Wandering Eyes

Alter Moon's five-length victory in the $75,000 Azalea Stakes June 30 at Gulfstream Park gave her sire, Alternation, his first stakes winner. View the full article

Like so many of his stakes wins, Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm's speedy 6-year-old gray X Y Jet shot to the lead in the six-furlong sprint Saturday, opened up a clear lead, and kept on to the wire unchallenged. View the full article

Grade 1 winner Itsmyluckyday was represented by his first winner June 30 when Cohenscollegefund sped to a 4 3/4-length win in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race at Evangeline Downs. View the full article

Heavy favorites took high-profile juvenile stakes June 30 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

A new set of blinkers gave the Medaglia d'Oro filly wings, and she snapped a six-race losing streak in Canada's most prestigious classic to win her first race of the 2018 season. View the full article

Heavy favorites take Churchill Downs' high-profile juvenile stakes. View the full article

All hail Julius Caesar as Peters claims training honours View the full article

Peters shows his Oscar-worthiness with two winners View the full article

Streetwise hits the road running at 3YO series fourth Leg View the full article

Juglall over the Moon to be back on Gold Cup hopeful View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings July 1 View the full article

Horses' body weights July 1 View the full article

Early scratchings July 1 View the full article

In her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen June 30, Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner Midnight Bisou simply cruised around the main track at Belmont Park. View the full article

After Stronach Stables' homebred Delta Prince won the $175,000 King Edward Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine in his first start in 10 months, his connections can't help entertaining thoughts of unlimited potential. View the full article

In her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen June 30, Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner Midnight Bisou simply cruised around the main track at Belmont Park. View the full article

A new set of blinkers gave the Medaglia d'Oro filly wings, and she snapped a six-race losing streak in Canada's most prestigious classic to win her first race of the 2018 season. View the full article

In her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen June 30, Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner Midnight Bisou simply cruised around the main track at Belmont Park. View the full article

It was no surprise trainer Chad Brown won the $300,000 United Nations Stakes (G1T) June 30 at Monmouth Park, but the horse who crossed the wire first was a stunner. View the full article

Making his Grade I debut and duly dismissed at odds of 23-1 despite some progressive form, Three Chimneys Farm’s FUNTASTIC (c, 4, More Than Ready–Quiet Dance, by Quiet American) jumped straight into the lead from the inside stall, was rated along nicely by Antonio Gallardo through six furlongs in 1:13.52, pinched a bit of a break into the lane and had just enough left in the tank to hold off his favored stablemate Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) to win Saturday’s United Nations S. at Monmouth Park. The latter raced too freely through the opening five-eighths of a mile, settled better in the middle stages and stayed on well to complete the exacta. Stakes-placed last year at three Funtastic hit the board in his first two appearances this season, but was exiting a facile 12-furlong Belmont allowance win May 26. Funtastic is not only a half-brother to the late Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado), but is also kin to Monmouth Grade II winner Quiet Giant (Giant’s Causeway), the dam of reigning Horse of the Year and new Three Chimneys stallion Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}). The further female family includes More Than Ready’s GI Mother Goose S. winner Buster’s Ready and MGSW Lull (War Front). Funtastic is the 22nd worldwide Group 1/Grade I winner for his wildly successful stallion and his first Grade I-winning turf male in the United States. He is the 86th graded winner and 189th black-type winner for More Than Ready and achieved his feat just minutes after Sir Truebadour won the GIII Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs. Lifetime Record: 9-4-2-1. O-Three Chimneys Farm; B-Besilu Stables LLC (KY); T-Chad Brown. View the full article

SIR TRUEBADOUR (c, 2, More Than Ready–Kivi, by King of Kings {Ire}), a full-brother to $1.8-million earner Regally Ready, doled out hot splits but kept on going to win the GIII Bashford Manor S. by about three lengths in 1:12.77 Saturday. Huge longshot Mr Chocolate Chip (Biondetti) was second off a graduation score at Belterra Park, while Overanalyzer (Overanalyze) rallied to further spice up the exotics in third. Named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ off a four-length debut romp here May 17, the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad was looking to atone for a fourth-place run in the June 8 Tremont S. at Belmont. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0. O-Whispering Oaks Farm LLC. B-Two Stamp Stables (Ky). T-Steven M Asmussen. View the full article

Wonder Gadot (f, 3, Medagliad’Oro–Loving Vindication, by Vindication) became the fourth member of the fairer sex in the last eight year to beat the boys in the C$1-million Queen’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown Saturday at Woodbine. Runner-up to Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Kentucky Oaks and narrowly defeated by Dixie Moon (Curlin) in the Woodbine Oaks when last seen June 9, the May foal was adding blinkers and found herself in a position slightly ahead of midfield as the Queen’s Plate raced under the line with a circuit to travel. Trapped out four deep on the backstretch as ‘TDN Rising Star’ Telekinesis (Ghostzapper) galloped them at a pace that was bound to take its toll, Wonder Gadot nonetheless warmed up to the task on the turn and loomed a bold threat wide off the home turn. Popped the question in upper stretch, she showed a nice burst of acceleration over the furthest trip of her career and proved not for catching. Aheadbyacentury (Midnight Lute) rallied for second ahead of Cooler Mike (Giant Gizmo) in third. The victory was the second in four years for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse, who teamed to take the 2015 renewal with Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire}). Velazquez was piloting his first Queen’s Plate winner. Lifetime Record: 12-4-4-3. O-Gary Barber; B-Anderson Farm Ont Inc (ON); T-Mark Casse. View the full article

Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) remains the heavyweight among this nation’s top sophomore dirt fillies, but Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute-Diva Delite, by Repent) reminded her that she looms a threat through the second half of the season with an utterly dominating victory over the previously undefeated Road to Victory (Quality Road) in Saturday’s GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont Park. Whereas she raced from well off the pace when victorious two pack in the GI Santa Anita Oaks and-circumstantially-when third to Monomoy Girl in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 4, Midnight Bisou was ridden positively by Mike Smith and stalked the pace of her chief market rival, initially to her inside and then from her outside once Smith let her clear. Allowed to creep closer leaving the three-eighths point, Midnight Bisou was right alongside nearing the top of the lane and she kicked away from there with a minimum of fuss to score at will by about five lengths. Road to Victory managed to hold for second. Previously trained on the West Coast by Bill Spawr, Midnight Bisou was relocated to New York to best position her for the summer’s most important races in her division. Steve Asmussen now handles the training duties. Lifetime Record: 7-4-2-1. O-Bloom Racing Stable, Allen Racing LLC & Madaket Stables LLC; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Steven Asmussen. View the full article

Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, and Steve Laymon's Long On Value closed late to just nab Lady Alexandra at the wire in the $250,000 Highlander Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine. View the full article

Long On Value (h, 7, Value Plus-Long Message, by Orientate), who went agonizingly close to a breakthrough top-level success in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in March 2017, was given a cool ride from the latter third of the field by Florent Geroux, found daylight in the long Woodbine stretch and overtook a game Lady Alexandra (More Than Ready) to win the GI Highlander S. at Woodbine, a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in November. A $100,000 acquisition out of last year’s Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and allowed to train on, the Virginia-bred Long On Value had one run under his belt for his new connections, a rallying 1 3/4-length success in the June 2 Mighty Beau S. over the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint course and distance. Allowed to linger with about two behind for the opening half-mile, the 2-1 favorite was guided into the clear in upper stretch and made ground quickly down the center. Lady Alexandra cantered into the lead under a confident Jose Ortiz with about a furlong to travel and looked on her way to victory, only to be run over late. Holding Gold (Lonhro {Aus}) rallied for third. While earning a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup, Long On Value would need to be nominated as a horse of racing age. Lifetime Record: 32-9-5-5. O-Madaket Stables LLC & Ten Strike Racing; B-Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds (VA); T-Brad Cox. View the full article