Wandering Eyes

Fasig-Tipton has reached an agreement with Pimlico Race Course to become the title sponsor of the Stakes Barn Winner’s Party on Preakness Day. The party will be held immediately after the races in the stakes barn. Fasig-Tipton will also be onsite in the stakes barn hospitality tent throughout Preakness week to promote its upcoming Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which will be held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in nearby Timonium, Maryland. “Fasig-Tipton has a long association with Maryland, having conducted auctions in the state for much of the company’s 120-year history,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “It is only natural that we have a presence at Maryland’s most important race–the Preakness–in conjunction with our upcoming Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. View the full article

LEGIT (c, 3, Curlin–Logalina Pompina, by Corinthian) romped by 7 1/4 lengths in his career bow at Gulfstream Apr. 19 and made it two in a row here with another decisive score in the slop at Pimlico to become the newest ‘TDN Rising Star’. Running three wide in sixth through an opening quarter in :24.15, the $125,000 KEESEP buy advanced into fourth through a half in :47.73 and continued to race in the four path turning for home. Drawing alongside new leader American Lincoln (Street Sense) in mid-stretch, the 3-5 chalk forged clear late to win by two lengths in 1:37.51. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O-Repole Stable; B-David Greathouse II (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. View the full article

Dodging the worst of the weather, Justify had as ideal a morning as possible in his first trip over the Pimlico Race Course surface since arriving for his expected run in the middle leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

Boxie maybe posting tongue in cheek - my sources tell me he is unfortunately. However he makes a very good point that I should have emphasised more in my blog - the industry is churning through reserves to fund essentially operating expenses in the form of stakes. Any company that does that, spends reserves on operating expenses, is in dire trouble and their share price would plummet accordingly. It would be more prudent to spend that money on lasting infrastructure that will improve revenue opportunities. NZTR and NZRB still have it within their powers to fund the development of all weather tracks or other infrastructure at the level where the hoof hits the turf. At the current burn rate in less than two years there won't be any reserves left.

SIX PACK GAL (f, 2, Boisterous–Heart Six, by Forest Camp) became the first winner for her freshman sire (Distorted Humor) with a front-running score on debut at Santa Anita for owner/breeder Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, who also stand her sire. Seizing the early advantage, the 2-1 shot clocked an unpressured opening quarter in :23.04 and showed the way into the stretch, where she rolled clear for a never-in-doubt victory under a hand ride from Rafael Bejarano. It was four lengths back to Rolinga (Champ Pegasus). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O/B-Tommy Town Thoroughbreds (CA); T-Michael Machowsky. View the full article

1.30 Newbury, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 6fT BURJ (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a half-brother to the recent G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Soliloquy (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who starts for the same Saeed bin Suroor yard. He meets 10 rivals in a maiden that has thrown up subsequent group winners of late. 2.0 Newbury, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 6fT HAPPY POWER (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a notable in division two, being a 625,000gns TATOCT graduate who races in the colours of “King Power”, Leicester City Football Club’s chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Andrew Balding has charge of the relative of the GSW juvenile Cairns (UAE) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) 3.05 Chantilly, Cond, €35,000, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT ZARKAMIYA (FR) (Frankel {GB}) heads over the G1 Prix de Diane course and distance as she bids to justify ‘TDN Rising Star’ status following her successful career opener at ParisLongchamp last month. Racing under a subsequent penalty but only giving weight to one rival, His Highness The Aga Khan’s daughter of his brilliant Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar)–who captured that Classic herself–has been found an ideal opportunity to gain further racing experience by Alain de Royer-Dupre ahead of next month’s feature. Interestingly, this was never considered a favourite track of her half-brother Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) despite the fact that he was runner-up in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, so it will be telling how she copes. 4.25 Newmarket, Cond, £6,000, 3yo, 8fT HERCULEAN (GB) (Frankel {GB}) returns for a rematch with Wadilsafa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), having filled the first two places in a seven-furlong Ascot maiden, in September on their sole starts. The former is Juddmonte’s son of their G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose (GB) (Observatory) and therefore a full-brother to the G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Fair Eva (GB) who was kept back from Classic action by a typically patient Roger Charlton. Shadwell’s Wadilsafa, an Owen Burrows-trained homebred half-brother to the G3 City of York S. scorer Talaayeb (GB) (Dansili {GB}) out of the G1 Epsom Oaks third Rumoush (Rahy), gets seven pounds from his old rival here. 4.50 Cork, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 6f 60yT ISLE OF INNISFREE (Scat Daddy) is one of three Ballydoyle colts who were scratched at The Curragh last week when the weather turned and they are all in attendance here, and he is full-brother to last year’s G1 Phoenix S. and G2 Norfolk S. hero and fellow Aidan O’Brien trainee Sioux Nation. He will have to be smart to deal with the Dundalk maiden second and third Invasion Day (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and Empire State (Scat Daddy), with the latter one of the re-routed Rosegreen trio. View the full article

Cristina Vasquez has been on the track in New York for over 30 years. When I was a director for the HBPA New York division, there was a need for a bilingual person in the backstretch clinic to assist the staff with the Hispanic clientele. I recommended Cristina, as I had known her and her family through a trainer I had ridden for years earlier. She was immediately hired and her job description evolved into counseling families through spousal abuse, making all the dental appointments, organizing a free flea market and hustling food for her on-site pantry through organizations like Long Island Harvest. During Thanksgiving, she excels at preparing numerous complete dinners including turkeys, vegetables and dessert and distributes to over 200 backstretch families. Christmas is another holiday where she makes every effort to ensure that the families in need are taken care of. —Submitted by Joe Brocklebank View the full article

Having dodged the worst of the weather, Justify had about as ideal a morning as possible in his first trip over the Pimlico Race Course surface since arriving for his expected run in the middle leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

Trainer Mark Casse said Live Oak Plantation's 6-year-old Northern Afleet gelding, who won the 1 1/16-mile Dixie on good going last year, isn't bothered by a rain-softened course. View the full article

Cambodia, a 6-year-old homebred by War Front, won the Gallorette last year by two lengths. The victory launched a strong campaign that saw her win a pair of grade 2 races followed by a third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T). View the full article

BALTIMORE, Md – It couldn’t have rained any harder during training hours at Pimlico Thursday morning. That is, of course, until it was time for GI Kentucky Derby winner Justify (Scat Daddy) to stretch his legs. With the rain almost on cue coming to a halt during the renovation break, a small crowd began to emerge from cover by the stakes barn as Justify walked under tack at 8:15 a.m. Led out by longtime Bob Baffert assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes aboard a stable pony, a slew of media and fans were lined up with their cameras and cell phones raring to go as Justify made his way to the gap. With the sloppy, sealed track still being worked on for a few minutes, Justify, as always, stood patiently and never turned a hair. The unbeaten ‘TDN Rising Star’ got acquainted with the Pimlico main oval by galloping a very easy 1 1/2 miles while under a snug hold beneath regular exercise rider Humberto Gomez. Justify arrived in Baltimore late Wednesday afternoon. Baffert later met the press for about 15 minutes while photographers lined up to get that coveted bath shot of the hulking chestnut. “I’m happy with the way he went around there,” Baffert said. “He was just getting warmed up. He was ready to do a lot more, but we didn’t want him to do too much.” The Hall of Fame trainer is seeking a record-tying seventh victory in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. All four of his previous Derby winners–Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002) and American Pharoah (2015)–have added Preakness victories. “He’s a superior horse, just like American Pharoah,” Baffert said. “What he’s done in that short, 75 days to win the Kentucky Derby… he makes my job a lot easier.” View the full article

2nd-BEL, $75K, Msw, 3yo, 6fT, 2:04 p.m. ET Klaravich Stables’ INFLECTION POINT (Speightstown) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Chad Brown. The $400,000 KEESEP purchase is the third foal, but second to make the races, out of undefeated SW Princess Arabella (Any Given Saturday). His year-older half-sister Tapella (Tapit), a $750,000 KEESEP buy, has two wins and $146,450 to her credit. TJCIS PPs. 5th-CD, $47K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 2:45 p.m. ET Three Chimneys Farm went to $225,000 at FTSAUG for SHE WILL ROCK, a daughter of their young stallion Will Take Charge. Bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, the bay to a trio of multiple stakes winners in Mark My Way (Noonmark), Hard to Stay Notgo (More Than Ready) and Haul Anchor (Bernardini). Her Storm Cat dam Whichwaydidshego is a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Fed Biz (Giant’s Causeway), a popular young sire whose first crop is hitting the track this year; and SW Spun Silk (A.P. Indy), the dam of GISW Joking (Distorted Humor). This is also the family of English and Irish Highweight Minardi; European and American champion Johannesburg; GSW & MGISP sire Tale of the Cat; and MGSW and GISP sire Pulpit. TJCIS PPs. 6th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 6:00 p.m. ET LNH Foxwoods and NK Racing’s EXPLORER (Orb) was the second-highest priced juvenile to sell at last year’s OBS March sale at $1.25 million, making him the most expensive offspring for his second-crop sire. Out of the unraced Remember (Forest Wildcat), a daughter of GISP Dancinginmydreams (Seeking the Gold), the bay is a half-brother to LNJ’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Wrath of Ruthie (Distorted Humor). This is also the family of champion Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold); MGISWs Good Reward (Storm Cat), Dancing Spree (Nijinsky II) and Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat); MGSW sire Pure Prize (Storm Cat); GISWs Persistently (Smoke Glacken) and Fantastic Find (Mr. Prospector); and GSW & GISP Instilled Regard (Arch), who was fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby. Explorer displays a speedy worktab full of bullets, typical of a Bob Baffert runner, including a best-of-28 five panels in 1:00 1/5 two back May 3 in Arcadia. Baffert saddles another first timer in Juddmonte Farms’ Julius (Tapit), a $600,000 KEESEP buy out of MGSW & MGISP Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook). John Shireffs saddles a very intriguing runner in Waratah Thoroughbreds homebred Caribbean (Aus) (Speightstown), who receives Lasix for the first time in this Stateside debut after finishing 11th in his career bow on turf for John Thompson at Australia’s Goulburn last June. A half-brother to Japanese SW & MGSP Molto Grande (War Chant), the 4-year-old’s second dam is GSW Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector), who produced MGSW & MGISP Daydreaming (A.P. Indy), dam of GISW millionaire Imagining (Giant’s Causeway); GISW Girolamo (A.P. Indy); MGSW & GISP Accelerator (A.P. Indy); and the dams of GI Kentucky Derby hero Super Saver (Maria’s Mon), GISW Callback (Street Sense) and Grade I-winning sire Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat). Hall of Famer Richard Mandella sends out another well-bred firster in Jon and Sarah Kelly’s Henry County (Alternation), a son of GI Frizette S. winner Confessional (Holy Bull). The $110,000 KEESEP buy is a half to SW & MGSP Ready to Confess (More Than Ready) and GSP Timely Advice (A.P. Indy). The gelding;s very deep female family includes champions Winning Colors, Chris Evert and Chief’s Crown. Lanes End Racing and Hronis Racing teamed up for $475,000 FTSAUG yearling Flagstaff (Speightstown)ain , who makes his belated career bow here at age four for John Sadler. The gelding is out of an unraced daughter of champion and millionaire Fleet Indian (Indian Charlie), making him a half-sibling to SP Fleet of Gold (Medaglia d’Oro). Making his second start in this spot is Kaleem Shah’s $700,000 KEESEP buy Beneficent (Uncle Mo), who set the early pace in his Mar. 25 debut at Santa Anita, but had to settle for second behind 5 1/4-length victor Kidmon (Lemon Drop Kid). TJCIS PPs. —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

This year, the stayers have entered back into the public consciousness thanks largely to the launch of the WH Stayers’ Million for winners of four races in the sequence, and Friday’s G2 Mansionbet Yorkshire Cup is one of them. Leading light here is last year’s G2 Goodwood Cup and G2 Queen’s Vase hero Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who holds the aces on form and is the most likely of these to scoop the £1-million. Bjorn Nielsen’s diminutive chestnut was third behind Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in a hot renewal of Doncaster’s G1 St Leger over this trip in September, with the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Thursday’s G2 Middleton S. scorer Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in arrears. He also ran a close third behind Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Torcedor (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})–who recently took another of the Million series’s races, the G3 Sagaro S.–in Ascot’s G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup on soft ground which would have played against him. “He’s had a good spring and the plan has always been to start him off in the Yorkshire Cup,” trainer John Gosden told the Racing Post. “I see Mr Mullins is sending over a good one and this will put him right for the Gold Cup.” Willie Mullins’s “good one” is Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}), who went so close to winning a G1 Melbourne Cup in 2015 and was third in last year’s edition. Impressive in the 2015 G2 Lonsdale Cup here, he is joined by fellow dual-purpose runner and stablemate Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), who is some way off the form of his 2016 G1 Irish St Leger defeat of Order of St George. “Max Dynamite has been a bit disappointing over hurdles, but he’s probably just not in love with them and he also wants proper fast ground,” commented Willie’s son and assistant Patrick Mullins. “It looks like conditions at York will play to his strengths and hopefully he’ll bounce back to form. With Wicklow, a lot depends what side of the bed he gets out of. He’s not getting any younger, but he retains plenty of ability and hopefully he’ll continue to pay his way.” View the full article

Back in the early days when Bob Baffert was a cowboy transitioning from quarter horses to Thoroughbreds, he took a trip to Lexington to get an education. He visited some major stud farms like Claiborne and Lane’s End to see to see what good Thoroughbreds looked like. “It was ’89–the year Secretariat died,” he said. “I saw him at Claiborne, I saw Nijinsky, Mr. Prospector, Fappiano. After seeing all the horses, when I saw Danzig, I said, ‘I can do this.’ I loved Danzig.” The blocky and heavily-muscled son of Northern Dancer appealed to Baffert’s speed-loving quarter horse eye. Ironically, Baffert isn’t known for his Danzigs, but that’s because he couldn’t afford to buy them. “When I first got in, I had a small pocketbook,” he said. “I was looking for $20,000 horses and trying to stretch it to $30,000.” He wasn’t known for training Scat Daddys, either, until Justify popped up. “I didn’t even look at Scat Daddys [at the sales]. I figured they’re going to be turf, and Coolmore’s going to buy them all up, the good ones, anyway.” For that matter, Baffert isn’t particularly associated with any one big-name sire, like D. Wayne Lukas was with Storm Cat or Aidan O’Brien is with Galileo and War Front. What Baffert’s resume clearly shows, however, is a penchant for training one of the best, if not the best, offspring of any random sire, good or bad. That’s a skill. Justify, who’s out of the Ghostzapper mare Stage Magic, is odds-on to become his sire’s best runner, just like American Pharoah is for Pioneerof the Nile and Arrogate was for Unbridled’s Song. West Coast is one of six millionaires for Flatter, but is his sire’s only Eclipse Award winner. These three were consecutive champion 3-year-olds for Baffert, and Justify is on a path to make it four straight. A win tomorrow in the Preakness would solidify his chances. The post-cowboy Baffert who now favors crisp white button-down shirts at the sales has evolved through the years in his tastes for yearlings and 2-year-olds, too. He didn’t see Justify as a yearling at Keeneland–“I didn’t have a hand in this one,” he said; WinStar, China Horse Club, and SF Bloodstock bought the John D. Gunther-bred colt for $500,000–but he’s since seen photos of the chestnut as a weanling and yearling, and said he was picture-perfect and looked like a halter horse even then. “He’s the most gorgeous horse. He’s between 16.2 and 16.3, he’s big and strong, but he’s not big like a Point Given, who was a big, slab-sided horse. He’s a muscular horse, muscle on muscle, and that makes him look even bigger, and it makes him look fast.” And fast horses have always been Baffert’s preference and trademark. He just prefers a bit more leg, stretch, and scope now, added to Danzig-like musculature, and he’s got that combination in Justify. When did he know Justify was out of the ordinary? The colt was initially with his assistant at Los Alamitos instead of among the first string horses with Baffert at Santa Anita. “We got him in in November.” said Baffert. “Elliott Walden had put a good foundation in him at WinStar and then he’d had a few breezes at Keeneland with [Rodolphe] Brisset before they sent him to me. We like to go easy with them at first, not ask them for too much speed. But my assistant in Los Alamitos was telling me he was special. When I got him, first time I worked him in January, I knew he was really, really special. Elliott Walden kept telling me, ‘I sent you a really, really nice colt.’ After I worked him, I told him he was a really nice colt, and Elliott said, ‘I’ve been telling you that. That’s why I was trying to get him over to you [at Santa Anita].'” Justify’s remarkable ascension in a short time frame is a testament to his sire, family, constitution, and physique, and it’s easy to assume that any competent trainer could have developed such a well-bred horse similarly. But Baffert has accomplished a few things with Justify that have shattered some barriers: he won the Kentucky Derby with a horse that hadn’t raced at two, who was the first Storm Cat-line winner of that Classic, and whose sire was more widely renowned for turf horses, not for 10-furlong horses on dirt. Baffert’s uncanny ability in developing lesser-pedigreed horses, some by stallions well off the commercial path, brings into sharper focus his skills as a trainer and manager and his eye for a horse. Here’s a partial list from an old blog post of mine of Grade I winners trained by Baffert that were the best offspring for their sires: Cavonnier (Batonnier) Real Quiet (Quiet American) Silver Charm (Silver Buck) Captain Steve (Fly So Free) Chilukki (Cherokee Run) Tuzla (Panoramic) River Keen (Keen) General Challenge, Excellent Meeting, and Magical Allure (all by General Meeting) Point Given (Thunder Gulch) Congaree (Arazi) War Emblem (Our Emblem) Friendly Michelle (Artax) Behaving Badly (Pioneering) Downthedustyroad (Storm and a Half) Midnight Lute and Pussycat Doll (both by Real Quiet) E Z’s Gentleman (Yankee Gentleman) Drill (Lawyer Ron) Coil (Point Given) Secret Circle (Eddington) First Dude (Stephen Got Even) Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) Dortmund (Big Brown) Bayern (Offlee Wild) Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) “There’s some sires I just wouldn’t buy, and I’ve been burned by them,” Baffert said. “My wife Jill tells me now, ‘Don’t be a sire snob when you go to the sales. Go with your gut if you like the horse.'” Ironically, there isn’t a hint of snobbery in the above list. “When I got into the business early on, I was talking with Johnny T.L. Jones Jr. [of Walmac International] one day, and I was telling him ‘I don’t like that sire or this one,’ and he said, ‘Boy, any sire can get you one good one. You just gotta find him.’ [Mike] Pegram reminds me of that all the time. He’ll say, ‘This could be that good one.'” It’s a lesson Baffert has learned well, and he’s crafted a Hall of Fame career on that precept. Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks. View the full article

This week’s TDN Preakness Preview ranks the entrants in order of estimated win probability: 1) JUSTIFY (c, Scat Daddy–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper) ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing & WinStar Farm. B- John D. Gunther (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $500,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 4-4-0-0, $2,098,000. Justify looms as a daunting odds-on favorite in the GI Preakness S., and any attempts to find weaknesses in his commandingly impressive body of work are going to have to center on unknowns beyond his undefeated past-performance block, like whether or not the Derby took more out of him physically than the betting public will perceive. There’s no getting around the fact that this ‘TDN Rising Star’ toyed with the best horses in a fairly accomplished crop while demonstrating a keenly-honed aggression and mental poise beyond his four-race career. If a full field of 20 with plenty of speed on paper couldn’t soften up this undefeated, long-reaching $500,000 KEESEP Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) colt in the GI Kentucky Derby, how are his seven Preakness rivals going to accomplish that task in tag-team fashion in Baltimore? Rain in the forecast would also seem to play in Justify’s favor, although it’s not a lock that an affinity for off goings at Santa Anita and Churchill will translate to success in the mud at Pimlico. The guess here is that jockey Mike Smith will decide to do away with any potential pace drama and use Justify’s athleticism to secure the lead straight from the gate, and it will be up to any other rivals who want to try to run with him to give it their best shot. A percolating rivalry with Derby runner-up Good Magic (Curlin) is a welcome Preakness subplot, and at the risk of being a master of the obvious, the second jewel of the Triple Crown should come down to these two standouts hooking up on the far turn and into the stretch—except with a closer margin between them at the wire. 2) GOOD MAGIC (c, Curlin—Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun) O-e Five Thoroughbreds & Stonestreet Stables. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY). T-Chad Brown. Sales History: $1,000,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo, GISW, 6-2-3-1, $2,255,000. Justify gets the “likeliest winner” honor, but Good Magic looms as the better Preakness wagering value as the second (and perhaps even slightly overlaid by off time) favorite in the betting. This million-dollar KEESEP Curlin colt’s second-place effort in the Derby amounted to what would have been a winning Run for the Roses in many years, and while Justify’s Preakness chances will still be questioned by doubters based on the “too much too soon” theory, you can’t say the same thing about Good Magic. If anything, he has a decided edge in experience and race spacing in making lifetime start number seven (five of them in graded stakes), and the 2-year-old champ has now run increasingly faster races numbers-wise in back-to-back efforts since coming up short on conditioning in his first start off an extended vacation in March. Another subtle eye-opener is trainer Chad Brown’s willingness to race Good Magic right back in two weeks, which is not usually something that the conservative conditioner does with his A-level stock. Good Magic did lose some momentum at the entrance to the far turn in the Derby when jockey Jose Ortiz had to back off a beat or two while waiting for an outside opening to materialize. And while that hesitation alone did not cost him the race, a similar traffic jam is unlikely to occur in the shorter-field Preakness, perhaps setting up a scintillating showdown between Justify and Good Magic that can be decided on more level terms, trip-wise. 3) BRAVAZO (c, Awesome Again—Tiz o’ Gold, by Cee’s Tizzy) O/B-Calumet Farm. T-D. Wayne Lukas. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 9-3-1-1, $436,528. Calumet Farm and D. Wayne Lukas are an owner/trainer tandem that doesn’t shy away from the entry box in top-level races, and the connections of Bravazo were the first to declare they’d be back in Baltimore to take another crack at Justify. Bravazo ran a sneaky-good race in the Derby, handling the slop better than most while getting boxed and shuffled back early, floated five wide on both turns, and finishing with determination even when it was obvious he wouldn’t hit the board. Bravazo will get a new jockey (Luis Saez) for the Preakness, and his foundation of eight straight races at a mile or longer gives him no excuses from a stamina standpoint. Calumet and Lukas teamed to win the 2013 Preakness with 15-1 Oxbow, and there are similarities to Bravazo: Both are by Awesome Again out of Cee’s Tizzy mares, and each finished sixth in the Derby at long odds. 4) SPORTING CHANCE (c, Tiznow—Wynning Ride, by Candy Ride {Arg}) ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-Robert C. Baker & William L. Mack. B-Hunter Valley (KY). T-D. Wayne Lukas. Sales History: $275,000 Wlg ’15 KEENOV; $575,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-2-1-1, $409,790. Sporting Chance’s antics are beginning to eclipse his on-track ability, but he perpetually seems just one solid race away from returning to his graded-stakes winning form from last summer. This $575,000 KEESEP Tiznow (Cee’s Tizzy) colt nearly lost the GI Hopeful at Saratoga last September when he ducked out suddenly nearing the wire, and he subsequently did the same thing at Keeneland this spring when disqualified from third in the GII Blue Grass S. He next ran in the GIII Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard, and in a relentless, pelting rain Sporting Chance slammed on the brakes badly five-eighths from home before rallying convincingly seven wide into the stretch to finish fourth behind a trio of double-digit long shots. And just last Sunday, Sporting Chance repeatedly refused to break off for a workout at Churchill Downs, which only adds to his unpredictability on race day. On paper, a case could be made for upset potential in the Preakness: Sporting Chance has never run worse than fifth, has never been beaten more than eight lengths, and he has won over a wet track in case rain is an issue. 5) TENFOLD (c, Curlin—Temptress, by Tapit) O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC. T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $124,200. Tenfold was ambitiously plunged into the deep end of the Derby prep pool when attempting the GI Arkansas Derby off a 2-for-2 career start, so you have to judge his fifth-place finish in that context. Race winner Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) got away with soft splits and was motoring home all alone, but the “race within a race” battle was intriguing in its own right, and this Curlin colt was beaten only two necks and a head for second money. Tenfold is bred to run long (out of a Tapit mare), and his connections waited to debut him until Feb. 9 at 1 1/16 miles. His sire won the 2007 Preakness, and Tenfold could be a wild card in the wagering on Saturday if you’re willing to take a flyer on a lightly raced prospect from a high-percentage outfit. 6) QUIP (c, Distorted Humor—Princess Ash, by Indian Charlie) ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-Winstar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International & SF Racing LLC. B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY). T-Rodolphe Brisset. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 5-3-1-0, $482,800. A fresher Quip is back in the Classics mix after qualifying for the Derby but passing on that race after he reportedly lost weight and a bit of spark following his second-place run in the Arkansas Derby. But now, in the days prior to the Preakness, this ‘TDN Rising Star’ has been training well and chowing down “right through his feed tub” according to trainer Rodolphe Brisset. In that Oaklawn prep, this Distorted Humor (Forty Niner) colt stayed on well enough to prevail in a four-horse photo for second after attending the moderate pace set by four-length winner Magnum Moon. A winner now in three of his five lifetime tries and generally considered a tempo-pressing presence, Quip’s rail draw for the Preakness doesn’t necessarily mean he has to gun for the lead. But he’ll have to be pretty quick into stride to secure a ground-saving stalking spot with the likes of heavy favorite Justify and the pesky Diamond King (Quality Road) to his outside both likely forcing the issue straight from the starting stalls. 7) LONE SAILOR (c, Majestic Warrior-Ambitious, by Mr. Greeley) O-GMB Racing. B-Alexander-Groves-Matz, LLC (KY). T-Thomas Amoss. Sales History: $120,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GISP, 9-1-3-1, $334,237. Although most everybody’s eyes were on the action up front, a key turning point farther back in the field in this year’s Derby occurred about three-eighths out when a cluster of stalkers and closers moved en masse and several early-race speedsters stalled at the rail. Several mid-pack horses who had been capably saving ground abruptly got shuffled back and lost momentum, and Lone Sailor arguably took the worst of it. In that respect, finishing only 9 ¼ lengths behind Justify rates as a better-than-it-looks type of try, and this $120,000 KEESEP Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy) colt will fire back in the Preakness with a jockey switch to Irad Ortiz, Jr. It’s an open question whether Classic distances are this colt’s sweet spot, though: His sire never won beyond seven furlongs, and his dam’s sire, Mr. Greeley, never won beyond a one-turn mile. 8) DIAMOND KING (c, Quality Road—Akron Moon, by Malibu Moon) O-Cash is King LLC, DJ Stable LLC & LC Racing LLC. B-JSM Equine LLC (KY). T-John C. Servis. Lifetime Record: MSW & GSP, 6-4-0-1, $222,600. Diamond King will attempt to become the first horse since Deputed Testamony [spelling OK] in 1983 to pull off the difficult Federico Tesio S.-Preakness double. But since the Tesio has been moved from Pimlico to Laurel, it no longer carries the win-over-the-track advantage that it once did as a prep (but it does reward the winner with automatic entry into the Preakness). This $235,000 EASMAY Quality Road (Elusive Quality) colt has racked up four wins from six lifetime starts, and his only two defeats came when he clipped heels and lost his rider in November’s GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill and when he ran a decent third behind legit sophomore sprinters in the GIII Swale S. at Gulfstream back in March. Diamond King is most effective sitting a length or two off the lead in the early stages of his races, but he is going to have to figure out a way to avoid being a sacrificial speed setup horse in the Preakness with the intimidating Justify breaking two gates to his outside and the adept Quip a likely pace presence from the rail. Javier Castellano picks up the mount for the first time, which is a plus considering he’s won that race twice, including last year on 13-1 Cloud Computing (Maclean’s Music). View the full article

After securing the top bonus from Pimlico Race Course last year in its program that rewards trainers who support its Preakness (G1) weekend stakes races, Steve Asmussen appears well-positioned for another run. View the full article

OUTSHINE (c, 2, Malibu Moon–Life Lesson {MSP, $153,127}, by Unbridled’s Song) was favored at 6-5 in this debut and ran to the money with a decisive score in the slop at Belmont Thursday. Saving ground in fourth through a :22.77 opening quarter, the $625,000 KEESEP buy launched a four-wide bid on the backstretch run. Taking control in mid-stretch, the bay splashed clear late to win by three lengths over Gump (Brethren) in :58.75. The winner is out of MSP Life Lesson, a daughter of MGSW Wander Mom (Maria’s Mon). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Lets Go Stable & Richard Schibell; B-T F VanMeter & Ricky Stivers (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. View the full article

Chad Brown sends out a pair of strong runners in Saturday’s GIII Soaring Softly at Belmont in Africa (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) and Brattata (More Than Ready). Never off the board in her first three starts in France last summer, Africa finishing sixth when stretched to 1 1/16 miles for the GIII Miss Grillo S. in her first start on these shores in Belmont’s GIII Ms. Grillo S. Oct. 1. She kicked off this term with a head second in Aqueduct’s Mizdirection S. Apr. 15 and should improve off that effort here. Brattata hit the board in her first four outings, but did not earn her diploma until her fifth try going 7 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Feb. 4 and was a respectable third last time behind MGSW Thewayiam (Fr) (Thewayyouare) in the GIII Herecomesthebride S. Mar. 3. Mizdirection third-place finisher March X Press (Shanghai Bobby) will represent the Todd Pletcher barn in this one. Winner of last term’s Bolton Landing S., the dark bay checked in second in Gulfstream’s Melody of Colors S. going five furlongs Feb. 25 and didn’t miss by much when third last time at Aqueduct. Wesley Ward can never be counted out in a turf sprint and he saddles two here in Nootka Sound (Lonhro {Aus}) and Mentality (Freud). An optional claimer winner in Hallandale Jan. 28, Nootka Sounds finished second by just a half-length when facing males in Aqueduct’s Bridgetown S. Apr. 14. Third in a state-bred allowance Oct. 18, Mentality completed the superfecta in the Mizdirection. The pair breezed in unison over the local turf course May 6, firing a half-mile bullet in :46 3/4 (1/14). Another worth a look in this test is the Jimmy Jerkens-trained Elevenses (More Than Ready), who enters off a pair of good-looking victories sprinting on the dirt at Gulfstream, most recently taking the Any Limit S. Mar. 24. The main question facing the dark bay, who is three-for-four lifetime, is whether she will take to the grass, but with the week’s constant rain expected to continue through the weekend, she may end up on the dirt after all. View the full article

Lasix opponents have often argued that the diuretic can mask the presence of other drugs in a horse’s urine sample, a position that seemed to gain credence when the Seattle Mariners star Robinson Cano was banned for 80 games Tuesday because he tested positive for Lasix. Major League Baseball bans Lasix not because it believes it can improve a player’s performance, but because it believes it can mask other drugs that can. But two horse racing experts in the fields of Lasix, drug testing and the administration of drugs contacted by the TDN said that racing has virtually infallible safeguards in place to make sure that Lasix cannot hide the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in a horse’s system. “I am confident that the way we regulate Lasix does not materially affect our drug testing capabilities,” said Rick Arthur, the California Horse Racing Board’s equine medical director. “I’m not going to say it has no effect at all, but it is not a significant effect. With the rules that are in place, I don’t believe Lasix can be administered in a way that can manipulate a drug test.” Arthur explained that Lasix does not necessarily mask other drugs. Instead, because it is a diuretic, it causes the dilution of urine, which makes it harder to find other drugs in tests. “It is a diluting agent,” he said. “What that means is, let’s say because of Lasix your urine is twice as diluted. You might normally have 10 nanograms of a drug in your urine and after Lasix use you will have five nanograms. That can take things under the level you need to detect a drug and if that happens you’re going to miss it. Diluting urine makes it more difficult to test for certain drugs. That just makes sense.” Once Lasix started to become a widely-used medication in racing, chemists and racing commissions realized they had to take steps to stop those who might try to use the drug to make more illicit drugs undetectable. Dr. Rick Sams, a professor with Ohio State’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, and Dr. George Maylin, the longtime head of the drug testing program for the New York Gaming Commission, were put in charge of finding a solution to what could have been a serious problem. The two concluded that a horse should not be administered Lasix within four hours of its racing because any shorter period of time would make the dilution effect problematic. The four-hour rule has been universally adopted across the U.S. “The rules we have now are a direct result of studies that George Maylin and I did in the mid-eighties,’ Sams said. “We dosed horses with performance-enhancing drugs and therapeutic drugs, we administered Lasix, we collected urine samples at various times and we determined that with the conditions that Lasix must be administered four hours before a race and with a maximum dose of 25 milligrams, there was no significant effect on the concentration in the urine sample. That was an issue that was paramount leading up to the mid-eighties when Lasix administration was banned by the predecessor to the ARCI. They recommenced a ban on furosemide nationwide due to its potential to help hide others drugs, just like you saw with this baseball situation.” Cano has admitted to taking Lasix and has accepted his suspension, which will cost him $11.85 million in salary. In a statement, he said he had been given a prescription by a doctor in the Dominican Republic and was using it to treat a “medical ailment.” He denied using any performance-enhancing drugs. “Furosemide use in humans is pretty much limited to cardiovascular disease, to hypertension,” Sams said. “I wouldn’t necessarily expect to see it used in a healthy adult his age [35].” Lasix, and all other diuretics, are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because of the possibilities they can alter the results of drug tests. If Cano were in fact using Lasix in an attempt to beat drug tests for steroids or other PEDs, that raises a lot of questions that are hard to answer. Racehorses are tested after a race. Baseball players are tested on a random basis. Was he taking Lasix around-the-clock in case a test was forthcoming or did he have advance knowledge of when he would be tested? Either way, there would be nothing in place that would have prevented him from taking Lasix within a time frame where he could have diluted his urine. “I’m not surprised that a human athlete got suspended for Lasix,” Arthur said. “It’s just hard for me to understand why he would be taking Lasix. It’s a pretty dumb thing to do because it’s very easy to test for. You’re not going to be able to take Lasix and dilute your urine and not have anybody figure out you took Lasix. I don’t understand why a baseball player would be taking Lasix. Whoever advised him to do that wasn’t very smart.” View the full article

Go Noni Go (Get Stormy) heads to Woodbine in search of her second straight graded victory on synthetic in Saturday’s GIII Selene S. Scoring the first two wins of her career on turf, the dark bay finished fifth in her sophomore bow in Gulfstream’s GIII Sweetest Chant S. Feb. 3, but rebounded with a two-length success in the GIII Bourbonette Oaks in her first try on a synthetic surface at Turfway Mar. 17 for trainer Mike Maker. Woodbine-based conditioner Catherine Day-Phillips sends out a strong contender for the home team in Dixie Moon (Curlin), who finished sixth behind Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 3. Taking the state-bred Ontario Lassie S. by a nose a month later, the chestnut was last seen finishing ninth to Rushing Fall over a yielding course in Keeneland’s GII Appalachian S. Apr. 8. The Josie Carroll-trained Avie’s Mineshaft (Mineshaft) missed by a nose in the track-and-trip Princess Elizabeth S. Oct. 19 and was third when cutting back to seven panels in the Fury S. Apr. 29. Mark Casse saddles a runner who could make some noise if she takes to the synthetic in Miss Mo Mentum (Uncle Mo). Graduating on the turf, the dark bay’s last two victories came on the main track, including an 8 3/4-length romp a sloppy renewal of the Hut Hut S. Dec. 9. She was last seen finishing eighth in the GII Davona Dale S. Mar. 3. View the full article

Just two of 20 runners in Saturday’s $1-million G1 Goodwood H. (1200m) are under double-figure odds, and going slightly wide and outside of the winner in the G1 Sangster S. on May 5, no run was better than that of rough-chance Mica Lil (Aus) (Testa Rossa {Aus}), who has been in scintillating form since joining the Mark Minervini yard. Dropping significantly in weight, the 4-year-old mare will get back, and should be running on hard at the end, the questions is, was her Sangster run a fluke, or is she simply still improving? Last year’s winner Vega Magic (Aus) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) comes into the race fresh, just like 12 months prior, and although he rises in weight, he deserves it having recorded a further two wins highlighted by the G1 Memsie S., as well as a very good second in the $10 million The Everest. A late scratching last week ahead of what would have been his final start before heading to stud, the Hayes, Hayes and Dabernig-trained Thronum (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) was given a final life line to secure that elusive Group 1 victory when owners Sun Stud parted-ways with a reported $60,000 for a private charter plane to get the 4-year-old to South Australia from Queensland for the Goodwood, a race in which he will play a major part in if his 1200m form counts for anything. Stuck behind a wall of horses in the Sangster and unable to get clear running, Andrew Noblet’s Super Cash (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus})’s second up form is inferior to her outstanding first-up form, but without getting a good run at them last start, she still could be fresh enough here to sprint hard when it is needed. View the full article

Champion World Approval (Northern Afleet) looks to make amends for a disappointing fifth in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita last time Mar. 10 as the heavy favorite to capture his second straight renewal of Pimlico’s GII Dixie S. Saturday. The hard-knocking gelding closed out his Eclipse-worthy 2017 season with a trio of top-level victories in the GI Fourstardave H., GI Woodbine Mile and GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. Hanging tough to capture his seasonal bow going this distance in the GII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 10, the gray failed to produce his usual rally when fifth in the Kilroe under Flavien Prat. Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who was in the irons for World Approval’s last three wins, gets back aboard. Weather will be the main concern in this race as the rain soaking Baltimore all week is expected to continue Saturday. Divisdero (Kitten’s Joy) bested World Approval by a neck when scoring his first Grade I win in the 2016 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which he won again last year. He has been winless in three starts since, most recently finishing fourth in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Oct. 7. Previously trained by Buff Bradley, the bay makes this belated seasonal bow for new conditioner Kelly Rubley. Frostmourne (Speightstown), an impressive winner of last year’s GII Penn Mile and GIII Kent S., kicked off this term with an optional claimer win at Gulfstream Mar. 16. The dark bay was fifth behind veteran turfer Heart to Heart (English Channel) last time in Keeneland’s GI Makers 46 Mile Apr. 13. View the full article

With eight of Saturday’s 12-strong G1 Doomben Cup (2000m) field coming through a last start run in the G2 Hollindale S. (1800m) at the Gold Coast, trainer Chris Waller’s six strong team looks to hold all the aces. Having just his third Australian start, the 6-year-old Satono Rasen (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has improved significantly from his first to his second run and if that same improvement is present in the Doomben Cup, then the Glyn Schofield-ridden $2.2-million earner could be the one to take the prize and continue the outstanding run of his global sire sensation. Although jumping from winning the Listed Wagga Cup (2000m) on May 4 to Group 1 level, Life Less Ordinary (Ire) (Thewayyouare) has been working through his grades and appears to have a sense of timing about him, improving at each and every run this time in and he could be the surprise packet of Waller’s runners. G2 Hollindale S. winner Oregon’s Day (Aus) (Domesday {Aus}) has been in outstanding form this campaign, having not finished further back than fourth in all five runs and although she has never been tested at the trip, her devastating turn of foot over the 1800m last time out indicates the 2000m should be of no concern. Anthony Freedman’s Ambitious (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has always been spoken of highly and with his best effort in Australia being a second over 2400m at Group 1 level, the 6-year-old had problems last time out when losing three shoes, and if back on track, can atone here with a forward showing. Ten-grand yearling purchase Man Of His Word (Aus) (Lope De Vega (Ire), now a winner of over $440,000, comes into the race off an impressive third in the G2 Hollindale S. after not getting clear passage until late, and having defeated many of his competitors in this race last time out, the Bruce Hill-trained gelding will be a good chance at odds. View the full article

Barely a decade into his career, jockey Florent Geroux is running low on significant obstacles still to conquer—save for three big stumbling blocks designed to make the best of the best question if they've met their match. View the full article

4th-Salisbury, £7,400, Cond, 5-17, 3yo/up, f/m, 9f 201yT, 2:06.47, gd/fm. SUN MAIDEN (GB), f, 3, by Frankel (GB) 1st Dam: Midsummer (GB) (SP-Eng), by Kingmambo 2nd Dam: Modena, by Roberto 3rd Dam: Mofida (GB), by Right Tack (GB) Sun Maiden sported the same Juddmonte silks as her famed half-sister Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who saluted six times at the highest level, and received immediate ante-post quotes of 12-1 and lower to go one better than that illustrious sibling in the June 1 G1 Epsom Oaks after following up a low-key debut fourth at Wolverhampton in December with a stunning dissection of this sophomore bow. Stalking the pace in second for the most part, the 4-5 favourite was allowed an inch of rein with three furlongs remaining and bounded ever clear once taking over approaching the final quarter mile to hit the line 12 lengths in advance of White Light (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). She becomes the seventh individual scorer produced by Listed Oaks Trial second Midsummer (GB) (Kingmambo) and the homebred bay is a half-sister to MGSP stakes winner Midsummer Sun (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), G3 Nell Gwyn S. victress and G1 Nassau S. third Hot Snap (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and the aforementioned MG1SW dual British highweight Midday, who in turn is the dam of G3 Classic Trial winner Midterm (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and stakes-winning G2 Ribblesdale S. runner-up Mori (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Midsummer, whose latest offspring is a yearling filly by Siyouni (Fr), is herself kin to eight black-type performers headed by MG1SW highweights Elmaamul (Diesis {GB}) and Reams of Verse (Nureyev). Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $6,783. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article