Wandering Eyes

Chuck Fipke's homebred Bee Jersey earned his first stakes win and third straight victory in the $200,000 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) May 6 at Lone Star Park. View the full article

The margin was slim, but Fault's victory in the $100,000 Adoration Stakes (G3) May 6 at Santa Anita Park may have been one of her best. View the full article

Dellorto off the mark for new master View the full article

Southern Legend, Horse Of Fortune, Here Comes When and Ocean Emperor make up overseas armada in Kranji Mile View the full article

Daniel Moor set for Singapore adventure View the full article

Horses' test results May 5 View the full article

Woodworth, WS Chan suspended View the full article

Pacific Wind drove through the Belmont Park stretch for her second straight win this year, taking the $250,000 Ruffian Stakes (G2) by one length May 6. View the full article

It’s getting tougher to be a contrarian in the GI Kentucky Derby. Prior to Justify (Scat Daddy)’s real-deal smackdown score, I was firmly of the “too much, too soon, at too short a price” mindset. I respected the horse and what he might be able to do over the course of the coming year, but not his irrationally exuberant 2.9-1 price in the betting on the first Saturday in May. But when this ‘TDN Rising Star’ flashed under the finish wire 2 1/2 lengths the best without looking the least bit fazed from his emphatic Classic accomplishment, it marked the sixth consecutive year that the favorite had won the Derby. That’s an amazing–and unprecedented–historical feat. In recent decades, so-called sharpies have advocated that betting against the favorite in the Derby represents tremendous value because of the large field, the traditional chaotic charge into the first turn, the unknowns surrounding 10-furlong stamina ability, the 150,000+ screaming fans, and all the “casual” money in the pools fueled by mainstream media story lines. Over the past several seasons, we’ve also seen a marked increase in the number of lightly raced horses attempting the Derby, which adds another layer of volatility to an already challenging task. If anything, it should be getting more difficult to pick the Derby winner. Yet John Q. Public has now nailed the Derby every year since 2013, starting with Orb (Malibu Moon) and followed in succession by California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), Nyquist (Uncle Mo), Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and now Justify. Only twice before in Derby history there has been a run of at least four straight winning favorites. In the era before pari-mutuels, Lookout, Chant, Halma and Ben Brush did it between 1893 and 1896 (when the field sizes were six, five, four and eight, respectively). More recently, the imposing quartet of Riva Ridge, Secretariat, Cannonade and Foolish Pleasure swept Derbies between 1972 and 1975 (field sizes 16, 13, 23, 15). The 1970s “glory decade” also gave us chalky Derby winners Seattle Slew and Spectacular Bid. But the well ran dry between 1980 and 1999, representing the longest winless gulf for Derby faves in the history of the race. Partners? Spoilers? Both? Now, with Justify on his way to Baltimore for the second leg of the Triple Crown and few confirmed challengers at this early date, the question turns to whether he’ll be one of the shortest-priced favorites in the history of the GI Preakness S. And although trainer Bob Baffert claimed on Sunday morning that he’s “not [yet] thinking about [a Triple Crown sweep] at all” with Justify, that doesn’t preclude the rest of us from chiming in with opinions. One down-the-road scenario to ponder (and not just this year, but in subsequent seasons) involves the increased role that multi-owner partnerships will play in the Triple Crown series. In recent years when a Triple Crown was on the line, a tactical subplot has always been the “fresh face” angle in the GI Belmont S. In some years there have even been insinuations that horses who did not race in the Derby and/or Preakness were being entered to gang up on the would-be Triple Crown winner. In this year’s Derby, four of the top five finishers were owned in partnership by multiple entities. Justify, in fact, shares common ties with third-place finisher Audible (Into Mischief), with both colts owned by China Horse Club International, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing, and WinStar Farm. So what would be the call for those connections if Justify is on the brink of entering the Belmont S. undefeated with a Triple Crown on the line and Audible looms as one of the top threats? Would Audible, if deemed fit and ready to race, be entered to play spoiler? WinStar and China Horse Club might have to make this sort of decision even sooner, for the Preakness. They are two of the owners in a three-way partnership on ‘TDN Rising Star’ Quip (Distorted Humor), who had been withdrawn from Derby consideration several weeks ago with the intent of instead aiming for the second leg of the Triple Crown. Asked on Sunday by Daily Racing Form if Justify’s win precludes Quip from forging ahead in the Preakness, Elliott Walden, the president and chief executive of WinStar, said “I hesitate to say right now. I think we’ll see how the week plays out. My first inclination is to go ahead and run him, but I need to talk to our partners and see. We had set the horse up to run in the Preakness, and he worked very well on Thursday. If Justify is supposed to win the Triple Crown, he’ll beat Quip. I just think you try to manage your horses the best you can. I think [the Preakness] is the right thing for Quip. Not making a final decision today, but the horse is doing really well.” Record rain—and betting For the second consecutive year, wet weather was a factor on Derby day. The reported 2.98 inches of rain leading up to post time caused Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) to dub the 144th Run for the Roses the “wettest Kentucky Derby ever” in a post-race press release. Two weeks ago I interviewed new CDI chairman R. Alex Rankin, who has a background as an insurance executive, and asked him as an aside to our published Q&A if Churchill Downs ever hedged against Mother Nature by purchasing Derby day weather insurance to guard against a severe downturn in business. Rankin replied that the corporation did not, although this type of insurance has become common in other industries where the elements play an outsized role. Ski resorts, for example, are increasingly buying insurance in case there’s no snow over peak holiday periods, and farmers have long insured against bad weather wiping out an entire seasonal crop. Despite the sloppy conditions, Churchill’s announced crowd of 157,813 was the eighth-highest attendance figure in track history, and wagering from all sources was the highest all-time on both the Kentucky Derby entire program ($225.7 million) and on the Derby itself ($149.9 million). Both handles represent 8% bumps in business. Online and mobile betting for the Derby itself was up 18% through the TwinSpires wagering system, which is noteworthy because the platform seized up for about 15 minutes in the hour before the Derby went off. Social media was flooded with complaints from irate fans who had trouble getting bets in. Some posters reported receiving “tote is down” messages during this crucial pre-race window while others reported repeated system slowdowns throughout the day. While it’s commendable that TwinSpires did post several status updates on Twitter while the issues were being worked on, it’s inexcusable from a risk management standpoint that problems with the betting infrastructure even occurred at all on the biggest betting day of the year. And yes, other account wagering providers have also had embarrassing betting glitches on big days in the past. But we’re no longer in an era when online wagering is in its infancy, and the sport’s bet-processing systems should be robust and redundant enough to handle high-volume days without bogging down. Beyond irritating and exasperating good customers who are looking to bet serious money on racing’s most highly anticipated horse race, the industry’s advance-deposit wagering providers are also trying to position themselves as viable candidates for licenses if and when the Supreme Court of the United States rules favorable on sports betting. But that won’t happen without an industry-wide upgrade in bet-taking infrastructure, because Saturday’s TwinSpires difficulties were akin to a major online sports book crashing in the hour prior to kickoff for the Super Bowl. View the full article

Keiai Nautique (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) became the 34th Group 1 winner for his Shadai Stallion Station-based sire, after winning the G1 NHK Mile Cup over 1600 metres at Tokyo on Sunday. Sent off at 12-1 as the six choice in the field of 18, the Osamu Hiratu trainee rated near the rear of the strung out field, last bar one for the backstretch run. Making inroads toward the front with a half mile to travel, the bay began picking off horses widest of all in the centre of the course, but still had the majority of the field to pass with 400-metres remaining. Letting down with a furious late run, he pipped rail-runner Gibeoni (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) on the line to win by a neck. The latter, who had enjoyed a stalking trip, was a head to the good of a closing Red Veyron (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) who was in between the top two at the wire. U.S.-bred Mr Melody (Scat), whose paternal half-brother Justify won the GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, ran fourth another 3/4 of a length behind. Godolphin’s Tower of London (Jpn) (Raven’s Pass), favoured on Sunday, stumbled at the start before encountering traffic trouble at the top of the lane and running 12th. “He was a bit slow to pick up speed, so we had to race from behind, but he more than made up with his speed and sheer determination,” said winning jockey Yusuke Fujioka, who was winning his first Japanese Group 1 race. “His potential is so great and I think he can handle longer distances.” Campaigned exclusively over a mile so far, Keiai Nautique was a winner at first asking at Hanshin last June. He went missing for just over five months and ran third in Kyoto’s G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. going a mile on Nov. 11 and dropped a spot in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. returned to Hanshin on Dec. 17. The colt filled the frame when second in the Feb. 10 Kobushi Sho in his sophomore bow and was back to the winner’s circle in an allowance at Hanshin on Mar. 11. He was second in Kasuji (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})’s G2 New Zealand Trophy at Nakayama on Apr. 7. Pedigree Notes… Keiai Gerbera was purchased in utero for $300,000 by Yushun Company out of the 2005 Keeneland November Sale. The bay, who struck at the Group 3 level at both four and five in Japan, was barren in her first year at stud, but followed up with English listed-placed colt Fierce Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in 2014. Keiai Nautique (Jpn) is her last reported foal, born a year later. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Sunday, Tokyo, Japan NHK MILE CUP-G1, ¥204,960,000 (US$1,878,403/£1,388,335/€1,388,335), Tokyo, 5-6, 3yo, c/f, 1600mT, 1:32.80, fm. 1–KEIAI NAUTIQUE (JPN), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn) 1st Dam: Keiai Gerbera (Jpn) (MGSW-Jpn, $2,459,189), by Smarty Jones 2nd Dam: Anna Sterz, by Danzig 3rd Dam: Edge, by Damascus 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Kazuhiro Kameda; B-Takae Farm (Jpn); T-Osamu Hirata; J-Yusuke Fujioka; ¥108,822,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B+. 2–Gibeon (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Contested, by Ghostzapper. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥43,092,000. 3–Red Veyron (Jpn), 126, c, 3, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–Erimo Pixy (Jpn), by Dancing Brave. O-Tokyo Horse Racing; ¥26,546,000. Margins: NK, HD, 3/4; Odds: 11.80, 4.20, 24.90. Also Ran: Mr Melody, Primo Scene (Jpn), Pax Americana (Jpn), Danon Smash (Jpn), Katsuji (Jpn), Delta Barows, Cassius (Jpn), Ryono Tesoro, Tower of London (Jpn), Frontier (Jpn), Tetradrachm (Jpn), Fast Approach (Jpn), Lucas (Jpn), Encore Plus (Jpn), Roxk This Town (Jpn). Click for the Racing Post chart. JRA Video. View the full article

PACIFIC WIND (f, 4, Curlin–Shag, by Dixieland Band), a ‘TDN Rising Star’, scored her first graded victory in the GII Ruffian S. Sunday at Belmont. Debuting with a romping win on turf last March, the $200,000 Keeneland September graduate was third in both the GIII Senorita S. and GII Honeymoon S. in her next two starts. Annexing her dirt bow Oct. 21, she was fifth in the GII Bayakoa S. and was transferred from Peter Eurton to this barn over the winter before airing in a Keeneland allowance last out Apr. 13. Backed down to 3-2 favoritism in this spot, the chestnut tracked from fourth at the inside behind fractions of :23.04 and :46.39. Angling four deep nearing the stretch, she sidled up to Highway Star (Girolamo) a furlong from home and gradually wore that one down to score by a little less than a length in 1:36.22. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-2, $312,545. O-Sharon Alesia, Ciaglia Racing LLC, Peter M. Brant & Dominic Savides; B-Sarah S. Farish (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. View the full article

Jeff Fager, longtime executive producer of the news program 60 Minutes, first got bitten by the racing bug as a 10-year-old when the legendary John Nerud named a horse after his father, the neurosurgeon who saved his life. The equine Dr. Fager, 1968 Horse of the Year, went on to a storied racing career and the younger Fager was hooked. Fager now has an exciting racing prospect of his own in Surging Tide (Medaglia d’Oro), who was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ after her effortless 6 1/2-length debut win at Belmont Park Friday. “We are so excited about her,” Fager said Sunday afternoon. “She had trained well and she is a great-looking horse. We were nervous, as you always are, but she came to run and she ran beautifully. [Trainer] Charlie Baker has been excited about her since the day he got her.” Bloodstock agent Dan Hayden, a partner in Fager Stable, purchased Surging Tide for $310,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. “Dan Hayden is just a brilliant horseman,” Fager said. “When he saw her, he really loved her. He thought she was a really well-balanced filly. And something that John Nerud had taught him, which was that when you are picking a filly, look for femininity. He saw that. She didn’t have a big walk, but he felt she had a gentle nature and was just a very imposing filly. All of those combined and we got on the phone right away and he said, ‘I think this is one we should really go for, Jeff.'” Fager Stable had to stretch to acquire the filly, who is a daughter of MGISP Alienation (Rock Hard Ten). “It was a little high, but that year was crazy,” Fager said of the filly’s price tag. “The prices are starting to get crazy, so we try to find a balance–maybe we will spend a little more on fewer horses. But she was too good to resist. And Dan was so excited about her.” Surging Tide is one of six horses currently in training for Fager Stable. In addition to Baker, the operation has the privately acquired Shalailah (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), a maiden winner at Dundalk last October, in training with Chad Brown. Kiaran McLaughlin trains Into the Breach (Creative Cause), a half-brother to Cairo Prince, who returned from 11 months on the sidelines to be fifth in the fifth race at Belmont Sunday. Expanding its presence onto the international scene, Fager Stable also has Medal of Honour (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a Dundalk maiden winner last December, in training in Ireland with Joseph O’Brien. “He shows a lot of promise,” Fager said of Medal of Honour. “We’re very excited about him. It is a different sport over there. It’s a fun change of pace from the way it’s done here.” Fager credits Nerud for much of his passion for racing and his six-horse stable includes the 6-year-old gelding Final Chapter (Thunder Gulch), the final horse owned by the legendary horseman. “I asked Johnnie when he came to the house once if I could work on the farm and he said, ‘Sure, why not?,” Fager recalled. “I went to work at Tartan Farms in Florida when I was 15 and I spent my summers there. It was amazing. Then when I was 17, I graduated to the track. I actually lived in the shedrow at Belmont and was a groom and a hotwalker there.” When Fager was ready to start owning horses, Nerud teamed him with Hayden. “I always thought I’d like to get into it somehow and when I went to John and asked him, he said, ‘Come on, I’ve got Dan Hayden,” Fager said. “He’ll help you pick horses. You can start right now and have your own collection of horses. “John Nerud is an inspiration,” Fager continued. “He was such an amazing man in so many ways. He was a life inspiration and obviously as good as it gets in terms of a horseman. And Dan Hayden, who is our partner in this endeavor, was so close to him and learned so much from him. I think that combination has been important to us and is part of the legacy of Fager Stable.” Surging Tide could provide the next chapter in that legacy, but connections will take their time with the promising filly. “We’ve been talking about it,” Fager said of potential next starts for Surging Tide. “We’re going to take it slowly. We’re not going to overreach too quickly. We want her to come along at a reasonable pace. So we’ll probably find an allowance for her second race.” 6th-BEL, $75,000, Msw, 5-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.97, ft. SURGING TIDE, f, 3, by Medaglia d’Oro 1st Dam: Alienation (MGISP, $160,800), by Rock Hard Ten 2nd Dam: Alienated, by Gone West 3rd Dam: Extraterrestral, by Storm Bird $310,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $45,000. O-Fager Stable; B-Mercedes Stables LLC (KY); T-Charlton Baker. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Trainer Richard Hannon's Billesdon Brook was the shock winner of the Qipco One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket May 6, coming home 1 3/4 lengths clear of 14 rival 3-year-old fillies and returning the biggest price in the race's history. View the full article

Wagering from all sources was the highest all-time on both the Kentucky Derby Day program and on the GI Kentucky Derby itself, Churchill Downs reported in the aftermath of its cornerstone event. Wagering on the program totaled $225.7 million, an 8% increase over the 2017 total and previous record of $209.2 million. Wagering on the race also increased 8% to $149.9 million from the previous record of $139.2 million set last year. “Congratulations to the connections of Justify (Scat Daddy) on a very impressive performance to win the 144th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve,” said Kevin Flanery, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We were excited to introduce our latest round of renovations and our investments in the facility continue to pay off as we strive to improve the guest experience every year. A special thanks to the Louisville Metro Police Department for their efforts to deliver our new transportation improvement plan. Thanks and congratulations to our horsemen, employees and volunteers that made this an amazing Derby and a phenomenal opening to our 2018 Spring Meet.” View the full article

Keiai Nautique rallied from next to last with a furious stretch run to post a narrow upset May 6 in the NHK Mile Cup (G1) for 3-year-olds at Tokyo Racecourse. View the full article

With Justify showing positive signs the morning after turning back champion Good Magic in the Kentucky Derby (G1), the conversation shifted to whether any rival could stymie the chestnut colt in the May 19 Preakness Stakes (G1). View the full article

Trainer Richard Hannon's Billesdon Brook (GB) was the shock winner of the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket May 6, coming home 1 3/4 lengths clear of 14 rival 3-year-old fillies and returning the biggest price in the race's history. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday’s Insights features a half-sister to SWs Laureate Conductor (Bernstein) and Baby J (J Be K). 1.40 Naas, Mdn, €19,000, 2yo, f, 6fT FAIRYLAND (IRE) (Kodiac {GB}) cost MV Magnier, the Mayfair crew and Peter and Ross Doyle a staggering 925,000gns at Tattersalls October and debuts for Aidan O’Brien in the race which launched TDN Rising Star Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) 12 months ago. A half-sister to the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas third and G2 Blazer S. winner Now Or Later (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}), she is joined by the stable’s fellow newcomer Gossamer Wings (Scat Daddy), a $500,000 KEESEP half-sister to the stakes winners Laureate Conductor (Bernstein) and Baby J (J Be K). View the full article

Monday’s card at Chantilly features the G3 Prix de Guiche, with the omnipresent Charlie Appleby stable represented by their beau ideal Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). With 2.6million guineas to justify, the 2016 Tattersalls October Sale joint-topper has started in the right manner with success in the seven-furlong G3 Prix la Rochette at Saint-Cloud in September and an encouraging fourth in the G3 Craven S. at a mile at Newmarket Apr. 19. “Glorious Journey has come forward for his run in the Craven Stakes and the step up to nine furlongs should suit him,” Appleby said. “Both of those factors should make him very competitive.” Godolphin are also represented by the Andre Fabre-trained Zucchini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is an unknown quantity having scored by a short neck over 7 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud in November. The operation’s Lisa-Jane Graffard commented, “Zucchini didn’t win by a huge margin on his only start, but he is a colt that we like. He is a good-looking horse with a nice action and we will hopefully find out a bit more about him on Monday.” Also here is the Ed Dunlop-trained Alternative Fact (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who was last seen finishing second to Wootton (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at Deauville in October. View the full article

In need of a tonic, ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) takes a well-trodden path for Ballydoyle’s former Classic campaigners on Monday in the G2 Coolmore Camelot Irish EBF Mooresbridge S. at Naas. Caught late by Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) with victory seemingly assured in the G1 Epsom Derby, Susan Magnier’s had various things go against him afterwards including unsuitably easy ground and trouble in running which may have cost him a winning chance in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown in September. Last of five and behind stablemate Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the course-and-distance G3 Alleged S. staged on a testing surface Apr. 13, he should make the customary jump up in vitality here with conditions more in his favour. Yucatan is already group 1-placed, having finished runner-up in the 2016 Racing Post Trophy, and gives the impression he is a work in progress with a smart pot in his sights this year. The Niarchos Family’s racing manager Alan Cooper said of the son of their high-class Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing {GB}), “We’d like to win a group race before we hopefully go back up the ladder, as he’s only won a maiden to date. Given his breeding he’s a real stallion prospect–he’s a lovely-looking horse with an outstanding pedigree.” Third in the Alleged was Jon Kelly and James Wiltz’s 2017 Listed John Musker Fillies’ S. scorer Beautiful Morning (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and as a progressive mare in the skilled hands of Jessie Harrington she will pose a threat again if Ballydoyle’s pair need another run to peak. View the full article

China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farm’s 144th GI Kentucky Derby hero Justify (Scat Daddy) emerged from his authoritative victory in the slop with excellent energy Sunday morning, and trainer Bob Baffert indicated the colt will be pointed to a start in the May 19 GI Preakness S. at Pimlico as expected. Baffert led Justify out of his barn on the Churchill backside shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday morning to greet the media. “He looks phenomenal today,” Baffert said. “He’s full of himself. He knows he’s a stud. He came back and he really wasn’t that tired. He ate up last night and today he’s been a handful. When I got him out of the stall he was pulling me around–usually they’re a little bit tired.” Baffert took time to reflect on Saturday’s performance, noting that the colt showed the greatness he had hoped for in the stretch run. “It was just an awesome performance,” Baffert said. “We were hoping he had that in him. At the three-eighths pole I thought, man, he better be a really good horse. We saw another gear that we hadn’t seen yet. That’s where the greatness comes in. He’s got that big, long stride and he’s just so efficient, he does it so easily.” As for the potential of a Triple Crown bid for the undefeated chestnut, Baffert noted that he is plans to focus on daily details in the time leading up to the Preakness. “I’m not thinking about that at all, not yet,” he said. “Right now I’m just thinking about keeping him healthy. We still have another one in a couple of weeks if all’s well. We won the toughest and most important one. If he wins the Preakness then we’ll see.” Baffert also said that Derby 10th-place finisher Solomini (Curlin) could make his next start in the GI Belmont S. June 9. Trainer Chad Brown said Derby runner-up and 2017 juvenile champion Good Magic (Curlin) was highly unlikely to start in the Belmont, but could return to challenge Justify in the Preakness. “I want him back in New York and that gives me time to decide what’s next,” Brown said. “I want to provide the owners with as much information as possible about what I see and then let them decide. You run a horse back in two weeks off an effort like this, even if he’s not going to run for a while, it doesn’t mean it’s good for the horse long-term. That said, his sire [Curlin] came back in two weeks and won the Preakness… Whether we run in the Preakness will have no bearing on the Belmont. I don’t see a mile-and-a-half for this horse.” Brown reported that Good Magic came out of the race in good shape after a short jog Sunday morning and will ship back to Belmont Park Monday. Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the effort of third-place finisher Audible (Into Mischief). “I went back and watched Audible’s race several times and I’m even more impressed with his effort,” the conditioner said. “He couldn’t adjust to the track to start and was having a hard time dealing with the kickback. But when Javier [Castellano] got him running, he was really coming on. All things considered, he ran really well.” Pletcher said he did not yet have plans made for Audible and 17th-place finisher Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy), but 19th-finishing Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) would receive a freshening after encountering trouble early in Saturday’s race. Vino Rosso (Curlin), who closed belatedly to finish ninth in the Derby, will be pointed to the GI Belmont S., according to Pletcher. “We’ll almost assuredly go for the Belmont,” Pletcher said. “Vinny [Viola of St. Elias Stable] and Mike [Repole of Repole Stable] are New York guys and winning the Belmont is something they want to do. The horse is bred for it and he’ll be going there.” Jerry Hollendorfer-trained fourth-place finisher Instilled Regard (Arch) will receive a 30-day freshening at Taylor Made Farm before returning to target races like the GI Haskell Invitational and GI Travers S., assistant trainer Christina Jelm reported. Meanwhile, sixth-place finisher Bravazo (Awesome Again) will likely return for the Preakness, according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas, while Hofburg (Tapit), a late-running seventh Saturday, could come back for the Belmont, trainer Bill Mott said. The connections of Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro; 12th) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy; 20th) were regrouping Sunday while reporting that their colts emerged from the race no worse for the wear. The former is scheduled to return to trainer Mick Ruis’s Santa Anita stable Tuesday with the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August as his main summer goal, while the latter was slated to begin his journey back to Ireland Sunday. View the full article

Sunday, Newmarket, Britain TWEENHILLS PRETTY POLLY S.-Listed, £50,000, NEW, 5-6, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:04.26, g/f. 1–LAH TI DAR (GB), 126, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire) 1st Dam: Dar Re Mi (GB) (Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, G1SW, Eng, Ire & UAE, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $4,359,112), by Singspiel (Ire) 2nd Dam: Darara (Ire), by Top Ville (Ire) 3rd Dam: Delsy (Fr), by Abdos (Fr) 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Lord Lloyd-Webber; B-Watership Down Stud (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $46,159. *Full to So Mi Dar (GB), GSW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $242,742; and 1/2 to De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MGSP-Fr, $114,187. 2–Expressiy (Fr), 126, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Express American (Fr), by American Post (GB). (€37,000 RNA Ylg ’16 GOFORB; €260,000 2yo ’17 ARQMAY). O-Godolphin. £10,750. 3–Qazyna (Ire), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–First (GB), by Highest Honor (Fr). O-Nurlan Bizakov. £5,380. Margins: 3 1/4, 5, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.00, 8.00, 2.50. Also Ran: Espadrille (GB), Lumi (Ire), Model (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Timing really is everything, whether it’s getting up in that last stride or getting chinned in that last stride. That miniscule margin can make the world of difference and while timing is evident every day of the week on the racetrack, those events have a knock on effect on what goes on in the sales ring. Take recent G3 Prix Penelope winner Luminate (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) for example. When her half-sister by Lope De Vega (Ire) was catalogued in Book 2 at Tattersalls last October Luminate was listed as being unraced. However before the ink had dried on the catalogue she had broken her maiden on debut at Deauville in August and while that was a nice boost for her breeders Philip and Jane Myerscough, what she did at Chantilly two days before the sale resulted in the update one dreams about. Taking up the story with the TDN on Wednesday Philip Myerscough recalled. “The yearling was in Book 2 on the Monday and Luminate won the [G3] Prix de Conde on the Saturday, two days before, so we were able to advertise her in the TDN on the Sunday when nobody was paying much attention to anything else. In the catalogue Luminate wasn’t even listed as a winner so it just shows how things can change drastically overnight. Imagine if the Conde was a week later, someone would have gotten a rather nice pedigree update and we would have sold quite a good value filly.” Ultimately the Myerscough’s enjoyed a bumper return on their filly when she was knocked down to Godolphin for 370,000 gns and it was a result that was made all the sweeter considering the filly’s dam Kalandara (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) was purchased by Myerscough at Goffs for just €35,000 four years earlier. The mare, a 10-year-old at the time, was offered by the Aga Khan Studs and as one would expect, had an attractive pedigree, being a half-sister to the brilliant G1 Champion S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Kalanisi (Ire) (Doyoun). More significantly however she was offered in foal to the then unheralded Siyouni (Fr). When asked what drew him to the mare, Myerscough, who owns the picturesque Colbinstown Stud, said, “I’d been lucky before with some ex-Aga Khan mares in particular those that were sold in foal to sires that hadn’t come to anyone’s attention and that was certainly the case with Siyouni back then. Also, she was a gorgeous looking mare by Rainbow Quest from a great family. She is a half-sister to Kalanisi and while he may have had more of a national hunt reputation at that stage he was still a top class racehorse in his day. It’s a pretty deep pedigree and a genuine Group 1 family. At that money I thought she had a great chance.” How right he turned out to be. As a bloodstock auctioneer for so many years Myerscough has witnessed plenty of highs and lows in the sales ring and Kalandara’s career for her new owners got off to a flying start when the Siyouni colt she was carrying made 320,000gns as a yearling at Tattersalls Book 1. While he subsequently hasn’t done too much to advertise the undoubted breeding prowess of either his sire or dam he did, in Myerscough’s own words “win his race in the sales ring”. At this stage the Myerscoughs knew Kalandara could breed a stunner and they were neither surprised nor disappointed when the mare’s Lawman filly arrived in 2015. “Luminate was also a nice foal and she developed into a beautiful yearling. We had about six vettings at Goffs [Orby Sale] and while she probably made her price based on what the mare made, we weren’t exactly elated either with €85,000, owing to the interest in her beforehand.” The buyers on this occasion were John & Jake Warren who obviously weren’t in the least bit put off after shelling out a hefty sum for her underachieving older brother Paradise Lake (Ire) as a yearling. Luminate now carries the colours of Highclere Throughbred Racing whose members are no doubt looking forward to the Freddy Head trained filly taking on her biggest challenge to date, when she targets the G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly next month following her gutsy reappearance win at Saint Cloud earlier this week. The Myerscoughs are naturally excited at the prospect and Philip is hoping Luminate will prove equal to the task. “She seems to have her heart in the right place anyway. She was sort of left in front a little early, then the runner up came sweeping by and by all accounts Olivier [Peslier] never got fussed and just allowed her to find her stride. It was a lovely way to start the season and all roads now lead to the Prix de Diane which is exciting.” Even more exciting for the Myerscoughs is the fact that now 15-year-old Kalandara is healthy and well and producing sure to be sought after siblings. “We have a really good full brother [by Lawman], slightly bigger than Luminate, but just a lovely horse and a New Bay (GB) filly who is a really sweet, pretty foal. We knew Kalandara was carrying a filly when we sold the Lope De Vega last year so the plan will be to keep this year’s filly, but the yearling will go to the sales in the autumn. We haven’t decided where he’ll go but he’s a lovely model and he’s full of quality.” There was plenty of debate among the Colbinstown team – Philip’s wife Jane plays a prominent role as does their son David who manages the farm and among other things is one of the Davids (along with David Cox) that forms the major consigning force that is Baroda & Colbinstown – about what sire to use this year, and after much deliberation Ballylinch Stud’s Lope De Vega has been chosen as Kalandara’s next partner. “We thought about going to Invincible Spirit but then we decided that he was too much of a sprinter and that crossed with Rainbow Quest could have left everyone very confused so in the end we decided to go back to Lope De Vega who is more of a miler, ten furlong horse. Obviously we seriously considered Lawman. Luminate is actually very like Lawman himself. He is quite a compact horse with a lot of Invincible Spirit about him and we actually originally sent Kalandara to him because of the nick with Sheikh Fahad’s 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge. It certainly seems to have clicked again and I even saw on the TDN after Luminate won that she represents a Werk A+++ rating, so there’s obviously merit in that.” The Myerscoughs have had some classy progeny of Lawman pass through their hands but one high profile one, Marcel (Ire) wasn’t as beneficial to the Colbinstown balance sheet as the current star. “We had Marcel here a few years ago. Dave picked him out as a foal and he was a stunning horse but he didn’t make his price as a yearling. He was really big but beautiful and myself and Jane were tempted to keep him, geld him and let him out and bring him back as a hurdler.” While Peter Chapple-Hyam will thank them for not taking that route following Marcel’s win in the G1 Racing Post Trophy the Myerscough’s patience and love of the game has also seen them breed and be associated with some unforgettable names of the national hunt side of the sport. Best Mate (Ire) (Un Desperado {Fr}) is one such name and while they did not breed the triple G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner they did purchase his dam Katday (Fr) (Miller’s Mate {GB}) well before he etched his name into the history books. Before that though Myerscough was fortunate enough to breed another Cheltenham winner in Ventana Canyon (Ire) (Un Desperado {Fr}), hero of the G1 Arkle Chase at the Festival in 1996. “Going back to the Aga Khan link mentioned earlier we bought a Shirley Heights (GB) mare from his draft in the late 1980s carrying a foal by Un Desperado who no-one here had ever really heard of. When she foaled we were left with this vision of a beautiful horse who wasn’t commercial for the flat or the jumps market at the time so we kept him and put him in training and he was a magnificent horse. Ventana Canyon then lead to us buying Katday, who was also in foal to Un Desperado so that connection has certainly been lucky.” While Katday, who died in early 2016, had already foaled Best Mate before being added to the Colbinstown broodmare band she proved far from a one hit wonder as she produced other high class performers such as Cornish Rebel (Ire) (Un Desperado {Fr}), Inca Trail (Ire) (Un Desperado {Fr}) and Inexorable (Ire) (Roselier {Fr}), as well as leaving a few sisters to continue the family link at Colbinstown. “We have a half-sister to Best Mate called China Sky who is due to foal to Walk In The Park. Her first foal is a horse called Champ who won first time out and was placed on his other two starts and his trainer Nicky Henderson has high hopes for him. He was named after Tony McCoy so he has a bit to live up to. We also have a 2-year-old by Fame And Glory and a yearling by Presenting out of her so she has some nice stock on the ground.” Having enjoyed some wonderful moments over the years with stock borne of French origins Myerscough and his family look like they’ll be returning to France this summer to cheer on some of their stock bred and raised in Ireland, especially with the fact that Andre Fabre has been chosen as the trainer of the now 2-year-old Lope De Vega half-sister to Luminate. “We’ve been in the game too long to get carried away so we will take it one race at a time but we’re certainly delighted with how the year is going so far,” Myerscough said before adding, only slightly in jest, “And let’s hope the TDN will want to speak to me again next month after Chantilly.” View the full article

His Highness The Aga Khan could have a smart crop of 3-year-old fillies again this year and Shahnaza came here to back up the impression she created when winning by four lengths over 10 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud Apr. 14. Always happy in her comfort zone in the cat-bird seat, the bay zipped to the inside as the cutaway came in the home straight and after seizing the advantage with 300 metres remaining was unextended to secure an easy first black-type success. “She is a very nice filly and she won well again,” trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre commented. “We are of course thinking of the [June 17 G1 Prix de] Diane for her and although the [May 27 G1 Prix] Saint-Alary is a possibility beforehand, I don’t like the condition of the ground here at ParisLongchamp and don’t want to take any chances with her. She might go straight to Chantilly.” Shahnaza’s dam Shanndiyra is a half-sister to the G1 Prix de l’Opera heroine Shalanaya (Ire) (Lomitas {GB}) and the G2 Prix de Chaudenay scorer and G1 Prix Royal-Oak third Shankardeh (Ire), also by one of the owner-breeder’s past luminaries in Azamour. The third dam Sharamana, who took the G3 Prix Minerve, was responsible for the G2 Goldene Peitsche-winning Scandinavian champion Giant Sandman (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), while her full-sister Shamarzana (Ire) boasts two top-level winners among her descendants in the Secretariat S. victor and Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up Shamdinan (Fr) (Dr. Fong) and the Gran Premio di Milano heroine Shamdala (Ire) (Grand Lodge). Shanndiyra, whose family also features the legendary Shergar (GB), has an as-yet unnamed yearling colt by Mastercraftsman (Ire). PRIX DE LA SEINE-Listed, €55,000, LCP, 5-6, 3yo, f, 11fT, 2:19.18, gd. 1–SHAHNAZA (FR), 125, f, 3, by Azamour (Ire) 1st Dam: Shanndiyra (Ire), by King’s Best 2nd Dam: Shalamantika (Ire), by Nashwan 3rd Dam: Sharamana (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan’s Studs SC (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre; J-Christophe Soumillon. €27,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €46,225. 2–Pollara (Ire), 125, f, 3, Camelot (GB)–Brooklyn’s Storm, by Storm Cat. (160,000gns Ylg ’15 TATOCT). O-Ilse Smits. €11,000. 3–Chipolata (Fr), 125, f, 3, Muhtathir (GB)–Chicago May (Fr), by Numerous. (€18,000 RNA Ylg ’16 AROCT). O-Hubert Honore. €8,250. Margins: 1 1/4, 1, SHD. Odds: 0.90, 6.30, 18.00. Also Ran: Jaylan, Saracene (Ire), Petite Alice (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Not even the number one filly in Richard Hannon’s stable, last year’s G3 Prestige S. winner Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) sprang forward in the Newmarket sunshine to cause the biggest upset in the history of the G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas on Sunday. Always travelling strongly in the ruck under Sean Levey, the 66-1 shot took off entering the “dip” and overwhelmed Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) 1 1/2 furlongs out en route to an authoritative 1 3/4-length success from that positively-ridden Northern raider, with the 11-4 favourite Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a half length away in third. “That was a massive shock to me,” Levey said. “I thought she had a lot to find and where she’s found it I don’t know. When she ran in the Nell Gwyn she was a little bit gassy but ran well to finish fourth. I thought I might be going a little bit early, but I didn’t want to disappoint her and so I let her use that turn of foot. I’ve had plenty of winners and plenty of opportunities, but I needed that good horse.” Hannon added, “My Guineas winners aren’t popular, but I train for lovely people and all of ours need their first run. There was absolutely no fluke about the way she did it today.” BILLESDON BROOK (GB), f, 3, Champs Elysees (GB)–Coplow (GB), by Manduro (Ger). O-Pall Mall Partners & Partners; B-Stowell Hill Partners (GB); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. £310,487. Lifetime Record: 10-4-2-2, £367,353. View the full article