Wandering Eyes

With that long-awaited top-level victory finally on his past performance lines, Heart to Heart will try to capture the race that has taunted him most when he heads a field of 10 in the $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile (G1T). View the full article

If interest from Todd Pletcher himself attests to the growing credibility of this auction, then his choice of envoy reflects no less well on Danielle Bricker. Still only 26, and with no background in the industry, Bricker has been fast-tracked to a position as bloodstock assistant and 2-year-old scout for the record-breaking American trainer. And her presence at the Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale is a measure of her determination to maintain the dizzy rate of her education. “If he sees you have potential and are really willing to work, Todd will give you the opportunity,” Bricker said. “He learned under the best–and I’m learning from the best.” Bricker’s trip is the result of an enterprising mission to Florida by Goffs director Tim Kent and GBRI operations director James Oldring. With Royal Ascot increasingly targeted by Americans, and this sale proving a fertile source of early-season juveniles, Pletcher agreed to send Bricker across in the certainty that–whether or not she managed to find a likely type for export–she could only benefit from the experience. Bricker has not yet been with Pletcher for two years, but it tells you everything that he promoted her from hotwalker to barn foreman in barely six weeks. She had been on her way to becoming a nurse when switching to an equine programme at the University of Kentucky, after which various internships and introductions–above all with Donato Lanni, a cherished mentor–persuaded her that she had found her vocation. Back in Long Island, her parents were aghast. “My dad’s an accountant, a complete numbers guy,” she said. “And when I told them what I wanted to do, they said, ‘What are you talking about!’ But seeing how determined and hard-working they have always been, I knew I had to be the same. So I’m constantly reading, learning, researching. Dr. Jose Bras allows me to sit in on surgeries, so I can connect everything. Todd said in this position he doesn’t want me competing with anybody: I work with everyone, build relationships, I’ve done business with people like Justin Casse and Jacob West. We all want good horses, and certain agents will want to send them to Todd [anyway].” Having never left the U.S. before, this has already been an eye-opening trip for Bricker–from getting lost in London on her first day, to visiting the yards of Marco Botti and Roger Varian in Newmarket, to seeing horses breezing through mud and mist. “It’s all very different from 2-year-old sales in the U.S., where everything’s in equipment: blinkers, different bits, wrappings on legs,” she said. “I’m viewing it as an experience, but Todd said to see if we maybe could find something for a client who might be interested in a turf horse, or an international pedigree. Horses are exposed to a lot of different things here: having to walk to the track on the side of the road, being out in an open field, that kind of thing. But the biggest difference is that a lot of them are on the smaller side, so you have to use your imagination and decide if a horse might grow–or if it’s a European horse, not that big but it can still compete.” Bricker has also been tutored by her employer’s father J.J. Pletcher, such a celebrated judge of young stock. One of her breakthrough assignments was to shortlist an entire September Sale at Keeneland through to Book 6. “Which is a lot of horses to get through,” she said. “But it was a phenomenal experience. J.J. is just so knowledgeable and Todd still takes his opinion to everything, so to learn under the two of them–well, you can’t really ask for better teachers.” “I don’t know if I picked it up from Todd, who sometimes will just walk off to be by himself during training, to really focus on things,” she said. “But I find when I’m watching previews, or at the sales, I prefer to do the same, not to be distracted by everything going on. Because, working for Todd, I don’t want to make a mistake: I only want to make him proud and happy I’m in this position. And the only way you’re going to do that is if you really focus, if you keep learning and expanding your knowledge.” View the full article

The thousands of men and woman who care for race horses on a daily basis are widely regarded as unsung heroes of the sport, but it remains easy to forget that the life of a backstretch worker can often be a transient and lonely one. However, most racetracks offer both practical and spiritual support through chaplaincy programs. The one in place at Keeneland, which opened Friday for its spring meet, is a perfect example. The words “racetrack chaplain” may lead one to think of John 3:16 crackling over the speakers throughout the barns, but the job goes far beyond knowledge of the Bible. It also takes an understanding of the human spirit and the realities of paperwork. “The most common question I am asked is, ‘What does a chaplain do at a racetrack?'” said Dean Carpenter, Keeneland’s chaplain. “I tell them to come on over, and we can talk about it for a week. People don’t realize how far this office extends.” Carpenter, who has been in his current role for about two years, offers the quip with an easy smile. He’s also quick to deflect any credit from himself, preferring to give it to the Lord, Keeneland, the supportive local community, and his assistant, Diana Varon. While technically Carpenter and Varon are there to help anyone working at Keeneland or the nearby Thoroughbred Training Center, the vast majority of their time is devoted to the backstretch workers. However, neither of them ended up in their roles following a traditional path. About six and a half years ago, Carpenter began working at Keeneland not as a chaplain but as a HVAC/plumbing technician. He eventually left when he was offered another job, but shortly thereafter, he received a phone call. “I got an intriguing job offer with the city of Lexington, so I left for five months,” Carpenter said. “Then, I got news that the chaplain here, Bobby Aldridge, had announced his retirement. Keeneland called me knowing I had been going to courses for ministry for 10 years. They wanted to offer me the position, and I accepted. “I didn’t know going through all the barns and familiarizing myself with the grounds was God’s way of preparing me for this role. I can’t imagine trying to learn the grounds of Keeneland and this position at the same time.” A native of Colombia, Varon was a dental assistant before turning to the ministry. She began at Keeneland in December 2013 and also works for the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund. “I believe every single day God wants me here,” she said. “Some of the workers can’t speak English, so they come to me. The female workers sometimes feel more comfortable coming to me. We are a 24/7 operation. We are on call all the time. This position is priceless, though. Nothing in the world can give us more joy than seeing someone with renewed hope who is taking care of themselves.” Duties and Devotion The obvious parts of the job are most noticeable when the race meets are going on in April and October. Carpenter will deliver morning devotion over the intercom, there are chapel services on the grounds, and he will have devotion with the jockeys every day before first post. It is what happens constantly behind the scenes, however, that makes the role of racetrack chaplain unique. Carpenter and Varon provide a number of services that go well beyond the spiritual. Just some of their duties include helping organize English as a Second Language classes; scheduling free health and welfare screenings; working with state and local agencies; making referrals for immigration status; providing clothing, toiletries and food; and hosting social activities. “It’s a tough life on the backside, so we are put in place for a number of things people don’t realize we do,” said Carpenter. “Sometimes people just need someone to talk to, and sometimes they need help shipping the body of a deceased loved one back home for burial in their native country.” In short, they are there to provide support, information, and education to a population that is largely overlooked by society. “When people refer to the chaplaincy, they believe it is just a spiritual thing, but it is way more than that,” Varon said. “We are involved with God, yes, but this office also provides a lot of hope to people. “We try to support them. They have to know about the system of the country and what is legal and illegal. They need help with prescriptions. They have to file taxes. Enroll their children in school. Pay child support. We teach them and help them in a lot of ways.” While explaining this, Varon has a calendar sitting in her lap. Every day of every month that has passed is filled with names and phone numbers of people they have followed up on. Whether it is to call and remind them about prescription refills or appointments that need to be kept, the goal is to be an active support system. Because some workers remain at Keeneland throughout the year and others are just passing through, there are different strategies and time constraints to be considered when someone approaches the chaplaincy for help. “We know that with the people who are here year round, we will have more time to help them with their process,” Carpenter said. “During the race meet, of course there are more people to serve, and sometimes the help needs to be a little more immediate because they are about to move to another track. “We do as much as we can do to make them healthy and comfortable while they are here. Then, for instance, I can make a phone call to the chaplain at Saratoga and explain someone is coming up who needs blood pressure medication and can someone make sure he has a place to get his prescriptions. “It’s no secret that the horse and the horse’s betterment are so important to so many of the workers that they put the horse in front of themselves. We see that a lot and try to explain that before the horse can be healthy, they have to be healthy.” Open Hearts Beyond the practicalities of life, Carpenter and Varon also tend to the human spirit. Sometimes it is with prayer, but more often than not, it is done through something as simple as a hot cup of coffee. “Every morning, Diana prepares coffee and snacks for the workers–they come in, and they know that is waiting for them,” said Carpenter. “I know it seems small, but it is important. It speaks volumes to people. We try to let them know someone is constantly thinking about them, and they are not a forgotten people. We make a point to say, ‘Hello, good morning, how was your day?’ It means a lot knowing someone cares about how your day was.” Just being there can make a difference both emotionally and physically, although it takes some prodding to get the humble duo to discuss some of their success stories. There was one gentleman who called saying he was “ready to checkout” but after that phone call, he started coming to visit Carpenter just to talk, and now, six months later, he is in a much better place. Once, while Varon was encouraging female workers to sign up for free mammograms, a woman agreed but said she knew someone who needed help more. It turned out the man she was referring to had severe skin cancer and had become became desolate. The chaplaincy helped him apply for medical assistance, two weeks later he was in surgery, and he is now cancer-free. Then there are people who need someone to visit them in the hospital when no one else will, or more often, can. One worker had a brain tumor but had no family in the country. Carpenter prayed with him before his operation and was there afterward. Upon waking up and having someone with him at his bedside, the man began to cry. “Diana and I want to give people hope when they think there is none, and sometimes people get to that point,” said Carpenter. “We take on a lot of people’s emotions, and that can be tough. By the same token, a lot of those emotions are of joy and happiness after we have helped someone. It goes both ways. The hard part about what we do is when we try to be a help to someone, and it just doesn’t work out the way you would want it to.” Because the reality is, despite the best of intentions, things do not always end well. “I had one situation with one groom, and the look in his eyes made me afraid,” Varon said. “I knew something was wrong with him. We started talking with him, and realized his problems–he was involved with drugs. I had a lot of compassion for him, and soon I was more like his mom.” As the seasons changed, the groom, who dreamed of being an exercise rider, moved from track to track, and he would often call Varon asking for advice. “He ended up getting worse and worse because he knew that society had pushed him out,” she said, her eyes welling with tears. “He passed away last year in Florida. It was really hard because he killed himself in a lake, he drowned. He made a big difference in my life though. He is one of the reasons I try to take care of these guys.” Two Way Street Working in tandem, Carpenter and Varon have built a rapport with many of the men and women who cross their paths. Racing is cyclical, so those who move from track to track tend to end up back at Keeneland when the race meet starts up again. Even while they are in different states, Varon notes, it is not unusual for some workers to call the Keeneland Chaplaincy if they are starting to lose their way again because of the level of trust they have established. The workers also try to show their thanks through tokens of appreciation. One began dropping off ice cream last summer, another sent Carpenter home with a meal made from scratch for his family, some bring flowers, and recently three hot walkers pooled their money together to buy a new watch for Varon. Both Carpenter and Varon make it extremely clear they never expect thanks in such a tangible way, but they also do not reject them because they recognize how strong an emotion pride can be. Sometimes people need to feel as though they have repaid a debt, even though there was never a debt to repay. Now, as the spring meet gets into full swing and the backstretch population grows, the duo knows they will be called upon in both expected and unexpected ways. “I know in this day and age talking about your faith can be an unpopular subject, but my faith helps me to help others,” said Carpenter. “I don’t push my faith on people. It’s a huge ministry in itself just for people to know someone is here, just in case, even if they never come to see us. “We have to be accessible, available, approachable, and accountable. Unless you are all four of those things, it just won’t work. It’s a family on the backside. I have seen everything from someone who needed a simple emergency meal all the way to someone whose life has been completely transformed through the chaplaincy office. We see it all.” View the full article

Owner-breeders have recently had little to complain about on the first Saturday in May, with many of the last 14 Kentucky Derby winners carrying the colors of their respective breeders. But are we beginning to witness a change? The last three winners, American Pharoah, Nyquist and Always Dreaming, all passed through the sales ring (though American Pharoah was bought back after his price was compromised by his having bumped a shin a few weeks before the sale). With only two trials still to be contested, the upper echelons of this year’s Kentucky Derby points standings are dominated by colts which appeared at public auctions. The three trial winners last Saturday–the points leader Good Magic (Curlin), the fourth-ranked Vino Rosso (Curlin) and the eighth-ranked Justify (Scat Daddy)–were respectively sold as yearlings for $1,000,000, $410,000 and $500,000. The top ten also feature Audible (Into Mischief), the GI Florida Derby winner who was a $500,000 2-year-old; the GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro), who cost $630,000 as a yearling; the highly impressive UAE Derby winner Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), who was North America’s highest-priced yearling of 2016 at $3,000,000; and Flameaway (Scat Daddy), a $400,000 yearling who again gave his all when second to Good Magic in the GII Blue Grass S. The only homebred interlopers among the top dozen are WinStar and Repole’s third-ranked Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy), who RNA’d at $45,000 when offered by WinStar as a yearling. Next come Godolphin’s sixth-ranked Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro), who was beaten three lengths by Vino Rosso in the GII Wood Memorial S., and Calumet’s tenth-ranked Bravazo (Awesome Again), winner of the GII Risen Star S. The only other homebreds in the top25 are Runaway Ghost (Ghostzapper), Quip (Distorted Humor) (though breeder WinStar Farm has taken in partners), Hofburg (Tapit), Firenze Fire (Poseidon’s Warrior) and Reride (Candy Ride {Arg}). The race is also shaping up as a possible battle between two stallions–Curlin and Scat Daddy–who were themselves beaten in the Kentucky Derby. Eleven years after his third behind Street Sense and Hard Spun (and his subsequent victory in the Preakness), Curlin has three sons in the points table’s top 20, thanks to Good Magic, Vino Rosso and Solomini. So does Scat Daddy, who also contested the 2007 Kentucky Derby, starting third favorite behind Street Sense and Curlin on the strength of his victories in the Fountain of Youth S. and the Florida Derby. Sadly the son of Johannesburg trailed home 18th of 20 and never raced again. Scat Daddy’s penultimate crop could potentially be represented by the high-powered pairing of Mendelssohn and Justify, along with the dependable Flameaway. Scat Daddy also has Combatant, who was placed in both the Rebel S. and Southwest S., in 23rd position. For the record, two other stallions (neither being Tapit or War Front) have two sons among the top 30 points earners. Medaglia d’Oro has fifth-ranked Bolt d’Oro and sixth-ranked Enticed, while Into Mischief has Florida Derby winner Audible in second place and Dream Baby Dream down in 26th. In terms of male lines, Curlin is a grandson of two-time champion sire Mr Prospector, who has made an indelible mark on the Derby’s roll of honor. Scat Daddy, for his part, was a great-grandson of two-time champion sire Storm Cat, whose male line has yet to be represented by a Kentucky Derby winner. I should quickly add, though, that Storm Cat has appeared in the pedigrees of the last three Kentucky Derby heroes. American Pharoah and Nyquist each has a dam sired by a son of Storm Cat, while Always Dreaming’s sire Bodemeister has a dam by Storm Cat. I could add that Summer Squall, who represented the same Storm Bird–Secretariat nick as Storm Cat, sired one Kentucky Derby winner, Charismatic, as well as the dam of another, Thunder Gulch. The way that Justify extended his advantage over Bolt d’Oro in the closing stages of the Santa Anita Derby certainly didn’t hint at any possible problems with the extra furlong at Churchill Downs. Because Scat Daddy was responsible for such fast performers as Lady Aurelia, Caravaggio, Acapulco, No Nay Never and Sioux Nation, it is always tempting to think of him as a source of speed rather than stamina. The truth is that he stayed a mile and an eighth well enough to win the Florida Derby and he has sired the occasional graded winner over a mile and a quarter or more. They include the fillies Lady of Shamrock (GI American Oaks and GII Santa Barbara H.), Daddys Lil Darling (GI American Oaks), Dacita (GII New York S.) and Harmonize (GIII Glens Falls S.). Among the broodmare sires involved were Blushing John, Houston and Sky Mesa, none of them notable sources of stamina. Justify therefore has a good chance of staying a mile and a quarter, as both his sire Ghostzapper and grandsire Awesome Again triumphed in the Breeders’ Cup Classic over that distance. His dam Stage Magic gained her three victories around two turns on dirt. Justify’s second dam, the Pulpit mare Magical Illusion, ran creditably over a mile and a quarter, when a soundly-beaten third behind those multiple Grade I winners Ashado and Stellar Jayne in the CCA Oaks. However, the next dam, Voodoo Lily, gained her three stakes successes over six furlongs, including in the GIII Columbia S., even though she was by Baldski, a stallion with plenty of stamina in his pedigree. This is a solid enough pedigree, as Justify’s $500,000 price tag indicates. However, he is the only Grade I winner in his Equineline.com catalogue-style four-generation pedigree, which could be interpreted as yet another reminder of Scat Daddy’s outstanding prowess as a stallion. View the full article

For devoted horseplayers, the reopening on Apr. 8 of what is now called ParisLongchamp, after 917 days without racing, was less about the sleek architectural aesthetics and more about one particular radical change in track-surface landscape architecture: L’Open Stretch. This is the name for the new passing lane, a chance for horses blocked on the rail to move into a six-metre wide inner corridor that opens up two furlongs from the finish line. I decided to watch each race like Simenon’s Inspector Maigret, trying to uncover any telling evidence about the pros and cons of the Open Stretch. Rather than depend entirely on my own observational skills, I spent the time between races gathering perspectives from trainers and jockeys. I came away with renewed confidence in the ability of members of the human species to arrive at radically opposed opinions about something that looks so simple. The opening race was limited to five starters. Alexis Badel had the two-horse in the lead when the rail gave way to the passing lane and he moved his filly slightly into the passing corridor so as to block the access of his pursuers. This allowed the pace presser and eventual winner to make her move without having to veer out. Without the open stretch, the outcome would not have changed. I would later ask Badel’s mother, trainer Myriam Bollack, how she saw the open stretch. “My son is a jockey,” she said. “He thinks that with the tactical way of French racing, the open stretch won’t work as well as it does in England. Today’s ground is holding, so horses can’t close that well, so it will be difficult to judge it based on today’s results.” Other trainers were more judgmental. Freddy Head was blunt. “I’m not for it!” he told me, in Shakespearean English, adding that it could create confusion for riders making a move against rivals coming from all sides, which reminded me of the type of traffic anarchy I’d faced when riding my bike to Longchamp. Pascal Bary took the diametrically opposite stance. “It makes races cleaner [plus limpides],” he said, as if no other logic existed. My observation of the G2 Prix d’Harcourt, fifth race, 12-horse field, seems to support his contention. In the stretch, two horses made moves into the passing corridor, eventually not able to prolong their efforts. But without the open stretch, these two riders would have had to swing outward, into moving traffic, potentially creating gridlock. The race was eventually won from the middle, with a trip that Bary would have called “limpide.” Indirectly, the open stretch seemed to have reduced traffic along the middle corridors by providing a separate outlet. Initially, jockeys had reacted favorably to a pre-test of the open stretch, but I found the opinions of riders to be divided. In the Paris-Turf (Apr. 7), Olivier Peslier, who has ridden in open- stretch racing in Hong Kong, Germany and England, said, “I’m a little sceptical.” Peslier referred to a disadvantage for pace-setting riders, who sometimes need the support of the rail. Paris-Turf editorialist Kévin Baudon elaborated on Peslier’s point, suggesting that a legitimate front-runner might end up forced into the role of rabbit, losing their only tactical advantage, the rail, when attacked on all sides. It might also reduce the chances of closers needing to run with cover in order to make their move. However, Baudon recognized that the open stretch might simply make it more likely for the best horse to win. Jockey Tony Piccone won the second race as a presser behind a front-runner that drifted out, thereby not needing the passing lane to win the race. Nevertheless, Piccone approved the open stretch with a “C’est top!” Ioritz Mendizábal agreed. Of the open stretch, this four-time winner of the French riding championship, La Cravache d’Or, told me, “It’s a good option. You’ll have a better race.” Outside the same jockeys’ room, I asked the same question to Christophe Soumillon, “L’open stretch, pour ou contre?” and got the opposite answer. His theatrical “Contre” reverberated through the white corridor. In a later interview, he called the open stretch a “bêtise,” roughly, an “idiocy”. “There will always be horses that get bad trips,” he said, expressing the fear that the Open Stretch could “change the way we ride.” And why would nine-time Cravache d’Or winner Soumillon want any change? It ain’t broke for Soumillon, so no need to fix it. For a different perspective I sought the opinion of my favorite rider, Delphine Santiago. Santiago once suffered what should have been a career-ending injury but came back to ride the races, against the best wishes of her gracious parents. Why? I’d asked her in a previous interview.”Look at me!” she said. “That’s what I am and that’s what know.” Chalk up one point for determinism in the duel against free will. I knew where to find Santiago. After each ride, she studies the replay on the monitor outside the jockey room, in search of subtle lessons for future rides. She’d just finished 13th in the third race, in a field of 18 horses. Her 6% win rate is not a fair indicator of her skills, since she usually races in the huge fields of lower level completion, with odds like today’s 38-1. I went to look for her, knowing I’d have to wait through eight or nine replays of the same race until she had extracted the last possible lesson. “So what do you think of the open stretch?” I asked. “It’s superb,” she said. “There’s much less tension for the riders.” The open stretch represents a bold initiative by ParisLongchamp. It adds an exciting dimension of polemics and tactics for the big summer races, culminating in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on the first Sunday in October. View the full article

The Michael Freedman-trained Silverfield might have been unlucky not to score last time out at Happy Valley but the grey gets his chance to atone for that in the Indian Recreation Club Challenge Cup (1,650m) on Wednesday night. Early in the season, Silverfield was one of Freedman’s first winners here when he bolted in at Sha Tin but the gelding was then disadvantaged by a series of wide draws and other circumstances that didn’t allow him to get into his races. That changed on March... View the full article

Litterateur has gone from a hard-to-hold head case to a four-time winner in Hong Kong and jockey Neil Callan is hopeful Richard Gibson’s miler can make it three triumphs for the term in the Class Two Pottinger Peak Handicap (1,650m). A tendency to over-race has made Litterateur a handful for riders, with the gelding taking hold at the slightest bump or urge and refusing to settle behind a slowing tempo. Callan, who replaces the suspended Nash Rawiller, still thinks the gelding needs... View the full article

The Sprint Cup and the Chairman’s Trophy are the designated lead-ups to the three spring Group Ones on April 29 but how well those results might be replicated in three weeks’ time is up for argument. Although the April 29 meeting has been called by the Jockey Club as Champions Day, we’re not actually running with that. The marketing team should be sent back to brainstorm a new tag instead of lazily adopting a line that was already in use for the big October meeting at Ascot in... View the full article

The Jockey Club broke new ground by spending A$1 million for the first time as Hong Kong buyers made their mark at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney on Tuesday. Just three months after skipping the Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast in protest over Australia's quarantine restrictions, the Jockey Club were back in force Down Under. The club splashed seven figures on a son of I Am Invincible before backing up shortly afterwards to pay A$900,000 for a lot by... View the full article

The Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale is now streaming live on www.thoroughbreddailynews.com. The sale offers two-year-olds by leading sires from around the world including Bated Breath, Dandy Man, Dark Angel, Distorted Humor, Dutch Art, Elusive Quality, Excelebration, Exceed And Excel, Exchange Rate, Hard Spun, Havana Gold, Holy Roman Emperor, Kodiac, Kyllachy, Lope de Vega, Pivotal, Scat Daddy, Showcasing, Zebedee, Zoffany, and others. The sale will also offer the first two-year-olds by a number of young sires including Alhebayeb, Bungle Inthejungle, Gale Force Ten, Garswood, Heeraat, Morpheus, Mukhadram, No Nay Never, Olympic Glory, Slade Power, Toronado, War Command, and more. View the full article

SYDNEY, Australia–The second day of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney on Tuesday was once again all about the proven sires. While the reigning champion sire Snitzel (Aus) had dominated day one, day two was about another champion sire, Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock (Aus), who was the sire of three of the top four lots, including the sale-topping A$1.8-million colt bought by Hong Kong-based agent George Moore. Snitzel added two more millionaires on Tuesday, taking his haul at the sale to four, while I Am Invincible had two seven-figure lots on Tuesday. Pierro (Aus), the sire of the G1 VRC Oaks and G1 Australian Derby winners in his first crop, had a colt sell for A$1.05-million. Fastnet Rock is the sale’s current leading sire by average with three or more sold (23, A$551,739), followed by Snitzel (27, A$522,963) and I Am Invincible (23, A$511,522). Cumulative stats through the end of two days show figures relatively on par with 2017. By Tuesday evening 232 yearlings had changed hands for A$80,827,500, compared to a gross of A$79,660,000 at this stage last year. The clearance rate improved slightly from day one but was down a tick on last year at 80%. The average and median both dipped very slightly at A$348,394 (-1.6%) and A$260,000 (-3.7%), respectively. Eight lots were bought back for over A$500,000 on Tuesday. The 15 seven-figure lots achieved thus far outpaces this stage last year (when there were 10), and there have been 54 lots sold for a half-million plus, compared to 48 at this stage in 2017. Fifty percent of spend has been made by Australian interests, 30% by Asian, 10% by buyers from the Middle East and 7% from New Zealand. Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold, the leading buyer at this sale on a number of occasions in the past, had signed for six by the end of Tuesday, including a A$1-million Snitzel filly late in the evening (lot 324), and he said of the market, “It seems a little all or nothing to me. When you want one you have to really pay. But there are quite a few slipping through, not making what the vendors have valued them at. I suppose it’s a bit patchy to me. When it’s good it seems really good so you can’t say it’s not strong, but I just don’t know underneath that whether it’s strong. The sales have been so strong here in Australia so I think expectations may have been a bit higher than reality has been this week. But it’s a luxury we don’t have in Europe that they’re racing for such fantastic prizemoney here that if they value them at that, they’re entitled to take them home. We can’t do that in Europe, we have to sell them.” Fastnet Colt For HK Connections… First foals of fast, stakes-winning mares have understandably been in vogue at Easter. If that yearling also happens to be beautifully conformed and by a champion sire, all the ingredients are there to produce a great return for the vendor. All that is needed thereafter are the bidders to drive up the price, and all those elements certainly came together for Kia Ora’s son of Fastnet Rock (Aus) and the Group 1-winning O’Marilyn (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) when George Moore and Coolmore battled it out for the early September foal (lot 268). In the end it was Moore, acting on behalf of a new Hong Kong-based client, who had the final say at A$1.8-million. The bay colt, who was bred by Katom, is out of the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S. winner O’Marilyn, who is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Headturner (Aus) (Anabaa) and Anacheeva (Aus) (Anabaa). “I think he [the client] got the best horse in the sale,” Moore said. “That’s basically the only horse I wanted. He’s a great-moving, medium to small-sized Fastnet Rock and that’s exactly what you want. You know when Coolmore are going against you, you should be pretty pleased, because they know what they’re talking about when they’re buying horses.” “This client had me buy the best horse I could find at the sale and it turned out to be a A$1.8-million horse,” Moore added. “I had A$900,000 for the horse so I doubled. But the owner was on the phone and he said keep going. I’m real grateful to the owner.” Moore compared the colt to a Group 1 winner by the sire, Foxwedge (Aus). “He was the best mover of the sale and when you get that Fastnet Rock that really glides and moves well; he wasn’t the biggest horse but look at Foxwedge, he’s 15.3 and he’s shown a lot of similarities to that horse.” Moore said it was undecided whether the horse would be exported immediately to Hong Kong or go into training in Australia. Kia Ora Manager Alex Kingston said, “This is a pinnacle for us as a farm and a pinnacle for me. These horses are finely selected for Easter and I’ve been at Kia Ora for eight years now and this is the best result in my time. As a boutique farm, this is our greatest moment. You hope for a good result but when it happens you don’t expect it. Easter really is the best of the best and this was my best horse and he was always going to come to Easter as a result, but to get this result is still amazing, a huge result for the farm.” Kia Ora Stud’s other sales on the day included a son of Fastnet Rock and the Canadian champion Inglorious (Hennessy) (lot 175) to Northern Farm for A$525,000; and an I Am Invincible (Aus) filly (lot 215) who, at A$500,000, is the lone purchase at the sale thus far by Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Kia Ora Stud was also active as a buyer early in the session on Tuesday, spending A$1.15-million for a full-sister to current-season stakes winner Long Leaf (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 144) through agent James Bester. Offered by Coolmore, the filly is out of Frustrating (Aus) (Stravinsky), a half-sister to Group 1 winners Tiger Tees (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Terravista (Aus) (Captain Rio {GB}), as well as Singapore champion Super Easy (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}). It is the same cross that produced the four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Aus). Bester has been involved with the purchase of enough good Fastnet Rocks to know what to look for, and he said, “She’s exactly the sort of Fastnet Rock filly that runs. I’ve had some like Ennis Hill and Lake Geneva, for instance, that are that high- quality, not overly big, good head, a lot of forearm and gaskin, hip and hindquarter; she’s exactly the sort of Fastnet Rock filly that we think will be a 2-year-old and a fast filly, like her brother indeed.” Fastnet Rock enjoyed another seven-figure result late in the session when Coolmore’s filly (first foal) out of the Group 3-winning Rezoned (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) (lot 325) made A$1.25-million to the bid of Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock. Not only is the filly from the immediate family of the four-time Group 1 winner Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), but she also represents the highly successful Fastnet Rock/Zabeel cross that has yielded Group 1 winners Atlantic Jewel (Aus), Planet Rock (Aus) and Avantage (Aus). Glenlogan Loads Up At Easter… Glenlogan Park has been a flagbearer of Queensland breeding for 25 years, producing top-quality racehorses off its nursery in addition to standing many of that region’s leading sires. The operation took a change in direction, however, this time last year when announcing it would no longer stand stallions and would instead focus on breeding and racing on a national level. The farm certainly put itself in pole position to achieve that goal when snapping up a Snitzel (Aus) colt (lot 152) for A$1.5-million at Easter on Tuesday in partnership with Whitby Bloodstock and Rifa Mustang. The colt is the first foal out of the G1 Champagne S. winner Go Indy Go (Aus) (Bernardini), herself a full-sister to Group 3 winner Essay Raider (Aus), and he was offered by Kitchwin Hills. “I saw him as a foal at Kitchwin Hills so I’ve followed this colt for a long time,” said Glenlogan Stud Manager Steve Morley. “It’s not often you go into a paddock full of horses when they’re young and one just takes your eye. He’s not one I’ve had my eye on for five days; he’s one I’ve had my eye on for quite a long time.” “At the end of the day, there’s no rush for us; he’s a horse that will improve with time,” Morley added. “I wasn’t sure how many people would be on him because he was quite high in the hindquarter. He’s going to be a magnificent-looking horse in six months. I had the benefit of seeing him as a foal, so when you’ve got that you know what you’re going to end up with and I’m absolutely thrilled.” Explaining the shift away from standing stallions in Queensland to seeking out stallion prospects for the Hunter Valley, Morley cited the support of government in New South Wales and Victoria. “We’ve been at the top of the pole in Queensland for 25 years,” he said. “We’ve found it quite frustrating up there that both sides of government haven’t given the same support to racing and breeding as what we’ve found in both New South Wales in Victoria. We have a national industry that’s flying and a local industry that’s struggling, so it makes a lot of sense. We can raise our horses in the best climate in the country and compete on the national stage.” “We still believe geographically we’re in a terrific place,” he added. “We have the opportunity to grow our horses out on a much steadier growth plane with beautiful warm winters. Glenlogan bought a beautiful filly here earlier today off Highgrove Stud. They’re a top Queensland breeder and we love that kind. We’ll be out on the national scene very strongly but we’re certainly not leaving Queensland.” That aforementioned beautiful filly was lot 131, a daughter of Snitzel who was the first horse through the ring on Tuesday. Morley noted that Glenlogan on Monday had also bought into the A$1.2-million Snitzel colt purchased by Gai Waterhouse, Julian Blaxland and Kerri Radcliffe. More From Amor… A Medaglia d’Oro colt out of triple stakes winner Hoss Amor (Aus) (General Nediym {Aus}) was the second top lot at this sale last year when making A$2.4-million from the partnership of Coolmore, Stonestreet, and Aquis. That mare’s latest colt, a son of I Am Invincible (Aus) (lot 169), became her second millionaire yearling from three foals when making A$1.05-million from the partnership of China Horse Club, trainer John O’Shea and Craig Rounsefell’s Boomer Bloodstock. The mare’s first foal, Poetic Charmer (Aus) (Your Song {Aus}), is a winner, while the A$2.4-million Medaglia d’Oro, now named Meticulous (Aus), is in training with Peter and Paul Snowden and, incidentally, had his first trial on Tuesday morning, beating one home in an 800-metre heat at Gosford. John O’Shea, who about a year ago relaunched a public stable after three years as private trainer to Godolphin, trained Hoss Amor for Champion Thoroughbreds Syndicate, and he said, “To me he was the best I Am Invincible here and I had an affiliation with the mother. He was just a beautiful athletic colt, a great attitude, a running 2-year-old. We put together a syndicate of people to buy him headed by China Horse Club and Boomer Bloodstock, so it’s a wonderful opportunity for our clients to get access to a horse of that quality. I’ve had a couple opportunities to come across a good stallion prospect and this sire is the hottest sire on the planet at the moment, so we just wanted to be a part of it.” “We had a bit left [in the budget],” O’Shea admitted. “I saw him at the farm [Yarraman Park Stud] and he was just a standout there. Most importantly he is a 2-year-old and they’ve got to get up and running early. He comes off a great farm so the job will be up to my staff and I, and [jockey] James McDonald to get him out of the barriers in time.” O’Shea said he has “a half dozen” in training for China Horse Club, and those ranks also include Irish Bet (Aus) (Smart Missile {Aus}), who won the Inglis Nursery in December and who is the second-leading earner from last year’s Easter sale behind the G1 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}). While the market has been showing some signs of selectivity, O’Shea said, “The market is really fair. I think they’re making their money if you’ve got the right horse but I still think there’s good value. It’s just an unbelievable sale to be a part of.” I Am Invincible achieved a second seven-figure lot when the Hong Kong Jockey Club, back on the Australian auction scene after a brief hiatus due to quarantine disputes, spent A$1-million on Kitchwin Hills’s first foal out of the listed-winning Marianne (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) (lot 223). I Am Invincible has had 10 winners from 11 starters in Hong Kong and this colt will follow the usual route of the Jockey Club’s buys into the Hong Kong International Sale in two years’ time. “We don’t spend a million dollars lightly,” said the Jockey Club’s Nick Columb. “We’ll now put him away for two years and re-sell him.” “We’re in the marketplace; how do you put a ceiling on nice horses?” he added. “We didn’t go to Magic Millions and we like to have Australian-bred horses in our sale, so we buy the good ones.” Columb described the market as “hot.” “To me it’s an unrealistic market but we have to play in it,” he said. “I’m sure there are people who had a look at yesterday’s prices and doubled their expectations today, which makes it a little difficult to buy. A lot of horses have been passed in, and when horses are being passed in for A$850,000, it’s kind of ridiculous. But we’re playing in that market and we’re forced to buy what we can buy. Luckily for us our market is reasonably strong in Hong Kong. Racing is very strong and getting stronger all the time and our people understand if we’re bringing in a nice horse, they have to pay, and they’re happy to pay.” The Hong Kong Jockey Club later went to A$900,000 for a Snitzel three-quarter brother to the stakes-winning Pretty Fast (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) (lot 241). I Am Invincible’s Tuesday sales also included a A$750,000 filly out of the Group 1-winning Peggy Jean (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) bought by Emirates Park Stud, which bought the Slipper winner Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) on this day a year ago; and a A$700,000 colt bought by Godolphin. I Am Invincible’s son Brazen Beau (Aus) led the way among first-season sires on Tuesday, with a A$700,000 colt bought from Coolmore by trainer Tony McEvoy. Deep Field (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) had a A$530,000 colt bought by Lucky Owners, while Rubick (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus})’s lone yearling to sell was a A$420,000 filly and Olympic Glory (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) had a A$400,000 filly. Eclipse Thoroughbreds, which bought its first Australian yearling, the subsequent G1 VRC Oaks winner Pinot (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) at this sale two years ago, bought its first horse of the week on Tuesday, lot 281, a daughter of Wandjina (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) for A$260,000. “Loved the filly,” said Eclipse representative Jacob West. “She is out of a liquid fast mare that we were familiar with because she raced in the states and was trained by Jim Cassidy. She won the GIII La Habra S. at Santa Anita. She’s by a son of Snitzel, Wandjina, who was extremely talented in his own right winning the G1 Australian Guineas. She’s a pure athlete and now we hand the reigns over to Gai Waterhouse to try and duplicate our luck that we’ve had with Pinot. She’s also a half-sister to Zousain, who is trained by Chris Waller and he looks to have a lot of ability and talent.” The leading first-season sires by average (three or more sold) are Brazen Beau (three, A$420,000), Dissident (five, A$317,000) and Deep Field (six, A$283,333). Sir Patrick Closes Cambridge Era… An end of an era in the New Zealand–and rightfully so, global–bloodstock industry was marked last week when Sir Patrick and Justine Hogan officially passed on the baton at Cambridge Stud to Brendan and Jo Lindsay after a sale was finalized earlier this year, and another milestone took place on Tuesday when Sir Patrick’s final yearling under the Cambridge Stud name was sold at Easter. That colt, a son of Cambridge stallion Tavistock (NZ) out of the Group 2 winner Lovetrista (Aus) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) (lot 210), was bought by recent Golden Slipper-winning trainers Hawkes Racing for A$240,000. It is also fitting that he is a grandson of the Group 1-producing Sir Tristram (Ire) mare Tristalove (NZ); Sir Patrick’s lengthy list of accomplishments in the bloodstock and racing worlds includes importing Sir Tristram and masterminding the legendary stud careers of he and his son Zabeel (NZ). While Hogan is nearing 80 years young, he assured he is not leaving the industry. “He was certainly the last and final yearling on behalf of Justine and I under the Cambridge Stud name,” he said. “That name has been passed on to the Lindsays so we won’t be using that name again. We can continue to breed and sell yearlings but they’ll have to be vendored by someone else as agent for us. We can’t go marketing against Cambridge Stud’s new Cambridge Stud.” “I’m going to certainly remain in the industry, hopefully in a big way because I have a large property that’s set up for horses that didn’t get sold with Cambridge Stud,” Hogan said. “In the sale I was able to keep all the broodmares that were in partnership and I was able to keep all the racehorses, about 48, some nice fillies, colts and geldings. The bottom line is I can’t use the Cambridge Stud brand name because we sold that, and I can’t stand stallions in the future in competition to their stallions. But, in saying all that, it suits me because I’m nearly 80 and I needed to cut back. I’ve gone from 40 staff to two, so life’s going to be a lot easier for me.” The struggles of the New Zealand racing industry have been well documented, and Hogan admitted the country, which continues to breed world-class Thoroughbreds, is helped by its neighbour. “Without Australia next door, we would be probably struggling in a lot of ways,” he said. “We’d survive, but it would be hard to make inroads aggressively, because for one, we only have 4 1/2 million people in the whole of New Zealand so we don’t get great turnover with the betting. So the fact that we are next door to Australia, and Australia opens their door for us to come across, race in the big races and use the stallions, that is basically how the breeding and racing industry survives in New Zealand.” “Probably the ideal situation would be if we could get New Zealand to float a little closer to Australia,” he said. “But having the All Blacks we wouldn’t want to touch their borderline. We’d like to stay separate when it comes to the All Blacks. We don’t need them for that, I think we’re the best at that.” The final session of the Inglis Easter yearling sale begins at 11 a.m. local time on Wednesday. View the full article

A Fastnet Rock (Aus) colt who is the first foal out of Group 1 winner O’Marilyn (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) became the top-priced lot at Inglis’s Easter sale late in the afternoon on Tuesday when bringing A$1.8-million from Hong Kong-based agent George Moore, who prevailed in a sustained bidding battle with Coolmore. View the full article

A Snitzel colt (lot 152), the first foal out of the G1 Champagne S. winner Go Indy Go (Aus) (Bernardini), set a new top mark at the 2018 Inglis Easter yearling sale early during Tuesday’s second session when making A$1.5-million from the partnership of leading Queensland breeders Glenlogan Park with Whitby Bloodstock and Rifa Mustang. View the full article

Curatolo to ride in Hong Kong on May 12 View the full article

Forever Young aiming for second Chairman's Trophy View the full article

“It’s wonderful back there,” said trainer Phil D’Amato’s assistant Linda Thrash, turning her eyes to the bright ochre red roofs of the barns behind her. “Everything’s cleaned, repaired, painted. It looks great. I’m really happy.” We’re stood at the entrance to the San Luis Rey Training Center training track early on this bright Monday morning, surrounded by a wall of sunlight and color and life. Trees blanketed in leaves. Hillsides drenched in all shades of green. Flowers a labyrinth of reds, blues and yellows–a vastly different sight to that only four months before, when Thrash had been one of the many who fought through the black smoke and the flames and the searing heat in an effort to save the near 500 horses trapped there by the Lilac Fire that engulfed the facility that fateful December afternoon. In all, 46 horses perished. Martine Bellocq and Joe Hettrick were hospitalized. Trainers, grooms, and hotwalkers watched helplessly as their lives and livelihoods disappeared into cinders and ash. Time, however, has a way of sweeping all before it, and time has certainly had a transformative effect on San Luis Rey. And this morning marked the re-commencement of training at San Luis Rey. Horses belonging to trainers D’Amato, Richard Baltas and Doug O’Neill trickled back in over the weekend–Saturday being the four-month anniversary of the tragedy, coincidentally–and the rest of the horses stabled temporarily at Del Mar will return this week. Before all horses can return to San Luis Rey, however, there’s still more work to do. Not that facility general manager Kevin Habell and his crew have been sitting idly by. “It’s been a heck of a project,” said Habell, about a seven-days-a-week work program now nearing its fourth month. They start between seven or eight o’clock in the morning. “And we go until it goes dark.” On a tour of the facility, Habell showed me the former site of eight barns destroyed in the fire, where largely metal buildings had been engulfed by a white-heat so strong, it warped porcelain toilets in the bathrooms. “The fire department said that that’s got to be 2500, 3000 degrees. Just a crazy once-in-a-lifetime thing.” What remained of these buildings was razed, the scrap hauled out, the surface graded flat, and in their place have grown two giant white marquees with shiny steel innards–what Habell calls pavilions one and two. “It was the fastest stabling we could get, to get people in and the horses back,” said Habell. One of the pavilions can house 104 horses, the other 144. The roofing material is non-flammable. The floors are rubber matted. The plumbing and the electrics is a work in progress. “And all this is going to get a nice two, three inches of sand,” said Habell, pointing to the wide aisles slicing through the middle of the stables. “We’ll see how this works out for now,” he added, for, if the light, airy structures prove popular with the trainers, they could become a more permanent addition to the San Luis Rey landscape. “They keep them at Gulfstream and Laurel Park,” he said. “All the trainers I’ve brought by really like it.” Not all the barns perished. Seven barns survived–somehow. “It’s so bizarre how it attacked certain things and not others,” he said, about the capricious nature of the fire–a “dirty fire,” Habell called it, as it behaved in a dirty-rotten way. These barns were pressure washed top to bottom, given a new lick of paint, and their roofs replaced with metal. Habell and crew have also erected a little box-city of rooms for the stable staff to live in. Two-hundred palm trees were hacked down. New wash-racks are being pieced together. Scorched manure bins have been re-built. And new day pens and hot-walking machines are on the to-do list. “This is so odd, because this is where the fire started,” said Habell, pointing to a lonely patch of green turf amid the brown of the San Luis Rey construction site. Right now, a young palm tree and a small colorful clump of flowers sprout from the grass. Eventually, this emerald rectangle will be a memorial to the fire. “It’s a survivor, and that’s what we are,” Habell said. Another San Luis Rey fire survivor is outrider Les Baker, who broke nine ribs–two in two different places–when he was trampled amid the melee. “It was like throwing gravel into a cement mixer,” he said of the healing process. “Laughing and sneezing and all that, now that was painful, let me tell you.” Of that day, Baker remembers lying on the ground, a horse’s hoof coming down, crushing his chest. “And that’s the last thing I remember,” he said. When Baker came around, he remembers seeing near him his paint pony, dead, having been fatally struck by the same herd of horses as he was. “That was the hardest part,” Baker said, “leaving him there on the road.” But this morning also marked Baker’s first day back on the job, and, apart from a few aches and pains, he’s pleased to be back. “It’s a good day to be above ground,” he said, riding back to the barns aboard another pony who survived the fire. What’s more, Baker’s grateful to be back at San Luis Rey. As is Linda Mikus, second assistant at the Phil D’Amato barn. “The last time I was here, that’s where I saw the horse,” she said, describing how, during training that morning, she had ridden past a particular spot on the track where she had discovered a horse succumb through smoke inhalation. Still, she said, “I’m pleased to be back here.” And her comments pretty much encapsulate the conflicting mood of the morning. For, amid the cheer and the optimism, the sense of “welcome home” bonhomie, the mental scars remain close, lurking there in the shadows, within easy reach. “A lot of people saw terrible things. Injured horses. Burning people. Burning horses,” said Linda Thrash, down-playing what she experienced that day compared to what she said are the experiences of others. Just then, tears sprung to her eyes. “I had an angel watching over me, I guess.” View the full article

GRONKOWSKI (Lonhro {Aus}-Four Sugars, by Lookin At Lucky) O-Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited. B-Epic Thoroughbreds LLC. T-Jeremy Noseda. Sales history: $75,000 wnl KEENOV ’15; $67,415 yrl TATOCT ’16; $404,492 2yo TATBRE ’17. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $135,644. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, 32red Burradon S, NEW, Mar. 30. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: Qualified via European Road to the KY Derby After Gronkowski earned his way into a Derby berth by winning the European Road to the Kentucky Derby points battle last week, the predominant wise guy chatter about him centered on how his presence will skew the Derby betting by a few percentage points. Here’s a horse who should legitimately go off north of 60-1 odds, but because he shares a name with a well-known, highly animated professional football player who is likely to attend the Derby and get substantial media coverage, you can expect casual stateside money to pound his price below 20-1. Gronkowski has never run on dirt nor beyond a mile, and he won the Burradon S. at Newcastle by settling towards the back of the pack and rallying late for a 1 1/4-length, driven-out victory. View the full article

BRAVAZO (c, Awesome Again—Tiz o’ Gold, by Cee’s Tizzy) O/B-Calumet Farm. T-D. Wayne Lukas. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 8-3-1-1, $436,528. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 8th, GII Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 24. Accomplishments: 1st, GII Risen Star S., FG, Feb. 17; 2nd, GI Breeders’ Futurity, KEE, Oct. 7. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 54 Bravazo’s first two starts in 2018 produced wins by a neck and a nose, with his GII Risen Star S. upset at 21-1 odds being the focal point on his resume. He was subsequently backed to second-favoritism in the GII Louisiana Derby off the strength of those victories, but was pasted by 21 lengths, finishing eighth after lugging out on both turns. Still, the 54 points he’s garnered are enough to rank him tenth in terms of qualifying for a starting spot in Louisville. Bravazo was second in his only career Grade I stakes try last October at 47-1 odds at Keeneland, and it’s worth mentioning that he did break his maiden by open lengths over the Churchill strip last September when pressing the pace in a one-turn mile. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 1st Allowance 10th GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. 3rd Street Sense S. 2nd GI Breeders’ Futurity 1st Maiden 8th Maiden View the full article

RUNAWAY GHOST (c, Ghostzapper—Rose’s Desert, by Desert Gold) O/B-Joe Peacock. T-Todd W. Fincher. Sales history: $240,000 RNA yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-4-2-0, $563,510. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, GIII Sunland Derby, SUN, Mar. 25. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 50 Whenever a horse qualifies for the Derby via the New Mexico prep-race series, a “lovable long shot” story seems destined to follow (think Mine That Bird at 50-1 in 2009). How can you not root for a one-horse stable headed by an octogenarian owner/breeder whose Ghostzapper homebred got bid up just shy of a $250,000 RNA at KEESEP and the gent refused all subsequent offers to sell? Runaway Ghost is now four-for-seven lifetime and has more than doubled his auction asking price in earnings, with his GIII Sunland Derby score amassing him 50 qualifying points, currently good for a 13th-place eligibility ranking. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 1st GIII Sunland Debry 2nd Mine That Bird Derby 1st Riley Allison S. 5th GI Los Alamitos Futurity 1st Golden Nugget S. 1st Maiden 2nd Maiden View the full article

COMBATANT (c, Scat Daddy-Border Dispute, by Boundary) O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Willis Horton Racing LLC. B-Paget Bloodstock. T-Steve Asmussen. Sales history: $320,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 6-1-3-1, $338.550. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 3rd, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 17. Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 14 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 22 Combatant has been plying his trade at Oaklawn this winter, racking up a series of second- and third-place finishes while close behind a handful of well-meant winners. As a result, you can’t discount his chances entirely in the Arkansas Derby, but he’s hardly the type of horse you run to the windows to back with zeal because this $320,000 KEESEP Scat Daddy colt doesn’t have any obvious excuses for not punching through to the next level. He’s been drawn in posts nine and ten for his last two route attempts; perhaps a better gate assignment will up his chances on Saturday. Stamina shouldn’t be an issue–he’s the only horse within the Top 20 to have made every single start of his career (six of ’em) at a mile or longer. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 2nd GII Rebel S. 1st GIII Southwest S. 4th Smarty Jones S. 2nd Springboard Mile 1st Maiden 4th Maiden View the full article

HOFBURG (c, Tapit-Soothing Touch, by Touch Gold) O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc. (KY). T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: GISP, 3-1-1-0, $227,950. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 2nd, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31. Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 40 This Tapit homebred for Juddmonte Farms mustered up an encouraging try when ambitiously spotted in the Florida Derby off a maiden win and just two previous starts. It’s always an eye-opener when trainer Bill Mott opts for such a lofty goal with a relatively inexperienced young horse, and Hofburg was widest off the bend for home in Florida Derby yet never looked discouraged when giving chase to a much more experienced winner in Audible. Should his connections decide on a Kentucky Derby start (Hofburg right now is 17th on qualifying points) this is the sort of colt who could be capable of a bombs-away showing while totally ignored in the betting. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 2nd GI Florida Derby 1st Maiden 4th Maiden View the full article

8) Vino Rosso (c, Curlin–Mythical Bride, by Street Cry {Ire}) O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable. B- John D. Gunther (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $410,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-0-1, $620,500. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 7. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. Kentucky Derby Points: 107 Vino Rosso has been poised for a breakout performance for several months now, and he finally put it all together on Saturday with an off-the-pace, foul-claim-surviving rally in the GII Wood Memorial S. This $410,000 KEESEP Curlin colt seems to have found his niche rallying from farther back rather than pressing the pace a bit closer like he did in his four previous starts, but I am hesitant to take his Wood victory at face value because it came up on paper as the weakest of Saturday’s nine-furlong preps and featured an overly ambitious lone pacemaker setting up the race for closers by laying down :22.96 and :46.69 solo splits. Jockey John Velazquez has now ridden three of trainer Todd Pletcher’s four recent graded-stakes Derby prep winners (Audible, Noble Indy and Vino Rosso), and numerous reports indicate he is sticking with Vino Rosso in Louisville. VIDEO PPS FINISH RACE 1st GII Wood Memorial S. 4th GII Tampa Bay Derby 3rd GIII Sam F. Davis 1st Allowance/Optional Claiming 1st Maiden View the full article

The $300,000 Super Derby (G3) will be run Sept. 2 on the main track. View the full article

Now that the big “power weekend” of coast-to-coast nine-furlong preps is behind us, the GI Kentucky Derby rankings have solidified enough to graduate from the top 12 in the division to the top 20. To illustrate how much has changed in the past three months, the two highest-rated prospects currently occupying the No. 1 and No. 2 rankings hadn’t even made their racing debuts when this feature was first published for the season, and the colt now clocking in at No. 4 was considered an overseas-based turf specialist. Please note that the rankings below are independent from the “Road to the Derby” points leaderboard that Churchill Downs will use to determine starting berths; that list can be accessed here. 1) MAGNUM MOON (c, Malibu Moon–Dazzling Song, by Unbridled’s Song) ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-Robert E. & Lawana L. Low. B-Ramona S. Bass, LLC (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $380,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-3-0-0, $577,800. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 2 Last Start: 1st, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 17. Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 14 Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Magnum Moon. KY Derby Points: 50 Magnum Moon retains the top spot on this week’s Top 12 because I’m betting that he’ll deliver the most impressive performance of all the nine-furlong preps in Saturday’s GI Arkansas Derby. This three-for-three ‘TDN Rising Star’ made quite an impression in his stakes debut over the same Oaklawn surface when winning the Mar. 17 GII Rebel S., and he stands apart from other lightly raced contenders based on his determined, level-headed professionalism and what appears to be a still-developing tactical ability to put himself into a prominent position while responding to more aggressive handling when called upon to do so. Want more reasons to like this $380,000 KEESEP Malibu Moon colt’s chances? He imparts an in-race grace under pressure that belies his May 9 foaling date, he’s handled three very different dirt racing surfaces while stretching out in distance each time, he’s run some fast-figure races (without looking all-out when doing so), and has a solid pedigree that stamps him as a stayer capable of carrying speed. Trainer Todd Pletcher is holding a loaded hand with four Kentucky Derby contenders ranked within the top eight on this list, but the gamble here is that he’s saving the biggest and best breakthrough for last. 2) JUSTIFY (c, Scat Daddy–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper) ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing & WinStar Farm. B- John D. Gunther (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $500,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GISW, 3-3-0-0, $666,000. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 5 Last Start: 1st, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 7 Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 100 By the time the field ran a furlong and crossed under the finish wire for the first time in Saturday’s GI Santa Anita Derby, you got a sense that Justify would have things his own way on the lead without pressure from his main rival, Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro). And once they hit the backstretch through splits of :23.96 and :47.85, it was clear that this undefeated $500,000 KEESEP Scat Daddy colt was as good as gone. It’s no small feat to go from unraced maiden to Grade I winner in a span of 48 days, and the ease with which Justify stretched out to nine furlongs means he didn’t have an overly demanding race four weeks ahead of the Kentucky Derby. But this ‘TDN Rising Star’ hasn’t had the opportunity yet to show us what he can do when having to withstand multiple in-race attacks, and I need to see that before granting him kingpin status. While I agree that Justify’s ability ceiling is incredibly high and that he’s the most likely candidate to eventually be the dominant horse in his division, that’s different from confidently backing him as the favorite in a wild 20-horse field going 10 furlongs in front of 150,000 screaming fans after never having shipped away from his home track before. So for now I’ll treat Justify with a hefty dose of long-term respect while taking a slightly contrarian position against him in the short run. 3) BOLT D’ORO (c, Medaglia d’Oro—Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy) O-Ruis Racing. B-WinStar Farm (KY). T-Mick Ruis. Sales History: $630,000 yrl FTSAUG ’16. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 6-4-1-1, $1,016,000. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 2 Last Start: 2nd, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 7 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GI Del Mar Futurity, DMR, Sept. 4; 1st GI FrontRunner S., SA, Sept. 30. 3rd GI Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, SA, Nov. 4; 1st GII San Felipe S., SA, Mar. 10. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Bolt d’Oro. KY Derby Points: 104. Owner/trainer Mick Ruis and jockey Javier Castellano made a shrewd decision to not hustle this $630,000 FTSAUG Medaglia d’Oro colt out of the gate to engage in a merciless pace battle with front-running Justify, in effect trading not winning the battle (Santa Anita Derby) for the greater good of having a fresher, fitter horse for the overall war (Kentucky Derby). Bolt d’Oro had just exited an exhausting, demanding GII San Felipe S. four weeks earlier, he didn’t need to win on Saturday to rack up Derby qualifying points, and he heads to Louisville without having yet shown the world the “100%” effort that Ruis has been saying that his star colt is capable of unleashing. If you want to nitpick, it’s true that “Bolt” hasn’t crossed the finish wire first ahead of any other horse since Sep. 30, and the last time he raced in a large field (Breeders’ Cup) his issues out of the gate cost him early positioning and the race. But from a training/management perspective, the bet here is that Ruis will have him peaking at the right time on the first Saturday in May. 4) MENDELSSOHN (c, Scat Daddy—Leslie’s Lady, by Tricky Creek) O-Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith. B-Clarkland Farm (KY). T-Aiden O’Brien. Sales history: $3,000,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-0, $1,961,137. Mar. 27 TDN Top 12: N/A Last Start: 1st, G2 UAE Derby, MEY, Mar.31 Accomplishments: 1st, GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, DMR, Nov.3; 2nd, G1 Darley Dewhurst S., NEW, Oct. 14 Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 100. This $3 million KEESEP Scat Daddy colt heads stateside to the Derby justifiably ranked as having the best chance to win the race compared to all the previous foreign-based horses who have attempted that difficult task. I’m putting more emphasis on the fact that he’s A) a half-brother to four-time female American dirt champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) and B) already demonstrated that he can handle counter-clockwise, tighter-turn United States racing (winning from post one in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf) than I am on his 18 1/2-length blowout win in track-record time the GII UAE Derby (which I rate as an aberration on a speed-favoring track against questionable competition). Mendelssohn is quick from the gate but does not necessarily need the lead to win, and I envision him as a stern stalker who can force the Derby pace from a few lengths back while still having enough stamina in reserve to stick around late and make things interesting. 5) GOOD MAGIC (c, Curlin—Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun) O-e Five Thoroughbreds & Stonestreet Stables. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY). T-C Brown. Sales History: $1,000,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo, GISW, 5-2-2-1, $1,855,000. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 5 Last Start: 1st, GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 7 Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, SA, Nov. 4.; 2nd GI Champagne S., BEL, Oct. 7. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 134 Good Magic’s rebound in Saturday’s GII Toyota Blue Grass S. was exactly what he needed to deliver in order to remain a legitimate upper-crust Derby threat. Just as importantly, the effort wasn’t so overly taxing that it’s going to derail his development. Overcoming post 10 in a 14-horse Blue Grass, this million-dollar KEESEP Curlin colt always appeared in the hunt while stalking in fifth, then edged up methodically to a dueling duo on the far turn. One pacemaker cracked while the other fought on determinedly, and Good Magic was able to strong-arm the no-quit Flameaway (Scat Daddy) as they raced together through the final furlong, with Good Magic looking like he still has room to improve. Because of his elite status as an Eclipse Award winner and Breeders’ Cup victor, there was considerable pressure on Good Magic to perform at an impeccably high level earlier in the year, and I have to admit I view him in more of a positive light now that I’ve seen him recoup and regroup after appearing short and punchless in his 2018 debut. Not being the horse with the proverbial “target” on his back seems to suit him, and he’ll be a slightly under-the-radar danger in Louisville. 6) AUDIBLE (c, Into Mischief–Blue Devil Bel, by Gilded Time) O-WinStar, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing. B-Oak Bluff Stables LLC (NY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $175,000 FTNSAR yrl ’16; $500,000 FTFMAR 2yo ’17. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 5-4-0-1, $882,920. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 4 Last Start: 1st, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31 Accomplishments: 1st, GII Holy Bull S., GP, Feb. 3. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 110 Audible has now won four straight races, stepping up all the way from New York-bred maiden company to a Grade I winner’s circle. A narrative that goes something like “he’s a little lackadaisical but delivers when it counts” is shaping up to be his storyline heading into the Kentucky Derby. But is that a legit characterization of this $500,000 FTFMAR son of Into Mischief? It was no secret that Audible’s workouts leading up to his GI Xpressbet Florida Derby romp made him appear a little disengaged, and there was a point about five furlongs out in that race where he dropped back noticeably. Yet jockey John Velazquez never panicked, and Audible sparked to life and rolled home with the outcome never in doubt. So Audible has proven he can deliver a sustained, powerful bid, but he has also capitalized on favorable pace circumstances and/or no-shows by well-regarded rivals in achieving those last two wins. He’ll need to assert in Louisville that he is focused enough to make his own breaks–i.e., establishing a prime stalking spot in a chaotic 20-horse field–so he can be in position to fire authoritatively down the lane. 7) NOBLE INDY (c, Take Charge Indy–Noble Maz, by Storm Boot) O-WinStar Farm LLC & Repole Stable. B-WinStar Farm LLC. T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $45,000 RNA yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-3-0-1, $691,600. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 8 Last Start: 1st, Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 24. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Noble Indy. KY Derby Points: 110 Noble Indy is unlikely to land atop many handicappers’ lists as the “likeliest winner” of the Kentucky Derby, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he might wind up as the most tantalizing overlay in the betting in terms of actual ability versus perceived odds. This $45,000 KEESEP Take Charge Indy colt gives the impression that he’s still in development mode but figuring it out fast. When Noble Indy was third in the GII Risen Star S. after getting roughed up a bit at the break, jockey John Velazquez was confident afterward that the try was useful because he “wanted to give him a good schooling and see how he reacted.” With blinkers added for his next start, the GII Louisiana Derby, it was evident that this ‘TDN Rising Star’ learned his lesson, because Noble Indy responded by re-rallying when headed in the long Fair Grounds stretch, putting away two competitors with a late surge before galloping out smartly. 8) VINO ROSSO (c, Curlin–Mythical Bride, by Street Cry {Ire}) O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable. B- John D. Gunther (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $410,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-0-1, $620,500. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 7. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 107 Vino Rosso has been poised for a breakout performance for several months now, and he finally put it all together on Saturday with an off-the-pace, foul-claim-surviving rally in the GII Wood Memorial S. This $410,000 KEESEP Curlin colt seems to have found his niche rallying from farther back rather than pressing the pace a bit closer like he did in his four previous starts, but I am hesitant to take his Wood victory at face value because it came up on paper as the weakest of Saturday’s nine-furlong preps and featured an overly ambitious lone pacemaker setting up the race for closers by laying down :22.96 and :46.69 solo splits. Jockey John Velazquez has now ridden three of trainer Todd Pletcher’s four recent graded-stakes Derby prep winners (Audible, Noble Indy and Vino Rosso), and numerous reports indicate he is sticking with Vino Rosso in Louisville. 9) FLAMEAWAY (c, Scat Daddy—Vulcan Rose, by Fusaichi Pegasus) O-John Oxley; B-Phoenix Rising Farms (ON). T-Mark Casse. Sales history: $150,000 yrl KEEJAN ’16; $400,000 yrl SARAUG ’16. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 9-5-2-0, $704,834. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 12 Last Start: 2nd, GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 7 Accomplishments: 1st, GIII Bourbon S., KEE, Oct. 8; 1st, GIII Sam F. Davis S., TAM, Feb. 10. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 70 Flameaway isn’t the type of horse who catches your eye based on his past performances or his speed figures. But there’s something genuinely admirable about the way he handles pressure on the lead, doesn’t back down from a fight, and takes to any type of footing (with wins on fast dirt, firm turf, mud, slop, and a synthetic surface). He’s now earned consecutive Grade II seconds in the Tampa Derby and Blue Grass S., and this $400,000 FTSAUG Scat Daddy colt is learning enough to put it all together sometime soon, perhaps at an inflated mutuel in the Derby. Scrutinizing Flameaway’s company lines, it’s noteworthy that he’s already won a race over No. 8-ranked Wood Memorial S. winner Vino Rosso (in the Feb. 10 GIII Sam F. Davis S.), and in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last autumn, Flameaway was beaten only three lengths by Mendelssohn, the No. 4 horse on this week’s list. 10) QUIP (c, Distorted Humor—Princess Ash, by Indian Charlie) O-Winstar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International & SF Racing LLC. B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY). T-Rodolphe Brisset. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-3-1-0, $282,800. Mar. 27 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, TAM, Mar. 10. Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 14 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 50 Quip’s connections scratched him out of the Blue Grass two days prior to the race to reroute this ‘TDN Rising Star’ to Saturday’s Arkansas Derby. The move allows this son of Distorted Humor to take aim at a Grade I race after upsetting the GII Tampa Bay Derby at 19-1. This is a colt whose three wins from four starts all came when he was either on the lead or forcing the pace (he was farther back and steadied when seventh in his lone defeat, the key-race GII Kentucky Jockey Club S.), and he could be an intriguing proposition if he runs right to the front at Oaklawn in his second start back off a winter layoff, carving out sensible fractions to try to stay the distance in a race where nine furlongs will be an open question for every entrant. 11) SOLOMINI (c, Curlin-Surf Song, by Storm Cat) O-Zayat Stables LLC. B-Glenna R. Salyer (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $270,000 KEESEP ’16 yrl. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 4-1-2-1, $472,000 Mar. 27 TDN Top 12 Rank: 12 Last Start: 2nd, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 17 Accomplishments Include: 3rd GI Los Alamitos Futurity, LRC, Dec.9; 2nd GI Frontrunner S., SA, Sept. 30; 2nd GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, DMR, Nov. 4 Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 14. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 34 It’s now or never for Solomini on Saturday. He’s currently parked in 19th place on the Derby qualifying system, but more important than the points, he has not had an official win since his maiden debut Sep. 2 and is in need of a truly sharp performance in the Arkansas Derby to build momentum for any sort of viable Classics bid. He always seems on the cusp of a breakthrough effort, but is gaining a reputation as an “always something” horse. He lost focus when he hit the lead in the Breeders’ Cup, got DQ’d in the stretch of the GI Los Alamitos Futurity, and had his momentum stifled when caught on the heels of a rival motoring off the turn in the Rebel S. His company lines are replete with higher-ranked Derby hopefuls–Magnum Moon, Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic–and Solomini is maybe one race away from potentially finding his own sweet spot to prove he’s on level terms with those contenders. 12) ENTICED (c, Medaglia d’Oro—It’s Tricky, by Mineshaft) O-Godolphin Racing. B-Godolphin (KY). T-Kiaran McLaughlin. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 6-3-1-1, $595,680. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: 9 Last Start: 2nd, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Arp. 7 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GII Kentucky Jockey Club S., CD, Nov. 25; 3rd, GI Champagne S., BEL, Oct. 7; 1st GIII Gotham S., AQU, Mar. 10 Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 103 Enticed survived some heat-of-battle bumping in the stretch run of Saturday’s Wood Memorial and might have had his number elevated had the race been in a jurisdiction where the stewards are a little more trigger-happy with disqualifications. He settled as the leader of the main body of the field behind a breakaway pacemaker and then fended off eventual winner Vino Rosso as best as he could as the beaten fave. I still have this Medaglia d’Oro colt’s big stretch run in the Nov. 25 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. etched in my mind as the epitome of what Enticed is capable of on his best day, but he hasn’t truly stamped himself as a “Wow!” horse while taking a path of least resistance (the New York preps) to the Derby. Enticed has unquestionable ability to crank up for long, sustained runs, but as a big-framed colt he can be thrown off his game by anything that gets in his way, and being roughed up while pinned down on the rail in the Wood did not exactly look like something that emboldened him, either. 13) FREE DROP BILLY (c, Union Rags—Trensa, by Giant’s Causeway) O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC. B-Helen K. Groves Revokable Trust (KY). T-Dale Romans. Sales history: $200,000 KEESEP yrl ’16. Lifetime Record: GISW, 8-2-3-2, $625,220. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 3rd, GII Blue Grass S., KEE, Apr. 7 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GI Breeders’ Futurity, KEE, Oct.7; 2nd, GI Hopeful S. Sept. 4. Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 44 Everyone will focus on how badly Free Drop Billy lost his momentum late in the lane when Sporting Chance (Tiznow) ducked out and cut him off, but he also overcame positional trouble earlier in Saturday’s Blue Grass S. that should not go unnoted. He was three wide on the first turn, got shuffled back a bit when trying to pick a spot about five-eighths out, regained a fluid stride on the far turn when again giving up ground three wide, and was chugging home pretty well after spinning six deep into the stretch before having to slam on the brakes a sixteenth from the wire. He wasn’t going to catch Good Magic for the win, but second place was in play, and getting moved up from fourth to third via DQ did double his Derby qualifying points from 10 to 20, which could end up being significant. 14) MY BOY JACK (c, Creative Cause—Gold N Shaft, by Mineshaft) O-Don’t Tell My Wife Stables & Monomoy Stables LLC. B-Brereton C. Jones (KY). T-Keith Desormeaux. Sales History: $14,000 RNA wlg KEENOV ’15; $20,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 9-2-3-2, $525,145. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 3rd, GII Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 24 Accomplishments Include: 1st, GIII Southwest S., OP, Feb. 19; 1st, Zuma Beach S., SA, Oct. 9 Next Start: GIII Lexington S., KEE, Apr. 14 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 12 My Boy Jack will attempt to slip back into Derby relevance via Saturday’s GIII Lexington S. at Keeneland according to a Daily Racing Form report. It’s the last chance to grab qualifying points on the calendar, and this $20,000 KEESEP Creative Cause colt is currently ranked 20th on the preference list. He needs to prove he wasn’t just a mudlark when ripping away to 4 1/4-length GIII Southwest S. win at Oaklawn back in February, and his last-to-first attempt in the Louisiana Derby wasn’t a bad effort considering he was third and beaten less than two lengths. Should he qualify for the Derby, he’ll be a sneaky-dangerous type of contender, especially if the projected speed horses all decide to fight it out on the front end. 15) HOFBURG (c, Tapit-Soothing Touch, by Touch Gold) O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc. (KY). T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: GISP, 3-1-1-0, $227,950. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 2nd, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31. Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 40 This Tapit homebred for Juddmonte Farms mustered up an encouraging try when ambitiously spotted in the Florida Derby off a maiden win and just two previous starts. It’s always an eye-opener when trainer Bill Mott opts for such a lofty goal with a relatively inexperienced young horse, and Hofburg was widest off the bend for home in Florida Derby yet never looked discouraged when giving chase to a much more experienced winner in Audible. Should his connections decide on a Kentucky Derby start (Hofburg right now is 17th on qualifying points) this is the sort of colt who could be capable of a bombs-away showing while totally ignored in the betting. 16) COMBATANT (c, Scat Daddy-Border Dispute, by Boundary) O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Willis Horton Racing LLC. B-Paget Bloodstock. T-Steve Asmussen. Sales history: $320,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 6-1-3-1, $338.550. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 3rd, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 17. Next Start: GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 14 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 22 Combatant has been plying his trade at Oaklawn this winter, racking up a series of second- and third-place finishes while close behind a handful of well-meant winners. As a result, you can’t discount his chances entirely in the Arkansas Derby, but he’s hardly the type of horse you run to the windows to back with zeal because this $320,000 KEESEP Scat Daddy colt doesn’t have any obvious excuses for not punching through to the next level. He’s been drawn in posts nine and ten for his last two route attempts; perhaps a better gate assignment will up his chances on Saturday. Stamina shouldn’t be an issue–he’s the only horse within the Top 20 to have made every single start of his career (six of ’em) at a mile or longer. 17) PROMISES FULFILLED (c, Shackleford—Marquee Delivery, by Marquetry) O-Robert J. Baron. B-David Jacobs (KY). T-Dale Romans. Sales history: $37,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-0-1, $337,280. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 9th, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31 Accomplishments: 1st, GII Fountain of Youth S., GP, Mar. 3. Next Start: Possible for GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. Kentucky Derby Points: 52 You have to respect trainer Dale Romans’s “live by the sword, die by the sword” reasoning in explaining away how Promises Fulfilled got cooked in the Florida Derby duel that resulted in his last-place finish. Romans is on record as saying he’s going to draw a line through that performance, see how the colt rebounds, and if all is well, start him in the Derby while not trying to mess with this $37,000 KEESEP son of Shackleford’s main asset, which is speed on the lead. Promises Fulfilled figures on paper with Derby-caliber colts based on his previous allowance and stakes form, but don’t make the mistake of thinking he’ll face any less pace pressure in Louisville. A win and a decent third over the Churchill strip are also in his favor. 18) BRAVAZO (c, Awesome Again—Tiz o’ Gold, by Cee’s Tizzy) O/B-Calumet Farm. T-D. Wayne Lukas. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 8-3-1-1, $436,528. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 8th, GII Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 24. Accomplishments: 1st, GII Risen Star S., FG, Feb. 17; 2nd, GI Breeders’ Futurity, KEE, Oct. 7. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 54 Bravazo’s first two starts in 2018 produced wins by a neck and a nose, with his GII Risen Star S. upset at 21-1 odds being the focal point on his resume. He was subsequently backed to second-favoritism in the GII Louisiana Derby off the strength of those victories, but was pasted by 21 lengths, finishing eighth after lugging out on both turns. Still, the 54 points he’s garnered are enough to rank him tenth in terms of qualifying for a starting spot in Louisville. Bravazo was second in his only career Grade I stakes try last October at 47-1 odds at Keeneland, and it’s worth mentioning that he did break his maiden by open lengths over the Churchill strip last September when pressing the pace in a one-turn mile. 19) RUNAWAY GHOST (c, Ghostzapper—Rose’s Desert, by Desert Gold) O/B-Joe Peacock. T-Todd W. Fincher. Sales history: $240,000 RNA yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-4-2-0, $563,510. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, GIII Sunland Derby, SUN, Mar. 25. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 50 Whenever a horse qualifies for the Derby via the New Mexico prep-race series, a “lovable long shot” story seems destined to follow (think Mine That Bird at 50-1 in 2009). How can you not root for a one-horse stable headed by an octogenarian owner/breeder whose Ghostzapper homebred got bid up just shy of a $250,000 RNA at KEESEP and the gent refused all subsequent offers to sell? Runaway Ghost is now four-for-seven lifetime and has more than doubled his auction asking price in earnings, with his GIII Sunland Derby score amassing him 50 qualifying points, currently good for a 13th-place eligibility ranking. 20) GRONKOWSKI (Lonhro {Aus}-Four Sugars, by Lookin At Lucky) O-Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited. B-Epic Thoroughbreds LLC. T-Jeremy Noseda. Sales history: $75,000 wnl KEENOV ’15; $67,415 yrl TATOCT ’16; $404,492 2yo TATBRE ’17. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $135,644. Apr. 3 TDN Top 12 Rank: N/A Last Start: 1st, 32red Burradon S, NEW, Mar. 30. Next Start: GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 5 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: Qualified via European Road to the KY Derby After Gronkowski earned his way into a Derby berth by winning the European Road to the Kentucky Derby points battle last week, the predominant wise guy chatter about him centered on how his presence will skew the Derby betting by a few percentage points. Here’s a horse who should legitimately go off north of 60-1 odds, but because he shares a name with a well-known, highly animated professional football player who is likely to attend the Derby and get substantial media coverage, you can expect casual stateside money to pound his price below 20-1. Gronkowski has never run on dirt nor beyond a mile, and he won the Burradon S. at Newcastle by settling towards the back of the pack and rallying late for a 1 1/4-length, driven-out victory. View the full article

Undefeated Justify took over the top spot on the NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll after winning the April 7 Santa Anita Derby (G1) by three lengths over Bolt d'Oro, who had topped the poll for its first 10 weeks. View the full article