Wandering Eyes

TIMONIUM, MD. – After a rainy start to the autumn in Maryland, blue skies and warm temperatures greeted visitors to the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds over the weekend ahead of Monday’s first session of the Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale in Timonium. Fueled by a number of significant accomplishments by graduates in the past year–most notably undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Army Mule (Friesan Fire)’s victory in the GI Carter H.–the auction is likely to see a further influx of interest from new faces as it enters its second year as a two-day event. Speaking with the TDN over the weekend, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said the future appears bright as the October sale seeks to follow in the footsteps of the ever-popular Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in May. “These sales grounds have gotten a lot of attention from a lot of the top people, and we’re just thrilled to have everyone back,” Bennett said. “Everyone is excited and we’ve got people here who haven’t come in the past. Based on the successes they’ve seen others have the following spring, they are thinking, ‘Maybe this is a sale that I need to attend as well.’ We have a lot of new faces–faces we see in May, but not always at the yearling sale.” Consistent with the returns from other yearling sales this season, Bennett said the ability to add depth beneath the top end of the market will be crucial to the sale’s success. “As we know, the top will have no problems, and it’s always the middle to lower end where we see that they can struggle a little bit,” Bennett acknowledged. “But hopefully we will get a lot of horses sold. That’s what we want to do.” Replicating the new format adopted last year to accommodate a larger catalogue, the Midlantic Sale will be held as a two-session event, with the first 150 lots selling Monday evening beginning at 4 p.m. and the remaining 350 slated for Tuesday with a 10 a.m. start. Bennett said the expanded size of the sale in recent years has brought a new level of excitement to the barn area. “We’re very excited to be able to fill the barn area and get to 500,” said Bennett. “The supplement is 55 this year, and we have the same structure with two days as last year. We sell the first 150 late Monday afternoon, so that people who might be racing in Maryland can get over.” With the Midlantic Sale’s success directly tied to thriving regional breeding and racing programs, Bennett said the earning power demonstrated by recent sale graduates on the racetrack makes the October marketplace all the more appealing. Among the yearlings on offer are Hip 43, a Pennsylvania-bred by El Padrino who is a half-sister to undefeated GII Saratoga Special S. winner and 2017 Midlantic graduate Call Paul (Friesan Fire), as well as Hip 85, a Maryland-bred Jump Start colt who is a half to 2016 Midlantic grad and GII Woody Stephens S. hero Still Having Fun (Old Fashioned). “We have the half to Call Paul, and we have a lot of other additional family members to the stars who have come out of this sale,” Bennett said. “The local breeders choose this marketplace for those horses, because that’s where they’re known. There are so many options now for rewards with these different programs. It started with Delaware-certified, then the Maryland-breds got boosted and the Pennsylvania-breds have always been appealing, in addition to Pennsylvania-sired rewards. Now with the Virginia-certified program, it’s exciting because it’s not just here in this area. It’s throughout the Midlantic.” Underwood Passing the Test With Inspire Consignment High school junior Amara Underwood has attended plenty of sales and gained ample first-hand experience while working alongside her stepfather Clovis Crane, but the Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale will afford her a unique opportunity to launch a test run of sorts with her own five-horse Inspire Thoroughbreds consignment. Underwood, who is scheduled to graduate from high school in central Pennsylvania a year early with the goal of ultimately increasing her involvement in the sales business, said she has developed a particular interest in yearling sales. “I’ve always worked with Crane Thoroughbreds and gone to the 2-year-old sales at Timonium, OBS, Miami, and Barretts,” Underwood said. “I help Clovis short-list at the yearling sales. It’s something I enjoy–the pinhooking and consigning–but I’m particularly interested in buying weanlings and short yearlings and selling them as yearlings. I was given this opportunity to do it for our client Kim Campbell, who buys and sells yearlings. Out of the five horses I have, four of them are owned by her and one is for Clovis.” While Underwood had the chance to manage the Crane Thoroughbreds consignment at this year’s Barretts Spring 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale while her stepfather was in Miami for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, she described the experience of having her own consignment as a “different ball game.” Nevertheless, the Midlantic Sale will allow her to continue to learn while still working closely with her parents. Underwood said she has particularly high hopes for Hip 120, a Take Charge Indy colt. As for the future, Underwood explained she intends to remain active at the sales while attending college. “I’m lucky enough to graduate this year as a junior,” Underwood said. “I got all my work done and tried to be really diligent, so my school is allowing me to graduate. That being said, I need to be enrolled in a post-secondary education and my mom wants me to get a degree, so I plan on attending college and getting a degree in business. But I want to continue being involved in the Thoroughbred business. I don’t think I could ever see myself doing something else.” Thoroughbreds are indeed a way of life for Underwood, who will be traveling to Lexington after the sale’s conclusion to participate in her fourth year of the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. “I find a lot of Thoroughbreds from programs or Penn National, and even horses who are graduates of Crane Thoroughbreds,” Underwood said. “I love bringing them in and retraining and selling them and watching them succeed in their second careers.” View the full article

The 1636-lot Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, which will be held over four days from Oct. 29-Nov. 1, is now online. Advertised as the largest sale of its kind worldwide, the 2017 edition was topped by Group 2 victress Elizabeth Browning (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at 700,000gns, and the Marco Botti-trained Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal), dominant in this year’s G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot, looks of similar quality as lot 1140. Also successful in the G3 Atalanta S. earlier in her career, Aljazzi is the highest rated horse in the catalogue, with a Timeform rating of 119. 2017 graduates of the sale have succeeded at the highest level in both codes in the forms of 90,000gns purchase Librisa Breeze (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) in the G1 British Champions Sprint and G1 Cheltenham Stayers’ Hurdle hero Penhill (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}), a 230,000gns grad, this term. Past graduate Harlem (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who cost 520,000gns to top the sale in 2016, earned a first Group 1 win Down Under in 2018. Overall, almost 100 group and listed performers are slated to go through the ring, among them is the listed winner and GSP Barsanti (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (lot 1041) from Roger Varian’s Carlburg Stables. Listed winners Dali (Scat Daddy) (lot 544) is one of 45 from Ballydoyle and is joined by dual Group 3 winner Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) as lot 541. Last out Group 3 scorer Hakam (War Front) (lot 343) is consigned by Langham Racing Stables, while the lightly raced listed winner Imaging (GB) (Oasis Dream) (lot 1117) hails from Juddmonte. David O’Meara’s draft includes lot 780, MGSW Larchmont Lad (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). G3 Classic Trial hero Sevenna Star (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) (lot 1052) is one of 115 from the draft of The Castlebridge Consignment. Karl Burke’s Mjjack (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) (lot 586) is the top rated colt in the sale at 118, and Burke’s juvenile duo of Swissterious (GB) (Swiss Spirit {GB}) (lot 587) and GSP Life of Riley (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) (lot 584), lead their age group in the sale at 104 and 102, respectively. Large consignments from Juddmonte (29) and Shadwell (67), as well as trainer Richard Hannon’s East Everleigh Stables (69), the Freemason Stables of Sir Michael Stoute (20), Mark Johnston’s Kingsley House (34) and Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank (41) are also noteworthy. In 2017, 1,065 lots grossed 27,282,200gns for an average of 25,617gns and a median of 11,000gns. “The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale is a unique sale and the 2018 catalogue has quality and diversity in abundance headlined by the outstanding Royal Ascot Group 2-winning filly Aljazzi,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “The key to the consistent appeal of the world’s largest horses in training sale is that it produces Group 1 winners on the global stage and Grade 1 winners at the Cheltenham Festival in equal measure. Every year the Autumn Horses in Training Sale caters to pretty well every possible requirement of buyers, both Flat and National Hunt, which is why it annually attracts buyers from every continent in the world.” View the full article

He was the huge square peg trying to force his way into an impossibly small round hole. The field for the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup included horses from Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, Aidan O’Brien, Saeed bin Suroor and their owners, Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the Coolmore team, Calumet Farm and Godolphin. That doesn’t even include the multiple Grade I winner and defending Gold Cup champion Diversify (Bellamy Road), who is trained by Rick Violette, Jr. Did any of them even know who Uriah St. Lewis is? They do now. St. Lewis crashed this party, which he has a habit of doing. Normally, he goes home empty. Not Saturday. His Discreet Lover (Repent) upset the Gold Cup, paid $93 and put $412,500 into the pocket of St. Lewis, who is the horse’s owner and trainer. “It’s fantastic,” St. Lewis said. “It’s one of the greatest feelings you could ever get. The horse, he does everything you ask him to do. He’s a little horse with a big heart. Thank God. Thank God.” Discreet Lover did win the GIII Excelsior S. in April, but over the years he’s also run in and lost in two runnings of the GI Whitney H, two runnings of the GIII Pimlico Special, the GI Metropolitan Mile, the GI Woodward, the GII Indiana Derby, the GIII Smarty Jones and the GI Pennsylvania Derby, and that’s just to name a few big races where he showed up and was defeated. In the 2016 Pennsylvania Derby, he was 248-1, which has to be some sort of record. In some of the other big spots he’s competed in he was 86-1, 84-1 and 79-1. You can’t exactly blame the bettors for constantly overlooking Discreet Lover, whether it was Saturday or in any of his other races. It’s not just the horse. St. Lewis, who is based at Parx, hasn’t exactly been tearing up the racetrack. A native of Trinidad and Tobago who moved to Brooklyn when he was a teenager, he started training in 1987. His Equibase records only go back to 1988 and during that time, he’s won with only 6% of his starters. He didn’t win a single race between 2011 and 2012, going a combined 0 for 86. In 2007, he was 0 for 73. He had three winners in 2006, but started 140 horses. Yet, he never lost faith in himself. St. Lewis and his family do most of the work around his stable, which keeps expenses to a minimum. With low overhead and running for the lucrative purses offered at Parx, he says his stable makes money. Yet, people look at his record and his penchant for running horses in spots where they appear to be way over their heads and wonder what is this guy doing? “There are a lot of critics,” he said. “People said this guy is out of his mind when I ran him in the Met Mile. When I ran him in the Suburban, they said now he’s really gone crazy. Fifty percent of the people will always like you and 50% of the people will always hate you. The 50% that hate me, the hell with them. People don’t even know me and they say bad things about me. They say that guy is an idiot, he’s stupid. Meanwhile, I’m eating good, living good and I have nice race horse.” The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a “Win and You’re In race,” so St. Lewis is eager to take his horse to an even bigger stage and says he believes he will win the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. First, however, he must get off the vet’s list in New York. Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Durenberger told the Daily Racing Form that Discreet Lover appeared to be in some distress after he galloped back to be unsaddled. All he needs to do to get off the vet’s list is work a half-mile in :52 or faster no earlier than 10 days from his previous race. St. Lewis (who bet $200 across the board on Discreet Lover Saturday) liked to bet and got a job at the New York tracks as a technician for AmTote. It was his wife, Amanda, who suggested he give training a try and St. Lewis went to Oklahoma before going out on his own to learn under trainer Robert Hayes. He won his first ever race in 1987 at Will Rogers Downs. Over the years, the losses piled up, but he never got down on himself or stopped believing that he had what it took to win a race like the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The problem is, that’s hard to do when you don’t have any major owners and don’t normally spend much at the sales. But a good horse can come from anywhere at any time. At the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in 2015, it was hardly a surprise that Discreet Lover wasn’t drawing much attention. His sire stands for $1,000 and his dam never raced. But St. Lewis liked the then 2-year-old enough to spend $10,000 on him. “When I saw him there, I thought he could run,” he said. “I like the Repent line. The dam (Discreet Chat, who is by Discreet Cat), it was her first foal, and I love to buy first foals because nobody knows what they can do. I bought him with the intention of making some money. I never thought he would turn out to be this great.” Take nothing away from Discreet Lover, but the Gold Cup did fall into his lap. Aboard Diversify, Irad Ortiz Jr. rode as strange a race as you’ll ever see a top jockey ride. He gunned the 3-5 favorite to the front in fractions of 22 3/5, 45 3/5 and 1:09. Aboard Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), Ryan Moore took off after him as both horses got caught up in a pace that was certain to end up in defeat. Running past exhausted horses in the stretch, Discreet Lover, Manny Franco aboard, beat Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) by a neck. For St. Lewis, the story was not all sweet. Jose Flores was the horse’s regular rider before being killed in a Mar. 22 spill at Parx. Otherwise, he would have been aboard in the Gold Cup. “Every day, we think about Jose,” St. Lewis said. “Before this horse runs, we say a prayer for Jose and we always say Jose is on his back riding him. Manny is the jockey, but Jose is helping him. Jose Flores was wonderful with this horse. I wish he were still with us, but he is with us in spirit.” Should he get off the vet’s list, Discreet Lover will be seen next in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Despite the win in the Gold Cup, there will surely be some who believe the horse doesn’t belong in the race. St. Lewis’s’ attitude: Let them think what they want. “I own the horse,” he said. “Most trainers have to answer to owners. I don’t. I can do damn well whatever I please.” Accelerate is Awesome Again Accelerate very well could be the most underrated horse of modern times. All he does is win and he gets little respect. He’s won four Grade I’s this year and it’s quite a lineup, the GI Santa Anita H., the GI Gold Cup, the GI Pacific Classic and now the GI Awesome Again. He won that race Saturday by 2 1/4 lengths. He has swept the four Grade I’s in Southern California for older dirt distance males. Of course, he can’t be Horse of the Year in the year of Justify (Scat Daddy) and the horse getting rave reviews coming out of the Awesome Again was not Accelerate, but runner-up West Coast (Flatter). In the here’s-something-you-don’t-see-every-day department, co-owner Gary West told TVG moments before the race, “I don’t expect him to win this race.” Bob Baffert had been saying pretty much the same thing, that he didn’t have the horse ready, but had to get a race into him to have him on top of his game for the Breeders’ Cup. With all that, West Coast ran a really good race, losing to Accelerate by 2 1/4 lengths. He looked like he was ready to pack it in at the three-sixteenths pole and maybe not even hit the board, but he fought hard in the stretch and never gave up. With what was said prior to the Awesome Again and with Baffert’s mojo, a lot of people will be climbing on this horse’s bandwagon before the Classic. Now, who does “Big Money” Mike Smith ride in the Classic, West Coast or GI Pennsylvania Derby winner McKinzie (Street Sense)? Santa Anita’s card also included a new wrinkle. The second race was run at five furlongs on the turf course, the first-ever five-eighths grass race in the history of the track. Previously, all turf sprints have been run “down the hill” at the 6 1/2-furlong distance. The Toronto Reds That was a nice touch by Woodbine Saturday carding a $50,000 handicap race for chestnuts only. It’s not something you can do every day, but to see eight chestnuts gather together is quite a sight and the fans always seem to enjoy novel races like these. Woodbine called the race The Lady in Red H. and combined it with a number of promotions. One was a random drawing where the winning fan got to make a $1,000 win bet on the race. The player got it right, wagering the $1,000 on the winner, 7-10 shot Unseen Angel (Kantharos). And the Woodbine racing office actually treated the race like a real handicap. The winner carried 126 pounds, spotting the competition as much as 16 pounds. View the full article

IT’SJUSTANILLUSION (f, 2, Uncle Mo–Silent Fusaichi {SP}, by Fusaichi Pegasus) took the majority of the play for her debut Sunday at Santa Anita and rewarded her backers with a frontrunning success. Showing a strong local worktab, capped by a five-furlong bullet in 1:00 flat (1/101) Sept. 23, the homebred broke alertly as the 4-5 chalk and showed the way through a sharp :21.78 quarter. Getting a bit of a breather past a :45.65 half, she was confidently handled into the lane by Mike Smith and shook clear under hand urging in the final furlong to score by three lengths in 1:11.28. Enamored (Curlin) was second-best. The winner’s second dam is four-time graded stakes-winning millionaire Silent Eskimo (Eskimo). Her dam foaled a filly by Old Topper Mar. 12 before being bred to Tommy Town Thoroughbreds stallion Boisterous. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000. O/B-Tommy Town Throughbreds LLC (KY); T-Jerry Hollendorfer. View the full article

Undeterred by the looming presence of inbound Typhoon Trami, Fine Needle (Jpn) inked his second Group 1 tally in the G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama on Sunday, a “Win and You’re In” for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint slated for Churchill Downs in November. The Godolphin runner came with a punishing late charge to deny Love Kampf (Jpn) (Shonan Kampf {Jpn}) by a neck, with Rhein Spirit (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) only a half-length back in third in the 1200m contest over a turf course rated good. “I am relieved to have been able to come up with the best results as the race favorite,” said trainer Yoshitada Takahashi. “I knew by the look of Fine Needle’s eyes at the saddling area that he had switched into racing mode. He was positioned exactly where I had imagined and I was a little concerned when the jockey was urging the horse on at the third corner, but the horse got into gear and then geared up again once entering the stretch so from there I was just hoping with all my heart that he would reach the leader in time.” Tabbed the 9-5 favourite, the 5-year-old entire settled in midpack well off the fence behind splits of :22 even for the quarter and :44.30 for the first half-mile. Angling six deep 400 metres from home, the blinkered bay split horses in upper stretch and let down powerfully when called upon under Yuga Kawada. His acceleration did the trick, as the entire had built up just enough momentum to nip Love Kampf on the line with a perfectly timed effort. It was not smooth sailing for Hong Kong invader Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) who had Brett Prebble at the controls on Sunday. As Fine Needle began his rally, the Hong Kong G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize victor broke left midway on the final bend and was pulled up quickly thereafter, having sustained a ruptured suspensory ligament in his left foreleg. The Francis Lui trainee will not race again. “We were going smoothly and following the winner and felt I was going to have every conceivable chance then I heard something pop which wasn’t a nice thing to hear,” said Prebble. Said winning jockey Kawada, “He sure validated his win in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen with this JRA-sprint-Group 1 double and two other grade-race victories which undoubtedly places him as the top sprinter in Japan.” Fine Needle earned his first group victory in the G2 Sankei Sho Centaur S. at Hanshin last September, but was well-beaten in this affair last term. Kicking off his 5-year-old season in style with a win in the G3 Silk Road S. at Kyoto in January, the dark bay claimed the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen going this trip at the end of March, and now after Sunday’s result, is well on his way to top sprinter honours. Only fourth in Hong Kong’s G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Apr. 29, Fine Needle warmed up with a victory over the aforementioned Love Kampf with his second Sankei Sho Centaur S. title on Sept. 9. Pedigree Notes… One of two Group 1 winners for his Darley Japan sire along with fellow Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero Seiun Kosei (Jpn), Fine Needle is one of 13 overall black-type winners for Admire Moon. Italian and French group winner Needlecraft’s 4-year-old Core Needle (Jpn) (Storming Home) has yet to win, while Lacemaker (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), her 2-year-old filly, died. However, the daughter of Irish black-type winner and G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Sharp Point (Ire) (Royal Academy) does have a yearling full-sister to the winner to come. Needlecraft is also a half-sister to four-time group winner Fractional (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and, under the fourth dam, is G1 English and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Tirol (Ire) (Thatching {Ire}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Sunday, Nakayama, Japan SPRINTERS STAKES-G1, ¥214,800,000 (US$1,889,146/£1,449,930/€1,627,242), Nakayama, 9-30, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.30, gd. 1–FINE NEEDLE (JPN), 126, h, 5, Admire Moon (Jpn) 1st Dam: Needlecraft (Ire) (GSP-Ger, GSW-Ity & Fr, 145,211), by Mark of Esteem (Ire) 2nd Dam: Sharp Point (Ire), by Royal Academy 3rd Dam: Nice Point (GBb) by Sharpen Up (GB) O-Godolphin; B-Darley Japan Farm (Jpn); T-Yoshitada Takahashi; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥113,360,000. Lifetime Record: 27-10-2-2. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Love Kampf (Jpn), 117, f, 3, Shonan Kampf (Jpn)–Love Heart (Jpn), by Meiner Love. O-Yoichi Masuda; B-Hiroshi Okuyama (Jpn); ¥44,960,000. 3–Rhein Spirit (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Swept Overboard–Ribbon Stripe (Jpn), by Tony Bin (Ire). O-Shigemasa Osawa; B-Fujiwara Bokujo (Jpn); ¥28,480,000. Margins: NK, HF, NK. Odds: 1.80, 30.70, 62.70. Also Ran: Daimei Princess (Jpn), Let’s Go Donki (Jpn), Once in a Moon (Jpn), Nac Venus (Jpn), Campbell Junior (Aus), Hiruno Devaro (Jpn), Red Falx (Jpn), Teehaff (Jpn), Seiun Kosei (Jpn), Moonquake (Jpn), Ares Barows (Jpn), Snow Dragon (Jpn). DNF: Lucky Bubbles (Aus). Click for the Racing Post chart. JRA Video. View the full article

Trainer Chad Summers was keeping Breeders’ Cup plans for Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) flexible in the wake of his charge’s 4 3/4-length victory in the GIII Lukas Classic Saturday night at Churchill Downs. “I’m still going to consider him for all three [Breeders’ Cup] races [Sprint, Dirt Mile and Classic],” Summers said. “I just want to keep my options open. The owners and I will come up with a plan, but we are in a spot right now that we don’t have a ‘Win and You’re In’ entry for the Classic. That’s going to cost $150,000 to enter the race. While we’ve won a lot of money with the horse, it’s still a big chunk of change. I think we can definitely get the distance for the Classic; we proved that last night. We’re just going to have to wait and see.” With his victory in Saturday’s nine-furlong race, Mind Your Biscuits now has earnings over $4.2 million. Summers said the 5-year-old came out of the race in fine shape. “Is there another race for him today?” Summers joked. “He’s feeling good this morning. When he was cooling out in the Test Barn last night and he heard the [President of the UAE Cup] go off, he got puffed up and wanted to run again. We’re just lucky to be in a great spot with him and he’s doing well after the race.” View the full article

Japan narrowly beat better-fancied stablemate Mount Everest at Naas Sept. 30 to enhance Aidan O'Brien's remarkable record in the Beresford Stakes (G2), providing the trainer with his eighth victory in a row and 18th in total. View the full article

With over $15 million in progeny earnings worldwide this year, Kitten’s Joy is right up there in elite stallion company with the likes of Galileo (Ire), Tapit, Deep Impact (Jpn), et al; in fact, he currently sits behind only Dubawi (Ire) by worldwide progeny earnings in 2018. What separates Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s ‘self-made’ stallion from that trio, however, is that he stands for a fee of only $60,000. And, unlike the previously mentioned stallion royalty, his stock don’t usually make the headlines in the sale ring. Rather, they reserve their newsworthiness for the racetrack. Frustrated by this somewhat tepid demand from purchasers for the stallion’s, stock Ken Ramsey accepted a proposal five years ago from outward-thinking sales consignor Ted Voute to handpick a selection of Ramsey’s yearlings by Kitten’s Joy and offer them at the major yearling sales in Europe. After all, this is a stallion who has proved himself the ‘go to’ turf stallion in America and whose progeny have earned a reputation for being tough, durable, easy to train, high-class racehorses. “It was five years ago when we decided to try it,” explained Ted Voute. “At the time, the Ramseys had some horses in training in Italy and they were trying to raise the stallion’s profile in Europe, so I wrote to them and suggested offering some of his stock at the yearling sales here. So each year I have traveled to America to the Ramseys’ farm and we’ve gone through their entire crop and chosen what we think will work over here at Goffs, Tattersalls and Arqana. We aim to pick the well-conformed yearlings with clean X-rays and scopes and with a bit of pedigree that might suit over here.” Voute continued, “I think it has been a successful venture so far with the average price of the yearlings we have sold being around £200,000, while all the time making Kitten’s Joy more familiar and more accessible to European buyers.” There is no fear that Kitten’s Joy will not be in the forefront of the minds of serious yearling investors this time around given his son Roaring Lion is the top 10-furlong horse in Europe following a fantastic Group 1 hat trick this summer crowned by his win in the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. Voute Sales offers two yearlings by Kitten’s Joy at Goffs Orby this week, and this pair differ from previous yearlings by the sire offered by Voute for the Ramseys in that they were born and raised in England. “When Bobby’s Kitten was acquired by Lanwades Stud, the Ramseys retained a number of breeding rights to the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner and, rather than send over barren mares, they decided to send me 10 mares in foal to Kitten’s Joy that would be foaled down and then be covered by Bobbby’s Kitten,” Voute explained. So these two yearlings in Goffs are the first Kitten’s Joy yearlings the Ramseys have bred in the UK. The first offering at Goffs is lot 317, a bay filly out of Granny Franny (Grand Slam) who has already bred a Grade I winner in Kitten’s Dumplings as well as two other stakes winners in Granny’s Kitten and Granny Mc’s Kitten, each, as their name implies, by Kitten’s Joy. The other Voute/Ramsey offering is lot 400, a chestnut colt out of Megachurch (Pulpit). Her only progeny by the sire to run so far is Sister Kitten, a 2-year-old who made a very encouraging debut for Chad Brown and the Ramseys at Saratoga in August when runner up to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in a maiden. “We’ve got a good bunch to go to war with this year and with Roaring Lion on the scene we are very hopeful,” Voute said. “We’ve also got the full-sister to Bobby’s Kitten (lot 295) going to Book 1 at Tattersalls the following week and she is a really nice filly. We’ve got a colt out of Oak Trees Dancing (Forestry) (lot 18) as well who is probably one of the nicest Kitten’s Joys I’ve seen.” He continued, “We made a conscious decision this year to only offer the very top yearlings out of the batch of 10 that were foaled here. So we picked the top two colts and top two fillies and they are the ones we are offering. I think with Keeneland being so strong that will have lifted the market and between that and bringing some nice stock I think we are in good shape.” With Roaring Lion copper-fastening his reputation this year followed by his departure to Tweenhills Stud either this year or next, it seems inevitable that the legacy of his sire will live on for generations. Over the coming years his prowess as a sire of sires will be put to the test, and it will be interesting to see how the market receives the first crop of one of his fastest sons later this year. “When you consider the success of Roaring Lion and indeed of Hawkbill (Kitten’s Joy), you’d have to think Kirsten Rausing has stolen a bit of a march by snapping up Bobby’s Kitten. With his first foals selling this year, you couldn’t ask for better timing,” Voute said. Although Voute had the foresight to embrace Kitten’s Joy when on the way up, he deflects much of the horse’s success to a key member of Ramsey Farm. “I guess the unsung hero of the whole story is Mark Partridge, who is Ken and Sarah’s farm manager and a lot of the credit for the success of Kitten’s Joy must go to him,” Voute said. “He assembled all these fillies mostly from claiming races in America to go to Kitten’s Joy in the first place and effectively made the stallion into one of the leading American sires on both turf and dirt.” The responsibility for selecting and filling Kitten’s Joy’s book of mares now rests with John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm, and between this fresh impetus and a covering fee reduced to $60,000 from $100,000, the stallion is sure to be kept busy in the coming years. “You must remember, Kitten’s Joy started out covering very cheap mares but not long after, mostly through trial and error, Mark discovered that when crossed with Roberto or Northern Dancer-descended mares the results were phenomenal. Also, since starting the farm, Ken and Sarah have ensured the environment was in place to breed tough, sound horses. All the paddocks are serviced by natural spring water, the land is top-class and between Mark’s hard work and breeding savvy and Ken and Sarah’s passion for racing and breeding, they have developed a world-class stallion who doesn’t seem to have gotten the recognition he deserves.” That recognition appears to be catching on fast and results at Keeneland last month suggested buyers are looking on his progeny with a fresh set of eyes. Top prices of $725,000 and $650,000, while still a bit removed from some of his top-end stallion peers, suggest his yearling sales results this year will be more reflective of his progeny’s success on the racetrack. “The truth is, he doesn’t particularly stamp his stock. They tend to come in all shapes and sizes, but my word are they tough,” Voute said. “If you look at Roaring Lion, he probably fooled them slightly in Gosden’s over how much work he could take, as he got better and better the more he ran and worked. I think that’s the common denominator with them; they are teak tough.” With five years under his belt and the stallion’s reputation at an all-time high, Voute said he is hoping to keep this particular project going for the foreseeable future. “We didn’t set out with a 5-year-plan, it’s just every year I ring the Ramseys in the spring and ask ‘shall I come over?’ And they always invite me with open arms,” he said. “Next year we will have a few yearlings by Bobby’s Kitten to sell. We will offer one nice one in December as a foal, but the rest will be kept until next year. I hope I will still get the privilege of going over to Ramsey Farm and choosing a few Kitten’s Joy yearlings to bring back. Ken and Sarah seem to like the involvement and it’s been a great project that has probably evolved as we’ve gone along. It has also been financially rewarding for them, as although racing and breeding is a passion, for Ken it also has to make financial sense.” View the full article

Responsible for four of the last seven winners of the G2 Beresford S. prior to Sunday’s renewal, Japan (GB) added to Galileo’s tally as he edged out fellow Ballydoyle trainee Mount Everest (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a bobber at Naas. Destined to go to Coolmore after the exploits of his full-brother Sir Isaac Newton (GB) for the stable, the bay who is also a full-sibling of the high-class Secret Gesture (GB) was secured for 1.3million gns at Tattersalls October and after an introductory seventh over this mile trip at The Curragh at the start of the month had scored over seven in a Listowel maiden 11 days later. Settled third early by Seamie Heffernan as the Rosegreen contingent were towed by Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 11-2 shot was angled out to tackle Mount Everest in deep straight and collared that son of Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing {GB}) in the shade of the post for a short-head success. Heffernan, who was steering the stable’s 18th winner of this important staging post, said, “Our horses are running very well and some are improving at a different rate than others. He was a little bit green, but could be anything–we had the brother who used to race high with the revs and we never saw the best of him.” Secret Gesture took the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial by 10 lengths in 2013 only to lose out to Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G1 Epsom Oaks and finish runner-up again in the G1 Preis Der Diana. Not always enjoying the rub of the green, she was disqualified from first place in the 2015 GI Beverly D. S. having captured York’s G2 Middleton S. while her full-brother Sir Isaac Newton who cost 3.6million gns as a yearling at Tattersalls October peaked in the summer of 2016 when taking the G3 International S. and finishing fourth in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and G1 Juddmonte International. The dam Shastye (Ire) (Danehill) is a half-sister to the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Sagamix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) and group 1-winning sire Sagacity (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and the dams of the G1 Prix d’Ispahan hero Sageburg (Ire) (Johannesburg) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Sagawara (GB) (Shamardal). Shastye’s yearling full-brother to Japan is catalogued in the upcoming Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale. JAPAN (GB), c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Shastye (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Danehill. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €75,680. (1,300,000gns Ylg ’17 TAOCT). O-Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan O’Brien. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

In the wilderness since bagging last term’s G2 Prix Robert Papin and G1 Prix Morny, Unfortunately (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) had failed to hit the mark in five starts this term, but bounced back in style with a late swoop in Sunday’s G3 Renaissance S. at Naas. The bay came into the contest off down-the-field finishes in Royal Ascot’s June 22 G1 Commonwealth Cup, Deauville’s Aug. 5 G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and last time in the Sept. 15 G2 Park S. at Doncaster, and chased all five rivals detached in rear after the initial strides. Nudged along throughout, the 10-3 second choice was unrelenting in his effort and pounced late under a continued drive to nail St Patrick’s Day (Pioneerof The Nile) by a half length in the dying strides. “Things just haven’t dropped for this horse, we probably jarred him up at Ascot running him on the very fast ground and the summer just hasn’t gone our way,” admitted Karl Burke, who won this event with MG1SW Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) last year. “Chris [Hayes] told me he pinged the gates, but he’s dropped himself out and Chris thought he was in trouble for most of the way. He brought him wide to have one long run at it, it’s worked perfectly and he gave him a very good ride.” Looking ahead, the trainer added, “I’ll have to speak to [Cheveley Park Stud’s] Chris Richardson and the team now. The only race now for him is the [Oct. 20 G1 British Champions] Sprint at Ascot and if that came up with a bit cut in the ground we have nothing to lose by having a go at that. I’d say he’ll go to stud at the end of the season, he was a very good 2-year-old last year and has shown he’s still got ability. I’m sure he’ll do very well at stud and will be a very popular commercial horse.” Unfortunately is one of two pattern-race winners out of dual winner Unfortunate (GB) (Komaite), the other being G2 Temple S. and G3 Flying Five S. victress Look Busy (Ire) (Danetime {Ire}). He is also kin to a 2-year-old filly by Sir Prancealot (Ire), a yearling filly by Morpheus (GB) and a colt foal by Vadamos (Fr). His second dam Honour and Glory (GB) (Hotfoot {GB}) is kin to G3 Cornwallis S. and G3 King George S. victor Singing Steven (GB) (Balliol {GB}) as well as to dual Listed Trinidad Turf Cup hero General Streak (Firestreak {GB}). Unfortunately’s fourth dam Queen’s Evidence (GB) (King’s Bench {GB}) is also the ancestress of G2 Grande Premio Presidente Do Jockey Club scorer Influido (Brz) (Zuano {Brz}). Sunday, Naas, Ireland RENAISSANCE S.-G3, €60,000, Naas, 9-30, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.07, gd. 1–UNFORTUNATELY (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Society Rock (Ire) 1st Dam: Unfortunate (GB), by Komaite 2nd Dam: Honour and Glory (GB), by Hotfoot (GB) 3rd Dam: Cheb’s Honour, by Chebs Lad (GB) (€24,000 Ylg ’16 TIRSEP). O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Chris Hayes. €35,400. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Fr & G1SW-Fr, 12-4-2-0, $387,073. *1/2 to Look Busy (Ire) (Danetime {Ire}), GSW-Eng & Ire, SP-Ger, $524,059. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–St Patrick’s Day, 129, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman. O-Susan Magnier; B-Summer Wind Farm (KY); T-Aidan O’Brien. €12,000. 3–St Brelades Bay (Ire), 131, g, 6, Camacho (GB)–Tides (GB), by Bahamian Bounty (GB). (£70,000 Ylg ’13 DNPRM). O-Ms Fiona Carmichael; B-JC Bloodstock (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. €6,000. Margins: HF, 3/4, HF. Odds: 3.30, 4.50, 4.00. Also Ran: Gordon Lord Byron (Ire), Amthaal (GB), Fas (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

1st-Naas, €17,500, Mdn, 9-30, 2yo, 7fT, 1:28.50, gd. MAGNA GRECIA (IRE) (c, 2, Invincible Spirit {Ire}–Cabaret {Ire} {GSW-Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was niggled at in snatched racing fourth for most of this debut. Coming under increased pressure in the straight, the 2-1 chalk seized a dream opening along the rail to lead with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and was ridden out to secure an impressive 3 1/2-length success from Mudlahhim (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). “He’s a lovely horse and we’re delighted with that,” said Aidan O’Brien. “He was just ready to start today and I don’t think you could ask him to do more than that. He was green but, when he got straightened up he found plenty. He is a possible for the [Oct. 20 G3] Killavullan [S. at Leopardstown] or something like that.” Kin to a yearling filly by Kodiac (GB), he is the third scorer out of G3 Silver Flash S. victress Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G3 Solario S. winner Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and stakes-winning G2 Gimrack S. runner-up Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), from a family featuring GI Hollywood Turf Cup-winning sire Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme) and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Sales history: 340,000gns Wlg ’16 TATFOA. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $12,510. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. 1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; B-Wood Nook Farm Pty Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. View the full article

Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was a last-out third in this month’s G1 Moyglare Syud S. at The Curragh, took a leap forward in style and enhanced Aidan O’Brien’s strike rate with an impressive display in Sunday’s G3 Weld Park S. at Naas. The bay opened this campaign with a June 29 fourth tackling The Curragh’s seven furlongs, before graduating over the same trip at Galway July 31, and posted a sixth when contesting the Aug. 26 G2 Debutante S. over The Curragh’s seven panels once more in her penultimate start. Well away from the inside box to seize immediate control here, the 5-4 favourite was stoked up when threatened by Foxtrot Liv (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}) at the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly under mainly whipless coaxing in the closing stages to easily account for that rival by 2 1/2 lengths. HERMOSA (IRE), f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Beauty Is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €39,825. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 5-2-0-1, €88,755. View the full article

It’s been a breakthrough year for Ed Walker, who has led something of a peripatetic life in his training career to date but is now firmly settled at Kingsdown Stables in Upper Lambourn. The move18 months ago was a homecoming of sorts as the 35-year-old grew up close by. “As the crow flies, my family lives a mile away from Andrew Balding’s house at Kingsclere, so it’s really Andrew’s fault I’m in this mess,” says Walker with a smile. While trainers at all levels have different kinds of pressure as part of their daily life—from finding new owners, recruiting staff, injuries to horses—Walker’s current situation can be viewed as anything but a mess. He and his wife Camilla, who served many sales seasons on the front line with The Castlebridge Consignment and thus has an in-depth knowledge of the industry, welcomed their first child, Matilda, 10 months ago and live on site at Kingsdown, the stunning property owned by breeder Bjorn Nielsen with private gallops and all the facilities required to run a modern-day training business. His relocation to Lambourn after six years with a training licence in Newmarket not only brings Walker almost back home but also back to where it all started for him in the racing world. Before serving time with trainers Roger Charlton and Luca Cumani, Walker’s introduction to the bloodstock industry came at Watership Down Stud, which is now home to his landlord’s British-based mares and followers, meaning it is still a regular port of call for the trainer. “My mum’s a great horsewoman with not a great deal of interest in racing. Dad is no horseman at all, but madly passionate about horse racing. And I sort of fell in the middle,” says Walker. “Dad and a few friends bought a couple of really cheap yearlings back in the day when Andrew had one yard at Park House and Ian [Balding] was still training and they just nailed it. They had listed winners, runners-up in sales races, winners in Dubai. It was unbelievable. So I was [at school] at Radley in my early teens and I got completely hooked. Every chance I had to come up on the weekend and watch horses work I took. So that was probably when the bug really kicked in and then I just did a couple of sales seasons up at Watership Down—they’re just next door—and I learnt so much from Simon [Marsh] and Terry [Doherty].” Two years at Beckhampton with Charlton led to a four-year stint farther afield in Newmarket with Cumani before he set up in his own right, initially at St Gatien Stables, in the autumn of 2010. That transpired to be the first of four yards he rented in the town before Kingsdown became available when David Lanigan returned to Newmarket. “I have absolutely no complaints, although it’s been very frustrating at times,” he says. “I feel like we’ve been kind of knocking on the door without kicking it down. We gradually progressed without taking off, if that makes any sense.” It is doubtless a frustration in the fiercely competitive world of horseracing to see contemporaries having apparently almost instantaneous success followed by a sudden explosion in the number of horses trained. Such a change so early in a training career can, however, mean that it’s harder to sustain the flow of winners, and Walker’s progressive profile, less flashy than it may seem than some others, has not gone unnoticed. Indeed, his first runner, Riggins (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), returned the winner of the listed Hyde S. at Kempton, while another son of Cape Cross, Ruscello (Ire), bought for 20,000gns from Sir Michael Stoute’s stable as a 2-year-old, became his first big overseas success when winning the G3 Lexus S. on VRC Derby Day at Flemington. Another benchmark was reached this season when Nielsen’s homebred Agrotera (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) became the stable’s first Royal Ascot winner. “It’s quite funny because when I was looking at all of Bjorn’s yearlings in my first year of moving down here, Agrotera was of that crop and she’s not pretty. I mean she was a moose really, but as we all know, beauty is as beauty does in this game, and she’s got a proper engine,” says Walker. “Ascot was amazing, and Bjorn won the Gold Cup the day before, which was obviously fantastic but in my nervous state I was kind of thinking, ‘Oh God all the luck’s gone to Stradivarius’. Then [Agrotera] boiled over a bit in the paddock and she can be quite difficult when legging-up and going out on the track and I thought, ‘Oh this is all going dreadfully wrong’. But it went pretty right once the gates opened and that’s the main thing.” He continues, “Bjorn’s been unbelievably supportive. He always said he was going to support me when I came down, but I didn’t realise how much, and in my first year he had 12 horses right from the word go.” Along with a selection of Nielsen’s homebreds in Walker’s string of 80 at Kingsdown can also be found horses owned by Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber, Laurence Bellman, Andrew Black’s Chasemore Farm, John Pearce Racing, Lady Rothschild and Kirsten Rausing among others, while his more international client base includes an emphasis on Hong Kong owners such as PK Siu, Dr Johnny Hon, Kangyu International Racing and Robert Ng, as well as Al Shaqab Racing, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the Australian-based OTI Racing. From Riggins being his sole winner in 2010, having received his licence late that year, Walker’s tally of winners has gradually increased, his best year in Newmarket being the 40 winners he sent out in 2014. Since moving to Lambourn, his number of runners has increased and, happily, the winners have kept coming at a decent rate. He’s currently just one shy of last year’s high of 54 with some fancy entries to see him through the remainder of the Turf season. The stable stalwart, of whom Walker speaks with understandable fondness, is PK Siu’s Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic), whose calling card is his consistency. Never out of the first three in five starts as a juvenile, including winning twice and being beaten a head by Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Criterium International, Stormy Antarctic remains as competitive at five and has also earned plenty of airmiles, recording two Group wins this year in France and Germany, as well as being placed in both the G1 Dallmayr Preis and GI Woodbine Mile on his most recent start in Canada. “Stormy has kind of saved our bacon every year,” he says. “He’s been a flag-bearer and a star. Looking back, he was too highly tried at three. He ran in every big Group 1 there was, having won the Craven so well and then been second-favourite for the Guineas. He got injured in the Guineas and then he bounced back to be second in the Jean Prat, which made us think that he was definitely a Group 1 horse. Bar winning a Group 1, you don’t get a better CV than his: he’s been second in a Group 1 three times and he’s won a Group 2, two Group 3s. And those sorts of horses, even if you just have the one, they’re so important to keep the stable’s name in lights.” Among those waiting in the wings to assume the role of stable star could be the smart Frankel (GB) colt Cap Francais (GB), bred by the late John Pearce and raced in his name by his great nephew Edmond Bush. Like Nielsen, Pearce, who died in March 2017 at the age of 98, had a long-held ambition to win the Derby and came closest in 2006 when his homebred Dragon Dancer (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) was beaten a short-head by Sir Percy (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}). Cap Francais is now the winner of two of his three starts, but another well-bred son of Frankel set to make his debut on Wednesday, and who holds a Derby entry, is Ginistrelli (Ire), out of a half-sister to Fame And Glory (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), who is owned by Nielsen and Mikael Magnusson’s Eastwind Racing. Like the Roger Charlton-trained Atty Persse (GB), Ginistrelli is another Frankel colt named after a trainer, and the omen couldn’t be more appropriate for Nielsen as Cavaliere Edoardo Ginistrelli was not only the trainer but also the owner-breeder of the 1908 Oaks and Derby winner Signorinetta. Before such dreams are considered, however, the soft-ground-loving Stormy Antarctic will bid to bring the curtain down on his trainer’s best season yet at QIPCO British Champions Day before perhaps a return to Hong Kong in December. Meanwhile, a fellow globetrotter in the same ownership, the German Group 3 winner Indian Blessing (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}), who was third in the GII Ballston Spa at Saratoga last time out, will take her chance in Group/Grade 1 company on Saturday in either Newmarket’s Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. or farther afield in Keeneland’s First Lady S. Walker says, “I get such a kick out of travelling. You never stop learning in this game. You go and see how different people train, and you meet different people and you pick up different ideas.” Happy to travel he may be, but Walker’s clearly happy to be settled at home with the promise of bigger and better things to come. View the full article

The outside rail for Sha Tin sprint races may no longer be the holy ground it once was with jockeys saying they would prefer to put their mounts in “comfortable positions” rather than clamber for the widest going. While only early in the season, only one 1,000m Sha Tin winner has come up the outside rail to win, with three winners preferring the middle of the track to make their runs. The theory will be put to the test tomorrow with two races, including the Group Three National Day... View the full article

Australian jockey Sam Clipperton is out for redemption when he takes the plumb ride on Hong Kong Derby winner Ping Hai Star on Monday after falling agonisingly short of Group One success last year. The 24-year-old had a case of “so close, but yet so far” last season, running second in three Group One races as well as recording a third placing but failing to breakthrough for a win. While Clipperton takes the Ping Hai Star ride in the Group Three Celebration Cup (1,400m), he is... View the full article

Up-and-coming sprinter Hot King Prawn faces his biggest challenge so far in Monday’s Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) and jockey Karis Teetan feels he is ready to match it with the “really good horses”. A winner of six of sevens starts – and two from three in Class Two – the John Size-trained four-year-old will measure himself against the likes of Group One winner Ivictory as he makes the step up. “Hot King Prawn is a very good horse, his trial was very... View the full article

Lucky Bubbles’ assault on the Group One Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama ended on the home turn when he succumbed to a suspensory injury and was pulled up. Jockey Brett Prebble dismounted from the Hong Kong raider at the top of the straight before the 2017 Chairman’s Sprint Prize winner was walked onto the horse ambulance. Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai revealed he is suspected to have suffered a ligament injury to the near fore. “He broke down,” Prebble said as he walked back... View the full article

Trainer Chad Summers got the answer he was looking for Sept. 29 as Mind Your Biscuits stalked and pounced his way to a 4 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 Lukas Classic (G3) going 1 1/8-miles at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Continuing her steady improvement for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer this year, the 4-year-old Skipshot filly won the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) by half-length over 3-year-old Paved, with Cambodia rounding out the trifecta. View the full article

Charles Fipke's homebred Seeking the Soul, winner of last year's Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) bounced back to win the one-turn mile Ack Ack Stakes (G3) Sept. 29 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Hronis Racing's Accelerate didn't make it easy on himself in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (G1) Sept. 29 at Santa Anita Park, but his prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) still resulted in a victory. View the full article

ACCELERATE (h, 5, Lookin At Lucky–Issues, by Awesome Again) solidified his spot atop the handicap division with his fourth Grade I tally this year as the 1-5 favorite. Acting up at the start and off the last, the last-out 12 1/2-length GI Pacific Classic S. romped recovered somewhat to sit fourth while very wide. Main rival West Coast (Flatter) showed the way heading for home, but Accelerate began to creep closer with longshot Isotherm (Lonhro {Aus}) in the hunt as well. West Coast briefly looked like he might pick it back up and make a race of it, but Accelerate had a recency edge and more in the tank and powered away by some three lengths in 1:50.38. Isotherm hung on for third. Sales history: $380,000 yrl ’14 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 21-9-5-5. O-Hronis Racing LLC. B-Mike Abraham (Ky). T-John W. Sadler. View the full article

Continuing her steady improvement for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer this year, the 4-year-old Skipshot filly won the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) by half a length over 3-year-old Paved, with Cambodia rounding out the trifecta. View the full article

VASILIKA (f, 4, Skipshot–La Belle Marquet, by Marquetry), who debuted 10th in a maiden $16,000 claimer and was later picked up by these connections for $40,000 out of a mile win here in February, continued her ascension and notched a seventh-straight victory in Saturday’s GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita. The 8-5 co-favorite sat perched just behind the early speed through a solid pace before getting the jump on sophomore Paved (Quality Road) and denying that one’s sire a Grade I daily double with the half-length tally. Cambodia (War Front) was third. The winner stopped the clock in 1:59.04. Vasilika, who earned a spot into the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf with the win, made the grade last out in the GII John C. Mabee S. Lifetime Record: 26-12-4-3. O-All Schlaich Stables LLC, Hollendorfer LLC, Gatto Racing LLC & G Todaro. B-Mikhail Yanakov (KY). T-Jerry Hollendorfer. View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellafina once again dominated her competition of 2-year-old fillies in the $300,000 Chandelier Stakes (G1) Sept. 29 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article