Wandering Eyes

Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro), 12th in Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby, is under consideration for a start in the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 19, owner/trainer Mick Ruis confirmed Thursday. The two-time Grade I winner galloped 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland Thursday morning. “We’re going to see how he’s training up to it, and it doesn’t matter if Justify (Scat Daddy) runs or not. We know we’re going to have to run against him,” said Ruis. “If we feel we’re good to go in there, we’re going.” Ruis said he received visual evidence that the son of Medaglia d’Oro’s first off-the-board finish was the result of a dislike for the sloppy, sealed racetrack at Churchill Downs Saturday. As such, Ruis said his colt would not run in the Preakness if the track comes up muddy or sloppy. “Someone just sent me a Twitter photo of Justify and Bolt when they were next to each other,” Ruis said. “Justify is skipping over the track, pasterns up. Bolt’s [hooves], all the way below the pasterns, were just sucked into that track. Absolutely he didn’t like it. It would be like one running on the freeway and one running in sand.” Ruis reported that Bolt d’Oro emerged from the experience otherwise unscathed, showing high energy levels in his time at Keeneland. “He is doing really, really good–it doesn’t look like he even lost a pound,” Ruis said. “He’s really good and really happy. I’m glad I’m here at Keeneland, because our farm is only four miles away. It’s so mellow for him here. I couldn’t be happier. We’re going to try to make our residence in Kentucky.” View the full article

Breeders' Cup announced May 10 that all five of its races for 2-year-olds will be offered on the first day of the two-day event beginning with this year's edition at Churchill Downs Nov. 2-3. View the full article

Just a length or so away from Classic glory in 2017, Sir Peter Vela’s Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) could be a potent force this season with another winter on his back and early evidence of his progression can be found at Chester on Friday as he lines up for the newly-promoted G2 Homeserve Huxley S. Always considered a 4-year-old project by trainer Martyn Meade, now he is that age the Group 1 that evaded him last term is within reach and this is an ideal starting point. “We thought it would be a nice introduction for him,” he said. “It’s a Group 2 and he doesn’t have to carry a penalty. I think the ground will be perfect and it should be a good one to start the season. We’ve got a good draw, which doesn’t usually happen. He seems to be in a great place, both mentally and physically, so hopefully it will be nice run for him and set him up for the rest of the season.” A trip to Royal Ascot beckons if all goes to plan here, with the June 20 G1 Prince of Wales’s S. his next port of call for a clash of the Frankels with Cracksman (GB). “Our next plan at the moment is to go for the Prince of Wales’s, but obviously he needs to win well on Friday,” he added of the G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano and G3 Craven S. winner and G1 Irish Champion S. third. “I think he should perform well. When he won the Craven last year it was his first run of the season.” Snapping at Eminent’s heels if the favourite is not firing is the Apr. 18 G3 Earl of Sefton S. winner Forest Ranger (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who upstaged this race’s 2017 winner Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in that nine-furlong Newmarket contest which was his first start after being gelded. “It was a good, solid performance at Newmarket. He’s just up in trip and up in grade,” trainer Richard Fahey commented. “He wasn’t stopping at Newmarket, so he’s definitely worth a go at a mile and a quarter.” Deauville’s trainer Aidan O’Brien has an outsider this time in Andrew Rosen’s colour-bearer War Decree (War Front), who probably needed the race when ninth in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Mar. 31 and who will appreciate this sun-dried ground. He remains unexposed in Europe and ran better than the bare result when beaten less than three lengths into fifth in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in June. View the full article

He did it again. On May 5, Bob Baffert won his fifth Kentucky Derby and did so with style as Justify lived up to the tremendous hype that followed him into the starting gate after his win in the GI Santa Anita Derby. The Preakness is next and already there are whispers that racing may have another Triple Crown winner. So, who else but Bob Baffert, who spoke to TDN correspondent Daniel Ross, would be this week’s guest on the Thoroughbred Daily News podcast? The TDN podcast, brought to you by Taylor Made, can be listened to by clicking here. View the full article

Core Beliefs (Quality Road), a distant third at 41-1 behind GI Kentucky Derby winner and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Justify (Scat Daddy) in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 7, has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s GIII Peter Pan S. at Belmont Park. The Gary Broad colorbearer has made all four of his previous starts for trainer Peter Eurton at Santa Anita, including a sharp maiden win two starts back Mar. 8. “He’s doing very well,” Eurton said. “We’re very proud of him, no complaints. We were very pleased with his last race, as it was his first race against winners, and now especially against the caliber of horse we now know we were running against in Justify.” Eurton added, “The ideal would be for him to win, come out of it liking the track and then go on to the [GI] Belmont [S.], but we’re going to take it one race at a time for now.” Just Whistle (Pioneerofthe Nile), a good second behind subsequent GI Florida Derby runner-up Hofburg (Tapit) at Gulfstream Mar. 3, earned his diploma last time at Keeneland Apr. 14. Federico Tesio S. winner Diamond King (Quality Road) will be scratched and entered in the GI Preakness S. View the full article

The Breeders' Cup announced May 10 that all five of its races for 2-year-olds will be offered on the first day of the two-day event beginning with this year's edition at Churchill Downs Nov. 2-3 in Louisville, Ky. View the full article

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners’ GI Kentucky Derby winner Justify (Scat Daddy) returned to the track at Churchill Downs Thursday morning for the first time since his historic victory beneath the Twin Spires Saturday. The undefeated colt was the first horse on the track at 7:30 following a maintenance break and proceeded to gallop about 1 1/2 miles beneath exercise rider Humberto Gomez. Jimmy Barnes, head assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, said he was pleased with the appearance of Justify–who came out of the Derby with a bruised left hind heel. “I was very happy with him,” Barnes said of the ‘TDN Rising Star.’ “He went to the track perfect and galloped perfect. I couldn’t be happier with him.” Barnes said Justify has bounced back from his 2 1/2-length triumph, as well as the heel bruise, with gusto. “Each day he was getting better,” Barnes said. “He is 100%. He was ready to go (today). He was getting a little pushy in his stall.” Among those on hand to watch the gallop was Elliott Walden, President and CEO of WinStar Farm. “I thought he went great,” Walden said. “The last couple of days he has looked good in the shed, but you never know until you get them out there. He has dealt with a cracked heel off and on and that is typical of horses. The track was rough Saturday with all the rain. The first time we saw [the heel] was when he came out for [the media] Sunday. We had to figure out what it was and work on it.” Trainer Tom Amoss, who sent out GMB Racing’s Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior) to an eighth-place finish in the Derby, also weighed in on Justify’s condition on Twitter. “Justify looked exactly the same [Thursday] as he looked training before the Kentucky Derby,” Amoss commented. Justify is scheduled to remain at Churchill Downs until early next week, when he will ship to Pimlico for the May 19 GI Preakness S. “We will stick to the same plan and go a little light into Baltimore,” Barnes said. “Just keep him happy and healthy.” View the full article

6th-BEL, $75K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 4:14 p.m. ET Allen Stable and Peter Brant’s SUSAN B ANTHONY (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) makes her career bow in this spot for trainer Chad Brown. Out of SP Looking Back (Ire) (Stravinsky), the bay is a full-sister to English and Irish Highweight and MG1SW millionaire Rip Van Winkle (Ire); and a half-sister to GSW Le Vie Infinite (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}). This is also the family of GISW Danish (Ire) (Danehill); GSW & MGISP Ace (Ire) (Danehill) and Hawkeye (Ire) (Danehill). TJCIS PPs. —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

Officials at the Breeders’ Cup have announced a new schedule for the 35th renewal of the championship event to be held at Churchill Downs Nov. 2 and 3 that will see all juvenile events staged on the Friday program. The GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff will now take place on championship Saturday. “Future Stars Friday” will feature five events restricted to 2-year-old males and females and will culminate with the running of the $2-million GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 6:05 p.m. ET. The program will also feature the inaugural running of the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass. With the Distaff and Dirt Mile added to the mix, a total of $21 million in purse money will be up for grabs on Breeders’ Cup Saturday, anchored, of course, by the $6-million GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at 5:44 p.m. ET. The GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, contested over nine furlongs at Del Mar last November, will be run over a mile and three-eighths as per usual when Churchill has played host to the Breeders’ Cup. “With the increased excitement and international interest in our Juvenile races, ‘Future Stars Friday’ will create an identity to showcase the emerging stars of our sport on the first day of the World Championships,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO. “Churchill Downs also provides the perfect stage for our fans to witness the potential candidates for next year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, as well as standouts competing from overseas. “We also look forward to the Distaff and Dirt Mile bolstering an already blockbuster line up of World Championship races on Saturday culminating with the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Fravel added. View the full article

Australian superstar Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) has been given a rating of 130 to top the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, overtaking the now-retired Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who won the 2018 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January and is ranked at 129. The Chris Waller-trained mare was most recently in action during The Championships in April, winning her 25th-consecutive race, the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. by 3 3/4 lengths over the 120-rated Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}). Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is ranked third at 125, after taking out the G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp in his 4-year-old bow on Apr. 29. Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby hero Justify (Scat Daddy) has moved up into a joint fourth at 124 with fellow Bob Baffert trainee West Coast (Flatter), who was second to Gun Runner in the Pegasus and filled that spot behind 123-rated G1 Dubai World Cup victor Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmut {Aus}) on Mar. 31. The latter runner shares sixth with G1 Dubai Turf scorer and fellow Godolphin standard-bearer Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), and Aussies Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), a three-time Group 1 winning sophomore colt who nabbed the Apr. 7 G1 T.J. Smith S. and Apr. 21 G1 All Aged S. and Apr. 7 G1 Doncaster Mile winner Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}). Other ranked horses of note is G1 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who now sits equal 12th at 121. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) (120) succeeded in the G1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin, the same day Ivictory (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) (120) beat Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed And Excel) (120) in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize. Click here for the complete rankings. View the full article

“Inside the Winner’s Circle, Presented by Keeneland” is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale that have gone on to achieve success on racing’s biggest stages. In order for a horse to do what Friday’s GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) has done–namely, win six of her first seven starts, on multiple surfaces, with her only loss coming by a neck–it takes an extraordinary level of talent and a fair bit of luck. More than that, though, it takes a special inner constitution. To develop that steadily with no hiccups in between, a horse has to be a fast learner and an even-keeled pupil capable of handling and adjusting to everything thrown at them. The chestnut filly’s unflappable mental makeup was on display under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs, for sure. But it also showed itself when she was first introduced to her buyer, BSW Bloodstock’s Liz Crow. Flash back to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and Crow was doing her due diligence examining horses for a specific price range. Sol Kumin, principal of part-owner Monomoy Stables and myriad other ownership groups, had given Crow an order to pick up four or five horses at the sale at an average of around $80,000 apiece. The bloodstock agent knew she had found a potential fit when she visited Hip 1611 and saw how the filly responded to her chaotic environment. “It was quite busy, she was down at the bottom barns, and she showed a ton of professionalism and just a lot of class in the way she carried herself,” Crow recalled. “That’s what initially caught my eye. A lot of colts and other horses were acting up around her and she was very calm, never turned a hair the whole time I was looking at her.” In addition to displaying the right mind to be a successful runner, Monomoy Girl checked the necessary boxes in her appearance. “I loved her athletic build and physical,” Crow said. “I wouldn’t say her walk was outstanding, I’d say it was just OK, but what I loved is when she stood up, she showed a lot of athleticism, she had a nice strong shoulder, great forearm, very strong forearm and kind of looked like she could plow through the dirt pretty well. Really strong hind legs, from the top of her hip right down through her back legs.” Sold on the filly’s conformation, Crow moved on to the final step of her evaluation process, pedigree, which would tell the tale on whether the yearling could join Kumin’s string. “The way I do things is I look at the physical, and then I look at the pedigree page and that tells me if I can afford them or not,” she said. “Her page was just OK, a very unknown, untested page at the time. She was by a young sire out of a mare that hadn’t produced anything yet. I thought OK, well I love her physical and maybe this will make me able to afford her.” The filly went through the ring during Session 6 of the sale and the hammer dropped at $100,000 even, slightly higher than the average Crow was tasked with, but well within the range for Kumin to trust his agent’s sharp eye. “Sol deserves all the credit here,” Crow said of the purchase. “He gave me an order, but said, ‘If you love one, you can go to 100, 110, no problem.’ So he’s the one that let me go out and pick whatever I’d like to pick. He didn’t tell me, ‘Go buy a turf filly or a dirt colt,’ he just let me decide what I wanted to buy in that price range and she fit that mold.” Monomoy Girl debuted for trainer Brad Cox going a mile over turf on a sleepy Tuesday at Indiana Grand last September, hardly the starting point one would envision for a future Oaks victress. Producing a sweeping, five-to-six wide run on the far turn, she took the lead in just a handful of strides and kicked away powerfully in the stretch. “At first, they had some trouble getting her to break from the gate,” Kumin said. “Brad kept saying ‘the longer, the better’, and they don’t write the dirt races long enough from the beginning, so he felt like the highest probability for her to have success early would be to put her on the turf even though she was bred for dirt.” Despite her visually impressive maiden win, Monomoy Girl earned just a 59 Beyer for the effort, a number that doesn’t exactly scream ‘superstar’. After that, however, she showed a new dimension in taking a first-level allowance wire-to-wire on the Churchill Downs lawn, which piqued the excitement of Kumin and Cox. “When she came back and won her second race in a little bit of a different fashion, Brad thought, ‘OK, it’s starting to look like we might have a real horse here,'” Kumin recalled. “Then he breezed her with one of the fillies that he really liked and she crushed the other filly. At that point, he called me and said, ‘Dude, we’ve got a serious horse here.'” Monomoy Girl’s true breakout came in her next outing, as she stamped herself the star of Churchill Downs’s annual “Stars of Tomorrow” all-juvenile card when romping by 6 1/2 lengths in the Rags to Riches S., her dirt bow, Oct. 29. She suffered her one and only defeat when narrowly out-gamed in the GII Golden Rod S., and following a brief respite, returned with impressive tallies in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. and GI Central Bank Ashland S. in her first two 3-year-old tries. Then came the Oaks. Made the narrow second choice despite being marooned in the 14-hole, Monomoy Girl pressed the pace and made her customary blitz for home on the far turn. She was hooked by Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro) in early stretch, however, and appeared to be in deep water past the eighth pole. That’s when the filly in the sky-blue silks showed yet another dimension, battling back after being passed to earn the hard-fought victory, one that her connections trace back to her unflappable attitude. “She showed a ton of grit and a ton of heart,” Crow said. “My initial impressions of her class and professionalism, she has really shown that her entire career. I was really proud of her. Even watching her in the paddock for the Oaks, there were a million people in there, cameras, people screaming, a huge crowd and she never turned a hair, was very calm. I was very proud of her in the paddock. And the way she handles herself on the track in the mornings is the same. She’s full of class.” Kumin concurred, going so far as to compare Monomoy Girl to the superstar filly who put him on the map. “You just see the way she handles race day,” the founder of hedge fund Folger Hill Asset Management said. “You look at the way that she’s standing in her stall and she just doesn’t look fazed by it all. The good fillies, it’s almost like they know when it’s time for business. She looked a little bit like Lady Eli to me. In the paddock, I’m always watching every horse come by, getting the saddles put on, and you’re kind of like, ‘OK, who looks like I don’t want to rumble with them?’ They just look calm, they look cool, they’ve got the right demeanor. That day, she looked the best to me, and she turned out to be.” Kumin also made sure to credit Cox and his team for the training job they did to get their filly from a turf maiden at Indiana Grand to an Oaks winner. “Brad’s done a terrific job with her,” Kumin said. “He’s spent a lot of time with her. He’s got a lot of horses, but he knows where she is every day. I’ve been on the phone with him when he’s leaving Oaklawn at 7 at night to drive all the way back [to Kentucky] because she’s going to breeze the next day. That type of commitment is a big deal, and I think when you get that from a trainer, that’s sometimes the difference between being very good and being elite.” Crow also spoke to Cox’s ability to get Monomoy Girl ready for the dogfight she encountered in the Oaks after she coasted to a facile victory in her final prep. “Brad’s done an outstanding job preparing her for that because she had such an easy run in the Ashland, going wire to wire with everything her way, so I thought in the Oaks, Brad had prepared her for that moment,” the former assistant to Eoin Harty and Jonathan Sheppard said. “In some of her breezes, she had gone head to head and pulled away, so maybe she drew back on that. I was just extremely proud of her performance.” As was Kumin, who had one of the all-time weekends for a racehorse owner, returning to the infield a day after Monomoy Girl’s heroics to celebrate as one of the partners on GI Kentucky Derby winner Justify (Scat Daddy). “It was a good one,” he said with a laugh. “Hard to be back at the office this week.” View the full article

With a final field of 16 plus four emergencies accepting for Saturday’s G1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville, there are form lines coming from every which way, leaving the race very open. Going slightly wide here in the betting with the tough on-pacer Runaway (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}), whose three-quarter-sisters Abby Marie (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Absolutely (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) have both tasted success at Group 1 level over an Oaks distance. Sent to the front last time out over the 2800m of the Listed VRC St leger, jockey Stephen Baster allowed the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained runner to roll along, with the rest of the field chasing in vain. While having to drop back in trip here, he is race fit and ticks a lot of boxes heading onto the Group 1 contest. Second in the G1 Rosehill Guineas and third the G1 Australian Derby, Chris Waller’s Tangled (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) comes into the race off a last start second over 2000m at Group 3 level and once again rates highly here. Victorian-based runners Leicester (Aus) (Wanted {Aus}) and High ‘N’ Dry (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}) who finished one-two in the traditional lead-up, the G3 Chairman’s S. (2035m), look right in the mix here on Saturday with a slight leaning to the runner-up from the Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra yard, who although drawn in barrier 18, does come from back in the field and his pedigree suggest the 2500m is no concern. Second to Runaway in the St Leger, the Hayes, Hayes and Dabernig-trained Rezealient (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) has recorded two pleasing efforts over 2400m and 2800m, and is a stayer with promise that is sure to run out the trip and should be considered as a place contender. Fifth in both the G1 Victoria Derby and the G1 Australian Derby, this is a class drop on both of those, with the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Main Stage (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) set to go back and will be running on hard when it matters. View the full article

Having come of age in the last 12 months, 5-year-old mare In Her Time (Aus) (Time Thief {Aus}) heads to Saturday’s G1 Doomben 10,000 off the back of a third in the G1 TJ Smith S. (1200m) when beaten four lengths by Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), with Redzel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who she will meet here, two lengths ahead of her in second. In the top three on seven occasions from nine attempts at the distance, the Ben Smith-trained mare should be able to take up a position from barrier eight, and with Corey Brown in the saddle, In Her Time will be charging late and looking to improve on her fifth 12 months prior. Winning his first Group 1 in this event last year, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Redzel has continued to perform at the elite level, not finishing outside of the top two since that elite level victory. Victorious over In Her Time in last year’s Stradbroke, Godolphin’s Impending (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) is set to head to the stallion barn after this campaign and if his first-up win in the G2 Victory S. is anything to go by, then the 4-year-old has returned in fantastic order, and while he has gone winless second up in all four starts, he looks ready to run a great race. Gallant in defeat behind Trapeze Artist in the G1 All Aged S. (1400m), Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun) had accepted for the 10,000 as well as a race at Scone the day prior, but connections have confirmed the Group 1 winner will head to Saturday’s race, and on that fact alone, he can’t be discounted in the quality field. Always running on, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained English (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) appears to have come through her winless Autumn campaign and after an impressive trial on May 1, where she defeated Redzel and Spieth (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}), both whom she will meet here, it would be great for owners Newhaven Park to have the mare achieve another Group 1 victory before retiring to stud. View the full article

There comes a time a bit after a major stallion passes that we can pull out all the objective analysis tools and assess his efficacy without worrying about being accused of shilling or pooh-poohing–and therefore somehow affecting how breeders might feel about sending a mare to him. (We can be catty sometimes in this game.) Such is the case with Giant’s Causeway, whose racing career was of such high class that it came as a bit of a surprise to some that he then went on to become such a successful stallion on four continents in both hemispheres. After all, the history of the sport is littered with dozens of brilliant racing legends who simply failed to leave any long-term imprint on the breed in any country. This robust chestnut with a perfect name (by Storm Cat out of Mariah’s Storm, by Rahy) took the racing world like the meteorological power which can be unleashed in that legendary Irish channel formed 60 million years ago from volcanic fury. Now we have an unusual situation where his sons may be about to surround us with progeny that will keep his name alive into the next Thoroughbred generation. It’s unusual in the sense that he has been somewhat of a hidden gem among the sires-of-sires world and yet has his most potentially promising group of sons just starting to gain notice. That Giant’s Causeway succeeded at all as a racehorse and stallion demands a cursory look at his pedigree and a deeper look at his biomechanics–and there is a fascinating story in each part. We can blow right by the Storm Cat-on-Rahy cross (we’ll get to it later in a physical sense) and point out that Mariah’s Storm was only the second mare in four generations of her family to produce a graded stakes-winning colt (her dam, Immense, by Roberto, produced Group 2 winner Panoramic (GB) {Rainbow Quest}). Her second dam, Imsodear (Chieftain) and her third dam Ironically (Intent) were stakes-winning producers of stakes-winning fillies, and you had to go back to the fifth dam, Itsabet (*Heliopolis) to find any stakes-winning colts. Indeed, that dam was acquired in the late 1940s by Harry Isaacs, who developed the family and who named all his horses with a word beginning with “I.” Past the pedigree, however, we have found a host of biomechanical facts that both confirm, and confound, what most breeders and stallion managers may think about Giant’s Causeway and his clan. For example, his size: He was not a small horse if your only memory is the stretch run of the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic in which the huge Tiznow edged him out. Indeed, Giant’s Causeway was basically the same all-around size (height, length, heart girth, etc.) as Storm Cat, larger (of course) than Rahy, but generally smaller than his most successful racing and breeding sons. Secondly, Giant’s Causeway was the most balanced of his tribe in terms of biomechanical measurements as detailed in the Phenotype Target which accompanies this article. Note that he (in red) is positioned midway between the Power and Stride sectors, while virtually all his sons are to the left (Power) side–where Storm Cat and Rahy both resided. This positioning (which is the first factor we discover after measuring a horse) tells us that he is a balanced racing machine, but we need more to see if that will carry over into the breeding shed. As far as his racing profile is concerned, it is very rare that a horse comes up with as many balanced factors as his–excellent mechanics, geometry, stride extension, square-off-the-ground at the elbow and flank, perfect ratio of back lengths to other lengths, very good thrust through the hocks and a solid rear combination of power and quickness through the hip: ilium, femur and tibia. This is not altogether rare in our experience, but he carried that imperceptible quality that many other horses with such “perfect profiles” never bring to the races: Enthusiasm and courage. This dude would not be beaten. When it comes to assessing him and his sons as stallion prospects, we have several algorithmic steps to go through, one of which compares the horse in question in size and scope to leading sires which are also in our database. In that regard, he is quite close to Dixie Union, Tale of the Cat, Speightstown, and Awesome Again–all average-sized horses whose mechanics fit a wide cross-section of mares. From there, however, things really change. First, except for perhaps First Samurai and Carpe Diem, you could look at his dozen or so major commercial sons and conclude that they really don’t resemble him to the eye–much like that Phenotype Target. Many, in fact, seem to reflect their broodmare sires or Storm Cat himself. When it comes to that size-and-scope thing, it’s more fascinating. About half of them are large horses, resembling most often horses like Indian Charlie, Street Sense, Scat Daddy, Deputy Minister and Ghostzapper. A third of them resemble another group, smaller in size but powerful sires–Round Table, Lion Heart, Forest Wildcat, Wildcat Heir. That’s quite a spread that might require breeders to look at these horses before deciding bookings. That is likely to become crucial as his progeny, such as Brody’s Cause, Carpe Diem, City Wolf, Not This Time and Protonico, come to market over the next several years. One clue we already have is Fed Biz, an atypical Giant’s Causeway in race record (sprinter-miler) and appearance (looks nothing like him), who has come through the 2-year-old sales season as a talking horse based on how they run and the fact that virtually all of them resemble their sire–and not his daddy. These things happen–just because it’s a game which will fool you as much as make you look smart. Bob Fierro is a partner with Jay Kilgore and Frank Mitchell in DataTrack International, biomechanical consultants and developers of BreezeFigs. He can be reached at bbfq@earthlink.net. View the full article

After walking the shedrow for four days while being treated for a bruise to his left heel, Justify got back to training when he galloped about a mile and a half over the Churchill Downs surface in preparation for the Preakness Stakes (G1). View the full article

Former trainer Robert Smerdon-who was dealt 115 of the 250 total charges in the Aquanita sodium bicarbonate doping scandal-has been banned from racing for life. Stable employees Greg and Denise Nelligan received the same punishment. The scandal came to light last October after Greg Nelligan, a float driver, was caught administering a syringe into the mouth of one of Smerdon’s horses at the races. Smerdon could still yet face a fine. The trainers and stable hands charged in the case all fell under the umbrella of the former syndicate management company Aquanita racing, which has since re-branded itself. Trainer Stuart Webb was banned four years, Tony Vasil three years, Trent Pennuto two years and Liam Birchley one year. Stable employee Daniel Garland was also banned a year. Smerdon had handed in his license, announcing his retirement, in late March amidst the charges and did not participate in the hearing. The scandal was made public in January, and later over 1,000 text messages retrieved from Greg Nelligan’s phone over a seven-year period with some of the accused trainers provided strong evidence of the wrongdoing. The guilty parties discussed “top-ups”, which was found to refer to a dose of sodium bicarbonate shortly before race time to reduce build-up of lactic acid, and therefore stall fatigue. View the full article

Making it number seven in this Derby trial for Aidan O’Brien, Rostropovich returned to the winner’s spot for the first time since the G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh in August and did so in commanding style. Fourth on his return in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile at Longchamp Apr. 15, the well-supported 5-2 favourite was reserved in fifth early on the rail and needed room turning for home. Getting that when the rail cut away at the top of the straight, the bay was through in an instant to take control and beat My Lord and Master (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) by 3 3/4 lengths. “He’s a very smart colt and conditions suited him–he’d never had decent ground and getting that and the step up in trip suited well,” Moore said. “He ran a lovely race in France behind two nice colts and showed what he can do today. He’s a high-class colt with plenty of options for the year.” Aidan O’Brien added, “We always thought that going beyond a mile was going to suit and they went a nice even pace and he relaxed lovely.” ROSTROPOVICH (IRE), c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Tyranny (GB), by Machiavellian. (1,100,000gns Ylg ’16 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Markus Jooste; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. Lifetime Record: 7-3-0-2, £151,983. *1/2 to Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f, G1SW-Ire, G1SP-Eng & Fr, $523,650; Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), GSW-Ire & GSP-Eng, $173,305; and That’s Plenty (Ire) (Dr Fong), SP-US, $124,846. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

ON A SESSION (c, 2, Noble Mission {GB}–Destiny Calls {MSW-US, $644,220, by With Approval), sent off the 9-10 favourite, broke smartly as the stable’s juveniles tend to and tanked along towards the fore. Beginning to assert passing the quarter pole, the $50,000 KEESEP yearling drew away in impressive fashion to score by 4 1/2 lengths from Donoratico (Fr) (Motivator {GB}). In doing so, On a Session becomes the first winner for his first-season sire (by Galileo {Ire}), the G1 Champion S.-winning brother to Frankel (GB). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €9,000. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Theresa Marnane; B-Green Lantern Stables (KY); T-Mathieu Palussiere. View the full article

The addition of blinkers could help spark the Michael Freedman-trained Famous Warrior to a breakthrough victory at Sha Tin on Saturday. The gelding has had four starts since arriving in Hong Kong – three of them have been really good – and now he gets his opportunity to notch his first local win in the Class Three Cotai Handicap (1,600m). The form guide says Famous Warrior, who took out four races when he raced as Sneaky Glance in Australia, was beaten by four lengths last start,... View the full article

David Hall enjoyed a good night at Happy Valley on Wednesday as he collected a double with Lucky Time and Fast Most Furious, but the meeting also highlighted another horse from the stable who should win races – if he can straighten out his racing manners. Seventy Seventy has flashed plenty of ability at the trials and therefore he’s been prominent in the market in his first three starts and while he has two placings to his name, he has also featured in the stewards reports on each... View the full article

Horses have been known to bite people, but rarely does it happen during a race to a rival jockey. But that was the situation at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when Mister Monte suddenly lost his mind, turned his head to the left and tried to savage Patriot Hero in the run to the line but made contact with Umberto Rispoli instead. Instinctively, the Italian jockey flailed his whip at Mister Monte to get him to stop. Last night I was #Attack by “Shark Horse” #scare @HKJC_Racing @... View the full article

Gary Broad's Core Beliefs headlines a field of eight entered for the May 12 $350,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park. View the full article

Alysha Collett all set to launch Singapore stint View the full article

Early scratching May 11 View the full article

Saimee takes Boy Wonder to next level View the full article