Wandering Eyes

Stuart Janney III's grade 3-winning homebred My Impression returns to stakes company looking to give her connections a third straight victory in the All Along, presented by Blackwell Real Estate, Saturday at Laurel Park. View the full article

A colt by Lane’s End’s popular young stallion Union Rags and consigned by Larry and Karen Doyle’s KatieRich Farms fetched a final bid of $250,000 to top Thursday’s 10th session of the mammoth Keeneland September Sale in Lexington, Kentucky. With three days of trade remaining, some 2,259 horses have been reported as sold for gross receipts of better than $368 million, already the fourth-highest turnover in the history of the September sale. At the close of trade Thursday, the average price rested on $163,021, while the median sits at $85,000. When all was said and done, last year’s sale–conducted over 12 sessions–grossed nearly $308 million, the highest in nine years, while the cumulative average ($120,487) and median ($57,000) easily eclipsed previous records. KatieRich bred Thursday’s session-topper from the Maryland-bred mare Town Flirt (Speightstown), who was claimed by Larry Doyle for $30,000 out of a victory at Churchill Downs in November 2013 and who went on to post a record of 6-1-1-1 for KatieRich. Hip 3265 is the second foal for her dam, a half-sister to SW Financial Modeling (Street Sense) and SP Qualify (Medaglia d’Oro). The bay’s third dam, the Grade II-winning With a Wink (Clever Trick), was responsible for MSW & GSP Jena Jena (Dixieland Band) and the New York-bred stakes winners Win With a Wink (Dixieland Band) and Up Like Thunder (War Chant). Ben Glass, bidding on behalf of his clients Gary and Mary West, had the winning bid. Four of the eight yearlings sold by KatieRich during the September sale have realized six figures, including a top price of $450,000 for hip 545, a son of Quality Road–Uncontrolled (Unbridled’s Song), also purchased by Glass. All told, the KatieRich draft has grossed just shy of $1.5 million. Hip 3382, a Warrendale Sales-consigned daughter of Cairo Prince, was knocked down to Marc Tacher for $182,000 to reign as the session’s top member of the fairer sex. Bred by Mr. & Mrs. Nick Bentley, the February-foaled dark bay is out of the unraced Crozat (Street Sense), whose first foal Perfect Wife (Majesticperfection) won the 2016 Trapeze S. Crozat is a half-sister to the good graded-stakes winning turf sprinter Jungle Prince (Sir Cat). Hip 3382 was making her second trip through the Keeneland sales pavilion, having been bought back on a bid of $65,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale. The single-session Book 5 kicks off Friday morning at 10 a.m. For full results, visit www.keeneland.com. View the full article

Zanjabeel solidified his position atop the National Steeplechase Association's championship ladder Sept. 20 with a gritty, hard-fought victory over a resurgent Hinterland in Belmont Park's $175,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (NSA-1). View the full article

MUCHO GUSTO (c, 2, Mucho Macho Man–Itsagiantcauseway, by Giant’s Causeway) lived up to his name and then some with an ultra-impressive debut victory at Los Alamitos Thursday to become his freshman sire (by Macho Uno)’s fourth winner and first ‘TDN Rising Star.’ Hammered down to even-money favoritism, the $625,000 EASMAY buy broke on top from his rail draw and was just loping along under a motionless Joe Talamo as he clicked off a first quarter in :21.96. Still going easily as he registered a half-mile in :45.75, the chestnut was a bit wide turning for home and was confronted to his inside, but instantly powered clear of that rival when given the signal by Talamo and cruised clear to a decisive six-length score in 1:10.14. Vantastic (Dialed In) completed the exacta. Picked up for just $14,000 at Keeneland January, Mucho Gusto brought $95,000 in his next trip through the Keeneland ring that September. He RNA’d for $55,000 at the OBS March sale after breezing an eighth in :10 flat over the synthetic and was sent through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale two months later, where he summoned $625,000 from Michael Lund Petersen after working a quarter-mile over a sloppy dirt track in an eye-catching View the full article

Anchored by the $9-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the $7-million GI Pegasus World Turf Cup, the 2018-2019 stakes schedule at Gulfstream Park will feature a record 105 stakes races worth $29,079,000, also a record, it was announced Thursday. Outside the two multi-million dollar races, to be contested Jan. 26, the Gulfstream stakes program is anchored by the $1-million GI Florida Derby, the marquee event on a program that will feature seven additional black-type events, four of which are graded, Saturday, Mar. 30. Three of the six most recent winners of the Florida Derby have gone on to add the GI Kentucky Derby. The Florida Derby is the last of Gulfstream’s four-race series for the sophomore set, which also includes the Jan. 5 Mucho Macho Man S., the GII Holy Bull S. Feb. 2 and the GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 2. Sophomore fillies will also take their turn in the spotlight on Derby Day as they contest the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, a key steppingstone to the GI Kentucky Oaks five weeks down the road. The 3-year-old filly series includes the Forward Gal S. and the GII Davona Dale S. As it has the past several years, the $1.1-million Claiming Crown series will feature on opening day of the meet Dec. 1, while Gulfstream will also play host to the Clasico del Caribe Dec. 8 and the Eclipse Awards in January for the seventh consecutive year. The Sunshine Millions will be held Jan. 19. The entire schedule may be viewed here. View the full article

McKinzie will take his first step toward reminding pundits why he was so well-regarded when he faces nine challengers in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 22 View the full article

As X Y Jet bypasses the six-furlong sprint Sept. 22 at Laurel Park with an eye on the Nov. 4 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), the spotlight shifts to Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) winners Switzerland and Always Sunshine. View the full article

Saratoga Race Course’s big-money races are hard to ignore, but trainer Ricky Hendriks had a plan for Zanjabeel (GB) (Aussie Rules) after his relatively easy victory in the G1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois in May. The ultimate goal is to get to the Far Hills Race’ G1 $450,000 Grand National Oct. 20, with Belmont Park’s G1 $175,000 Lonesome Glory H. a necessary and desirable step along the way. That was the plan, and Hendriks was sticking to it. The first goal was accomplished Thursday when Zanjabeel turned back a strong challenge from Hinterland (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}) deep in Belmont’s stretch to win by 1 3/4 lengths, with Hendriks-trained Optimus Prime (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}) a neck farther back in third. Hendriks understandably was pleased with the effort by Zanjabeel, who is owned by the Rosbrian Farm of Mandy and George Mahoney and the Meadow Run Farm of Wendy and Ben Griswold, who purchased him after his victory in Far Hills’ Foxbrook Champion Hurdle last year and turned him over to Hendriks. “We were tickled to death with Zanjabeel coming off the layoff,” Hendriks said. “You just never know how horses are going to run coming off the layoff. We’ve only had him for about a year, so we don’t know him as well as some of the other horses, but he ran a super race.” Jack Kennedy, the Irish jockey who rode Zanjabeel in the Foxbrook, received a call from Hendriks after Ross Geraghty stayed aboard Rosbrian’s Optimus Prime after his G1 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap victory last month. At the start of the Lonesome Glory, Clarcam (Fr) (Califet {Fr})–owned by Rosbrian and Meadow Run–went to the lead with Optimus Prime close behind him and Zanjabeel in third or fourth position. Clarcam, trained by Irish horseman Gordon Elliott, led over the last fence, located on Belmont’s backstretch. But Kennedy had Zanjabeel on the move on the inside, and they seized the lead as the field of eight turned into the homestretch. Three Kingdoms (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) launched a brief attack, but the serious challenge would be thrown down by Hinterland. Sean McDermott was getting everything from Hinterland, and Kennedy, sensing the attack, went to work on Zanjabeel. With a furious drive to the finish line, Zanjabeel retained his margin over his challenger. Kennedy said he was surprised by how much stronger Zanjabeel had become since Far Hills, and he was pleased with his trip in the Lonesome Glory. “I had a lovely position,” Kennedy said. “He jumped great and traveled very well. He kicked on well off a steady pace. He did everything very well.” View the full article

LNJ Foxwoods’ Covfefe (Into Mischief), who made 1-2 look like a gift when decimating a field of Churchill maidens by 9 1/4 lengths on debut Sept. 16, could jump right into stakes competition for her next start, trainer Brad Cox told the Churchill notes team Thursday. “That was about as impressive as you can get with a first time starter,” Cox said. “We’ve thought very highly of her all along and she showed she’s the real deal.” In stopping the clock in a sharp 1:10.20 for the six-furlong distance, Covfefe, a $250,000 purchase at Keeneland last September, was assigned a towering 86 Beyer Speed Figure. By comparison, Serengeti Express (Alternation) earned a 78 Beyer for her 19 1/2-length demolition of 10 rivals in the 1 1/16-mile GII Pocahontas S. the previous afternoon. A half-sister to Japanese MGSW & G1SP Albiano (Harlan’s Holiday), Covfefe is out of a half-sister to GISWs Acoma (Empire Maker) and Arch (Kris S.) and counts champion Althea (Alydar) as her third dam. Future stakes possibilities for Covfefe include the one-mile $95,000 Rags to Riches S. or the $300,000 Spendthrift Juvenile Stallion S., restricted to 2-year-old progeny of Spendthrift stallions. Both events are carded for opening day of the fall meeting Sunday, Oct. 28. View the full article

Zanjabeel (GB) solidified his position atop the National Steeplechase Association's championship ladder Sept. 20 with a gritty, hard-fought victory over a resurgent Hinterland (FR) in Belmont Park's $175,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (NSA-1). 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. Friday’s Insights features a half-sister to MGSW Beat the Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}). 1.10 Newbury, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 6fT CHIL CHIL (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) is another blockbuster purchase by King Power Racing to be introduced by Andrew Balding. The half-sister to the yard’s multiple group-winning star miler Beat the Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) cost 500,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, making her the highest-priced filly at that auction. 4.30 Newbury, Cond, £16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT FASHION’S STAR (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was a €400,000 purchase at the Arqana May Breeze-Up, making her the joint highest-priced filly at the May sale. Andrew Rosen’s newcomer is out of a half-sister to this year’s G1 QEII Cup and G1 Champions & Chater Cup hero Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) and Roger Charlton introduces her in this often notable contest won in the last three years by the subsequent Group 1 performers Nathra (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Dabyah (Ire) (Sepoy {Aus}). View the full article

This year’s Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper) was moved from WinStar Farm to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud on Monday after it was announced that the big chestnut had been sold by a WinStar-led partnership to John Magnier’s Irish-based powerhouse, which also stands 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Rumors of a pending sale of Justify’s breeding rights had been floating since the Preakness, when Darren Rovell of ESPN was the first to write about it and the dollars involved, which he reported over the summer as $60 million for the rights and an additional $15-million bonus for sweeping all three Classics. If Rovell is correct, the $75 million valuation would be the highest for a horse entering stud. The transaction represents different strategies for the buyers and sellers, all of whom are high-stakes players and competitors in an increasingly global game that’s centered around the development and control of international sire power. Justify’s breeding rights were owned by Kenny Troutt’s WinStar (60%), China Horse Club (25%), and SF Bloodstock (15%). WinStar stands 22 stallions, including American Pharoah’s sire Pioneerof the Nile, and it was an unusual move for a stud farm of the magnitude of WinStar to sell one of the most attractive stallion prospects in the world to a competitor. WinStar CEO Elliott Walden explained the farm’s position the other day. “It was an extremely difficult decision,” he said. “You know, he was a horse owned by a multiple ownership group, with SF and China Horse Club, and it was something we had worked on for a while. It was a hard decision because we do want to stand those types of horses, but it was a business decision that we made because we felt that it would be able to move us forward from a standpoint of where we are in the stage of the farm, and from a security standpoint of being able to reinvest in more and better bloodstock and to invest in our facilities here at WinStar.” Walden did say that the partners would retain breeding rights in Justify. “Coolmore’s been great to work with. All the owners are going to be able to breed to the horse,” which was another consideration in selling to Coolmore, he said, instead of to a Japanese syndicate that made several offers for the horse. I was told of the Japanese overtures by a source from Japan who requested anonymity to discuss the deal. “It wasn’t the obvious guys, like Shadai or Big Red or JBBA. it was an investment team,” my source said. “You know, like the way it happens in New York now, you have those entities like SF Bloodstock and those kinds of groups–investment teams. This was an investment team. It was a serious group from Japan. They kept going, they kept trying, but in the end they gave up. The sellers were not willing sellers. The Japanese team stopped because every time they made an offer, it was rejected.” The price of the bids was not enough to convince the owners to sell, as money wasn’t the only consideration. Walden confirmed this. “It was the offers,” he said, “and [it was] also the ability to breed to the horse here that made a big difference.” Coolmore Connections At Ashford, Coolmore essentially developed the line of sires that led to Justify, so its interest in the latest Triple Crown winner runs deeper than the acquisition of an iconic horse. The physically impressive Justify was bred by the successful boutique operation of John and Tanya Gunther’s Glennwood Farm and was among the highest-rated yearlings at Keeneland in 2016 for Coolmore’s buying team of Paul Shanahan and M.V. Magnier. They passed on the colt only because he’d failed the vet, and the WinStar group landed him for $500,000. The New York Times reported this year that the colt had surgery on a stifle for OCD lesions. At the same sale, however, Coolmore paid the top price of $3 million for Mendelssohn, another Grade l-winning son of Scat Daddy who appears likely to stand at Ashford as well. When it comes to identifying and developing global sires and sire lines, Coolmore is without peer, especially with stallions that trace to Northern Dancer. Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) and his sons Galileo and Montjeu are dynastic in Europe, and Coolmore has played a major hand in the international development of Danehill (Danzig), Storm Cat (Storm Bird), and War Front (Danzig). They are banking on Scat Daddy’s sons carrying on for him in a similar manner. “When Scat Daddy’s first crop were yearlings, I remember meeting renowned [Irish] judge Willie Browne of Mocklershill Stables at the sales in Kentucky,” Shanahan recalled. “He said they looked like real European horses–quality, great movers, slick. So the Americans didn’t go for him initially and the perception of him as a turf sire continued until his stock hit the racetrack and began to prove successful on dirt. As with American Pharoah, I am totally convinced that elite dirt horses like Justify can work in Europe. Like American Pharoah, he has terrific movement, so I see no reason why he won’t sire successful grass horses as well as dirt horses.” Walden agreed. “I personally think–and Bob [Baffert] and I have talked about this–that Justify could have won at Royal Ascot. He could have won the St. James’s Palace if we went that direction. He’s so talented. But take one look at him, and he looks like a dirt horse. The strength that he has, the balance, and he’s out of a Ghostzapper mare.” Coolmore spokesman Richard Henry noted that with the purchase of Justify, the stud farm now owns Scat Daddy’s five Grade l/Group 1-winning Northern Hemisphere sons–No Nay Never, Caravaggio, and Sioux Nation, in addition to Justify and Mendelssohn–and said that “it’s highly unlikely any of them would be for sale.” He added: “If Scat Daddy were alive, he’d now stand for as much as the most expensive stallion in the States,” and in that he’s not wrong. Anatomy of Storm Bird Line “My grandfather M.V. O’Brien built Ballydoyle off the backs of some brilliant American Classic horses. In Justify and American Pharoah we now have two all-time greats, so we couldn’t be more optimistic about the future,” said M.V. Magnier, John Magnier’s son. He could have strictly limited the discussion to Kentucky Derby winner Northern Dancer, whose sons were so instrumental for Vincent O’Brien, Ballydoyle, Robert Sangster, and Coolmore. O’Brien trained such Northern Dancer Classic winners as Nijinsky, El Gran Senor, The Minstrel, and Sadler’s Wells, among others. The genesis of Scat Daddy begins in the early 1980s when the European-raced Storm Bird (Northern Dancer), a champion 2-year-old colt for Sangster and O’Brien, entered stud at Ashford, which was developed and owned at the time by Dr. Bill Lockridge and his partner Robert Hefner. Dr. Lockridge was an advisor to W.T. Young, co-owner with Ashford of the Secretariat mare Terlingua, who was bred to Storm Bird in 1982. When Dr. Lockridge and Hefner experienced financial troubles that year, Young bought out his partners in Terlingua, and he was the sole owner and breeder when she produced Storm Cat the following season. Like his sire Storm Bird, Storm Cat was precocious, and he proved to be a good 2-year-old for Young. By the mid-1980s, as Storm Cat was starting off his stud career at Young’s Overbrook Farm, Coolmore owner John Magnier had purchased Ashford, and he and his associates paid close attention, patronizing Storm Cat heavily once he started exhibiting talent as a sire. Storm Cat made his name initially with dirt horses in the U.S. until Coolmore introduced him to Europe, where he widened his appeal. Recently deceased Giant’s Causeway (Storm Cat) was an iconic homebred European champion for Coolmore and later a flagship sire at Ashford. Other sons of Storm Cat recruited to stand at the farm included, among others, Tale of the Cat, who’s still there, and the W.T. Young-bred Hennessy. Similar to his sire and grandsire, Hennessy was a top juvenile. In fact, all three were Grade l or Group 1 winners at two and, notably, barely raced at three, but this didn’t stop them from succeeding at stud with high-class 3-year-olds. Top racing performance at two is still Coolmore’s modus operandus for Ashford-based prospects, and recent examples of this are juvenile champions Uncle Mo and American Pharoah. The stud rights for the latter had been tied up by the farm in the January of his 3-year-old season because of his 2-year-old record, and the Triple Crown turned out to be a bonus. Hennessy’s champion son Johannesburg also fit the pattern. He was an exceptional European 2-year-old for Coolmore in 2001, undefeated in seven starts and a four-time Group 1 winner. Like Arazi a decade earlier, he came to the U.S. to win the Gl Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. In three starts at three, however, he was winless. That made the sequence of Storm Bird/Storm Cat/Hennessy/Johannesburg startlingly similar. Johannesburg entered stud at Ashford in 2003 and got Scat Daddy in his first crop. True to the sire line, Scat Daddy was an accomplished 2-year-old. Coolmore associate Michael Tabor bought into the partnership that owned the colt before his second-place finish in the Gl Hopeful S. in his third lifetime start, and was co-owner of Scat Daddy with James Scatuorchio when he won the Gl Champagne S. in his next race. But in a departure from the immediate sires that preceded him, Scat Daddy was also successful at three, winning the Gll Fountain of Youth S. and the Gl Florida Derby before a tendon injury in the Kentucky Derby ended his career. By this time, Coolmore associate Derrick Smith had also bought into the horse. The sophomore-year success made him a special prospect from this line of sires for Coolmore when he entered stud at Ashford in 2008. Just a year later, his sire Johannesburg was jettisoned to Japan (where he’s still servicing mares). Hennessy had died in Argentina in 2007 at age 14, so Scat Daddy was asked to carry this branch of Storm Cat into the future for Coolmore, and he did so remarkably, both here, in Europe, and in Chile, until he unexpectedly dropped dead in his paddock at Ashford in December of 2015 at age 11. This was a massive loss for the farm, just as he was scheduled to finally join the elite six-figure club at a $100,000 fee in a few months. Post Scat Daddy Ironically, Justify became the first Kentucky Derby winner since Apollo in 1882 not to race at two, though he descends from a line of five sires going back to Storm Bird that were notable for their Grade I-winning two-year-old form. But with his combination of speed and stamina and the constitution to withstand the demands of the Triple Crown, he brings together, in an exceptional physical package, all the aptitudes of his sire, who was known for brilliant European sprinters, nine-furlong dirt horses, and 10-furlong-plus turf runners in the Americas, and this makes him a special stallion prospect for a shrinking global marketplace. Coolmore already has an early return on its Scat Daddy bets with Irish-based No Nay Never, a multiple Group 1-winning sprinter on turf. With his first runners this year, No Nay Never has begun auspiciously with Group 2 winner Landforce, Group 3 winner Ten Sovereigns, and two Listed winners to his credit, along with four other stakes horses, three of them group placed. One of his stakes winners, the filly Mae Never No (Ire), is with Wesley Ward in the U.S., and she has only raced on dirt. “Wesley believes that his filly is better on dirt than she is on turf–and he has a fair idea,” Shanahan said. In the case of No Nay Never, Scat Daddy appears to be passing along his traits for quality on dirt and turf, and Coolmore has banked heavily on this with Justify, a horse with far bigger stature. “The U.S. is in dire need of sires whose stock can operate around the globe, and I think we might be lucky enough to have two of them,” Shanahan said, referencing both Triple Crown winners at Ashford. “Justify is a physical beauty, and he will suit a wide range of mares in both Europe and North America,” Shanahan said. If he’s right–and Coolmore has had an uncanny knack for developing breed-shaping sires–the Irish farm’s record-priced gamble may look like money well spent down the road. But it’s money that will reload WinStar now and put Troutt’s farm in a better position to compete for the next big prospect. And so goes world of elite stud farms, where one big-dollar deal could prove beneficial for both farms. Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks. View the full article

The juvenile male division took another hit this week as trainer Bob Baffert confirmed that grade 1-place Roadster would be sidelined for about 45 days, ruling him out of the Breeders' Cup. View the full article

McKinzie will take his first step toward reminding pundits why he was so well regarded when he faces nine challengers in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 22 View the full article

Silk Racing Co. Ltd.’s Ria Olivia (Jpn), a 2-year-old daughter of the all-conquering Deep Impact (Jpn) and the first foal from 2013 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor), has been declared for her racetrack debut in a 1600-meter newcomers event over the turf course Saturday at Hanshin Racecourse. A six-length maiden winner at second asking over the Woodbine synthetic track, Ria Antonia was subsequently acquired by Ron Paolucci’s Loooch Racing and Christopher Dunn and crossed the line second in the Juvenile Fillies, only to be put up to the victory upon the disqualification of She’s A Tiger (Tale of the Cat). She was runner-up in the 2014 GI Santa Anita Oaks and GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at three before being purchased for $1.8 million out of that year’s Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Mated to the all-conquering Deep Impact in each of her first three years at stud, Ria Antonia produced Ria Olivia Jan. 7, 2016 and foaled another filly Feb. 21, 2017. Both have been retained by the Yoshida family, but the mare’s colt, foaled this past Feb. 9, was hammered down to Hajime Satomi’s Satomi Horse Company Limited for ¥290 million (about US$2,615,800) to top the JRHA Select Foal Sale on the island of Hokkaido July 10. Ria Olivia, who will be ridden by leading jockey Mirco Demuro, is one of three fillies in a field of 12 for Saturday’s fifth race and is one of three in the race for her sire, who is also represented by a son of US Grade II winner My Jen (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to champion and MG1SW Caravaggio (Scat Daddy). View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses, including a son of Declaration of War looking to stay perfect in his young career: Saturday, September 22, 2018 5th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($119k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT WORLD IS MINE (f, 2, Elusive Quality–Media Madness, by Empire Maker) cost connections $300K as a Keeneland September yearling last fall, the second-dearest of 20 youngsters by the recently deceased Elusive Quality to sell in 2017. A half-sister to the newly stakes-placed Union Blues (Union Rags), World Is Mine is out of a winning daughter of treble Grade III-winning turf mare Batique (Storm Cat), dam of the MGSP turf distaffer Tejida (Rahy). Batique’s half-sister Trensa (Giant’s Causeway) is the dam of English highweight and MG1SW Hawkbill (Kitten’s Joy) and GISW Free Drop Billy (Union Rags. Both Batique and Trensa are daughters of GISW Serape (Fappiano). B-R. M. J. Stables LLC (KY) 11th-HSN, ¥34,620,000 ($308k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1400m COPANO KICKING (g, 3, Spring At Last–Celadon, by Gold Halo {Jpn}) has made a big impression in four career appearances, winning three times by a combined 18 lengths, including a front-running, five-length romp when last seen in a 1000m test at Sapporo Aug. 19 (gate 4). Mirco Demuro gives his stamp of approval to the dark bay, a $19K KEESEP buyback turned $100K Fasig-Tipton Florida breezer, who is out of a half-sister to Japanese SW Moere Genius (Jpn) (Fusaichi Concorde {Jpn}). B-Reiley McDonald (KY). 11th-NKY, ¥34,620,000 ($308k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200mT MOZU SUPERFLARE (f, 3, Speightstown-Christies Treasure, by Belong to Me), a $125K KEESEP graduate, has earned nearly three times that with three victories from nine outings, including a score over this trip two back at Hakodate June 16 in which she stopped the clock in a smart 1:07.90 (gate 16). A half-sister to GSW Sacristy (Pulpit), Mozu Superflare hails from the female family of GISW Purge (Pulpit). Yutaka Take has the call. B-Alpha Delta Stables LLC (KY) Sunday, September 23, 2018 9th-NKY, ¥30,400,000 ($270k), Open Class, 2yo, 2000mT JASPER JACK (c, 2, Declaration of War–Crescent Moon, by Seeking the Gold) got his career off on a positive note, hanging on late to graduate narrowly over 1800 meters at Niigata Sept. 2 (gate 15). The colt’s Grade II-winning dam Wandering Star (Red Ransom) is responsible for G1SW War Command (War Front) and GSW Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat), the dam of SW & GSP War Officer (Grand Slam). Jasper Jack was a $175K KEESEP acquisition. B-Camas Park Stud (KY) @EquinealTDN View the full article

John Oxley and Gary Barber joined forces to acquire MO SPEED (Uncle Mo) for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale last term and he debuts in this spot for trainer Mark Casse. The bay is a half-brother to MGSW millionaire Neck ‘N Neck (Flower Alley). TJCIS PPs —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

Patrick Prendergast will spend the winter dreaming of Classic glory after confirming his G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) will not run again this season. Following victories in the G3 Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown and the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh, the daughter of Scat Daddy was well-fancied to provide her connections with a first top-level success and did so in fine style. Prendergast admits a trip to the Breeders’ Cup was tempting, but feels it will be more beneficial for his star filly to have a break before being prepared for the either the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket or the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at home next spring. Prendergast said, “She’s come out of the race perfect and we’re delighted with her. The “Win And You’re In” offer for the Breeders’ Cup is a very generous one, but the owners are very fond of this filly and they don’t want to go to the well once too often. She’ll be going on a holiday now and we can look forward to the spring with her. They want me to train her for the Guineas and that’s what we’ll do. Obviously there’s the Guineas at home, but we will enter her for Newmarket, too. The ground will be a big factor as we know this filly acts very well on fast ground.” Prendergast is keen to pay tribute to Skitter Scatter’s owners, Anthony and Sonia Rogers, who look set to resist any big offers that might come their way in the coming weeks and months. “A lot has been made about it being my first Group 1 winner and Ronan’s [Whelan] first Group 1 winner, which is great, but it was also a first Group 1 winner for Anthony,” Prendergast noted. “He’s a very hard-working man and he pays the bills at the end of the day, so I’m delighted for him. The owners have a great place at Airlie Stud and if this filly can go on to have foals one day that are as tough as she is, that will be exciting. There’s a chance she could end up being the top juvenile filly in Ireland this year, which would be marvellous.” View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who took his record to a perfect two-for-two for Juddmonte with a win in the Listed Flying Scotsman S. at Doncaster on Sept. 14, stood his ground after Tuesday’s scratching stage along with 47 other colts and fillies for the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse on Oct. 13. One of the highlights of the Dubai Future Champions Festival, the seven-furlong contest is worth £500,000, the same as the G1 bet365 Fillies’ Mile also held during the festival. Recent G1 Phoenix S. hero Advertise (GB) (Showcasing) is also among the entries, as is G1 National S. one-two Quorto (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). G2 Champagne S. victor Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the runner-up, Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) have also stood their ground. “Sangarius has come out of his Doncaster victory fine and the Darley Dewhurst is the race that we are looking at his likely next start–though it might not be a great year to be pointing one towards the Dewhurst as it looks like being an extremely strong renewal,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Prince Khalid Abdullah. “He is a fine, scopey horse but is still a work in progress. He needs to improve upon what he achieved in the Flying Scotsman to be competitive in the Dewhurst, but we do feel that he deserves to take his chance. He has won on both ‘good to firm’ and ‘good to soft’ ground and, although it is hard to tell, there is nothing in either side of his pedigree to suggest that he won’t handle even softer ground. He is from the first crop of Kingman, who has performed above expectations in his first season as a stallion, even though those expectations were quite high. His progeny have been showing a good deal of potential and I couldn’t be more pleased with how he has begun his second career.” Added Grimthorpe of ‘Rising Star’ Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) who was sidelined earlier this season after winning the G2 Coventry S., “His [Kingman’s] first group winner was of course Calyx, who has been out injured since he won the Coventry S., but the good news is that Calyx is on the way back, he is no lost cause, and I’m hopeful of his prospects for next season. Nevertheless, his injury was a real blow, and even the emergence of Sangarius has not really softened it.” View the full article

The 52nd International Conference of Horseracing Authorities will take place on Oct. 8 in Paris, France and will cover a range of topics including strategic measures to stimulate turnover; the health, welfare, and safety of jockeys; and rules harmonisation. The morning session will focus on wagering, with discussions including harnessing technology and measures that can be taken to increase field sizes. The session will be led by Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. The focus of the afternoon session will be divided between jockey welfare, which will be chaired by Denis Egan, CEO of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, and rule harmonization, led by Kim Kelly, the HKJC chief stipendiary steward and chairman of the IFHA harmonisation of raceday rules committee. “Horse racing executives from more than 50 countries will be in attendance this year,” said IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet, who will lead the conference. “Bringing together people from so many regions is a key to progress, as we all are striving to improve our sport.” A live video stream of the Open Forum of the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities will be available on the IFHA’s website. A replay of the live video stream and presentations will be available in the days following the event. View the full article

When Old Glory (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) ran out an eye-catching winner in a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance on debut at Naas on Wednesday evening, he got Zayat Stables–of American Pharoah fame–off to a perfect start in Ireland. “That was our first runner ever in Ireland, so to have him be a winner in our silks was very exciting,” said Justin Zayat, president and chief executive officer of racing and bloodstock for the stable founded by his father, Ahmed Zayat. Zayat Stables races the 2-year-old colt in conjunction with the Coolmore partners, with whom they bought him via agent Justin Casse for a sale-topping €1.6-million at last year’s Goffs Orby sale. For the Zayats, buying at a European auction wasn’t new; they’ve already had success buying European yearlings and exporting them to the States, with flagbearers of that venture including dual stakes winner and Royal Ascot runner Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a €410,000 buy at Arqana August; two-time winner and stakes performer Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who cost 280,000gns at Tattersalls October; and maiden winner and Grade III-placed Irish Territory (Ire) (Declaration of War), a €475,000 Orby purchase. But this was the first time they’d left one in training in Europe. “We’re very, very happy with how the horses we’ve purchased in Europe have been performing,” Zayat said. “This Frankel colt was the sale topper at Orby last year and we partnered on the horse with Coolmore and decided to keep this horse in Ireland at Ballydoyle with Aidan O’Brien.” “We’ve looked to start expanding globally slowly. This colt is out of a Xaar mare, and Gidu happens to be out of an Unbridled’s Song mare, so he had more of an American pedigree. This one has more of a European pedigree. When they wanted to keep him in Ireland we weren’t objecting to it at all. It’s an experiment for us and we’re very excited about it.” Zayat said Wednesday’s win was a bit of a pleasant surprise. “We thought he’d run a good race but we didn’t really expect him to win,” he explained. “We thought if he finished in the top three, we’d be very happy. I know in America, a first-time starter going seven furlongs is a tricky distance, so I was cautiously optimistic about the race, but he really ran impressively. Donnacha [O’Brien] gave him a great ride and was really happy with him. I spoke with Aidan [on Thursday], who was also pretty impressed. We’ll think about the [G1] Racing Post Trophy [on Oct. 27] or the Group 3 at Leopardstown [Killavullan S. on Oct. 20]. We’ll know in about seven to 10 days.” “What was really impressive about the colt was that that was his first time on turf,” Zayat added. “He trains on dirt at Ballydoyle. For him to travel and go on turf, we feel there’s a lot of improvement left in him. Knock on wood, he came out in good shape and for Zayat Stables to have a son of Frankel with Aidan O’Brien, it’s extremely exciting for us.” Zayat said the upcoming yearling sales in Ireland and England would be on his radar. “We try to keep our eyes on all the sales obviously around America, but now the yearling sales in Europe as well,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure what our plan is yet, but we’ll keep our eye on probably being active.” Zayat Stables has campaigned Grade I winners like Bodemeister (Empire Maker), Eskendereya (Giant’s Causeway), Paynter (Awesome Again) and Pioneerof the Nile, but it is of course best known for the latter’s Triple Crown-winning son American Pharoah. American Pharoah’s first-crop yearlings have been selling this fall, and Coolmore, which stands the horse, are outspoken in the fact that they are backing him to be an outstanding turf as well as a dirt sire. Zayat said he echoed that sentiment. “Coolmore feel that a lot of them will be able to run on grass, and I don’t disagree because Pioneerof the Nile broke his maiden on the grass,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been surprised if American Pharoah could have run on the grass, especially being out of a Yankee Gentleman mare. I believe good horses can run on anything so I definitely think they’ll be able to.” American Pharoah’s first Southern Hemisphere crop are currently hitting the ground Down Under, and Zayat said the stable is considering expanding that direction as well. “One-hundred percent,” he said when asked if it was something they were thinking about. “I went there on my honeymoon and I got to visit Gai Waterhouse’s stable out there with Adrian Bott. I spent a whole morning at Randwick and watched the horses train. It’s definitely something that’s going to be on our radar.” While international growth seems like for Zayat Stables, for today, at least, they can bask in the enjoyment of a perfect start in Ireland and the excitement of a potential star. View the full article

The overall championship in the 2018 MATCH Series will be decided Sept. 22 on both dirt and turf at Laurel Park with Laki, Oak Bluffs, and Lewisfield aiming to take the overall title from current points leader Jessica Krupnick. View the full article

Hammered into 13-8 favouritism at the tills having skipped an intended debut at Haydock Sept. 7, Hidden Message (Scat Daddy) justified the faith with a dominant performance in her belated unveiling at Great Yarmouth on Thursday to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status. Positioned in a handy fourth after an alert break, she loomed large under Oisin Murphy inside the quarter-mile marker and powered clear once quickening to the front at the eighth pole to easily outclass previous winner Promote (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) by an impressive 3 3/4 lengths. “It was good to get a run into her and she did it well,” said Maureen Haggas of the Sept. 28 G2 Rockfel S. entry. “We’ve always thought a lot of her from the word go at home, it’s great she’s done it on the track and she can only improve from this. She behaved well, but has not been straightforward and the lad who rides her at home has done a great job.” Winning rider Oisin Murphy added, “She was very professional and I liked everything she did. I don’t think the race will work out to be very strong so it’s hard to know how good she is, but she’s a filly for the future.” Hidden Message becomes the fourth scorer produced by Listed Radley S. victress Secret Charm (Ire) (Green Desert) and she is kin to a yearling filly by Munnings and a colt foal by Air Force Blue. Secret Charm, who visited Air Force Blue again this year, is a half-sister to stakes-winning G1 Epsom Oaks third Relish The Thought (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), herself the dam of three stakes performers headed by GII Honeymoon H. heroine and GI American Oaks runner-up My Gi Gi (E Dubai). 3rd-Great Yarmouth, £7,400, Cond, 9-20, 2yo, f, 6f 3yT, 1:13.82, g/f. HIDDEN MESSAGE, f, 2, by Scat Daddy 1st Dam: Secret Charm (Ire), by Green Desert 2nd Dam: Viz, by Kris S. 3rd Dam: Shapiro’s Mistress, by Unpredictable Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £4,787. O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Frank Hutchinson (KY); T-William Haggas. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Redpender Stud near Gowran in Kilkenny is home to Jimmy Murphy and his family and it is a farm that has also been the home at one stage or another to a number of future stallions, champion 2-year-olds, Group 1 winners and sale toppers under both codes of flat and National Hunt racing. These statistics have emanated from a broodmare band of never more than 10 mares. TDN’s Daithi Harvey caught up with Murphy to discuss his yearling drafts coming up at Tattersalls Ireland, Goffs Orby and Tattersalls Book 1, and some of his previous success in both the sales ring and on the racecourse. TDN: You have two yearlings up in Tattersalls Ireland next week. What can you tell us about them? JM: We have a Footstepsinthesand (GB) colt (lot 434) who is a half-brother to five winners. We bought him privately last November and he is a nice type. We also have a filly by Acclamation (GB) (lot 363). She is a good-looking, correct filly, not overly big but she is a sharp, early sort. She has had two nice pedigree updates since the catalogue was printed. Her half-brother Dark Shadow (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) won his maiden for Clive Cox while under the second dam Mrs Sippy (Blame) won a listed race in France recently. TDN: Redpender Stud has two colts and two fillies going to Goffs the following week. All are up on day two, which should make for an exciting, albeit nervous, day. JM: Yes, it will be full-on that day. We are happy with the four, the Dandy Man (Ire) colt (lot 327) is a lovely yearling. He is out of a half-sister to [dual stakes winner] Rising Shadow (Ire) (Efisio {GB}), who we sold as a yearling a good few years ago. I bought him as a foal [for €40,000] last year at Goffs and Dandy Man is enjoying a good run of things. We’ve had a bit of faith in Dandy Man for a while; we pinhooked Parbold (Ire) a few years ago, he was one of his first good horses. The Dark Angel (Ire) filly (lot 285) is a homebred and she is a nice, sharp filly. She’s very smart and the mare [Expensive Date {Ire}] seems to be throwing them well as she had a lovely foal this year. The Gleneagles (Ire) colt (lot 296) is proper horse. We covered the mare [Fluvial {Ire}] with Gleneagles as she is closely related to the dam of [G1 Cox Plate winner] Adelaide (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). We sold the half-sister [Tivoli (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}] two years ago to Juddmonte and she won two races this year and is rated 86 so she has done okay. We bred the Mastercraftsman filly as well (lot 297). She is a grand filly, we’ve had the mare For Evva Silca for years and we bred Warsaw and Meiner Eternal out of her so she has been good to us. Hopefully the Mastercraftsmans will be popular this year. He’s always been a good sire and you would hope with Alpha Centauri fresh in the memory that his progeny should be in demand. TDN: You’ve been associated with some high-class horses over the years such as Canford Clifffs (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), Toormore (Ire) (Arakan) and Estidhkaar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Can you tell us about how your involvement with those horses came about? JM: It all began with a horse called Nasri (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), who we sold well as a yearling. He was related to Canford Cliffs who I then ended up buying as a foal and although we didn’t make any money on him as a yearling we always liked him. We then ended up buying nearly everything related to them including the dam of Canford Cliffs, Mrs Marsh (GB) (Marju {Ire}) [for 25,000gns]. We were obviously then very lucky with how Canford Cliffs turned out. Very few people would put a horse as good as that through their hands. We then sold Mrs Marsh privately after Canford Cliffs won the Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. TDN: The mare Danetime Out (Ire) (Danetime {Ire}) has also been a massive success story for Redpender Stud. What is the latest on her? JM: Well, strictly speaking, Danetime Out is owned by my two sons but yes she has been a fantastic mare. I think she was a 5-year-old when we bought her and obviously since then she has bred Toormore, who was champion 2-year-old in 2013, and Estidhkaar, who won the G2 Champagne S. and is now standing at Tara Stud. She has a nice full-brother to Estidhkaar going to Tattersalls Book 1 (lot 323); she has a colt foal by Muhaarar (GB) and is now in foal to Churchill (Ire). We’re very excited about the Dark Angel yearling; he has a lot going for him. TDN: Redpender Stud is equally at home selling National Hunt horses and was one of the leading vendors at the Derby Sale at Tattersalls Ireland earlier this year, with two sold for €390,000. 2018 must rank as a pretty good year for the farm? JM: It’s been a brilliant year so far. We had a lean enough spell the previous few years so it was good to get. It’s a family run operation with my sons Brian and Eoin a big part of the team. We’ll all be working hard over the next few weeks so it would be nice to get a few more decent sales to make it all worthwhile. We have 10 mares on the farm, all flat mares; we tend to buy National Hunt foals rather than breeding them and we pinhook a few flat foals each year as well. So as soon as the yearling sales are over we will be starting the process all over again. View the full article

Rookie trainer Jimmy Ting Koon-ho and jockey Grant van Niekerk will return to the scene of their opening-day triumph this weekend when they try to go back-to-back with Triumphant Jewel. The eight-year-old warhorse of 68 starts provided the fairy tale of the first meeting of the new season when he stormed down the Sha Tin straight to win at what was both Ting and Van Niekerk’s first start in Hong Kong. Before joining Ting’s yard, Triumphant Jewel had won just one of his past 34... View the full article