first foal Rasmee (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) won a Newcastle maiden in the sheikh’s colours. On A Par The Kingman colt, who was knocked down to his sire’s former trainer John Gosden, was one of 12 purchases for Godolphin through Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, one fewer than Sheikh Hamdan’s baker’s dozen. Collectively, the brothers were responsible for 3.97 million gns of the aggregate of 16,301,000gns (-2%). The day’s trade had a fairly frenetic feel to it but the strength of last year’s sale was highlighted by the fact that even on a day when 45 yearlings sold for six-figure sums, the average and median figures were still down slightly. The average of 75,819gns represented a 2% drop while the median was down 8% to 55,000gns. The clearance rate of 85%, for 215 horses sold of 252 through the ring, was unchanged from 2017 when 214 sold. Breeders Go Dutch The most recent equine purchase by Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Chris Harper was the 4-year-old daughter of Dutch Art (GB) named Suelita (GB) who had won four races in Italy and was bought at Tattersalls in 2013 for 21,500gns. Though told off at the time by his son Ed for “going rogue” and not consulting him on the purchase, Harper’s judgement has now been vindicated in more ways than one. The mare’s first foal by Cityscape (GB) is the Irish listed winner The Broghie Man (GB) and her third foal, a yearling filly by the venerable veteran Pivotal (GB) (lot 756), brought the hammer down at 425,000gns—the second-highest price for a filly in Book 2—in favour of Chris Richardson of Cheveley Park Stud. “It was a foal share and we’re very pleased to buy her,” Richardson explained. “At the age of 25, Pivotal has had another phenomenal year as the broodmare sire of six individual Group 1 winners and another Group 1 winner of his own in Lightning Spear (GB).” Ed Harper added, “I suppose I’ll have to buy dad a drink later.” Suelita has a colt foal by Showcasing (GB) on the ground and is back in foal to the Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion. SackvilleDonald Packs A Punch SackvilleDonald was last year one of the leading buyers at Book 2 with 34 yearlings bought for more than 3.5 million gns and one half of the duo of agents, Alastair Donald, signalled his intent early on Monday morning when signing for a colt by Siyouni (Fr) (lot 574) from Kenilworth House Stud. The strong chestnut colt, a first foal, fetched 300,000gns, prompting a good start—in the sales ring at least— to the career of his dam, the dual listed winner and Group 3-placed Pelerin (Ire) (Shamardal). Newsells Park Stud can also take some credit for this colt as he was bred by the farm and was sold last year from their foal draft for 80,000gns. Kenilworth House Stud manager Gerry Ross said, “He was very busy through inspections and of course Siyouni has had another brilliant year, headlined by the wonderful Laurens (Fr), but there is a lot of his damsire Shamardal in him too.” Donald had been reluctant to identify his client through Book 1 but at last year’s October Sale he made significant investment on behalf of the King Power Racing operation. Among the 15 yearlings bought either by Donald or partner Ed Sackville on the day were two colts at 200,000gns apiece. Lot 649, a first-crop son of Coolmore’s dual Guineas winner Gleneagles (Ire), represented a terrific pinhook for the Blue Wind Thoroughbreds syndicate, which is managed by Ed Player of Whatton Manor Stud and bought the grandson of listed winner Bomabzine (Ire) (Generous {Ire}) for 32,000gns. Player said, “We knew we had struck lucky when we bought this colt as a foal here last year. He was a lovely foal, but he has turned inside out through his prep. We had a lot of interest in him and Gleneagles should make up into a top stallion. We’re thrilled that Alastair bought him and wish his new connections the best of luck.” The second of the 200,000-guinea colts (676), also by a Coolmore Classic winner, Australia (GB), was bought from breeder Michael Gaffney of Churchtown House Stud. “Australia oozes class and we wanted to give the mare the best possible start,” said Gaffney of the first foal of the Aga Khan-bred French winner Sannkala (Fr) (Medicean {GB}), who in now back in foal to Australia with a Zoffany (Ire) foal at foot. Pinhooking Joy Kitten’s Joy was represented by a 700,000gns Book 1 filly and the Hill ‘N Dale Farms resident was back among the leading lots as Book 2 got underway with a Jamie Railton Keeneland pinhook, which progressed from a $77,000 weanling to a 280,000gns yearling. Lot 683 had been knocked down to Hunter Valley Farm in Lexington and reappeared here through Railton’s 24-strong consignment. “We found him on top of the hill at Keeneland and he is a pretty spectacular horse. I am so pleased for all those who have invested and trusted me with their money,” Railton said after selling the colt to Harry Sweeney of behalf of Japan’s Paca Paca Farm. The colt was bred by former trainer Jean Etienne Dubois from the winning Super Saver mare Save Our Oceans, a daughter of the GIII Santa Ysabel S. winner Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic). Red-letter Day For Murphy In February last year, Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud bought the Royal Applause (GB) mare Selva Real (GB) for €40,000 at Arqana while the 6-year-old mare was carrying to Mastercraftsman (Ire). Two months later she foaled a colt and another 18 months on the colt handsomely rewarded his breeder’s investment when selling for 280,000gns to Philippa Mains on behalf of American owner Jon Kelly. The offspring of Mastercraftsman have made racing headlines on plenty of occasions this season, notably his four-time Group 1-winning daughter Alpha Centauri (Ire), but she is not alone. A Raving Beauty (Ger) has won two Grade 1 races in America, while Saint Emilion (NZ) won at the top level in New Zealand. “He’s gorgeous and he’ll be going to Jessica Harrington. Let’s hope Jessie can do with this Mastercraftsman as she did this year with Alpha Centauri,” said Mains, a former assistant to Amanda Skiffington who is setting up her own racing club, Main Line Racing, in November. The club is to be run on a lease arrangement with Whitsbury Manor Stud, in similar vein to Hot To Trot Racing, which leased the 2017 G2 Queen Mary S. winner Heartache (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) from Whitsbury Manor. Selva Real is a daughter of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Silca Chiave (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself a half-sister to Eddie Aldridge’s champion racemare Golden Silca (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) and G1 Darley Prix Morny winner Silca’s Sister (GB). Newsells Park Colt For HKJC During a strong Book 1 market, the Hong Kong Jockey Club team signed for five yearlings last week and added another to that quintet when going to 250,000gns for a Gestut Fahrhof-bred Oasis Dream (GB) second foal of the listed winner and G1 Premio Lydia Tesio runner-up Path Wind (Fr) (Anabaa) (566). It is the first visit to Tattersalls for the team since the death of Nick Columb in August, just ahead of the start of the European yearling season. “I’m here without Nick and his loss leaves a huge gap,” said Mark Richards. “He achieved such a lot in the industry, as an owner he won the Caulfield Cup with Imposera and Tristarc, and Golden Slipper with Courtza. He was also chairman of Australia’s Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’ Association. He is greatly missed.” The transaction brought a positive start to Book 2 for last week’s leading vendor Newsells Park Stud, which sold another Oasis Dream colt (523) to Juddmonte. This, too, was the second foal of his dam, the mare in question being Nancy O (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), a daughter of GI Del Mar Oaks and GI EP Taylor S. heroine Arravale (Arch) whose stakes places include the GI Frizette S. Hot, Hot, Hot Leading the way for the first-season sires on Monday was Qatar Bloodstock’s Hot Streak (Ire), who had three yearlings sell for an average of 130,000gns. Angus Gold appears to be a big fan, having signed for two of the trio on behalf of Shadwell. Lot 533 headed the list at 200,000gns, the Lynn Lodge Stud offering having been pinhooked from his breeder Peter Molony as a foal for €56,000 at Goffs by Eddie O’Leary. The son of the Elusive City mare Never In (Ire) is a half-brother to the Italian winner Notturno Ligure (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}). Gold’s second purchase was another pinhook, this time by the O’Callaghans of Tally-Ho Stud, who bought lot 601 for 55,000gns as a foal and have benefited from updates from his older half-brothers. The current juvenile from the mare Poyle Dee Dee (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Could Be King (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), won a Limerick maiden on Oct. 13 and 3-year-old Poyle George Two (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}) has been placed twice since the catalogue was printed. Their yearling half-sibling, bred by Cecil and Alison Wiggins, was sold for 150,000gns. Joseph O’Brien was the buyer of the third Hot Streak colt (659) for 40,000gns. Another six yearlings by the stallion, who stood his opening season at Tweenhills Farm & Stud for £7,000, are slated to sell through the next two days of Book 2. Tuesday’s session will begin at 10am. View the full article

MG1SW Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) has been supplemented, as expected, for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot on Champions Day. Karl Burke’s superstar proved her well-bring in an exercise gallop on Sunday, and owner John Dance stumped up the £70,000 fee. She is due to be reunited with PJ McDonald, who has missed her victories in the G1 Matron S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. through injury. “She worked today I’m very happy with her,” said Burke on Sunday. “PJ rode her. It wasn’t a hard piece of work, it was just with her usual lead horse, but she looks in great form. She looks fantastic and we are all very happy.” In other Champions Day news, G1SW Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}) will miss the QEII due to a “minor setback”. A surprise winner of the G1 Queen Anne at the Royal meeting in June, he has disappointed in two runs since in the G1 Jacques le Marois at Deauville and the G2 Joel S. at Newmarket. While confirming the 4-year-old stays in training next year, trainer Eve Johnson Houghton tweeted that he would miss the meeting at which he was fourth 12 months ago in the Balmoral H. “Having met with a minor setback, we have made the decision not to run Accidental Agent again year,” she tweeted. “Although we are sad to miss the QEII @Ascot, we can’t wait for next year with him. #group1winner.” View the full article

GSW and MG1SP Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}-How’s She Cuttin’ {Ire}, by Shinko Forest {Ire}) will retire to Bearstone Stud for 2019. Successful in the Listed Windsor Castle S. and a close second in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. as a juvenile in 2015, the Aidan O’Brien trainee added another second in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp and a third in the G1 Commonwealth Cup as a sophomore en route to Irish highweight honours between five and seven furlongs. Striking in the G3 Phoenix S. last year, the former Coolmore runner retires with six wins in 32 starts and earnings of $727,371. A fee for Washington DC will be announced later. “I’ve followed his career since he won at Royal Ascot as a 2-year-old and everyone at Bearstone is thrilled to have the opportunity to stand him in Britain,” said Terry Holdcroft, owner of Bearstone Stud. “He is a very fast horse, comes from a very speedy family and is by a stallion that had a Royal Ascot 2-year-old treble in his first season.” A 75,000gns Tattersalls December weanling turned €340,000 Goffs October yearling, Washington DC was bred by P. Hyland and C & J. McHale. His dam was placed twice at the stakes level and this is the extended family of champion and MG1SW Grand Lodge (Chief’s Crown). View the full article

MSW Mr. Owen (Invincible Spirit {Ire}-Mrs. Lindsay, by Theatrical {Ire}) has been retired and will stand at Haras du Petit Tellier in 2019. The 2015 G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains third’s career will be managed by Anne-Sophie Yoh Benet of the Yoh Equine Agency. A winner of five of his 24 starts and earner of $300,505 with three additional placings at the group level for Qatar Racing, the Francois Rohaut trainee, who is now owned by Mr. Owen Partners, will stand for €3,000 (exclusive of VAT), with a breeding rights option fixed at €7,500 (exclusive of VAT). Breeders who opt for the latter fee have the option of a second nomination to Mr. Owen during his first two seasons at stud. Bred by Derry Meeting Farm and a $95,000 RNA at KEESEP, the Pennsylvania-bred is out of G1 Prix Vermeille Lucien Barriere and GI E. P. Taylor S. heroine Mrs. Lindsay, herself, a half-sister to GI Humana Distaff S. victress Dame Dorothy (Bernardini). “Mr Owen Partners will be supporting Mr. Owen by breeding their mares to him in addition to buying his progeny at the French, Irish and British Sales,” said Anne-Sophie Yoh Benet, who noted that Qatar Racing has retained some breeding rights in the 6-year-old. “Haras du Petit Tellier will also support the young sire.” View the full article

Tickets are now on sale for the 2019 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. As previously announced, this year’s card will feature both a $9-million dirt race and $7-million turf race. Tickets range from $60 to over $1,000 and are available at www.pegasusworldcup.com or by calling the Pegasus World Cup Box Office at Gulfstream Park at 1-833-464-7924 between 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily. View the full article

Every year the freshman stallions face a desperate battle against time in their bid to make an impact before the yearling sales circuit gets fully under way in October. There are rich rewards for any which achieve that target, as was amply demonstrated last week. The quick-maturing No Nay Never, who was represented by his sixth black-type winner when All The King’s Men made all in the Legacy S. at Navan two days ago, achieved a top-10 finish at last week’s Book 1. He achieved an average of 331,000gns with 10 yearlings sold, even though his second crop was sired at the comparatively modest fee of €17,500. It is worth mentioning that this second crop is a fair bit bigger than his 88-strong first crop, so 2019 could be highly productive for the Scat Daddy horse, who also did very well at Goffs. Last week also saw Kingman’s total of first-crop black-type winners rise to five, when the imposing French colt Persian King landed the G3 Autumn S., to improve his record to three wins from four starts. Also the sire of the exciting Calyx, Kingman was another who reaped the rewards in the Tattersalls sales ring, achieving the third-highest average, a respectful distance behind superstars Galileo and Dubawi. With 21 of his yearlings finding buyers, Kingman’s average stood at 314,714gns, off a fee of £55,000. Unfortunately, allowance isn’t always made for the fact that middle-distance horses, such as Nathaniel, Camelot, Intello and Australia, can’t reasonably be expected to beat the October deadline with the majority of their stock. This type of horse often has to be judged on his number of promising winners at maiden and novice levels, which calls for a bit of bravery from the buyers of their second-crop yearlings. I’m pleased to say that last week’s results provided some reassuring evidence about two young stallions which fall into the middle-distance category–the Deutsches Derby winner Sea The Moon and Derby winner Ruler Of The World. Sea The Moon raced only once as a juvenile, when an easy winner over a mile at Cologne in late September. In common with many other sons and daughters of Sea The Stars, Sea The Moon made a lot of progress from two to three and his wide-margin win in the Deutsches Derby improved his 3-year-old record to three wins from as many starts. It was a great pity that he didn’t get the chance to clarify exactly how good he was by running in the Arc. Sea The Moon’s first yearlings were very well received at the 2017 sales and they are busily justifying their buyers’ faith. With a pleasing proportion of winners to runners, the 7-year-old stallion already has two group winners to his credit in Germany. Firstly, Quest The Moon took the G3 Zukunftsrennen over seven furlongs in September and then Noble Moon landed the G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten over a mile on Sunday. Another Sea The Moon colt, Man On The Moon, was third behind Noble Moon. This second group success will surely benefit this week’s sales yearlings from Sea The Moon’s considerably smaller second crop, which includes a colt who made 125,000gns last week. Unexpectedly, the star of last week’s first-crop action was Ruler Of The World, who gate-crashed the party when his daughter Iridessa sprang a 14-1 surprise in the G1 Fillies’ Mile. At the time of writing, the only members of Ruler Of The World’s first crop to have made more than two starts are Iridessa, the Beverley winner Major Snugfit and the Italian winner Lady di Ferro, so their sire hadn’t had much chance to prove himself prior to his daughter’s Group 1 triumph. However, the style of Iridessa’s victory demands a reappraisal of her sire, who has experienced plenty of ups and downs both as a racehorse and sire. His racing career started with a series of ups. Unraced at two, Ruler Of The World made a successful debut in April 2013 in a Curragh maiden under Iridessa’s trainer Joseph O’Brien and a month later he became a group winner, wearing cheek pieces, when partnered by Ryan Moore in the G3 Chester Vase. Moore was sufficiently impressed to stick with Ruler Of The World when the colt was one of five Aidan O’Brien challengers for the Derby, but he started at 7-1 in a market dominated by 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach. With Dawn Approach blowing his chance by refusing to settle, Ruler Of The World stayed on to win a non-vintage edition of the Epsom classic. So far, so good but the royally-bred son of Galileo could finish only fifth when odds on for the Irish Derby and he later finished seventh in the Arc, with his Arc effort being sandwiched between a short-head second to the Japanese Derby winner Kizuna in the G2 Prix Niel and a close third behind Farhh and Cirrus des Aigles in the Champion S. Unlike many Derby winners Ruler Of The World stayed in training at four, with Sheikh Joaan buying a half-share in him. The colt disappointed in the Dubai World Cup and was then side-lined until the autumn after pulling a muscle. Although he showed he had lost none of his ability when he defeated Flintshire to take the G2 Prix Foy, he rounded off his career by finishing ninth in the Arc and last in the Champion S. He duly joined the Coolmore stallion team, where his fee went from €15,000 in his first season to €10,000 in his second and then to €8,000 in his third and fourth years. Ruler Of The World’s chances of making a sizeable impact with his first crop weren’t helped when he suffered an injury which forced him to miss the last six weeks or so of the 2015 covering season. The end result was a crop of 44 and his next two crops are also quite small. The question now is whether Iridessa’s emergence as a potential Classic filly can breathe new life into his career. It is perhaps no coincidence that Iridessa is out of a daughter of the champion broodmare sire Danehill. It was Danehill who sired Ruler Of The World’s excellent half-brother Duke of Marmalade, the best older horse of 2008 when he reeled off Group 1 wins in the Prix Ganay, Tattersalls Gold Cup, Prince of Wales’s S., the King George and the Juddmonte International. Duke of Marmalade retired to Coolmore with a much higher profile than Ruler Of The World, starting his career at €40,000, so it was particularly disappointing when he made a disastrously slow start to his stallion career which quickly resulted in an announcement in May 2014 that he had been sold to South Africa. Needless to say, there was a twist to this particular tale when Duke of Marmalade’s progeny started to shine when their stamina came into play. When Simple Verse narrowly landed the 2015 St Leger, she credited his sire with his fourth “Classic” success of the year, following Sound of Freedom’s win in the G3 Premio Regina Elena, Star of Seville’s in the G1 Prix de Diane and Nutan’s five-length success in the G1 Deutsches Derby, Duke of Marmalade’s future Gold Cup winner Big Orange was also beginning to demonstrate his talent, with his win in the Gr.2 Princess of Wales’s S. The smart stayer Marmelo is another of his progeny, as is Wannabe Better, a G3 winner whose second foal, a filly by Galileo, was sold for 1,200,000gns to Cheveley Park Stud last week. Iridessa’s dam Senta’s Dream sold for €300,000 as a yearling in 2005 but she never raced and her price plummeted to 14,000gns the next time she appeared in the sales ring, in 2013. Iridessa’s second dam Starine outperformed her workmanlike French pedigree to the extent that she sold for a million dollars as a 5-year-old in 2002. Remarkably, the daughter of Mendocino contested three claiming races during a 12-race juvenile career in France, winning two of them, before quickly progressing to win in Listed company. After leaving France early in her 4-year-old seasons, she became a Grade I winner at four and five in the colours of Bobby Frankel, who sold her soon after she had defeated those top mares Banks Hill and Islington in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Arlington Park. Stamina is surely not going to be a problem for Iridessa, especially when Ruler Of The World’s 2-year-old brother Norway won the Listed Zetland S. over a mile and a quarter the day after Iridessa had battled against a very strong wind to take the Fillies’ Mile. View the full article

Medaglia d’Oro’s fee has been set at $200,000 for the 2019 breeding season, Darley announced in a release Monday. The sire of last year’s Breeders’ Cup winners Talismanic and Bar of Gold and 2018 dual Canadian Classic heroine Wonder Gadot stood for $250,000 in 2018. His $608,490 yearling average this year is second among all North American stallions. The entire Darley roster and fees is as follows: Alpha (Sequel New York) $5,000 Animal Kingdom $15,000 Astern $15,000 Bernardini $50,000 Frosted $50,000 Hard Spun $40,000 Medaglia d’Oro $200,000 Midshipman $8,500 Nyquist $40,000 Street Boss $20,000 Street Sense $50,000 “How can you not be impressed with Medaglia d’Oro? Whether it’s on the track or in the sales ring, he’s simply delivering on all fronts,” said Darren Fox, Sales Manager at Darley in America. “As far as our young stallions go, we are extremely impressed with the first foals by Frosted and Nyquist. From what we’ve seen, the quality runs very deep and we are eagerly awaiting their weanlings going through the sales ring in a couple of weeks.” View the full article

Though she was a maiden when she was retired after five starts, Song of Bernadette caught they eye of partners Fred Hertrich and John Fielding when they thumbed through the pages of the 2014 Keeneland November catalogue. They liked that she was by Bernardini, that when you dug deep into her pedigree there was a lot to like, and that she had the type of looks and conformation that the partners desire. And, she didn’t figure to sell for that much. When the hammer fell they were the successful bidders, paying $140,000. They obviously hoped for success, but probably never imagined what was to come. Song of Bernadette went on to produce Catholic Boy (More Than Ready), a Grade I winner on both the turf and dirt this year and a major candidate in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. That makes Song of Bernadette, who is only nine, the type of broodmare a lot of people would love to hold on to, but Hertrich and Fielding have other ideas. In foal to War Front, she has been entered as Hip 188 from the Taylor Made consignment at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Hertrich and Fielding cannot afford not to sell her. “The million-dollar question of why we are selling, is the million-dollar question, because we can’t afford to own her,” Hertrich said. “In other words, again, with the commercial breeding operation that we have, we don’t keep mares of that value. We put them back in the marketplace and let them be owned by someone again, that will value them, breed them correctly on a go forward basis. In our operation we just can’t afford an asset that has that type of value.” There’s no telling what Song of Bernadette will sell for, but it surely will be well more than the $140,000 Hertrich and Fielding paid for her. That’s one way to keep a breeding business thriving–buy low, sell high. “Momma’s going to have to go into someone else’s hands and somebody will be rewarded because she’s a fantastic mare,” Hertrich said. “John Fielding is my partner and we’ve been partners for a long time. It will be a bittersweet moment because of what she’s done for us and the farm. But we also know that whoever purchases her will be very, very happy.” Not only is Catholic Boy a top class horse, but he has proven to be among the most versatile horses of modern times. That’s among the other reasons why Hertrich expects his mare to sell so well. Looking for a top-class dirt distance horse? Check. Looking for a horse who could win Group I races on the turf in Europe? Check. Looking for a horse who has shown amazing heart in the stretch and will fight back when it appears he is beaten? Check. {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Song of Bernadette","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/294810549.sd.mp4?s=e9092ac38ddf9245d513fabe3dbb2f018447ec66&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/273891728.sd.mp4?s=f4e46b1fc985693b3084bf85e637fd52fc83fb3c&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} “The interesting thing about her is she has worldwide appeal,” Hertrich said. “She’s had a More Than Ready that’s a Grade I winner on the turf, as well as the dirt. So we’ve had inquiries from people from Australia and from Japan. We’ve had European interest, and of course North American interest. So I think she truly has that worldwide flair that anybody could buy her. So we are very encouraged by that and I think she will be well received in the marketplace.” Song of Bernadette’s first foal, a filly named Chichmeister (Bodemeister), is a winner but has made only $13,959 on the track. It is Catholic Boy who put Song of Bernadette on the map. Owned by Robert LaPenta, Madaket Stables LLC, Siena Farm LLC, and Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC, Catholic Boy’s early success all came on the grass. He won the GIII With Anticipation S. on the grass and then ran a strong fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. To the surprise of many, trainer Jonathan Thomas elected to run him next on the dirt on the GII Remsen S. He won by 4 1/2 lengths and was officially on the GI Kentucky Derby trail. Kicking off his 3-year-old campaign, he ran a strong second in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa, but followed that up with an uncharacteristically dull fourth in the GI Florida Derby. Thomas took him off the Derby trail, gave him some time and brought him back on the grass. He won the GIII Pennine Ridge S. and the GI Belmont Derby. Each time, he looked hopelessly beaten when he was passed by the Chad Brown-trained Analyze It (Point of Entry), only to fight back in two of the gamest efforts seen on the racetrack in a long time. “He’s the greatest fighter I have ever seen,” Hertrich said. So, now he’s a grass horse again? Not necessarily. Thomas ran him back in the GI Travers S. at a mile-and-a-quarter on the main track at Saratoga and he beat up on his competition, winning by four. His next start will be in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. And, for Song of Bernadette, it’s not just that she has produced one of the best and most versatile horses in training, she is in foal to top sire War Front and at age nine has already produced a Grade I winner. “Rarely do you find a mare that has produced a Grade I winner that is under 10,” Hertrich said. “She’s had a foal every year, has the demeanor she has. She’s the whole package. People can envision 10 to 15 foals still available that could be produced by the mare.” Hertrich is a sportsman, a breeder, an owner, but also a businessman. It’s time to take some money, and a lot of it, off the table. 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. Tuesday’s Insights features two daughters of Invincible Spirit (Ire). 12.40 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 2yo, 6fT Kin Hung Kei & Qatar Racing’s debutante BIG BROTHERS PRIDE (FR) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is a Francois Rohaut-conditioned half-sister to three stakes performers headed by last year’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up and this term’s G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Opposition to the €400,000 Arqana August yearling includes Zalim Bifov’s Silva (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a homebred half to last term’s G3 Prix Sigy victor Fas (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) out of a stakes-placed sibling of MG1SW globetrotter Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), representing the Pia Brandt stable; and Nicolas Clement trainee Termonde (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is out of a half-sister to G1SW sires Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}). View the full article

After beating out defending titleholder Oscar Nominated in the Sept. 8 Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3T), Arklow will try for his third straight win when he headlines the field for the $100,000 Sycamore Stakes (G3T) Oct. 18 at Keeneland. View the full article

Sawyer Barth, the 16-year-old son of TDN Director of Advertising Alycia Borer, is one of the stars of The Kids Are Alright, premiering Tuesday night on ABC at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time. The half-hour comedy is about a pair of working-class parents in an Irish-Catholic family raising their eight sons during the 1970s. The house is turned upside down when the eldest son quits the seminary and returns home to the three-bedroom, one-bath home. Barth, who has been acting professionally since he was 11, plays Frank Cleary, the third-eldest of the boys. His previous television credits include Public Morals, Black Box, The Following and The Knick, as well as pilots Amy’s Brother and Home. He starred in the award-winning short film The Walk, alongside Peter Riegert and appeared in the web series The Real Stephen Blatt. His film credits include And Then I Go, Super Dark Times, Bridge of Spies and Irreplaceable You. Best of luck from your TDN family, Sawyer! View the full article

Bucchero (Kantharos–Meetmeontime, by General Meeting) will become the first son at stud for his up-and-coming young sire when he joins the stallion ranks at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, Florida, for the 2019 breeding season. He will stand for $5,000. “We could not be more excited to have Bucchero join our expanding stallion roster for 2019,” said Joe Barbazon, owner of Pleasant Acres Stallions. “Kantharos was a very successful stallion in Florida. The opportunity to offer his son to the many breeders in Florida, who were successful with his sire, is exciting. Pleasant Acres Farm and [Bucchero’s] ownership will be supporting him with some of our best mares.” Stakes-placed on career debut and assigned a strong 4 on ThoroGraph for his second-out maiden victory against open company, the flashy chestnut cleared his first allowance condition in a five-furlong turf sprint at Parx (:56 3/5), then proved he could handle two turns with a defeat of older horses in the To Much Coffee S. at Indiana Grand. He continued his domination of state-bred stakes company as a 4-year-old with a towering 7 1/4-length score in the six-furlong Brickyard S. and a successful defense of his title in the To Much Coffee. Connections turned their sights on open company in 2017 and Bucchero proved equal to the task. Second in a lone synthetic appearance in the Boyes Memorial S. at Presque Isle, he earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for the Sen. Robert Byrd Memorial S. before posting a second consecutive score in the Brickyard. Dismissed at 26-1 for Keeneland’s GII Woodford S., Bucchero punched his ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with a stalk-and-pounce victory and covered himself in glory in the latter event, going down by a length in fourth. Bucchero has held top form into a 6-year-old campaign in 2018, with a runner-up effort in the GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland and a troubled third in the GIII Turf Sprint S. at Churchill before missing fourth by an inch in the G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot. Checked hard on the backstretch and wide around the turn when a deceptively good fifth to horse-for-the-course Pure Sensation (Zensational) in the GIII Turf Monster S. in September, he made it back-to-back scores in the Woodford at Keeneland and will run out of his own Churchill barn in this year’s Turf Sprint. Trained early in his career by Mike Trombetta and for the majority of his career by Tim Glyshaw on behalf of Ironhorse Racing Stable, Bucchero has amassed a record of 11-6-3-0 from 30 runs and has bankrolled better than $937,000 to date, the leading Indiana-bred earner in history. Bucchero is one of four graded winners and 16 black-type winners overall for Kantharos, who was relocated to Kentucky in 2016 after standing five seasons at Ocala Stud, and will command a fee of $20,000 for 2019. Bucchero is closely related to World of Trouble, a dual stakes-winning and Grade II-placed runner who is out of a Valid Expectations half-sister to Bucchero. World of Trouble is also a candidate for the Turf Sprint. WATCH: Bucchero goes back-to-back in the GII Woodford S. View the full article

A resolution in the tense stand-off between Australian quarantine officials and the Jockey Club could be around the corner with overseas trainers told to prepare as normal for a tilt at the Longines Hong Kong International Races in December. The drawn-out stalemate which has all but stalled the movement of horses from Hong Kong to Australia could be coming to an end, with a number of Australian Government quarantine officials visiting Jockey Club facilities recently. Australia’s... View the full article

Derby hero Ping Hai Star is set to miss the Longines Hong Kong International Races after suffering what appears to be a serious injury at trackwork on Monday morning. The John Size-trained five-year-old made an outstanding return earlier this month with an eye-catching second to reigning Horse of the Year Beauty Generation in the Group Three Celebration Cup. Ping Hai Star looked to be a genuine contender for the Hong Kong Cup, but those plans have been scuppered. “He got an injury this... View the full article

Superstar jockey Joao Moreira is poised to return to Hong Kong, with 10-time champion trainer John Size set to put in an application for the Magic Man to become his stable rider. Size confirmed he intends to lodge the paperwork “in the coming days or weeks” and will then wait and see if the Jockey Club licensing committee approves it. “That is our intention, the application hasn’t gone in yet,” Size said. “There’s a facility here where a trainer can... View the full article

Horses' test results October 13 & 15 View the full article

Maia back on Circuit Land in QEII Cup and Singapore Gold Cup View the full article

Lumbar and heel fracture for Collett View the full article

To say that the New York breeding program is on a roll would be an understatement of monumental proportions. It has been a banner year at the races for horses bred in the Empire State, with the likes of ‘TDN Rising Star’ Diversify (Bellamy Road), Mind Your Biscuits (Posse), Voodoo Song (English Channel) and, most recently, Fourstar Crook winning top-level races here and abroad, and several of those will represent the program at the Breeders’ Cup in three weeks’ time. But in the meantime, a collection of in-foal mares and weanlings are set to go under the hammer at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale, beginning Monday morning at 10 a.m. A total of 226 lots are catalogued for the single-session sale, including broodmares in and not in foal, broodmare prospects and racing/broodmare prospects that comprise hips 1-56. The remaining 170 hips are foals of 2018. The Fall Sale takes place just over two months since Fasig-Tipton conducted its flagship yearling sales at the Spa, with both the Selected Yearling sale and the New York-sale posting record results. During the latter event, Fasig-Tipton sold nearly $18.5 million in horses for an average of $107,512, far surpassing the previous record of $89,088 set in 2017. Shortleaf Stable purchased a record $600,000 son of Pioneerof the Nile–Score (A.P. Indy) to top the sale. While no such numbers will be put up on Monday, Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browning, Jr. heads into the sale with high hopes. “The New York-bred program is thriving in terms of results at the racetrack and the program continues to improve every year,” Browning, Jr. commented. “There is a whole army of horses being bred and raised in the state and the New York-bred product, both at the races and in the ring has never been so popular, so it should set things up for a really successful sale. There will be lots of interest and I expect a really good and vibrant marketplace.” A weanling colt by Into Mischief fetched $170,000 to top last year’s Saratoga Sale. High Pitch (Medaglia d’Oro), offered in foal to Hard Spun, was the most expensive of the broodmares, hammering for $150,000. Five horses fetched in excess of $100,000. For the full catalogue, visit www.fasigtipton.com. View the full article

The regally bred CHASING YESTERDAY (f, 2, Tapit–Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman) could only manage a surprising seventh as the favorite in Saratoga’s GI Spinaway S. Sept. 1, but she got back on her upward trajectory Sunday with a hard-fought win in Santa Anita’s Anoakia S. Named a ‘TDN Rising Star‘ for a facile first-up score at Del Mar July 28, the half-sister to none other than Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) was 3-5 returning to Southern California for the powerful Bob Baffert barn. Chasing Yesterday sat in second last and out wide early as the flashy It’sjustanillusion (Uncle Mo) quickly zipped away and posted splits of :21.49 and :44.72. She was second by the time they hit the stretch, and while the pacesetter was game to dig in and punch back, Chasing Yesterday had too much in the tank and got the job done by a measured neck in 1:09.86. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0. O/B-Summer Wind Equine (Ky). T-Bob Baffert. View the full article