Wandering Eyes

With TDN Rising Star Goddess (Camelot {GB}) running well below expectations in Thursday’s G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown, Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) took full advantage to claim the honours under Ronan Whelan. Sent off at 10-1 despite setting the overall standard after her latest second in the July 1 G3 Grangecon Stud S. here, the bay stuck close to Ballydoyle’s 4-9 favourite throughout the early stages and was left in front two out as that 10-length maiden winner failed to pick up. Gaining a decisive advantage soon after, she was driven out for a 1 1/2-length verdict over Moravia (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), with Goddess’s stablemate Secret Thoughts (War Front) 1 1/4 lengths away in third. Goddess faded to be last as concerns continue about the health of Ballydoyle’s string. “She got a beautiful run throughout and I wasn’t concerned about the step up in trip, as she’s more relentless than a quickener and I didn’t want to give her too much to do,” Whelan said. “I got to the front too soon and would have liked the other filly to lead me longer, but she’s tough and I knew they’d have to work to get to me.” Skitter Scatter beat the Rosegreen pair Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) and The Irish Rover (Ire) (No Nay Never) on her second start over five furlongs on Dundalk’s Polytrack Apr. 11 before finishing third over six in the Listed Coolmore Stud Fillies Sprint S. at Naas May 20. Headed late when second to So Perfect (Scat Daddy) in the Grangecon, she had the pedigree to go this far being the second foal out of the 10-furlong winner Dane Street (Street Cry {Ire}). She was a $260,000 Keeneland November purchase by Kern Lillingston Association, money well spent by the time her first foal Data Dependent (More Than Ready) was third in the GIII Jimmy Durante S. With a yearling full-brother to that useful performer to follow, as well as a colt foal by No Nay Never, she is a half-sister to the G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire Intense Focus (Giant’s Causeway). The Listed Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. and Listed Athasi S.-winning third dam Zavaleta (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) is a half to the G1SW sire Sholokhov (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) related to Soldier of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Thursday, Leopardstown, Ireland JOCKEY CLUB OF TURKEY SILVER FLASH S.-G3, €60,000, Leopardstown, 7-26, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:31.24, g/f. 1–SKITTER SCATTER, 126, f, 2, by Scat Daddy 1st Dam: Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire) 2nd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Zavaleta (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire) 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Anthony & Sonia Rogers; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC & Airlie Stud (KY); T-Patrick Prendergast; J-Ronan Whelan. €35,400. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-2, $75,946. *1/2 to 2015 Data Dependent (More Than Ready), GSP-US, $103,100. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Moravia (GB), 126, f, 2, Siyouni (Fr)–Demeanour, by Giant’s Causeway. (£80,000 Ylg ’17 GOUKPR). O-Steven I Weston; B-Team Hogdala Ab & Lordagsklubben (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €11,400. 3–Secret Thoughts, 126, f, 2, War Front–Chicquita (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O’Brien. €5,400. Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, NO. Odds: 10.00, 7.00, 5.50. Also Ran: Sparkle’n’joy (Ire), Vallambrosa (Ire), Goddess. Scratched: Chicago May (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Sent off the 8-11 favourite to provide Aidan O’Brien with a 12th win in the G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. at Leopardstown, Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) made no mistake with an authoritative 4 3/4-length success. Stepping up off a debut seventh over this seven-furlong trip at The Curragh July 1 when scoring by eight lengths over a mile at Killarney two weeks later, the bay followed the pace-setting Bolger representative Copia Verborum (Ire) (Vocalised) until Ryan Moore sent him to the front approaching the furlong pole. Stretching clear, he veered right late on but was in total command as the long-time leader’s stablemate Bold Approach (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) worked his way into second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Copia Verborum. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE), c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Believe’N’Succeed (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $157,067), by Exceed and Excel (Aus) Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €44,640. O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. View the full article

Reigning Eclipse champion sprinter Roy H (More Than Ready) makes his first start since finishing third in the Mar. 31 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in Saturday’s GI Bing Crosby S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in November. The bay gelding was second in last year’s Bing Crosby, but went on to win the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship before clinching his Eclipse statue with a win in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. He opened 2018 with a dominant victory in the Feb. 3 GII Palos Verdes S. before traveling to Meydan where he was a close-up third behind Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) and X Y Jet (Kantharos). American Anthem (Bodemeister) won the GIII Laz Barerra S. and GII Woody Stephens S. before ending his sophomore season with third-place efforts in the Aug. 26 GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga and the Oct. 7 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. He has come back with a pair of sparkling victories this year, winning a June 1 optional claimer at Churchill Downs before narrowly defeating the reopposing St. Joe Bay (Saint Anddan) in the June 23 GII San Carlos S. Ransom the Moon (Malibu Moon) is winless in four starts since taking last year’s Bing Crosby. He concluded 2017 with a fifth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and resurfaced to finish runner-up behind the ill-fated Bobby Abu Dhabi (Macho Uno) in the Apr. 21 GII Kona Gold S. He is coming off a fifth in the June 9 GI Metropolitan H. View the full article

Spendthrift Australia will host a two-day stallion parade Aug. 17 and 18. Breeders are invited for tea on Aug. 17 at 3 p.m. followed by a stallion parade at 3:30, and a second parade will be held the following day at noon followed by lunch. “We welcome all to join us and look forward to hosting our existing and new clients, friends and family over our two days of parades,” said Garry Cuddy, general manager of Spendthrift Australia. “We cannot wait to show off our new horses Gold Standard and Overshare, as well as our four horses from 2017–Hampton Court, Jimmy Creed, Swear and crowd favourite Warrior’s Reward.” View the full article

With two wins in as many starts since returning to the races this May, Done Deal will attempt to slap the "fairy tale" label onto his journey when he starts in the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) July 28 at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

Look Around (GB) (Kingman {GB}) bettered a June 17 debut sixth tackling seven panels at Doncaster when breaking through over the same trip atop Kempton’s synthetic surface last time July 4, and stepped forward in this black-type bow to claim a career high in taking fashion. The homebred bay was sharpy into stride from the outside box and cut across to seize an early lead. Maintaining control throughout, she was shaken up approaching the final quarter mile and stayed on strongly under a late drive to plunder a decisive succees and a second stakes score for her freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}). “She’s a lovely filly and works from the front at home so I was happy to lead,” revealed winning rider Oisin Murphy. “She’s a nice, physical specimen, she’s well bred and it’s great to get her black-type win. She likes fast ground and is a bright prospect.” Look Around is one of two winners and the leading performer for G3 Prix Miesque victress and G1 Prix Morny second Magic America (High Yield), and she is a half G3 Prix du Calvados runner-up Sara Lucille (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Magic America, who has also produced a yearling colt and a colt foal by Zoffany (Ire), is a full-sister to MGSW European highweight Delilah (Ire) (Bluebird). Thursday, Sandown, Britain BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF STAR S.-Listed, £30,000, Sandown, 7-26, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:30.08, g/f. 1–LOOK AROUND (GB), 126, f, 2, by Kingman (GB) 1st Dam: Magic America (GSW & G1SP-Fr, $222,269), by High Yield 2nd Dam: Shoofha (Ire), by Bluebird 3rd Dam: Courtesane, by Majestic Light 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £17,013. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $27,562. *1/2 to Sara Lucille (GB) (Dansili {GB}), GSP-Fr. 2–Ajrar (GB), 126, f, 2, Nayef–Barnezet (Gr), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). O-Robin Blunt & Partners. £6,450. 3–La Pelosa (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)–Lauren’s Girl (Ire), by Bushranger (Ire). (€52,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV; €40,000 RNA Ylg ’17 GOFOR; 280,000gns 2yo ’18 TATBRE). O-Godolphin. £3,228. Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 5. Odds: 8.00, 6.00, 0.70. Also Ran: Koduro (Ire), Itizzit (GB), Patchouli (GB), Octave (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

The number of race meetings in Britain in 2019 will be 1,511, up three from this year. Jumps racing holds a slight majority with 39.4% of the fixtures; flat turf is 37.3% and all weather 23.2%. Those numbers mirror 2018 almost exactly. Next year’s fixture list takes into consideration new initiatives including breaks for flat participants in March and November, and finishing times of no later than 8:30 p.m. for floodlit fixtures from September to December. Additionally, to benefit both retail and digital betting operators, measures have been agreed to schedule floodlit cards to try and provide a more continuous and consistent betting product throughout the course of afternoon and evening racing, as well as the scheduling of a trial of 15 additional floodlit fixtures in the autumn to test the popularity of staging two such fixtures on the same evening with the betting public. Nick Rust, Chief Executive of the BHA, said, “Producing a fixture list which strikes the right balance between sufficient support for all those who work so hard in racing, opportunities and rewards for owners and a compelling betting product to grow vital revenues for the sport has been a cross-industry effort. We hope that the 2019 Fixture List gives racing’s participants and customer groups confidence that the sport is working together in their best interests, and its early publication will allow the industry, racecourses and bookmakers adequate time to plan for next year.” View the full article

In a surprise twist to the tale of Saturday’s G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot, Aidan O’Brien ruled out the G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) after he scoped dirty before Thursday’s confirmation stage. Ballydoyle are supervising the wellbeing of the string due to the disappointing effort of Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Saturday’s G1 Irish Oaks, after which she was found to have had a dirty nose. “Our horses are just going through a little bit of a stage–a little bit of a change–and the odd one is not scoping right at the moment,” he explained. “We’ve seen it with the filly in the Oaks and we just have to be careful.” The removal of Kew Gardens means that Ryan Moore is on last year’s G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the sole 3-year-old in the line-up will be the stable’s G1 Irish Derby runner-up Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Sir Anthony Oppenheimer’s Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) remains in the mix, with thunderstorms forecast. Robert Havlin is booked to ride if there is sufficient rain, with John Gosden telling the Racing Post, “If there is sufficient rainfall the intention is to run him.” View the full article

Godolphin’s Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) was seen in public for the first time since his Meydan triumph during a morning gallop at Newmarket’s July Course on Thursday. The 4-year-old was ridden by Pat Cosgrave and accompanied by stablemates Leader’s Legacy (War Front) and Game Starter (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for a 10-furlong workout just after 7am. Having been freshened up after a busy winter campaign which saw him never out of the first two in four starts in Dubai, Thunder Snow has the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic as his end-of-season aim but more immediately could be seen in action next month in the G1 Juddmonte International at York. “That was nice work for him,” said his trainer Saeed Bin Suroor as the trio returned to the parade ring for a cool-down. “He did it really well and over the ten furlongs he his able to show a bit more than over the six furlongs at home. It was solid work all the way.” He added, “We gave him plenty of time after he came back from Dubai. They were hard races for him and we decided he needed a break. Sheikh Mohammed is keen to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and he’ll have a few races before then. We’ll talk to Sheikh Mohammed and make a decision. We’ll keep the options open but we’ll think about York.” View the full article

While others went on the attack in the final turn of the 1 1/2-mile dirt test, Levy Racing's Beach View got a patient ride from jockey Rafael Bejarano, found an opening on the rail in the stretch, and burst away late to win by 4 3/4 lengths. View the full article

The race may have been labeled an allowance, but from the quarter pole to the wire July 25 at Del Mar, two of the best turf sprinters on the West Coast engaged in a top-class duel. View the full article

Avid learner Poon back for more View the full article

Early scratching July 27 View the full article

Collett happy with her Kranji journey thus far View the full article

Singapore to host first International Jockeys Challenge in September View the full article

One year after getting nailed at the wire by Paulassilverlining, Finley'sluckycharm got her Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) victory when she ran down Vertical Oak in midstretch and outkicked her rival by 2 1/4 lengths. View the full article

Despite its hearty $600,000 purse and the fact juvenile champion Good Magic is slated to run a day later at Monmouth Park, the July 28 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course drew just five entrants. View the full article

After a pair of close runner-up finishes in grade 1 turf races, the connections of Sadler's Joy hope a return to the course of his best win gets him over the hump. View the full article

Denied first-place honors last out in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G2), Woodford Racing's Engage will step down in class to the $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (G3) July 28 at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

Woodslane Farm’s Sadler’s Joy (Kitten’s Joy), who broke his maiden over the Saratoga turf two summers ago and scored his signature win on it in the GI Sword Dancer S. last August, returns to his favorite course to avenge a loss in the GII Bowling Green S. Saturday, but will have plenty of competition in the extremely deep renewal. Taking the lead into deep stretch of the Bowling Green last year, the chestnut was run down late and finished third, beaten a half-length. Since his Sword Dancer heroics, he has gone just one-for-six, and comes off a tough beat when nailed on the wire to finish a neck second in the GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. last out June 9 at Belmont. The 5-year-old finished a neck in front of La Providencia’s Hi Happy (Arg) (Pure Prize) that day and the two will renew their budding rivalry Saturday. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the homebred Hi Happy bested Sadler’s Joy when annexing both the GII Pan American S. and GI Man O’ War S. during the spring. Also returning from the Manhattan are Darby Dan Farm Racing’s Manitoulin (Awesome Again), who ran sneaky well to be fourth at 30-1 after chasing wide and Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber’s Channel Maker (English Channel), who checked in eighth but was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths. Al Shahania Stud America’s Money Multiplier (Lookin At Lucky), second in the Sword Dancer here last summer, rates a good chance. Taking the GII Monmouth S. May 26, he was a narrow second as the favorite in the GI United Nations S. last out June 30. Highland Sky (Sky Mesa) could be on the verge of a breakthrough. Winless in nine starts since capturing a Gulfstream allowance last February, the gelding got off the schneid with a neck score a Belmont optional claimer June 24. He earned an easily career-best 103 Beyer that day, and the runner-up, Call Provision (Lemon Drop Kid), returned to win a strong allowance last Saturday at Saratoga. View the full article

Though his 83rd birthday is approaching on Sept. 2, D. Wayne Lukas is conceding nothing to age in his 35th summer at Saratoga Race Course. As usual, he arrives before dawn, spends about four hours on horseback during training hours, is enthusiastic about his horses and happy to talk about racing. His stable is no longer the coast-to-coast powerhouse that smashed records, produced champions and put him in the Hall of Fame, but Lukas certainly has not faded away and will have horses in three graded stakes this weekend. For most of two months, Lukas and his 30 head are based at Barn 83, on the northeast edge of the Oklahoma training center that is part of the sprawling Saratoga facility. It is somewhat out of the way and a bit quieter than the atmosphere in the cluster of aged barns closer to the Oklahoma tracks. That is fine by Lukas, who said his mentor and patron John Nerud asked the New York Racing Association to assign him the barn when Nerud stopped training. Barn 83, its grounds tidy and manicured and decorated with flowers, has been the home to most of the Lukas horses that have won 249 Saratoga races, including 64 graded stakes. The foundation of that stakes haul is made up of well-known Grade I races: three Travers, two runnings each of the Alabama and the Whitney, six Spinaways and eight Hopefuls. Lukas has won or shared six Saratoga training titles and has won at least one race in each of his 34 years at Saratoga, an impressive number but far back of the 47-year streak owned by Jonathan Sheppard. During his first summer, 1984, Lukas finished 1-2 in the GI Alabama S. with Life’s Magic (Cox’s Ridge) and Lucky Lucky Lucky (Chieftain) and won the GI Spinaway S. with Tiltalating (Tilt). Following form, Lukas laughs at any suggestion that he might retire. Three years ago, a few weeks after his 80th birthday, he survived a life-threatening cardiac incident while in Philadelphia to run Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) in the GI Cotlillion S. at Parx. The blockages were severe, but Lukas–who had bragged that he was so healthy he never needed to go to the doctor–recovered and returned to the saddle. Seven days a week, 12 months a year, it’s business as usual for Lukas on his personal circuit of Oaklawn Park, Kentucky racing from Churchill Downs and Saratoga. “My energy is good,” he said, smiling. “I stepped on that pony at 5:15 and I stepped off at 9:10. I don’t ever miss a day.” Lukas’s two Triple Crown series runners will return to competition this weekend. The higher-profile of the two, Calumet Farm’s GI Preakness S. runner-up Bravazo (Awesome Again) will tackle Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic (Curlin) in the GI Haskell Invitational Sunday at Monmouth Park. Saturday at Saratoga, Sporting Chance (Tiznow) will make his first start since his sixth in the Preakness in the GII Jim Dandy S. Lukas hopes to get both of them to the GI Travers S. on Aug. 25. Also on Saturday at Saratoga, Lukas will saddle Warrior’s Club (Warrior’s Reward) in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. During the winter, after he won the GII Risen Star S., Lukas predicted that Bravazo could handle the Triple Crown. He did as the only horse besides Justify to make all three races. “He is tough,” Lukas said. “He’s very resilient and he’ll jump right into it. And every day he wants to train. He’s very good on that level. Not all of them are. Some of them, that Triple Crown eats them up.” Lukas expected a better performance than Bravazo’s sixth in the GI Belmont S. after the fine Preakness, but said the Calumet homebred was not knocked out by three races in five weeks. “I think he’s actually better right now,” Lukas said. “I think he’ll run better in the Haskell than any of the other three races.” Sporting Chance gave Lukas a birthday present last year with his win in the Hopeful at 50-1. However, the colt needed surgery to remove a knee chip a few weeks later and wasn’t seen again until mid-February when he finished third in the GIII Southwest S. Both of Sporting Chance’s two wins came at Saratoga. “He’s had some unfortunate things happen to him,” Lukas said. “We’re finding out that you can’t whip on him. The best race he ran was when Luis Contreras rode him and didn’t hit him. He doesn’t want any of that. He definitely has an attitude.” Lukas said he still is high on Sporting Chance–“he’s got some ability”–and figures the Jim Dandy is a spot where he has a chance to redeem himself. Warrior’s Club is owned by one of the partnerships organized by the Churchill Downs Racing Club. He and Lukas have taken the 200 co-owners– each of whom paid $500 to belong–on an exciting and successful ride. He has a 5-5-5 record from 25 starts, topped by a victory in the GIII Commonwealth S. at Keeneland and has earned $622,104. Lukas used his $50,000 budget on a colt who has made a lot of people happy. “It’s been good,” he said. “It’s very satisfying to see what is happening with that.” Lukas also has a 2-year-old filly for the club, She’s Got it All (Warrior’s Reward), who was purchased with some of the purse money earned by Warrior’s Club. She was second in a maiden race on opening day at Saratoga. Of course, the septuagenarian is well aware of the earnings accumulated by the non-profit club and is looking to the future. “If I get the account up $1 million I’m going to go try to buy a serious yearling for the Derby, around $400,000-$450,000,” he said, “which would be the ultimate story.” Most summers, Lukas is quick to tout his crop of 2-year-olds, but he is more reserved this year. “I thought I had some pretty good ones and I’m beginning to think that they are not too hot. I don’t know,” I don’t know. “Calumet bred some nice horses this year and are showing a little something, but I’m guarded a little bit. When you get to be 83, you get a little more guarded. When you are 40, you’re open to the world and going to beat everybody.” To be sure, Lukas still thirsts for the competition that is central to racing and is quick to make the case that the experience that comes with age is so important. “I’m still doing the same thing. You should get better,” he said. “As long as your health is good and you are mentally lucid…” Lukas paused for a moment without completing the sentence then said: “I guess when you get old you don’t know if you’re lucid or not,” and laughed hard. “It’s kind of like the Farmers Insurance: we know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two.” View the full article

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more enervating pace in New York racing this year than the one that developed on the June 9 GI Belmont S. undercard in the GII Woody Stephens S. The race, a typical landing spot for 3-year-old colts who have shown speed but not the stamina required to compete in the Triple Crown series, had all of that speed on that display, as the leader clicked through a quarter-mile in :21.46 and a half in :43.68. Saturday, several of the pace actors from that day will return in the GII Amsterdam S. hoping for an easier early tempo and thus, a more successful outcome. Leading the vanguard in the Woody Stephens was Robert Baron’s Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford), who pulled off an 18-1, frontrunning shocker in the GII Fountain of Youth S. in March. Setting a scorching pace in the GI Florida Derby, he backed up to finish last and was 15th in the GI Kentucky Derby after leading Triple Crown winner (Justify) through the first half-mile. Considering how hard he had to run at Belmont, the $37,000 Keeneland September pickup ran a remarkable race to finish third. Chasing from second in the Woody Stephens and ending up a neck behind Promises Fulfilled on the wire was World of Trouble (Kantharos). Capturing his debut against $25,000 maiden claimers by 14 lengths last August at Gulfstream, the bay was second in the Florida Sire Affirmed S. in September and romped by 13 3/4 lengths in the Pasco S. Jan. 20 at Tampa. Tried around two turns in the GII Tampa Bay Derby, he flattened late to finish third. Courtlandt Farms’ ‘TDN Rising Star’ Strike Power (Speightstown) turned heads when romping by eight lengths with a 102 Beyer in his unveiling last December at Gulfstream, and he followed that up with a more workmanlike score in the GIII Swale S. Second behind Promises Fulfilled in the Fountain of Youth, he was one spot in front of that one when eighth in the Florida Derby, but was well-beaten by his familiar foe when eighth in the Woody Stephens. Woodford Racing’s Engage (Into Mischief) is the only one of the four coming out of the Stephens hoping for a repeat. Sitting far enough back to get a bit of a breather that day, the $550,000 OBS March purchase rallied to be second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Promises Fulfilled. The Chad Brown pupil has yet to be out of the exacta in six starts. View the full article

The Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star Park have assembled a catalogue of 119 head for the upcoming Texas Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale, it was announced Wednesday. The auction will be held Aug. 27 at noon local time at the Texas Thoroughbred Sales Pavilion on the grounds of Lone Star Park. The catalogue includes 90 yearlings and 29 weanlings and broodmares. Many of the weanlings and broodmares are consigned by the Estate of Ed Few. The noted Texas breeder and owner passed away earlier this year. “I think the quality of the catalogue has ticked up a notch this year,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “We had two Texas-breds sell at this auction for $100,000 apiece last year, and that really proved that the market is still vibrant here for horses in Texas and around the region.” For an online catalog and live video on sale day, go to www.ttasales.com. View the full article

Two months ago, Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tenfold (Curlin) came less than a length from upsetting Justify (Scat Daddy)’s bid for history. Saturday, with the undefeated Triple Crown winner now retired from racing, the lightly-raced homebred will be one of five sophomore colts looking to forge to the front of their division in the second half of the year starting with the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. A blowout winner on debut Feb. 9 at Oaklawn, Tenfold repeated in an optional claimer there Mar. 18 before running fifth in the GI Arkansas Derby. Undeterred, trainer Steve Asmussen sent his charge to Pimlico for the GI Preakness S., where he finished up strongly to be third, beaten three-quarters of a length. He couldn’t get that close to Justify in the GI Belmont S., however, finishing fifth, beaten 7 1/4 lengths. Fourth at Big Sandy was Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Vino Rosso (Curlin). Also two-for-two to begin his career, the $410,000 Keeneland September gradaute finished third in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. and fourth in the GII Tampa Bay Derby before taking the GII Wood Memorial Apr. 7 at Aqueduct. Ninth with a wide journey in the GI Kentucky Derby, the chestnut took a run at Justify on the far turn of the Belmont before fading in the stretch. Winchell and Asmussen will also start ‘TDN Rising Star’ Reride (Candy Ride {Arg}), making his first Stateside dirt start in five months. The bay started his career four-for-five, including scores in the Big Drama S. at Delta and Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland, but finished a well-beaten third in the G2 UAE Derby and was fifth on turf in the Mystic Lake Derby last out June 23 at Canterbury. 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. Today’s Observations features some high-profile sales purchases by Godolphin and Coolmore. 1.50 Sandown, Mdn, £8,000, 2yo, 7fT BEATBOXER (Scat Daddy) was a $650,000 KEESEP buy for Godolphin, with John Gosden training the February-foaled bay for Princess Haya of Jordan. From the family of the GIII Turfway Breeders’ Cup S. winner Miss Fortunate (Deputy Minister) and her GIII Dallas Turf Cup-winning full-brother Trial By Jury, he tackles nine rivals on this debut. 6.00 Leopardstown, Mdn, €10,780, 2yo, 8fT EMINENCE (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was a 425,000gns TATOCT purchase by Coolmore, a rare one by the sire, but he obviously had all the right material at the sales. Out of a half to the stayers Shaneshill (Ire) (King’s Theatre {Ire}) and Far Cry (Ire) (Pharly {Fr}), he will need a thorough test in time. View the full article