Wandering Eyes

A planned experiment to have jockeys compete without riding crops April 12 at Santa Anita Park has been canceled. Through an agreement between the Jockeys' Guild and TOC, jockeys will ride with crops Friday at the Arcadia, Calif. track. View the full article

Umberto Rispoli is hitting form at an opportunistic time and he’s hoping to keep it rolling after securing a Happy Valley double on Wednesday night.The Italian has enjoyed a strong two meetings, collecting a winner (Green Card), a Group Two second aboard Eagle Way (at $46) and a Class One second with Insayshable (at $55) on Sunday before lifting Ruletheroost and Big Bang Bong to victory at the midweek meeting.With the recent departure of Silvestre de Sousa and some other riders struggling for… View the full article

The British Horseracing Authority has welcomed the European Commission’s decision to grant the United Kingdom third country status for the export of live animals. One of the major uncertainties facing the racing and breeding industries in the event of a no-deal Brexit would have been the movement of horses between the UK and the EU. Should the UK leave without a deal, barriers to entry to the EU will remain. However, this status would only apply if the UK leaves without a deal on Friday. If an extension is agreed, third country status would need to be applied for again at a later point. BHA executive director Will Lambe said, “This decision on listing from the European Union is extremely welcome, and reflects the UK’s high health standards in respect of its animals, and of course the Thoroughbred population within this. “It provides important clarity for the racing and breeding sector before a potential no-deal departure from the EU this Friday, which remains the default outcome ahead of this evening’s European Council summit.” Currently the movement of racehorses and breeding stock between Britain, Ireland and France has been allowed under the Tripartite Agreement, but following Brexit that will no longer apply. Lambe added, “While it would have been preferable for the EU to commit to continuing with the current systems and the Tripartite Agreement for Thoroughbred movement in the event of no deal–as the UK has done–we have at least avoided a deeply damaging situation whereby horses would be prevented from travelling to or back to the EU. “We continue to hope that a deal can be reached, but at the same time encourage all in the industry to be prepared for a potential no-deal outcome, and to refer to the detailed information on the BHA website as to what steps they should be taking.” View the full article

Godolphin’s stellar start to 2019 continued apace in Wednesday’s G3 Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte, when Munitions (War Front) nosed out Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) to provide Andre Fabre with a fifth renewal of the seven-furlong Classic trial. Last seen finishing fourth in the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Prix Yacowlef at Chantilly in November, the 27-10 favourite tracked the stand’s-side leader Amilcar (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) before taking over from that rival approaching the furlong pole. Tackled by the G1 Criterium International third Graignes from there, the bay clung on to prevail in a bobber, with Amilcar sticking on to be 1 1/2 lengths further behind in third. Wednesday, Maisons-Laffitte, France PRIX DJEBEL-G3, €80,000, Maisons-Laffitte, 4-10, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:25.57, g/s. 1–MUNITIONS, 128, c, 3, by War Front 1st Dam: War Echo (GSW-US, $284,387), by Tapit 2nd Dam: Wild Vision, by Wild Again 3rd Dam: Carol’s Wonder, by Pass te Tab 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. ($550,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €93,500. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Graignes (Fr), 128, c, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr). (€40,000 Ylg ’17 AROCT; €90,000 2yo ’18 ARQMAY). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €16,000. 3–Amilcar (Ire), 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Drosia (Ire), by King’s Best. (€8,000 RNA Wlg ’16 ARQDEC; €32,000 RNA Ylg ’17 AROCT). O/B-Emadadein Alhtoushi (IRE); T-Henri-Alex Pantall. €12,000. Margins: NO, 1HF, HF. Odds: 2.70, 3.30, 4.70. Also Ran: Toijk (Fr), Marie’s Diamond (Ire), Pretty Boy (Ire), Harmless (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Shadwell’s star sprinter Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) may head straight to the G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot this summer. For the second season running, the Charlie Hills-trained 5-year-old was a brilliant winner of the G2 King George S. at Goodwood last August–but disappointed when odds-on for the G1 Nunthorpe S. three weeks later. He also failed to run up to his best when defending his crown in the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye on his final start of 2018, but Hills believes his charge is in rude health as he approaches his return to action. Hills said, “Battaash is in really good form, and I think he’s done much better from four to five than he did from three to four. His weight is good, and he looks a picture. He didn’t really get his summer coat until after Royal Ascot last year, whereas this year it’s coming through already.” Battaash found only Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) too strong in last year’s King’s Stand, and a mouth-watering rematch looks to be on the cards. “Whether he’ll run before Royal Ascot, I’m not sure. We’re all gearing him up for the King’s Stand,” Hills added of his Group 1 winner. “There aren’t many options for him before that. It’s probably the Haydock race he won last year [G2 Temple S.) or nothing.” View the full article

Trainer Martyn Meade is hoping G1SW Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who races for Phoenix Thoroughbred, can rebound from his second to Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. last fall in the May 4 G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. A winner of the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh in August, the colt was 2 3/4 lengths behind the Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber colourbearer in the Dewhurst. But Meade has full faith in the son of Showcasing, and said, “I think he has got solid form all the way through last season. In the Dewhurst he was still an immature 2-year-old, so I think he will definitely improve as a 3-year-old–certainly physically. He looks a different horse, and he is our great hope. The Dewhurst was at the end of a long year for us, and in that race we were caught a bit flat-footed. We might not have won, but I wouldn’t have put us nearly three lengths behind. “We are confident to take on [Too Darn Hot] in the 2000 Guineas, and I’m surprised [Advertise] is as far out in the betting as he is. We are not contemplating giving him a prep race, because we would like to keep him through the season and we don’t want to waste a race. We will start him off in the Guineas, and that is plenty early enough, but we might give him an away day first. View the full article

Last seen breaking her maiden in the Listed Criterium du Languedoc at Toulouse in November, Alexander Tamagni-Bodmer and Regula Vannod’s Watch Me (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) returned in buoyant form on Wednesday as she upstaged Suphala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) in the G3 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte. Sent off at nearly 6-1, the bay was reserved early by Christophe Soumillon and had the speed edge over that 6-4 favourite to assert from 100 metres out. At the line, there was a short neck between them, with Jet Setteuse (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) 1 1/2 lengths behind in third. Wednesday, Maisons-Laffitte, France PRIX IMPRUDENCE-G3, €80,000, Maisons-Laffitte, 4-10, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.09, g/s. 1–WATCH ME (FR), 126, f, 3, by Olympic Glory (Ire) 1st Dam: Watchful (Ire), by Galileo (Ire) 2nd Dam: Sharakawa (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 3rd Dam: Sharaya, by Youth 1ST GROUP WIN. (€30,000 RNA Ylg ’17 ARAUG). O-Alexander Tamagni-Bodmer & Mme Regula Vannod; B-Mme Antoinette Tamagni & Cocheese Bloodstock Anstalt (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Christophe Soumillon. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, €74,050. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Suphala (Fr), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Sefroua, by Kingmambo. (€650,000 Ylg ’17 ARAUG). O-Lady Bamford; B-Haras d’Etreham & Riviera Equine SARL (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000. 3–Jet Setteuse (Fr), 126, f, 3, Makfi (GB)–Pretty Panther (Fr), by Hurricane Run (Ire). O/B-Patrick Sabban (FR); T-Francois Rohaut. €12,000. Margins: SNK, 1HF, HD. Odds: 5.80, 1.50, 7.20. Also Ran: Devant (Fr), Vanilla Gold (Ire), Lucky Jolie, Pure Zen (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Speedway Stable's Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner learned a few things when Roadster won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 6. View the full article

Julian Muscat gets the lowdown from Britain’s winningmost trainer A spate of records tumbled last year as Mark Johnston posted his best-ever season. He set new benchmarks by winners (226) and prize-money (£4.329 million), while on August 23 he surpassed Richard Hannon snr’s career haul of 4,193 winners to become the most prolific trainer in […] The post Mark Johnston Stable Tour appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Central Districts jockey Jonathan Parkes had a day to remember at Otaki on Wednesday, riding home five winners on the eight race card. He kicked off proceedings in the opening race, riding Te Akau Dragon to win his maiden after two previous placings for Jamie Richards. While he was unplaced aboard the Lisa Latta-trained Lincoln Lane in the Cavallo Farm & Chris Rutten Bloodstock (1400m), he then won four races in succession. He guided home the David Goldsbury-trained Myrtle to win the El Cheapo C... View the full article

Beauty Generation has a clear path to the perfect Hong Kong season after scaring off any international raiders for the Group One FWD Champions Mile.John Moore’s superstar will face just six rivals in the HK$18 million feature – all locals who he has comfortably accounted for in the past – meaning history beckons on April 28.With victory in the Champions Mile, Beauty Generation will become the first horse to win eight races in a Hong Kong season, as well as breaking Viva Pataca’s all-time prize… View the full article

Expat New Zealand jockey James McDonald is heading into the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) full of confidence after riding race favourite Verry Elleegant in work on Tuesday. The pair are fresh off a victory in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) last start and McDonald sees no reason why they can’t repeat at Randwick on Saturday. “She’s going super,” he said. “I worked her on Tuesday morning and had a smile from ear to ear. “It was very good work and she seems to be thriving on her wo... View the full article

Quality New Zealand filly Avantage will contest Saturday’s Gr.2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Randwick and trainer Jamie Richards is pleased with the progression of the daughter of Fastnet Rock ahead of the A$1 million event. “Avantage is going well leading into Saturday,” Richards said. “She has to take that next step up against the big boys, so we’ll see how we get on. “But she is sound and happy and everything is going well with her.” A last-start winner of the Gr.3 Birthda... View the full article

Consistent Horowhenua galloper Dolcetto will tackle 2200m for the first time on Saturday when he lines-up in the Listed Royston Hospital Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m), but his trainer Sylvia Kay doesn’t think it will be an issue for her gelding. The Per Incanto six-year-old hadn’t been tested over further than a mile prior to his latest preparation, but he has pleased Kay when stepping up in distance in his last two starts. He finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m) in February befor... View the full article

The pride of Waverley, Glory Days, has arrived in Sydney ahead of her tilt at Saturday’s A$2 million Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick. The lightly-framed stayer touched down on Tuesday evening and has pleased her trainer Bill Thurlow. The last-start Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner is based at Richard Litt’s Warwick Farm stable and it will just be a case of maintenance work between now and Saturday. “She has travelled over really well,” Thurlow said. “We’re very happy with her ... View the full article

The public has voted – and there is overwhelming support for the mighty mare Winx to win The Wonder Race on Wednesday. View the full article

The Matamata thoroughbred community celebrated another Group One victory on Saturday when Brutal took out the Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick. The three-year-old colt was bred by Auckland-based Anne Storey and her mother Ruth Kerr-Taylor and was born and raised at Mapperley Stud near Matamata, who sold him through their 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft to Hawkes Racing for $220,000. The Matamata connection runs further, with Brutal being by Waikato Stud’s deceased cha... View the full article

Bold return for Vorster in Rocket Man View the full article

Salim suspended four months View the full article

Juglall bows out of Singapore View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale returned from a four-year hiatus Tuesday in Lexington and a filly by leading sire Tapit provided the fireworks when selling for $1.3 million. The filly (hip 130) was consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds and was purchased by bloodstock agent Chad Schumer on behalf of Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud, who continued to be a new and active participant at the spring’s 2-year-old sales. The April sale began with a section of horses of racing age and the graded stakes placed 3-year-old filly Sweet Diane (Will Take Charge) was the section’s highest-priced offering when selling for $500,000 to Ina Bond’s River Bend Farm. “I thought the trade today was very good,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. “I thought the racehorses were well received. And I think it continued on very well to the 2-year-old sale. The Tapit filly, obviously, was on everybody’s list–with a good update and a great work. It just shows the money’s here for those kind of horses.” Through both portions of the sale, 67 head sold for $6,083,500. The average was $90,799 and the median was $40,000. In all, 22 juveniles sold for a total of $3,387,500. The average was $153,977 and the median was $55,000. With 39 2-year-olds going through the ring, 17 failed to find new homes. At its last edition in 2014, 38 juveniles sold for $8,769,000 for an average of $230,763 and a median of $200,000. “We’re in a rebuilding process for this sale, so some people are willing to rebuild with us and some people wanted to take a wait-and-see approach,” Russell said. “We hope they saw and will participate next year.” Schumer looked at Tuesday’s results as something to build on going forward. “I think it’s a good format,” Schumer said. “I think they need more horses, obviously. But it’s the first year back doing it and I’m sure it will improve.” Dean De Renzo appreciated the extra time the April sale provided he and Randy Hartley to prepare the sale-topper. “She is a May foal, and we have taken our time with her,” De Renzo said. “We wanted to target a sale that is a little later in the year. We hope that Keeneland continues having this sale because we love the timing and we love to sell here.” Saudi Prince Continues Juvenile Buying Spree at Keeneland Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud, who burst onto the juvenile sales scene as a major buyer at last month’s OBS March sale, continued to play at the top end when spending a sale-topping $1.3 million to acquire a daughter of Tapit (hip 130) Tuesday at Keeneland. Emmanuel de Seroux’s Narvick International signed for the prince’s eight purchases at OBS, but it was bloodstock agent Chad Schumer signing the ticket at Keeneland. “She is a tremendous physical,” Schumer said. “I thought she had a superb breeze [a co-bullet :10 flat] and her gallop-out was very strong. She is a lovely filly and obviously the full-brother makes a big difference. Hopefully, she’ll be a Grade I horse. At that sort of money, she almost has to be. It’s a lot of pressure, but she’s beautiful and we couldn’t be happier with her.” Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the bay filly is out of Grade I winner My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller). Her 3-year-old full-brother Bourbon War is on the GI Kentucky Derby trail and co-owners Bourbon Lane Stable watched intently as the filly sold Tuesday. “She is by one of the leading sires of all time, it’s a massive pedigree. So it’s not an unexpected number,” Schumer said of the final price. Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud’s eight purchases at OBS were led by a $650,000 daughter of Speightstown. “He’s just starting to develop a nice stable in the U.S.,” de Seroux said after signing the ticket on that filly at OBS. “In the U.S., I believe this will be his first group of horses.” It was the highest bid the veteran Schumer had ever made and, after signing the ticket, he admitted, “I think once you get above a certain number, it’s kind of numbing. I don’t know how to explain it. I haven’t done it before, so it hasn’t really sunk in yet.” The last time Keeneland hosted an April sale in 2014, Schumer came home with a more modestly priced juvenile and future graded stakes winner in Saham (Lemon Drop Kid). “The last time they had the 2-year-old sale here, I was lucky enough to buy a graded stakes winner,” Schumer. “Saham won the [2015 GIII] Jefferson Cup and I think we gave $100,000 for him.” @JessMartiniTDN Tapit Filly Sells Well for Baccari While Chris Baccari typically enjoys his pinhook successes at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale with horses acquired as weanlings, he made a nice score Tuesday with sale-topping hip 130. He acquired the $1.3-million Tapit filly for $775,000 as a Keeneland November weanling in 2017. SF Bloodstock had paid $1.5 million for Grade I-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller) while she was carrying hip 130 at the Conquest Stables dispersal at the 2016 Keeneland November sale Given the buzz the Hartley/De Renzo-consigned miss had garnered after her :10 flat breeze, Baccari said he wasn’t surprised by what hip 130 brought. “With the kind of pedigree she has–she goes :10 flat, she goes :20 1/5 and :32 2/5, and she looks the way she does. That’s why I had to give so much for her as a foal,” he said. When asked what he thought of the return of the Keeneland April sale, Baccari said, “I feel safe with this surface, and I wanted to support the sale. It just seemed like the right thing to do. For me, being a person who also races, I want to have them on a good surface where I can go from here [and race them] if I have to.” Shortly after selling hip 130, Hartley/De Renzo offered hip 142 on Baccari’s behalf, but the :10 1/5 breezer was bought back for $550,000. The daughter of American Pharoah was bred by Baccari’s Seclusive Farm along with Chester and Anne Prince and James Murphy and RNA’d for $385,000 as a KEESEP yearling. Baccari raced hip 142’s dam Seacrettina (Sea of Secrets) after paying $65,000 for her as a September yearling in 2007. She was a stakes-winning juvenile for him in Baccari’s native Texas. He sold a Medaglia d’Oro colt out of her for $500,000 at September in 2017. —@BDiDonatoTDN Sweet Diane Leads Racing Prospects Sweet Diane (Will Take Charge), on the GI Kentucky Oaks points board thanks to a third-place finish in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, will be joining the barn of trainer Eddie Kenneally after selling for $500,000 to Ina Bond’s River Bend Farm. It was the highest price at the horses of racing age section of the Keeneland April Sale Tuesday. “We are basically a broodmare farm,” explained River Bend manager Larry Weeden after signing the ticket on the sophomore filly. “We are branching out and going in a new direction and trying to do some racing. We have high hopes that this will turn into something fun.” The addition of Sweet Diane will double River Bend’s racing stable. The operation currently has Island Song (Speightstown) in training with Kenneally and that 3-year-old gelding was fifth in a maiden special weight at Keeneland Saturday. “We’ve been selling yearlings here for almost 30 years,” Weeden said. “We’re a small broodmare farm, usually 12 horses or smaller. We are just trying to focus on quality over quantity.” Weeden continued, “We have a colt that has been running as a 3-year-old at a little bit lower end. And we’ve been having some fun with it, so rather than have to buy an expensive broodmare, we decided to make our own. Not that she was cheap, but if you get a really good racehorse and she makes offspring that run, it costs a lot of money.” Sweet Diane (hip 90) is out of stakes-placed Inside Passage (Tiznow), who is a half-sister to Glinda the Good (Hard Spun), dam of champion Good Magic. Rick Kanter’s Stallionaire Enterprises purchased her for $130,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling in 2017. She RNA’d for $95,000 at last year’s OBS April sale. Sweet Diane currently sits 16th on the Kentucky Oaks points board, but Kenneally confirmed the filly would skip the Run for the Lilies. “We’re just going to take our time with her and get to know her,” Kenneally said. “She is coming from a good operation, so hopefully that will make my job easy.” Sweet Diane broke her maiden by 13 3/4 lengths at Penn National last September. She missed by just a neck when second in the Hut Hut S. in December and returned this year with a third-place effort in the Feb. 9 Suncoast S. In her final outing for trainer Mike Stidham and Stallionaire Enterprises, Sweet Diane was third in the Mar. 23 Fair Grounds Oaks (PPs). Stidham admitted it was bittersweet watching Sweet Diane go through the sales ring at Keeneland Tuesday. “We started her as a 2-year-old and watched her go through all the races that she’s been in,” Stidham said. “She’s been a sweetheart and we hope she continues on to the Grade I status.” Of the filly’s final price tag, Stidham added, “You never know, but we were hoping somewhere in the $400,000 to $500,000 range and she certainly made it. We are delighted.” Sweet Diane was consigned by Elite Sales, which sold eight horses of racing age Tuesday for a total of $1.3 million and an average of $163,750 to lead all consignors at the April sale. “We are thrilled with that result,” Elite’s Brad Weisbord said after watching Sweet Diane sell. “It was way in excess of the reserve. I think it’s a big deal for this Keeneland Horses of Racing Age sale to get it started off with a result like that. We’re delighted for Michael Stidham and Stallionaire Enterprises–they gave us a chance and they are not people we do a ton of business with. We are thankful for Eddie Kenneally and his group for buying the filly. They are going to be in for some great graded stakes fun in the summer and fall.” Of Elite’s April consignment, Weisbord said, “We had, for an Elite group, overall a marginal group of horses because we are playing at the top end of the market. So we’re used to selling graded winners in November. It’s a little bit of a different go for us, but our clients who support us all year long wanted to trade out some racehorses for their 2-year-olds coming in. So obviously, we wanted to accommodate them.” @JessMartiniTDN O’Neill Back on the ‘Map’ Dennis O’Neill landed the Keeneland April Sale’s second-priciest 2-year-old and most-expensive colt when he went to $350,000 to secure a member of Liam’s Map’s first crop as hip 126. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables, Inc., Agent IV, the grey was a $190,000 KEESEP grand and covered a furlong in a co-fastest :10 flat. The colt, who is out of GSW Jenny’s So Great (Greatness), will head to Dennis O’Neill’s brother Doug O’Neill and will be campaigned by a group that includes Erik Johnson’s ERJ Racing. “He was my favorite,” said O’Neill. “Honestly, he’s one of my favorite horses that I’ve seen at a 2-year-old sale. I thought he’d be more than that and honestly didn’t think I’d have a chance to get him. I was really surprised by what I got him for. Erik Johnson, the hockey player, is going to own a big piece of him, and is really, really excited.” Johnson had sold sophomore colt Weekly Call (Will Take Charge) for $65,000 through the Elite Sales consignment during the horses of racing age portion of the auction. “I just loved his breeze,” O’Neill said of hip 126. “He looked like he wasn’t comfortable on the track–he was kind of getting in and out down the lane–so to do what he did and then to go back and look at him on the shank, he’s a gorgeous horse. Big, beautiful horse.” O’Neill had purchased a pair of Liam’s Map weanlings ($310,000 and $65,000) on behalf of Liam’s Map’s co-owner Vinnie Viola at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. “I’ve talked to Vinnie Viola about him a little bit and I really think he’s got a big, big chance to make it as a sire,” O’Neill said. A winner of the 2015 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland, Liam’s Map was represented by a $400,000 filly at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream. When asked how he was finding the market at Keeneland April, O’Neill said, “I’m glad I came–I wasn’t planning on coming, it was kind of a last-minute thing. I think it’s been a buyer’s market. I think the small catalog kept a lot of people from coming out here. I didn’t see many people from California at all. But I’m really happy with how it’s gone.” —@BDiDonatoTDN Higher Power Heading West Fresh off a win in last Saturday’s GI Santa Anita H. with private purchase Gift Box (Curlin), the California-based barn of John Sadler picked up another promising racing prospect in Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro) Tuesday. Agent David Ingordo did the bidding, and came out on top at $250,000. The well-bred colt was consigned on behalf of his breeder, Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stud, by trainer Mike Stidham’s Stidham Racing as hip 83. “He looked good and well cared for,” Ingordo, who did not disclose which of Sadler’s owners he was buying for, said. “We thought he might have a little future on the turf over the tighter surfaces in California. John and Mike Stidham are friends and Mike mentioned the horse to him.” Higher Power won two of his first three starts before heading into stakes company. He was third in last April’s Northern Spur S. at Oaklawn, and was subsequently transferred from Donnie K. Von Hemel to Stidham. Finishing third twice and fourth once in three Fair Grounds optional claiming tries since the trainer change, he returned to winning ways in a muddy, rained-off heat at Fair Grounds Mar. 16. Click for past performances. Out of MSW and MGSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), Higher Power is a half to MGSW ‘TDN Rising Star’ and young sire Alternation (Distorted Humor) and MSW/GSP ‘Rising Star’ Interrupted (Broken Vow) and hails from the same female family as MGISW and Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks and Valleys (Mt. Livermore). His dam and Interrupted both excelled on the grass. —@BDiDonatoTDN View the full article

Impressive debut winner I’m A Conqueror will attempt to keep the brilliant start going in Sunday’s S$75,000 Novice race over 1200m even if he will be at his first Polytrack test this time. David Hill’s assistant-trainer Jason Lim said the Alamosa four-year-old has kept improving since his two-length win in an Open Maiden race over 1200m on turf on February 3, but the switch to the other surface was the only unknown factor. “It’s his first time on the Polytrack. He seems to handle it qu... View the full article

A 2-year-old Tapit filly lit up the board at the Keeneland April Sale Tuesday, going to Chad Schumer, agent. The full-sister to GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. runner-up Bourbon War, produced by the Artie Schiller mare My Conquestadory, breezed an eighth in :10 at the under-tack show. She was previously a $775,000 KEENOV weanling purchase by Baccari Bloodstock. The bay was consigned as Hip 130 by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent. View the full article

A 2-year-old Tapit filly lit up the board at the Keeneland April Sale Tuesday, going to Chad Schumer, agent. The full-sister to GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. runner-up Bourbon War, produced by the Artie Schiller mare My Conquestadory, breezed an eighth in :10 at the under-tack show. She was previously a $775,000 KEENOV weanling purchase by Baccari Bloodstock. The bay was consigned as Hip 130 by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent. View the full article

The weekend’s 3-year-old action at America’s leading tracks underlined the truth of the adage that success breeds success. In racing, the second wave of success can be expected four or five years after the first and this is what happened in the trials for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks. Take a look back to the leading sires’ lists for 2014 and you will find the general sires’ table was headed for the first time by Tapit, who amassed the eye-catching total of 11 individual graded stakes winners, headed by the champion 3-year-old filly Untapable, the GI Belmont S. winner Tonalist and the GI Florida Derby hero Constitution. As a consequence, Tapit’s fee for 2015 was doubled to $300,000. In fifth position, his highest placing up to that point, came Candy Ride (Arg), whose team of eight graded winners featured champion Shared Belief. The much-missed gelding compensated for missing the Kentucky Derby with Grade I victories in the Pacific Classic, Awesome Again S. and Malibu S. Like Tapit, Candy Ride was to stand at a career-high fee, of $60,000, in 2015. Turn your attention to the first-crop sires of 2014 and you will find that this championship was taken by Quality Road, thanks largely to Hootenanny, winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and Blofeld, a dual Grade II winner. An encouraging fifth among the first-crop sires was Munnings, with 27 winners from 53 starters. Much of Munnings’ success came too late to raise his fee for 2015, but his profile received a considerable boost when his daughter I’m A Chatterbox developed into a smart performer in the first few months of her sophomore year. All four of the above stallions were in fine form over the weekend. With the help of Close Hatches (First Defence), a clear-cut winner of 2014’s Older Female Eclipse Award, Tapit sired Tacitus, the progressive Juddmonte colt who followed up his win in the GII Tampa Bay Derby with another Grade II success in the Wood Memorial. Stamina will not be a problem for Tacitus as he bids to become Tapit’s first Kentucky Derby winner. Candy Ride is also trying to add a Kentucky Derby winner to his CV, and he has more than one chance. Vekoma improved his record to three wins from his first four starts in decisively landing the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. His only defeat was his third behind Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) and Tapit’s son Bourbon War in the GII Fountain of Youth S. after a four-month break. And, while Candy Ride’s champion 2-year-old Game Winner has found one too good for him in both of his 3-year-old starts, he has been beaten only a nose in the GII Rebel S. and half a length in the GI Santa Anita Derby. Game Winner’s defeat in the Santa Anita Derby came at the hands of Roadster, a son of Quality Road. The Lane’s End stallion had earlier also landed the GI Santa Anita Oaks with Bellafina, a filly who heads for the Kentucky Oaks with a record of six wins from eight starts. Stamina doubts about Munnings’ unbeaten daughter Fancy Dress Party mean that this unbeaten winner of the GIII Beaumont S. probably won’t be among Bellafina’s opposition. Roadster probably owes his existence to Hootenanny’s Breeders’ Cup victory, as Quality Road sired Hootenanny from a grand-daughter of that good mare Dance Teacher and Roadster’s dam Ghost Dancing is another of Dance Teacher’s grand-daughters. This was Ghost Dancing’s first visit to Quality Road and Arthur Hancock received excellent value for his $35,000 investment in his Silver Ghost mare, with Roadster selling for $525,000 as a yearling. Now a winner of three of his four starts, Roadster has already earned more than $700,000 for his buyers, Speedway Stables. His only defeat, when third behind Game Winner in the GI Del Mar Futurity, has been attributed partly to a wind issue, which was corrected by minor throat surgery. Hancock bought Ghost Dancing for his Stone Farm for $220,000 at the 2011 dispersal of Edward P. Evans’ mares. I am guessing that Hancock liked the fact that the mare is inbred 4 x 4 to Hail To Reason, sire also of Halo, who was twice champion sire during his career at Stone Farm. Coincidentally, Ned Evans also bred and raced Quality Road, so there is a nice symmetry to Roadster’s pedigree. Ghost Dancing provided Hancock with an immediate dividend, as the Candy Ride colt she was carrying at the time of her purchase proved to be Ascend, winner of the GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. over a mile and a quarter on turf for the partnership of Stone Farm and Madaket Stables. Another of Ghost Dancing’s sons, the Tapit colt Moro Tap, once finished a respectable fourth to The Pizza Man (English Channel) in the GIII Stars and Stripes S. over a mile and a half, so there is some stamina here. Roadster is inbred 4 x 3 to Mr. Prospector, via Gone West and Silver Ghost. Gone West was primarily considered a miler, despite his win in the GI Dwyer S. over a furlong further, and the non-stakes-winning Silver Ghost did his winning at around six furlongs. Normally this wouldn’t encourage me to think that Roadster will be suited by a mile and a quarter, but the way he finished at Santa Anita suggests otherwise. Hopefully he has inherited some of the stamina which enabled his third dam Dance Teacher to win the GI Ladies H. over a mile and a quarter. This versatile mare also won the GIII Gallorette H. on turf, and Roadster’s dam Ghost Dancing was a minor stakes winner on turf, over 5 1/2 furlongs. It therefore wasn’t too surprising that Hootenanny (whose first foals are being born this year) was successful at Royal Ascot as a 2-year-old before finishing second in the G1 Prix Morny. View the full article