Wandering Eyes

The third day of trade in Deauville saw mares in-foal to young sires prove the most popular and all indices improve over 2017’s numbers. Topping Monday’s session of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale was the listed-placed bay Lykea (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 660) from the consignment of Haras du Logis Saint Germain. Out of the listed winner and G3 Prix Eclipse third Alyzea (Ire) (King Charlemagne) and in-foal to Tweenhills resident Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who has his first juveniles this term, the 8-year-old was knocked down for €55,000 to Elizabeth Ribard. Her second dam is a SW half-sister to G1 Prix de la Salamandre heroine Maximova (Fr) (Green Dancer), who is also ancestress of top U.S. stallion Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy). The second of three lots to breach the €50,000 barrier on the day was lot 534, Listed Balanchine S. heroine Seeharn (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Part of the Haras de Castillon reduction sale, the 10-year-old was snapped up by JK Thoroughbred and brought €53,000. In foal to G1 Prix Jacques-le-Marois hero Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead) who was standing his first season at Haras de Bouquetot this spring, the bay’s dam is a half-sister to G1 Golden Jubilee S. victor Malhub (Kingmambo) and Grade III winner Dhaamer (Ire) (Dubai Destination). Anna Sundstrom’s Coulonces Sales consigned the two-time winner Brigh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 773). Carrying to Group 2 victor Balios (Ire) (Shamardal), the 8-year-old caught the eye of Chris Richner Bloodstock for €52,000. One of six winners out of SW and GII San Clemente H. third La Vida Loca (Ire) (Caerleon), herself a half-sister to MGSWs Crimson Tide (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Pharatta (Ire) (Fairy King), Brigh also counts Irish highweight Shahrastani (Nijinsky II) under her third dam. Two lots brought €45,000 apiece-Haras d’Ombreville’s dual winner Epouville (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) (lot 634) and Monday’s highest priced foal, a colt (lot 818) by Haras de Bouquetot’s MG1SW Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Oceanic Bloodstock purchased the former, whose second dam is responsible for top-class stayer and MG1SW Vazirabad (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}). Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock were in action for the dark bay colt who is out of a winning half-sister to two stakes winners including Grade III runner-up Willard Straight (Lion Cavern). Compared to 2017, 211 lots sold from 267 offered (79%), up 5%. The gross was €2,075,500, and the average was up 2.9% at €9,836. Rounding out the positive results, the median also rose to €6,500 (+8.3%). The final session of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale begins at 11 a.m. local time. View the full article

Anothertwistafate (Scat Daddy) may have disappointed in his first racetrack appearance at Santa Anita last month, but the juvenile made amends with an effortless four-length maiden victory at his home base of Golden Gate Fields Sunday. “I was actually relieved,” trainer Blaine Wright said of the win Monday. “He didn’t show a whole lot the first time we ran him, but that was probably my fault. Yesterday, he showed us the kind of horse we thought he was all along.” Bidding on behalf of Canadian owner Peter Redekop, bloodstock agent Alistair Roden purchased Anothertwistafate from the Wavertree Stables consignment for $360,000 at this year’s OBS June Sale. The colt, who worked a furlong in :10 1/5 was the fourth-highest priced offering at the auction and went through the OBS sales ring just seven days after Justify, another son of Scat Daddy, sealed his Triple Crown championship in the GI Belmont S. Anothertwistafate trained at Wright’s Golden Gate base before shipping south for his six-furlong debut at Santa Anita where he was ninth, beaten 15 lengths, Nov. 3. “I probably never should have sprinted him,” Wright said. “Obviously, for us training at Golden Gate and taking him to Santa Anita, he took dirt in his face for the first time. Training on the synthetic, we don’t get any kickback. And he got a little green down the backside on my rider and kind of backed away from it. The only encouraging thing that we saw was, once he got clear in the lane, he did start making a move. The chart didn’t do him much justice on the race, but he did finish up pretty good and galloped out strong. I just chalk it up to trainer error. I probably should have run him a week before going a mile on the turf. He’s always shown he’s more of a stayer than a sprinter. Maybe in the end it will end up being a good thing getting some race experience.” Stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and back on his home track, Anothertwistafate was never challenged in a wire-to-wire victory (video) Sunday. “He galloped the whole way other than the last sixteenth of a mile,” Wright said. “He got just a touch green before that and he kind of veered in to the rail and Juan [Hernandez] straightened him out. Then from the sixteenth to the wire was the only time he really pushed on him. He never hit him with the stick. I think he really galloped until then.” Bred by Bryant Prentice’s Pursuit of Success, Anothertwistafate is out of Imprecation (First Defence). Out of Media Nox (GB) (Lycius), the mare is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat) and graded winner Mirabilis (Lear Fan). While the colt’s pedigree might indicate his future is on the grass, Wright thinks his charge is versatile enough to perform on any surface. “We probably will try the turf with him at some point,” Wright said. “But I don’t think surface is going to be an issue for this horse. He trains like gangbusters on the synthetic. He’s bred for turf. He’s been on dirt for the training sales and at Santa Anita. He got over the dirt well, he just didn’t handle it in the race real well. But I think going a route of ground, he’s got natural speed and he won’t be behind a :21 and change pace going a route on the dirt.” Wright said he was keeping all options on the table for Anothertwistafate’s next start. “We’ve got some good races at home at Golden Gate that will obviously be on our radar,” Wright said. “Most of the time those guys don’t come north to run on the synthetic track, so sometimes you can dodge the big guys in those races. We’re not going to be in a rush to jump back in with the wild boys real quick. We’ll just see how our horse comes out and trains good and see what happens. So there is no definite race picked out yet. The first-condition allowances are tough to get to fill in Northern California and we would probably entertain a first-condition allowance or a minor stakes on the turf at Santa Anita should that come up. But honestly, I haven’t opened the condition book to even look at anything yet.” Wright, leading trainer at this year’s Emerald Downs race meet, annexed a pair of Southern California graded races with Alert Bay (City Zip). The dark bay gelding carried Redekop’s colors to victory in the 2014 GII Mathis Brothers Mile and 2015 GII City of Hope Mile S. and was recently third in the Lure S. in Arcadia. Wright is hoping Anothertwistafate is able to follow in that veteran’s footsteps. “We’ve got our fingers crossed that he has a bright future,” Wright said of Anothertwistafate. “Hopefully we have another one that can take us down south.” View the full article

A $700,000 renovation project on the one-mile dirt racetrack at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino is running on schedule and is expected to be completed in March 2019 when the barn area opens for training, the track announced Dec. 10. View the full article

DEAUVILLE, France-With the major Flat mares having taken their turn in the ring as the Arqana December Sale opened on Saturday, the curtain will be brought down in Deauville today with some classy National Hunt stock. The traditional jumping theme to the final day of trade has been given an extra boost this year by the inclusion of a dispersal of 22 broodmares and horses in training owned by the successful partnership of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Among the major National Hunt owners in Europe, Munir was notable in his willingness to race fillies and mares long before the racing programme was enhanced in a bid to persuade others to do so. With his racing partner Souede, Munir has amassed an array of talented mares who have since become well-credentialed breeding prospects, but the duo has taken the decision to reduce significantly their breeding interests, which have boarded in Normandy at Richard Powell’s Haras du Lieu des Champs since that side of their operation began. “The numbers have got quite big and that’s actually the reason this sale is happening,” said Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock, who buys horses for the partners. “They are primarily racehorse owners and the breeding side of it has mushroomed so they’ve drawn a line and said that from next year there will be no more foals, though they will race all the progeny currently in the fields.” He added, “Some of the fillies have been withdrawn as they are still racing prospects and have won in the last week, but they will be sold eventually.” Among those remaining in the draft, which has been reduced to 22 from 28 catalogued, is the 8-year-old Gitane du Berlais (Fr) (Balko {Fr}) (lot 934), whose seven victories include the GI Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, and who is now carrying her third foal by Martaline (GB). She is joined by another Grade 1 winner, the comparatively diminutive, at least by jumping standards, but no less talented Utopie Des Bordes (Fr) (Antarctique {Ire}) (lot 942). The 10-year-old is carrying to Balko, while the Cheltenham Festival winner and AQPS-bred Une Artiste (Fr) (Alberto Giacometti {Ire}) is another in foal to Haras de Montaigu’s Martaline and will be sold as lot 938. One of the real head-turners of the draft is the statuesque grey Ma Filleule (Fr) (Turgeon {GB}) (lot 932), a top-class steeplechaser in her day who still very much has a spring to her step, though she unfortunately slipped the foal she was carrying this year. “It’s bittersweet in some ways,” admitted Bromley. “I bought all the horses and planned their careers, and Richard has had them at the stud. Isaac and Simon ended up breeding because they had so many good racemares. It seemed the logical next step, and in fact the breeding programme has been working. Raffles Sun (Fr) has won a Grade 3 at Auteuil and was Grade 1-placed recently, and this is just the first bunch of 4-year-olds.” Despite the dispersal, it may well not be the end of the association of Bromley and his Highflyer partner David ‘Minty’ Minton with some of the stock. He continued, “I feel proud to be associated with such a nice bunch of horses and fingers crossed they sell well for the boys. Minty and I do like a lot of these mares. They are all here for sale, it’s a proper dispersal, but we have other clients and we will be bidding on some of the horses.” Richard Powell, who is well known as a consignor of both Flat and National Hunt horses, and whose father David has had a long-running association with Bromley and Minton as the French advisor for Highflyer Bloodstock, added, “From a consignor’s point of view, it is a privilege to offer such a high-class draft. These horses have been with us for some years now and they are not just horses they are friends, so it’s a bit sad, but that’s the way it is and we’re looking forward to some new adventures in the future. “This a lovely opportunity for National Hunt breeders to buy a treasure, a mare you would keep for a lifetime.” View the full article

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) voted by unanimous voice vote Monday to tweak a claiming price rule enacted in 2012 that had aimed to dis-incentivize owners and trainers from entering lame or uncompetitive horses in lower-level races that had been bolstered by gaming-inflated purses. The new rule will allow for some flexibility in setting claiming prices that are below the required 2:1 standard mandated by the NYSGC. It reads as follows, with the new language that was added to the existing rule highlighted in bold: “The minimum price for which a horse may be entered in a claiming race shall not be less than 50% of the value of the purse for the race, unless the commission approves a request from a franchised or licensed corporation conducting thoroughbred racing for a lower minimum price for all or a portion of a race meeting. The commission shall not approve such a request unless the track has implemented increased measures required by the commission to ensure close examination of the competitiveness, soundness and safety of each horse entered in such race.” When the proposal first came up in September, NYSGC equine medical director Scott Palmer, VMD, had advocated for the rule change, underscoring that he supported allowing flexibility in claiming prices because other protective measures have since been successfully incorporated to try and cut down on injuries and fatalities. According to a brief written by NYSGC general counsel Edmund Burns that was included in the informational packet for the Dec. 10 meeting, “various interested parties have requested the Commission to consider adding flexibility to the existing rule, identifying neighboring jurisdictions who have experienced safe racing with higher purse-to-claiming-price ratios. “The proposal would allow a Thoroughbred racetrack operator, with the approval of the Commission, to depart from this limitation under certain circumstances,” Burns continued. “The Commission has added the requirement that its approval to depart from the limitation will not be granted unless the track implements enhanced measures to ensure close examination of the competitiveness, soundness and safety of each horse in such races.” The new claiming ratio rule takes effect immediately. Two other proposals were advanced to the 60-day public commentary period, both by unanimous voice vote. One would set forth standards for backstretch housing at state-licensed Thoroughbred and harness tracks. “The proposed rule, which would provide, among other things, standards for buildings and residential rooms, sanitary, water, garbage removal and pest control, is generally modeled after the New York Department of Health’s Migrant Farmworker Housing regulations,” Burns wrote. “Staff from the New York Department of Health and New York Department of Labor provided significant input in the development and refinement of the proposal.” According to the NYSGC, of the 2,512 beds currently located on racetrack backstretches statewide, 2,261 (90%) are at facilities operated by The New York Racing Association. A separate proposal that advanced to the public commentary stage involves updating safety standards for helmets and vests at Thoroughbred tracks. Most notably, the proposed new rule would increase the maximum weight of the safety vest from two to four pounds “to permit the wearing of newer vest models, which provide enhanced safety,” Burns wrote. In addition, the proposal also expands the requirement to wear a safety helmet to apply to any person mounted on a horse, plus members of the starting gate crew, including the starter and all assistant starters. View the full article

The annual Longines World’s Best Racehorse and Longines World’s Best Horse Race ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 23. The event will be held for the first time at The Landmark in London, England after it was selected by Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The world’s three highest-rated horses-according to international handicappers–in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings will be honoured, as well as the Longines World’s Best Horse Race. The award for the top-rated racehorse is a the trophy Equus, a crystal vase, while the trophy for the best race is a proud horse head. The highest rated race is determined by averaging the rankings of the first four placed horses. For the full listed go to http://www.ifhaonline.org. View the full article

I don’t see how the Triple Crown winner cannot be Horse of the Year. I go back to the days before the Breeders’ Cup was inaugurated and the Triple Crown is still the engine that fires this game. Justify did all that he needed to do to prove to me that he was the Horse of the Year. The Eclipse Awards are tough. I’ve had several that I thought deserved the accolade and didn’t get it. If they don’t win it with Accelerate, I’m going to know how John Sadler feels. In 2012, we had Little Mike who won the Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Arlington Million and the Woodford Reserve at Churchill. It just so happened he did that in the same year that Wise Dan came along and beat us. For us, there was no other award we could get other than turf champion. At least Accelerate will be older male champion. I don’t like to talk about other people’s horses, but I will say they were both great horses. It’s just that I’m a little more old school and, to me, the power of winning the Triple Crown is impossible to overcome. Dale Romans does not have an Eclipse Award vote View the full article

Sandy Dudgeon has been elected as a senior steward (non-executive chairman) of The Jockey Club beginning July 12, 2019 after the organisation’s winter meeting held in London on Monday. He will serve for five years and succeeds Roger Weatherby. Elected as a Member of The Jockey Club in 1989, Dudgeon served as a steward from 2009-2012, and joined the Board of Stewards in December of 2017. Currently a chartered accountant, Dudgeon won 60 races in point-to-points and under National Hunt rules and was previously a managing director of Thornhill, as well as holding directorship positions with Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust plc and Man Alternative Investments Ltd. He is also a senior advisor at Schroders’ private wealth management business. “I am honoured to have been chosen as the next Senior Steward of The Jockey Club,” said Dudgeon. “I am looking forward to building on the great work of my predecessors from next summer, as we continue to ensure The Jockey Club plays a positive and active role in the long-term success of British horseracing.” Lord Daresbury will retire as a steward on Dec. 31 and The Hon Rose Paterson will join the Board on Jan. 1. Added Weatherby, “I am delighted with Sandy’s appointment and will be pleased to pass the baton on to him in July. I would also like to thank Peter Daresbury for his commitment as a Steward and welcome Rose Paterson, the current Chairman of Aintree Racecourse, onto our Board of Stewards. Her appointment helps to ensure The Jockey Club continues to benefit from an exceptional main board.” View the full article

Last spring, consignor Kip Elser and a longtime client came into the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale with five horses and an old idea made new again. The five 2-year-olds bypassed the typical pre-sale breeze and instead galloped down the lane during the auction’s under-tack preview show. The experiment proved enough of a success that the two men have purchased another group of yearlings this year intent on repeating the scenario at the 2019 Gulfstream sale. “We very happy with the first year,” Elser said. “We were very well received–both in the market, which is most important, and then with the buzz created by the whole thing. It has been very positive to the point where my friend and client is doing it again.” In addition to the five yearlings purchased this fall for the original client, who has chosen to remain anonymous, a further four yearlings were purchased by a separate group of partners. “[The original client] decided that he did not want any partners, but he did encourage me to put together another small group,” Elser said. “He thinks there is enough room in the market to expand it somewhat. So that is what we did. We are going with nine horses this year. It’s an exciting project. It’s a lot of fun. We are doing something a little different and we think people are getting a good look at these horses. We’re really looking forward to taking them out in public.” Three of the five 2-year-olds purchased as yearlings in 2017 under the name Gulfstream Gallop sold at the 2018 Gulfstream auction, led by a Noble Mission (GB) colt who brought $120,000 and a filly by Blame who sold for $100,000 to Dennis O’Neill. The filly, named Splashy Kisses, was a maiden winner at Del Mar in August and finished second in the GII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs. She was eighth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. “We feel great about last year’s results,” Elser said. “That vindicates the project. We have some later-developing horses who ran well first time and look like they are okay. But to have the one filly be graded placed in the first small group of relatively inexpensive horses is very gratifying. I’ve checked with everybody who has one and they are pleased enough. They are going to win their share, they think.” After putting a toe in the water last year, Elser’s client decided to increase his investment going into the 2018 yearling sales. “Last year was very much a, ‘Let’s throw a dart,’ experimental thing,” Elser explained. “It went very well. I think we ratcheted it up this year–we certainly bought more expensive horses.” Gulfstream Gallop opened its 2018 yearling purchases with a $50,000 colt by Bayern (hip 284) at the Fasig-Tipton July sale and purchased a colt by Flatter (hip 1756) for the same price at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. It made its biggest purchase of the year with a $65,000 daughter of Street Sense (hip 123), one of three purchased at the Fasig-Tipton October sale. Only one of the yearlings was not purchased under the name Gulfstream Gallop, a colt (hip 229) who RNA’d for $100,000 at the Keeneland September sale. “He is a More Than Ready colt who was in Book 1 at Keeneland,” Elser explained. “We partnered up with Jack Delhomme, who bred him. He’s an old friend who used to play here in Charlotte. So he is the only one in the group who wasn’t bought and signed for by the Gallop group.” While the Gulfstream sale is still months away, Elser is already feeling positive about the 2019 gallopers. “I’m very happy with the group,” he said. “They are all up and galloping and putting in the days and the miles.” The Gulfstream sale will be held Mar. 27 next year and its date on the calendar makes it a perfect spot to sell these prospects, according to Elser. “I think if you get a little later in the year, you don’t have a reason not to breeze,” Elser said. “These horses are sitting on ready to breeze and I think if you get a little bit later in the year, like for instance at Keeneland where they are already running 2-year-old races, I think people scratch their heads about not breezing. So it got to be a process of elimination picking Gulfstream.” Elser stressed these horses will be doing exactly what was intended when they gallop in Hallandale next spring. “I think it is important that people know what this group is,” he said. “They haven’t been tried and found wanting. Right from the start this was the plan. As we did last year, they will two-minute lick down the lane at Gulfstream. The intent is to go just fast enough that the guys with the motion analysis cameras can get a read on them. That’s it. Whether you call it an open gallop or a two-minute lick, I don’t know. It is not a fast breeze.” View the full article

William Buick intends to appeal against the severity of the six-week ban imposed by the stewards for his ride in Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase. The jockey pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless riding after partnering the Tony Cruz-trained Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) to finish sixth in the Group 1 heat. Buick was found to have caused interference to both Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid) when going for a gap with a couple of furlongs to race, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club stewards suspending him from Dec. 17 to Jan. 28, which is equivalent to 12 Hong Kong racedays. Buick was also fined HK$20,000 for the rule breach, but intends to lodge an appeal against the sanctions. View the full article

In 2018, a new milestone was reached by a broodmare sire in Europe. Pivotal (GB) became the first-ever to be represented by as many as eight individual European Group 1 winners in a single year. And on only four previous occasions has a broodmare sire managed to top the annual list with five or more Group 1 winners. Danehill was the best in 2011, 2012 and 2014, siring the dams of seven, six and five Group 1 winners. Meanwhile, Sadler’s Wells sired the dams of five Group 1 winners when topping the list in 2005. So, only three stallions have managed to head the annual list with five or more Group 1 winners since the pattern began. That’s pretty exalted company considering that some of the finest broodmares have fallen short. Darshaan (GB) was a leading broodmare sire of Group 1 winners in Europe on nine occasions between 1998 and 2013, but the most he could manage in his best years was four, which he achieved on five occasions. Sadler’s Wells was at the top on four further occasions with four Group 1 winners and his son Galileo also had four Group 1 winners in 2016 and 2017, when he shared the title with Pivotal and Storm Cat. What’s remarkable about Pivotal’s success this year is the breath in aptitude of his daughter’s Group 1 winners. There were two juvenile six-furlong winners in Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and Fairyland (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), and a five-furlong sprinter in Mab’s Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) won a Group 1 over seven furlongs and Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration Of War) over a mile. Then there were middle-distance stars Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). View the full article

As his odds of 1-5 make perfectly clear, there was nothing improbable about Improbable (City Zip)’s victory in the GI Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity. Nor was there anything improbable about a colt of his pedigree establishing a record of three wins from three starts as a 2-year-old. His sire, the ultra-tough City Zip, won five of his 11 juvenile starts, including the GI Hopeful S., and this son of the fast Carson City has also been represented by the Breeders’ Cup 2-year-old winners Bulletin (2018 Juvenile Turf Sprint) and Catch A Glimpse (Juvenile Fillies Turf). It was on the undercard of the opening day of the Breeders’ Cup that Improbable had earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status with his effortless victory in the Street Sense S., over a mile of the Kentucky Derby course. Sadly, City Zip had to be euthanized at the age of 19 in July 2017, and his long-standing foot problems appear to have prevented him carrying out his stallion duties that year. At least he had been able to cover 129 mares in 2016, so we can look forward to a final crop of nearly 100, which will race in 2019. No fewer than seven members of this 2017 crop sold for prices between $250,000 and $500,000 as yearlings, which illustrates the progress City Zip made after starting his stallion career in 2002 at a fee of $7,500. He was originally based at Contemporary Stallions in New York in 2002, before being moved to Lane’s End Farm at the end of 2004. City Zip wasn’t just a 2-year-old. Although his tough juvenile campaign might have drained a less durable individual, City Zip made a further 12 starts at three and he was good enough to win four more stakes races, including the GIII Jersey Shore S. and GII Amsterdam S. All four of his 3-year-old victories came over six furlongs. Add in the fact that his sire Carson City had gained all of his three graded successes over six furlongs and it seemed fair to assume that City Zip would primarily be a source of speed. The fact that his two-year-younger half-brother Ghostzapper was versatile enough to win the Vosburgh, the Met Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Classic didn’t seem particularly relevant, as his sire Awesome Again possessed much more stamina than Carson City. However, City Zip proved to be much more than a one-dimensional speed sire. He proved very proficient at siring smart performers on turf, as well as dirt, and quite a few of his progeny have been effective around two turns. Two who combined turf prowess with a degree of stamina were Catch A Glimpse, who added the GI Belmont Oaks over a mile and a quarter to her Breeders’ Cup success, and Dayatthespa, a multiple Grade I scorer who landed the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over the Kentucky Derby distance. Another who enjoyed Grade I success over a mile and a quarter was City Zip’s admirable son Collected, who defeated Arrogate and Accelerate to take the 2017 Pacific Classic, prior to his second to Gun Runner in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. At the other end of the distance spectrum were Work All Week, winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and Finest City, who landed the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. It is a measure of City Zip’s talent that Work All Week, Finest City and Dayatthespa were all sired at $15,000, while Catch A Glimpse was the result of a 20,000-dollar season. City Zip also enjoyed Grade I success with Palace (Forego S. and Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.), Bustin Stones (Carter H.), Personal Diary (Del Mar Oaks) and Zipessa (First Lady S.), In the process of siring all these good winners, City Zip established an Average Earnings Index of 1.68, whereas his mares’ Comparable Index stood at only 1.41, which is another way of saying that City Zip often succeeded in upgrading his mares. It is going to be interesting to see whether City Zip can pass on his prowess as a sire to his sons. Although City Zip is easily the most successful of Carson City’s sons, with his ten Grade I winners, four other sons of Carson City succeeded in siring a Grade I winner, these being Pollard’s Vision, Flying Chevron, Hear No Evil and Cuvee. As yet, no son of City Zip has been responsible for a Grade I winner, but that looks set to change. The precocious Run Away And Hide has a creditable record with six graded winners, despite never standing at more than $7,500. Another of City Zip’s fast sons, the dual Grade I winner Palace, is based at Spendthrift, and will have his first runners next year. Collected is well placed to make a much bigger impact, as he begins his stallion career at Airdrie at a fee of $17,500, and Improbable has already done enough to be taken seriously as a stallion prospect. There is also good reason for thinking that Improbable has a good chance of becoming another good performer at up to a mile and a quarter for City Zip, as there is stamina in the bottom half of his pedigree. The one possible weak link is Stravinsky, the champion European sprinter who sired Improbable’s second dam Our Rite of Spring, who won the Exogenous S. over 8.3 furlongs at Aqueduct. It is interesting that Improbable’s dam, the four-time winner Rare Event, is a daughter of the Belmont and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner A.P. Indy. I have pointed out in the past that A.P. Indy’s son Bernardini has enjoyed considerable success with mares by City Zip’s sire Carson City. This cross’s statistics currently stand at 20 foals, 18 starters and 15 winners, with five of the 15 enjoying black-type success. Among them are the Grade I winners Cavorting and A Z Warrior, and a mare bred this way is the dam of GI Hollywood Derby winner Mo Town. Improbable’s dam Rare Event cost $400,000 as a yearling. Improbable comes from a highly successful Darby Dan female line which is no stranger to classic success, with the Futurity winner’s fifth and sixth dams being Luiana and Banquet Belle. It was Banquet Belle who provided John W. Galbreath with Primonetta, a champion older mare, and Chateaugay, a winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont S. Another of Banquet Bell’s foals, Luiana, gave Darby Dan Little Current, winner of the Preakness and Belmont. Improbable’s fourth dam, Darbyvail, was a winning daughter of the Epsom Derby winner Roberto and his third dam, Turkish Tryst, is by Turkoman, who gained two of his GI wins over a mile and a quarter. Turkish Tryst passed on some of the family’s stamina to her Danzig colt Hard Spun, who stayed a mile and a quarter well enough to finish second to Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby and to Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. View the full article

14:40 Fontwell As the only hurdle winner set to take aim at this 10 runner field Outofthisworld could be seen as a very obvious choice but perhaps that’s doing some of her rivals a disservice. The Alan King trained Midnightreferendum finished second in a Grade 2 national hunt flat race at Aintree and the form of that contest looks very good indeed. The downside to the King runner however is a slightly disappointing 7th placed finish on her hurdling debut doesn’t inspire a tonne of confidence but this race looks far less competitive and a finish closer to the front is certainly expected. The some what of an unknown quantity is Amethea. She’s not done all that much to take note of in her career to date but trainer Ben Pauling has his horses going well at the moment and its very interesting to see that top jockey Nico De Boinville travels to Fontwell just for this one ride. A possible each way shout for punters looking for a horse at a bigger price but I can’t see past the top weight who aims to add another winner to the long list of Harry Fry successes. OUTOFTHISWORLD (WIN) – NAP 15:30 Uttoxeter The fantastic thing about watching any national hunt flat contest is the promise of what might be. Youngsters taking one of their first forays into racing all bright eyed and green is a spectacle to behold and if you’re very lucky you’ll witness a future great in the making. Needless to say not all races in this sphere can produce amazing horses but based on breeding alone I’d be surprised if one or two from this race didn’t turn out to be at least half decent. Lots of the major jumps operations (even the flat with trainer Mick Appleby) are represented with surnames such as Fry, Skelton, Hobbs, Greatrex and Bowen listed amongst the trainers. It’s obviously going to be a hotly contested affair but I think any horse that’s already graced the course before is at a significant advantage and Just Rocky will just get the nod. Out of superstar long distance flat performer Yeats this five year old gelding is precociously bred and a 4th placed effort at Warwick should stand him in good stead for team Skelton. The un-raced Get In The Queue demands a close eye in the betting and North Star Oscar looks an obvious threat as well but Just Rocky may have that extra touch of class that’s needed to prevail here. JUST ROCKY (WIN) Southwell: 11:50 – Sylviacliffs (E/W) 12:20 – Fox Kasper (WIN) 12:50 – Chez Vegas (E/W) 13:20 – Epitaph (E/W) 13:50 – Carlovian (E/W) 14:20 – Esprit De Corps (E/W) 14:50 – Helen Sherbert (WIN) 15:20 – The Groove (E/W) Uttoxeter: 12:30 – Katebird (E/W) 13:00 – Alliteration (WIN) 13:30 – Just Don’t Ask (E/W) 14:00 – Kitikat (E/W) 14:30 – Volcano (WIN) 15:00 – Wish In A Well (E/W) 15:30 – Just Rocky (WIN)* Fontwell: 12:40 – Lee Side Lady (E/W) 13:10 – The Ogle Gogle Man (WIN) 13:40 – Tazka (WIN) 14:10 – Scoop The Pot (WIN) 14:40 – Outofthisworld (WIN) – NAP 15:10 – Bears Rails (E/W) 15:40 – Blue April (E/W) The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Tuesday 11th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The fallout from an action-packed Longines Hong Kong International Races continues with top European jockey William Buick appealing against the severity of the 12-meeting suspension he copped for his “reckless” effort on Pakistan Star in the Vase. After considering the matter, the Godolphin-retained rider has decided to try and get a reduction in the ban, which currently sees him out of action from December 17 through to January 28 and includes a HK$20,000 fine. Buick pleaded guilty... View the full article

At Sha Tin on Sunday, Encouraging became the first ex-Michael Freedman horse to win of the 10 to run since the trainer’s return to Australia last month and another three go around at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Encouraging won well for new trainer John Moore under Douglas Whyte, with the five-year-old notching his first win from 10 starts. But there certainly has not been a trend of horses improving once leaving Freedman’s yard, with the majority of those to run since the... View the full article

After 8 winners including easy wins for both the NAP and Next Best, the Picks From The Paddock are back to try and get your week off to a flier! Best Bet Of The Day 14:00 Lingfield Trainer Tom Lacey has been in excellent form in recent weeks, posting four wins from his last ten runners, and also has a fantastic strike rate when he has the champion jockey Richard Johnson in the saddle. They team up with He’s A Goer who returns to a left-handed track following a disappointing run when pulled up at Hereford last time out. His only career win came on good ground but it was over this trip and he has experienced testing conditions in bumpers last season so would be no surprise to see an improved run here. That said, Gary Moore has trained the winner of this race for the last two years and sends last years’ winner Clayton in a bid to win it again. He hasn’t been seen since finishing second over course and distance in January but does have a good record when fresh and will likely have been primed for this race so he has to be the selection to bring up the hat-trick for his trainer. Clayton (WIN) – NAP Next Best 13:30 Lingfield Paul Henderson has sent four chasers to Lingfield in the last three years and has emerged with two wins and two placed efforts for his efforts. His runner here is For Carmel who has been the model of consistency over the larger obstacles, making the frame in four from five including a victory at Newton Abbott when last seen over fences and two placed efforts on both prior visits to Lingfield. He had a pipe-opener over hurdles last month so should be spot on for this race and has winning form in testing conditions so should be capable of another bold performance now returning to fences. How’s My Friend finished last season with a hat-trick of victories but all three came in lower grades and doesn’t have the best of records when returning from a break so although is respected he may just need this, so the bigger danger could be Pray For a Rainbow who posted his only career victory over hurdles in heavy ground here at Lingfield and put in a promising run in second when last seen over fences. For Carmel (WIN) Lingfield 12:30 – Tribesmans Glory (WIN) 13:00 – Coded Message (WIN) 13:30 – For Carmel (WIN) 14:00 – Clayton (WIN) 14:30 – Ballyheigue Bay (WIN) 15:00 – Illtellmema (WIN) Musselburgh 12:15 – Nendrum (WIN) 12:45 – Thibault (WIN) 13:15 – Wolfcatcher (WIN) 13:45 – Civil Unrest (WIN) 14:15 – Liva (WIN) 14:45 – Arthurs Secret (WIN) 15:15 – Thyne For Gold Wolverhampton 15:30 – Mossy’s Lodge (WIN) 16:00 – Involved (WIN) 16:30 – Unforgiving Minute (WIN) 17:00 – She’s Got You (WIN) 17:30 – Beehaar (WIN) 18:00 – You’re Cool (WIN) 18:30 – Charlie D (WIN) 19:00 – Rubensian (WIN) The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Monday 10th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Injured jockey Tye Angland has been flown back to Australia, two weeks after a horror fall at Sha Tin. The Jockey Club, which has still not revealed the nature of his injuries, confirmed Angland had been moved out of the Prince of Wales Hospital on Monday morning. “Jockey Tye Angland was cleared by doctors for travel and repatriated to Australia on Sunday evening accompanied by his wife Erin and an attending doctor,” the Jockey Club said in a statement. “Tye arrived in Sydney... View the full article

WH Kok suspended for three days View the full article

Trainer Kevin Attard was going to win the 1 3/4-mile race. What was in question until the final strides was which of his two horses would cross the wire first. 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 Breeders’ Cup winner Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}). 5.30 Wolverhampton, Cond, £5,800, 2yo, f, 7f 36y (AWT) Khalid Abdullah’s homebred CLERISY (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is a half-sister to last month’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) and debuts for Sir Michael Stoute in this distaffers’ test. Her rivals include Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s homebred firster Thakaa (Lemon Drop Kid), who is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to MG1SW Grand Couturier (GB) (Grand Lodge), representing Charles Hills; and The LAM Partnership’s Maerchengarten (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who is an Ed de Giles-trained unraced half-sister to this term’s G2 Derby Italiano victor Summer Festival (GB) (Poet’s Voice {GB}). View the full article

Artilena scored her first stakes victory from off the pace in the $125,000 Ontario Lassie for 2-year-old Ontario-bred fillies Dec. 9 at Woodbine. View the full article

When Improbable (City Zip) trounced his opponents in Saturday’s GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity he received much deserved rave reviews. He endured a brief scare from stablemate Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) before switching into another gear and drawing off by five. He is undefeated, a two-time stakes winner and now a Grade I winner. This is a very good horse. And he may not be Bob Baffert’s best 2-year-old. He might not be his fifth best 2-year-old. There’s nothing new about Baffert having a lot of quality juveniles in his barn, but he’s taken it to a new level this year. A ridiculous level. Baffert has had 13 2-year-old males break their maiden this year, a list that includes champion-in-waiting and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}). He’s also had seven 2-year-old fillies win a maiden race. No doubt, there’s more. There are 21 days left to go in 2018 and he proved last year with Justify that he can still win a GI Kentucky Derby with a horse that didn’t start until February. Baffert doesn’t have to win next year’s Derby, but it appears that he could show up at Churchill Downs with the greatest collection of talent any trainer has ever brought to Louisville. Here are the 13, and one person’s opinion on where they belong on the Baffert pecking order: 1) Game Winner: While some believe that Improbable is Baffert’s best 2-year-old, you can’t deny Game Winner first place. Not after all he has accomplished. He’s a three-time Grade I winner, the Breeders’ Cup winner, is undefeated and a future Eclipse Award winner. 2) Improbable: Would anyone be surprised if this horse were standing in the Derby winner’s circle on May 4? He struggled to break his maiden, winning by only a neck, but has been nothing short of sensational since. He won the Street Sense S. at Churchill by 7 1/4 lengths and looked like a potential superstar in the Los Al race Saturday. 3) Coliseum (Tapit): This horse hasn’t accomplished nearly as much as Game Winner or Improbable, but it appears his potential in unlimited. The colt’s owner, Godolphin, signed on with Baffert because winning a Kentucky Derby remains a major goal, and they came to the realization that their chances can only get better if they team up with the best Kentucky Derby trainer of modern times. Godolphin sent Baffert a handful of 2-year-olds and, reading between the lines, they sent ones they were very high on. Coliseum has run once, winning a Del Mar maiden by 6 3/4 lengths. 4) Roadster (Quality Road): This one is a bit of a sleeper. He was an impressive maiden winner in July at Del Mar and then came back to run third in the GI Del Mar Futurity behind Game Winner. Despite facing Game Winner, he was the 7-10 favorite that day. Baffert said the horse had a minor setback after that race and that he remains very high on him. 5) Magic On Tap (Tapit): By Tapit out of a Grade I winning mare, Aubby K, this horses is bred as well as a horse can be bred. He debuted Sept. 1 at Del Mar and won easily, by 2 1/4 lengths. The race was at 6 1/2 furlongs and this horse should only get better with added distance. 6) Tale of the Union (Union Rags): A New York-bred that costs $925,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic 2-Year-Old Sale, he smashed the competition in his debut on Aug 26. He won by eight lengths, covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.81. You have to wonder why he hasn’t run back, and he hasn’t had a published workout since Sept. 18. 7) Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man): Already a graded stakes winner, which he accomplished in the GIII Bob Hope S., he finished second Saturday behind Improbable at Los Alamitos. It was his first start around two turns, which could mean two things–this horse doesn’t want to go long or Improbable is just that good. 8) Metropol (Shackleford): Broke his maiden Oct. 10 at Santa Anita as the 7-10 favorite. He would be rated higher, but falls to the middle of the pack because he won by only three-quarters of a length over a horse that subsequently ran seventh in a maiden race. 9) Kingly (Tapit): Another whose breeding is off-the-charts good–he is a full brother to Mohaymen, a four-time Grade II winner, and a half brother to GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}). He debuted Dec. 1 at Del Mar and won by 3/4 of a length. What made no sense is that with his breeding and the Baffert brand, he went off at 4-1. The ones the barn really likes almost always go off as odds-on favorites. 10) Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile): Started off with a bang, breaking his maiden by 3 1/4 lengths at 9-10. But Baffert then decided to turn him into a grass horse. He ran second in the Zuma Beach S. and 14th in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Sorry, Bob, grass is not your forte. Time to put this one back on the dirt. 11) Cruel Intention (Smiling Tiger): The good news: he’s 2 for 2. The bad news: His wins have come in California-bred competition. 12) Count Di Luna (Liason): Broke his maiden by 1 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita in his lone appearance, but was completely dead on the board at 10-1. Baffert also used an apprentice, Assael Espinoza. Doesn’t sound like a horse the stable was very high on. 13) Dark Prince (Cairo Prince): Took him five starts to break his maiden and when he did it was in a maiden claimer on the grass. All Hail, Kukulkan That was an eye-catching performance turned in by Kukulkan (Mex) (Pointed Determined) in the Carribean Classic at Gulfstream. The Mexican Triple Crown winner made an almost Arazi-like move down the backstretch on his way to a 10 1/4-length win. He is now 14 for 14 and earned ($180,000) more in that one race than he did in all his prior starts ($152,484). But how good is he? His Beyer number was just a 71, which may or may not win a $25,000 claimer in the U.S. Gulfstream handled $9,617,173 on the card, a 9% increase over the inaugural Clasico Internacional del Caribe program. Yet, American racing fans are, apparently, still having a hard time betting the races for the foreign horses with any confidence. A week earlier, on Claiming Crown Day, Gulfstream handled $13.6 million. Saturday, the last two non-Caribe races handled a combined $2.2 million in the win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta pools. In the first two Caribe races, the total handle for those races for the same pools was $1.2 million. Nonetheless, there’s something to be said about creating big events at the track, even if they affect the betting. I have not been to a Clasico Internacional del Caribe program, but those who have say the atmosphere is as electric as you’ll find at any racetrack on any day. That’s something you can’t put a price on. It looks the Caribe Classic at Gulfstream is here to stay. Horse of the Year In recent days, the TDN has featured a series asking prominent people in racing who should be Horse of the Year. I figured Justify (Scat Daddy) would come out on top over Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky), but it wasn’t close. Though the poll was hardly scientific, it left me with no doubt that Justify will be named 2018 Horse of the Year. With one exception (Steve Cauthen), I compiled the reports, so I feel I’ve earned the right to have my own opinion heard. I will not only vote for Justify, I won’t even give it a second thought. In fact, as long as I’ve still got a vote and a pulse, I will vote for any horse than wins the Triple Crown. It is the ultimate achievement in this sport, and nothing else comes close. We can be a fickle bunch. Until American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) won the 2015 Triple Crown there were those who were convinced that feat was so difficult that it may never be achieved again. Remember all that talk about shortening the races and/or putting more space between them? So now that it took just three years for another horse to win a Triple Crown, to some people, it’s not that big of a deal? C’mon. Accelerate had a marvelous year and it took something of the magnitude of a Triple Crown winner to deny him what would have been a very deserving Horse of the Year. Yes, we all wish Justify continued to race after the Belmont, but that doesn’t take anything away from what was a sensational, albeit, brief campaign. A Horse of the Year campaign. View the full article

Gary and Mary West’s Final Jeopardy (c, 2, Street Sense–Addison Run, by Unbridled’s Song), a $110,000 Keeneland November weanling, bound home a much-the-best winner of his debut at Gulfstream Park Sunday. The bay colt, sent off at 4-1, was outfooted early and settled at the back of the field through an opening quarter in :22.35. Still last after a half in :46.44, he was angled to the center of the track at the top of the stretch and closed with a vengeance, soaring clear to win by seven lengths and completing the six furlongs in 1:12.90. Admiral Lynch (Super Saver) was second and Greater Cairo (Cairo Prince) was third. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. O-Gary and Mary West. B-Bloodstock Investment III (Ky). T- Jason Servis. View the full article

Salomon Del Valle's Margoth purchased a spot in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), confirming multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera for North America's richest race Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

DEAUVILLE, France-Following a record-breaking opening day on Saturday, the tempo of the trade dropped down a few notches for the second session of Arqana’s December Breeding Stock Sale on Sunday. Nonetheless, the clearance rate remained solid for lower-level trade as of late at 74%. The total accrued for 198 sold was €5,260,500. The average and median both dipped slightly: 5.8% at €26,568 and 6.5% at €21,000, respectively. The draft of the Wertheimer brothers-who cull exclusively at Arqana each year-is perennially sought after, with prices reaching up to €450,000 on Saturday for their carefully cultivated families. Sunday’s top lot didn’t quite reach those heights, but nonetheless leading Czech breeder Jiri Travnicek has secured a mare with plenty to like on pedigree for €150,000 in Kapitale (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 479). The 10-year-old mare, who is carrying her fifth foal by Maxios (Ger), is a Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed half-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby winner and sire Kamsin (Ger) and G1 Preis von Europa victor Khan (Ger). Thomas Janda of Janda Bloodstock signed the ticket on behalf of Tavnicek, who around 10 years ago purchased a farm called Haras de Beaufay about an hour from Deauville. Having spent the last decade renovating the nursery, Tavnicek is now beginning to stock up on mares. “We tried to buy [on Saturday] but didn’t succeed so we are pleased to have been able to buy two today,” Janda said. “We like the family of this mare and the fact that she is a group winner by Dubawi. Her progeny may be destined to be sold so we are looking at commercial pedigrees.” Eric Puerari and Michel Zerolo of Haras des Capucines bred the multiple Grade I winner Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune {Ire}) and sold her on two occasions-as a yearling for €95,000 at Arqana August and as a broodmare prospect for $2.5-million at Fasig-Tipton through Zerolo’s Oceanic Bloodstock-so when Haras d’Etreham’s 7-year-old mare Bartira (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) (Lot 401) from the same family came up for sale on Sunday through Haras d’Etreham, the team found something they were plenty familiar with. Puerari and Zerolo went to €135,000 to ensure the mare, who is carrying to Dream Ahead, joins their paddocks. A one-time winner, Bartira is out of the G2 German 1000 Guineas winner Briseida (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and a half-sister to the German Group 3 winner Brisanto (GB) (Dansili {GB}). The second dam, Party Doll (Be My Guest), is the third dam of Zagora. Bartira is carrying her fourth foal and her first, Pappalino (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), was stakes-placed this year at two. Puerari said the team hadn’t began to imagine a mating yet. “We have to think about the mating; we have a hard enough time thinking about the matings for the mares we already have, let alone the ones we haven’t bought yet,” he quipped. “She’s from the family of Zagora, who we bred, so we know the family well and she has a good mating in her. It’s all positive for her; a nice young mare is not easy to get.” Capucines sold the sale-topping Lily’s Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}) for €1.1-million on Saturday. Dschingis Secret (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) was certainly amongst the best of his generation in Europe, last year stringing together consecutive victories in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and G2 Prix Foy over Iquitos (Ger), Hawkbill and Cloth of Stars (Ire), respectively. The 5-year-old enters stud next year at Haras de Saint-Arnoult, and he gained a new member of his first book on Sunday when his owner Horst Purdwill and partners went to €100,000 through agent Chris Richner to secure the 4-year-old mare Waldfee (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (Lot 343). The winning mare is currently in foal to Charm Spirit (Ire), and connections will be hoping she becomes as prolific a producer as her second dam Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), the dam of three stakes horses and the second dam of a further five, including G1 Irish St Leger winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), the dam of dual Group 1 winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) lit up the bid board during Saturday’s opening session of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale when her weanling filly by Dubawi (Ire) sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for €1-million, and it was a close relation to that G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner that made headlines on Sunday. Ecurie des Monceaux’s 3-year-old filly Aumale (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (Lot 366) fetched a much more modest sum of €90,000 from Australian-based agent John Foote on behalf of Cambridge Stud, but Foote reasoned that with a page like that, it is unlikely her value will ever drop. “She’s something that could be worth a lot more one day, and probably won’t be worth any less,” he said. Aumale was a 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling two years ago when scooped up by Mayfair Speculators and Monceaux, and she was a winner in the French provinces earlier this year for Nicolas Clement in the third of her six starts. She is the first foal out of Amber Silk (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), a winning full-sister to Just The Judge who was bought by Will Edmeades for 400,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2013. A year later, Just The Judge lit up that same sale when making 4.5-million gns from Qatar Racing and China Horse Club to dissolve the former’s partnership with the Sangster family, and the 8-year-old mare has this year gone a fair way towards repaying that investment. Prior to Saturday’s sale-topping foal, Just The Judge’s yearling colt by Dubawi had topped the Arqana August yearling sale at €1.4-million. “She’s a nice filly,” Foote said of Aumale. “She’s by Dansili and has a good pedigree. The half-brother was only beaten a nose first time out in Newmarket and the mother has been bred very well. We’ll just hope for the best.” Cambridge Stud has been busy buying mares through this weekend and last week at Tattersalls; they have bought six so far at Arqana and signed for seven in Newmarket. Foote said Brendan and Jo Lindsay-who purchased the famed stud from Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan earlier this year-are doing some culling and sourcing new mares for their suddenly expanded broodmare band. “Before they bought Cambridge, they had a good broodmare band of their own, but only about 25 mares,” the agent said. “They inherited 85 mares from the old Cambridge and they’re going to sell some of them, so they’re just restocking and getting some new blood and some European blood that suits New Zealand. But we’re just trying to buy a bit of value, and it’s working out pretty well. So we just have to hope they’re good-it’s the easy part buying them, we just have to hope they produce winners.” Haras d’Etreham announced last month that Wootton Bassett (GB) would next year stand for €40,000, double his fee of the past two years, on the back of a successful season both on the racetrack and in the yearling sales rings. Wootton Bassett–who had announced himself as a serious sire immediately with European champion 3-year-old and Etreham stallion barnmate Almanzor (Fr) in his first crop-added five new stakes horses and two new Group 1 horses in 2018 and had 12 yearlings sell for over €100,000. The stock of the G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere winner were popular at Arqana on Sunday, too: he was responsible for the day’s top-priced foal, Haras de la Louviere’s lot 522, bought by Jamie Railton for €120,000 out of the unraced Misty Night (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Wootton Bassett also had a colt (lot 399) sold for €70,000 to Mick Flanagan, while Saubouas Bloodstock bought another colt for €52,000. Another established French sire, Montfort & Preaux’s Le Havre (Ire), was similarly popular, with a filly foal bought by Margaret O’Toole for €76,000 (lot 454) and a colt sold for €50,000 to Charel Bloodstock. O’Toole also bought a Showcasing (GB) filly for €70,000. Zoffany (Ire) had a colt bought by Nicolas Lefevre’s Equos Racing International for €50,000. Coolmore’s dual Group 1-winning juvenile Pride of Dubai (Aus) may have been bred and raced Down Under, but his pedigree offers plenty of appeal to European breeders and this season has seen the shuttlers first-crop foals offered at the sales. His name was near the top of the sheets for foals at Arqana on Sunday after Philip Stauffenberg signed for a German-bred half-brother to the Norwegian Group 3 winner Fearless Hunter (Alhaarth), for €57,000. Pride of Dubai is by Street Cry, and leading European sires Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB) appear under his second dam. Other first-season sires with prominent results on Sunday were Darley’s Territories (Ire), who had a colt sell for €68,000, and Belardo (Ire), with a colt sold for €57,000. View the full article