Wandering Eyes

Coming off of back-to-back narrow defeats in the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) and Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T), Analyze It stands as the 2-1 morning line in a deep field of 13 entered for the 1 1/4-mile Secretariat Stakes. View the full article

Yes, the ‘Pharoahs’ played their part as expected. But what really drove a record-breaking market at Saratoga this week was the yearning for an equine Cleopatra. Of 18 yearlings sold for $750,000 or more at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale, no fewer than 13 were fillies. Possibly that merely reflects an entirely random congregation of some particularly attractive young ladies. On the other hand, it certainly appears that some of the biggest spenders in the marketplace are looking to play a long game. They weren’t just rolling the dice to find a stallion, but seeking the physiques and genes to build a family. And while there were plenty of familiar signatures on the top dockets, the most expensive filly of the sale-a $1.3 million daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, its premier sire–was acquired by a very recent arrival on the scene: Phoenix Thoroughbreds, whose unabashed statements of intent have lately included the assembly of a world-class broodmare band. Quite apart from those occasions when newer rivals of this kind won out, moreover, they will also have forced more established operators higher for other animals. What cannot be doubted is that the filly market, at the top level, was exceptional. The overall number of $750,000–plus transactions, of course, has grown considerably at Saratoga: this week’s tally of 18 was up from ten last year, and seven in each of the two previous years. But of those 24 across 2015-17, just nine were fillies. If you take a more even reading, equally, and review the top dozen at each of the past four sales, then the 2018 ratio of eight fillies and four colts compares with an aggregate of 11 fillies and 25 colts across the previous three years. A growing appetite for prospects eligible for both racing and breeding would be perfectly consistent with a new phase–of consolidation–in a bloodstock boom sustained by a decade of quantitative easing. Quite what happens should the wider economy fall sick again, having been kept on medication so far beyond its recuperation, remains to be seen. But it would certainly make sense for all this the free spending to become a little more focused on stabilizing investment in the medium term. Breeding your own stock, after all, offers a rather less fanciful commercial release than hoping to hit upon a successful stallion. Possibly this will also be reflected in the breeding stock sales this November, but a boutique yearling sale like this gives you the best of both worlds. One way or another, the indices this week all marched relentlessly forward. As noted before the start of business, Saratoga has not matched some of the giddy gains made by other elite sales in recent years, but has instead succeeded in achieving a more balanced growth. That was reflected, last year, in a record median; and while averages were also strong, they had been advancing at a relatively temperate rate. The recent elevation in average turnover–from $32,385,000, between 2012 and 2014, to $48,440,000 between 2015 and 2017–had matched catalogue inflation, in the corresponding periods, from an average 110 sold to an average 152. So averages had advanced only from $295,301 (across 2012-14) to $317,989 (2015-17). This time, however, while another catalogue boost saw as many as 170 hips sold at a record gross of $62,794,000, the average climbed to $369,376–surpassed only by a wild sale here in 2001. And the median of $300,000 maintained the record set last year. If many of the tallest flames were fanned by the usual suspects, American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) continued his heavyweight market debut by submitting two of the top five yearlings of the sale. But we’ll come to the rookies in a moment, after giving due honour to the sire who accounted for the other three. If Medaglia d’Oro is at the other end of his career, there can’t have been too many stallions who have hoisted their fees quite so steeply at the age of 19. Raised from $150,000 to $250,000 after siring seven individual Grade I winners last year, the Jonabell sire has always been a bombshell physically and Violence is doing no harm to his credentials as a sire of sires. In the bigger picture, it is worth reiterating a heresy to Europe: that Medaglia d’Oro is contributing massively to the claims of his sire El Prado as a greater influence, among sons of Sadler’s Wells, even than Galileo himself when measured in terms of geographical reach; and the versatility, whether in discipline or surface, of his sons and grandsons. Apart from anything else, then, let nobody doubt the commercial value of the ability to get elite performers on both dirt and turf. Just ask good old reliable War Front (Danzig), who shifted his pair at Saratoga (both fillies, incidentally) for $825,000 and $750,000. The owners of the 235 mares who made Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) the busiest sire in the land, meanwhile, will be gratified to see the Spendthrift sire’s continued ascent marked by his richest yearling to date–a $950,000 filly, who checked in as the top hip outside the Medaglia d’Oro and American Pharoah duopoly. B. Wayne Hughes and his Spendthrift team, incidentally, backed their main man with a $750,000 colt. Overall Into Mischief moved on all 13 hips at an average $423,462, the kind of hitting you want to see when you have just broken into a six-figure fee. The rise of Into Mischief is a salutary reminder that the racetrack, not the sales ring, is where a young sire should really go out and make his name. This sale, moreover, should probably be considered far too narrow–and far too early in the cycle–to judge even the commercial reception of a rookie aspiring to be the next Into Mischief. As such, really rookies should be credited with kudos simply for getting into the catalogue. For simply being allotted a market stall by the guys at F-T should count for plenty. Last year, for instance, they only admitted five new sires–compared with 11 both in 2016 and this week. The market backed their judgement and, though just 13 of their 316 collective yearling sales were made here, the same five stallions duly ended 2017 in the top five positions in the national crop averages. True, it wouldn’t have been terribly hard to pick out those five based on fees and weanling averages. But the very fact that Fasig were prepared to present 58 hips by 11 rookies this week–exactly double the number offered between the same number of freshmen in 2016–surely augurs well for the strength in depth behind American Pharoah. The first Triple Crown winner to stud since the 1970s is, of course, a case apart. He arrived with a weanling average of $467,307 and the Keeneland November pinhookers who laid out a little more than that–$500,000–on his daughter out of Grade I winner Life At Ten (Malibu Moon) duly more than doubled their money at $1.2 million. His top colt, meanwhile, showed the rewards potentially available when such a big farm is putting its shoulder to the wheel of such a big horse: as in the case of the $1 million American Pharoah colt Monday night purchased by M.V. Magnier. American Pharoah ended up finding new homes for 10 of a dozen hips at an average $554,500. Even his unsold pair stalled at $800,000 and $495,000 respectively. Of the rest, Honor Code (A.P. Indy) also did what was required of him, as number two by both fee and weanling average, selling seven of nine at $387,143. Likewise his Lane’s End buddy Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song), who processed seven of ten at $222,857; and Winstar’s Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway), who moved on six of seven at $278,333. That represents 11 times their conception fee, and does little to discourage the notion that Carpe Diem has the potential to prove one of the more eligible heirs to his lamented sire. Others granted a multiple foothold were solid enough but sometimes you’re better off, as a wiseguy pick, with just one or two in the limelight at a sale like this. All those who prised open the door to the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion with a lesser fee amply vindicated their selection–most conspicuously Bayern (Offlee Wild), who sold a $600,000 filly off a $15,000 cover. But we’ll obviously learn a lot more about all these at Keeneland. Cleopatra marvelled at the destiny of any horse charged with the weight of Antony. To those changing hands for the kind of money required at Saratoga this week, however, the burden must seem greater yet. As they are sent away to be broken, then, their new owners might join the Egyptian queen’s heartfelt plea: “Do bravely, horse!” View the full article

Dr. J. David Richardson has been re-elected chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Board of Trustees, it was announced. Also joining Richardson on the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms as new members are Greg Bensel, Robert Edwards, Jr., Tanya Gunther and Walker Hancock. Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Price Bell Jr., Billy Koch and Mike Rogers. “I want to welcome the new trustees to the board and look forward to working with them as well as the American Graded Stakes Committee on a year-end statistical analysis of various aspects of American graded races,” Richardson said. “Analytics have become an important part of most U.S. sports and it is the committee’s intention to provide stakeholders with data that may be useful to the sport and business of U.S. racing and breeding.” Immediately following its annual members meeting, the TOBA Board of Trustees met to elect officers for the 1,800-member association. Officers named for 2018-19 are: Dr. J. David Richardson, chairman, Everett Dobson, vice-chairman, Dan Metzger, president; David O’Farrell, secretary; and Brant Laue, treasurer. The TOBA Board also approved the reappointments of Everett Dobson and J. Michael O’Farrell and the appointment of Walker Hancock to the American Graded Stakes Committee. Hancock succeeds Dr. Richardson who reached his term limit on the committee. The 2018-19 committee is comprised of TOBA members Everett Dobson (chair), Barbara Banke, Reynolds Bell, Jr., Craig Bernick, Walker Hancock, and J. Michael O’Farrell and racing officials Kevin Greely (Indiana Grand), Rick Hammerle (Santa Anita Park), Ben Huffman (Churchill Downs and Keeneland), Martin Panza (NYRA) and Thomas Robbins (Del Mar). View the full article

2nd-LRL, $40K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 1:40 p.m. ET TRAILBLAZER (Pioneerof the Nile) is a daughter of the recently deceased 2001 GII Nassau County S. winner Cat Chat (Storm Cat), making her a close relative to GISW In Lingerie (Empire Maker). The Colts Neck homebred’s second dam was Phone Chatter (Phone Trick), winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and the champion of her generation in 1993. Godolphin’s Classic Fit (Bernardini) gets her career started for trainer Mike Stidham and will have to overcome the outside stall in this field of 11. The bay is a daughter of the unraced True Style (Forestry), who descends from the same Storm Cat sire line as her distinguished half-brother, the prodigious late stallion Scat Daddy (Johannesburg). Classic Fit is also kin to GSW & GISP Antipathy (A.P. Indy) and to Scat Daddy’s SW full-brother Grand Daddy, a sire in Chile. TJCIS PPs View the full article

After posting grade 1 wins on turf in New York in their previous starts, Sistercharlie and Athena will meet for the first time when they start in the $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11 on the turf at Arlington International Racecourse. 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. Thursday’s Insights features the first foal out of G1 Ascot Gold Cup heroine Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). 12.25 Deauville, Cond, €35,000, 3yo, 8fT SACRED LIFE (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}) reappears after a lengthy absence having finished fourth in the G3 Prix Djebel here in April. Disappointing as the favourite for that Guineas prep, Jean-Louis Bouchard’s previously unbeaten and impressive G3 Prix Thomas Bryon winner faces seven as Stephane Wattel bids to get him back on track. 6.30 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 3yo/up, 10fT CENTROID (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a half-brother to last year’s outstanding G1 English and Irish Oaks, King George and Arc heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) who starts out for the Dermot Weld stable. Entered in the G1 Irish St Leger, the Juddmonte homebred encounters nine mostly exposed rivals in a weak maiden for the Dublin venue. 6.35 Sandown, Mdn, £7,000, 2yo, 8fT TOO DARN HOT (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the latest progeny out of the Lloyd-Webbers’ star mare Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) to hit the track two months after his full-sister Lah Ti Dar (GB) was forced to miss the G1 Epsom Oaks for which she would have started favourite. John Gosden, who also trained the G3 Musidora S.-winning full-sibling So Mi Dar (GB), introduces him against The Queen’s fellow newcomer Calculation (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the first foal out of her G1 Ascot Gold Cup heroine Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) who also races for Sir Michael Stoute. View the full article

The Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Inc., northern California’s only Thoroughbred retirement and rehabilitation facility, has again received grants from the Brennan Equine Welfare Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (BEWF) and from the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA). Founded in 1995, Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Inc. (GEVA inc.) is a rehabilitation/retirement foundation and equine sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). Pam Berg and a few dedicated people operate the all-volunteer nonprofit organization. “We are an all species sanctuary,” said Berg, President and Founder of GEVA, which also attracts and is home to a variety of wildlife that have found refuge here and mingle well with the horses. “We were miraculously spared in the firestorm of last year when the flames turned just short of the farm where the horses were. The sanctuary was literally just that. Berg added, “We are one of the few accredited equine sanctuaries in the country, and we appreciate the support we have received from the BEWF and TCA. Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, all money we raise is spent directly for the horses.” View the full article

Amerman Racing Stable's Oscar Performance seeks to become the fifth horse to sweep the Secretariat Stakes (G1T) and Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11 at Arlington International. View the full article

Three-time Group 1 winner U S Navy Flag (War Front) is on track for the A$13-million The Everest at Royal Randwick on Oct. 13, Racenet.com reported. The Aidan O’Brien trainee will represent Coolmore in the second edition of the 1200-metre race and is due to enter quarantine in early September. Last seen winning the July 14 G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, the 3-year-old is scheduled to have his final piece of work at the end of this month. “US Navy Flag came out of the July Cup very well and is still on target for The Everest,” O’Brien told Racing NSW. “We are very happy with him. He had a tough first half of the season so we have given him a little break after the July Cup. The plan is for him to probably have a racecourse gallop as a lead up to The Everest and he will run in the race straight out of quarantine.” View the full article

The Kentucky Derby Museum raised the newest banner commemorating a Triple Crown winner, when it raised a banner honoring 2018 winner Justify Aug. 8. View the full article

Retired animal health business executive and equestrian Jim Phillips has created a unique way to fund raise for LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society and its retired racehorses plus highlight the Thoroughbred’s versatility and athletic ability through the journey of his own retired racehorse, Mike. Mike has already shown successfully in four events this year and will be on his way to the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover being held at the Kentucky Horse Park early this October. Phillips will not only be fundraising for LongRun via the “I Like Mike” campaign, but will generously match any donations made in Mike’s name up to $15,000. All monies raised will go to LongRun and tax receipts will be issued for any donations received. Details of how to donate can be accessed through Mike’s blog at https://ilikemikehorse.wordpress.com or through the LongRun office at 416-675-3993 ext. 1-3440. LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, a registered charity with main offices at Woodbine Racetrack, currently is caring for over 50 retired Thoroughbreds on its central farm in Hillsburgh. View the full article

Alpha Centauri is primed for the Aug. 12 Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville, and even the heavens appear to be on the side of Ireland's superstar filly as she prepares to take on the colts for the first time. View the full article

The single-day Goffs UK August Sale, featuring stores, point-to-pointers and form horses, concluded with large gains at Doncaster on Wednesday evening. Out of the 297 horses catalogued, 184 (80%) sold of the 229 through the ring. The gross rose 74% to £2,127,000, while the average of £11,560 (+40%) and the median of £7,200 (+44%) also posted sharp increases. Two lots made six figures, led by Raheen Stud’s Amschel (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (lot 91) who was knocked down to Harold Kirk on behalf of Paul Byrne for £155,000 to top the sale. The 4-year-old gelding has won three of his four starts over hurdles and his dam is a half-sister to European champion Darjina (Fr) (Zamindar). The winning gelding Hasanoanda (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (lot 188), from the John Gosden Yard, went the way of Tom Malone for £115,000 as the second dearest lot on Wednesday. “We have enjoyed a very good day in the sale ring,” said Goffs UK Managing Director Tony Williams. “We catalogued some high-class horses and to sell two for six-figure prices is very pleasing and shows yet again that Doncaster Horses-in-Training Sales deliver the results when we are entrusted with the horses. This is a sale that’s performing, having produced a Grand National winner and three Grade 1 winners in the last 15 months, and those results, along with a good catalogue, attracted a big crowd of buyers from around the world and from the Gulf region in particular. We would like to thank our vendors for their support and wish our buyers all the best.” View the full article

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bob Baffert, who is one of only two trainers in history to win multiple Triple Crowns, will be inducted into the Saratoga Walk of Fame. The Saratoga Walk of Fame, which opened in 2015, honors and showcases the achievements of those who have made significant contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing and the advancement of Saratoga Race Course. The covered structure, featuring the traditional Saratoga turrets, houses commemorative plaques, videos and memorabilia honoring various industry leaders, including owners, trainers and jockeys, who have made an indelible mark on Thoroughbred racing. The plaque for 2018 honoree Baffert will be unveiled during the Red Jacket Ceremony at Saratoga Race Course Friday, Aug. 24. During the ceremony, Baffert will receive an emblematic Saratoga red jacket. “I am truly honored to receive this Red Jacket and to be included with such luminaries as Allen Jerkens, Wayne Lukas and Bill Mott,” Baffert said. “Saratoga is very dear to me and to be recognized in this manner with a plaque in the Walk of Fame is something special. I’d like to thank the New York Racing Association and Chris Kay for this honor as well as for bestowing such recognition upon those individuals within our great sport who have given so much of their own talent and energy to make it possible for me to be here today.” View the full article

Frankie Dettori will miss Saturday’s Shergar Cup at Ascot to ride at Newmarket on the same afternoon. Organisers of the event were hoping the popular Italian would be available to ride for the European team this weekend, but those hopes have been dashed as Dettori is required to ride for trainer John Gosden at Headquarters. Dettori’s agent, Ray Cochrane, said, “Frankie’s going to Newmarket. John is going to have three runners there, including Princess Haya’s filly [Pennywhistle (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the G3 [Sweet Solera S.]. Hopefully Frankie will have seven rides. He can’t be everywhere, I’m afraid.” In Dettori’s absence, veteran French jockey Gerald Mosse will captain the European team in the Shergar Cup, Ascot confirmed. Mosse is joined by German jockey Andrasch Starke and Swedish rider Per-Anders Graberg. The Rest of the World team is made up of Yutaka Take, Corey Brown and Joao Moreira, while Fran Berry, Pat Cosgrave and Adam Kirby are the three riders representing the UK and Ireland. The three jockeys riding for the girls team are Hayley Turner, Hollie Doyle and Josephine Gordon. View the full article

G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is unlikely to run again before a tilt at the G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Oct. 7. Freddy Head’s filly claimed the notable scalp of Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) as a 2-year-old before rounding off her juvenile campaign by finishing second to last week’s G1 Nassau S. winner Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. The daughter of Oasis Dream disappointed on her seasonal reappearance in the G1 French 1000 Guineas, but bounced back to win the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal and saw off a host of British challengers to provide her trainer with a record seventh victory in last Sunday’s Group 1. “She has come out of the race very well,” said Head, who has won the Foret twice with Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) in 2010 and Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in 2013. “I am very happy with her. I think she is a very good filly, but I don’t think she will run again until the Prix de la Foret. I think that is a good target for her.” View the full article

Frankie Dettori and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) were reunited in Newmarket on Wednesday morning for the first time since the filly’s triumph in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October. Dettori rode Prince Khalid Abdullah’s five-time Group 1 winner in a piece of work on the Al Bahathri gallop watched by trainer John Gosden and the owner-breeder’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “We’re taking it step by step,” said Grimthorpe. “Frankie rode her today and she moved smoothly, did everything as we had hoped and had a good blow afterwards.” He added, “We’re by no means there yet, it’s just a case of getting her to the right spot. The Arc is her main objective and as much as it would please me for her to run at York, that’s not the main consideration. It will all depend on what John thinks is right for her but so far it’s all positive.” The 4-year-old, who has been beaten only once in eight races, had her training interrupted in May by a minor knee injury. Enable was rated the best filly in Europe in 2017 with a mark of 128, just two pounds below her stablemate Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was the top-rated 3-year-old in the world. View the full article

The following is an edited press release of a conversation with Breeders’ Cup CEO Craig Fravel discussing the Breeders’ Cup’s involvement in supporting the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA) this year. The conversation was provided by Godolphin. G: Tell us about your experience as a participant on the final judging panel at the TIEA last year. CF: Acting as a judge for the Thoroughbred Industry Awards in 2017 was one of my best work days other than the Breeders’ Cup itself. It was a long day, but incredibly inspiring to hear the stories of dedication and hard work by people who often go unrecognized. I can say without hesitation that the worst part of it was being forced to choose among great people with compelling backgrounds and a great commitment to the horses. I just wish there were three winners in each category, although just being a finalist is a great accomplishment and Godolphin makes sure that each finalist is recognized appropriately. G: The Breeders’ Cup has pledged monetary support for the Thoroughbred Industry Awards this year. Obviously, your personal experience was a positive one, but what would you say about the importance of these awards to our industry? CF: One thing I have always loved about racing is the broad spectrum of people who comprise the industry. The racetrack (which is where the majority of my career has been spent) and the farm are both melting pots that bring together people with diverse backgrounds, nationalities and experience. Each part of the business has a unique contribution to the game, and it is important that we as an industry respect and reward those who are hands on with the horses every day. After all, we all know what extraordinary level of care goes into making sure the horses are at their best, and the sacrifices and devotion of backstretch and farm workers deserve our respect. Our game starts and ends with the horse and without their commitment we wouldn’t have a game. Because the Breeders’ Cup straddles the worlds of the farm and the track, it is particularly appropriate that we support the work Godolphin is doing to make sure this recognition continues. G: Breeders’ Cup week is always one filled with activity and excitement. This year these awards are right in the middle of the action being held on the Wednesday before Championship Weekend. What was the thought behind moving the awards? CF: Since I started working at the Breeders’ Cup in 2011, we have worked hard to extend our programming to encompass the entire week leading up to the event with industry and community events. It adds to the excitement and gives our customers, horsemen and supporters a reason to engage with the event more completely. The bottom line is that it is more fun if there are other events that week that inspire and/or entertain. To add the Thoroughbred Industry Awards to the mix also adds to the experience for the finalists who get to experience the excitement of a world-class event. It is overused, but in this case it really is a win/win and I hope we can even have the winners and finalists help out in the Winners’ Circle for one of the races. G: What comments might you make to those that might be thinking about nominating one of their employees, coworkers, managers or friends? CF: Vote early and vote often might be good advice, but more seriously I hope people take into account how meaningful these awards are and the pride the nominees take in having been put forward. It costs nothing and the appreciation of employees for a thoughtful nomination is a huge benefit. As someone said to me once, it may be “psychic income,” but a pat on the back and a thank you is always a great way to motivate employees, and simply nominating someone for this award is a great way to say thanks. View the full article

Todd Pletcher says he’s the underdog when it comes to winning this year’s Saratoga training title. Pletcher won last year’s Saratoga crown, as well a record 13 Saratoga titles, which would seem to make him the worst underdog this side of the Golden State Warriors. But he may just have a point. Pletcher and rival Chad Brown have finished first and second at each of the last six Saratoga meets and though Pletcher prevailed in 2017, Brown snapped his six-year winning streak in 2016. Through the first 16 days of the meet, Brown leads Pletcher by a 18-10 score in the wins column. But more importantly, Brown trounced Pletcher at the Belmont spring meet, winning 34 races to 18 for his rival. Not only is his stable stocked with numbers and talent, he is the one with the momentum. “If there were a wagering line on it, we certainly wouldn’t be the favorite,” Pletcher said. “I think based on the strength of Chad’s stable coming into the meet, I would have to make him the favorite.” No matter how it turns out, it figures to be another spirited race. Last year, Pletcher won the title on the closing day, by a 40-39 margin. A year earlier, Brown beat Pletcher and also won 40 races. With the 40 wins, the two are tied for the record for most winners at the meet by a trainer. When it comes to candidates for the title, there is Pletcher and Brown and no one else, although Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen has enjoyed a stellar beginning to the meet despite having less firepower, notching 11 wins from his first 36 starters (Brown and Pletcher had 68 and 53 starters, respectively, at the same juncture). {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Brown and Pletcher at Saratoga","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/283698019.hd.mp4?s=e7cb798cc626f3c71b328713d1f6ebb887de81c4&profile_id=174","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/280548157.hd.mp4?s=2bc67913446081a62a332454f5f3599d47698bb2&profile_id=174","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\/"} Pletcher and Brown battle each other not just at Saratoga, but at Belmont, Gulfstream, in the Triple Crown events and the Breeders’ Cup and for Eclipse Awards. Those are the type of rivalries that can get cutthroat and turn the combatants into enemies. While Pletcher and Brown may not exactly hang out after the races having a beer together, they express a genuine level of respect for one another. It seems they see a little bit of themselves in their rival. “I have a very professional relationship with Todd,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of mutual respect there and I admire him in many ways–his work ethic, his record, his talent training horses. He’s just a great trainer, one of the all time greats. He’s a great competitor and he’s a real good sportsman.” Said Pletcher: “We have a friendly relationship. I think there’s a mutual respect for each other. He does a terrific job and he’s got a great staff. His horses always come to the paddock well prepared and looking good and they obviously perform well. When you have the size of the stables that we have, you appreciate how hard it is, how much work it takes to manage and oversee that type of operation. I think we can both relate to each other in that regard.” Last year’s race came down to the final day. Both won a race, but Brown failed to pull even when his last starter of the meet, Style Drift (English Channel), settled for third. “I guess it’s a little more exciting when it’s close,” Pletcher said. “Ideally, you’d like to win it by a more comfortable margin so you don’t have to sweat it out at the end, but yes, the way it went down last year does make it more fun and makes every single race a little more important.” “Yeah, because we had such a great meet,” Brown said when asked if his one-race loss to Pletcher last year stung. “You want to end up on top. But it didn’t take anything away from our meet. We won so many races, particularly a bunch of stakes races. Pletcher’s strength is his 2-year-olds. Brown’s is his grass horses. If it’s a rainy meet and a lot of races come off the grass, the edge goes to Pletcher. If Pletcher’s 2-year-olds don’t excel and win a bunch of races, the edge goes to Brown. “The turf has always been the center piece of what we’re trying to do here, and a lot of rain would really hurt us,” Brown said. “With that said, we’re always trying to improve in some areas. A goal of ours has always been to win more 2-year-old races and we’ve also recruited a lot more dirt horses over the last couple of years. So, hopefully, we’ll start to win more races in those divisions, as well as maintaining our strong presence on the turf.” Brown added, “We’ve been given an opportunity with some promising 2-year-old dirt prospects, both male and female, and as the meet goes on we’ll debut more of those horses and, hopefully, a few stars will emerge.” When it comes to the meet’s signature race, the GI Travers S., Brown also appears to have the edge over Pletcher. He’ll have the likely favorite in GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. winner Good Magic and another strong contender in GI Belmont S. runner-up Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}). Pletcher’s Travers hopes took a hit when his top active 3-year-old Vino Rosso (Curlin) was third in the GII Jim Dandy S. as the favorite. Brown has never won the Travers, while Pletcher has won the race twice. So winning a Travers is a major goal for Brown. And both admit they’d like to snap the 40-40 tie for most wins at a Saratoga meet. After that, neither one has much else to prove at Saratoga. Pletcher and Brown dominate, but who will come out on top in 2018? As usual, it’s a match race. View the full article

It’s 50 years since the great Vincent O’Brien first laid eyes on the imperious Nijinsky II on a yearling inspection trip to America, thus altering for evermore the course of Thoroughbred breeding in Europe. Of course, Nijinsky drew O’Brien’s attention to the not inconsiderable merits of Northern Dancer, a stallion that still sets the standard when it comes producing elite racehorses. And Coolmore is still reaping the benefits today, through Northern Dancer’s son Sadler’s Wells and his son Galileo (Ire). Never has there been a more prolific father-son-grandson combination in the history of the breed. And very soon it looks like the grandson will overtake his sire to become number one among the trio when assessed by individual Group 1 winners. Currently on 72, Galileo needs just one more winner at the top level to equal Sadler’s Wells. Barring a complete change of fortune, it must also be on the cards that he will also overhaul Danehill’s tally of 84 Group 1 winners, compiled with the help of covering for many years in both hemispheres. But how are we to assess Galileo in the context of his father’s achievements? Veterinary science, for all its many benefits, has made that take a good deal harder. Sadler’s Wells’s book sizes were considered large at the time, particularly in the light of what went before. But now even his numbers are dwarfed by modern day standards. A good starting point for comparison is to assess which stallion has produced the best racehorses, regardless of the qualitative or quantitative opportunity each has received. On this score, Galileo’s top 10 Timeform-rated runners have averaged 132.3 compared to his sire’s 131.4. Of course, Galileo is responsible for the 147-rated Frankel, who is a full 10 pounds ahead of Sadler’s Wells’s best offspring Montjeu (Ire). It’s hard to imagine that there was ever a horse that could give so much weight to Montjeu at his very best. It’s conceivable that Galileo will also improve in his best 10 score–his sons and daughters have to achieve a rating of 130 or higher to break into their sire’s top 10 as Ulysses (Ire) did recently. It’s also significant, notwithstanding the bigger books enjoyed by Galileo, that he’s achieved what he has much sooner than his sire. But, just to put things in context, Northern Dancer with only one-third the number of foals of Galileo achieved a top 10 average Timeform score of 133.3, and some of his best didn’t even run in Europe. Looking at the pair using the ratio and quality of their stakes winners the balance is also tipped in favour of Galileo. Sadler’s Wells does have a marginally superior percentage of stakes winners (17.8%) compare to Galileo’s 16.4%, but the average Timeform rating of Sadler’s Wells’s 294 stakes winners is a full pound behind those by Galileo, which given the numbers involved is pretty significant. Moreover, Galileo gets 11% group winners to runners, compared to his dad’s 10.2%. We also know that smaller books for Sadler’s Wells also meant more select mares. So, if we look at the percentage of stakes winners again, this time only considering elite mares, Galileo sires 27% stakes winners and his father 25%. Regarding aptitude, the typical Sadler’s Wells was a middle-distance horse or even a Cup horse like Kayf Tara (GB). Galileo, on the other hand, has a lower stamina index from quicker mares. He has already sired 86 stakes winners at a mile or less, compared to his father’s 63. And he’s up to 27 Group 1 winners at a mile or less, six ahead of his sire. Galileo’s sharper runners are typified by his two highest-rated runners–Frankel (GB) and Rip Van Winkle (Ire)–who both were top-class at a mile, even though they stayed further. Galileo has eight Group 1-winning juveniles at up to seven furlongs while Sadler’s Wells managed six, including two–Scenic (Ire) and Prince Of Dance (Ire)–who dead-heated in the Dewhurst. And Galileo’s Clemmie (Ire), winner of the Cheveley Park S. last year, is the only Group 1 winner over six furlongs for the pair. What really unites these two super sires is their ability to upgrade their mares–no easy feat when they are already covering the very best around. When other sires were bred to Sadler’s Wells’s mares, 11.9% of their offspring were rated 115-plus by Timeform, yet the great son of Northern Dancer managed 13.6%. It’s the same story with Galileo–he sires 12.9% horses rated 115-plus by Timeform from mares that normally manage 10.5%. It is perhaps too soon to evaluate Galileo as a sire of sires or sire of broodmares. He’s already got a trio of very competent sire sons in Frankel, Teofilo (Ire) and New Approach (Ire) and 14 Group 1 winners as a broodmare sire. Sadler’s Wells, meanwhile, has Galileo, Montjeu and In The Wings (GB) as three sire sons that managed 10%-plus stakes winners to runners. He’s up to 61 Group 1 winners as a broodmare sire. It’s easy to see why these two magnificent thoroughbreds have underpinned the Coolmore operation for so long. View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced Aug. 8 the 2018 inductee to the Saratoga Walk of Fame: four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bob Baffert, who is one of only two trainers in history to win multiple Triple Crowns. View the full article

Immigration issues were discussed at the 18th Saratoga Institute on Equine, Racing, and Gaming Law Conference in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The conference is presented by the Government Law Center at Albany Law School. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale was dominated during its first session Monday by the young gun stallion American Pharoah, but it was the established sire Medaglia d’Oro who took center stage with three seven-figure yearlings as the sale concluded Tuesday night with an all-time record gross. The auction also produced its second-highest average and a record-tying median. “[The record gross] doesn’t happen without the trust and confidence of the best breeders, the best pinhookers, the best consignors in the world,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said at the close of business Tuesday. “The quality of horses that we had on the sales grounds this week was fantastic. You all heard the same rave reviews that we heard and it truly was a tremendous group of horses. I fully expect to see future catalogue covers stacked with outstanding graduates from this sale. But again, it doesn’t happen without the support and trust and confidence of the men and women who own those horses, and raise those horses and consign those horses.” The Saratoga sale, which had two million-dollar transactions in 2017, had five this year, led by a $1.35-million son of Medaglia d’Oro (hip 196) who was purchased by the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Masiello, Chris Larsen and Siena Farm. A filly by the Darley stallion (hip 204) sold for $1.3 million to Phoenix Thoroughbreds, while Lael Stables secured a second filly (hip 143) for $1 million. During Monday’s opening session, a filly by American Pharoah (hip 26) sold to Larry Best’s OXO Equine for $1.2 million and a colt by the Triple Crown winner (hip 62) sold to Coolmore’s M V Magnier for $1 million. In all, 170 yearlings sold during the two-day auction for a total of $62,794,000. That bettered the previous record gross of $62,412,000 set in 2001. The average was $369,376–up 8.7% from 2017 and second highest in sale history behind the 2001 figure of $385,259. The $300,000 median tied the figure set in 2017. Buyers were largely in agreement that the offerings at the 2018 Saratoga sale were among the best many had seen in years. “The market is very strong,” said the China Horse Club’s Mick Wallace. “It’s very healthy. Everybody knows you have to bring a nice horse up here. You have to bring a horse that vets well and is a good physical type because the market is selective and there are thousands of them to come. The vendors are very smart people and Fasig has done a good job. This is my fifth year here and I think this is the best bunch of horses I’ve seen here.” Bloodstock agent David Ingordo agreed. “It’s been very competitive,” Ingordo said of the market in Saratoga. “Fasig-Tipton did an amazing job of putting together a great catalogue. I think the individuals were the best I’ve seen in the last 10 years in a select catalogue. They did an amazing job.” The auction was held just months after the passing of Bill Graves and Browning paid emotional tribute to Fasig-Tipton’s longtime vice president. “We were obviously missing, in person, a key person on our team,” Browning said. “But I think he was with us throughout the selection process and putting the catalogue together. We barely established a record, a couple of thousand dollars is what the gross exceeded the previous record by. I don’t know if you believe in divine intervention or not, but I’m not going to ask any questions.” Medaglia d’Oro Dominates Saratoga Finale Medaglia d’Oro, who has enjoyed a stellar year in the sales ring in 2018, produced a tour-de force-performance in Saratoga Tuesday night. The Darley stallion was represented by the session’s top three prices–all seven-figure yearlings–including the auction’s $1.35-million topper. “It’s very difficult to have a million-dollar horse, it’s even harder to have three million-dollar horses in a night,” said Darley’s Dan Pride. “It’s reflective of the diversity of the stallion. He gets them by any gender, colts, fillies, distance, surface. And they look the part when they show up at the sale. It’s been a thrill to have him at the farm. Sheikh Mohammed wants the best stallions on the roster and certainly he fits the bill.” Medaglia d’Oro dominated the 2-year-olds in training sales this spring; he had the $1.2 million co-topper (hip 9) at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale and topped the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale with another $1.2-million colt (hip 565). He was on the top of the leader board again at OBS April when a filly (hip 1197) sold for $1.1 million. His 6-year-old daughter Mrs McDougal (hip 781A) started the year off with a bang when topping the Keeneland January sale at $1.6 million. Of the outstanding results, Pride said, “You never know how it’s going to line up, but once we went through the sales and looked at all the horses, we saw the combination of pedigree and physical, especially the two-turn Classic types. He’s fortunate to throw the physicals and these all had pedigrees to back that up.” Medaglia d’Oro’s 2018 graded stakes winners include Elate, Gyllen, Bolt d’Oro and Enticed. His daughter Wonder Gadot was second in the GI Kentucky Oaks before defeating the boys in the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales S. @JessMartiniTDN Medaglia d’Oro Colt Attracts a Crowd The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale found its topper Tuesday evening when Robert Masiello, Chris Larsen, Siena Farms and West Point Thoroughbreds teamed up to acquire a colt by Medaglia d’Oro for $1.35 million. Masiello, a longtime partner in West Point partnerships, has increasingly gone out on his own, but knew he would need some heavy back-up to acquire hip 196, a son of stakes winner Coco’s Wildcat (Wildcat Heir), from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. “We knew we were going to have to spend a lot of money, that’s why it was a pretty big partnership,” Masiello said before ticking off the partners; “Chris Larsen–we are partners on Berned (Bernardini) who won the GIII Molly Pitcher last week–and Anthony Manganaro who owns Siena Farm and won the [GI Kentucky] Derby with Terry [Finley] with Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). It’s a great group of people. But we are over the moon happy right now.” Masiello did his bidding out back of the pavilion alongside West Point’s Terry Finley, who he credited with his growth as an owner in the industry. “Terry has been a mentor to me for a long time,” he said. “He’s been so important to me in my development as a horse owner. I started buying the smallest piece of the least expensive horse that West Point syndicated in 2005. And it’s grown from there. Terry has been with me every step of the way. It means a lot that he’s supported me so much as I’ve grown as an owner. It’s an honor to do business with him. This horse, he might not break his maiden, he might be a superstar. I think he’s going to be a superstar, but 10 times out of 10, I want to go to battle with Terry. I love the guy. He’s a mentor to me and I’m happy to be part of this.” As for a trainer for the sale-topper, Masiello said, “We have to talk about it. It’s probably going to be one of the trainers that we use a lot. We’ll go over that in the next few days.” @JessMartiniTDN WinStar Wild for Sale Topper The $1.35-million sale-topping son of Medaglia d’Oro is the first foal out of stakes winner and graded stakes placed Coco’s Wildcat (Wildcat Heir). The mare, with the future sale topper in utero, was purchased by WinStar Farm for $750,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. Asked if he envisioned bringing the sale topper to Saratoga when he was signing the ticket on the mare two years ago, WinStar President Elliott Walden said, “You envision it, but it doesn’t always work out that way.” Coco’s Wildcat is from the family of graded stakes winners Friel’s For Real and Ryan’s For Real and champion Songbird is under her fourth dam. The mare won the 2014 Cassidy S. at Gulfstream Park and was third in the 2015 GIII Adena Springs Miss Preakness S. “She looked fast and very well balanced and athletic,” Walden recalled of the mare’s appeal. “She really looked like a runner. We liked the cross with Medaglia and we were excited about her as a mare for the farm. When you buy mares in foal, you just hope they come out–it doesn’t happen that often. Most of the time, the first foal is a little small. This colt has just been a star from day one. David Hanley thought he could be the sale topper and he was right.” Coco’s Wildcat produced a filly by Curlin this year and was bred back to Uncle Mo. @JessMartiniTDN Patience Pays Off for Phoenix Amer Abdulaziz’s Phoenix Thoroughbreds was active, but a bit quieter than usual during Monday’s opening session, buying just four horses with the most expensive being $425,000. It turned out they were just waiting on a certain horse, making their presence known Tuesday when going to $1.3 million for a filly by Medaglia d’Oro (hip 204). Trainer Steve Asmussen, who was seated alongside Abdulaziz and Phoenix’s Tom Ludt during the bidding, will train the filly. When asked what he liked about her, the Hall of Famer said, “Everything. She is a work of art and a beautiful filly. I don’t think you are very likely to find another like her. She has a beautiful pedigree and, obviously, the physical to go with it. I think the filly is special in her own right and we are lucky to have her.” “This is one we definitely wanted, so we kept the money for tonight,” said Abdulaziz, adding that he was prepared to go higher to secure the filly. Out of SP Dawn Raid (Vindication), hip 204 is a half-sister to three-time Grade I winner Exaggerator (Curlin), who now stands at WinStar. Winner of the 2016 GI Preakness S., the bay colt finished second in the GI Kentucky Derby in addition to his other two top-level wins that season. Dawn Raid is a half-sister to Canadian champion Embur’s Song (Unbridled’s Song). “She had the residual value, she had the pedigree and she had the looks,” said Hunter Simms of Warrendale Sales, who consigned the filly on behalf of breeder Joseph B. Murphy. “She was very well received. We thought she’d bring around a million, so we are very happy with anything above there. They don’t come around that often looking like that. The sire had a great year. She is bred on the same cross [over a Vindication mare] as [Queen’s Plate winner and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up] Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro).” —@CDeBernardisTDN Jacksons Win Out on Popular Medaglia d’Oro Filly Hip 143, a Medaglia d’Oro filly from the family of the stallion’s MGISW Elate, was one of the buzz horses on the sales grounds leading up to Tuesday evening’s session and she lived up to the hype, creating quite a stir in the ring before hammering to Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables for a cool $1 million. “I thought she was awful nice,” Roy Jackson said after signing the ticket seated alongside his wife and trainer Arnaud Delacour, who will condition the filly. “We thought she would be expensive. We liked the pedigree and liked her physically. She sort of struck us all the way around.” “We are always stretching,” Jackson said with a chuckle when asked his thoughts on the price. “You always hope you can buy a little cheaper. We always try to buy a few fillies each year to turn into broodmares and she fits the bill.” Hip 143 is the first foal out of Veracity (Distorted Humor), who was purchased by breeder Fifth Avenue Bloodstock for $460,000 at the 2016 Keeneland Jauary sale. Out of Claiborne’s MGSW and MGISP Yell (A.P. Indy), Veracity is a full-sister to SW Cheery, dam of two-time Grade I-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Elate, who recently romped in the GII Delaware H. This year, the 7-year-old mare produced a full-sister to hip 143, who is bred on the cross over Forty Niner responsible for Medaglia d’Oro’s Grade I winners Rachel Alexandra, Songbird and New Money Honey in addition to the aforementioned Elate. “It was right on our expectations,” said Shack Parrish, whose Indian Creek agency consigned the filly. “We thought somewhere between $750,000 and that. The pedigree is absolutely terrific with the Claiborne side of things. She was a really nice filly, exceptional for a first foal. She had all the activity you could want and everything went well.” The self-described Bourbon County boy added, “We have 18 coming in for the New York-bred sale. Every horse we will sell here this week, but two, are bred and raised at Indian Creek, so that is a good advertisement for us. I am just the guy at the top, but I want to stress it is the staff that does an exceptional job getting us to this point.” —@CDeBernardisTDN ‘Pharoah,’ the Gift That Keeps On Giving For Summer Wind Summer Wind Farm owner Jane Lyon purchased American Pharoah’s dam Littleprincessemma for $2.1 million at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November sale, a decision that proved quite shrewd about seven months later when the aforementioned colt became the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. The three-time Eclipse winner provided Lyon with a big sales score from a sellers perspective Tuesday when a filly she bred from his first crop (hip 225) sold to Mark Casse, bidding on behalf of John Oxley, for $875,000. Charlotte Weber of Live Oak was the underbidder. “We are very big fans of American Pharoah,” said Lyon, owner/breeder of the Triple Crown winner’s juvenile half-sister Chasing Yesterday (Tapit), who earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status after an impressive debut win at Del Mar July 28. “We also love the mare Funny Feeling and her family, so we are very happy. We hope that whomever has purchased her will have all the success in the world.” Casse was equally as thrilled with his new purchase, saying, “Mr. Oxley bought her. We just loved her. More importantly, Mr. and Mrs. Oxley loved her. I loved her pedigree, it was an outstanding pedigree. American Pharoahs are unbelievable. We are happy to get her. We’ve been waiting on this one for a while.” Privately purchased after RNAing for $900,000 carrying a foal by Medaglia d’Oro at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Funny Feeling (Distorted Humor) is a full-sister to GISW and young Spendthrift sire Jimmy Creed. Their dam, GISW Hookedonthefeelin (Citidancer), is also responsible three-time Grade I winner Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet). The first foal Funny Feeling produced for Lyon’s operation is GSP ‘TDN Rising Star’ Gato del Oro (Medaglia d’Oro). Her 2-year-old Tapit, American Soleil, colt sold to Yoshizawa Stable for $550,000 at last term’s Keeneland September sale. This was the only yearling Summer Wind had on offer in Saratoga and they did equally well with their lone offering at Fasig-Tipton’s July Sale, topping the auction with a $520,000 Flatter colt. (Click here to read a TDN Weekend feature on Summer Wind). When asked his thoughts on the yearling market, given what he’s seen thus far, Summer Wind manager Bobby Spalding said, “I think it is very fair. I think if you have the right horse and they vet, it is very important. The American Pharoahs are obviously selling well and she is a filly we would have been happy to keep to race.” —@CDeBernardisTDN Flay Strikes Early For Familiar Family Bobby Flay made his presence known early in Tuesday’s session, going to $875,000 for a Tapit filly (Hip 137) out of SW and GSP Twirl (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “I am not surprised at the price, but it could have been more,” Flay said as his advisor James Delahooke signed the ticket. “There is a lot of intrinsic value in her pedigree.” Hip 137 hails from the family of Flay’s Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a graded stakes winner he purchased for $1.6 million at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Her dam is Twirl’s full-sister, Irish Highweight and MG1SW Misty For Me (Ire), who also produced English Highweight and MG1SW U S Navy Flag (War Front) and MG1SW Roly Poly (War Front). Twirl is also a full-sister to GSW & MG1SP Ballydoyle (Ire). “We are already in the family,” Flay said. “I own Cover Song, who is a daughter of Misty for Me. It is probably the hottest family in maybe the world right now. A Tapit filly out of Galileo mare hits me right down the middle. That is the kind of bloodstock I am trying to acquire.” Consigned by Gerry Dilger’s Dromoland Farm, Hip 137 was bred by Vinnie Viola’s St Elias Stables, who still own Twirl after she RNA’d for $3.1 million carrying a foal by Curlin at last year’s Keeneland November Sale. —@CDeBernardisTDN Honor Code Colt to CRK Stable A yearling from the first crop of champion and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Honor Code will be heading to the Southern California barn of trainer John Shirreffs after bloodstock agent David Ingordo acquired the youngster for $850,000 Tuesday in Saratoga on behalf of Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable. Bred by George Krikorian, hip 241 is out of multiple Grade I winner Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) who Shirreffs trained to win the 2003 GI Starlet S. and 2006 GI Vanity International in Krikorian’s colors. The yearling, who was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, is a half to stakes winner Miss Hollywood (Malibu Moon) and multiple graded stakes placed Hollywood Star (Malibu Moon). “It’s a family horse,” Ingordo said of the yearling. “My dad, John Shirreffs, trained the mother and I am obviously involved with Honor Code. I was telling [Lee Searing] that the yearling has an uncanny resemblance to what Honor Code looked like as a yearling.” Shirreffs also trains the unraced half-sister Hollywood Girl (Giant’s Causeway), who was purchased by Mayberry Farm for $875,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. “She’s an outstanding filly,” Ingordo said of the 2-year-old. “It gave us a lot of confidence to come back and buy this one. I thought, as an individual, he was as good as any colt besides a Medaglia d’Oro here.” Winner of the GI Metropolitan H. and GI Whitney H. in 2015, Honor Code (A.P. Indy) was crowned that year’s Eclipse champion older horse. He stands at Lane’s End for $40,000. “They are all well balanced horses,” Ingordo, who serves as bloodstock manager at Lane’s End, said of the Honor Codes he has seen. “They have beautiful dispositions with great heads on them. They vet really well, all of their throats are good. All of them look like racehorses, they look like they want to do it.” Honor Code had seven yearlings sell from nine through the ring at the two-day Saratoga sale for an average of $387,143. In addition to hip 241, the sire was represented by a filly (hip 217) from Anderson Farms who sold to Cheyenne Stables for $460,000. @JessMartiniTDN China Horse Club & WinStar Continue Their Fruitful Partnership The China Horse Club and WinStar Farm have enjoyed a very successful business relationship, especially this year, partnering on the likes of undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), GI Florida Derby winner Audible (Into Mischief) and GII Tampa Bay Derby victor Quip (Distorted Humor). The two powerhouse operations teamed up again near the end of Tuesday’s session, going to $850,000 for a Hard Spun half-brother to GISW Collected (City Zip). “He’s been purchased with WinStar, so we will continue our business relationship with them, which has obviously served us well for the last few years,” the China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace said of hip 239. “He made just a smidgeon more than what we were expecting when we talked about it two days ago, but last night and the feeling around the sales ground was pretty strong. There aren’t many colts like him, so you have to use your judgment and buy the ones you really like.” Consigned by Runnymede Farm, who bred the colt with Peter Callahan, hip 239 is out of the Johannesburg mare Helena Bay (GB), who is also responsible for last year’s GI Pacific Classic winner and GI Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Collected (City Zip). “What didn’t we like about him?” Wallace said. “We had a few looks at him this week and he handled it really well. The boys had a look at him on the farm. He is raised by a good consignor and good breeder. He has a good brain on him and hopefully that stands him in good stead.” When asked if the colt would go to Bob Baffert, trainer of both Collected and Justify, Wallace said, “We never make any decisions on that sort of thing now. We will get them home and we will break them like we always do. Those decisions will be made sometime later in the year, coming into the new season.” The China Horse Club and WinStar Farm were also active, individually, on the selling side. WinStar bred Tuesday’s $1.35 million topper, a colt by Medaglia d’Oro (Hip 196). The China Horse Club sold just one yearling during Monday’s session, a $775,000 Candy Ride (Arg) filly, who is a half-sister to champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) (hip 93). “She is the only one we had entered, so we are happy with $775,000,” Wallace said. “It continues our policy of selling everything we breed. It is important for people to know that they can buy off us. The only way we can do that is by putting everything we have in the market and the market can dictate what they make. The last two years we sold 100% of the horses we offered in Australia and America. We are here to sell them.” —@CDeBernardisTDN Beck, Rosen Team for Tapit Filly Andrew Rosen teamed up with Gainesway owner Antony Beck to acquire a filly by Gainesway’s super sire Tapit for $850,000 early in Tuesday’s second session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. Bloodstock agent Hugo Merry signed the ticket on the filly (hip 142) on behalf of the two longtime owners. She was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of breeder Allen Poindexter, who campaigned her stakes-placed dam Kid Majic (Lemon Drop Kid). “We loved the filly,” Merry said. “She wasn’t owned by Antony Beck, but they had her on the farm and loved her all along. When I arrived at the sales grounds, I rang Andrew and told him we needed to try to buy this filly.” Radcliffe Strikes for More Than Ready Colt Kerri Radcliffe, who signed for last year’s co-topper at Saratoga on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbreds, was in action again Tuesday, going to $500,000 to acquire a colt by More Than Ready on behalf of an undisclosed American client. “Obviously, I love the stallion–it’s pretty well known that I love More Than Ready,” Radcliffe said after signing the ticket on hip 154. “He’s a lovely, strong, big-walking colt and he looked like he had a great mind. He comes from a great place in Denali. I love buying off of Craig Bandoroff, he’s fantastic. I loved the colt and he stays in America.” Radcliffe has had success buying offspring of More Than Ready, most notably Nemoralia, who was second in the 2015 GI Frizette S. and third in that year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The chestnut yearling, bred by Stud TNT and consigned by Denali, is out of Brazilian group placed Allez Marie (Unbridled’s Song). The mare is a daughter of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly (Summer Squall). While Radcliffe declined to name her client, she said it was an established American owner who is “very genuine and lovely and they understand racing.” Also Tuesday, Radcliffe signed the ticket at $185,000 to acquire a filly by Constitution (hip 168) on behalf of Arthur Hoyeau. “I love Saratoga,” she said. “Who doesn’t? Fasig-Tipton does a great job in selecting really nice yearlings. It’s great to be in Saratoga. It’s got the most amazing buzz. I’d say it’s probably the best sale I’ve ever been to in my life. I love it.” Radcliffe has a busy schedule mapped out over the next several months. “I’ll be in Deauville, followed by Doncaster, followed by Keeneland, followed by Goffs, followed by Tatts. It’s a busy schedule, but it’s good,” she said. @JessMartiniTDN View the full article

A Medaglia d’Oro half-sister to Classic winner Exaggerator (Curlin) brought $1.3 million from Phoenix Thoroughbreds at Tuesday evening’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The daughter of the stakes-placed Dawn Raid (Vindication) is the third seven-figure yearling to go through the ring for the Darley resident during Tuesday’s session. Hip 204, consigned by Warrendale Sales, Agent III, was bred in Kentucky by Joseph B. Murphy. View the full article

A yearling colt by Medaglia d’Oro from the extended female family of the brilliant Songbird (Medaglia d’Oro) brought $1.35 million from Robert Masiello at Tuesday evening’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. Consigned as Hip 196 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent LXXVII, the dark bay was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm. Kenny Troutt’s operation purchased the mare Coco’s Wildcat (Wildcat Heir), SW & GSP, $230,495, carrying this colt for $750,000 at the 2016 KEENOV Sale. View the full article