Wandering Eyes

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Backyard Heaven (c, 4, Tizway–Cappagh Strand, by Grand Slam) bound passed GI Kentucky Derby hero Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) at the top of the stretch and sailed home a five-length winner of the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs Friday. Sent off at 2-1, the dark bay colt kept the Derby winner company on the lead through fractions of :23.86 and :46.79 with the rest of the field well back. Backyard Heaven turned back the tiring Always Dreaming after three-quarters in 1:10.85 and was unchallenged to the wire. Hawaakom (Jazil) was second and Good Samaritan (Harlan’s Holiday) was third. The time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:41.73. A $160,000 KEESEP graduate, Backyard Heaven was second behind Copper Town (Speightstown) in his debut at Belmont last September before airing by five lengths at Aqueduct Dec. 10. He returned with a one-mile Aqueduct allowance victory Mar. 17. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $331,200. O-Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey. B-Waymore LLC (Ky). T-Chad Brown. View the full article

That a reigning divisional champion, a fellow Breeders' Cup victor, a quartet from Todd Pletcher, and a multiple grade 1 winner have all taken turns in the shadows says volumes about the quality of this year's Kentucky Derby. View the full article

Front-running Mia Mischief held off a stretch challenge from Talk Veuve to Me and powered home to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) May 4 at Churchill Downs, the first of six graded stakes on the Kentucky Oaks card. View the full article

Mark Webster will step down as managing director of Inglis in December after 11 years in the role. A press release from Inglis on Friday stated Webster’s intention to take on more non-executive board roles and consulting work, and he will transition to a non-executive director of Inglis. One of Webster’s legacies as managing director of Inglis will be his role in the sale of the company’s Newmarket property and the construction of the new Riverside Stables complex. View the full article

1st-CD, $71K, Alw/Opt. Clm., 3yo, 7f, post time: 10:30 a.m. ET Pegram, Watson and Weitman’s ONCE ON WHISKEY (Bodemeister) looks to build on a 2 3/4-length maiden victory at Santa Anita Mar. 24 for which he was accorded ‘TDN Rising Star’ status. The $150K KEESEP graduate is a son of SP Crespano (Mineshaft), who in turn is a daughter of SW Code of Ethics (Honour and Glory). Drayden Van Dyke, who was in the irons for the maiden win and is in town to pilot Instilled Regard (Arch) in Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby, has the call. TJCIS PPs 3rd-SA, $54K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, post time: 4:00 p.m. ET AMADA RAFAELA (Distorted Humor) is a homebred daughter of Dust and Diamonds (Vindication), a dual GSW and second to Groupie Doll (Bowman’s Band) in the 2012 GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint who was then snapped up by Three Chimneys’ Borges Torrealba for $900K at FTKNOV a few days later. The filly’s now 2-year-old half-brother Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile) fetched $600K as a KEENOV weanling and Dust and Diamonds was sold at the same event for $1m back in foal to the WinStar inmate. TJCIS PPs View the full article

Gary Barber and Baccari Racing Stable’s Salty (f, 4, Quality Road–Theycallmeladyluck, by Dixie Union) battled past front-running Farrell (Malibu Moon) in the dying strides to capture the GI La Troienne S. by 1 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs Friday. Breaking from the inside, Salty settled just off the pace of Farrell, who took the field through fractions of :24.70 and :48.86. Martini Glass (Kitalpha) darted up to challenge the pacesetter nearing the stretch, but all eyes were likely on champion Abel Tasman (Quality Road) as she rallied three wide turning for home, but the returning champion was flat-footed and Farrell was able to skip clear in upper stretch. Salty, who failed to find running room inside of Abel Tasman, moved back to the rail and once she found clear running room, sailed to the front in deep stretch. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.78. Martini Glass outnodded Abel Tasman for third. Salty became the seventh Grade I winner for her sire and the first for jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Salty, winner of last year’s GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, spent much of the spring and summer chasing home Abel Tasman, finishing fifth in the GI Kentucky Oaks, second in the GI Acorn S. and third in both the GI CCA Oaks and GI Alabama S. Winner of a Gulfstream optional claimer in March, the bay filly was coming off a late-closing fifth-place finish in the Apr. 7 GI Madison S. Lifetime Record: 11-4-2-2, $683,670. O-Gary Barber & Baccari Racing Stable LLC. B-Seclusive Farm & Prince Farm (Ky). T-Mark Casse. View the full article

Gary Barber, Baccari Racing Stable, and Prince Chester's Salty made a final surge to the front along the inside rail to win the La Troienne Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G1) in a final time of 1:43.78. View the full article

A pair of Japanese-bred 3-year-old colts with entries for Royal Ascot will step out at Tokyo on Sunday in the G1 NHK Mile Cup. Godolphin’s Tower Of London (Jpn) (Raven’s Pass) is favoured off a win in the one-mile G2 Arlington Cup three weeks ago. The bay won three of five juvenile outings, and was third in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. Tower of London’s Kazuo Fujisawa stablemate Fast Approach (Jpn) (Dawn Approach {Jpn}), who also holds an entry for Royal Ascot’s G1 St James’s Palace S., has more to prove, having not tasted victory since his second-out maiden breaking score last August, which is his lone win in seven tries to date. Also of interest on pedigree is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Lucas (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}), the full-brother to the Japanese Horse of the Year, champion miler and dual hemisphere stallion Maurice (Jpn). Lucas looked to be directly following the path of his elder sibling when bolting up on debut in August, but he has largely disappointed since, though he picked up a Group 3 placing at second asking. View the full article

The TDN’s Derby special section has videos, analysis, charts, pedigrees, selections and more. Sit down, grab a julep, download the 30-page supplement here and enjoy! View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ Mia Mischief (f, 3, Into Mischief–Greer Lynn, by Speightstown) made the step up to graded stakes with aplomb Friday, going wire-to-wire to win the GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs. Sent off the 3-2 favorite, the bay filly went quickly to the lead and battled through fractions of :22.21 and :44.21. She grabbed the lead approaching the stretch, with Talk Veuve to Me (Violence) her main challenger. Mia Mischief grittily held off that foe down the lane to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Mia Mischief, who earned her Rising Star status with a 16 1/4-length romp at Keeneland last October, missed by just a neck when second to Amy’s Challenge (Artie Schiller) after setting the pace in her sophomore debut in the Jan. 20 Dixie Belle S. She came from just off the pace to score by 8 1/4 lengths in the Mar. 24 Purple Martin S. at Oaklawn last time out. Mia Mischief, a $135,000 KEESEP graduate, was purchased by the Heiligbrodts for $300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale last year. The Heider Family Stables and Madaket Stables joined the ownership group after her Purple Martin win. Lifetime Record: 7-4-3-0, $340,800. O-L William & Corinne Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables & Madaket Stables LLC. B-Spendthrift Farm (Ky). T-Steven Asmussen. View the full article

Chester is one of Britain’s most-loved racecourses and the stands will be packed-out for the 2018 renewal of the Chester Cup, which takes place on Friday May 11th. Our ante-post betting market is already live, so let’s take a look at some of the runners in this wide-open contest. View Latest Chester Cup Odds Now! Who Dares Wins (IRE) Age: 6 (Foaled May 6th, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Jeremy (USA) – Savignano (Polish Precedent (USA)), Trainer: A King, Owner: Hp Racing Who Dares Wins Alan King’s charge is the current favourite for this on account of his decent 4th place in this race last year and he has proved himself a top-class handicapper since first coming on the scene as a 2-year-old. He rattled up 5 wins in 2015, 3 on the flat and 2 over hurdles. A couple more victories followed in 2016, making him a great prospect for this event last year. He was sent off 2nd-favourite and made headway a furlong out, but even though he was running on at the finish Who Dares Wins was unable to reach the leaders. He then ran in the Ascot Stakes and led a furlong from home, but was caught one-paced in a race won by Willie Mullins’ Thomas Hobson and finished a very creditable 3rd. From there he went back to Chester for the Chester Stakes (run over a trip that looked too short for him) and he could finish only 10th. He was back to a more suitable distance of 2m 2f in the Cesarewitch Trial and he won well – beating Coeur De Lion. In the Cesarewitch itself, he initially tracked the leaders but couldn’t their pace and faded inside the final furlong to finish 10th – 14 lengths behind the winner. He has had 3 runs over the sticks, including a run in the Pertemps Final where he led approaching the last but finished 5th. His final run was at Aintree, last month, where he was 3rd to Jester Jet. Who Dares Wins should be ready for this and connections will be looking to improve on last season’s effort. Magic Circle (IRE) Age: 6 (Foaled May 1st, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Makfi – Minkova (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells (USA)), Trainer: Ian Williams, Owner: Dr Marwan Koukash If there’s one owner who likes a winner at Chester it’s Marwan Koukash and the race he wants to win, every year, is the Chester Cup. He has tasted victory in it 3 times, most-recently in 2014 with Suegioo and this year his first colours will be carried by Magic Circle. He bought this horse out of Ralph Beckett’s stable in April and sent him to Ian Williams to get him ready, specifically for this race. The horse was a prolific winner, as a 3-year-old, winning 4 out of 5 that year but found it harder work as a 4-year-old and only secured one victory. Last year, Magic Circle ran in this race and finished 5th. Given an unfortunate draw (18), highly-significant at Chester with its tight turns, he actually made headway towards the finish and was staying on. He then went to Ascot, for the Ascot Stakes, but faded 2 furlongs out and finished 7th. Magic Circle soon put that poor run behind him at York, in the Ebor meeting, getting home in front of My Reward in a strong 2-mile handicap. He ran 3 days later in the Ebor itself, running very creditably to finish 5th. He raced mid-division that day and when put under pressure could find no more, in the final furlong. For his final race, he was sent to Newmarket for the Cesarewitch and found himself under pressure 4 furlongs out – eventually finishing a disappointing 13th. However, if he has wintered well then he might just give Koukash his 4th winner in this prestigious contest. Time To Study (FR) Age: 4 (Foaled February 11th, 2014), Sex: Chestnut Colt, Breeding: Motivator – Dissertation (FR) (Sillery (USA)), Trainer: M Johnston, Owner: Mr Abdulla Al Mansoori This French-bred chestnut colt launched his racing career in eye-catching style, winning as a 2-year-old at Carlisle in September of 2016. He made all that day and kept on exceptionally well at the finish. Time To Study then ran second, at Lingfield, before scoring at Chelmsford City on the all-weather in November – again making all over 1m 2f and beating Peaceful Passage, easily. In his first race as a 3-year-old, he ran into Defoe in the London Gold Cup at Newbury but kept on well to take 3rd. This was a good performance and Time To Study built on that by winning the Edinburgh Cup at Musselburgh – beating Alabaster by a head after being left out in front, 3 furlongs from the finish. From there he went to Ascot for the Queen’s Vase and was leading, until the 4f pole. He was still in with a shout, a furlong out, but wandered in the home straight and finished 5th. 2 runs in a week at Haydock and Doncaster brought a 3rd then a 1st place in the Mallard Trophy at Doncaster, where he took up the running 2 furlongs from home and held on from Byron Flyer. He didn’t run to form, in the Cesarewitch next time out, but this was his first try at such a long distance. In his final 2017 outing he dropped back to 1m 5f and disposed of his rivals using front-running tactics, once again. This year he has had a run over 1m 6f, in heavy going in the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh, going down by just a neck to Brandon Castle despite giving that horse 5lbs. The extra distance on the Roodee should not be a problem for him and with a good draw he should be able to employ his front running tactics, successfully. Stargazer (IRE) Age: 5 (Foaled February 26th, 2013), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Canford Cliffs (IRE) – Star Ruby (IRE) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE)), Trainer: P A Kirby, Owner: Zoe Hassall & George Hassall & P Kirby Adam Kirby’s lightly-raced charge is only a 5-year-old and has run just 8 times in his career with 2 victories. He has been placed a further 4 times. Stargazer ran 3 times as a 2-year-old and his best performance was probably when he finished 2nd behind Paris Protocol, at Salisbury in September of 2015. The following season he won his maiden first time out at Sandown, beating Lovell over 1m 2f. He then went to the Glorious Goodwood meeting and raced in a handicap, where he was sent-off as favourite but was just beaten into 3rd place in a driving finish by You’re Hired. Following this, Sir Michael Stoute stepped him up in trip to 1m 4f at Ascot in September. He again went into the stalls as favourite, but was badly hampered 2 furlongs out and then did not get a clear run (finished 5th). Afterwards, the horse was gelded and not seen on a racecourse during 2017. Stargazer then left Stoute’s yard and joined Adam Kirby, who has been racing him on all-weather surfaces and over distances of 2 miles or more. In his first effort at Newcastle, he was held-up at the rear of the field and did put in a decent challenge over the final furlong but was just held by American Gigolo. 10 days later, he ran at the same course, over a shorter trip. The horse was positioned well to take on Island Brave, but was impeded by a loose horse close to home. Stargazer went first past the post by just a nose, though was demoted to runner-up. Hold-up tactics are unlikely to bear fruit at Chester and he will need to be ridden closer to the pace to have any real chance. Watersmeet Age: 7 (Foaled February 6th, 2011), Sex: Grey Gelding, Breeding: Dansili – Under The Rainbow (Fantastic Light (USA)), Trainer: M Johnston, Owner: Mr J Barson This striking grey 7-year-old gelding has had 43 races under rules during his career, with 13 wins – 11 of which were on the all-weather. His first victory was in July 2014 at Haydock Park, over 1m 2f. Watersmeet had a 7-month break after his first season and when he came back as a 4-year-old he rattled up a treble on artificial surfaces over distances between 1m 2f and 1m 4f. His only other victory that year was over 1m 4f at Newmarket, in a Class 2 Handicap. In 2016, he had 3 successes on the all-weather – one at a distance of 1m 6f in December so Mark Johnston stepped him up in trip to 2 miles plus at the beginning of 2017. The Dansili gelding had 4 races on the all-weather, winning one, before running in this race last year and finishing 6th (less than 3 lengths behind the winner, Montaly). Following a 5-month break, he was next seen in the Cesarewitch but ran poorly and was sweating heavily before the off. Watersmeet finished the season with a 2nd and a 3rd. The horse came out in the New Year and ran up a quick treble, before running in the All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes. He was 3rd that day, beaten a neck by two rivals who mugged him on the line. Watersmeet has 13 wins under his belt and should be a factor, in the Chester Cup. Nakeeta Age: 7 (Foaled March 2nd, 2011), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Sixties Icon – Easy Red (Hunting Lion (IRE)), Trainer: I Jardine, Owner: Alex & Janet Card And Atb Ltd Nakeeta has climbed steadily up the rankings since his first race in 2013 as a 2-year-old, although he had a somewhat inauspicious start to his career – managing just one place in his first 6 outings. However, he broke his duck at Pontefract in July 2014 by beating Kinema half a length over 10 furlongs. Nakeeta won again in September of that year, this time over 11 furlongs, beating Rockawango comfortbly. The Sixties Icon-sired gelding had one more run, at Beverley, but was hampered at the start and finished 3rd out of 4. The 7-year-old was then put away until May 2015 and then had a busy campaign – having 10 starts and winning just 2, although one of those victories came in the Old Borough Cup over 1m 6f. In 2016 he raced 7 times, but wins remained elusive. Come 2017 he was brought here for his first race of the season and could finish only 10th. Perhaps the contest came too soon for him as he was much better when running 2nd to Dal Harraild at York’s Dante meeting at the end of May? He was then 4th at Headquarters, before winning at The Ebor at York – holding off Flymetothestars in a thrilling finish. Then Nakeeta was sent to Australia for the Melbourne Cup, where he ran a really creditable 5th to Rekindling. He has it in his locker to be a contender here. Dubawi Fifty Age: 5 (Foaled April 6th, 2013), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Dubawi (IRE) – (Sadler’s Wells (USA)), Trainer: Karen McLintock, Owner: Paul & Clare Rooney Originally trained by James Tate, this horse moved to Karen McLintock’s stables after being gelded in October 2016. He had just one run for Tate, finishing last at Chelmsford. After this he had 5 outings on the all-weather at Newcastle with one victory over 2 miles. In 2017, he was sent to Ayr for the Parkdean Resorts Handicap and carrying 9st 10lbs romped home – beating Tor by a length and a half. From here, he progressed to a Class 3 contest, the Colwick Cup Handicap at Nottingham and again showed his worth – getting home by a neck from Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Quloob in a closely-fought finish. This was an excellent performance, which inevitably pushed him up the handicap. The Dubawi-sired gelding has been competing on the all-weather this year and in his first race at Newcastle he won by a head. Next up, at Wolverhampton and over 2 miles, he beat Gwafa easily after going off as the warm favourite. His final race, prior to the Chester Cup, was in March back at Newcastle where he ran 3rd behind American Gigolo and Stargazer. His form on the all-weather this year has encouraged McLintock to aim him at this hot 2m 2f encounter. Dominating (GER) Age: 4 (Foaled March 9th, 2014), Sex: Chestnut Gelding, Breeding: Jukebox Jury (IRE) – Dominante (GER) (Monsun (GER)), Trainer: M Johnston, Owner: Mr A D Spence This big chestnut gelding has had plenty of experience, under trainer Mark Johnston, having 6 races as a 2-year-old all at around a mile – winning the last one on the all-weather at Kempton. Dominating then embarked on his 3-year-old career, after a 6-month break, at Goodwood over 1m 2f – finishing down the field. Johnston then stepped him up to 1m 4f but he was beaten again at York. His trainer decided that the horse needed even further and that proved the making of him. The Jukebox Jury-sired gelding’s first race at 1m 6f at Nottingham was a revelation and he won by 4 lengths from Plage Depampelonne. Dominating was then sent to Sandown and and crushed a good field that included Look My Way and Oxford Blu. After running 2nd to Zenon at Haydock, in a Class 2 contest, he went to Musselburgh and tackled 2m for the first time – beating Yes Daddy with plenty in-hand. Following this victory, he had a race on the all-weather at Kempton (finishing 2nd) before going to York in August for the Melrose Handicap where he failed to perform. Then, back at 2m, he was denied by Tor who won by a nose at Musselburgh so it was back to the all-weather and another narrow defeat before a run at Ascot in the Gordon Carter Handicap where Dominating won handsomely – beating Altaayil. After running down the field at York, he went to Pontefract and tried 2m 2f for the first time. Johnston’s inmate defeated Suegioo, an ex-Chester Cup winner. This year he has had one prep run in April, after a 6 month break, finishing last to Mirsaale at Ripon. A useful-looking horse, but also one that lacks consistency. Act Of Valour Age: 4 (Foaled April 17th, 2014), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Harbour Watch (IRE) – (Event of the Year (USA)), Trainer: P F Nicholls, Owner: McNeill Family A very well-built 4-year-old gelding that trainer, Paul Nicholls, thinks a lot of. He was brought over from Ireland, from M. D. O’Callaghan’s stable in November last year, after running 9 times over there on the flat and winning once. After a 3-month break, for schooling, his first outing for Nicholls was hurdling at Newcastle where he ran out a fine winner after getting the better of Look My Way over 2 miles. He then ran poorly at Doncaster and was 5th of 6 in a race won by We Have A Dream. Act Of Valour then came up against the same rival again in a Listed Race (a Triumph Hurdle Trial), but this time he ran him much closer and finished runner-up. That run secured his place at Cheltenham, in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, where he ran 9th – 16 lengths behind the winner Veneer Of Charm, after having every chance and finding no extra. Since then, the 4-year-old has won at Fakenham, beating Pacific De Baune over 2 miles, and was then 5th to Ballymoy at Sandown in April. Act Of Valour looks to have a decent chance, based on his best form. American Gigolo Age: 6 (Foaled April 22nd, 2012), Sex: Bay Gelding, Breeding: Azamour (IRE) – Sadie Thompson (IRE) (King’s Best (USA)), Trainer: H Fry, Owner: Mr D A Olver This 6 year old was previously trained by Charlie Mann and won twice for him, firstly at Wincanton over just under 2 miles in a National Hunt Flat Race. He then picked-up a victory at Kempton last May in a Novices’ Hurdle, beating New Agenda after taking the lead over the last 75 yards. In October of last year, he was transferred to Harry Fry’s yard and had his first run for 6 months for his new trainer at Ascot in another Novices’ Hurdle. American Gigolo ran second to Dell Oro and was unable to quicken, after the last flight. A week later, he had a wind operation and was not seen out again until January of this year on the all-weather at Lingfield. This time he was beaten just a head, by Fearsome, but he certainly came good after that and won 3 on the trot on the all-weather at Lingfield, Kempton and Newcastle. His last run, prior to this race, was at Musselburgh in the Queens Cup Handicap. The Azamour gelding ran 4th that day and was beaten by Brandon Castle, in heavy going. The 6-year-old was going well, before running out of gas in the final furlong. Fry will hope for and expect better ground and American Gigolo should find friends in the market if the trainer gets his wish. Betting With RaceBets The 2018 Chester Cup is just one of the many ante-post markets that we currently have live. Join RaceBets today and we will match your first deposit, up to a maximum of £50 (see terms and conditions). The post 2018 Chester Cup Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

When the starting gates crash open for Kentucky Derby 144 on Saturday evening, Irish eyes will be locked on Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) as he bids to provide Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore and team Coolmore with a historic result in America’s greatest race. Mendelssohn’s Run for the Roses on the surface appears a project about two years in the making for Coolmore-they parted with $3-million to take ownership of him at Keeneland September in 2016-but the foundations of the plan run far deeper, and in fact don’t stray too far from their origins. In 1975, studmaster John Magnier, businessman Robert Sangster and a certain master trainer by the name O’Brien (sound familiar?) spearheaded a revolutionary sales strategy of buying “baby stallions”-but not just any baby stallions: those, specifically, by the emerging supersire Northern Dancer, whom Vincent O’Brien had identified as a potential breed-shaper early on due to his extreme toughness on the track: 18 starts all in the top three, including 14 wins and nine 2-year-old starts. “We must buy the Northern Dancers,” O’Brien was quoted as saying in Patrick Robinson’s bestselling Horsetrader. “We must buy them at all costs. And the same goes for yearlings by Nijinsky. I am telling you. We must have them. I am very certain of that.” The results of the scheme are now nothing short of legendary, the effects still reverberating through sales rings, across racecourses and over the industry as a whole globally, both through the genetic influence of the baby stallions themselves and the bloodstock boom the strategy spurred. Sons of Northern Dancer purchased in the U.S. and trained in Europe by the founding lads included The Minstrel, Storm Bird and Lomond, while Caerleon and Royal Academy were sired by O’Brien’s Triple Crown-winning son of Northern Dancer, Nijinsky. Other breed shapers that followed the same transatlantic path, but were homebred in the U.S., included Northern Dancer sons El Gran Senor and, of course, the great Sadler’s Wells. Come the turn of the 21st century, there is a new triumvirate at the helm of Coolmore and a new master O’Brien in charge at Ballydoyle, but the fires ignited by those chosen baby stallions have not dimmed in the slightest. Sadler’s Wells leads the pack, represented by a perennial parade of Classic and Group 1 winners in Europe largely thanks to his flagbearing sons Galileo and Montjeu. El Gran Senor, for his part, is the damsire of Empire Maker, the sire of two sires of Kentucky Derby winners. A daughter of Lomond produced that good dual hemisphere sire Exceed and Excel. Caerleon was a largely influential sire and broodmare sire, his progeny headed by the Derby winner Generous and the Arc victor Marienbard. Storm Bird was repatriated at the end of his racing career to stand at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky and left an indelible mark on the breed, namely through his champion sire son Storm Cat but also as the damsire of Thunder Gulch, who provided current Coolmore partner Michael Tabor with a win in the Kentucky Derby in 1995 and who died this year as a pensioner at Ashford. Storm Cat’s line is well and truly safe, his flagbearers at stud including Coolmore’s late homebred Giant’s Causeway–who followed his grandsire’s path as an American-bred trained in Europe and repatriated before becoming a champion sire who is leaving a dynasty of his own-and so many others. Another branch of the Storm Cat dynasty is Scat Daddy, a great grandson, and that is where the story once again comes full circle, at least as far as Mendelssohn is concerned. When it comes to baby stallions, Mendelssohn could have hardly fit the bill better, being a half-brother to rising young American sire Into Mischief, and not to mention that nine-time Grade I-winning mare Beholder. By the time Mendelssohn reached the ring at Keeneland in 2016, Scat Daddy’s progeny were at a premium; the stallion, who had been purchased by Coolmore to stand at stud, had died the previous December at just 11 years old at the height of his success, and as such the opportunities were suddenly few to hoard pieces of his legacy. And so there were the lads–some faces new but the strategy still largely the same–back in that Keeneland ring where they first set the Thoroughbred world alight some 41 years ago. The final pricetag on Mendelssohn was an eye-watering $3-million, and one has to imagine they weren’t leaving without the horse that day. Mendelssohn followed that consecrated path back to Ballydoyle well-trodden by his esteemed predecessors, and while he didn’t pack in as many 2-year-old outings as his great, great, great, great grandsire Northern Dancer did, one has to imagine the late Vincent O’Brien would be smiling at a 2-year-old able to cap off a juvenile campaign racing in three countries with a win at the Breeders’ Cup. Scat Daddy, for his part, has held up his end of the bargain, continuing to churn out Group 1 winners and supplying four of the 20 runners in this year’s Derby. This week, Mendelssohn is back in his home state via Dubai, and win or lose on Saturday it is not hard to imagine him continuing to follow in the hallowed hoofprints of those before him and shaping into a breed-changing sire. View the full article

St Elias and West Point Thoroughbreds BUGLE NOTES (c, 3, Ghostzapper–Pension, by Seeking the Gold) had to do it tough following a tardy dispatch, but just kept on coming and edged clear late to score by two lengths to become a ‘TDN Rising Star’ during the early portion of the Oaks undercard Friday at Churchill. At $825,000, the bay colt was the most expensive of 38 of his sire’s yearlings to sell in 2016 and he was duly sent off the 9-10 chalk to get his career off on a winning note. One of the last away from the gates, Bugle Notes jumped into the bridle, but had no choice but to race four and five deep on the track in the run to the turn. Able to sustain his momentum despite the considerable ground loss on the bend, he swept up to lead despite drifting in a bit on second-time starter Bueno Bueno Bueno (Majesticperfection) at the furlong grounds and stuck to his task to take it by about two lengths. A half-brother to SW Giant Payday (Giant’s Causeway) and GSW Annual Report (Harlan’s Holiday), Bugle Notes is out of a daughter of GISW Furlough (Easy Goer), the dam of GSW Happy Hunting (Seeking the Gold) and SW Pardon (Elusive Quality). The third dam includes Furlough’s Grade I-winning half-sister Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat) and GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint hero Dancing Spree (Ninjinsky II). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-St Elias Stable & West Point Thoroughbreds; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher. View the full article

In this ongoing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses, the latter of which plays host to sophomore milers who get a crack at Group 1 black-type in the NHK Mile Cup: Sunday, May 6, 2018 3rd-KYO, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800mT TRUMP CANDY (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}–Gottahaveadream, by Indian Charlie), a $100K KEESEP acquisition, really quickened up once switching leads and clocked :10 flat (see below) before selling for $400K as a BARMAR breezer in 2017. The Mar. 31 foal is out of a winning half-sister to GISW Here Comes Ben (Street Cry {Ire}), while his Grade I-winning third dam Race the Wild Wild (Sunny’s Halo) is responsible for GSW & G1SP Meshaheer (Nureyev) and the dam of GISWs Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great) and Daredevil (More Than Ready). B-Siena Farms LLC (KY) 5th-TOK, ¥13,720,000 ($126k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600m JUPITER CALLISTO (c, 3, Curlin–Moonlight Lover, by Bernardini) ran fairly in a pair of starts on the grass to kick off his career, but switched to the dirt last time to graduate by 2 1/2 lengths Mar. 24 (gate 2). The Louisiana-bred is a grandson of the good dirt sprinter and MGSW Katz Me If You Can (Storm Cat), the dam of GISP Mississippi (Pioneerof the Nile), set to contest Saturday’s GIII Pat Day Mile S. Third dam Cuddles (Mr. Prospector) won the 1990 GI Hollywood Starlet S. B-Circle H Farms (LA) 11th-TOK, NHK Mile Cup-G1, ¥205m ($1.9m), 3yo, 1600mT A trio of US-bred runners take their place in this 18-strong field, headed by the very talented MR MELODY (c, 3, Scat Daddy–Trusty Lady, by Deputy Minister). No worse than second in his five starts to date, the bay scored over the Tokyo dirt Feb. 3 and most recently made a successful transition to turf to win the G3 Falcon S. (1400m) Mar. 17 (gate 10). A half-brother to GSP Trendy Lady (Unbridled’s Song), Mr Melody was a $75K KEESEP RNA, a $100K KEESEP yearling and a $400K OBSAPR juvenile. Mr Melody is joined in the field by GSP Delta Barows (Into Mischief) and Ryono Tesoro (Justin Phillip). B-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds (KY) View the full article

Group 1 winner Miss Beatrix (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}-Miss Beabea {Ire}, by Catrail) will be offered at the Goffs London Sale on June 18 in foal to Muhaarar (GB). That resulting foal will be a full-sibling to the mare’s current yearling that made €340,000 at Goffs November last year. From the family of Indian Ridge (Ire), Miss Beatrix won the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and has produced three stakes-placed winners. Henry Beeby, Group Chief Executive of Goffs, said, “We are delighted to offer Miss Beatrix in London this year and are very grateful to her owner, Bill Durkan. Miss Beatrix has a long and successful association with Goffs having won the first Goffs Million back in 2006, while her foals have sold exceptionally well here, the two most recent at Goffs selling for €340,000 and €370,000. It is particularly exciting that she is back in foal to Muhaarar.” View the full article

As in recent years, with around five runners the norm, Newmarket’s G2 Dunaden Jockey Club S. on Saturday has cut up and so Roger Varian has seized the opportunity to bring Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) back to action just a fortnight after his win in Newbury’s G3 John Porter S. Last year’s Listed Glasgow S. and G3 Geoffrey Freer S. scorer hit a snag when 10th in Doncaster’s G1 St Leger in September, but he came home sick from that and his other performances have been characterised by a taking ease. “I have been delighted with Defoe following his Newbury win and it was the ideal seasonal reappearance as he didn’t have a hard race,” his trainer commented. “He holds an entry in the [G1] Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May, but he seems so well in himself it seems prudent to run him while ground conditions are set to be in his favour. I am very grateful that Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has agreed to pay the supplementary fee and I am very excited about running the horse on Saturday.” This renewal is no great shakes and Defoe’s greatest threat probably comes from Qatar Racing’s G2 Queen’s Vase runner-up Count Octave (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was sixth in the Leger but who made harder work of his comeback than he should have when narrowly winning a minor contest at Wolverhampton on Apr. 10. View the full article

Anyone that deals in the Thoroughbred business knows that a good one can come from just about anywhere, and that truth is certainly reflected in this year’s 2000 Guineas runners, which range from homebreds to 1.6-million gns yearlings to 38,000gns foals. Here, we run through the 14 contestants of the 2000 Guineas and recap their beginnings. CARDSHARP (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}) was bred by Godolphin and races for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. The dam, Pure Illusion (Ire) (Danehill), was sold by Godolphin at Tattersalls December two years ago in foal to Guineas winner Night of Thunder (Ire) for 18,000gns and bought by Trainers House Enterprises. B-Godolphin. ELARQAM (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the top-priced offering by his sire at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, bringing 1.6-million from Shadwell and consigned by The Duke of Roxburghe’s Floors Stud out of his star mare Attraction. He is the most expensive public sales purchase in this lineup. B-Floors Farming. EXPERT EYE (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) is a Juddmonte homebred and comes from the top-class Juddmonte family of champion and Classic winner Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy), American Grade I winners Sightseek (Distant View) and Tates Creek (Rahy) and G1 Prix de la Foret winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki). B-Juddmonte Farms. GUSTAV KLIMT (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a homebred for team Coolmore but his dam, Massarra (GB) (Danehill), was bought by connections for 600,000gns in 2009. Massarra, a Group 3-winning sprinter, was bred and raced by Prince Faisal out of his excellent mare Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), the dam of sires Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB). B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt. HEADWAY (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) was the least expensive of these Guineas runners in the sales ring, having cost Peter and Ross Doyle just 38,000gns at Tattersalls December. He was pinhooked in the same ring 10 months later for 60,000gns when bought by John and Jake Warren. B-Whatton Manor-Global Equine-L Stratton. JAMES GARFIELD (IRE) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was a £60,000 buyback by Highclere Stud at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. B-Stetchworth & Middle Park Studs Ltd. MASAR (IRE) (New Approach {Ire}) is a homebred for Godolphin out of its G2 UAE Derby winner Khawlah (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and is inbred to the great mare Urban Sea, who is his fourth dam as well as being the producer of grandsire Galileo. B-Godolphin. MURILLO (Scat Daddy) was a $500,000 Keeneland November weanling. Bred by Lynch Bages, he was consigned by Eaton Sales and signed for by Hill ‘n’ Dale Bloodstock. B-Lynch Bages Ltd. NEBO (IRE) (Kodiac {GB}) was the third-most expensive sale of Book 3 at Tattersalls October in 2016 at 75,000gns. He was consigned by Acorn Stud and purchased by Jill Lamb Bloodstock. B-Select Bloodstock & Melchior Bloodstock. RAID (IRE) (Havana Gold {Ire}) is the best traveled horse of this bunch when it comes to sales ring visits; bought back by vendor Drumachon Stud for 18,000gns as a foal, he made 22,000gns from Jeremy Brummitt when offered by the same consignment at Book 2, and proved a good pinhook for The Bloodstock Connection when sold on for £135,000gns at Doncaster last April to David Redvers. B-James Waldron. RAJASINGHE (IRE) (Choisir {Aus}) was a €65,000 foal turned £85,000 Doncaster yearling. He was pinhooked by Trickledown Stud and bought as a yearling by Bobby O’Ryan and Rebel Racing. B-James & Geoff Mulcahy. ROARING LION (Kitten’s Joy) was another savvy purchase by the connections of Raid, costing $160,000 at Keeneland September. B-Ranjan Racing Inc. SAXON WARRIOR (JPN) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is a homebred for Coolmore and is the flagbearer for the operation’s experiment with Deep Impact. Saxon Warrior is out of the speedy Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was third in 2012 G1 1000 Guineas. Maybe has logged plenty of airmiles in her second career, having produced a colt by American Pharoah in the U.S. this year. She was bred back to War Front. B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt. TIP TWO WIN (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a homebred for Anne Cowley, who bought his dam as a 2-year-old for £9,450. B-Mrs Anne Cowley. View the full article

There was so much emotion tied up with the 2011 G1 2000 Guineas that it was only after the dust had settled on the Tudor Minstrel-like blitz of Frankel (GB) that all could bask in the glow of one of the historic race’s greatest performances. Since Juddmonte’s beau ideal took the short box ride to Banstead Manor, it has felt like a mere matter of time before Newmarket’s faithful get to see one of his progeny claim the Rowley Mile as their own in the Qipco-sponsored Classic he branded so dramatically. Twelve months ago, the Craven winner Eminent (Ire) had a more than decent chance of delivering a Guineas win from his remarkable sire’s very first crop, but he was just not as ready as Churchill (Ire) et al. Mark Johnston knows all about pressure situations and he had that in 2004 as the Duke of Roxburghe’s ugly duckling-turned beautiful Classic swan Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) stepped out in the 1000 Guineas, but as he prepares Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for Saturday’s renewal the intensity is something altogether greater. “That is like a pedigree amongst pedigrees–they simply don’t come better,” he said. “I’ve never had a horse bred like this or that cost this sort of money. What a stallion he would be if he was to win something like the Guineas.” Shadwell’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ is two-for-two heading to this seasonal debut, like Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s great Nashwan in 1989. He has it all as far as parentage goes, he has a willing attitude, smart form having won the G3 Tattersalls S. here in September, and perfect ground conditions. Johnston has described him as the “spitting image” of Attraction, who took the yard on such an unforgettable journey when becoming the first filly to complete the English and Irish 1000 Guineas and Coronation S. treble. The depth of the “Frankel factor” has yet to be plumbed, but the exponential growth in stature of Cracksman (GB) gives some indication of what is possible when the chemistry is right. Elarqam’s biology is as ideal for this test as it gets and victory here would prove another transformative step for the sire who will remain global headline news indefinitely. Johnston is trying not to get over-excited, but there is a sense of quiet confidence emanating from the master of Middleham Moor on a huge weekend for that training area. “I do keep stressing it’s the first race of the season and, win or lose, there will be a lot more races to come for him hopefully but my instinct is that he’s the perfect horse for the race. I worry about the lack of experience, that’s all,” he added. “But he’s really changed in attitude. Last year he was just so lazy and laid-back and there were a number of horses that went better than him on the gallops; this year he’s been able to play with them on the gallops, which is what you need for a Guineas winner.” Much has already been written about the importance of the performance of Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in this renewal as a marker of where Godolphin’s breeding operation is at. Representing the team’s strongest chance of a home-raised winner since Mark of Esteem (Ire) in 1996, he hails from a sire who was perfectly suited to this track at which he won the G1 Dewhurst S., was so narrowly denied a Guineas win by Henrythenavigator and who has already produced one winner of this Classic in Dawn Approach (Ire). Masar is obviously also partial to his home circuit as he showed when taming Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) in a renewal of the G3 Craven S. 16 days ago which has had the various experts arguing as to its genuine merit. Charlie Appleby, who has worked at creating an environment where class horses can be delivered spot-on for the major events, believes in the form. “It was hard not to be impressed,” he said. “Visibly, it was a striking performance. If he had won by one or two lengths, then okay, but nine lengths was very impressive. We went into that race a fit horse, with the run under our belt out in Dubai, but you couldn’t have been more pleased with the way he quickened away in the final furlong of the Craven. Once he hit the rising ground, he put a lot of distance between himself and the rest of the field. Based on what we saw in the Craven, we must go into Saturday’s race hoping that he is a serious contender.” Victory for Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) would be momentous for the O’Brien clan who continue to re-write all the rule books. If it were not enough that it was responsible for a trainer-son combination winning the 2000 Guineas with Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) ad Joseph, it could be that come Saturday evening Aidan is celebrating another landmark day with Donnacha. “I ride Saxon Warrior in all his work, so I know him quite well,” the latest riding prodigy told the Racing Post. “He’s in good form and I’m really looking forward to Saturday. I rode him when he made his debut at The Curragh in August. We didn’t really know what we had, as he hadn’t been asked any questions before he went there. He was a bit slowly away, but when I gave him a squeeze he came alive under me and took off, going away to win well. After that run we knew we had a very smart colt–one who was a bit special.” That said, no one in the family would begrudge a Guineas win for Seamie Heffernan on Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), such is the longstanding loyalty and dedication shown by racing’s most fortunate supersub. Turning attentions outside of the big four, there is Khalid Abdullah’s long-time favourite for this, Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}). Those who wrote off last year’s impressive G2 Vintage S. winner after a rank display in the Dewhurst and workmanlike return in the Apr. 21 G3 Greenham S. would be well-advised to recall the similar pattern of rise-and-fall of the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained King’s Best prior to his scintillating success against Giant’s Causeway in the millennium year. Like that headstrong predecessor, he bombed in this track’s juvenile feature and was unimpressive in his prep, but it could be that the master of Freemason Lodge is timing his revival to the minute. “We have always rated him,” Stoute said “He needed the run when he was second to James Garfield in the Greenham, as we hadn’t done a lot with him. His work since has been excellent. I am happy with him and looking forward to the race.” Roaring Lion has been given his chance by John Gosden, who misses out with the much-less exposed Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and his lack of bemusement at Qatar Racing’s G2 Royal Lodge S. winner’s heavy defeat in the Craven speaks volumes. Before that race, he was widely considered en route to becoming one of this race’s favourites and it is hard to believe he has made such a significant retreat since his heroics when second in the G1 Racing Post Trophy. Very few expected Night of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to redress a heavy beating by Kingman (GB) from the 2014 Greenham, while the aforementioned King’s Best also sprang forward from a lacklustre reversal in the Craven. Every Guineas has layers of ability and just under the top is the Gredleys’s thoroughly likeable James Garfield (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), whose professionalism in landing the G2 Mill Reef S. and Greenham have earned him a place in the line-up. He is one of the race’s place options along with The Royal Ascot Racing Club’s Headway (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), who hails from one of the shrewdest yards in Newmarket in William Haggas’s Somerville Lodge. He looked smart on his return when taking the Listed Spring Cup on Lingfield’s Polytrack on Mar. 3 and has the right amount of 2-year-old conditioning, having finished second to the more sprint-bred Rajasinghe (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot in June. View the full article

The eyes of the world fall upon Newmarket, on Saturday, where the first Classic of the English flat-racing season. Havana Grey looks the one to beat, in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes (2:20pm), while Roger Varian’s Defoe starts the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes (2:55pm) as the red-hot favourite. The 2018 2000 Guineas Stakes (3:35pm) is always a key target for Aidan O’Brien and both Saxon Warrior and Gustav Klimt are among those representing his yard. Charlie Appleby has uncovered an absolute gem in Masar however and the English trainer must be hopeful of bagging a first Guineas win. Key Victory and Old Persian both go for Appleby, in the Listed Newmarket Stakes (4:45pm). At Goodwood, Sir Michael Stoute’s Mori takes on Architecture, in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes (2:05pm), while Dane O’Neill will be on-board Shenanigans in the Listed Conqueror Fillies’ Stakes (3:50pm). Further UK action takes place at Wetherby, Uttoxeter, Doncaster and Hexham. US racing fans will be flocking to Churchill Downs, where the card includes the Humana Distaff Stakes, the Turf Classic Stakes and of course the Kentucky Derby which features Aidan O’Brien’s Mendelssohn. Enjoy what should be a tremendously-exciting Saturday of top-class racing! View All Race-Cards Now! The post Saturday Big Race Preview – 2000 Guineas & Kentucky Derby! appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

A nine-length demolition of his rivals in the Craven Stakes has Masar primed for Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. The Godolphin three-year-old failed first-up on the dirt at Meydan but he bounced back in style with a return to the turf putting him right in the frame for this Group One. “It was hard not to be impressed,” Appleby said. “Visibly, it was a striking performance. If he had won by one or two lengths, then OK, but nine... View the full article

“What could have been ...” stories are a dime a dozen in racing. For all of their grace and power, thoroughbreds are a surprisingly fragile animal and if one kicks a wall or missteps at trackwork, it can be career over. In Hong Kong, there hasn’t been a more tragic tale of unfulfilled promise than Rapper Dragon’s meteoric rise and premature demise. Rapper Dragon swept the 2017 four-year-old series, dominating in the Derby and even added a Group Two against older horses... View the full article

Grade 1 winners Fault and Vale Dori will provide ample class in the $100,000 Adoration Stakes (G3) May 6 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Viviano finally goes one better View the full article

Turf or Poly, Sun Pittsburgh scorches again View the full article

Double delight as Meagher welcomes new Pride and joy View the full article