Wandering Eyes

Get Away Farm's grade 1-winning freshman sire Drill had his first black-type stakes winner when Drillit took the Tah Dah Stakes at Belterra Park Aug. 26. View the full article

Ten Broeck Farm's Chanteline added a third stakes victory to her resume Aug. 26, sailing past the wire three lengths in front to win the Smart N Fancy Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga Race Course turf. View the full article

Horses' test results August 25 View the full article

Javier Castellano has his own Hall of Fame plaque on Union Avenue, but any achievement he can garner to further distinguish his legacy from fellow legends is a treasured one. View the full article

TALE OF THE UNION (c, 2, Union Rags–Tanglewood Tale, by Tale of the Cat) became the latest example of the incredible depth of the Bob Baffert barn Sunday as the $925,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic grad powered away to a convincing eight-length tally to garner the ‘TDN Rising Star’ distinction. Not off particularly quickly, the bay rushed up in between rivals to pester speedy second timer Stubbins (Morning Line) through splits of :22.24 and :45.37. Still going strongly in upper stretch, the 4-5 chalk powered away under minimal encouragement to run up the score and stop the clock in 1:03.81. Stubbins held on for second. A $90,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Preferred Yearling purchase by Brad Grady’s Grand Oaks, Tale of the Union was the second-priciest purchase in May at Timonium after breezing a furlong in a powerful :10 flat with an energetic gallop-out. Fellow Michael Lund Petersen-owned and Baffert-trained firster Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man), the fourth topper at Midlantic at $625,000, was scratched from this same race. Baffert has now unveiled five ‘TDN Rising Stars’ during the Del Mar stand (Game Winner, Roadster, Chasing Yesterday). The victory also capped a very productive weekend for sire Union Rags, who was responsible for both GII Pat O’Brien S. winner Catalina Cruiser and Shared Belief S. winner Tatters to Riches on Saturday’s Del Mar card, as well as GI Ballerina S. runner-up Still There at Saratoga. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Michael Lund Petersen. B-Avanti Stable (NY). T-Bob Baffert. View the full article

Saturday’s slate of graded stakes at Saratoga Race Course yielded entertaining and intriguing races whose results very likely include pertinent clues that could go a long way toward solving the non-2-year-old divisions of the Breeders’ Cup. Hopefully you got your fill out of the GI Runhappy Travers S. and its undercard though, because in this era of longer-spaced and lightly raced game plans, the notion of an “autumn campaign” for elite-level horses is slipping by the wayside. We’re now inside the 10-week mark for Thoroughbred racing’s world championships, and it will be surprising if any of the major contenders start more than once prior to taking aim at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2-3. Not unexpectedly, the connections of several divisional heavy hitters have already indicated a preference for training straight up to the Breeders’ Cup. So if we’re sifting for nuggets that have some prognostic value, you have to start at the top with Catholic Boy (More Than Ready)’s authoritative shakedown of the solid (but not stellar) Travers field. Beyond the oomph of his four-length, pace-pressing win that left the impression there’s more left in the tank, the year-long arc of his adept progression into a forwardly placed pace presence who can win Grade I races both on turf and dirt is likely to be the truer indication that the ridgling will again outrun his odds if he shows up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. With the exception of the GI Florida Derby–a race in which he bled and got derailed from the Triple Crown trail–Catholic Boy has never been beaten more than two lengths at the wire. Six of his nine races are wins, yet he never gets proper respect at the wagering windows, having started favored just once. His 7-1 odds in the Travers were more or less in line with his usual overlaid starting prices. Remember, too, that trainer Jonathan Thomas spent a good deal of time this past spring trying to get Catholic Boy accustomed to rating from farther back. “I’d like to get him buried and just take him off the pace a bit more and let him come with a big, extended run,” he told TDN back in February. But since Catholic Boy returned to the races on the grass in June, he’s been allowed to either seek the lead or force the fractions on the front end, and letting the horse do it his way has paid off handsomely. Catholic Boy appeared entirely in his element hounding Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) through legit splits in the Travers, and when fully unleashed approaching the quarter pole, he spun into the home straight with a full head of steam. After some momentary shifting inward three-sixteenths out, Catholic Boy straightened out and dug in gamely, and his widening of the margin late in the lane was accomplished with a noticeable sheen of confidence that suggests he has become well aware of where he belongs near the top of the pecking order. Catholic Boy might take an unconventional next-race prep path to the Classic. Thomas said Sunday that the GII Hill Prince S. at 1 1/8 miles on the turf Oct. 6 at Belmont Park was the most likely option. But it is not the only one: He added that the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup a week earlier was also a possibility, and so is letting Catholic Boy simply train up to the race in Kentucky. Undercard Implications The rough-housing rivalry between Abel Tasman (Quality Road) and Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) could be over just as the plot is beginning to thicken. The one-two favored finishers from Saturday’s GI Personal Ensign S. again required a stewards’ long look prior to the “official” sign being lit on the tote board. Recall that in last year’s GI Coaching Club American Oaks on opening weekend at the Spa, an outside-running Abel Tasman beat a rail-hugging Elate by a head after a stretch-long, muscle-to-muscle, close-quarters joy ride in which no disqualification was issued despite a prolonged inquiry by the judges. This year, the roles were positionally reversed, but the outcome (this time by a nose) was essentially the same: Abel Tasman, at the fence through the stretch run, edged out under right-handed whipping while a hard-charging Elate came in slightly in deep stretch, and it was Elate whose momentum was knocked out of whack for a stride or two as the two brushed in close quarters. Upon crossing the wire, Elate’s rider, Jose Ortiz, immediately pointed in the direction of the stewards’ stand, seemingly to indicate he believed a foul had been committed. He then lodged a formal objection against Mike Smith and Abel Tasman, which was not sustained amid a rare (for Saratoga patrons) chorus of booing while the winner had her photo snapped in the Spa winner’s circle Abel Tasman is an aggressive sort. She moves early in her races–sometimes commencing a field-looping bid six furlongs out–and seems to thrive on close contact through the stretch. Elate excels in races when she can uncoil and build up significant, clear momentum without the added task of having to defend her late-race position, and the longer the better for her in terms of distance. Trainer Bob Baffert indicated on Sunday that Abel Tasman might train up to the nine-furlong GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Bill Mott, Elate’s trainer, told DRF.com that he might consider entering the Classic with Elate, in part because she’s 2-for-2 at 1 1/4 miles. In other Spa undercard stakes, it’s worth noting that among the trio of Grade I sprints run at seven furlongs on Saturday (the Jerkens, Forego, and Ballerina S.), the fastest final time was posted in the filly and mare stakes by Marley’s Freedom (Blame). Granted, it’s splitting hairs when you come down to hundredths of a second. But her final time of 1:21.39 still edged out the Jerkens S. win by Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford) by .05 seconds and the Forego S. victory by Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) by .07 seconds. And in grass stakes action, forward placement was at a premium. Both the 12-furlong GI Sword Dancer S. over the inner turf course and the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa S. over the outer course yielded finishes that resulted from the 1-2 pacemakers maintaining their positions without change all the way around the course. Meanwhile, at Del Mar… On the opposite coast, the GII Pat O’Brien S. at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club was low on quantity of entrants (four starters), but high in potential superstar potential. The throttling that speed-to-spare Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) administered to his overwhelmed rivals over seven furlongs could have eclipsed his 7 1/4-length winning margin if jockey Drayden Van Dyke had needed to ask him for serious run at any point in the race. The 4-for-4 John Sadler trainee will be pointed for the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile after snagging the “Win and You’re In” qualifier on Saturday. The more tantalizing storyline would have the 4-year-old colt aiming for the Classic, but Sadler also conditions GI Pacific Classic victor Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), who is the West Coast’s top older male distance horse, and he’s already secured his own qualifying berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Even though Catalina Cruiser is another top contender who might train up to his Breeders’ Cup race, stretching out in distance is certainly something that is on Sadler’s long-range radar. Catalina Cruiser “will hopefully by January be ready for the [GI] Pegasus [World Cup],” Sadler said on Sunday. “He’ll be a little more seasoned, mature and all that stuff by then.” View the full article

After what they called an "informal hearing" with Kent Desormeaux, the Del Mar stewards have "handed over" to California Horse Racing Board investigators a case related to the jockey's ride aboard Take a Leap in the fourth race at Del Mar Aug. 25. View the full article

Two of the 10 sophomores set to line up in the one-mile Better Talk Now on the Saratoga Race Course turf Aug. 27, began their careers running against some of the best in their class on dirt. 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. Monday’s Insights features a son of MG1SW Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). 4.15-Epsom, £15,000, Cond, 3yo/up, 10f 17yT Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s WILLIE JOHN (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a hitherto unbeaten son of G1 Pretty Polly S. and G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), was headline news when realising 1.9-million guineas at Tattersalls’ recent February sale and lines up here coming off an impressive five-length tally over much this trip at Doncaster in his first start for Roger Varian earlier this month. His mettle will be fully tested here as he faces a quintet which includes battle-hardened black-type yardsticks Gabrial (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Sovereign Debt (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). View the full article

Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) came out of his victory in Saturday’s GI Runhappy Travers S. in good order and trainer Jonathan Thomas was contemplating how best to get his charge to the Nov. 3 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. “He cooled out nicely, ate up well last night and looked like he had good energy this morning, so all in all, he exited that race in good order,” said Thomas. Thomas said the Oct. 6 GII Hill Prince S. at 1 1/8 miles over the Belmont turf was Catholic Boy’s most likely option as a prep for the Classic, but that the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup a week earlier was also a possibility, as would letting Catholic Boy train up to the race in Kentucky. “The Hill Prince seems to make sense right now; it’s against his own age group, cutting back an eighth of a mile and on what I would call just a little bit of a kinder surface,” Thomas said. “I don’t know whether we want to go running against Diversify (Bellamy Road) [in the Jockey Club Gold Cup], as quick as he is. I don’t know if that’s something I feel good about. This horse [also] has the ability to come off the bench running. If we needed to add time, that’s OK. We’ll let the next couple of weeks tell us.” Catholic Boy gave Thomas his first graded stakes victory last summer when winning the GIII With Anticipation S. over the Saratoga turf. “[Last year,] the Travers would have been the last thing on our mind,” Thomas said. “We thought we had a nice, two-turn grass horse, which was perfectly fine. We’ve had this horse since he was a weanling, and to see his development … it’s like [having drafted] an NFL player out of elementary school.” Travers runner-up Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) was also in fine shape Sunday morning and is expected to train up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. “Even after his race yesterday, I had him down at the test barn, and he pulled the arms on me and he was still whinnying, so the race couldn’t have taken that whole amount out of him because he had his dinner last night, he’s straight into his breakfast, he’s showing the signs that he’s in a good place,” said T.J. Comerford, assistant to trainer Aidan O’Brien. Calumet Farm homebred Bravazo (Awesome Again), third in the Travers, will likely make his next start in the Sept. 22 GI Pennsylvania Derby. “The horse is consistent,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said of the colt. “He’s probably the most consistent of any of the 3-year-olds other than Justify, who did it all, but he shows up. He’ll probably be one of the few that will be in the Pennsylvania Derby. He came back great. He cleaned up, he looked good this morning. If they ran it next week, I could wheel him back.” Trainer Chad Brown saddled the favorite and second choice in the Travers, with Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}) finishing eighth and favored Good Magic (Curlin) ninth. “If Gronkowski got back to Belmont and he’s training really well and everything goes good, [the Jockey Club Gold Cup] seems like a logical spot for him given the distance,” Brown said. “And he ran so well [when second] in the [GI] Belmont S. [As for] Good Magic, I haven’t given any thoughts on him until I see the horse a couple of days removed from the race.” View the full article

In winning Saturday's $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), Catholic Boy gave trainer Jonathan Thomas a milestone achievement on his still burgeoning résumé and put to bed queries about his dirt form. View the full article

The York festival has come to a close and what a spectacular show of equine elite we were treated to. Some of the weeks’ highlights included Mark Johnston becoming the leading most trainer in England when in the typical running style of his runners, Poet’s Society went for the front and found plenty under pressure to cling on under a determined Frankie Detorri. Undoubtley, Stradivarius was the big winner of the week when in the process of winning the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup he bagged the Weatherbys Hamilton £1 million Stayers bonus. The first notable performance of the week came in the Group 1 Juddmonte International where Roaring Lion put in a sparkling performance to beat Poet’s Word under high flying Oisin Murphy. This was the son of Kitten’s Joy second consecutive Group 1 victory having won the Coral-Eclipse in July. Connections of Poet’s Word may feel slightly aggrieved having been short of room as the pace quickened but on the day the best horse won. Gosden said: “He’s run a lovely race. They went an honest pace. You’d got Dubai World Cup winners in there, Poet’s Word came at him and ran a blinder. There were no hiding places out there. “We were delighted with him — I was expecting a big performance from him. “He’d been training exceptionally well. We’ve made no secret of the fact he worked on the July Course the other day with Rab Havlin on board and went very well Old Persian (White Cap)One of the more interesting and probably informative races of the week was the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes where it was a 1-2 for Charlie Appleby where apparent stable second-string Old Persian beat favourite Cross Counter by a head, with the Aidan O’Brien, trained Kew Gardens a staying on third. The first three home, all have bigger targets on the horizon and connections will be delighted with all the performances. Afterwards, Appleby said: “The two horses came here in great order. I put a line through Old Persian’s run in the Irish Derby. We might have backed up quick enough after Royal Ascot, but I always felt the horse was going there in great order. “It was more the fact the race didn’t pan out as we expected as they slowed up in front and we weren’t in the right position. “The horse needed a break from there and he had a nice, little break. The team have got him back well and we were confident coming into today. He’s bred to get a trip and he galloped out strongly. “Cross Counter came onto the scene later on and this wasn’t his main target, but on the back of his victory at Goodwood, he put himself forward to be in the picture for Australia (Melbourne Cup). “Really, it couldn’t have worked out any better. I know the betting didn’t suggest that, but Old Persian can head on to the St Leger now and Cross Counter can do what we always expected him to do and go to Melbourne for the Cup“. Of the runner-up Kevin Buckley, Coolmore’s UK representative, said: “He’s run a great race, he’s just been beaten by the penalty…It’s nice to see him come back from his little break after his race in France in such good form…He should step up on that perfectly in time for Town Moor (St. Leger)”. Sea Of Class (Yellow)Day Two of the Ebor festival was full of talking points as firstly Aidan O’Brien’s Fairyland won the opening Group 2 Lowther Stakes which may mark the end of the “bug” which has plagued Ballydoyles horses this season. The feature race was the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks where William Haggas enjoyed a birthday winner with Sea Of Class certainly living up to her name. She travelled supremely throughout and quickened up well to comfortably beat Coronet. Mark Johnston made history when as mentioned Poet’s Society and Frankie Dettori won the valuable Clipper Logistics Handicap. This victory was Johnston’s 4,194 winner which makes him the winning most trainer in the UK beating Richard Hannon Snr who previously held the record A clearly delighted Johnston said: “I started small. It was just one winner at a time and with horses like this. That was his sixth win of the year. That’s what it’s about – to run them”. “This horse epitomises what we’re all about – I think he’s won about nine races now…This is a special place to do it, as well, but it’s business as usual now”. Stradivarius was the star on Day 3 with a strong staying performances in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup. On his previous starts, this season the son of Sea The Stars had won the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup bot of which are Group 1 affairs. This Group 2 win, however, is the biggest of his career due to him bagging the £1 million bonus. In the race itself, there was a brief moment of worry as Frankie got to work on John Gosden’s stable star and there was an immediate response. Class is permanent and this season’s leading stayer hit top gear inside the final furlong to mow down Count Octave. The winning rider in his debrief” said: “I didn’t feel the horse was as good today as at Ascot, only his courage and class got him through…I’m usually worried sometimes he can take a hold, but today he was very quiet, he didn’t carry me with his usual enthusiasm”. “He’s had a hard season, being in every two-mile championship race from the start of the season can take its toll, but his class and courage saw him through”. “Show me the money!” Alpha Delphini (Nearside)There was a shock winner of the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes as the seven-year-old gelding running in just his second Group 1 contest stayed on gamely under Graham Lee to deny the determined challenge of Mabs Cross. Bryan Smart’s stable star returned at starting odds of 40/1 as race favourite Battaash found little under pressure to finish a disappointing fourth. A clearly delighted Smart beamed: “I knew I had him the best he’d ever been, I’d trained him for this race as it was one I’d always wanted to win…I’d told the wife months ago that he was going to be absolutely spot-on for this, he was just coming right”. “There was a difference today, he was so relaxed, he wasn’t sweating or anything…Credit must go to Graham Lee, it was his idea to take the cheekpieces off as he felt that he couldn’t see the other horses when they came at him”. The Group 2 Gimcrack went the way of Kevin Ryan’s Emaraaty Ana under the all-conquering Frankie Detorri. The son of Shamardal made all to beat Legends of War who’s form is somewhat suspect. I think this may have been a weak renewal of the Gimcrack but only time will tell. The final day of the Ebor festival was all about the Ebor Handicap itself which is a 1-mile 6-furlong contest and is the richest handicap run all year. Tony Bloom has landed his fair share of big handicap punts in recent season and he was responsible for this year’s favourite Stratum but it wasn’t to be as Willie Mullins’s runner was badly hampered just outside the furlong marker and that was his race done. Muntahaa was ultimately a runaway winner of the race under Jim Crowley. The highly tried son of Dansili was fourth in the St Leger behind Harbour Law two seasons ago and this back class showed here to produce an impressive performance. The incredibly consistent Weekender again finished in the placings and looks sure to land one of these big races sooner or later. The horse to take from the race may be Ger Lyons’s Mustajeer who finished a staying on fourth having not had the clearest of passages throughout the race. The post York Review – Record Setting Johnston, Stradivarius Lands £1 Million Bonus & Much More appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Jockey Christophe Lemaire captured the World All-Star Jockeys Title at Sapporo on Sunday with 72 points. The two-day challenge pits jockeys against each other over four races, two per day. Lemaire won the second leg of day one after a ninth-place finish in the first race, and returned on Sunday to run fifth and first in the third and fourth races, respectively. He was 13 points ahead of Yutaka Take. Mirco Demuro finished third with 40 points and Rafael Bejarano, the top finisher for a non-Japanese-based jockey, wound up fourth with 38 points, two better than Joao “Magic Man” Moreira. “I feel great,” said Lemaire. “Sapporo is a wonderful racecourse and I want to thank the racing fans for their support. I was really lucky to have been able to ride good horses this year.” View the full article

Ellis Park has cancelled racing Aug. 26 because of a water-main break that is preventing water from getting to the grandstand or barn area. View the full article

In winning Saturday's $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), Catholic Boy gave trainer Jonathan Thomas a milestone achievement on his still burgeoning training résumé and put to bed queries about his dirt form. View the full article

A top-tier consignor not readily associated with Goffs UK’s Premier Yearling Sale is Newsells Park Stud, but the Hertfordshire-based nursery is heading north this week armed with what general manager Julian Dollar said he believes is by far the strongest draft they have ever brought to the sale. “I really think it’s the best draft of horses we have brought to Doncaster, not just on paper but as physicals as well,” he says. Normally at this stage, Newsells Park would have already kicked off its sales season with a draft of yearlings at Deauville, but a change in policy this year has seen Dollar concentrate his earlier-looking types at Goffs UK, a sale that has evolved in recent years to include a more ‘Classic’ type animal. “We decided this year to give Arqana a miss for the first time in a while. We thought we would just take a step away for a year and review our policy,” explains Dollar. “Arqana is a great sale and French breeders have really upped their game in recent years and we probably didn’t send as high a calibre of horse there the last couple years as we did, say six or seven years ago. So we will just take a year out and review the situation again with the intention of going back there perhaps next summer or the year after.” He continues, “There is also the logistical advantage of staying close to home at this time of year. A trip to France represents quite a strain on operations with staff deployed with the yearlings for a full week while the farm’s other yearlings, many destined for Tattersalls Book 1, still require full attention. Going to Doncaster still represents an upheaval but for less time.” Sending a batch of yearlings to Doncaster doesn’t necessarily represent a huge policy shift for Newsells Park Stud; it’s more a case of matching yearlings to the sales that were deemed the best fit for the individual. “We’ve always sent horses to Goffs UK and I know some people would look at our brand and the type of horse we historically produce, which is more a 3-year-old Classic type, and say, ‘Well, do we really suit Doncaster?’ And there have been times when we have struggled to produce what I call a ‘Donny’ draft of horses, but equally we have topped the sale in the past and I think this year we really have a group of horses that fit.” The Premier Sale has undergone a slight image change in recent years. Once the self-proclaimed source of early 2-year-olds with Royal Ascot aspirations, it has now evolved, thanks to a year-on-year increase in the quality of horse on offer, to a source of both early types and those that will improve with time and distance. Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) offer perfect examples of what the auction has become: a top class 2-year-old and a Classic 3-year-old from the last two editions. It is not hard to understand why Dollar is so enthusiastic about his draft this year. When you review the pedigrees of the ‘Newsells Nine,’ they are all active and performing to a high level and either by proven, high-class stallions or exciting newcomers with the right credentials. Dollar is in for an nerve-wracking 20 minutes on Tuesday morning as a third of his draft will enter the ring in succession, kicked off by lot 19, a Kodiac (GB) colt out of Lady Darshaan (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) who was Group 1-placed and has been represented by the stakes winner Let’s Go (Street Cry) as her only runner to date. “The Kodiac is a real 2-year-old type but he has the added benefit of having a proper pedigree, the mare being both high class on the track and proving a quality producer,” says Dollar. Next up is a Gleneagles (Ire) colt (lot 20) out of another ‘Lady,’ this time Lady Eclair (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who achieved full black-type when winning a listed race in Chester among her seven wins in total. Her prowess as a broodmare has already been highlighted by her very promising 3-year-old son Al Malhouf (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), a stakes winner in France this summer. The colt has a pedigree replete with stakes winners and comes with a glowing reference from Dollar and his team. “This Gleneagles colt, and Gerry [Meehan], our yearling manager, would agree, is the nicest colt we’ve got this year full stop,” he says. “Conformation-wise he is gorgeous and I’ve been prepping yearlings with Gerry for 13 years and he is one of the nicest we’ve had throughout that time. He could have walked into Book 1 [at Tattersalls], he has a proper page and his half-brother was only touched off in a Group 2 in France and is very highly thought of.” With such an endorsement, Dollar had his choice of sales grounds with this colt and adds, “Admittedly we are taking a bit of a gamble taking him there but we are confident the team at Goffs UK will do their usual good job and have a strong international buying-bench present. Henry [Beeby] and his team really wanted him, they made quite a play for him. He is a lovely horse by an exciting young stallion and I have a lot of belief in him.” Following him into the ring is lot 21, a colt by Muhaarar (GB) who, like Gleneagles, is a stallion whose first yearlings are generating a real buzz in the sales ring. This colt is out of the stakes-placed Lady Francesca (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), who has already bred the 90-rated Bartholomeu Dias (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) from two runners so far. “He’s just a lovely, lovely horse,” Dollar says. “The family has produced some smart 2-year-olds. Purr Along (GB) was a highly-rated juvenile and we have some Muhaarars for later in the season so I thought this lad was an early type so we would bring him here. It will be a stressful 20 minutes for me but I know they are nice horses and I will be very disappointed if they go into the ring and there aren’t a few people following each one in.” The rest of the Newsells yearlings are nicely spaced out in the catalogue and another of the draft that received a valuable update since catalogue publication is lot 104. The Showcasing (GB) colt’s half-brother Chief Ironside (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) was third in the G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. at Goodwood earlier this month. “This colt belongs to Robert Barnett who was kind enough to entrust us with his valuable stock the end of last year. I hope he sells well as I persuaded Mr Barnett to send him here. It’s a pity the update didn’t get into the catalogue but I’m sure enough people will know about it. Chief Ironside is a horse on the up and this is a nice colt with a top-class page so he should be popular.” Newsells Park also bring three fillies to the sale, each by popular, successful stallions in Dutch Art (GB), Dark Angel (Ire) and Kodiac (GB). “The Dutch Art filly, (lot 71), she looks like she could run next April, she is so precocious and well-made and she is a lovely mover. Any trainer looking for one to get on with quickly, she definitely looks that type,” Dollar says. “The Kodiac filly (lot 303) we have on the second day, she is a real powerhouse and she walks for fun. We haven’t been using Kodiac for all that long but I can see why breeders like using him and why he gets so many good 2-year-olds. They really are like peas in a pod, we have a few on the farm this year and they’re all just so similar; nice models, very well balanced, good walkers and this filly is typical of that. The Dark Angel filly (lot 44) looks precocious, she has a nice pedigree and she will interest people.” Newsells Park will also offer the penultimate yearling in the Premier Sale, and lot 500 is by Oasis Dream (GB), a sire that is enjoying quite a resurgence this year. “The Oasis Dream colt is a real Doncaster horse; he’s a neat, well put together horse with a proper page. He’s the first foal out of a fast mare who won the Wokingham S. so he should be popular. It’s great to see Oasis Dream having such a successful season as well, people were far too quick to write him off,” Dollar offers. Dollar is keen to point out that the evolution of the Goffs UK sale is something the sales company cannot achieve by itself and that breeders and consignors must also play a role in, broadening the scope of horses on offer at the sale. While this involves an element of risk for those selling, he is confident that the quality of yearling he is bringing to the market will outweigh any shortfall in perception. “They’re just a lovely bunch of horses that are pretty hard to fault. Hopefully other people will agree with us and they will sell well, go to good homes and get a good chance–that’s the best we can hope for,” he concludes. View the full article

TDN’s Alayna Cullen paid a visit to Tweenhills Stud to speak with David Redvers about G1 Juddmonte International winner Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) and fan favourite and G1 Sussex S. winner Lightning Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). She also caught up on the careers of Qatar Racing’s stallions, Charm Spirit (IRE), Havana Gold (IRE) and Hot Streak (IRE) as well as finding out a little about the stud’s newest Australian recruit. TDN: David, it’s been an exciting period for Team Qatar Racing. We saw Roaring Lion take the Juddmonte International at York last week. How were you all feeling before the race? DR: We were very nervous. You never really know how you are going to match up until you do match up. So to see Roaring Lion win in the fashion he did was just exhilarating to put it mildly. It is a realization of several years of work and we are very lucky to have the services of, I think one of the most exciting young jockeys [Oisin Murphy] and one of the preeminent trainers in the world [John Gosden]. TDN: Watching Sheikh Fahad around this horse you get the feeling that he is particularly close to Sheikh Fahad’s heart– would that be correct? DR: Yes, I think so. Any horse that you buy as a yearling and then are very close to the progress and development of takes a bit of a special place. Sheikh Fahad knew immediately that he wanted John Gosden to train him after he bought him. John’s yard is very close to where Sheikh Fahad lives, so they get to see quite a lot of him. His racing style, exuberance and that wonderful color all work really wonderfully together too so this horse is close to all of us, really. TDN: What are your plans for him for the rest of the season? DR: Well, that is very much down to Mr. Gosden and Sheikh Fahad. The most likely option at this point I would say are the two Champion Stakes’, the Irish and the British. And then there has also been talk about the Breeders’ Cup. Then of course there is ongoing discussions as to whether he will stay in training or whether he retires and comes here. TDN: Another Group 1 winner you have had this year is Lightning Spear, a true fan favourite. How was that experience for your team? DR: It was very, very special. Everyone wanted him to win a Group 1, even though he has got nothing to do with them, they wanted him to win a Group 1. But to win the Sussex S., which is one of the season’s highlights, and to do it so superbly was, it was just wonderful. There are many reasons why he has become a fan favourite. It is interesting that he seems to have gathered as much of a following as some of the good jumpers, because he has become everyone’s favorite. It was huge to see him win, and win in that fashion. {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"David Redvers on Tweenhills","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/286604955.sd.mp4?s=f16c59748d11e8cfc93b4c9c64fe92e92aa21b48&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/279914219.sd.mp4?s=8d2dfefc9b804ab07dc00dbbe6ed6f4837cb6d1e&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} TDN: Where is he heading now for the rest of the season? DR: He is likely to go to France next. Either to the [G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 9], or the [G1 Prix de la Foret on Oct. 7]. There is a possibility he will go to Newmarket for the [G1] Queen Elizabeth II, if the ground is on the good side, but the most likely thing is the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The Breeders’ Cup Mile is a race that should lend itself perfectly to him. He has got such a startling turn of foot. If he can get a decent position and produce late it will take a very, very good horse at the top of their form to beat him. After that he will retire to stud. We have already designed his logo and they are building his stable as we speak. We can’t wait to get him here. The number of times I have been stopped and asked about the horse and what he was going to stand for and how many mares we would take and if we are doing syndication of breeding rights offers; he has really caught people’s imagination. TDN: Hot Streak (GB) has his first couple of yearlings selling at Goffs UK this week. What feedback have you had on his stock? DR: All the vendors are telling me that they have some great ones going to the sales. We have had a photographer going around Ireland and England, photographing all of the yearlings, so that we have them documented. She is a good judge in her own right, Caroline Norris. I am very optimistic because he is such a good horse himself, such a good looking horse. He was an incredibly quick 2-year-old. He is exactly what the Goffs UK market looks for. They are going to be trainer’s horses, they are going to be early, and they have got his hip and action. So it is very exciting. I have heard so many positives, it would be wrong to single one or two out. I know that we have a couple going to sale that I absolutely love, coming from the commercial part of our breed band. We are very excited. TDN: You also have Charm Spirit (Ire), Havana Gold (Ire) and are soon to have reverse shuttler Zoustar (Aus) standing here at Tweenhills. How are those stallions doing? DR: Charm Spirit, I think has had his 14th 2-year-old winner. Which, considering he would just have run his maiden last week in his own 2-yr-old career, I think that is quite something. There is an awful lot of very nice, very smart later horses on the way too. So, 14 winners already is pretty, pretty damn exciting. Havana Gold was champion first-season sire in the UK, so he has been massively supported now in this, his second year with runners. I think we had 180 mares to him and higher quality than anything he has had before. He will have a slightly quieter year this year because he had fewer mares but the sensible breeders will come flocking to him next year because there will be so much in front of them. Zoustar has broken every record in Australia with his first crop of runners. Already in his first crop, he is producing stunning yearlings and they have turned into serious Group 1 horses. We took the decision that the best thing was to prove him, see if he was any good in Australia, and if he was good we would bring him up and give breeders the option to use him. He has exceeded all expectations and the opportunity he presents to European breeders is massive. I don’t think we have had, and I’m sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t think we have had a stallion at his stage come up here. A horse that has just been crowed champion first-season sire, with the record he has had. So, I hope people will jump on him and send him some nice, fast mares. View the full article

Like the G2 Debutante S. winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) already had a group-race success to his name as he entered the G2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity S. and duly emerged from the prestigious Curragh contest with his winning run uninterrupted. It looked far from certain for a large part of the race, as the 4-6 favourite was pushed along early by Ryan Moore much as last year’s winner Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) had been. With stablemate and Listed Coolmore Caravaggio S. winner Christmas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) flying up ahead, it took until passing the furlong pole for the G3 Tyros S. scorer to get his head in front but once there he asserted under mainly hand-riding to record a half-length success, with Christmas in turn 2 1/4 lengths ahead of the third Rosegreen runner Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire) 1st Dam: Believe’N’Succeed (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $157,067), by Exceed and Excel (Aus) 2nd Dam: Arctic Drift, by Gone West 3rd Dam: November Snow, by Storm Cat O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €76,700. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €121,340. *1/2 to Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), Ch. Sprinter & G1SW-NZ, GSW-Aus, $578,367. View the full article

In a G2 Debutante S. fought out by one of the two most experienced in the line-up and the only maiden, it was the July 26 G3 Silver Flash S. winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) who drew away from Jim Bolger’s Bandiuc Eile (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) to take this important Curragh staging post with authority by 2 1/4 lengths. Sent off at 7-1 despite being the only filly in a strong-looking line-up to have won a pattern-race, the bay travelled smoothly off the pace and when sent forward by Ronan Whelan took control with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. As she asserted on the run to the line, Bandiuc Eile managed to turn around a 4 1/2-length beating by Ballydoyle’s Zagitova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a Cork maiden over a mile Aug. 11. Over a furlong less here, Bandiuc Eile had a half length to spare over that well-supported 2-1 favourite who in turn held off the 10-length conditions scorer Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) by 3/4 of a length. SKITTER SCATTER, 126, f, 2, by Scat Daddy 1st Dam: Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire) 2nd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Zavaleta (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire) O-Anthony & Sonia Rogers; B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC & Airlie Stud (KY); T-Patrick Prendergast; J-Ronan Whelan. €67,850. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-2, €133,490. *1/2 to Data Dependent (More Than Ready), GSP-US, $103,100. View the full article

All-sources handle for the Aug. 25 Travers Day card at Saratoga Race Course broke the previous record set in 2015 by 4.9% while on-track handle increased over 2017, according to the New York Racing Association. View the full article

A week after Accelerate impressively punched his ticket to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with a romp in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1), Catalina Cruiser did his part in the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2). View the full article

Peter Brant's Quidura (GB) proved too much for her competition Aug. 25, when she led the entire 1 1/16 miles to win the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

All-sources handle set a new record of $52,086,597 on the Travers Day card at Saratoga, following Catholic Boy (More Than Ready)’s GI Runhappy Travers S. Presented by NYRA Bets victory. The all-sources handle was up by 4.9% compared to the previous high-water mark of $49,668,754 set in 2015. It was also up 8.8% on last year’s number of $47,870,987 and was the first time the Saratoga Springs track exceeded the $50-million benchmark on Travers Day. A total of 49,418 patrons generated on-track handle of $11,466,264 (+5.6%) compared to the 2017 number of $10,862,095, and just under 2015’s $11,472,451. Racing at Saratoga continues through Labor Day, Sept. 3. View the full article

Even though Saturday’s GII Pat O’Brien S. at Del Mar was decimated by the scratches of the likes of champion sprinter Roy H (More Than Ready) and last-out GI Bing Crosby S. hero Ransom The Moon (Malibu Moon), it did not lose its star attraction, and Hronis Racing’s CATALINA CRUISER (c, 4, (Union Rags–Sea Gull, by Mineshaft) did not disappoint, as he remained perfect in four career appearances with a thoroughly dominating performance. Drawn inside in the field of four, the blaze-faced chestnut was coddled along to hold his spot from the fence as the transplanted Threefiveindia (Street Hero) led from between horses and the comebacking Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) stalked three deep. Given a bit of rein entering the turn, the $370,000 Keeneland September purchase kicked further in front off the home corner and was the better part of five lengths clear under the wire. Battle of Midway, last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero who was returned to the barn of Jerry Hollendorfer after proving subfertile at stud, was a bit slow into stride and stuck to his task as best as he could, but was no match for Catalina Cruiser, who has this year’s Dirt Mile as his long-term objective. Catalina Cruiser is bred on the Union Rags cross over A.P. Indy that is responsible for SW & MGSP No Dosing, GISP Patch and Saturday’s Shared Belief S. winner Tatters to Riches. Produced by a half-sister to SW & GSP Private Ryan (Quiet American), Catalina Cruiser is kin to the 2-year-old filly Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}), who breezed a half-mile in :49.49 (28/79) Saturday at Belmont Park. Sea Gull produced a filly by War Front in 2017. Sea Gull produced a filly by War Front in 2017, was barren to that stallion for 2018 and was most recently bred to Candy Ride. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0. O-Hronis Racing LLC; B-W S Farish (KY); T-John Sadler. View the full article

Peter Brant's Quidura (GB) proved too much for her competition Aug. 25, when she lead the entire 1 1/16 miles to win the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article