Wandering Eyes

OUT FOR A SPIN (f, 3, Hard Spun–My Mammy, by Came Home) blew up the tote with a 52-1 upset in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Saturday, stamping her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks. The chestnut pressed pacesetting champion and race favorite Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) from second through a first half-mile in :46.46. Taking control from the Eclipse winner entering the far turn, she was immediately joined to her outside by Restless Rider (Distorted Humor). Try as she might, that ‘TDN Rising Star’ could not get by Out For a Spin, who hung tough to the wire to score in 1:44.95. Fifth when unveiled in a six-panel event at Churchill Nov. 16, Out For a Spin earned her diploma next out when stretched to two turns in the slop at Fair Grounds Dec. 29. Third in an optional claimer in NOLA Feb. 8, she scored in the mud again next out in an off-the-turf affair at Fair Grounds Mar. 16. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1. O-Commonwealth Stable; B-William M. Backer Revocable Trust (VA); T-Dallas Stewart. View the full article

The 3-year-old daughter of Hard Spun entered stakes competition for the first time Saturday for trainer Dallas Stewart and turned back 5-2 second choice Restless Rider after putting away even-money favorite Jaywalk off the turn for home. View the full article

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables' World of Trouble battled three wide in the stretch and prevailed over his competition to win the $400,000 Carter Handicap (G1) April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

WORLD OF TROUBLE (c, 4, Kantharos–Meets Expectations, by Valid Expectations) had to work for it, but he got the job done for his first top-level success in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct Saturday. Running in a three-wide third early as Skyler’s Scramjet (Creative Cause) clocked a first quarter in :23.61. He ranged up outside Skyler’s Scramjet and new leader Honor Up (To Honor and Serve) entering the turn to make it three across the track in the stretch. World of Trouble was driven clear by the Aqueduct winter meet’s leading rider Manny Franco in the final sixteenth to score by a half-length over a determined Skyler’s Scramjet. Honor Up completed the trifecta. The final time for the Carter was 1:23.28. Privately purchased at the end of his juvenile season and transferred to Jason Servis, World of Trouble captured both the Quick Call S. and Allied Forces S. sprinting on the turf last summer. A neck second to champion Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 3, he made a mockery of the FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire S. in the slop at Tampa Dec. 15 with a 13 3/4-length tour de force. The Florida-bred entered this off a facile score in a sloppy off-the-turf renewal of the Gulfstream Turf Sprint S. Jan. 26. Lifetime Record: 11-7-2-1. O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Bethlehem Stables; B-Darsan Inc (FL); T-Jason Servis. View the full article

A trip from her Southern California base paid dividends for Spiced Perfection's connections April 6 when she prevailed in a stretch duel to win the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) by a neck over a game Amy's Challenge at Keeneland. View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellafina pulled away in the stretch to win the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) by an impressive 5 1/4 lengths April 6 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

ALWAYS SHOPPING (f, 3, Awesome Again–Stopshoppingmaria, by More Than Ready) secured a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Oaks with a win in Saturday’s GII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct. Failing to hit the mark in maiden special weight company in her first three outings, she earned her diploma in style with a victory in the track-and-trip Busanda S. last time Feb. 3. Given a 7-2 chance to repeat here, the Repole homebred pressed pacesetting GII Demoiselle S. romper Positive Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) from second through a leisurely first half-mile in :50.09. Drawing even with the leader on the backstretch, the bay veered in a bit, brushing her foe in early stretch, but was quickly straightened out by Manny Franco and sent forward, edging clear to score in 1:52.91. Positive Spirit held second and the winner’s stablemate Off Topic (Street Sense) was third. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0. O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. View the full article

Kaleem Shah's Bellafina, by Quality Road, pulls away in the stretch to win the Santa Anita Oaks (G1). Next up should be the May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). View the full article

Katsumi and Yasuyo Yoshizawa's Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby competitor Master Fencer has accepted an invitation to participate in the 145th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) May 4. View the full article

BELLAFINA (f, 3, Quality Road–Akron Moon, by Malibu Moon) put on a show yet again with a dazzling victory in the GI Santa Anita Oaks. Hammered down to 1-5 in a field scratched down to just four runners, Bellafina showed good early initiative before settling in a close-up fourth through a first quarter in :24.10. Sitting just off the flank of new leader Chasing Yesterday (Tapit) through a half in :47.88, the bay maintained her position as Flor de La Mar (Tiznow) snuck up the fence to snatch control from her stablemate. Bellafina launched an attack on the outside to take control entering the far turn and cruised clear in the stretch for a decisive victory in 1:45.47. Flor de La Mar held second over Chasing Yesterday. A two-time Grade I winner last term, Bellafina checked in fourth to champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) as the favorite in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs, but returned to winning ways in her seasonal bow with an 8 1/2-length romp in the GII Santa Ynez S. here Jan. 6. She followed suit with a wire-to-wire conquest in the GII Las Virgenes S. last time Feb. 9. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-0. O-Kaleem Shah; B-JSM Equine (KY); T-Simon Callaghan. View the full article

As the 4-1 favorite, Tiger Roll was the shortest-priced winner in 100 years View the full article

Second time proved to be the charm for Juddmonte Farms homebred Honest Mischief, who made quick work of a $79,000 seven-furlong maiden special weight April 6 at Keeneland. View the full article

The connections of Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}), who accumulated 19 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, have announced their intentions to participate in the 145th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs May 5. Placed in two starts on turf to begin his career, the chestnut broke his maiden in his dirt debut last December and added an allowance success the following month, both over the metric nine furlongs. Fourth in the Listed Hyacinth S., the third leg of the Japan Road to the Derby, at Toyko Feb. 17, he made a big, looping run from last to finish a solid second in the Fukuryu S. at Nakayama Mar. 31 (see below, gate 7). “It is an honor to be able to participate in one of the world’s greatest races,” part-owner Katsumi Yoshizawa said. “I feel lucky to be able to race my horse in Kentucky.” A son of the Deputy Minister mare Sexy Zamurai, Master Fencer is out of a daughter of SW Powder (Broad Brush), the dam of dirt MGSW One Caroline (Unbridled’s Song). Third dam Charette (Chief’s Crown) was a half-sister to European champion St. Jovite and the successful U.S. dirt horses L’Carriere and Lac Ouimet. Should he make the trip, Master Fencer would become the first Japanese-bred runner to start in the Derby. Two American-bred horses based in Japan have participated in the first leg of the Triple Crown–Ski Captain (Storm Bird, 14th to Thunder Gulch in 1995) and Lani (Tapit, ninth to Nyquist in 2006). WATCH: Master Fencer finishes second in the Fukuryu S. Mar. 31 View the full article

Second time proved to be the charm for Juddmonte Farm homebred Honest Mischief, who made quick work of a $79,0000 seven-furlong maiden special weight April 6 at Keeneland. View the full article

ParisLongchamp begins its new season on Sunday, where the G3 Prix la Force and G3 Prix Vanteaux offer ample support to the featured G2 Prix d’Harcourt. The main event features the unexposed 4-year-old Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), one part of a strong Godolphin presence in the 10-furlong contest. Trained by Charlie Appleby, the bay has been hard to spot since winning the G3 Autumn S. in October 2017, with his only other outing coming when successful in the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange over this course and distance in September. “Ghaiyyath won at Longchamp on his only start last year and has done very well out in Dubai over the winter,” Appleby commented. “His preparation for this race has gone nicely and he should get conditions to suit. We could go up in trip with Ghaiyyath at some point, but we feel that a mile and a quarter is ideal at this stage of his career and I am looking forward to seeing him back in action.” Andre Fabre saddles a duo in the royal blue, with the Mar. 17 G3 Prix Exbury winner Soleil Marin (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) joined by the fascinating Nocturnal Fox (Ire) (Farhh {GB}), who has not been seen since taking Chantilly’s 12-furlong G2 Prix Hocquart in June. Godolphin’s Lisa-Jane Graffard said of the duo, “Nocturnal Fox was progressing very nicely last year until his campaign was cut short by illness. We hope that he can make an impact in some of the top middle-distance races this season. This will be his first start for a while and he has a bit to find on the ratings with one or two of his rivals, but we are hoping for a nice comeback race, which should put him on the right path for the rest of the year. “Soleil Marin is in good form at moment and showed a great attitude when taking the Prix Exbury. He lost his way in the second half of his 3-year-old campaign, after which he was gelded, and it took him a long time to come back. He seems to be back in the right place now and we hope that he can run another good race.” Fabre is well-represented in the Force, with Godolphin’s 10-furlong Deauville maiden winner Roman Candle (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) joined by the 7 1/2-furlong Saint-Cloud debutante scorer Urwald (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}). Lisa-Jane Graffard said of the former, “Roman Candle is a very nice and straightforward horse, who has done everything that has been asked of him so far. He made a nice impression when winning his maiden and this will show us where he fits in compared to his peers.” Haras de Saint-Pair’s Urwald is sure to appreciate the move up to nine furlongs, being a relative of the stable’s Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). They need to reach the level of the Wertheimers’ Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal), who was fifth in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere here in October and who has match-fitness to tell, having won the Listed Prix Omnium II at a mile at Saint-Cloud Mar. 17. The same connections are represented in the Vanteaux by the Mar. 12 Chantilly Polytrack winner Platane (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}), a relative of the great Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) who meets a pair of potentially smart fillies in Lordship Stud’s Alimnia (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), a daughter of Alpine Rose (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) who scored on debut at Pornichet Mar. 23, and the Rouget representative Etoile (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who looked better than the average Cagnes-sur-Mer runner when scoring by four lengths there Feb. 9. View the full article

HONEST MISCHIEF (c, 3, Into Mischief–Honest Lady {GISW, $894,168}, by Seattle Slew) ran to the money with an impressive graduation at Keeneland Saturday, becoming the newest ‘TDN Rising Star’. The Juddmonte homebred was second as the favorite behind a good-looking debut win from Soldado (Verrazano) in his career bow going six panels at Gulfstream Feb. 2 and was hammered down to 3-5 favoritism to go one better this time. Running five wide in mid-pack through a :22.48 opening quarter, the bay ranged up outside the leaders through a half in :45.39. Taking command while still four-wide exiting the bend, Honest Mischief powered clear in the lane to win for fun by 7 3/4 lengths. Twelfth Labour (Quality Road) was best of the rest in second. The winner is a half to First Defence (Unbridled’s Song), GISW, $580,534; and Phantom Rose (Danzig), SW-Fr. His Grade I-winning dam Honest Lady has only had one foal since Honest Mischief, a 2-year-old filly named Annual (Noble Mission {GB}), and she was not bred back. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0. O/B-Juddmonte Farms (KY); T-Chad Brown. View the full article

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A touch languid during most of his 2-year-old campaign, Ballydoyle’s Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) woke up with a spring in his step at Leopardstown on Saturday and duly demolished an intriguing cast assembled for the G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. Now alongside the likes of Galileo (Ire), High Chaparral (Ire), Yeats (Ire) and Fame and Glory (GB) on the honour roll of this early Derby trial, he would not be out of place among at least two of them judging by this emphatic eight-length success. In last early with Ryan Moore keen to avoid the forcing tactics employed when second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Arc day, the 5-2 second favourite warmed into the fast-run contest and had dead aim on stablemate Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as he took on the lead-out role at the top of the straight. Sweeping aside that strong-galloping chestnut who sported Susan Magnier’s pink with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, Broome was soon pounding clear in Tabor’s blue-and-orange to enter the Derby picture front and centre. Sovereign was four lengths ahead of Pythion (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) in third, with the field spread out in the testing ground and the 7-4 favourite Tankerville (Kitten’s Joy) finding disappointingly little in fifth after travelling notably strongly turning for home. As with most of the rest of the card, the time was very slow, over 10 seconds off the standard for the distance, revealing just what an impact the ground was having on the runners. View the full article

Runner-up at the highest level during last term’s juvenile campaign, Joanne Lavery’s Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) turned Saturday’s G3 Ballylinch Stud ‘Priory Belle’ 1000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown into a procession and stamped herself a leading contender for the upcoming Classic window. The bay posted a June 9 debut third at The Curragh before stunning onlookers with a 10-length tally back there Aug. 12. Stepped up to stakes company thereafter, she ran fourth behind Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) in the Aug. 26 G2 Debutante S. and second behind the same rival in the Sept. 16 G1 Moyglare Stud S., and entered winter quarters following a sixth to Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the Sept. 29 G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket. Lady Kaya bullied her way to the front after the initial strides and set the tone thereafter. On the bridle halfway up the straight and with all rivals toiling, she kept on powerfully once stoked up with 150 yards remaining to easily register a career high by 2 1/4 lengths from the running on Happen (War Front). LADY KAYA (IRE), f, 3, Dandy Man (Ire)–Kayak (GB)–Singspiel (Ire). (€15,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV; €12,000 RNA Ylg ’17 TIRSEP). O-Joanne Lavery; B-John O’Connor (IRE); T-Sheila Lavery; J-Robbie Colgan. €38,350. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 6-2-1-1, €135,250. View the full article

Never No More (Ire) (No Nay Never), who bettered a Sept. 19 debut second at Naas with a breakthrough score at Dundalk next time Oct. 5, closed his juvenile campaign with a close seventh in Navan’s Oct. 14 Listed Legacy S. and bounced back this year to plunder a Mar. 24 Naas handicap last time. Within range throughout Saturday’s Listed Ballylinch Stud ‘Red Rocks’ 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, the €300,000 Goffs Orby yearling dug deep to deny the hitherto undefeated Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) by a half length. The chestnut found an early pitch against the fence in third, but was shuffled back one spot as Madhmoon improved from off the pace after the early exchanges. Nudged along rounding the home turn, the 5-2 second favourite found the necessary gears once angled to the outside approaching the final eighth and was driven out to claim a career high in the dying strides. NEVER NO MORE (IRE), c, 3, No Nay Never–Law of the Jungle (Ire), by Catcher in the Rye (Ire). (€300,000 Ylg ’17 GOFOR). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-RJB Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €29,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €74,900. View the full article

As is the norm for Chad Brown in top-rung Keeneland turf events, the trainer offers a pair of representatives in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland Sunday. The more experienced of the two is Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), who won her first two trips to post, including Aqueduct’s Stewart Manor S. Nov. 11. Well supported last time in Gulfstream’s GIII Sweetest Chant S. Feb. 3, the Paul Pompa Jr. runner proved second best to the classy A Bit Special (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}), beaten 2 1/2 lengths. Hoping to duplicate her latest effort but jumping up in class, fellow-Brown trainee Clause (Speightstown) enters this following a come-from-behind victory over the Gulfstream turf Feb. 9. Aboard for her debut score, Irad Ortiz, Jr. is back in the boot for her stakes bow. The Mark Casse-trainee Catch a Thrill (City Zip) was good enough to take her career bow sprinting five furlongs over the Gulfstream turf Jan. 13 before finishing second behind the progressive Play On (Country Day) in the Melody of Colors S. over that course and trip Feb. 23. Norm Casse, former assistant to his father Mark, is also represented by Hard Legacy (Hard Spun). The winner of her first two starts for owner Marylou Whitney-including the most recent in an 8 1/2-furlong test at Gulfstream Dec. 23, the bay tries to rebound off a fifth in the Sweetest Chant. Julien Leparoux gets the call. View the full article

Klaravich Stables’ ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Feedback (Violence) attempts to keep her unbeaten record in tact when she lines up in Sunday’s GIII Beaumont S. Keeneland. An eye-popping debut winner going 6 1/2-furlong at Saratoga Aug. 12, the Chad Brown runner was given the remainder of the season off before returning in 2019 with a score in the seven-furlong GIII Forward S. at Gulfstream Feb. 2. Also worth another look is Queen of Beas (Flatter), trained by former Brown assistant Jorge Abreu. A close-up second behind next-out winner Just Ain’t Right (Yes It’s True) in a six-panel Gulfstream maiden Dec. 13, the Kingsport Farm trainee went one better while trying an extra furlong Jan. 6 before making it two straight going a mile at the Hallandale oval Jan. 31. Jose Ortiz gets back aboard. Trainer Bob Baffert is represented by ‘Rising Star‘ Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile). Winner of Churchill’s Rags to Riches S. last October, she also placed in a pair of Grade I’s last term, including the Starlet S. Dec. 8. Runner-up behind Bellafina (Quality Road) in the Jan. 6 GII Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita, Mother Mother weakened to fourth in the late stages of the mile GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 9. LNJ Foxwoods Fancy Dress Party (Munnings) won at first asking in the Keeneland slop last October before closing out the season with a score in a Churchill Downs optional claimer Nov. 24. An easy winner under Luis Saez in the Jan. 5 Glitter Woman S., she reunites with the rider this time. View the full article

Champion galloper Beauty Generation will join an elite club if he wins as expected on Sunday in the Group Two Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m).The John Moore-trained six-year-old will join Entrapment and Ambitious Dragon as the only horses to win seven races in one season in Hong Kong.The six-time Group One winner has not been beaten since the corresponding race last year but jockey Zac Purton has warned his rivals the son of Road To Rock has gone to another level 12 months on.“I think he’s a… View the full article

Followers of European racing may have noticed that there are a handful of contests across Britain’s summer festivals that have a knack of throwing up horses that go on to bigger and better things in Hong Kong.The Britannia Handicap over the straight 1,600m at Royal Ascot, for example, counts high-class Group One performers Beauty Flame, Simply Brilliant, and Born In China among its recent graduates.Another example of such a race is a 2,000m handicap run on the Thursday of the Qatar Goodwood… View the full article

Riding at his lowest weight for 10 years, Glen Boss has steered three-year-old Brutal to what he describes as the easiest of his record seven wins in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick. Now domiciled in Singapore, 49-year-old Boss jumped at the opportunity offered by Hawkes Racing to ride Brutal on Saturday at 49.5kg, the weight he rode aboard So You Think in the first of his two Cox Plates in 2009. "I'm in awe of the colt," Boss said. "I know they've got light weights and he got himself in a spot b... View the full article