Wandering Eyes

A pair of 3-year-old fillies, each graded stakes placed in their careers to date, have been supplemented to the Horses of Racing Age section of next Tuesday’s Keeneland April Sale. A total of 91 horses of racing age have been cataloged for the single-session, including its newest additions Sweet Diane (Will Take Charge) and Splashy Kisses (Blame). Consigned by ELiTE, agent, Sweet Diane won her maiden at second asking by nearly 14 lengths and was placed in the Dec. 8 Hut Hut S. at Gulfstream and in the Suncoast S. at Tampa Feb. 9. The bay, a $130,000 Keeneland September graduate, was most recently a good third in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 23. Sweet Diane is out of a half-sister to GSW & GISP Take the Ribbon (Chester House) and MSW & GSP Glinda the Good (Hard Spun), the dam of champion Good Magic (Curlin). Splashy Kisses graduated at Del Mar second time out last August and followed with a runner-up effort behind Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in the GII Pocahontas S. the following month. The dark bay has placed in two of her three starts this season, including a third in the GIII Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita. Splashy Kisses is being consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent. Splashy Kisses’s third dam was French MGSW and US MGISP Colour Chart (Mr. Prospector), dam of Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly Tempera (A.P. Indy). Click here for the digital catalog, including DRF past performances and ThoroGraph and Ragozin sheets. In addition to the HORA sale, Keeneland has cataloged 73 juveniles for its first 2-year-olds in training sale since 2014. The under-tack preview is scheduled for Monday, Apr. 8 beginning at 11 a.m. The sale begins Tuesday at 2 p.m. Click here for the 2-year-olds in training catalog. View the full article

2nd-Lingfield, £5,800, Cond, 4-2, 2yo, 5f 6y (AWT), :58.05, st. ELECTRIC LADYLAND (IRE) (f, 2, Cable Bay {Ire}–Conversational {Ire}–Thousand Words {GB}) was bustled along from the outside gate to seize control after the initial strides of this debut. Holding sway from there, the 4-1 chance was stoked up approaching the final furlong and maintained a relentless tempo under mild urging to easily account for Birkenhead (GB) (Captain Gerrard {Ire}) by two lengths, becoming the first winner for Highclere Stud freshman Cable Bay (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). She is the third foal and scorer for Conversational (Ire) (Thousand Words {GB}) and kin to Listed Rochestown S. third Simmy’s Copshop (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and a yearling colt by Anjaal (GB). Conversational is herself a half-sister to Listed European Free H. victor Kamakiri (Ire) (Trans Island {GB}) and to G3 Joel S. and G3 Select S. third Road To Love (Ire) (Fruits of Love). Sales history: €35,000gns Ylg ’18 GOFSPT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £3,752. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Emily Asprey & Christopher Wright; B-Rathasker Stud (IRE); T-Archie Watson. View the full article

1st-Musselburgh, £7,400, Cond, 4-2, 2yo, 5f 1yT, :59.85, g/f. PROPER BEAU (GB) (c, 2, Brazen Beau {Aus}–Olivia Grace {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) broke smartly and raced prominently from the outset of this unveiling. Looming large after halfway, the 10-1 chance was nudged along to challenge approaching the eighth pole and kept on strongly under whipless cajoling in the closing stages to deny Alminoor (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) by a neck, becoming the first winner for his Dalham Hall Stud-based freshman sire (by I Am Invincible {Aus}). The bay is also the fifth scorer and latest foal produced by Listed Scarborough S. and Listed Lansdown Fillies S. placegetter Olivia Grace (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself the leading performer out of a winning half-sister to the stakes-winning Arctic Kite (Ire) (North Stroke {GB}), from a family featuring G1 Premio Presidente della Republica third Boon Point (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}). Sales history: 34,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £4,787. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Michael Moses & Terry Moses; B-The Aston House Stud (GB); T-Bryan Smart. View the full article

Diversify, who registered a victory in the Aug. 4 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, was named the 2018 New York-bred horse of the year during the April 1 festivities at the Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga Springs. View the full article

Popular trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai will take three “Harbour” horses to the races on Wednesday night but each has a very different background.Harbour Century, Harbour Alert and Grand Harbour all line up at the uninspiring all-weather track meeting at Sha Tin with Chang hoping to cash in on a couple of stable changes.Chang only recently received Harbour Century and Harbour Alert after owner Tony Chan Chi-ming elected to move them from rival trainer Tony Millard’s yard while Grand Harbour has… View the full article

Whether its International racing or Uk and Irish action you are after we cover it all and have Daily Horse Racing offers available for you to get involved in. Check out today’s Horse Racing Offers below. UK Horse Racing Offer – Money Back All Losers if the Favourite Wins! On one race every day we […] The post Daily Horse Racing Offers – Tuesday 2nd April appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Hong Kong Derby placegetter Sunny Speed will not race again this season after suffering a tendon injury in the prestigious race.Both trainer John Moore and jockey Neil Callan had high hopes for the talented European import (formerly named Crack On Crack On) after last month’s Derby, with the Group One FWD QE II Cup (2,000m) on their radar later this month.Moore produced a masterful training performance to turn the four-year-old around for the race off a short preparation, but vets found him to… View the full article

Champion colt breezed six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 April 1 View the full article

War Affair back racing at Kranji after 19 months View the full article

Walker more hopeful than confident for Elite View the full article

Keeneland kicks off its spring meet April 4 with an eight-race card highlighted by the inaugural $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint Stakes. View the full article

Harrah’s Louisiana Downs will hold its marquee event, the GIII Super Derby, a week later in 2019. The race, worth $300,000, had previously been run Labor Day weekend, but will be run Sept. 7 this year. “We want racing fans to see our Super Derby live and enjoy the many special events planned for our signature event at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs,” said Eric Halstrom, Louisiana Downs director of operations “We found that many patrons had out-of-town plans or holiday gatherings with family members on Labor Day weekend, so we shifted our date to the next weekend.” The Super Derby is one of seven stakes races on the card, with the $60,000 Unbridled S. renamed the Frank L. Brothers S. this year. A Louisiana horseman, Brothers won over 2,300 races and trained notable champions including Pulpit, Hansel, First Samurai and Arch. He won nine training titles at Louisiana Downs. “Frankie is a very skilled horseman and was highly respected by our fans and horseplayers across the country,” said David Heitzmann, Harrah’s Louisiana Downs director of racing. “We are pleased to honor him and look forward to presenting an excellent Super Derby card.” The 2019 Louisiana Downs stakes schedule also features the Aug. 3 Louisiana Cup Day. The card features six stakes for state-breds, as well as the $60,000 Super Derby Prelude. The 84-day Louisiana Downs meet begins May 4. View the full article

A victory by Maximum Security in the Florida Derby (G1) and stirring performances on the Dubai World Cup card provided movement in this week's National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll and NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. View the full article

Portland Meadows plans to close according to the Oregon Racing Commission's executive director, Jack McGrail, meaning the meet that wrapped up in early February will be the last for the track that opened 74 years ago. View the full article

Flaxman Stables’ G1SW Study Of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is pointing toward a return in ParisLongchamp’s 2100-metre G1 Prix Ganay on Apr. 28, Jour de Galop reported on Monday. A winner of the G2 Prix Greffulhe last May and the G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly a month later, the 4-year-old also placed twice more at the group level during his sophomore campaign and was last seen running ninth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the wake of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in October. He is pleasing trainer Pascal Bary in his early season work and appears to have progressed from three to four. “Study Of Man is doing very well and should make his return in the Prix Ganay,” Bary told Jour de Galop. “He has matured and gained strength.” View the full article

The 10th race at Tampa Bay Downs Sunday was a decent enough sprint stakes for Florida-bred fillies, but hardly the sort of race that seemed destined to make history. Yet the 6-9-4 result it produced could come up as the answer to a future trivia question, because the official order of finish from that race determined the nation’s first-ever daily lottery number draw based on a live sporting event. The $2 quick-pick game, dubbed Win Place Show (recently rebranded from the parent company’s name, EquiLottery), just started a 90-day trial run at 45 retail locations in Lexington, Louisville, and northern Kentucky. A decade in the making, the concept is the brainchild of Brad Cummings, the founder and chief executive of a firm whose eventual goals include fusing the excitement of live horse racing with the convenience of buying a lottery ticket. The stakes are high for Win Place Show–and by extension, for the sport as a whole–to hit initial Kentucky Lottery sales goals during the trial period, because Cummings told TDN that an eventual statewide rollout and a likely expansion to other states hangs in the balance. “If we’re right, we get into the 3,000 stores in Kentucky,” Cummings said. “And on top of that there are six [other state] lotteries that are looking at this and saying if it’s successful in Kentucky, they want to bring it into their state. So the potential is there for hundreds of thousands of terminals across the country. What happens for horse racing when people can play this game at over 200,000 points of purchase? There are millions of people who would love our sport on a casual basis. Those are real dollars and real eyeballs watching a featured daily race every single day. That’s the real incentive here.” The premise is simple: A lottery player buys a $2 ticket for the game and receives a randomly generated set of numbers corresponding to three horses for the day’s selected race. A QR code on the ticket enables the player to scan it on a smart phone and view the race live or on replay. Players win if the race results match three in a row, three in any order, or any two exactly. Cash prize amounts are estimated for field sizes between eight and 14 horses. An exact match of all three (essentially hitting the trifecta cold), will likely pay between $250 and $1,800. All top-three finishers in any order will return around $10 to $80. A match of any two in exact sequence is good for a free ticket to play again. If one of your numbers turns out to be a scratched horse, you also get to play again for free. Tickets are sold in 24-hour increments, and each day’s race is designed to go off around 5 p.m. Eastern. Essentially, Cummings and his team will be scouring entries 48 hours ahead of time looking for the fullest fields with the most favorable weather forecasts scheduled to go off during that time frame. “We have 21 racetracks signed up right now. That number is growing,” Cummings explained. In addition to providing marketing exposure for the sport, Cummings underscored that “there is also a revenue component. We pay a percentage of each ticket to the racetracks for what we’re calling a broadcast rights fee. So they’re getting paid for the usage of their video feed. We’re not asking racetracks to do anything differently than they’re already doing.” Fifty percent of sales revenues get returned to players as prizes. For every $2 ticket, the revenue spits, according the Win Place Show website, are: 80 cents to first-tier prizes; 20 cents to second-tier prizes; 80 cents to lottery revenue; 20 cents to game management. Future enhancements to the website and mobile app could include the ability to buy the lottery tickets online instead of in-person, Cummings said. There are also plans in the works for an incentive system that could reward customers who bring losing tickets to a participating racetrack by allowing them to be redeemed for some sort of perk or freebie. Cummings said he was not at liberty to reveal the specific sales goals that Win Place Show must reach, but he described them as “very achievable. It’s based on per-capita sales, and it’s a very fair metric that we’re being given.” Still, Cummings said, he is making a direct plea for anyone who lives in the launch area or will be traveling to either Keeneland Race Course or Churchill Downs this spring to show support by purchasing some daily tickets. This list allows you to search for participating Kentucky Lottery retailers by zip code. “The vision starts this week, and anybody who cares about the sport and wants to see it grow, I’d ask them to go out and buy tickets, and encourage others to do the same so that the launch can be as much of a success as possible,” Cummings said. “In five years the potential is there for Win Place Show to be in 15 to 20 states,” Cummings summed up. “Horse racing has a chance to lead the way in an entirely new form of gaming that is a lottery game of pure chance based on a live sporting event. So I think that’s something that the industry should be proud is happening, and I hope the industry will fully embrace this as we continue to grow.” View the full article

Debut winner Fashion’s Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) may put her Classic credentials on the line in the G3 Dubai Duty Free S. at Newbury on Apr. 13. The once-raced filly, who saluted by 1 1/4 lengths at Newbury on Sept. 21, is one of a handful of exciting 3-year-olds for Roger Charlton this season, and may be pitched into the Group 3 race better known as the Fred Darling in mid-April. The Andrew Rosen colourbearer is nominated to both the May 5 G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and the May 26 G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas. “Fashion’s Star might run in the Fred Darling, and we will see where we go,” said Charlton of the filly, whose dam is a half-sister to Hong Kong Champion Stayer and G1SW Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal). Fellow first-out victor Great Bear (GB) (Dansili {GB}), out of G1 Darley Irish Oaks heroine Great Heavens (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), is pointing to the £50,000 Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on Apr. 24. Racing in the silks of the late Lady Rothschild, the bay is nominated to the June 1 G1 Investec Epsom Derby. “Great Bear wants a step up to a mile and a half really,” said Charlton. “We might have a crack at the Derby trial at Epsom, or something like that.” Juddmonte’s Headman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) saluted over a mile on Newcastle’s all-weather on Nov. 1, but was two lengths behind Godolphin’s Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal) while giving that rival seven pounds returning at Kempton on Nov. 21. He holds a nomination to the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas, while Creationist (Noble Mission {GB}), who is two from three, is another with high-profile races on his agenda. “I’m happy with Headman, and he is a nice horse,” added Charlton. “I think he will run over a mile and a quarter next, possibly in the conditions race at Newbury in just under two weeks’ time–the race Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) got beaten in. It’s always a good race. He can’t run in a handicap, so he has to run in one of those or a trial. I think a mile and a quarter will probably be his trip. “Creationist had a bit of a setback and produced a bad scope. He could run in two or three weeks’ time, because there are a couple of nice races for him. There is a nice race at Chelmsford, a listed race at Newcastle or a mile conditions race [at Kempton], so it will be one of those.” View the full article

Following a 23rd equine fatality at Santa Anita Sunday, The Jockey Club issued a statement reiterating the need for dramatic changes to the sport. The complete statement follows. “The string of deaths at Santa Anita isn’t the first spike in fatalities at a U.S. racetrack–these tragic events have happened before at other tracks and they will continue to occur without significant reform to the horse racing industry. The issue isn’t about a single track; horse fatalities are a nationwide problem that needs to be addressed on an industrywide basis. There has been tremendous focus on the track surface, but the core of the problem lies in a fundamentally flawed system that falls far short of international horse racing standards–standards that better protect horses and result in far fewer injuries and deaths. Chief among the principles that make up the standards of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) are those guiding the development of an effective anti-doping program and the regulation of the use of performance- enhancing drugs and drugs that can mask injuries, both of which can result in injuries and deaths. Under IFHA policies, commonly used therapeutic medications capable of masking pain and other symptoms of discomfort must be withdrawn days or even weeks prior to the race as compared to hours before the race in the U.S. IFHA policies also encourage rest to recover from injuries as opposed to policies here that facilitate treatment so training can continue, imperiling both horse and rider. It’s time we joined the rest of the world in putting in place the best measures to protect the health and safety of our equine athletes and that can be done only with comprehensive reform. Reform that includes creation of an independent central rule-making authority, full transparency into all medical treatments and procedures, comprehensive drug reform, and strict anti-doping testing both in an out of competition. On March 28, 2019, The Jockey Club published a major white paper–Vision 2025, To Prosper, Horse Racing Needs Comprehensive Reform–outlining the need for reforms and specific recommendations, including passage of H.R. 1754, the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2019. View the full article

5th-Parx Racing, $46,000, Msw, 4-1, 3yo, 7f, 1:24.77, ft. BETHLEHEM ROAD (c, 3, Quality Road–Alydarla {GSP, $150,650}, by Henny Hughes) showed some quick local works for his debut Monday at Parx and ran to them with a sharp wire-to-wire score. Drilling a half-mile from the gate in :46 3/5 (1/47) back in January, the bay had a trio of encouraging three-panel breezes recently, capped by a spin in :35 flat here (1/6) Mar. 28, and took some nibbles to be 67-10 as the lone firster in this group. Away in good order from his rail draw, the homebred was put on the engine and dictated terms through splits of :22.92 and :46.57. Traveling well on the turn as others were put to all-out drives, Bethlehem Road never looked a loser in the lane and hit the wire 4 1/4 lengths to the good of War Tocsin (Violence), who was another 8 1/2 lengths clear for the place. The winner’s dam placed in three stakes and was picked up by Don Ameche for $75,000 at Keeneland November in 2013. Her juvenile City Zip filly sold for the same price tag to Blue Devil Stable at KEESEP and she produced a filly by Malibu Moon last term before visiting Outwork. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $27,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Don Ameche, III, Griffin Investments & Randall B. Reed; B-Gryphon Investments, LLC, Don Ameche III & Randy Reed (KY); T-Dee Curry. View the full article

Darcy Scudero has a way with animals. She also has pedigree that may explain her success in choosing and retraining Thoroughbreds as well as her understanding of the complexities of working with equine athletes. Scudero’s mother Gail owned Full Deck Farm in Fairfax, VA and sold off-track Thoroughbreds to the likes of George Morris and Joe Fargis, who rode the Thoroughbred mare Touch of Class to double-gold at the ’84 Olympics. Meanwhile, Scudero’s father Joe was a running back for the Washington Redskins. Scudero became an exercise rider at age 19, successfully rode races in the early 1990s, and continues to break young horses for a handful of clients from her Ocala base. Throughout her life and career, Scudero has bought and rescued racehorses to retrain for riding and show careers. And, like her mother, she can spot the ones that have potential to compete among the best. In 2016, Scudero received a Lemon Drop Kid mare named Charming Emily from trainer Joan Scott because she wasn’t making it as a racehorse. Scudero contacted BC native Holly Jacks-Smither, a successful international eventer, married to trainer Bruce Smither. Jacks-Smither has had a meteoric career including being short-listed for the 2016 Olympic games. Jacks-Smither rides as many off-track Thoroughbreds as she can. “Sure enough, I fell in love with her,” said Jacks-Smither. “We call her Big Pretty and she is competing at the Preliminary level now. I’m thrilled that Darcy always has a look out for me.” Scudero steps up for owners, trainers and non-profits in Florida whenever she is called upon. Its not always the sound, scopey horses for which she extends herself. For example, late last year, Scudero got a call from trainer John Tammaro’s assistant at Tampa Bay Downs about a horse named Return Video (Sweet Return {GB}) who suffered from navicular. His racing career was over. And, because he was so uncomfortable, his prognosis in general was not good. Scudero picked him up and started an aggressive treatment of PRP (Platelet-rich Plasma). Within 5 weeks she was able to ride him and she saw why everyone at the track wanted him to get a second chance. Return Video was so sensible, Scudero started him bareback. Today, he is with his new owner Jenny Jelen, a former working student of Scudero currently in training for low level eventing. “Everyone in the barn at Tampa was rooting for this horse,” said Scudero. “I am so happy for him. Horses like him keep you doing this kind of thing.” Wall Street Bull (Benny the Bull) came to Scudero as a 3-year-old. It was evident that he moved well enough for dressage. Scudero posted his picture in full stride with the comment: ‘No spook.’ This attracted dressage rider Colette Zimmer. “I didn’t want a 3-year-old and I was looking for a horse that I could ultimately sell to an amateur rider,” said Zimmer. “But Darcy’s comment and his picture were encouraging so I went to see him. I knew he was the right horse when Darcy hopped on him in a halter and no saddle and rode him around the farm for me.” At the 2016 Thoroughbred Makeover, Bull finished eighth in the Free Style class. When Zimmer was in the market for her 2018 ‘makeover horse’ and having no luck, it was Scudero who again came up with the match. “The market gets crazy when people start shopping for their ‘makeover horse'”, said Simmons. “I kept striking out because I like to vet a horse before I buy it. But, if you wait, you lose the horse.” “Then I gave Darcy a call and told her I was looking. Before long, she sent me pictures of Loki’s Revenge (Our Celebration). She got it right again. Although I bought him for the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover, he ended up needing treatment and time for an unforeseen stifle issue. So, we entered him this year instead and I am so excited because he is going great.” Scudero has the reputation of being true to her word, knowing her horses and also being diligent in matching every horse to the right person. Four years ago, Lisa Smiley, new to Florida, was looking for her first horse and found herself discouraged by the process. Then she answered an ad placed by Scudero about a horse named Trip Six (Devil His Due). When Scudero realized that Smiley lacked experience, she agreed to sell her the horse but wouldn’t let the horse leave with Smiley until she felt comfortable about how Smiley and Trip worked together. Smiley asked to become Scudero’s working student and years later founded a horse rescue, Forget Me Not Equine Rescue, Inc., to follow what she learned while working with Scudero. “I never met someone more honest and dedicated to finding the best possible home for every horse, ” said Smiley. “I saw Darcy turn down offers to buy a horse when she felt it wasn’t the right match. Not many trainers do that. She is the only person I know who starts off telling everything negative about a horse before she says any of the good things.” Elika Otoya, an attorney who moved to central Florida from Hawaii to pursue her dream of having a small horse farm is indebted to Scudero for finding her two Thoroughbreds, Green Swamp (Wekiva Springs), aka Goblin and “Topper”, a 20-year-old off-track Thoroughbred who had a long second career as a dependable riding horse but was found neglected and in need of rescue. Scudero took him in and as he started to get healthy, she knew she had found a diamond in the rough. She called Otoya. “We took Topper and continued his rehabilitation, and now my daughter rides him everywhere,” said Otoya. “He was so perfect for us because I needed an experienced horse who could help me get my confidence back. Darcy is 100% committed to getting the horses into the right place and helping in every way. Next week she is coming over to help me take Green Swamp out on the trails. She is always there for the horses and us.” One gelding has a home for life with Scudero. Now 10 years old, she had purchased this son of Scat Daddy as a yearling for a client who named the horse Scudero. She got him to the races as a 2-year-old, but within a year, he was too tough for the riders and handlers at the track. The trainer called her for help. Rather than bring him back to the farm, Scudero went to the track every day and restarted him there. He raced for another two years and once again became difficult to handle. This time, she took him home for good. Now she is jumping courses on him with no bridle. Scudero exemplifies the caring and character of many people in the sport/business which is often lost in the reporting of racing, sales and horse welfare concerns. Her big heart and gift for seeing what a horse needs and connecting with all animals makes her story remarkable. “Each one is an individual and special in its own way,” said Scudero. “I’ve been so lucky to be around these horses for my whole life, I try to do the best for every horse in my care. It’s a huge thrill when you find the discipline that clicks with a horse and see them soar. That’s the best feeling.” When I sat down with her outside her house in Ocala, a squirrel dropped out the tree onto her shoulder. “Oh,” said Scudero. “This is Lily.” Joe Fargis stayed friends with Scudero’s mother until her death and is still in contact with Scudero. “Darcy knows her horses,” said Fargis. “She has a wonderful way with all animals. I’m proud to call her a friend.” To follow Loki’s Revenge’s journey to The Thoroughbred Makeover, go to https://www.facebook.com/lokisrevenge2018rrp/. To find Darcy Scudero, go to https://www.facebook.com/CenterStageFarm/. Diana Pikulski is the editor of the Thoroughbred Adoption Network. View the full article

DREAM MAKER (c, Tapit-To Dream About, by Monarchos) ‘TDN Rising Star’. O/B-John C. Oxley (KY). T-Mark Casse. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-0, $72,850. Last Start: 10th, GII Tampa Bay Derby, TAM, Mar. 9. Next Start: GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 0. Although he’s a gray, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Dream Maker could be the proverbial dark horse in Saturday’s Blue Grass S. I had him ranked as high as No. 5 a month ago, and although he got dropped from the main list after his next-to-last finish in the Tampa Derby, I have to think that poor showing is not truly indicative of this Tapit-sired John Oxley homebred’s real ability. Tampa can be kind of a “twilight zone” track that produces off-kilter individual results, and Dream Maker broke poorly, rated in last, then had his head cocked to the infield while not responding to urging on the far turn. His dam-sire Monarchos won the 2001 Derby, and this colt’s second dam, Beautiful Pleasure, was a champion stayer for Oxley. In an effort to instill a newfound sense of urgency in Dream Maker’s breaks from the gate, trainer Mark Casse drilled him in :46 flat from the Keeneland barrier last Saturday, earning a bullet for the half-mile distance (1/48). Should Dream Maker figure things out this weekend, he’ll have good momentum, a 10-furlong pedigree, and a maiden win over the Churchill surface all in his favor heading to Louisville. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 10th GII Tampa Bay Derby 1st Allowance 12th GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity 5th GI Hopeful S. 1st Maiden View the full article

With three major nine-furlong stakes upcoming this weekend, the first Saturday in April is usually when the sophomore division attains a new level of clarity. It had better. Favorites have now gone down in flames in nine consecutive Road to the GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points races run on United States dirt tracks, and only one of the top five horses in this week’s rankings won his last start. If a dominant division leader doesn’t emerge this weekend, it might be time to embrace the chaos rather than fight it. 1) GAME WINNER (c, Candy Ride {Arg}—Indyan Giving, by A.P. Indy) ‘TDN Rising Star’. O-Gary & Mary West. B-Summer Wind Equine (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $110,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 5-4-1-0, $1,646,000. Last Start: 2nd, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 16 Next Start: GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 45. Two-year-old champ and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Game Winner has a chance to cement his status as the Kentucky Derby favorite with an emphatic, true-to-form win in Saturday’s GI Santa Anita Derby. The positives for this athletically built $110,000 KEESEP Candy Ride (Arg) bay include a been-there-done-that stakes résumé that is highlighted by a relentless, man-against-boys win over the Derby surface at Churchill Downs, a strong in-race presence and fighting spirit that belies his relative (five races) inexperience, a Classics-capable pedigree, and the well-seasoned guidance of five-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert. But Game Winner is up against a glaring historical trend as he marches toward Louisville, as only two GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners from 34 runnings have gone on to win the Derby (Nyquist and Street Sense). And although it was obvious Game Winner wasn’t fully cranked to run his “A” race off a four-month layoff in the split-division (read: watered-down) Rebel S., it was a bit of a surprise to see how hard he had to be driven off the turn to engage a tenacious leader before fighting the length of the stretch to end up second, beaten a nose. Back on his home court and facing only six others based on probables listed for Saturday’s race, Game Winner will be a deserving–but not invincible–favorite. 2) WAR OF WILL (c, War Front—Visions of Clarity {Ire}, by Sadler’s Wells) O-Gary Barber. B-Flaxman Holdings Limited (KY). T-Mark Casse. Sales History: $175,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; €250,000 2yo ’18 ARQMAY. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 8-3-1-1, $501,569. Last Start: 9th, GII Louisiana Derby, Mar. 23 Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. Caulfield on War of Will. KY Derby Points: 60. Trainer Mark Casse wrote on Twitter that on Mar. 28 War of Will “went through extensive testing [that] included X-ray’s & ultrasound” and is now “cleared to start his training regimen” for the Kentucky Derby. That positive news arrived five days after this €250,000 ARQMAY War Front colt slipped and lost his action leaving the starting gate in the GII Louisiana Derby, then never looked comfortable when ninth as the beaten 4-5 fave. Like it or not, this “recovery” story line will shadow War of Will for the next 5 1/2 weeks, and although the issue of readiness is similar to the one Casse endured when juvenile champ Classic Empire battled season-long physical setbacks prior to his fourth-place run in the 2017 Derby, it is different because Classic Empire had a redemptive win in the GI Arkansas Derby just before heading to Louisville. Provided War of Will thrives in his training, I believe he’s got a big shot on the first Saturday in May, and I have zero problem with crossing a line through that Fair Grounds debacle and re-focusing on this colt’s powerful arc of races between November and February that established his dirt-form prowess. After a four-wide-both-turns, 3 1/2-length defeat in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, War of Will’s three main-track triumphs stamped him as a menacing stalker who has a high level of comfort racing in large fields and a keen willingness to finish with authority. 3) SIGNALMAN (c, General Quarters–Trip South, by Trippi) O-Tommie M. Lewis, David A. Bernsen, LLC & Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek). B-Monticule (KY). T-Kenneth G McPeek. Sales History: $32,000 Ylg ’17 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: GSW & MGISP, 6-2-2-1, $452,990. Last Start: 7th, GII Fountain of Youth S., GP, Mar. 2 Next Start: GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 18. Forget about my prognosis a couple of weeks back that Signalman would be a wise-guy horse who could pop at a mild price in the GII Blue Grass S. Instead, he’s likely to go off as the favorite based on how that field is shaping up. This $32,000 FTKOCT General Quarters colt’s stock is on the rise again, largely because he’s cycling toward a much-improved comeback effort while other horses who had been ranked higher up the totem pole backpedaled because of their own poor efforts. Signalman is a bull of a racehorse with good tactical speed despite his brawniness, and trainer Ken McPeek has commented all winter and spring long how this colt also has a sharp mind to match his physical gifts. Signalman’s clunker of a seventh in the GII Fountain of Youth S. included a lost shoe at some point during the race, and I’m starting to think that race might be an aberration for everybody who ran in it because none of the 1-2-4 finishers from the Fountain of Youth were within 6 3/4 lengths of the winner in Saturday’s Florida Derby. 4) IMPROBABLE (c, City Zip—Rare Event, by A.P. Indy) ‘TDN Rising Star’. O-WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International Ltd. & Starlight Racing. B-St. George Farm LLC & G. Watts Humphrey Jr. (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $110,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GISW, 4-3-1-0, $419,520. Last Start: 2nd, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 16 Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 13 Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Improbable. KY Derby Points: 25. The fine-tuning for ‘TDN Rising Star’ Improbable over the past week included an announced jockey switch to Jose Ortiz for the GI Arkansas Derby and the addition of blinkers (at least during training) for the colt’s bullet 1:12.80 six-furlong work (1/24) on Saturday. Improbable capably reeled in a head-start workmate from about 2 1/2 lengths back, but despite the blinkers this $200,000 KEESEP City Zip chestnut did get to gawking toward the Santa Anita grandstand between the eighth and sixteenth poles, mirroring the occasional lack of mid-stretch focus he has exhibited in several of his races. His Oaklawn assignment is bound to draw a contentious, full field that will present additional tactical challenges, but Improbable’s neck defeat in the slightly slower (.07 seconds) division of the Rebel has to be viewed as a positive learning experience because of the way he overcame an outside post and gave up four paths of real estate on both turns before fighting on decently to the finish. Yet when you consider his entire body of work so far (just four races), this colt largely comes across like a work in progress whose peak potential is still not clearly in focus. Another ten solid days of training and an emphatic win in Hot Springs could change that. 5) OMAHA BEACH (c, War Front—Charming, by Seeking the Gold) O-Fox Hill Farms, Inc. B-Charming Syndicate (KY). T-Richard Mandella. Sales History: $625,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-2-3-1, $521,800. Last Start: 1st, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 16 Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 13 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 37.5. Of the four Southern-California based horses ranked within the Top 12, Omaha Beach is the latest to bloom, having been a four-time beaten-fave maiden before a nine-length MSW blast-off and next-out GII Rebel S. slugfest score over the divisional champ. In my mind, that also makes him the biggest unknown in terms of how much more untapped potential he might unleash in the Arkansas Derby. Let’s face it: Before the Rebel, the general consensus was that Game Winner would probably run well enough to win despite not being fully cranked off a four-month layoff, and that this War Front colt was an intriguing challenger with lots to prove. But Omaha Beach looked far more poised than the Breeders’ Cup winner turning for home while being hand-encouraged while Game Winner had to be pumped on to engage. Omaha Beach won by a hard-fought nose, and the two were 8 1/4 lengths clear of the rest of the pack. Instead of rematching in Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby, “Omaha Beach will go in the [Apr. 13] Arkansas Derby, mainly because I think he needs that extra week,” said trainer Dick Mandella. Omaha Beach worked a bullet :47.80 half-mile (1/25) at Santa Anita on Friday, leaving an overmatched maiden workmate about eight lengths in the dust. 6) ROADSTER (c, Quality Road–Ghost Dancing, by Silver Ghost) ‘TDN Rising Star’. O-Speedway Stable LLC. B-Stone Farm (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $525,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GISP, 3-2-0-1, $106,200. Last Start: 1st, Allowance/Optional Claiming, SA, Mar. 1 Next Start: GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 0. Don’t look now, but ‘TDN Rising Star’ Roadster could be percolating as the classic “other” Bob Baffert horse in the Santa Anita Derby who gets overshadowed in the pre-race attention and in the betting by champion stablemate Game Winner. This $525,000 KEESEP Quality Road gray could be primed for an upset based on his easy win in a Mar. 1 allowance comeback from throat surgery. When you factor in that Game Winner had a fairly arduous, length-of-stretch fight in his own 2019 debut in the Rebel S., it would not exactly be a shocker if Roadster re-asserted himself as a major player with a more meaningful second-off-the-layoff race. Remember, it was only seven months ago that Roadster was being touted as Baffert’s best Derby prospect, and when you consider that he has zero qualifying points and either has to win or run second on Saturday to be in the hunt for Louisville, there will be added incentive for him to be fully primed to fire his best shot. Don’t say you weren’t warned. 7) LONG RANGE TODDY (c, Take Charge Indy–Pleasant Song, by Unbridled’s Song) O/B-Willis Horton Racing, LLC (KY). T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-4-1-1, $851,125. Last Start: 1st, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 16 Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 13 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 53.5. Trainer Steve Asmussen has won the GI Belmont S. once (Creator) and the GI Preakness S. twice (Rachel Alexandra, Curlin). He has hit the board four times in the Kentucky Derby, including twice in the past three years, both with decent-odds horses (Lookin At Lee at 33-1 and Gun Runner at 10-1). If Long Range Toddy advances to the Classics, chances are he’ll similarly fly under the radar, betting-wise. In fact, this Take Charge Indy homebred is heading into the Arkansas Derby as the likely third favorite (behind Improbable and Omaha Beach) despite winning one division of the Rebel S. over Improbable. But take nothing away from this consistent colt: He owns a 4-1-1 record from seven starts, including three stakes wins, and even the races he loses are by small margins (never more than two lengths). Long Range Toddy has proven he can break well and maintain a position when pinned down on the rail, and when called upon for a stretch kick he nimbly uncorks late-race runs through chaos without seeming fazed by the task. A distance-centric Derby foundation (he’ll have six two-turn races heading to Louisville if he starts as expected at Oaklawn) is also in his favor. 8) PLUS QUE PARFAIT (c, Point of Entry—Belvedera, by Awesome Again) O-Imperial Racing, LLC. B-Calloway Stables, LLC (KY). T-Brendan P. Walsh. Sales History: $24,000 RNA Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $135,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-2-1-2, $1,590,400. Last Start: 1st, G2 UAE Derby, MEY, Mar. 30 Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 104. Plus Que Parfait rocketed to both the top of the Derby points qualifying list (104) and sophomore earnings ($1.54 million) list over the weekend with a deft through-traffic win over 1 3/16 miles in the G2 UAE Derby. The field that this $135,000 KEESEP Point of Entry ridgling beat in Dubai did feature several Group 2 and 3 winning/placed horses, but it would be a stretch to say the also-rans included any serious Triple Crown-caliber contenders. Plus Que Parfait’s stateside company lines might yield better clarity as to where he fits in: The horses who ran second and third to him in his Oct. 7 Keeneland maiden win both eventually won stakes in 2019, and Plus Que Parfait did finish second, beaten only a neck, to the No. 3-ranked Signalman in a Nov. 24 Grade II stakes at Churchill. Several subpar runs behind No. 2-ranked War of Will suggested that Plus Que Parfait was heading in the wrong direction, but trainer Brendan Walsh surmised that this horse just didn’t like the Fair Grounds. Either way, Plus Que Parfait now sports a last-race win heading to Louisville, which is a feat only four other horses within this week’s Top 12 can boast. 9) CODE OF HONOR (c, Noble Mission {GB}—Reunited, by Dixie Union) O/B-W. S. Farish (KY). T-Shug McGaughey. Sales History: $70,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 4-2-1-0, $384,820. Last Start: 3rd, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 30 Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 74. As the connections of this first-crop Noble Mission (GB) homebred ponder whether they want to use their accrued points (74) to advance to the Derby, they’ll likely focus on how Code of Honor’s off-the-pace style was compromised by the moderate Florida Derby tempo that resulted in the one-two leaders at every call wiring the field while favorite Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) went missing in action. Proven as a closer, Code of Honor opted for a three-path spot in eighth for most of the race, then finished up capably enough at the rail to win a photo for third when it was evident he couldn’t reel in the top two. Surely the fractions will be more robust in the 20-horse Derby, and you can even make the case that Code of Honor’s light-bodied, agile frame will be an asset in a crowded field if a pace meltdown occurs. His pedigree also suggests he’ll be a stayer over longer ground. But still, Code of Honor is a May 23 foal who’s had trouble putting together back-to-back solid efforts so far this winter and spring, and he’s beginning to carve out a reputation of being an opportunist who capitalizes only under favorable circumstances rather than as a horse who seizes control of race dynamics to make his own breaks. 10) VEKOMA (c, Candy Ride {Arg}—Mona de Momma, by Speightstown) O-R. A. Hill Stable & Gatsas Stables. B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY). T-George Weaver. Sales History: $135,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-1, $188,850. Last Start: 3rd, GII Fountain of Youth S., GP, Mar. 2 Next Start: GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 10. Vekoma will have a new jockey for Saturday’s Blue Grass S., with Javier Castellano replacing Manuel Franco (oddly enough, the Blue Grass is one of the few major Derby preps that Castellano has never won). This $135,000 KEESEP Candy Ride (Arg) chestnut was undefeated but green through the stretch as a juvenile, then ran a commendable third (while again shifting and drifting through the lane) when racing on Lasix for the first time in the Fountain of Youth S. What this May 22 foal lacks in in-race focus, he makes up for by generally being a hard trier, and he looks the part of a plausible play who might still have untapped upside heading into his Keeneland start. But with 2004 champion sprinter Speightstown as his dam-sire, 10 furlongs in the Derby remains a fuzzy proposition. 11) TACITUS (c, Tapit—Close Hatches, by First Defence) O/B-Juddmonte Farms, Inc. (KY). T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-0, $253,000. Last Start: 1st, GII Tampa Bay Derby, TAM, Mar. 9 Next Start: GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 50. Trainer Bill Mott thinks nine furlongs in the Wood Memorial will suit Tacitus well, and that another eighth of a mile farther in the Derby should be within this homebred Tapit gray’s scope. Seasoning is what the large-framed GII Tampa Bay Derby winner lacks, as he’s only had one race in 2019 and three overall. As a first-time-Lasix winner at Tampa, Tacitus rated willingly and rallied through traffic, but he did hesitate for a beat or two when he hit the lead, prompting late-race encouragement from Jose Ortiz and the jockey’s post-race comment that Tacitus likely hasn’t yet given him 100% effort in his three races. Mott also trained this colt’s Juddmonte-bred dam, Close Hatches, who was the champion older mare in the 2014 Eclipse Awards and a MGISW who excelled in dirt routes. Sire First Defence was another Juddmonte homebred whose lone Grade I stakes win was at seven furlongs, but First Defence was out of a Seattle Slew mare, providing a Triple Crown connection in Tacitus’s not-too-distant bloodlines. 12) DREAM MAKER (c, Tapit–To Dream About, by Monarchos) ‘TDN Rising Star’. O/B-John C. Oxley (KY). T-Mark Casse. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-0, $72,850. Last Start: 10th, GII Tampa Bay Derby, TAM, Mar. 9. Next Start: GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 6 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 0. Although he’s a gray, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Dream Maker could be the proverbial dark horse in Saturday’s Blue Grass S. I had him ranked as high as No. 5 a month ago, and although he got dropped from the main list after his next-to-last finish in the Tampa Derby, I have to think that poor showing is not truly indicative of this Tapit-sired John Oxley homebred’s real ability. Tampa can be kind of a “twilight zone” track that produces off-kilter individual results, and Dream Maker broke poorly, rated in last, then had his head cocked to the infield while not responding to urging on the far turn. His dam-sire Monarchos won the 2001 Derby, and this colt’s second dam, Beautiful Pleasure, was a champion stayer for Oxley. In an effort to instill a newfound sense of urgency in Dream Maker’s breaks from the gate, trainer Mark Casse drilled him in :46 flat from the Keeneland barrier last Saturday, earning a bullet for the half-mile distance (1/48). Should Dream Maker figure things out this weekend, he’ll have good momentum, a 10-furlong pedigree, and a maiden win over the Churchill surface all in his favor heading to Louisville. On the bubble (in alphabetical order): By My Standards (Goldencents): Ranked second in qualifying points based on 22-1 Louisiana Derby upset. That was his only win beyond MSW ranks, but he’s never been off the board in five tries. Country House (Lookin At Lucky): Mott told TDN last week that the Arkansas Derby is a “doable thing with him because he is a big, tough, robust kind of horse.” Cutting Humor (First Samurai): Stalked off fast fractions for track-record GIII Sunland Derby win; note that three GIII Southwest S. also-rans have now come back to win stakes next out. Haikal (Daaher): Rides three-race win streak into Wood Memorial but still must prove he’s not a middle-distance horse who requires speed setups. Instagrand (Into Mischief): Jockey change to Flavien Prat for Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby for this ‘TDN Rising Star’ who was a juvenile sensation, winning first two races by combined 20 1/4 lengths. Maximum Security (New Year’s Day): He’s gone from the $16,000 maiden-claiming ranks to being the undefeated winner of the Florida Derby in just 3 1/2 months. Got away with a moderate tempo last Saturday; questions abound over whether he can replicate that effort in Louisville. Outshine (Malibu Moon): Tampa Derby runner-up stretches to nine furlongs in Wood Memorial. Spinoff (Hard Spun): Followed up 11 3/4-length allowance romp at Tampa with decent second in Louisiana Derby. Owns 40 Derby qualifying points, currently good for 12th on that eligibility list. View the full article

Though Haikal does not need another prep-race placing to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, the Wood will offer a valuable lesson in his ability to handle the kind of challenge awaiting him at 1 1/4 miles in the May 4 opening leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

PLUS QUE PARFAIT (r, Point of Entry—Belvedera, by Awesome Again) O-Imperial Racing, LLC. B-Calloway Stables, LLC (KY). T-Brendan Walsh. Sales History: $24,000 RNA Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $135,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE & GSP-US, 7-2-1-1, $1,590,400. Last Start: 1st, G2 UAE Derby, MEY, Mar. 30 Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 104. Plus Que Parfait rocketed to both the top of the Derby points qualifying list (104) and sophomore earnings ($1.59 million) list over the weekend with a deft through-traffic win over 1 3/16 miles in the G2 UAE Derby. The field that this $135,000 KEESEP Point of Entry ridgling beat in Dubai did feature several Group 2 and 3 winning/placed horses, but it would be a stretch to say the also-rans included any serious Triple Crown-caliber contenders. Plus Que Parfait’s stateside company lines might yield better clarity as to where he fits in: The horses who ran second and third to him in his Oct. 7 Keeneland maiden win both eventually won stakes in 2019, and Plus Que Parfait did finish second, beaten only a neck, to the number three-ranked Signalman in a Nov. 24 Grade II stakes at Churchill. Several subpar runs behind number two-ranked War of Will suggested that Plus Que Parfait was heading in the wrong direction, but trainer Brendan Walsh surmised that this horse just didn’t like the Fair Grounds. Either way, Plus Que Parfait now sports a last-race win heading to Louisville, which is a feat only four other horses within this week’s Top 12 can boast. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 1st GII UAE Derby 13th GII Risen Star S. 2nd GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. 1st Maiden 3rd Maiden View the full article

When the votes were cast for the 2013 Eclipse Awards, we had the unusual situation where the winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile did not land the 2-year-old male award, even though he was to top the Experimental Free Handicap. The Juvenile winner, New Year’s Day, garnered 99 points, compared to Shared Belief’s 115. The voting was arguably swayed by the fact that Shared Belief looked hugely promising, having won his three starts, including the GIII Hollywood Prevue and GI CashCall Futurity, by a combined margin of 20 1/2 lengths. New Year’s Day, on the other hand, had already been retired because of a non-displaced chip to his left hind sesamoid. Although the commentary for the Juvenile said that the runner-up Havana “did everything but win it,” there had still been plenty to like about New Year’s Day’s effort, which was his second victory from three starts. The way he finished had suggested he’d have few problems with the extra 330 yards of the GI Kentucky Derby. All he had to do was overcome the hoodoo surrounding Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners in the Churchill Downs’ Classic! When I reviewed New Year’s Day’s performance for the TDN, I began as follows: That was a pretty scary statistic that the NBC team trotted out after the 30th edition of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile–than not a single horse from the 2012 Juvenile had made it to the Kentucky Derby only six months later. Then there’s the fact that only one of the first 29 winners of the Juvenile has gone on to take the Kentucky Derby. This statistic highlights the huge chasm which separates the two races which, more often than not, fall to the future winners of their respective age-group’s Eclipse Award. Perhaps it was a shrewd decision by the connections of Honor Code to reroute their very promising son of A.P. Indy to the GII Remsen S., rather than subject him to the demands of a trip to Santa Anita. However, before anyone writes off the Kentucky Derby prospects of New Year’s Day, the 30th winner of the Juvenile, it is essential to point out that he shares the same sire–Street Cry–as Street Sense, the only colt to break the Juvenile hoodoo in the Derby. It’s easy to forget that Street Sense was an unexpected winner of the 2006 Juvenile at Churchill Downs, starting at 16-1. Although New Year’s Day’s trainer Bob Baffert made it clear that he had higher hopes of his other Juvenile contender, Tap It Rich, he wasn’t blind to New Year’s Day’s potential. “He can get the distance,” Baffert said as they entered the starting gate. “Also he’s got a little bit of speed and he’s tough and durable and he’s one that we should hear from down the road.” Of course New Year’s Day and Street Sense have more in common than just their sire. Whereas Street Sense is out of a daughter of Dixieland Band (also broodmare sire of another Kentucky Derby winner in Monarchos), New Year’s Day has a dam by Dixieland Band’s son Dixie Union. I should add that Nyquist has since emulated Street Sense’s double, but there is still a gulf between the two races. Only three of the 13 runners in New Year’s Day’s Juvenile contested the Kentucky Derby, finishing sixth, eighth and 10th behind California Chrome, but New Year’s Day has now entered the picture for the 2019 Derby. He’s the sire of the former claimer Maximum Security, who maintained his unbeaten record in plundering the GI Florida Derby. In starting his stallion career soon after topping the Experimental, New Year’s Day followed in the footsteps of Hail To Reason and Raise A Native, but he wasn’t to enjoy these great stallions’ immediate success–Hail To Reason’s small first crop featured the champion mare Straight Deal, while Raise A Native’s 11 first-crop foals included Exclusive Native, who was to give us two winners of the Kentucky Derby. Needless to say, today’s crops are generally much larger than they used to be. New Year’s Day covered 77 mares at a fee of $12,500 in his first season at Hill ‘n’ Dale, for 52 live foals. Reducing his fee to $7,500 in his second season boosted his book to 98 mares, for 60 foals, and year three saw him cover 92 mares at $5,000, for 56 foals. Then things became difficult. Even with his fee reduced to $3,500 in 2017, he covered only 32 mares for 21 foals, and his 2018 book comprised only 25 mares. It therefore came as no great surprise when an announcement was made in January that New Year’s Day had been sold to Brazilian owner/breeder Luis Felipe Brandao dos Santos. Prior to Maximum Security’s breakthrough, New Year’s Day’s best representatives included Yesterday’s News, runner-up in the GI Starlet S., and the black-type winners Dat Day, Day Raider, Cafe Du Monde and Parade of Roses. It is important to mention that Maximum Security’s achievements have come well before his actual third birthday, which occurs May 14. His dam Lil Indy has been sold several times, including for as little as $2,200 as a yearling in 2008. Although her price was $80,000 when she sold in foal to Pioneerof The Nile in January 2014, it fell to $11,000 when she was offered in foal to New Year’s Day last November. Lil Indy’s giveaway price as a yearling came before her half-brother Flat Out had become a multiple Grade I winner, taking the Jockey Club Gold Cup as a 5 and 6-year-old in 2011 and 2012 and the Cigar Mile as a 7-year-old. Lil Indy is a three-parts-sister to this son of Flatter, as she too was sired by a son of A.P. Indy. Her sire Anasheed–like Flatter–failed to win a black-type race but he was third in the GIII Arlington- Washington Futurity as a juvenile. He was also very well connected, coming from the female line which had provided A.P. Indy with the Grade I winners Mineshaft, Runup The Colors, Tomisue’s Delight and Little Belle and his pedigree was strong enough to earn him a place at stud in Florida. Anasheed made little impact with his 112 foals, but his presence in Maximum Security’s pedigree doesn’t rule out a bold Kentucky Derby bid by the Florida Derby winner. In recent years we have seen Kentucky Derby winners out of mares by Yankee Gentleman, who won nothing better than a restricted stakes race, and Not For Love, who failed to win a stakes race of any sort. I was quite impressed by Maximum Security’s performance at Gulfstream, even if his rivals’ riders helped him dominate. With his May birthday, he’s entitled to improve further and it’s going to be interesting to see how he progresses, especially when he isn’t given an easy lead. View the full article