Wandering Eyes

We’re now inside the two-week mark for the May 5 GI Kentucky Derby and big jumps in the prep-race pecking order have given way to behind-the-scenes strategizing, final workout intrigue, and the intensity of big-race anticipation. One Derby spot opened up on Monday morning and another is still in flux based on the dual news that Quip (Distorted Humor) has been withdrawn from Derby consideration to instead aim for the GI Preakness S. and that the British-based Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}) suffered a “minor setback” that has put his Derby status on hold for the time being. Please note that the TDN Top 20 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: GISW, 4-4-0-0, $1,177,800. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 1 Last Start: 1st, GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr.14. Achievements: 1st, GII Rebel S., OP, Mar. 17. Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Magnum Moon. KY Derby Points: 150 Even though Magnum Moon is not yet the so-called “complete package,” I’m willing to bet that this undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ has the right balance of natural speed, tactical prowess, the willingness to face and overcome in-race challenges, and a solid enough pedigree to put him over the top going 10 furlongs in the Derby. Other key plusses–like the experience of having a Derby-winning trainer calling the shots, and the fact that Magnum Moon has now handled three very different types of racing surfaces without requiring the pace to unfold in a certain way–also afford him definite advantages. For certain, this $380,000 KEESEP Malibu Moon colt does present some causes for concern. He’s either ducked or drifted out in the stretch runs of each of his last two Oaklawn races, and it’s a legit criticism to say his internal fractions on the front end of the GI Arkansas Derby (a :48.60 half and 1:13.39 for three-quarters) were on the pedestrian side. But from a visual standpoint, Magnum Moon was still hand-ridden at the top of the stretch in that prep when the firing line of competitors who ranged up abreast of him were all being roused and driven while turning for home. The guess here is that this colt still has deeper reserves of talent we have not yet seen, and that assessment combined with the likelihood that he will spike in the betting all the way up to the third or fourth choice makes him a tantalizing proposition to punch through to a higher level in the Derby. 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 2 Last Start: 1st, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 7 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 100 Quick, name the only two Derby winners since 1900 to win the Run for the Roses off only three lifetime starts. Did you guess Big Brown in 2008 and the legendary filly Regret in 1915? Both were favored at around 5-2 odds, and while 3-for-3 ‘TDN Rising Star’ Justify figures to bear the burden of Derby favoritism squarely on his broad chestnut shoulders, I doubt he’ll go off lower than 4-1 considering the depth of the field. This undefeated $500,000 KEESEP Scat Daddy colt represents limitless possibility right now, and it’s been amazing to witness his raw, assertive power, stylish panache, inherent athleticism, and gigantic stride as he’s assembled an impressive dossier of credentials heading into the Derby, going from unraced maiden to Grade I winner in a span of only 48 days. But while the numerous superlatives surrounding Justify haven’t changed since his Apr. 7 GI Santa Anita Derby win, neither have the very real doubts about this colt’s ability to continue to accelerate so rapidly through a very steep and sharp learning curve. Justify has yet to face multi-horse pace pressure, repeated in-race attacks, a field larger than seven, or even shipping and racing away from his home track. So while unrealized potential is very much on this impressive colt’s side, experience is not. 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 3 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. Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Bolt d’Oro. KY Derby Points: 104 Bolt d’Oro will head to Louisville as a “wise guy” second or third favorite in the betting. He very much deserves that characterization based on his established, near-championship form at age two, his solid win via disqualification in the most impressive Derby prep stretch battle of the spring (the GII San Felipe S.), and the fact that he was not throttled hard to try to overtake Justify when second in the Santa Anita Derby. But this $630,000 FTSAUG Medaglia d’Oro colt also presents unanswered questions to handicappers: Namely, “Bolt” hasn’t crossed the finish wire first since Sep. 30, and the last time he raced in a large field (the Breeders’ Cup), his well-documented issues in the first few strides out of the gate cost him both early positioning and the race. Three-time Derby-winning jockey Victor Espinoza is on record as saying that any such shortcomings will be mitigated by Bolt’s seasoning and relative experience compared to the other, more lightly raced, Derby favorites, and Espinoza has described Bolt as a kind, calm partner who knows how to conserve his pre-race energy. Such intangibles are important in a one-of-a-kind chaos race like the Derby, and when combined with what we see on paper, Bolt should be considered a serious win threat. 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. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20: 4 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 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 100 Mendelssohn is unique for many reasons, but one thing that stands out about this $3 million KEESEP Scat Daddy colt is that his two best lifetime races have come in the two most prestigious races he’s targeted, the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and the G2 UAE Derby. His wins were so emphatic and he was so precisely honed for both of those performances by trainer Aidan O’Brien that it’s easy to forget that Mendelssohn threw in a couple of double-digit-loss clunkers at age two. Over the weekend, O’Brien confirmed that jockey Ryan Moore would continue to partner with Mendelssohn in the Derby rather than remain in Britain to ride in the first English Classic of the season at Newmarket that same day. Since 2000, nine winners of the 1 3/16-miles UAE Derby have gone on to start in the Kentucky Derby, but the best finish out of that collective was sixth. Yet that stat might not be so meaningful when you consider that Mendelssohn is widely thought to be the best Dubai-winning horse to ever attempt the Run for the Roses. This colt is probably not so freakish as his 18 1/2-length blowout win over a speed-favoring Meydan surface might indicate, but you have to regard him with a hefty dose of respect knowing he’s got plenty of early lick to pressure the pace and will be the only Derby starter to have won beyond nine furlongs. 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. 17 TDN Top 20 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. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 134 If it is possible to be a million-dollar KEESEP auction purchase, a Breeders’ Cup winner, and an Eclipse Award champion and yet still be considered an “under the radar” Derby horse, then Good Magic is it. He was short on conditioning as a failed-to-fire favorite in his 2018 debut, and over the course of the next eight weeks in February and March this Curlin champ trained out of the spotlight while the sophomore division was dominated by other up-and-comers. Then Good Magic redeemed himself with a solid, stretch-fighting win in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. that provided him with a ratcheted-up test of his ability while not completely draining him for his well-targeted start in the Derby. If you believe that all of the speed currently shown on paper among the Derby entrants will actually materialize in the race itself, then you have to think Good Magic’s effective, proven ability to carve out a sweet stalking spot and make one sustained run from about a half mile out is going to be a definite asset that ups his chances considerably. 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 6 Last Start: 1st, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31 Accomplishments: 1st, GII Holy Bull S., GP, Feb. 3. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 110 Audible’s stock took a downward tick prior to the GI Florida Derby when he tossed in a couple of lazy-looking workouts. Yet he not only won that race convincingly, but has since fired back with a pair of more spirited morning efforts that could signal we’re on the cusp of seeing a more fully focused horse in the Derby, and that’s a dangerous prospect considering how Audible shredded the GII Holy Bull S. and the Florida Derby fields without (presumably) being 100 percent mentally locked in. This $500,000 FTFMAR son of Into Mischief runs credible speed numbers, has responded well to mid-race cues from his jockeys to quicken, and has now stepped all the way from New York-bred maiden company to a Grade I winner’s circle while demonstrating a confident ability to switch from stalk mode into deft overdrive gears. The chief unknown about him though, remains how he might handle Derby adversity and multiple stretch attacks, because we haven’t seen him face those types of challenges in his Gulfstream Park preps, where he more or less picked his spots behind speed setups and pounced at will. 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 7 Last Start: 1st, Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 24. Equineline PPs. Caulfield on Noble Indy. KY Derby Points: 110 A bet on Noble Indy in the Kentucky Derby is essentially a wager that this Take Charge Indy colt is not only going to continue his development arc, but escalate it up a couple of notches compared to the level that some of the higher-ranked horses in this list have already attained. A blinkers-on win in the GII Louisiana Derby demonstrated that this 3-for-4 ‘TDN Rising Star’ is capable of establishing a strong early position while still having enough energy late in the race to fight free from multiple challengers. But Noble Indy has yet to face top-notch competition, and the horses he swatted away when headed in the long Fair Grounds stretch aren’t the same caliber as those who will likely be motoring home late over 10 furlongs in Louisville. With six weeks of spacing since his last start, Noble Indy is likely to be the “forgotten” colt among trainer Todd Pletcher’s four Derby hopefuls. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that he won’t exceed expectations at an overlaid mutuel. 8) 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: MGSW, 10-3-3-2, $645,145. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 8 Last Start: 1st, GIII Lexington S., KEE, Apr. 14. Accomplishments Include: 1st, GIII Southwest S., OP, Feb. 19; 1st, Zuma Beach S., SA, Oct. 9 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 52 Count My Boy Jack among the Derby entrants who will relish a “the faster the better” type of pace setup on the first Saturday in May. This $20,000 KEESEP Creative Cause colt has a stamina-centric pedigree backed by nine consecutive route races, and the key turning point in his development came when he figured out how to relax off the bridle and make one confident run when winning the muddy GIII Southwest S. three starts back. Since then he’s run a better-than-it-looks third in the Louisiana Derby, then won the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland despite shortening up to 1 1/16 miles and drawing the outermost post. Even as far back as November, “Jack” ran a deceptively solid seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, coming up only three lengths short with a five-wide run during which his jockey dropped the whip at the eighth pole. While not an overt win threat, Jack looms as a must-use in Derby horizontal exotics. 9) 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 9 Last Start: 1st, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 7. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 107 Trainer Todd Pletcher didn’t start 2018 with multiple candidates on the TDN Derby list, but true to his late-blooming form we’re approaching May and he now projects to saddle a full 20 percent of the field (four horses) in the Run for the Roses. Vino Rosso is arriving on the scene at just the right time, but where you peg his chances for the Derby has everything to do with how you evaluate his breakout win in the GII Wood Memorial S. This $410,000 KEESEP Curlin colt seems to have found a sweet spot rallying from farther back rather than forcing the issue like he did in his four previous starts, but the Wood on paper was one of the softer nine-furlong preps assembled in April, and it featured an overzealous lone pacemaker setting up the race for closers. Vino Rosso essentially only had to put away the favored Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro) to prevail in the stretch, and he did manhandle that opponent convincingly when they solidly bumped several times in the run to the wire. So Vino Rosso displayed a nice fighting spirit and the Wood came back as a robust 98 on the Beyer Speed Figure scale, but the bulk of his winter form is still comprised of three so-so races at Tampa Bay Downs, making it unclear (to me at least) which Vino Rosso will show up on Derby day. 10) 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 10 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. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 70 If you’re compiling a short list of horses who will outrun their odds in the Derby, put Flameaway at or near the top of that ranking. This $400,000 FTSAUG Scat Daddy colt has shown tenacity on the lead, resilience in the stretch, and considerable overachievement in his company lines (he’s already beaten Vino Rosso and was within sniffing distance of both Good Magic and Mendelssohn in the Blue Grass S. and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, respectively). I do tend to upgrade horses who consistently show that they can handle multiple surfaces because it underscores there unflappability and versatility, and that’s certainly the case with Flameaway, who’s now won over fast dirt, firm turf, mud, slop, and a synthetic surface. According to assistant trainer Nick Tomlinson, you can add the Churchill main track to Flameaway’s preference list based on Saturday’s in-company five-eighths training move in 1:00.40 (12/52) “He’s doing really well with the track at Churchill and he recorded one of his best breezes that I’ve seen,” he said. 11) 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. 17 TDN Top 12 Rank: 11 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. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 44 Free Drop Billy is an enigma, form-wise. None of his past-performance lines on their own stamp him as an A-level win threat. But he’s a work-in-progress May 3 foal who will likely be charging hard in the final two furlongs of the Derby when other rivals project to be calling it quits. His elevation from fourth to third via DQ in the Blue Grass S. represents a substantial step forward, and it’s noteworthy not just for the interference this $200,000 KEESEP Union Rags colt endured in the final sixteenth of the race. More meaningful was how “Billy” overcame adversity after he got caught three wide on the first turn, was shuffled back when trying to pick a spot about five-eighths out, then regained a fluid stride on the far turn, again giving up ground while three wide. He needs a clean trip behind a fast pace to fire his best shot though, because Billy still doesn’t resonate as a horse who can aggressively make his own breaks or pick his launch point with authority in a crowded field of 20. 12) 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 12 Last Start: 2nd, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 40 Hofburg is a stretch to like on paper based on limited racing opportunities. But if you’re a proponent of paying attention when an outfit that traditionally isn’t focused on getting horses into the Derby all of a sudden shows up with an intriguing, lightly raced candidate, this chestnut could be your dark horse. This Tapit homebred has only raced three times and hasn’t won beyond the maiden ranks, but the respectable owner/trainer combo of Juddmonte Farms/Bill Mott isn’t shying away from giving him a shot against the top of the crop. Hofburg broke his maiden going two turns from post 11 on Mar. 3 at Gulfstream, then wheeled right back in the Florida Derby and cashed for second money when widest off the turn behind much-the-best Audible. He dug in and kept attacking even when it was obvious that the more experienced horse was going to prevail through the stretch, and that’s the kind of subtle hustle that could pay dividends in a pressure-packed race like the Derby. 13) ENTICED (c, Medaglia d’Oro—It’s Tricky, by Mineshaft) O/B-Godolphin (KY). T-Kiaran McLaughlin. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 6-3-1-1, $595,680. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 13 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 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 103 Enticed took the path of least resistance (the Aqueduct stakes) to the Derby and he didn’t win his final prep prior to Louisville. But he did withstand getting roughed up along the rail when second to Vino Rosso in the Wood Memorial, and if he learned something about aggression from that experience, its going to mesh well with his consistent ability to crank up for long, sustained runs. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is not one who tends to go over the top with superlatives, but he did post on social media last Thursday that Enticed’s 1:01.20 (2/7) breeze over five furlongs at Palm Meadows was “one of his best works this year.” This Medaglia d’Oro homebred also checks the “been there, done that” box for familiarity with the Churchill Downs main track, because his length-of-stretch, fully unleashed winning rally there in the Nov. 25 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. stood out as one of the more visually impressive juvenile stakes of 2017. 14) INSTILLED REGARD (c, Arch–Enhancing, by Forestry) O-OXO Equine LLC. B-KatieRich Farms (KY). T-Jerry Hollendorfer. Sales History: $110,000 RNA yrl KEESEP ’16; $1,050,000 2yo OBSMAR ’17. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 7-2-2-1, $294,000. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: N/A Last Start: 4th, GI Santa Anita Derby, SA, Apr. 7 Accomplishments: 1st, GIII Lecomte S., FG, Jan. 13 KY Derby Points: 29 Equineline PPs Last week, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Instilled Regard could still be considered a Derby candidate if defections in the points rankings allowed him to edge into a qualifying spot. On Monday morning, the dual news about Quip (definitely) and Gronkowski (maybe) not making the Derby opened up that possibility. I have to admit to having a handicapping crush on Instilled Regard since his eye-catching GIII Lecomte S. win back in January, thus I have no hesitation about leapfrogging him over the back third of the Derby field based on the potential he flashed back in December and January. This $1.05 million OBSMAR son of Arch failed to fire without an obvious excuse in the GII Risen Star S., and the short field combined with a relatively unpressured pace in the Santa Anita Derby was a total mismatch for this colt’s running style. This multi-dimensional stalker was previously able to fuse tactical early prowess with a commanding late turn of foot, and he figures to be a very “live” sleeper in the Derby should he get in for certain. 15) 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, 6-1-3-2, $752,000 Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 15 Last Start: 3rd, GI Arkansas Derby, OP, Apr. 14 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 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 54 Solomini has run second and third in two Oaklawn prep stakes this spring but has yet to uncork a smart, bust-out performance that solidifies him as a top-level Derby contender. This $270,000 KEESEP Curlin colt is officially winless since breaking his maiden on debut Sep. 2, which qualifies as the longest victory gap by any colt within this week’s TDN Top 20. True, he did cross the finish wire first when DQ’d out of the GI Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 9. But subsequent missed training because of a fever got him off to a late start in 2018, and while his company lines are replete with some of the division’s heaviest hitters, Solomini is still searching for an identifiable running style (is he a pace-presser, stalker or closer?) that could potentially catapult him higher in the Derby pecking order. 16) 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 16 Last Start: 9th, GI Florida Derby, GP, Mar. 31 Accomplishments: 1st, GII Fountain of Youth S., GP, Mar. 3. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 52 Based on the way Promises Fulfilled got hooked and burned himself out in the Florida Derby speed duel, it’s easy to write him off as a “fast but cannot last” pacemaker. But it could be a mistake to assume that every single one of the speed-oriented horses who figure to seek the lead in the Derby are actually going to be willing (or able) to be prominently placed. So what if this $37,000 KEESEP son of Shackleford suddenly finds himself relatively unpressured on the front end a la 20-1 War Emblem in the 2002 Derby? (The best example of a recent Derby that appeared loaded with early speed on paper but wasn’t.) Trainer Dale Romans said back in March that he’s only had a few horses in his career “that can just go fast from beginning to end and have that speed and stamina” and that Promises Fulfilled is one of them. Don’t forget that this colt has already once won over the Churchill strip and finished a credible third there in a subsequent graded stakes, both of which count as plusses. 17) 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. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 17 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. Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 54 Because Bravazo will be entering the Kentucky Derby off a six-week gap since his 21-length drubbing in the Louisiana Derby, trainer D. Wayne Lukas breezed him six furlongs from the gate in company with two other stablemates in 1:15.40 (1/3) last Friday because he “wanted to put him in a situation where it would feel like an actual race.” The four-time Derby-winning trainer added “I think he’ll get a lot out of this work. He didn’t want to pull up after he was finished. My rider was exhausted.” Bravazo has a credible foundation of seven straight races at a mile or longer heading into the Derby, was second in his only career Grade I stakes try (at 47-1 odds in the Breeders’ Futurity S. at Keeneland), and it’s notable that this Awesome Again homebred did break his maiden by open lengths over the Churchill strip last September when forcing the pace in a one-turn mile. 18) LONE SAILOR (c, Majestic Warrior-Ambitious, by Mr. Greeley) O-GMB Racing. B-Alexander-Groves-Matz, LLC (KY). T-Thomas Amoss. Sales history: $120,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: GISP, 8-1-3-1, $334,237. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 19 Last Start: 2nd, GII Louisiana Derby, FG, Mar. 24 Accomplishments: 3rd, GI Breeders Futurity S., KEE, Oct. 7 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 42 Lone Sailor obliterated a Saratoga maiden field by 11 lengths in the second start of his career, turned in three okay efforts to close out his juvenile campaign, then has been quietly on the upswing in three Fair Grounds starts in 2018. This $120,000 KEESEP Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy) colt’s past performances aren’t overpowering, but he does appear to be improving incrementally, and his neck loss in the Louisiana Derby at 9-1 in his most recent start gives him six additional weeks to put it all together as one of the longest-priced starters in the Kentucky Derby. 19) COMBATANT (c, Scat Daddy–Border Dispute, by Boundary) O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Willis Horton Racing LLC. B-Paget Bloodstock. T-Steven Asmussen. Sales history: $320,000 yrl KEESEP ’16. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 7-1-3-1, $388,550. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: N/A Last Start: 4th, GI Arkansas Derby, Apr. 14 Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 32 With at least one and possibly two Derby starting spots opening up on Monday, Combatant went from the next-eligible horse on the points earnings list to making the cut, and trainer Steve Asmussen told Daily Facing Form soon after the news of those defections broke that he intends to start this $320,000 KEESEP Scat Daddy colt in the Derby. Combatant is winless beyond the maiden level while racking up three seconds, a third, and a fourth in four subsequent stakes tries. He most recently chased Magnum Moon in the Arkansas Derby, giving up ground four wide while rallying from last into the far turn in that effort. 20) FIRENZE FIRE (c, Poseidon’s Warrior–My Every Wish, by Langfuhr) O/B-Mr. Amore Stables (FL). T-Jason Servis. Lifetime Record: GISW, 9-4-1-0, $669,100. Apr. 17 TDN Top 20 Rank: 18 Last Start: 4th, GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 7 Accomplishments: 1st, GI Champagne S., BEL, Oct. 7; 1st, GIII Sanford S., SAR, July 22. Equineline PPs KY Derby Points: 39 Firenze Fire qualifies for the Derby based on points, but this sprint-slanted Poseidon’s Warrior colt displays “upside down” form in that his best races are all frontloaded at the start of his career at age two. His lone win in 2018 was a grinder of a one-turn mile effort into a crawling pace over a sealed, muddy Aqueduct surface against only five other foes. He’s since run second and fourth (twice) in two New York stakes preps and is now taking aim at the most difficult race the division has to offer in an attempt to orchestrate an ambitious reversal of fortune. View the full article

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. and trainer Chad Brown wrapped up the Aqueduct Racetrack season with respective three-win days on Sunday to secure top honors for the spring meet at the Big A. Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables emerged as leading owner for the 13-day meet. Named top rider at NYRA in 2017, the 25-year-old Ortiz led all jockeys with 24 wins and more than $1.2 million in earnings to earn his 12th individual meet title on the NYRA circuit. Manny Franco, fresh off his first leading jockey honors for the Aqueduct winter meet, was second with 17 wins, six more than Junior Alvarado in third. Brown, 39, saddled 15 winners from 39 starters. The title is the 11th at an individual meet for the two-time defending Eclipse champion trainer. Linda Rice was second with 11 wins, while Rudy Rodriguez was third with nine. Klaravich led all owners with six victories from 11 starts. Wachtel Stable was second with four wins. The New York Thoroughbred calendar resumes Friday at Belmont Park for its 54-day spring/summer meet. First post time is 1:30 p.m. View the full article

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and SF Racing’s graded stakes-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Quip (Distorted Humor) will pass on a shot at the GI Kentucky Derby May 5 and will instead point for a run in the GI Preakness S. two weeks later. The story was first reported by Daily Racing Form. Capturing his first two starts before running seventh in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S., the WinStar homebred pulled a 19-1 upset in the GII Tampa Bay Derby in his 3-year-old debut Mar. 10. He followed that up with a second-place run in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 14, assuring himself a spot in the Louisville starting gate should his connections choose. Instead, they will go with the potent one-two punch of undefeated ‘Rising Star’ Justify (Scat Daddy) and GI Florida Derby hero Audible (Into Mischief). WinStar is also part-owner in GII Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) alongside Repole Stable. The defection of Quip elevates Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing’s Combatant (Scat Daddy) into the field. The bay has most been a bridesmaid so far, running second in the GIII Southwest S., Smarty Jones S. and Remington Springboard Mile S., third in the GII Rebel S. and fourth in the Arkansas Derby. View the full article

The 2018 roster for Vinery Stud will feature eight stallions, led by perennial leading shuttle sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo), who is returning from WinStar Farm in Kentucky, at A$66,000. The up-and-coming champion 3-year-old All Too Hard (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) will command A$33,000, while Star Turn (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus})’s fee remains at A$22,000. Veteran stallion Testa Rossa (Aus) (Perugino), 21, will cover a limited book in 2018. Casino Prince (Aus) (Flying Spur {Aus}) will hold court for A$9,900, and More Than Ready’s son Pluck is slated for A$6,600. The roster is rounded out by Headwater (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Press Statement (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}), both at A$16,500. “We strongly believe the Vinery stallions represent great value to breeders, headed up by one of the leading stallions worldwide in More Than Ready and prolific sires of winners at all levels in All Too Hard, Casino Prince and Pluck,” Vinery general manager Peter Orton told ANZ Bloodstock News. View the full article

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds kicks off its four-day run Tuesday with the first of 1,222 catalogued juveniles slated to stride through the sales ring at 10:30 a.m. The stature of the April sale has exploded in recent years, with records set at each of the last five renewals of the auction. For the second year in a row, the 2017 sale set records for average and median and had its highest gross in history. The auction, which had two million-dollar sales prior to 2017, had three juveniles top the seven-figure mark, including the $2.45-million topper by Tiznow. “You don’t expect to be able to set a record every year, we just hope to stay in the same level where we are,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “I don’t know that it’s reasonable to say you should set a new record every year you’re selling. But we are confident in the quality of the horses that are here this year.” The OBS March sale kicked off the juvenile sales season last month and the results showed a continued polarization in the marketplace, with plenty of competition for the top lots, but interest seeming to fall precipitously beyond those perceived quality offerings. Wojciechowski hopes the evolution of the April sale and its 1222-strong ‘something-for-everyone’ catalogue, will lead to a broader buying bench this week in Central Florida. “There will still be a lot of competition on the top,” he said. “But I think, if someone is going to attend a 2-year-old sale, April is usually the one they’ll attend. So we get a better spectrum of buyers who buy at all levels.” Joe Appelbaum, whose Off the Hook LLC sent out 35 juveniles to work during last week’s under-track preview of the April sale, agreed the auction has become the must-attend sale of the season. “I think April is the 2-year-old market in the same way that [Keeneland] September is the yearling market,” Appelbaum said. “The other sales are good and they are significant sales. Obviously, the Fasig Miami sale is important and the other OBS sales are important, but this is the guts of the market. This is everything from $5,000 to $1 million all right here.” Graduates of last year’s April sale include GI Kentucky Oaks contenders Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro) and Rayya (Tiz Wonderful). Rayya’s success on the international stage–she won the G3 UAE Oaks and was second behind GI Kentucky Derby hopeful Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) in the G2 UAE Derby–is just the sale’s most recent salvo as it continues to attract global interest. “The international status that the April sale has attained is truly remarkable,” Wojciechowski said. “We see a very strong contingent of Korean owners, trainers and associations here. We see a number of groups from Japan. There are a number of people coming from U.A.E. who will be here because of the recent success with Rayya and Polar River. The April sale has evolved into a truly international sale.” During the six-session under-tack preview of the April sale, held last Monday through Saturday, 19 horses set the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5, while four shared the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 3/5. Times during the first and fourth sessions of the preview were noticeably impacted by strong headwinds. “It was unfortunate that we had to deal with the headwind on Monday and Thursday, but we deal with a pretty sophisticated buyer group,” Wojciechowski said. “People have gotten better and better at buying racehorses, and in particular buying at 2-year-old sales. I know that there seems to be a lot of emphasis placed on times, but I think what you see from a number of the buyers who consistently buy good horses, that’s not the only metric they are using. It is only one part of the equation and I think more and more we see that. I understand that it is an important metric, but it’s not the only thing they are going on.” During last year’s April sale, 678 juveniles sold for $60,935,900. The average was $89,876 and the median was $47,500. The April sale continues through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m. View the full article

Group 3 winner Supido (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}–Lady Succeed {Jpn}, by Brian’s Time) has been purchased by Widden Stud, the stud announced on Monday. A winner of the G3 Monash S. in July of 2017, the Michael Kent trainee also ran third in the 2016 G1 Goodwood H. and filled the same position in the G2 Challenge S. He currently sports a mark of 17-7-1-2 and earnings of $428,106 and will continue to race through the Brisbane Winter Carnival with the existing ownership. “He is a naturally fast, straight track sprinter, a trait shared with a number of our leading sires such as Fastnet Rock (Aus), Exceed And Excel (Aus), General Nediym (Aus), Northern Meteor (Aus) and Zoustar (Aus), said Widden’s Antony Thompson. “We feel Supido will suit a large number of Danehill/Danzig line mares particularly given almost 50% of Sebring’s stakes horses are from this sireline and we have no doubt breeders will be equally impressed once they see him in the flesh.” Added trainer Mick Kent, “The jock’s I’ve had with me for over a decade just come back white in the face after they’ve ridden him. He can run sectionals you just wouldn’t think are possible and I’m not a trainer that asks my horses to break the clock.” Bred by Gilgai Farm, the 6-year-old was purchased by Kent out of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for A$190,000. His second dam is the French Group 2 winner and Classic placed Hydro Calido (Nureyev), a half-sister to French highweights Coup de Genie (Mr. Prospector) and Machiavellian (Mr. Prospector), as well as G1SW Exit To Nowhere (Irish River {Fr}) and GSW & G1SP Ocean of Wisdom (Mr. Prospector). A fee will be announced later. View the full article

Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Quip will bypass the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and point for the Preakness Stakes (G1) instead, trainer Rodolphe Brisset confirmed April 23. View the full article

Triple Group1 winner Trapeze Artist (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) will remain in training next season, according to owner/breeder Bert Vieria, who announced the news to AusHorse on Monday. Successful in Saturday’s G1 All Aged S., the Gerald Ryan trainee earlier won the Apr. 7 G1 T.J. Smith S. at Randwick and the G1 Golden Rose at Rosehill last September. “Yes, I’m going to continue racing him,” Vieira told AusHorse. “It was tempting in many ways to stand him at stud this spring and I’ve already had a few calls this afternoon from major farms, but I’m getting so much enjoyment out of this horse racing that we’re now going to try and climb Everest. His main aim in the spring is the [A$13-million The] Everest and, depending on quarantine issues, maybe he’ll go to Hong Kong in December. The aim would then be to take him to Royal Ascot next year, but it’s entirely up to the horse.” View the full article

A year ago, Steven Smith completed the London Marathon, a sporting goal achieved by some 40,000 competitors every year. In Smith’s case, however, the achievement was all the more remarkable given that he still walks gingerly with a stick after being seriously injured in 2011 when jumping from a first-floor window to flee armed raiders in his home in the south of France. The fall onto a river bank below and subsequent brutal attack by the gunmen left Smith with a broken back and limbs along with facial injuries, not to mention the emotional trauma caused by such an event. Initially paralysed, he exceeded medical expectations by eventually learning to walk again, undertaking the marathon to raise money for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (NSIF), a charity which aims to find a cure for paralysis. Fast-forward 12 months from that pilgrimage of sorts through the streets of London and on Saturday, Smith stood in the Newbury winner’s enclosure after the G3 Fred Darling S. with Dan’s Dream (GB) (Cityscape {GB}), a filly bred at his Hunscote Stud in Warwickshire. Few would begrudge the breeder his turn in racing’s spotlight, his first homebred Group winner landing an important Classic trial in impressive fashion some five years after Hunscote was bought following Smith’s return to England from France. “It took me quite a while to compose myself after the race. It was very special,” he admits. But it was not a result enjoyed by the Smith alone. His ties to NSIF are still strong and when the filly was a yearling, she was offered as an auction prize to swell the charity’s funds for spinal cord injury research. As a result, Dan’s Dream is raced in a partnership made up of Hunscote Stud, Fred Watt, Simon Peckham, former England cricketer Ian Botham and former Welsh rugby star Gareth Edwards. Botham and Edwards both excelled in their respective sporting fields, as did Dan’s Dream’s trainer, Mick Channon, of England and Southampton footballing fame. The sporting link continues through Hunscote Stud manager Andy Lloyd, another former first-class cricketer. He explains, “We put the filly forward as a charity prize and got Ian Botham and Gareth Edwards involved in the syndicate, with Mick to train her. She’s leased from the stud and Fred and Simon made the winning bid to be her owners for two years. Any prize-money won also goes to the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation.” The NSIF has now benefited by more than £34,000 thanks to Dan’s Dream, who is named after Daniel Nicholls, a teenager paralysed from the neck down following an accident on Bondi Beach. His father David set up the charitable foundation to honour the promise made to his son that he would do everything within his power to help Daniel walk again. As the first foal of Royal Ffanci (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), one of 12 mares at Hunscote Stud, Dan’s Dream’s success obviously increases the standing of both her dam and any future siblings, but there is an extra bonus in the 3-year-old becoming the first Group winner for her sire as Hunscote is the 40% owner of the Juddmonte-bred Cityscape in partnership with Simon Sweeting of Overbury Stud, where he has stood since his retirement in 2014. “We’ve always foaled our mares at Conduit Stud with Christopher Sweeting so I met his son Simon through that connection,” says Smith. “I had said I’d be interested in getting involved in a stallion if the right one came along. When Simon got in touch with me about Cityscape the numbers quoted were very sensible.” He continues, “I’d always followed him as a racehorse and was very impressed by his Dubai Duty Free win at Meydan. I assumed he’d either end up standing for Juddmonte or at Lanwades Stud as it was just around the time that Kirsten Rausing had lost his sire, Selkirk.” With his half-brother Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}) already on the roster at Banstead Manor Stud, Cityscape’s appearance on the stallion market piqued the interest of Sweeting. “Richard Brown put him forward to us as a stallion prospect literally the week after Steven and I had talked about him getting involved in a stallion,” he says. “I went to see Cityscape at Beckhampton and very much liked what I saw. His pedigree is interesting, not just because of Bated Breath but also because of Selkirk. That doesn’t make him particularly easy to market but there are aficionados out there. He’s made it easier for us though as he’s a fine, strong horse who produces fine, strong stock. His yearlings sold fairly well the first year, less well last year, but hopefully people will start to realise what he’s capable of. The speed influences seem to be working well with him so far.” From a clutch of juvenile winners last year, it was reasonable to hope that Cityscape’s offspring would start to make their mark as 3-year-olds, and indeed last weekend made real that hope for the team closest to him. Following Dan’s Dream’s win at Newbury, The Broghie Man (GB), a winner and Listed-placed at two, saw off some stiff opposition to land the listed Committed S. over 5½ furlongs at Navan for Adrian Keatley. From an initial book of 98 mares, Cityscape dropped to around the 50 mark for his subsequent seasons and currently has 39 booked to him this year. “I’d be very surprised if we can’t get that past 50 after this weekend,” adds Sweeting. One of those already booked to return to him, unsurprisingly, is Royal Ffanci. Hunscote Stud lost a 2-year-old sister to Dan’s Dream in a pre-training accident and the mare currently has a yearling filly by Coach House (GB) and a colt foal by Twilight Son (GB). “We’ll retain the Coach House filly and although the mare hasn’t been covered yet, the plan was always to go back to Cityscape. Dan’s Dream was actually the very first foal born by him and the mare rejected her so she was raised on Dolly the foster mare. Royal Ffanci has got the hang of it though and is now a very good mother,” says Andy Lloyd. “One of the reasons that Cityscape was so attractive to us at the start is his pedigree and the fact that he’s a complete outcross. He gives breeders options and his stats are very encouraging given that he hasn’t been supported by the big breeding operations, more by small, private breeders.” Hunscote Stud and Cityscape will be represented today (Tuesday) via another homebred, Sigrid Nansen (GB), who runs at Yarmouth for Greenham S.-winning trainer George Scott. “We’re continuing to support him and will be sending six mares to him this season, which is half of our broodmare band,” says Smith, who is currently deciding whether or not to supplement Dan’s Dream for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on May 6. He adds, “I’m here at Conduit Stud at the moment and Christopher [Sweeting] was just saying that we may never get this chance again. I think we have to supplement for the Guineas.” It sounds like the decision has already been made. The dream is alive. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}), due to be ridden by Frankie Dettori, has been ruled out of the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas due to a “training setback”. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained daughter of Frankel was an impressive winner of a Newmarket maiden last October at second asking and had impressed Dettori in a gallop before racing at last week’s Craven meeting. Stoute said, “Veracious will not be running in the 1000 Guineas because she has had a training setback.” Chris Richardson, managing director of owner Cheveley Park Stud, confirmed Veracious is lame and expects her to undergo further tests in the coming days. He said, “I spoke to Sir Michael Stoute and I don’t know exactly what it is, but she is not 100% right. She is lame in behind and I think they are going to do some more tests and examinations to try to establish what it is. Frankie Dettori was very happy with her gallop on Wednesday and it looked good. We are all very disappointed.” View the full article

Bungle Inthejungle (GB) continues to increase his lead at the head of the freshman sires’ table with four winners from his 12 runners to date, the latest being the John Quinn-trained Carey Street (Ire) at Pontefract on Monday. Far more intriguing at this time of year, however, is a peek at how the second-crop sires are faring with their first 3-year-old runners. Four of this set in Europe have had a brace of stakes winners apiece this season. We’ll hear plenty more of Cityscape (GB), the sire of last weekend’s black-type winners Dan’s Dream (GB) and The Broghie Man (GB) in accompanying features in today’s edition. Havana Gold (GB) had a terrific flagbearer last season in Havana Grey (GB) and that colt may be seen next in the G3 Prix Texanita on May 9. In the meantime, G2 Coventry S. runner-up Headway (GB) returned in great style to win the listed Spring Cup for William Haggas and heads to the QIPCO 2000 Guineas with Raid (GB), who was fourth in the G3 Greenham S. on Saturday. Finishing just behind Raid on Saturday was Fighting Irish (Ire), the winner last season of the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte to give Camelot (GB) a first Group success. He may also head to the Texanita before contesting the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot, while his sire has a German Classic contender in Alounak (Fr), who backed up his juvenile listed success with victory in Dusseldorf’s Derby Trial on April 8. Wait Forever (Ire) became Camelot’s third black-type winner with his victory in the listed Premio Pisa on Mar. 25. Dawn Approach (Ire) was mentioned in dispatches in last week’s Wrap following a Group 3 victory for the unbeaten Musis Amica (GB) and he enjoyed more success in the Godolphin blue on Sunday, this time for Willie McCreery, who trains Guineas entrant Mary Tudor (Ire), the decisive winner of the listed Salsabil S. at Navan. It was also a banner day on Thursday for Dawn Approach’s oft-overlooked sire New Approach (Ire) when two colts, both out of Cape Cross (Ire) mares, posted memorable victories at Newmarket. Masar (Ire) had only arrived in town from Dubai the previous weekend but he was the hottest performer in a sustained hot streak for his trainer Charlie Appleby when blasting home in the G3 Craven S. by nine lengths. Earlier on the card, the ultra-competitive Wood Ditton Maiden went the way of Shadwell colt Sawwaah (GB), trained by Owen Burrows. No Bungling For Channon… No trainer can rival Appleby’s strike rate at present, which is sitting at 47% for the last fortnight, with eight winners from his 17 runners. Also weighing in with eight during that period is Mick Channon, whose stable’s five winners on Friday rolled over into a third victory in the G3 Fred Darling S. with Dan’s Dream. Similarly satisfying for the trainer will have been the victory at Bath for Kinks (GB), a 2-year-old son of Sixties Icon (GB), who stands at Channon’s Norman Court Stud and was bred by him out of the equally rock-and-roll-themed mare Crazee Diamond (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). It’s six years since Samitar (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) became Channon’s most recent Classic winner in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, and the trainer will be hoping that Dan’s Dream can deliver him another Guineas next month, but in the meantime he has already contributed to the great start made at stud by another of his former trainees, Bungle Inthejungle. Channon saddled the second of his winners, Jungle Inthebungle (Ire), a homebred for Rathasker Stud, where his sire stands, and who could return to action at Ripon on Saturday. Millionaire Colts Step Up… Of the nine yearlings who sold for more than a million guineas at Book 1 of the 2016 Tattersalls October Sale, four were seen in action last week, including the joint 2.6 million gns sale-toppers, both of whom ran on Thursday. The Meon Valley Stud-bred Emaraaty (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) won for the second time at Newcastle several hours after Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) finished fourth in the G3 Craven S. The latter, a son of Philippa Cooper’s Group 1 winner Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), won the G3 Prix la Rochette last year. Another Group 3 winner, Shadwell’s unbeaten Elarqam (GB), didn’t line up for a Classic trial but came to Newmarket for a racecourse gallop. The son of Guineas winners Frankel (GB) and Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) will return to the Rowley Mile on May 5 for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas in which the two Dubawi colts are also entered. Ghostwatch (Ire), also by Dubawi and bred by the Niarchos family from the French listed winner Nature Spirits (Fr) (Beat Hollow {GB}), sold for 2.1 million gns to Godolphin and he came out top in a hot maiden at Wolverhampton on Saturday night. Intriguingly, the race also featured Elgin (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), who was last seen running fifth in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and finished third on his first start on the Flat for Alan King. The previous weekend Rostropovich (Ire), a 1.1 million gns Frankel half-brother to Zoffany (Ire), had made his seasonal reappearance when fourth of five in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau, having won the G2 Futurity S. at the Curragh last season. Keep an eye out for another expensive Dubawi colt, Ispolini (GB), who was sold by Newsells Park Stud for 1.2 million gns. From the family of Nathaniel (Ire), he is entered in Friday’s G3 Bet 365 Classic Trial at Sandown. Screen Star Still Dazzles… Mark Johnston couldn’t have known how good Lumiere (GB) would turn out to be when he bought her dam Screen Star (Ire) (Tobougg {Ire}) just nine months after she foaled the daughter of Shamardal. But he knew all about Screen Star, having trained her to win her sole start by 11 lengths. Transferred to Saeed Bin Suroor after that eyecatching juvenile victory, the filly was never seen on the racecourse again, but Johnston was quick to swoop when Screen Star appeared in the Tattersalls December Sale some six years after she’d left his yard, and he bought her from Darley for 52,000gns. A year later Lumiere had followed both her mother and father to Johnston’s Yorkshire stable and she too showed plenty of juvenile talent, winning on debut at Newmarket before going on to finish second in the G2 Lowther S. and triumphing in the G1 Cheveley Park S. She finished last in the 1000 Guineas won by Minding (Ire) but bounced back to add another two stakes wins to her tally before retiring at the end of 2016, the year Screen Star returned to the sales, selling in foal to Golden Horn (GB) for 675,000gns to Ballylinch Stud. In the meantime, however, Johnston had bred three foals from her, including Sheikha Reika (Fr), Lumiere’s full-sister who was sold to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid for 550,000gns in the same year that her mother changed hands. Now three, and the runner-up in three starts last year, the filly named after her trainer Roger Varian’s baby daughter Reika was highly impressive when winning the Rossdales Maiden at Newmarket on Thursday. She looks more than capable of further embellishing the family with black type of her own. Screen Star’s current 2-year-old by Authorized (Ire) has been exported to Japan and she has a yearling colt by Golden Horn at Ballylinch, where she was covered last year by Shamardal’s son Lope De Vega (Ire). Lumiere, meanwhile, was covered in 2017 by Dubawi (Ire). On The Rise… There’s a range of factors to be considered when our team bestows the title of TDN Rising Star on a runner of note, but of course performance and pedigree are of utmost importance. In that respect, the latest three recipients of a star in the past week all pass with flying colours. The filly that’s had me humming Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl all weekend is the resounding winner of the fillies’ maiden at Newbury on Saturday, Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Given that she runs for her breeder Lord Lloyd Webber, show tunes would perhaps be a more appropriate accompaniment and it just so happens that I’m word-perfect when it comes to Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, the musical in which my stage career began and swiftly came to an ignominious end back in the early ’80s. The traumatic connection of that crushing disappointment aside, it’s been terrific to the follow the progress of Watership Down Stud’s great matriarch Darara (Ire) (Top Ville {Ire}), whose treble Group 1-winning daughter Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) is responsible for Lah Ti Dar. The Lloyd Webbers would have been entitled to feel a tad robbed when So Mi Dar (GB) was denied her place in the Oaks line-up through injury after winning the G3 Musidora S. It would be wonderful to see her full-sister gain compensation for the family at Epsom this year. The pedigree of the Aga Khan homebred Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), is no less illustrious as the 3-year-old is the latest runner for her Arc-winning dam Zarkava (Fr) (Zamindar). This filly was first spied by breeders alongside her mother during a party given by the Aga Khan in 2015 to mark his 50 years in the breeding industry. Her long-awaited first public appearance at Longchamp last week proved to be no disappointment as she asserted her authority in the Prix de la Lancette. Alain de Royer Dupre, who also trained Zarkava and Zarkamiya’s half-brother Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), was cautious in his post-race comments but his charge has entries in both French fillies’ Classics as well as the G1 Prix Saint-Alary. The listed victrix First (GB) (Highest Honor {Fr}) was bought by Nurlan Bizkov for 1.1 million gns from the Bloomsbury Stud dispersal at Tattersalls in 2010, having already produced the stakes-winning duo of Perfect Stride (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Law Lord (GB) (Diktat {GB}). Her current 3-year-old Qazyna (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a great grand-daughter of Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford’s foundation mare Mrs Moss (GB) (Reform {GB}), was another impressive maiden winner for Roger Varian last week. Bred by Bizakov’s Hesmonds Stud, she too has a date at Epsom in June pencilled in to her engagements. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbred’s Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}) has suffered a setback that puts his participation in the GI Kentucky Derby in doubt, according to a Racing Post report. The colt, who qualified for the Run for the Roses via the newly created “European Road to the Kentucky Derby,” has generated significant public attention due to his namesake, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who recently puchased an interest in the horse. “We’ve had a minor setback and we will know where we are in the next 24 hours,” trainer Jeremy Noseda told the Racing Post Monday. Gronkowski has won four consecutive starts in England, capped by a win in the 32red Burradon S. at Newcastle Mar. 30, a victory that secured him a start in the Derby starting gate. View the full article

Gypsy Spirit, who unshipped rider Josephine Gordon in the preliminaries, dwelt at the break and chased the leaders in rear through the initial fractions of this unveiling. Tanking into contention once past halfway, the 14-1 chance arrived on the scene approaching the final eighth and was ridden out in the latter stages to prevail by a neck from Mayfair Madame (GB) (Mayson {GB}), becoming the first winner for her freshman sire (by Clodovil {Ire}). GYPSY SPIRIT (GB), f, 2, Gregorian (Ire)–Romany Gypsy (GB), by Indesatchel (Ire). O-The Gypsy Spirit Partnership; B-Bearstone Stud Ltd (GB); T-Tom Clover; J-Josephine Gordon. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £3,752. View the full article

Sir Peter Vela’s G1 Investec Derby fourth and MGSW Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) is targeting the G2 Huxley S. at Chester on May 11, trainer Martyn Meade announced on Monday. The 4-year-old will then take in the June 20 G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot on June 20. Oisin Murphy will partner the G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano hero, who signed off his sophomore year with a third in the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. in September. “I think that putting him away, after the [Irish] Champion S. was the right thing to do and he had a busy season,” Meade said, who had recently moved his yard from Newmarket to Manton in March. “The principal target early on will be the Prince of Wales’s at Ascot, that’s what we’re aiming for and I’ll need to give him a preparation race for that. I think the [G1] Prix Ganay ground would not be ideal for him although he did go on soft ground last year. I think he’ll be better on a faster surface and I’m leaning towards the Huxley at Chester during their festival in May. It is a track which would suit him and it would be a very good prep race so that is top of the list at the moment.” View the full article

The biennial 15th World Equine Veterinary Association (WEVA) Congress was held in Beijing on Apr. 22, with the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and jointly organized by the China Horse Industry Association. Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges addressed the delegates and explained the factors at the centre of Hong Kong racing’s success. “The model of The Hong Kong Jockey Club is highly-regarded as one of world-class quality, consistency and integrity, and which has contributed significantly to community betterment,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges. “Given this Congress is held in China, and China is on its journey to developing a modern equine industry, I think the discussions here this week will be highly relevant. Fundamental to Hong Kong’s success are our capabilities and best practice approaches in racing management, which include the recruitment and training of top professionals, investment in state-of-the-art racecourse facilities, a strong commitment to horse welfare, and the rigorous monitoring of races and training of racehorses to ensure complete integrity.” The HKJC will be applying best practices to the Conghua Training Centre (CTC) located near Guangzhou and opening in August of this year. “With the support of mainland government agencies, the CTC will be the first world-class thoroughbred training centre in the Chinese mainland, and also the first world-class veterinary clinic, staffed by internationally-qualified talent,” Engelbrecht-Bresges continued. “In what was a groundbreaking development involving multiple levels of mainland government and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) itself, an Equine Disease Free Zone (EDFZ) was established in Conghua, which is the first large-scale and multi-purpose, internationally recognised permanent EDFZ in the Chinese mainland. As a result, horses in Conghua will be recognised worldwide as having the same high health status as the horse population in Hong Kong. By leveraging the development of the CTC, and particularly its EDFZ, the Club has developed a vision of how Hong Kong, given its status as a globally-recognised centre of excellence in equestrian sports and racing, can contribute to the development of the ‘equine value chain’ in the Chinese mainland, and the establishment of the Greater Bay Area as a worldwide centre of excellence for high-performing horses. The development can cover all aspects of the equine industry’s value chain, including competitions, horse welfare, talent training and development within the areas of stable management, veterinary and farrier care, as well as associated industries in horse movement services, feed, drugs, equipment, breeding, horse sales and auctions.” View the full article

1st-NAV, €20,000, Cond, 4-23, 2yo, 5fT, 1:03.34, yl/sf. SERGEI PROKOFIEV, c, 2, by Scat Daddy 1st Dam: Orchard Beach, by Tapit 2nd Dam: Song and Danz, by Unbridled’s Song 3rd Dam: Danzig Til Dawn, by Danzig Sergei Prokofiev ran green when an Apr. 11 debut second over this trip atop Dundalk’s synthetic surface last time, but was an entirely different proposition in this first attempt on turf. Racing prominently after a slick getaway here, the 2-5 lock quickened to the fore approaching the final furlong and surged ever clear thereafter to easily account for previous winner Pride of Pimlico (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) by a mightily impressive 7 1/2 lengths. “Donnacha [O’Brien] loved him when he rode him in Dundalk and we’re delighted with him,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “He’s a big, powerful horse and has plenty of speed. He hadn’t been away before Dundalk and has obviously come on for that run. That was nice for his second race, but we don’t have the novice races so are limited after winning a maiden. We always thought he was very nice and between now and [Royal] Ascot we’d like to get another race into him. We’ll look at the [Listed] Marble Hill [S. at The Curragh] or the [Listed] Rochestown [S. at Naas]. Ryan [Moore] doesn’t think six [furlongs] will be a problem as he went to the line strong.” The $1.1-million KEESEP yearling is the lone performer out of a half-sister to GIII Hollywood Juvenile Championship victress Necessary Evil (Harlan’s Holiday), from a family which also includes GI Spinaway S. and GI Matron S. heroine Over All (Mr. Prospector). His dam Orchard Beach has also produced a yearling filly by Hard Spun and was bred to Air Force Blue last year. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, €15,320. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Anderson Farms (Ontario) Inc (ON); T-Aidan O’Brien. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Barrier trials will be introduced to Ireland by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) with the support of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, beginning at Dundalk Stadium in May of 2018, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Monday. Beginning on May 2, the first set of trials features two batches of six horses prior to racing at Dundalk, with another pair of trials set for May 6. The trials, restricted to unraced juveniles and 3-year-olds with a starting stalls certificate, in the care of a fully licensed trainer and be ridden by licendsed jockeys under catchweights, are geared toward the promotion of increased sales of unraced horses overseas, as Asia will only accept horses that have not started. The trials, €100 to enter, will be recorded, timed and available to view on ITM’s website, where entries may also be placed. View the full article

Sichuan Boss was an unlucky third last start but a better draw can help the in-form Tony Millard-trained miler bounce back on Wednesday night in the second section of the Class Four Daegu Handicap (1,650m). After a string of wide draws, Sichuan Boss has jumped from gates 12 and nine at his last two over the same course and distance, the five-year-old gets the benefit of barrier two as racing returns to the tricky C course. Last start, the tough gate on the C + 3 course meant Sichuan Boss was... View the full article

Some nice Hong Kong debut runs fill the black book from racing on Saturday, with three-year-old Emerald Spur catching the eye behind Gracious Ryder and five-time Italian winner, Xiang Bai Qi, making a good impression in the last race. Emerald Spur had indicated some good ability in his barrier trials so his strong-finishing fourth on the weekend was not a complete surprise but it certainly confirmed what he had shown. His lack of early speed was always going to come against him from a wide draw... View the full article

The old band is back together and the forgotten horse of Sunday’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize is looking for a redemption that could also reshape the season of one of the forgotten jockeys. Brett Prebble’s tally of 18 Group Ones in Hong Kong alone stands out among the riders in the feature sprint on Sunday and includes four prior wins in the race on Lucky Nine (twice), Sacred Kingdom and Absolute Champion. But time moves on and, while he isn’t the only one, it’s no... View the full article

Early scratchings April 24 View the full article

Horse's test results April 21 View the full article

The way Nessy was running recently, he figured to break through at some point, and did April 22 in the $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park View the full article

Launching a determined drive to edge out the favorite, Stronach Stables' Silent Sting strode into first place to take the $125,000 Queenston Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack April 22 on the synthetic track. View the full article

Stephanie Seymour Brant's Significant Form led the entire way April 22 to win the $100,000 Memories of Silver Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in her season debut at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article